Farm Cafe Blog

We're closed for Renovations

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:06:00 GMT

Yesterday was the last day of operation for the Farm Cafe 1.0. We're hoping that work to the new Farm Cafe will start soon. We'll be posting regularly on this page and on our facebook page once some interesting work begins.

Rainy Days at the Farm

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:41:00 GMT

We love peaceful rainy days at the farm. The trees and flowers all look brighter and the animals enjoy playing in the puddles. The kids do too!

Cozy up under an umbrella with a mug of coffee and our homemade salted peanut caramel slice and watch the rain renew our beautiful green oasis.

Then pull on your gumboots, wrap yourself in a raincoat and splash around with the goats, pigs, horses and sheep!

Pip's Salted Caramel Peanut Slice Recipe

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 23:06:00 GMT

There is a reason why salt and caramel is fashionable right now - it's irresistible in a dribble-licious kind of way.

We know it's a 'sometimes' food, but its nice to have such a treat up your sleeve for those cold day low points or to share with someone special. It's very easy and pretty quick too!

Adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Home Library

base:

125g butter
1/2 cup raw caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self raising flour
2 tbs rice or cornflour
1/4 teaspoon salt

topping:

1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
90g butter
125 grams roasted peanuts chopped
1/2 tsp salt

method:

Set oven to 180 and grease a 20x30 centimeter tin (or there abouts).
Make the base first by creaming butter and sugar, adding egg yolk and when all fluffy and good, add in dry ingredients.
Pop the base in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden.
While the base is cooking, put all topping ingredients (except for peanuts) into a pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts and pour over the hot base.
Pop back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
If you have patience let it cool in the tin before cutting into small rectangles. Yum!

Columbian "Learn By Making" Foundation

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 23:13:00 GMT

Our Head Chefs story about his time at Fundacion Escuela Taller, Columbia.

Our head chef, Camilo, has had some interesting experiences working in his native Columbia on an amazing project. Here's a little bit about his experience and a video on the program. Thanks for sharing this Camilo!

Camilo's Story

My experience as the Cooking School Director was the biggest professional challenge I've had and it involved two different aspects:

1. Course Coordinator: Academic Program Development and Managing operations to run the classes (including teaching History of Gastronomy)

2. Head Chef: The Foundation is composed of 4 different schools (Carpentry, Construction, Cooking, Paper Making), and I was in charge of catering for morning teas, lunches and afternoon teas for 120 students and staff members.

My engagement with the academic program, and the support I had from the government, NGO's and the private industry, made it possible to give one of the most ambitious ever cooking programs that I have seen, to the some of the most disadvantaged people in the country/world?

All the problems this kids had, were left behind, as well as their personal differences. Watching them work together for a common goal was amazing, specially with so much rivalry among each other in their previous years.

The change they had in their personal lives in the course of a year was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever llived! Knowing that 80% of the students completed the course (specially under the conditions they live), is what I call success. That means there are less people in the war conflict and more building a country, becoming better persons, a giving back to the world.

My point of reference and inspiration to that moment was Fifteen by Jamie Oliver. I hadn't work for them when I went to Colombia, but it was an eye opener of how you can pass on a bit of your skills and inspire people to do something meaningful for their lives. I was lucky enough to experience working at Fifteen after my work in Colombia, and comparing both Foundations (taking into account the difference in context) was a point in which I knew the highlight of my career had been teaching back home.

Enjoy the video :)

Review: Totally Addicted to Taste Blog

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 04:13:00 GMT

I'm a few months late but I just stumbled upon a lovely post about the Farm Cafe from the blog 'Totally Addicted to Taste'.

Here's a excerpt:

Em orders the 'Goat's Toast'. Sourdough toast, beetroot relish, baby spinach & avocado
topped with marinated goats cheese $15 or with a poached egg $16.50. The beetroot relish was something out of the ordinary and pretty amazing. Goat's Cheese and eggs seem to just live in harmony together - well in my opinion anyway. Em also ordered bacon to go with her breakky, since it all sounded a little too healthy! She loved the breakky

Click here to read more great posts on this blog about Melbourne Cafe's.

