If you ever find yourself on the way to Phillip Island or anywhere down Gippy, be sure to stop off at the Caldermeade Farm- Cafe-Dairy. Its a dairy farm that seems out in the middle of no where but in fact only 25 minutes from Dandenong... (please no dandy jokes!) Forget about having brunch in South Yarra and head to where the air is cleaner, relax have a cuppa and enjoy an array of quiches and pies. This quaint little cafe prides itself on using local produce and making their own jams and relishes.
when you're done stuffing your face and feeling a tad guilty about all the calories you've gathered from the cream and pies, have a walk outside and get acquainted with the little fuzzies in the animal nursery.
We stepped out of the cold and stepped into snug little cottage, with warm fireplace to welcome us. on that particular day we told our 'sensible' to take a hike and made way for 'calorie loaded heaven on a plate'.
You cant come to Caldermeade and not have scones with jam and cream with a cup of Devonshire tea to wash it all down. The scones come out warm and fluffy, and once you lather on thick layers of rich cream and the ruby jam, your mouth begins to water with anticipation. the cream had the consistency of custard, and it took a lot of will power not to pour the whole pot in my mouth! let me say that my heart goes out for any one who is lactose intolerant. The tea from here came in a aluminum tube, tiny holes allowed tea to permeate slowly, hey presto self straining tea. chic way to have tea, call me a fuddy dud but i like my tea in the more conventional way, its half the fun!
Caldermeade's pancakes,whipped butter and maple syrup give the pancakes at the Pancake Parlor a good run for their money. they were rustic and had a modest charm. Pancakes arent meant to be perfectly round and colored... nothing comforting and warming about pancakes that have been made by a machine.
I opted for the specials board and chose the salmon, spinach and brie cheese quiche. I found it was a little too salty and I'm usually the first one who reaches for the salt shaker. smoked salmon and cheese can be quite salty on their own and would of been a happier pair minus the extra salt. the relish was the missing piece of the puzzle, tangy and perfect to cut the richness of the quiche.
The steak and onion pie, is perfect comfort food on a chilly day. Forget mystery meat, salty gravy and soggy pastry. This pie was in a class of its own with its perfectly golden brown and crisp pastry and melt in your mouth Gippsland prime beef. Yes ladies and gentlemen it was delicious, and came with a side salad and its own relish. The food here are old favorites done well, which is probably why its packed on weekends. Locals and tourist alike can always find a reason to come back.
The only hiccup of the day was the delay of our tea, which was meant to come out at the same time as the scones. However it took a detour and arrived after two requests and two scones later. Its not always service with a smile at Caldermeade (from what i've experienced anyway) luckily for them the food is good enough for third and fourth trip back.
This dairy farm/ cafe in all of its charm is a perfect pit stop and with plenty of signs luring you in along the road its hard to miss! blow off some steam, stuff your face and then go play with the happy chickens and calves. A touch pricey if fifteen dollars for pie gives you any indication of prices. However having prime beef, organic eggs and homemade relish doesn't come cheap unfortunately. but hey its supporting local farmers and produce so why not?
edibility rating >>6.5/10<<
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