Orchard wanderings, bakeries and sweet treats await you here…
It’s not often you get to go on a little adventure to a litchi orchard on a Thursday morning. I took it all in….the bumpy potholed road that leads up to the entrance brought back memories of Zim. I’m not all that fond of potholes mind you, but these ones were nothing compared to what I’m used to.
As you drive in the gates and up the steep dirt road you’re swallowed up by the shade of the litchi trees. You feel the cool air as you park and walk up to the archway that lets you know you’ve arrived at the right place – the Litchi Orchard.
The first thing I noticed on my right was a little bakery full to the brim with freshly baked breads and pastries. All shapes and descriptions of baked goods are made here. It’s called Yoli’s Artisan Breads and Pastries. It took some willpower to walk past without buying anything but I will be making a trip back soon and I plan to indulge in all their wares!
The very next thing that caught my eye was an ice cream shop. I Loooove ice cream, but I’m a liiittle bit of an ice cream snob. Purely because my brother and sister-in-law bought me an ice cream maker in Italy a few years ago. Ever since I started making my own ice cream I’ve developed high standards in the frozen treat department. This is not all bad though, because if you’re anywhere near me in the summer months you’ll probably benefit from my ice cream and sorbet making experiments. There’s nothing more refreshing than freezing cold, fruity sorbet just out the ice cream maker in the hottest months.
Fruity ice cream is my favourite, but I plan to make a large variety of different flavours this summer, so stay tuned for those! I will also be going back to the orchard to try some handmade ice cream from Scooop.
There are other cute little shops that you can browse on your way in, one being a florist called Love Laugh, another being Home Grown which is a fresh whole foods shop. C & Co is nestled to the left of the coffee shop and here you will find gorgeous decor and gifts.
The time had come to sit down at Delish Sisters and enjoy a steaming hot cup of Earl Grey tea, and try to decide what to order from the array of decadent desserts. On display they had chunky & dense-looking Chocolate Brownies, yum! A huge, round, freshly baked Almond Tart, cut into generous pieces. Berry Cheesecake, scrumptious. The one that stole my dessert heart was the caramel cheesecake….so I ordered one perfect, creamy slice. I was a little worried that it might be too rich or too sweet but I was soooo wrong about that.
While we’re on the subject of sweet treats not being overly sweet or too rich…If you’re looking for an easy to make pretty 2 layer cake that is just the right balance of sweet and sour, and is silky smooth and light – check out my lemon drizzle silk cake with cream cheese icing.
Ok, back to the subject at hand! Honestly, this was the best cheesecake I have tried since I’ve been here, that’s 7 months of cheesecake trying people! This baked Caramel Cheesecake was light, it was creamy, it was the perfect balance of sweet and not so sweet – the cheesecake to caramel topping ratio was spot on (pudding lovers out there, you know what I mean!). The slice was just the right size, so you’re left wanting just one more bite….and you’ll come back again for more. I know I will.
On top of the amazing tea time treats, the atmosphere at Delish Sisters is what I look for when I need to retreat from real life for a minute….It’s cool under the lean-to roof, it’s quiet, there’s no hustle and bustle, the other coffee shop goers are not right on top of you. You have space to breathe and enjoy your own conversation. The staff are friendly and super helpful, the service is great.
On the 2nd Saturday of each month they have a farmers’ market from 9am – 1pm and on the last Friday of every month they have a night market from 5pm – 10pm. I wholeheartedly suggest you pay the Litchi Orchard and Delish Sisters a visit. Or if you’re a regular let me know what else is great on the menu so I can try it!!
If you would like more information on the Litchi Orchard, skip on over to their website here.