'Casamia Paris': your local dessert house in the suburbs

Dessert, like for many others, I'm sure, is my favourite course. In fact, the dessert menu is the first thing I look at, before even deciding on the entrée and main. Now, there are times when we might fancy a nice plated dessert with restaurant flair, without having to dine out at a restaurant for the evening meal as well (at least I would feel a bit funny about walking into a proper restaurant and taking up a table, just to order from their dessert menu). There are some shops around that just serve up dessert; however, nice ones are few and far in between. Naturally, then, I would not pass up the opportunity to try out dessert houses that are brought to my attention. The other week, I decided I would try out Casamia Paris, a shop which some people I know seem to like going to.



Shop 4, 581 Beenleigh Rd
Sunnybank Hills, QLD 4109
Open every day (except for Wednesdays) from 1pm to 10pm (Sat: 10.30pm)

Unlike a lot of dessert and ice-cream bars that seem to congregate in parts of town with popular restaurant strips, such as Southbank and Milton, Casamia Paris is found in one of those small open-plan shopping centres (imagine a large outdoor carpark with random shops encircling it) that are pretty quiet at night time. It's odd location might account for why it's not as popular and well-known by locals as places like Freestyle and Milany.

The unusual location of the dessert shop

Although it was my first time eating at this place in Sunnybank Hills, I had actually been to it maybe twice before, a few years ago, for takeaway slices of cakes, when it was located at Sunnybank Plaza, under the different trade name of Le Casamia Patisserie. The cakes were/are obviously French-inspired, but, perhaps because the pastry chef is from Hong Kong, they also have the airy lightness in the cake layers, the frosting and the fillings, that are characteristic of Chinese-made cakes. I remember every morsel being delicious and light, but also very expensive for the size of each serve. The full-sized cakes, accordingly, were, and remain to be to this day, also very expensive. To give you an idea, the price of a tiramisu cakes ranges from $76 (22cm) to $152 (30cm), as at January 2013. Definitely not very economical if you are feeding a large party of grown men with big appetites, that's for sure. As a comparison, my favourite cake at Le Bon Choix, the Lucie, retails at $37 and $78 for the 22cm and 30cm sizes, respectively.

But back to the present shop.

As mentioned, it is a small shop in a suburban shopping complex, but they make good use of the space: There is a glass cabinet facing the entrance, displaying all their lovely little slices of cakes, and there are a few tables inside to accommodate dine-in customers (though space would probably be an issue if they get a busy service). The interior is clean, fixtures quite contemporary, and the seating along the wall is comfortably cushioned. I only wish the singular chairs on the other side of the table were the same height as this, so that my companions wouldn't seem so awkwardly taller than me, when seated.

The service is fantastic. Besides the two women at the counter - one is presumably the owner - they also had a waiter, who was actually dressed in wait staff attire, and conducted himself like one who was working at a proper, respectable restaurant, posture and all. He addressed customers as 'Sir' and 'Madam' when placing the cutlery on table, and explained the elements of the dishes he presented, like one would at a fine-dining restaurant. Most importantly, the service was accompanied by a friendly smile. That might be commonplace in fine-dining restaurants (or not, if you're unlucky and happen to be served by someone who thinks you don't look wealthy enough to deserve their due service and attention), but, like I said, this is in a quiet complex in the middle of the suburbs; I didn't expect any wait service, let alone good service. Even as we left, we received a smile and a 'good night'. If I had to say anything negative about the service, it would be that we weren't offered any water; but I'm sure they would've complied if we had requested some.

The dessert menu

Besides the ready-made cakes that I mentioned, they also have your average beverage menu with a selection of coffee, organic teas and iced drinks, and, of course, a dessert menu, as shown above. I'm sure you'd agree that they all sound spectacular. I shared a Baked Alaska with my sister and my dad had the Tiramisu. There was a bit of a wait for the dishes to come out, but if one was going with a friend and had plenty to catch up on, the order-to-table time probably wouldn't seem too bad. The tiramisu came out beautifully presented in a glass, adorned with an impressive shard of multi-coloured toffee. However, while dad seemed to enjoy the peripheral elements of the dish, he did not like the tiramisu itself. Having said that, he's not big on 'heavy' desserts, or coffee for that matter, and I didn't taste it, so it's probably not fair for me to draw any conclusions about the dessert here.

