As we keep driving down from Launceston to Hobart, we started the morning stopping over at the Kates Bery Farm. It's one of those cozy, down-to-earth little Berry Farm. Nothing more, nothing less and just right for a nice visit. The snacks at the cafe Just Desserts are actually decent, homemade cake, crepes etc.
As the ritual for a berry farm visit, I always get the freshly baked scones with fresh cream and house berry jams. Sun soaking in the after with a cup of Earl Grey in the little courtyard, enjoy the company of the little the birds singing away ...
However, If you are after the fresh berry picking experience. You might be disappointed this year due to the drought last year and the colder nights came earlier this year. There were only a few berries here and there, and they aren't for sale. There is goes the vulnerability of a seasonal business.
The ambiancee is warm and welcom. You can see Kate really put an effort to make it her own with the blackberry jam with Bourbon Whisky, Raspberry Jam with Cointreau etc.
What was really worth the visit has to be the berries frozen yogurt. Yep, if you put your name on it, it has to be good. Nuff' Said.
One of the highlights of excitement for the trip was visiting this special Bakery in the small rural town called Ross, at about 1.5 hours away from Hobart.
I had the best slice of the vanilla slice heaven in my life. The pastries were perfectly crispy, fresh and buttery, intertwined with the perfect vanilla custard, chilled and absolutely divine! Apart from the famous Scallop pies and Vanilla Slice, hundreds of visitors stop by the bakery which bears an uncanny resemblance to the classic Japanese animation "Kiki's Delivery Service".
，调味品，巧克力和糖果。像我這種喜歡吐司，餅乾蘸著各類醬料吃的人最喜歡逛這種小店。
每次來到果醬園，我都會坐下來吃餐廳新鮮烤製的司康Scones，蘸上鮮奶油和新鮮的果醬。在凱特餐廳 Just Desserts 一邊享受格雷茶，一邊享受下午的陽光，鳥語花香。農場主人凱特可真有心思地親子釀造各種特色產品，像黑莓威士忌果醬，君度酒橙紅桑子果醬。所有地草莓都是綠色有機種植，不含種植化肥。莊園農場主人凱特還告訴我們，一般來說11月到來年5月是草莓的旺季。但由於去年乾旱，今年也冷的早，導致今天草莓的產量也不多，因此價錢和質量被影響。
凱特也可謂一個傳奇女子。她生與維多利亞省。 1971年來到塔省旅行就深深的愛上了這片淨土。17年後凱特回到塔省得夢寐以求的10英畝土地，從此開展地創業之旅。憑著智慧，夢想，堅定，毅力和不懈努力，草莓開始生根發芽，決壯成長結果。凱特衝最初搭建小屋子，開闢田地，建造果醬園餐廳，到了最後居然還有了自己地舊庄。 其平凡而傳奇地一生實在讓人敬佩。
Ross 小鎮麵包店
原來動漫大師宮崎駿好像對澳洲有一種執著的偏愛，從凱恩斯的天空之城，到北領地的風之谷，處處都隐藏着關于宮崎駿的魔幻秘密。
今天我們位於塔斯馬尼亞的Ross 小鎮，－宮崎駿八十年代已達傑作《魔女の宅急便》最初構思地，一下子就為此處添加了不少可愛之處。 這十九世紀建立的麵包店 Ross Village Bakery 就是小魔女kiki離家出外拼是工作和生活的靈感來源。麵包店主人每天都照顧很多慕名而來的宮崎駿粉絲。還特別把小客棧裝修，模擬漫畫中的場景。想必宮崎駿一定在這家客棧留宿過，才把一樣一樣的場景融入了漫畫中。
我禁不住品嚐了全世界最好味的香草蛋奶凍（Vanilla Custard Slice)。果然名不虛傳，新鮮的脆脆的酥餅夾著油而不膩的蛋奶（Custard)，甜度適中。媽媽點了個扇貝派，大顆大顆的連膏扇貝，果然真材實料啊。 我禁不住和媽媽的塔斯马尼亚惡魔島自拍一張，繼續我們的魔幻之旅。