Hall Markets or In Which Cupcakes Catch Me Unawares

Hall Markets was definitely Plan B today. We were only there last month, and I kind of had my heart set on the Collector Village Pumpkin Festival- mainly ‘cause I wanted to learn stuff like ‘101 ways to cook your winter pumpkin’. Another big draw card was getting to taste both the Pomegranate flavoured ice-cream from The Chameleon Ice Creamery and to eat quail (BBQed) for the first time.
But once I realized the driving time alone would not fit into the space I had free, I pouted for a millisecond before I remembered, ‘oh well, I can get some Kettle Corn at Hall Markets!’
Once we got a park (Hall Markets is chock full all day and the parking system they have set up is a well oiled machine!) I was on the look out for food, as this is a blog about food. The fact that Boy 3 turns 5 next Sunday meant I was also unofficially seeking out some birthday delights. Solo Girl came along, barefoot I might add! HER goal, of course, was to coax me into buying a puppy. *sigh* There is a great deal of coaxing in my life.

I didn’t realize how big the Hall Markets are….we must have only gone around one loop last time. There is a whole ‘nother section up the back. This time we blazed a trail that direction. Nearly immediately we stumbled upon Boy 3’s first present. Check out these awesome bird call whistles! There are ones that are just little warbling birds, there is an owl caller, a duck caller, a chook caller and others that I cannot recall. 2 for $6 or 4 for $10. We got an assortment of 4 for Boy 3; just up his alley! The people with the whistles also sell fantastic bubble maker machines.

We steered clear of the crusty breads ….My tastebuds craved something exotic .

The Dutch Pancakes wooed us, but they weren’t actually served with the ripe juicy strawberries that are in the advertisement on their cart. Plus I make pretty darned good pancakes myself.

We skirted round the steak and sausage sandwich stalls, past the sourdoughs, and then ……we struck pure gold. A Moment on Your Lips appeared like a mirage.

There is just something rapturous about cupcakes done well. I am a savoury person for the most part, with only a couple of things that really tempt me to sugar (those being Kettle corn, cheesecake and bannofee pie) but now I have to add cupcakes to the list; cupcakes done- well that isl. On 2 different occasions I’ve decided that making cupcakes is going to be my big new thing; but I have realized I am much better at tasting than making them.

Perfect cupcakes take skill. For one thing, a cupcake (done-well) needs to be firm. Firm enough to withstand vigorous decorating. Although these cupcakes looked delicate, they were firm and rich and buttery.

I love love LOVE the lacy black cupcake holder thingy…(technical term there) Don’t you? They come in 14 different flavours. I think you can see the lime and coconut type below in the green cases. I would have gone for the more unusual flavours that the cupcake crafter Emily made: pine coconut, rocky road, lemon meringue (I want one of those right NOW!!) But I am not supposed to eat sugar, so I bought practically for the chilblains: the 3 vanillas that were left (they were going like hotcakes) and 1 sticky date pudding cupcake that Only girl chose for herself.

After we got them home and I sampled (just a sliver) from each flavour, I was kicking myself for not getting one of each. What kind of self respecting food blogger am I to waste the moolah on 3 of the same flavour? It is a steep learning curve for me……..
( Emily and her CUPCAKES are at Hall Markets the first Sunday of each month! Her website is under construction, but she does outside orders. I did not ask her if I could put her email details here so I won't but if you want to contact her, let me know)