Adventures in Parramatta and beyond - Smokey O's Pop Up Restaurant.

A few months ago, I started chatting over twitter with a food blogger by the name of Miss Piggy Eats. Not only is she also a blogger, she is also a local; so we bonded over food and being Westies. By chance we met in real life at the Parramatta Open Party for the first night of Sydney Festival Parramatta - waiting for a food truck. On the same night, I also met Tim and Lindsey. Tim is a landscaper by day and on occasion, a southern BBQ connoisseur going by the name Smokey O's. I missed out on Tim's Pork in the Park and Beef in the Park events, but when I saw on twitter that he was doing a pop up event at The Baron Castle Hill - it was a done deal.

I hadn't been to The Baron before - it's on my list to do for brunch. They aren't normally open for dinner, but occasionally do special events. I arrived at Castle Towers (huge Hills area shopping centre) and headed to The Baron on a very cold May night. Cindy - another Westie food blogger friend of Miss Piggy's - was already there, doing what all good food bloggers do, taking pics (which given how dark the room was aren't that great - mine I mean). Not long after our party was all there, seated and the first course was presented to us. 

 There are no words for how good this popcorn is. And how much we wanted large bags of the stuff. The bacon bits at the bottom of the bag was a great surprise.

This course, as with the others, was matched with beers from a local micro brewery, Riverside Brewing Company, located in North Parramatta. 

This course was served with their Fifty Five Pale Ale. I am a pale ale fan and this was a nice drop.

After the popcorn, the first meat course was served. It was a serving of beef ribs (the portion above was for two) that MELTED off the bone. I love pickles, so it was great to have a nice sour crunch to go with the beef.

The next course was slow cooked pulled pork served on perfectly sweet brioche rolls from Sonoma Bakery, which is the bread served at The Baron. To accompany the pork was a apple slaw, BBQ beans and broccoli and bacon.

The pork was cooked really well, and was delicious on the buns with the slaw and some of Smokey O's BBQ sauce. The beans and broccoli were a nice companion to the meat fest... 

The pork was served with the Forty Four American Ale. I didn't drink a lot of this - driver - it was nice. But I preferred the Fifty Five.

Last course - in the dessert stomach - was an apple pie with cream. The inside of the pie was deliciously spiced and sweet and applely...

It was served with an Eight Eight Robust Porter - which tasted like it had chocolate in it. A big of a strong ale for me, but not too bad a drop on the whole.

 It was a fantastic night to support local food in a local location for a local friend.

The Smokey O's Smoker

The Baron is located at Shop 461, 4-16 Castle Street, Castle Hill (on the outside of Castle Towers). 

For more information on Smokey O's BBQ, see Tim's Facebook Page 

Riverside Brewing Company have cellar door sales at Unit 3, 2 North Rocks Road, North Parramatta; Friday 2pm-6pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. 

Aussie Curves - Leather.....

Leather.
Love it.
Shoes.
Bags.
Belts.
Jackets.
And occasionally skirts.
But today is a story of boots. New boots. New leather cowboy ankle boots.

Wittner had an awesome sale the other week - $99.95 for all of there boots and I knew that I had to have a pair of tan leather boots. And lo and behold, they had a pair. In my size.
Come to Mama....

Tonight I am headed out to a Pop Up restaurant, where a twitter/IG friend of mine is cooking. And I am going with another twitter/IG friend and her husband. Isn't the interweb amazing. It also lead me to all of you lovely Aussie Curve ladies - some of whom I have met in the real world.

Back to the outfit. It is bloody cold in Sydney tonight - so stockings were definitely required with a dress. I "misplaced" my ASOS biker leather jacket (probably at work or in the car somewhere), so instead I teamed my Virtu dress with my pleather City Chic jacket. Just like the 17 Sundays leather skirt - this is another item that Dani and I have in common and have to consider whether the other one will be wearing it when we see each other.

I was wearing the boots with the dress so I chucked on a City Chic brown belt to give me a waist and a black leather Oroton clutch to carry my wares.

It was a long day at work today - forgive the facial expression

As I was rather black and brown at this stage I decided I needed some pops.

1. Pink lipstick by Revlon
2. Purple Ring from Prospectors Store 
3. Amazing emerald coat from ASOS

Here's to a great night and a great evening.

Enjoy what the other ladies are wearing.

Adventures in Parramatta.............and beyond: Castle Hill Farmers Markets

A few years ago, I made a pledge to myself to try and not buy my fruit and vegetables from the big 2 supermarkets. Whilst this is not always possible - last minute need for ingredients and their damn convenient opening times - when I can I shop for my fruit and vegetables at the mini Parramatta Markets. There is not a huge range there, so sometimes its not best option but I like buying from the grower rather than a corporation. So whilst I await the revamped Parramatta Farmers Markets, I have to throw my net a little wider and head out to the wilds of the Hills Shire, and the Castle Hill Showground for the Hawkesbury Harvest Markets.

Generally held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, the markets house a large range of stalls containing everything from fruit and vegetables, to free range eggs, free range meats, plants, breads, diary products and gourmet meat products. 

I generally start the morning with a fresh bacon and egg roll. With maybe a chai. Or a freshly squeezed juice.

I then wheel my trolley around to collect my regular items:

• zucchini fritters
• free range JUMBO eggs
• fruit and vegetables

Sometimes, like last Saturday, I stop at the plant stall and pick up some seedlings or plants.

Other times  stop at one of the few gourmet bread stalls. Or the gourmet baked goods stand.

There is normally a chance to pick up some goodies for the dogs. Or freshly cut flowers. Or even a case of cider.

Its worth the extra money and early morning, knowing you are buying from the growers and that the produce is fresh and local.