On road trips, ‘breakfast like a king’ is a concept unheard of. It’s usually morning snacks, a huge lunch and a few extra nibbles to top it off. You know, just in case you weren’t already bursting at the seams. When friends want a scenic tour with great food and pretty landscapes, we travel around my local neighbourhood; the Southern Highlands of NSW. I know I take for granted the amazing things you can find here, especially when you least expect it. Don’t follow an itinerary, just go where your instincts sense is the right way.
I discovered that a huge picnic lunch for two, consisting of a loaf of organic sourdough (from Flour Water Salt in Bowral), caramelised onion chutney, baby spinach leaves and crumbly Mersey Valley cheddar is well under the cost of lunch for one at the city!
Picnic Lunch at Leighton Gardens, Moss Vale.
Classic Sourdough loaf from Flour Water Salt, Bowral.
These simple life pleasures are best enjoyed in a lush, European-style garden, but any outdoor area will do. If you do want to explore around sleepy, quiet villages somewhere in NSW, make sure you go near the end of the week when farms are open for exploring and locating wonderful produce (this is the second time we missed out on a berry farm which specialises in berry pies and supplies to chefs including Neil Perry). Touristy areas like the highlands do amazing coffee (and a huge variety of cakes, tarts and pies, too). If art galleries, antique shops and museums are your thing, all country towns flaunt a different aspect of their unique charm.
View of Leighton Gardens, Moss Vale.
So get out of the city and drive far, far away, out of the hustle and bustle of densely populated congestion. There is so much to see and do in our vast Australian landscape. Do you recommend anywhere in particular?
the hungry plum. 