The Picnic Press

Mr L'Orange and I always like to share our top tips about Orange with guests in our cabin. 

We are now at the stage where we print out a 'Hot Tips' sheet for guests to peruse when they arrive. One couple who were quite taken with our hints and tips were Leanne and Mark who stayed a few weeks ago.

Here is their beautiful blog The Picnic Press that talks all about their stay, the photos of Orange are simply gorgeous (I so need a new camera Mr L'Orange!) and I thought you would like to read their story for yourself.

Orange Verandah Markets

Orange is at long last getting some quality art and craft markets, in perfect timing for the lead up to Christmas - which is getting scarily close! Decent markets have been one thing that has been sorely lacking in the area, especially considering the large number of artists and artisans producing fantastic work and with no one to see it or buy it.

The markets are taking place on the verandah of the Byng St Store, allowing market goers to browse the stalls and then enjoy a coffee or cake afterwards. The Orange Verandah Markets start this Sunday (11 November) and will be on every Sunday between now and Christmas so you can stock up on goodies.

Drop in between 11am - 2pm to the Byng St Store to see some of the beautiful hand crafted pieces that are available - it knows the socks off the Paddington Markets!

Stall holders include: Josephine Jagger-Manners selling papier mache bowls, hand designed tea trays, cards and tea towels. Amelia Herbertson with her etched bookmarks, cards, stationary and prints. Jumbled homewares and many more. For full details check out the facebook page for Orange Verandah Markets.

Orange Wine Week - Part 1

We have quite possibly just finished one of the best Orange Wine Weeks ever created, Mr L'Orange and I are actually feeling a bit sad it is all over! I have so much to fill you in on that I am going to have to do it over several posts.

Orange Wine Week - Part 1

We have had four wine loving friends come to visit, a new puppy and a packed house but still managed to squeeze in the following:

Wine & music on the lawn at Philip Shaw's. This is an excellent concept as the cellar door offers views, lawn and plenty of space plus delicious pork rolls and a fantastic range of Philip Shaw wine. Only criticism would be the music which only the DJ was dancing to (never a good sign), a live guitarist would have been ideal. There was a good turn out of people and the lovely sunshine got everyone in the mood.

Swift Sparkling Launch. Held at the Byng St Store around the corner from our house and totally free. This was a chance for people to try the two new Swift sparklings (cuvee and vintage) accompanied by the uber delicious Byng St Store canapés.

Byng St Store - Swift Cellar Door

I was very impressed with the Swift Cuvee which was extremely drinkable and totally hit the spot in its balance between sweet and dry, hoping to see this on wine lists all over Orange as currently the local sparkling offering is very limited. If anyone is needing a caterer in Orange, speak to Jeremy Norris at Byng St Store his mini delights are utterly divine.

Gorgeous art deco promotional material

Boozy BBQ at our place. We finished off the night with some extremely good wines from the Fesq & Company portfolio (thanks Andy), accompanied by an array of bbq meats and then watched the rugby and passed out.

Susan & Xanthie trying Swift sparkling

Waffles with the Winemaker at Patina Wines. A quirky way to start a Sunday, great option when friends are staying. To read in full click here.

Just when we thought we couldn't manage any more wine or socialising we had to head off for our Burgundian Lunch booking at the Old Convent. Full story on this decadent day tomorrow....

Orange Wine Week 2012

Mr L'Orange and I got our hands on the new Orange Wine Week 2012 brochure yesterday and are very excited about the programme for late October. This year's festival is jam packed with good stuff, the tough job will be selecting just a few events to attend.

The bar has definitely been raised and there is now an excellent range of wine related events throughout the week with a good mix of casual and formal. If you were thinking of making a visit, then leave your children behind and come to Orange for Wine Week which takes place from 20-28 October 2012. 

This year there are guest chef appearances from Tony Bilson, Kate Bracks the Masterchef winner and Peter Kuravita. These events have a matching guest chef price tag so be prepared to spend big, perfectly fine if you can spare the cash or want to do something unique for a special occasion. As DIY consumes almost all of our savings, we are going for the more ‘value for money’ options and my top picks for Orange Wine Week 2012 include:

Burgundian Lunch at the Old Convent with De Salis Wines

Josie Chapman is one of our favourite chefs in Orange and the Old Convent is one of the most lovely venues in the area. So the fact that they are doing a lunch accompanied by De Salis wines (another of our favourites) for the very reasonable price of $50 is a no brainer. Who else wants to join us? On both weekends during Wine Week.

Live DJ and Vietnamese pork rolls at Philip Shaw Wines

Relaxing in the sunshine whilst sipping wine, listening to music and munching on Vietnamese culinary delights sounds like the perfect Sunday to me. At $8 per person, this option is great for groups of friends/family and is pretty casual which in my view is what wine drinking is all about. Taking place both weekends during Wine Week.

Printhie Sparkling Launch at the Byng St Store

As this event is free and just around the corner from our house it immediately caught my eye. We will definitely be popping along to sample the new Printhie sparkling, meet Drew Tuckwell the wine maker and get to see the Byng St Store with its exciting wine bar set up.

BUG Bicycle Ride – 50km around the region 

I think I need to go into training to be able to complete this one, however it is a great way to get more people involved in cycling and to see the region from a new perspective. I would personally recommend using a mountain bike as the roads in Orange are shocking for bumps and potholes. Free event - meeting at the Byng St Store at 10.00am on 28th October.