 

Tiramisu in a glass, with vanilla ice-cream in tuille and strawberries

My dessert took longer to come out, and just before it did, the lights were unexpectedly switched off, which made me concerned that there was a power outage or something. I was to find out very soon after, however, that they had done this purposely to illuminate the blue flames which engulfed my Alaska, as they brought it out to the table. It was magnificent, but some parts of the meringue coat were too scorched to be consumed. That was my fault though, because I paused to take photos of it, as the staff looked anxiously on, before blowing out the flames (it took the combined effort of my sister and I to extinguish it!). I would have probably been able to enjoy the sight of it alight for longer, had they lit it at the table, but I guess there is the safety issue to consider.



 

Baked Alaska in all its glory

 

The meringue was nice and fluffy on the inside, and the sponge cake was not bad. The ice-cream - neapolitan - tasted and looked like it was probably store-bought (I'm sorry if I'm mistaken), which was a bit disappointing, and it was quite hard, like it was just taken out of the freezer. I would have let it sit for a little bit at room temperature before coating in meringue to serve up, so that the spoon could cut through all the layers with less resistance, and without the danger of producing loud clanging noises on the plate. I really hope I'm wrong about the ice-cream being store bought. While it doesn't say on its menu description that homemade ice-cream is used, I would generally expect this to be the case in a place that exclusively sells desserts. Of course, if I was to make this at home myself, I would most likely use a store-bought ice-cream, if I didn't have time or was making it for many - but it would be of the good quality, creamy variety. I also would 'bake' it the less-dramatic, domestic way; that is, on the top shelf of a very hot oven. That will also eliminate the need to add alcohol around the base of the cake.

 

Having said all that, it wasn't a bad dessert, and I loved its spectacular presentation, which made my night feel just that little bit more special.

 

 

Prices for all the desserts at Casamia Paris average about $17, which isn't too bad. As I have mentioned many times before, dining out, for me at least, is really about the whole experience. So, even though my opinion of the dessert was not A+, I quite enjoyed my time there, because of the professional service. I would not hesistate to visit this place again to try out the other menu offerings, or even just to have cake and coffee.

 

 

 



Cinderella hour tea

It's almost midnight again, and here I am, still sitting on my bed, waiting for the timer to go off, so that I can remove my Shu Uemura White Recovery Ex+ facial mask (which, by the way, smells awfully alcohol-ey). It's my first time trying this particular brand out, so fingers crossed it won't cause a bad skin reaction.

At this same late hour, last night, I was enjoying what I've fittingly named 'Cinderella hour tea'. One of my sisters bought me a set of cute Robert Gordon teaspoons for Christmas and really wanted to use them, so of course I made it my business to prepare some sweet edibles to serve with the tea. It's not conventional to have tea this late at night, but when the mood strikes, I tend to go with the flow. Besides, it's a bit hard sometimes to squeeze time in for it during the day, with work and all the other daily kerfuffles. Don't make a habit of it though, because you know as well as I do that this is far from being healthy practice!



Victorian teaspoon set by Robert Gordon



 

In preparation for the tea, I made a batch of cranberry, pecan and chocolate cookies during the day, and some flaked almond-topped sponge cakelets right after dinner last night. I whipped up some chantilly cream and put some fresh blueberries and passionfruit pulp on the table so that the tea-takers could somewhat customise their own cupcake. Another benefit of keeping the ingredients separate is, of course, the ease of storing leftovers afterwards.

 



Midnight sweet cravings? Time for Cinderella hour tea!

 

 

For the tea, I brewed a pot of the 'Thé Jardin Bleu Royal' that I bought from Ladurée on my latest Sydney trip (about which I think I have yet to write). This lovely floral, fruity tea is a blend of non-smoked China and Indian black teas (loose-leaf) with cornflower and helianthus petals and the aromas of wild strawberry and rhubarb (taken from www.laduree.fr; the label at the bottom of the tea canister incorrectly lists the petals as being of the marigold flower). I decided to buy this after having it with macarons at Ladurée. To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of artificially-flavoured teas (when served hot), and the only reason I chose this particular one was because it seemed like the most natural one on the tea list, based on the given descriptions. My sister tried the 'Thé Marie-Antoinette', which is a blend of 'China teas mixed with essential oils of subtle citrus fruit, rose and jasmine flowers flavour, scattered with small pieces of dried fruits and honey'. It sounds delicious, but my sister described it as tasting like toilet cleaning products. Lovely. And she wondered why I didn't want to taste any of her tea, after thus describing it to me.

