Hills Independent #89 November 2022 | Page 32

OUT & ABOUT

A true taste of the Hawkesbury

One of Australia ’ s oldest pubs is now one of the newest . An incredible transformation has turned the 170-yearold The Royal Richmond Hotel into a beautifully redesigned , warm and welcoming country-style pub offering the best elevated pub fare and premium beverage list in the Hawkesbury and surrounds .
In celebrating its history , The Royal Richmond Hotel has enhanced the much-loved heritage feel with new features and spaces . These include a lush tartan-carpeted cocktail bar overlooking Richmond Park and a dedicated Sports Bar with rich timber notes , full TAB facilities and icy-cold beer .
Also , a summer-perfect alfresco Terrace Bar with top shelf spirits including hard to find premium whisk ( e ) y , gin and tequila plus a sunlit bistro with glass atriumstyle roof , cosy banquettes and a counter complete with shelves of house made preserves , pickles and sauces . Two dryageing cabinets are packed with premium cuts of beef , lamb and pork .
The culinary trio of general manager Todd Garratt ( formerly of Fish Butchery , Tapavino , Buzo ), head chef Jo Ward ( formerly of Bloodwood and Bistro Rex ) and co-owner Karen Anderson deliver an inspired menu of share-style dishes and pub classics highlighting local producers , farmers , apiarists , generous local gardeners , distillers and brewers from around the flourishing Hawkesbury food basin .
Highlights of the ever-changing menu include plenty of pub staples plus seasonal dishes such as Grilled Alpine Trout , Block 11 Organics Salad , Preserved Lemon & Basil ; House-Made Pork and Cider Sausages with Mash , Watercress and Onion Gravy ; Baked Butternut Pumpkin , Sage and Pecan Crêpe with Parmesan and Brown Butter ; Rotisserie Roast Whole Duck with Blood Plum Sauce and Local Greens ; Bilpin Summer Berry Pudding with Fig Leaf Cream and Zokoko Chocolate Mousse with SigNature Farms Honeycomb .
Seekers of an excellent Sunday roast will not be disappointed either . A hearty roast meat is accompanied by traditional
trimmings such as roasted potatoes , baked vegetables , house made sauces , fluffy Yorkshire puddings and lashings of gravy . Of course , these are best enjoyed while listening to the venue ’ s live music roster of talented local musicians from midday every Sunday .
If a mid-week outing is more appealing enjoy the bonus of the Monday to Friday Lunch offer : spend $ 25 on food and enjoy a complimentary glass of house wine , soft drink or beer from the Hawke ’ s Brewing Co . range . Families are well looked after , with a popular kid ’ s menu , hand-crafted pizzas that have developed a loyal following , gelato and sweets station and an undercover children ’ s play area .
With a dedicated and professional events crew , The Royal Richmond Hotel is the perfect choice for product launches , birthdays , christenings , farewells , Christmas and Melbourne Cup celebrations , large or small scale cocktail parties or casual lunches or dinners – the options are endless . A perfect pitstop on the way to or from the Blue Mountains , Central West
or Hawkesbury regions , and worthy of a dedicated day trip for memorable all-day destination dining . The hotel is set on the recently upgraded streetscape of Windsor Street , surrounded by historic houses , with many charming boutiques and antique shops to visit . If you are exploring the Hawkesbury Farm Gate trail start your journey with a morning coffee at the weekly Saturday morning produce market in Richmond Park .
The friendly team of staff deliver cheerful service and play host to a range of events week to week and throughout the year . From gin and whisk ( e ) y masterclasses , special one-off guest chef and produce dinners to themed trivia nights , weekly DJs and live music , The Royal Richmond Hotel caters to all ages and tastes .
The Royal Richmond Hotel 163 Windsor Street , Richmond OPENING HOURS : 10am-3am Monday-Saturday , 10am-midnight Sunday www . theroyalrichmondhotel . com . au Insta & Facebook : theroyalrichmondhotel

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS COLOURFUL FUNGI

by Lachlan Turner
Dramatic colours , unusual shapes and interesting patterns ; this can describe a whole range of fungi that may be found in some of the damp areas of creek side bushland .
It is easy to overlook many fungi as most prefer spaces where there is no , or next to no sunlight . They are often seen growing on decaying vegetable matter such as dead branches and fallen trees , mostly in a damp location .
Where the environment is consistently cool and damp and there is a thick leaf litter you can almost be sure that you will find a variety of fungus nearby .
However , there are some fungi that prefer a drier location in the open forest . The main requirement appears to be the availability of decaying vegetable matter in the form of fallen sticks , limbs or even trees .
It is not the intention to identify the fungi shown in the images accompanying this column , as that process requires considerable knowledge gained from experience and research . Some varieties are edible but most are not -it is known that Aboriginal people possessed the knowledge to discern which ones were suitable for food .
The advice is do not pick any fungus with the intention of taking it home to cook and eat , at worst the consequences could be fatal . It ’ s much better to look out for examples of fungus , then marvel at their ever-differing patterns , colours and shapes .
If you take your camera or phone with you when bushwalking , take a photograph . Don ’ t get too close , as it may be better to stand back and zoom in , as this allows more of the natural light to reach where the fungus is growing .
It may also be advantageous to experiment with the camera ’ s flash if the surroundings are dark .
32 ISSUE 89 // NOVEMBER 2022 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT