Travel Australia: history in The Rocks

There’s something about being a tourist in your own city. A day out in Sydney’s historic Rocks this week, gave me a little reminder of the early history of Sydney, some new insights, and a peek at some more recent history too. With my focus always on food there was also some might fine eating to be had. Here’s a little taste of the day.

The history lesson started on the ferry. Approaching Circular Quay by water, travelling under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and past the Sydney Opera House, I thought would be the perfect amuse bouche. While waiting at the wharf I started talking with Hunters Hill local, Louise. We talked of food. Louise and I reminisced of eating our first avocadoes. Louise was born “during the war”. Her first avocado was eaten as a Uni student at a splash up treat at Catalina’s Rose Bay.  Unlike how readily available they are today, avocadoes were a rare treat back then. They were not locally available in shops, and at that time there were no supermarkets. New friends, Louise and I sat together chatting on the ferry. There was time for one more story before we arrived at our Circular Quay destination. She divulged that back then she hadn’t ever seen a green capsicum either until lunchtime eating with a Hungarian student introduced the new vegetable. To her surprise, the fellow student even enjoyed the green capsicum eaten raw like an apple. A marvellous start to my outing. And, a timely reminder of how Sydney – produce, eating and culture – has grown, changed and evolved.

My outing was by invitation from Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority for “a progressive culinary journey through The Rocks” hosted by food and wine personality Lyndey Milan and The Rocks own archaeologist Dr Wayne Johnson.  First up was Sailors Thai George Street where I met up with the group including Troy Lennon, history editor Daily Telegraph.

“The Rocks has become a foodie heaven in recent years, but the foods you can buy now at restaurants and markets in this historic area of Sydney, differ in many ways from what would have been eaten there over two hundred years ago. A progressive lunch through the Rocks, consisting of an entree of prawns, oysters, salmon roe, a main course of beef, vegies, eggplant and chick pea salad and dessert of macarons, shared only a few elements with the food of 18th century Aborigines and colonists.” Lennon educated and informed.

“The Cadigal people lived on a steady diet of seafood, accompanied by marsupial meat, greens and other foods gleaned from the native forest that once grew thickly along the shoreline. We can only imagine what one element of the diet tasted like – an extinct oyster about ten or twenty times the size of ones we eat now. The colonists introduced beef to this continent, often to the detriment of local species of plants and animals. But the colonists mostly lived on a ration of meat, flour (usually baked into damper), tea and sugar.

The Rocks later became mostly a slum where dock workers lived and ship’s crews dossed down between voyages. Exotic people and foods were found there in the 19th century but little trace of that was left in the more staid White Australia Policy 20th century. It could be said that the Rocks has now returned to some of its more diverse historical roots.”

Fascinating. Particularly – the lesson on the extinction of the mud oysters. How I’d like to have given those a go. Here’s hoping we learn from history and don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

Our entree was at the first restaurant venue Sailors Thai. Rum, the beverage of the early colony, formed the inspiration and basis for our welcoming cocktail. Sailors Thai has a history of its own. As a restaurant it brought Thai food to prominence in Sydney originally under the guiding helm of David Thompson. His food is still the beacon of the restaurant today. The building houses a whole other level of history as it provided the accommodation for sailors of the fledgling port. Imagine: sailors, rum, The Rocks in the early colony!

Sailors Thai

Sailors Past Rum Cocktail

Yamba prawns on betel leaves
Salted chicken with wafers
Pork sausage and red chilli paste salmon roe

From the Rocks Friday Foodies Market we journeyed along Argyle Street to The Cut Bar & Grill we were enjoyed a long slow cooked hunk of meat. Recent history in the making, with the Rocks Market recently renamed – and – The Cut Bar & Grill only recently opened.

The Cut Bar & Grill

4-hour Slow Roast Sher F1 Wagyu Standing Rib

2008 A Retief Gundagia, NSW Shiraz
2008 Eden Road Tumbarumba NSW Chardonnay

For dessert it was back to George Street and old favourite Baroque Bistro. Well in truth Baroque Bistro is not so old – as it has just celebrated it’s first anniversary. While the bistro has lots to offer we enjoyed what in my opinion are probably Sydney’s best macarons under the guiding hand of pastry chef Jean Michel Raynaud. The secret he whispered is in classical technique. The flavours well the group enjoyed them al,l but those sitting closes,t including Telegraph Taste Editor Grant Jones agreed that the pistachio was the star. Me? I also enjoyed the salted caramel. Maybe I’ll pop my name onto the Sunday macaron classes waiting list. Or perhaps I’ll continue to do what I do now and buy them ready to go from Baroque.

Baroque Bistro

Champagne Gourmand: Louis Roederer Carte Blanche Demi-Sec
Champagne Macarons