 



Almond sponge cakelet topped with whipped chantilly cream, fresh blueberries and passionfruit pulp

 

When you're next feeling peckish in the late hours of the night, why don't you, too, consider having some Cinderella hour tea?

 

 

 

High tea at the Sofitel

Sofitel Brisbane Central
249 Turbot St, Brisbane City
(07) 3835 3535
www.sofitelbrisbane.com.au

High tea is not the most straight forward, casual way of having afternoon tea, but there's just something so relaxing and luxurious about it. It allows us to take some time out in this fast-paced world to graze daintily over food, sip on tea, and catch up with friends or, indeed, have some quiet time to absorb ourselves in our thoughts, which have hitherto been pushed to the back of our minds by other matters, which we had deemed to take precedence. The other thing I love about high tea is that you can take advantage of the elegant, lady-like affair to whip out that girly, frilly dress that you've been dying to wear out but have been too hesitant to do so normally.

 

Of course, it has not always been that way for high tea. This tea-taking practice was initiated back in the 1800s by the Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Russell. Back in those days, lunch was usually light, as it was simply introduced to keep hunger pangs at bay, during the long stretch of time between breakfast and dinner. However, as dinner started to be taken later and later in the night, this meal no longer provided sufficient sustenance. It was at this time that the Duchess decided to call for light refreshments to take between the last two meals of the day. Her enjoyment of this tea-taking session, which became known as 'afternoon tea', led to invitations for friends to join her, and it thus became popular with members of the wealthy middle- and upper-classes, who had the leisure time to partake in it.

So where does the name 'high tea' come from, you ask? Well, traditionally, high tea was the middle and working classes' equivalent of this slotted-in meal. Work hours were typically long, so high tea was taken later in the day than afternoon tea, and was more substantial, often including meat dishes. I suspect, then, that the 'high' part is related to the quantity of food one took. Needless to say, back in those days, whether you took afternoon tea or high tea was a fair indication of your socioeconomic status. As for why the elegant three-tier stands we are presented with at hotel restaurants and cafés nowadays bear the name of 'high tea', I know not. I can only guess that is has something to do with the fact that the traditional afternoon tea has been phased out for so long that many people have quite forgotten how it came about, and the incorrectly given name of 'high tea' used on its revival in recent years has just been unknowingly accepted and seen as a fancy afternoon tea by the majority of us, who are none the wiser. While it's interesting to know the historical relevance of high tea in society, however, let's not get too caught up with the specifics and forget to enjoy modern high tea for what it really is about at the end of the day: the food, the tea, the overall dining experience. Well, at least it is for a foodie, anyway.    

 

It had been a while since I last went out for high tea (yes, I shall stick with that terminology for now), so I decided to try out the one offered by the Sofitel hotel in the CBD last week. Fitting in with the typical afternoon tea time, it is offered daily from 2pm to 4pm, but it is necessary to book 48 hours in advance or else it depends on booking availability on the day, and the selection of food provided will be at the pastry chef's discretion. Make sure you plan your outing well, too, because their policy requires that you pre-pay with a credit card over the phone first, and no-shows will automatically lead to payment deduction from it. On the website, it says that prepayment is only required for groups of 4 or more persons, but there were only the three of us, and the same rule was applied. Price point was a cut above the other high tea menus I have tried previously at $50 per person on weekdays and $60 per person on weekends.

Held in the Executive Club Lounge on level 30 of the Sofitel, the large windows offer great views of Brisbane City.  

 

The view from the floor-to-ceiling window next to the elevators on level 30

The funny part is that when I requested a table with a view, at the time of booking, the reception staff had said that it depends on availability and that she would try her best to arrange it. When we arrived there, we thought that the Club Lounge wasn't open yet, because it looked empty and quiet inside. Apparently we were wrong though, because after waiting outside for a few minutes, we were spotted by someone inside and shown in. Besides our group, there was literally only one other guest there that we could audibly detect. Needless to say, there were no issues at all getting a window-side table. The Club Lounge was quite spacious and clean, with comfortable lounge chairs and a window bench with cushions and soft, mood-setting lights. The many windows allowed an abundance of natural light to flow in, which helps to create the illusion of more open space.
 

