Talking Tamworth: Claudia Byrnes from Sonny's Bakery

I love a good loaf of sourdough and a cracker almond croissant. And just last month I was lucky enough to catch up with Claudia Byrnes just before the opening of Sonny's Bakery . Claudia is a partner in Sonny's, and Tamworth Area Manager at Harvest Hospitality Group, who first entered the Tamworth dining scene with The Pig and Tinder Box.

You can read all about Sonny's Bakery Cafe in the upcoming Downtown Magazine, but I was so moved by Claudia's passion for what she is doing that I followed up with a Q&A.

Photo: Supplied

Claudia Monique

Harvest Hospitality – Tamworth Area Manager

Sonny’s Bakery – Owner

Where did you grow up?

I’m born and bred in Tamworth ☺

Looking back, did you love it? If so why?

I remember my friends and I always longing for adventure and the city life, so I don’t feel I appreciated the town as much as I should have through my schooling years. But this is where my family is, where the love is, and so it’s home.

Where else have you lived before moving to/coming back to Tamworth?

I resided in The Gold Coast for about four years. After completing my higher school education in Tamworth at Oxley High School, I headed north and studied a Bachelor of Communications at Griffith University.

What do you love about Tamworth?

The first time I was asked this question it caught me off guard and I struggled to answer, since then I’ve made a conscience effort to recognise a few of my favourite things about Tamworth.  My mum often reminds me how beautiful the main street of Tamworth is – Peel St, we chat of the Peel river that runs through the town and also the hills of Tamworth creating a stunning backdrop in the East. Venturing into a career here a few years ago, and still residing here currently, what I truly love is watching this town grow with some incredibly talented and creative people in many different fields making Tamworth more and more culturally appetising.

How long have you worked in hospitality?

I got a job working in the hospitality industry 2012 with the intention, like so many, of working to save and move overseas. I got my first job with family friends who own The Pub Group here in Tamworth. I started at the bottom picking up glasses, and continued learning a solid foundation of front of house in the hospitality industry for about two years. I did head overseas for a stint, and worked in a few different places when I ventured back to Tamworth. I picked up little things here and there, but at the time was really struggling to gain job satisfaction. I was enjoying the industry, but craved something more that really wasn’t on offer in Tamworth at the time; this was about three years ago. I had near given up and was about to move to Sydney when two gents rolled into town and were setting up a new restaurant bar, revamping the historic bank building at 429 Peel Street in the heart of the town, to be called ‘The Pig & Tinder Box’. I met with them casually on the dusty worksite, a couple of questions and few laughs exchanged. I left thinking wow, these guys are something else, they were young, vibrant, passionate and so motivated in what they do. I got the call back later that day to join a small management team in training for what we locals now affectionately call ‘The Pig’. And now I’m their Area Manager for their Tamworth venues including The Courthouse Hotel and The Albert Hotel.

What do you love about the industry?

The office life is not for me, so I love that we are continually on foot. Aside from a love of food, ‘hospitality’ is really just that, it’s about hosting and creating a space and atmosphere where people can come together and have a great time. Bringing people together is something I really love doing!

Tell me a little bit about Sonny’s Bakery?

Sonny’s is a bakery café. We’ve wanted to create a space and offering that’s a combination of nostalgic goodies with a city chic edge. You can grab a glass bottle of coke from the fridge, and pair it with a Sonny’s Sausage Roll or Beef & Burgundy Pie, both using local beef from our mates at Ford’s Butchery. We’ve got a bakery onsite, our bakers are busy working throughout the evening to produce fresh bread and pastries for us daily. We’re stoked to be using topnotch quality flour from Wholegrain Milling Co in Gunnedah. Our kitchen is cooking breakie 7 days a week from 6am. And coffee… we’ve got some mates who started a coffee company called Will&Co in Sydney, so we’ve brought that to Tamworth and it’s being really well received!

You’re a partner in the business, who else owns it?

Yes, myself, Rod McDonald, Christopher Cornforth and Fraser Haughton

When and how did the idea start?

We would often say how there was a gap in the market for a good bakery café in Tamworth. I know myself as soon as I head to a city; a bakery café is one of the first places I seek out, chasing a ham and cheese croissant and good coffee. Mid last year, the shop front became vacant right next door to The Pig & Tinder Box. Many moons ago being a butcher shop it already had a cool room down the back so it seemed a no brainer that we should jump on the space. From there it was a long process getting our ducks in a row, none of us had had anything to do with baking bread before haha but here we are!

What does it mean to you to be working with Harvest Group and to have a slice of your very own business?

