This morning we headed out to a local cafe for breakfast with Peter and Joy.

After breakfast, we hopped in the car for a very short drive to (a small section of) the Royal Mail Hotel’s vegetable garden (Australia’s largest working restaurant kitchen garden). The tour was conducted by Robin Wickens, the head chef at the hotel. The scale and the dedication on show was quite inspiring. We spent an hour in the garden listening to Robin talk about how the garden is run.

The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Andrea in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Andrea in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Robin Wickens explaining various aspects of the garden to us.
Robin Wickens explaining various aspects of the garden to us.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.
Flowers in The Royal Mail kitchen garden.

From the garden we got on the road for a drive to the local town of Hamilton, and then on to Cavendish, where we stopped for a cup of coffee.

We got back to the hotel around 2:00 pm and decided it was time for a cocktail and a snack. The cocktail we had was an amazing rhubarb margarita. That went well with a wonderful strawberry soufflé (which we had also enjoyed the night before).

Rhubarb margarita.
Rhubarb margarita.
Strawberry soufflé.
Strawberry soufflé.

We decided that an afternoon nap was in order before dinner so we walked back to our rooms to rest in anticipation of dinner at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Wickens.

Well rested, we got to Wickens just before 7:00 pm. The restaurant is set in a beautiful purpose-built building on the property and the fit-out would not be out of place in any fine-dining restaurant in any city in the world, let alone in Dunkeld in the middle of nowhere in country Victoria. Over four hours, we enjoyed a truly spectacular meal.

Andrea, Joy, and Peter on the way to Wickens for dinner.
Andrea, Joy, and Peter on the way to Wickens for dinner.
Andrea at Wickens.
Andrea at Wickens.
Amaretto cocktail before dinner.
Amaretto cocktail before dinner.
Dumpling of smoked salmon, horseradish, betel leaf, with gougere of Coronation chicken, apricot jam, chervil.
Dumpling of smoked salmon, horseradish, betel leaf, with gougere of Coronation chicken, apricot jam, chervil.
Pigs blood crumpet, pig trotter, turnip, with tart of fermented kohlrabi, hemp seed puree, apple marigold.
Pigs blood crumpet, pig trotter, turnip, with tart of fermented kohlrabi, hemp seed puree, apple marigold.
Tomatoes on toast.
Tomatoes on toast.
Cherry tomato, teff, lemon & lovage, with tart of fermented kohlrabi, hemp seed puree, apple marigold.
Cherry tomato, teff, lemon & lovage, with tart of fermented kohlrabi, hemp seed puree, apple marigold.
Onion bhaji, carrot jam, sprouted fenugreek.
Onion bhaji, carrot jam, sprouted fenugreek.
Purple corn pudding, sweetcorn mousse, sunflower seeds, tarragon.
Purple corn pudding, sweetcorn mousse, sunflower seeds, tarragon.
Crayfish tartare, ice-cream, toasted rice, celtuce, thai spices.
Crayfish tartare, ice-cream, toasted rice, celtuce, thai spices.
Beetroot cylinder, whipped sugarbeet, silvan berry, parsley.
Beetroot cylinder, whipped sugarbeet, silvan berry, parsley.
Stout and golden linseed sourdough cultured brewers malt butter.
Stout and golden linseed sourdough cultured brewers malt butter.
Steamed blue eye, zucchini flower, pickled clams, marjoram.
Steamed blue eye, zucchini flower, pickled clams, marjoram.
Barbequed tromboncino squash, zucchini flower, marjoram.
Barbequed tromboncino squash, zucchini flower, marjoram.
Great Ocean duck, meadosweet custard, fermented rhubarb.
Great Ocean duck, meadosweet custard, fermented rhubarb.
New potatoes, squash, braised wattle seed, smoked potato beurre blanc.
New potatoes, squash, braised wattle seed, smoked potato beurre blanc.
Royal Mail lamb, ratatouille, basil puree, agretti, black olive.
Royal Mail lamb, ratatouille, basil puree, agretti, black olive.
Piedmontese peppers, smoked eggplants, orzo and basil.
Piedmontese peppers, smoked eggplants, orzo and basil.
Compressed plum, tomato sorbet, quark, plum wine.
Compressed plum, tomato sorbet, quark, plum wine.
Peaches and cream swiss roll, poached peaches, biscoff ice cream.
Peaches and cream swiss roll, poached peaches, biscoff ice cream.
Jelly baby vegetables.
Jelly baby vegetables.
The kitchen at Wickens.
The kitchen at Wickens.

After thanking Robin Wickens for an incredible experience, we headed to back to our rooms, very full from a very indulgent dinner.

Tomorrow we are heading home so we’ll probably just have breakfast and then hit the road.