 

We were given the option of a glass of chilled sparkling champagne or a non-alcoholic drink on arrival. Of course, we chose the bubblies. For my bottomless tea, I chose the Jungpana darjeeling tea from the selection of Ronnefeldt loose leaf teas offered.

 

 

The menu looked delicious, but I was initially a bit worried that the apparent lack of popularity (for it was the first time I had had high tea where there were no other diners) might reflect the taste and quality of the food. When the food came out, though, my fears were allayed.

 

The high tea menu and tea list

I liked the modern presentation of the food on black tiles, and the flower garnishes.

 

A contemporary twist on the three-tier cake stand

The scones were tasty, as were the honey madeleines.

 

Bottom tier: Plain and fruit scones with strawberry jam, marmalade and whipped cream; honey madeleines

I liked how the ribbon sandwiches were made with different types of bread - rye, olive and white - and I liked the fillings, especially the Spanish frittata with basil pesto. It was the first time I've seen it used as a sandwich filling, and I've decided I like it - it's different and delicious.  

Middle tier: Various finger sandwiches

Although we didn't get everything on the menu, we still had a nice selection of desserts. However, like with all the high teas I've had previously, not all of the sweets were to my liking. For example, the pistachio macarons were not well-made ones: the biscuit halves tasted like they had not been baked for a sufficient length of time, because their insides were still wet and soft.

 

Top tier: A selection of sweets

The chocolate dessert, which was not as heavy as it looked and had a nice, short chocolate shortcrust base, was quite nice, but my favourite of the lot would be the chilled soufflé mango mousse. It was nice and light in texture and had an unexpected raspberry in the centre.   

 

Chilled soufflé mango mousse with a raspberry heart

There was pretty much only one floor staff, the person who served us being the person at reception, but the service was still pretty good. Overall, I quite liked my high tea experience here. I still like the food at Tea and Niceties better, which is also slightly cheaper and offers a more extensive tea list, but I think for the Sofitel one, you're really paying more for the environment in which you're enjoying your tea. The atmosphere of these two high tea places are very different, but they're both fantastic in their own distinct ways. The one in the Sofitel's club lounge, due to its spaciousness and fewer guests (although, perhaps I just so happened to go on one of their quiet days), allows for more personal space and its quiet surroundings make it suitable for business meet-ups; whereas Tea and Niceties offers a more intimate environment, which is best for catching up with friends, as you could talk and laugh as loudly as you want, without feeling self-conscious.

Conveniently located in the central business district of Brisbane as well, the Sofitel Executive Club Lounge is definitely a gem, seemingly yet to be discovered by the mass of high-tea lovers. I can definitely see myself going on a repeat visit.

First post for 2013!

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed the festive season, and didn't stress out too much over the food prep for the special day. I was determined to stay on top of things this time round, so I had finished all my Christmas (present) shopping by early December. However, I was not as well prepared for the food shopping, and found myself joining many others in the last minute grocery shopping frenzy, at Woolies, on the night of Christmas Eve, after work. I can't say I didn't expect it, but so many items were sold out, including staple ingredients like caster sugar, which had been totally wiped out, with none in the storeroom either. Thank goodness I had been partially converted to CSR raw caster sugar, courtesy of the Eamon Sullivan magazine ad, which was still available on the shelves.

Christmas dinner for my family has never involved all the traditional fare, but I like to throw in some sort of traditional element every year to add an air of Christmassiness to the table. This time, I decided I was going to make a traditional bread sauce to serve with a roasted chicken. I absolutely adore the smell of the spice combination used in bread sauce - bay leaves, cloves, mace - so I was hopeful that this delicious aroma would somewhat camouflage the texture of milk-soaked bread pieces, which my non-British taste buds are unaccustomed to. I added quite a generous amount of freshly grated nutmeg to it, in an attempt to make it look less off-puttingly porridge-like in appearance. Speaking of which, how fantastic is whole nutmeg? I've known of it for ages and I have used the ready-ground form several times before, without liking the results. However, freshly grated, it's a whole different experience for me. I still find that it smells a bit earthy and unappealing when grated, but after it is mixed in with the savoury dish, it helps to bring out the flavour of the dish, making it taste more, I can only describe it as, three-dimensional, rather than add its own distinct taste. Whole nutmeg, freshly grated, I have decided, is my new culinary epiphany.