The best thing about my time working with Harvest Hospitality has been the mentorship I’ve received from both Chris and Fraser. No matter what field you’re in, I believe finding someone to mentor you is so vital, also really tricky to come by. Now mentoring those under me, I realize how much time and energy it takes to believe in someone and pass on your wisdom. For their time, I will be forever grateful and for their trust and encouragement leading to the ultimate - going into business with together. It’s pretty incredible! I’m still pinching myself.

Sonny’s is offering Artisan Sourdough bread, sweet and savoury pastries, salads and sandwiches, a breakfast menu and amazing coffee from Will&Co. What have I missed there?

I think you’ve covered it all! Haha We’ve got a range of breads aside from Sourdough, there’s a simple white loaf, a wholemeal loaf, a rye loaf and a seeded loaf PLUS baguettes and bread rolls. Oh and we do a low Gluten loaf as well ☺

Tell me about the sweet treats that your head baker David Mansart whips up?

Here we go… chocolate croissants, almond croissants and we serve plain croissants with a local jam from Little Kickerbell. We’ve got delicious muffins – blueberry dark choc and oats, and raspberry white choc and coconut. It’s been a bit of a crazy start, so when the bakers have time, you’ll start to see an endless range of tarts! Strawberry tarts, Chocolate tarts, Lemon meringue tarts, Pear tarts, Apricot Tarts, and the list goes on…

What is your favorite Sonny’s product?

Too many! I’m loving the Pork & Fennel sausage roll, and Strawberry tarts!

Like all in the hospitality industry you’ve worked pretty hard to get Sonny’s up, and it’s not slowing down. What do you love to do in your down time?

Haha yes I tend to work a lot, but when I take a breather I enjoy zoning out at a quiet café having a coffee with friends or a sneaky glass of vino. I love spending time with my fiancé Jack Massey, if we can escape we enjoy hiking, but when at home we spend time with our chocolate Labrador – Hugo. Should probably get cracking on planning our wedding also!

Lemon poached pears with cinnamon crema di latte

Image: Kyle Manning. Styling: Jane Graystone

It's all about the apples right now. But why should they get all the fun? Don't forget about the pears, please! Poached pears is one of the first "fancy" desserts that became a regular fixture in my repertoire and it was really thanks to the original version of this recipe. 

It first appeared in the first delicious magazine I ever owned (this really is becoming a post about firsts) and I have since adapted it for the slow cooker. Such a great dinner party idea if you're someone who leaves dessert to the last minute and ends up scratching together a bowl of ice-cream and a fruit salad from the limp offerings in the bottom of the crisper. Set in the morning and forget until serving time. Perfect!

(Ok, so maybe the crema di latte gets in the way of the set and forget concept a little, but you can, and should, prepare it in advance OR skip it. The pears will be delicious alone with ice-cream).

I published this recipe in the winter issue of Downtown Magazine and the shoot was about this time two years ago. I remember it very well because I was pregnant with my youngest child and trying so hard to keep it under wraps. No mean feat when all you want to do is scoff the food and avoid the wine. It was my first ever (and, to this date, only) food shoot - nothing is ever as glamorous as you want it to be, is it.

Lemon poached pears with cinnamon crema di latte

2 lemons
3 egg yolks
325g caster sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
40g flour
300ml milk
300ml cream
6 beurre bosc pears, peeled
2/3 cup limoncello

Serves 6

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from half a lemon.

In a saucepan, lightly whisk 75g of the sugar into the egg yolks until combined. Whisk in flour then gradually add milk and cream. Add the cinnamon and lemon zest and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cool then refrigerate until ready to serve. The crema di latte can be made a day in advance.

Finely zest the remaining lemons using a microplane or grater and juice.

Place the remaining sugar into the slow cooker with 500ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve then add the lemon zest and juice and the limoncello. Arrange the pears in the liquid and cover the mixture with greaseproof paper to prevent the pears from browning. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Just before serving, transfer some of the cooking liquid to a saucepan and reduce over a high heat until syrupy. Serve the pears drizzled with syrup and crema di latte.

Serves 6

Zucchini flowers

Zucchini flowers are hardly seasonal, but I started this post sometime ago and I can’t get it out of my head. Like a writer’s version of an ear worm.

It’s about vegetable gluts. You know, when friends or family have home grown produce coming out their ears and some of it makes its way to you? This can be great (like, summer tomatoes), or not-so-great (chokos anyone?).

Well a month or so ago, a good friend of mine went next-level. Her in-laws had excess cucumbers and zucchinis from their organic farm, odd bendy ones that don’t fit our sense of perfection. ‘Cause bent ones taste different, don’t you know?