Night Markets at Robertson’s Park 

Always a good opportunity to try lots of wines in a short space of time without the trouble of driving. Arrive early to avoid disappointment as food runs out and queues get long otherwise. Free event you simply buy what you wish to eat and drink. Taking place from 5.30pm on Friday 26 October.

Hopefully some of these suggestions have tempted you to book in a visit to Orange or get your friends and family up for the weekend for some Orange Wine Week action. 

To see the full brochure of Orange Wine Week events click here. If you are needing accommodation, there is always the Dalton St Studio for the perfect home away from home mini break!

Table for Ten At The Byng St Store

It was a chilly autumn evening when the girls and I headed to Table for Ten at the Byng St Store to celebrate F.O.OD Week. The Table for Ten concept is very straightforward, get a group of 10 friends, allow chef and owner Jeremy Norris to create a unique menu for you and then turn up and get spoilt. We decided to put on our best outfits, gather as many bottles of wine as we could carry and make the short 3 block trip to the Byng St Store.

The glammed up girls

We kicked the evening off (and braved the cold) with drinks on the deck at the back of the Byng St Store. This is a fantastic little outside area, the perfect location for pre-dinner beverages and canapés. A fortieth birthday dinner was also being held at the Byng St Store that night, I think the 40 year old men thought their luck had come in as our group of lovely ladies walked on to the deck.

The restaurant is BYO and our fantastic waiter was superb at ensuring everyone’s wine glass remained full at all times. A plate of salamis came around followed by a tasty cup of cauliflower soup with truffle oil which was rather delish. As the weather got more chilly we moved into our ‘room for the night’ which features one large table in a refined homely dining room.

Our first course was a goats cheese and fig tart with rocket and lemon zest short crust pastry, this was very generous as a starter and I really enjoyed it, although the sweeter pastry had the table divided. The main course was Hereford beef on a sweet potato mash with bok choy, an excellent choice of local produce cooked to perfection. Again generous portions, the only criticism would be that the main felt very 'home cooked' rather than ‘restaurant fare.’

Dessert was another tart, this time with a decadent rich chocolate ganache filling, which was utterly divine and again gigantic. It was at this point we realised a few guys with big appetites would have come in handy to polish off the remaining food! Cheese and biscuits with fresh figs followed, accompanied by a rather large bar of chocolate to finish things off. Tea and coffee were included in the price and served with a miniature pistachio macaroon (a Byng St Store signature treat).

Perhaps because two dining rooms were hired on the night, our intimate dining space also became the main thoroughfare for the wait staff, kitchen staff and guests from the 40^th. This was fairly bizarre when guests from the 40th were looking for toilets or we were opening the door for staff to carry food through to the other party! There was plenty of chatter around our table, however a wired in sound system wouldn't go astray.  

All in all, we had a great night and the Table for Ten is most definitely on the right track and offers intimate dining in a unique setting experience.

For more information or to make a booking contact the Byng St Store.

One Week Until F.O.O.D Week

The countdown has begun for gourmet heaven - Orange style. From next Friday we get to enjoy 10 days of delicious local cuisine intermingled with top chefs and great wine as part of F.O.O.D Week.

The 100mile dinner and the newly introduced Forage are always sell outs however there are still plenty of spaces available for other lunches, dinners and events. Click here for the F.O.O.D website.

The weather is superb at the moment, hot sunny days with clear blue skies and then slightly cooler evenings, plus the leaves are starting to change colour so city looks beautiful. If you are at a loose end the weekend after Easter then venture to Orange for something different.

Lots of my girlfriends are coming up from Sydney for wine, food & a girly gossip next weekend. I'll report back on all our F.O.O.D Week adventures shortly. We are looking forward to trying out 'Table for 10' at the Byng St Store.

Hope all LALO readers have a wonderful Easter break, speak to you soon.

The Byng St Store, Orange

 

This hotly anticipated new café and deli is now open on the corner of Clinton and Byng streets in Orange. The enticing bright red door leads you into a small but cosy shop full of Simon Johnson products, deluxe teas and Tetsuya vinegrette. There is also a good selection of freshly baked breads and breakfast menu available.

The décor is tastefully shabby chic and they have made good use of the small space available with more tables outside which will be great in summer. There are stools along the window for people to enjoy their coffee accompanied by a selection of homemade treats. I enjoyed a pistachio macaroon but was also tempted by the warm scones and chocolate and berry muffins.

The Byng St Store also does a range of gourmet sandwiches and has a big dining room off the shop so people can eat in. The store is open 7am – 7pm every day so is ideal for that coffee fix on the way to work or a place to catch up with friends after work. Orange certainly lacks in options after 5pm sadly.

It is certainly nice to have somewhere trendy and fresh within walking distance from the house that is open in the evenings and where the owners are clearly putting their heart and soul into getting their business pumping. Alas there is only a small selection of deli meats and no cheese as yet but  this is set to expand over time and will set the Byng St Store apart from the competition.

The table for ten dining experience will be kicking off at The Byng St Store in the near future, owner Jeremy Norris certainly has some grand plans for this cute little spot. I highly recommend a visit.