But alas, even my new favourite spice could not help me totally get over the psychological barrier of eating a sauce composed of mushy bread, nor could most of the people at the dinner table. There's absolutely nothing wrong with bread sauce itself, and I love the flavour; it's just a matter of taste preferences. Similarly, I don't think I could ever make myself eat bread-and-butter pudding or rice-based desserts. I'm glad I made and tried the bread sauce though, so that I've at least given myself the chance to decide, based on taste, whether or not I like it. A lot of fellow Australians, even the older ones, have not even heard of bread sauce before, so I don't feel so bad about omitting it from my Christmas dinners from now on. Given how things turned out with this sauce, it was probably a good thing I decided to forgo the cranberry sauce. Maybe I will try making it next Christmas anyway, to satisfy my curiosity.

I had planned to make a mushroom and bacon quiche for Christmas lunch, but due to a mixture of bad time management, the excitement of unwrapping presents, and a visit to my neighbour to bring her some gifts and Christmas cookies, I ran out of time and ended up serving it as part of dinner. The recipe I used was from Joanne Chang's cookbook, Flour. I think I've mentioned her in one of my previous posts, so you can flick back through them to read about her, if you're interested. This was my first time attempting to make a quiche, not because I think it's hard, but because I've always been a bit lazy when it comes to fiddly things like making pastry cases. After making it, I wondered why I ever bothered going to Le Bon Choix to have theirs. Easy, simple, delicious. Note to self: buy more pie weights and a tart tin with higher sides! Had I known the sides were going to shrink that much in the oven, I would have opted for the Baker's Secret tart pan, instead of the Anolon one, which was chosen based on its better quality. I also have to remember to smear the butter into the dough a bit better, so that holes and thin parts in the pastry case could be avoided, when the butter melts in the heat of the oven.  



 

 

We didn't end up putting up the Christmas tree, due to space limitations. When I woke up on Christmas morning, and my sister called out for me to put the presents under the tree, I was a bit confused. I laughed so hard when I saw what she meant:



The most effortless, space-saving way to put up and take down a Christmas tree?



 

It was a totally ridiculous notion, but I must admit I was impressed by her last-minute creativity, and frankly, I was just glad we had some sort of 'Christmas tree' to put the presents under.

 

Now that we've wrapped up 2012, let's start working on our New Year's resolutions. For me, that includes working more on this blog and setting up a new one. I have in excess of 10 restaurant reviews yet to post, but Blogger can take half the blame for that, because apparently I had run out of data quota, so I have been unable to provide any updates until now, after signing up to another free photo-uploading platform. Expect new reviews very soon! Wishing everyone a bright and prosperous 2013!



Confessions of a beauty product addict + Chloe EDP by Chloe

I confess. I like collecting things. When I was little, it was stickers. Then it was postage stamps. Then it was cooking books (ok, you got me; I still collect those). Now, as I'm getting older, I'm paying more attention to appearances, and hence, I find myself spending a lot of time browsing skincare and cosmetic products online. I started to realise that I was starting to buy things out of obsession rather than practical need, after accumulating quite a collection of Jill Stuart make-up products, when, heck, I don't even wear makeup normally, save for the handful of times when I'm attending a ball or going to a fine dining restaurant. In fact, I think it's because I am in possession of so much cosmetic products that I feel the need to find occasions to use them, so as to not waste them; after all, they're only good for maybe a year or so after opening.

Remember how I said in one of my previous posts that I used to be a fragrance collector, until I discovered Jo Malone? Well, turns out I was wrong. I recently broke my perfume ban and bought a 50 mL bottle of the Chloé EDP by Chloé. I've been wanting to get this since purchasing the solid perfume necklace of the same fragrance last year, but have been suppressing the urge to, due to the aforementioned self-imposed ban. I finally caved in and I'm glad I did, because unlike some of my previous perfume purchases, of which I've come to regret soon after, I am actually head-over-heels in love with this fragrance. For the moment, anyway.

