Twenty & Six Espresso

What: Twenty & Six Espresso
Where: 594 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne, VIC

Another breakfast place in the north, they just seem to be popping up everywhere. Good coffee and an inventive menu seem to be the hallmarks of North Melbourne, and this place definitely delivers.

Quirky décor, inventive menu, nice wait staff, and conveniently located. Well worth the wait which we experienced on the weekend when we had brunch.

ICI - a Hidden Breakfast Treasure

What: ICI
Where: 359 Napier Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Hidden on a sunny corner off the busy streets of Fitzroy, this quaint little bluestone café transports you to that quite place you have been seeking after a busy week at work. From the velvet curtains and wood paneling, to the blackboard menu and tiny tables, this semi-well kept secret is well worth the trip.

The tantalizing pastry display case, catering options for those with special diets, and the use of local and organic ingredients when available, further enhances an appropriate sized menu.

Upside-down Blood Orange Cake

I am not a huge fan of oranges; all that pith in a glass of juice or if eating it whole I invariably buy that one sour orange on offer. However, blood oranges are a completely different story. I find they are usually quite tart which makes them perfect for cooking as you can add a bit of sugar for balance.

Having some friends over for a weeknight dinner, and as always, my best laid plans of preparing everything the day before had not been realised so I was scouring my cookbooks for a stunning, yet straightforward recipe. I came across Donna Hay's sticky orange and vanilla upside-down cake in her Seasons book. Having made a variant of the cake before, I knew it would work, but without Donna's fantastic team of food stylists there was no chance of my vanilla bean looking that artful. Instead I decided to distract my guests with the novelty of a deep rosy, blood orange topping.