And we're back for a new year...

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:12:00 GMT

And we've been busy in the kitchen creating a few new dishes for the rest of the Summer season.

Green pea, zucchini & haloumi fritters with natural yoghurt and a tomato & herb salad $14.50 (gluten free) and Grilled Dench brioche with vanilla bean poached peaches, fresh blueberries, mascarpone & toffee almonds $14.50. Yum yum...

Farm Cafe is taking a short break...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 02:35:00 GMT

We're closing for a bit of a break over the Christmas/ New Years period. Our last day of trade is Wednesday the 22nd of December and we'll reopen on Wednesday the 5th of January. Have a lovely holiday.

SugarLand...

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:07:00 GMT

Click here to read a great little story about the adventures of a few kids at the Farm.

Farmers' Market this Saturday

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:45:00 GMT

Delicious local produce from 8am to 1pm this Saturday at the Collingwood Childrens' Farm. See www.farm.org.au for more info.

Jam, tomato chutney and beetroot relish

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:25:00 GMT

We enjoy creating most things from scratch at the Farm Cafe. It's an obvious way to put lots of flavour into all our menu items. It's no surprise that home made mayo makes a BLT taste a million times better or that home made raspberry jam makes scones fabulously delicious.

We've started putting a few of the things we make into jars so you can enjoy them at home too. So far we've got jars of tomato chutney, raspberry jam and beetroot relish. They're all reasonably priced at $8.5 and really yummy.

Farm Cafe Melbourne Menu Breakfast and Lunch

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:22:00 GMT

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Keep Cup - Finalist in the Premiers Design Awards

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:13:00 GMT

As you probably already know we think KeepCups are great. They are helping reduce the crazy amount of waste generated by take away cups in cafe's around the world. We sell lots of them at cost to encourage their use. They've been nominated for a Premier's design award and shot this interview at the Farm Cafe a little while ago.

Premier's Design Awards - KeepCup from State of Design on Vimeo.

Review: Melbourne Larder

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:02:00 GMT

We recently came across a lovely review of the Farm Cafe from the Melbourne Larder Blog.

Here's an excerpt :

Our coffees, sweet and nutty lattes, are served quickly and our meals arrive shortly after that, which is always a welcome bonus when dining with small children. We both order the 'green stack': two softly poached free-range eggs with sunshine-yellow yolks, served with roasted tomatoes, pesto, avocado, baby spinach and parmesan on sourdough toast. It is an excellent and fortifying combination.

Read the review in full here (opens in new window).

Farmer's Market & Mother Day Weekend

Thu, 06 May 2010 11:09:00 GMT

This coming weekend is an especially exciting one at the Farm as there's the Farmer's Market on Saturday and Mother's Day on Sunday.

Farmers Market

When: Saturday, 8th of May. Gates open 8am.
Where: The Collingwood Children's Farm Stables Paddock

A great place to grap lots of excellent seasonal produce direct from the State's best suppliers. Especially good this month are tomatoes, eggplant, capsicums and cucumbers.

Mothers Day

Where better to take Mum for a relaxing day out with the kids! Watch the kids enjoy the animals while you enjoy a beautiful breakfast. It's a busy day so come early to avoid the crowds. Cafe open at 8am, Farm at 9am.

See you soon,
Tom

Easter + The School Holidays

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:48:00 GMT

Easter is nearly here & with it brings fond memories of putting the finishing touches on our easter hats for the annual school easter hat parade. Lots of coloured paper, ribbon, tuille, pom poms, glitter, sequins & felt being strategically placed to create the perfect headpiece. Good luck to those of you who are entering a hat this easter & we hope to see the creations at the farm over the long weekend.

The cafe will be will open every day over easter & the school holidays except for good friday. Easter sunday is also family day at the farm & this month we are celebrating everything poultry. Come down for exhibitions & sales plus tractor & donkey rides.