This signature scent of Chloé fuses classic with contemporary to create a unique fragrance that embodies the very essence of elegant chic and femininity. It combines the powdery floral notes of the classic rose with a modern twist of sweet and fresh lychee, peony and freesia, creating a sweet, light floral scent that blooms into the warmer, woody base notes of lily of the valley, magnolia, amber and cedarwood, which beautifully meld together with the predominant rose base. Although floral fragrances are typically more suited to evenings, especially in warmer weather, the luscious top notes renders a light spritz of this not too heavy for daytime use.

This exquisite fragrance is housed in a simple rectangular bottle, which features vertical ridges around the body, inspired by the pleats of a Chloé blouse sleeve; a silver-plated collar bearing its name; and a hand-tied champagne-pink ribbon. The understated elegance of the outside well reflects that of the sweet distillation that lies within. Similarly, the scent serves to draw out the inner natural elegance and femininity of its wearer.

Of course, my newfound perfume love doesn't mean that I've forsaken Jo Malone. I took advantage of a recent David Jones 10% off all Jo Malone fragrances one-day offer and re-stocked my favourite Nectarine and Honey Blossom, in the 100 mL bottle, which retails for $170. The price is definitely a cut above many other perfume houses; however, if the fragrance becomes an everyday favourite, which it has in my case, it is more economical in the long-run to splash out on this size than to keep purchasing 30 mL bottles for $90 each.

Back to beauty products. I have in my possession products from a variety of brands - Shiseido, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Christian Dior, Jill Stuart, La Prairie... My collection is ever growing as I continue my search for the perfect companions for my complexion. In order to help other girls from spiralling down this same path, sacrificing both time and money, I've decided that I'll start posting beauty product reviews on my blog. You're welcome.

Les Intouchables

I have been wanting to watch the multi award-winning French movie, Les Intouchables, since hearing about it from someone in my French class earlier in the year, so I was very excited when I found out recently that this movie was now showing in cinemas - with English subtitles, of course. I went to see it last night with some friends, at the Palace Centro cinemas.

Les Intouchables, which has been directly translated to 'The Intouchables' for the cinema screenings in the US and here in Australia (I don't get why they didn't alter the spelling), is based on the non-fictional memoir by Abdel Sellou, titled 'You changed my life'. It tells of how a Senegalese immigrant (the author is actually Algerian), Driss (Omar Sy), an ex-con who lives off welfare benefits, gets employed as a carer for a wealthy French aristocrat, Philippe Pozzo Di Borgo (Francois Cluzet), who had become a quadriplegic after a paragliding accident. The story follows the time they spend together, the development of their friendship, and basically how their encounter affected each other's lives. It's more comedy than drama, and it views societal stereotypes - physical disabilities, race, socioeconomic status - in a light-hearted manner.

I like feel-good movies, and I really enjoyed this one. It's definitely the best French movie I've seen so far. You will leave the cinemas with a positive vibe, believing that there is a light at the end of every tunnel (but sometimes you just have to really squint... behind a pair of binoculars), and that there is a glimmer of hope still for humankind.

Now to add the book to my reading list!

Say cheese!

This morning, I whipped out from the fridge the two cheese products that I bought from the Good Food and Wine Show, the weekend before last, to try. It is a fact universally acknowledged that all soft cheeses, especially of the crumbly variety, are in want of crusty, fresh bread as their partner (I'm sure Ms Austen would agree). Hence, for this cheese-eating occasion, I bought a French stick from Coles last night, from their seemingly new freshly-baked-on-the-day, sans preservatives/artificial additives line. 

Bread and cheese, anyone?

Pictured on the left is the Pesto Fetta by High Valley Wine and Cheese, a company based in Mudgee, NSW. The only fetta cheese that I normally buy is the Persian Fetta by Southcape; however, this fetta cheese, which, as its name suggests, is marinated in a blend extra virgin olive oil and vegetable oil that is infused with basil, garlic and pepper, is actually quite delicious as well. This is why it pays to be open-minded about food and to try new products!

The other cheese that I bought is a round of 'King River Gold', produced by the Milawa Cheese Company. This washed rind cheese is a soft cow's milk cheese that tastes similar to Brie. For some reason, it tasted more creamy and delicious when I sampled it at the food show than it does at home. Perhaps I should have left it out to rest at room temperature for even longer before serving?

I feel a bit embarrassed to admit that I had the above bread and cheese for breakfast. But at least I didn't pair it with wine, right? ;)