The Journey Begins
The chauffeur waits patiently in the rain as I pack my final mementos for my trip (its summer in Sydney and raining… I know what is with that?). I eventually make it to the car and get pretty wet in the process.
Not the best start to my trip, but anyway….thankfully I am escaping this weather on a round the world trip – Dubai, London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong & Singapore. First stop is one of my favourite places, the Qantas First Class Lounge and the opportunity to sample their amazing summer menu. I always feel oh so welcome in this place!
So here are the dishes I have today….
Spaghettini with asparagus, cauliflower pangrattato, basil and poached egg
This dish just spells summer. A light spaghetti, the rich yolk bursts from the poached egg to colour the dish with its sticky sensuous glow and intermingles wonderfully with the light sauce on the pasta, the saltiness of the cauliflower pangretto provides some additional flavour and the crunch of the asparagus adds a lovely textural overlay.
I pair this with a cocktail.
The Doctors Order
The elegant floral notes of Gin glide through the cocktail with an elegant flair, the Lillet Blanc provides a dryness to the drink and interacts well with the citrus additions and flows well into the finish while the honey add a rich sweetness. The bite of citrus and the ginger beer provide some sizzle on the sign-off not even the storm clouds hovering over Sydney can wipe the sense of satisfaction from my lips.
Tamarind glazed lamb with chickpeas, tomato and ginger
Lamb is succulent and just falls apart with the interrogation of the fork. The wonderful flavours and juices flow through the dish and mingle with the hearty chickpea stew underneath while the yoghurt topping provide a flourish of freshness and lightness to the dish.
Penfolds Bin 8 – Cabernet Shiraz
The wine has some wonderful aromas of red fruits, blackcurrants and light herb notes. On the first sip there is beautiful redcurrant jammy flavours with solid flavours of plums, light savoury olive notes which flows into a silky finish on the palate. An excellent pairing for the lamb and sufficient tannin grip to dance with the dish.
Hazelnut and chocolate meringue with cocoa-lime sorbet
The macaroon crispy super sweet crunch is a heavenly delight indeed. It is then followed by a beautiful the not too sweet but rich cacao flavour of the sorbet provides a creamy frozen texture to balance the crunch of the macaroon. The creamy rich ganache filling is a sensuous delight on the palate. An excellent finish to the meal.
The Spa
A beautiful back massage is in the offering to loosen every knot and eases every stress. Then I am back in the private room (these are heaven) and finish off some work with a glass of wine in hand of course.
Then the boarding call chimes and I am off to the gate for the world
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