Catch ups, coffee dates & gym visits all came with obligatory bags of produce, but for a select few (ok, I think just me), there was a little reward for assisting with the glut - a bag of zucchini flowers!

I can’t remember when I first ate zucchini flowers, but I certainly fell in love. The sweet baby zucchini, herby cheesy stuffed flower and light tempura batter. I think they really are next level.

I’ve only cooked them twice. The first time was a year or two ago, courtesy of the same friends (who is also my truffle-gifting friend, which you can read about here). This time round I cooked the below recipe, but to be honest I think I prefer a more delicate, sweeter flavour than the salty/basil whack in this one. I'd replace the basil with equl quantities of mint and use a mild goats cheese (or a ricotta if you're not a goat fan) - try this recipe for another mint version.

We fried ours in a wok on the bbq in vegetable oil.

And P.S. Does anyone else struggle to spell Zucchini? Zuchinni? Every.Single.Time?

Stuffed Tempura Zucchini Flowers

1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg, separated

8 zucchini flowers
90 g feta
8 basil leaves, finely chopped.

Oil for frying (any light odour oil is fine, we used vegetable )

Sift flour and salt into a bowl then whisk in water, oil and egg yolk. Allow the batter to rest for at least 40 minutes.

Gently open the zucchini flowers, trying not to tear the petal structure, and wash inside and out. This is easiest if you remove the stamen from the flower.

Season feta with pepper and then mash together with the basil together using a fork, or stir strongly with a spoon, until a lumpy paste is formed. Gently portion the paste into each zucchini flower.

Beat the egg white until soft peaks form and gently fold into the batter just before using. Heat a saucepan or wok containing 6 cm of oil over a medium-to-high heat. Dip the zucchini flowers, one-by-one, and place in the hot oil - cook in batches to avoid overcrowding in the pan.

Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as an entree.

I wasn't sure about sharing the end-product but then I thought dammit. I'm not a photographer. I'm a part-time-wanna-be-chef-home-cook and a writer. And these babies are best eaten as fresh and hot as you can bear. That, my friends, is not necessarily "insta-compatible"!

Positive and enriching experiences at St Andrew's College

Yesterday an apparently damning report concerning culture at Sydney University’s residential colleges was provided to the ABC. As a member of St Andrew’s College Alumni I feel compelled to write and defend the institution, based solely on my positive experiences as a resident and student for three years.

Entitled The Red Zone, the full report is to be released later this week. According to the ABC, who ran the story across multiple platforms on day one of Sydney University’s O-Week, it contains details of disturbing rituals, hazing and victimisation, particularly concerning first year students. The stories ran by the ABC featured a handful of individuals who spoke out detailing their negative experiences.

I admire the bravery of these individuals and I certainly don’t doubt the veracity and seriousness of their claims. I hope they are in the minority, although I this may be a rose-coloured glasses view. I dearly hope we hear from current and recent students who are thriving, or have thrived, in the environment without engaging in, or being on the receiving end of, such unacceptable behaviours.

My own personal experiences are now somewhat dated, having attended the college from 2002 until 2004, but I hope they are still relevant and reflective of conduct today.

There were certainly some initiations for first year students, all of which I participated in, many of which included a large element of fun and none of which resemble the experiences of those who spoke out on the ABC last night. The only commonality I could identify was excessive alcohol consumption. At all times I felt like I could put my hand up and opt-out, something I did do once, and I never felt individually victimised.

I was part of the first intake of females into the college after a proud history of Andrewsmen being known as “Andrews Animals”. The majority of us felt warmly accepted into the college by the majority of the male students. I do acknowledge that across the community of colleges there was certainly a culture of misogyny and sexism. Whilst I don’t defend or condone these attitudes and behaviours, I feel that they were reflective of the position of broader society. As a society we have come a long way in the last 10-15 years and I hope this is reflected in the current students’ attitudes.

Would I allow my own son and daughters, currently toddlers, to a Sydney University College? Like all decisions I will be privileged to participate in for them, I will decide at the time, based on so many factors – is it right for them? Is the current culture appropriate in society’s eyes and for their personality? Can we afford it? Is it what they want? And so on.

Was it right for me? Certainly. I don’t deny it’s a secluded existence for a privileged few, and I would like to see more opportunity and accessibility for country students, but I feel enriched for the experience. I drank a lot and partied hard, but I also worked hard in an environment that was acutely focused on academic, sporting and social achievement.

To hear St Andrews’ take on these recent reports, and the specific references to the college, I encourage you to read their statement, here: http://www.standrewscollege.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Statement-from-St-Andrews-College-to-ABC-730-Report-260218.pdf