Living and Loving Hobart:: Dear Delightful Ms G

April is Tasmania’s Indian Summer. The skies are clear blue, the mountain reigns supreme, it’s hard not to feel good about just about everything.

So you can imagine it is with some reservation that I write to you.

I was inspired to hear your renewed commitment to locally sought organic produce. I am a one-step food advocate too. I always love a handwritten ever-changing menu. It keeps the vim in a food relationship and a food love affair alive. I rejoice in news of a new chef.

I may have been playing on my iPhone yesterday when you rescued the plate from my table. I might even have been Facebook-ing my lunchtime experience.

We didn’t engage again about the meal.

Didn't you realise I hadn't eaten everything off my plate?

Didn't you want to know what a Basket and Green cafe devotee thought of your new look menu?

Weren't you interested in knowing if I enjoyed my meal?

Dear Ms G, you know both the Two Girls about Town love your cafe and that it was the womb for livinglovinghobart.

But I am in a wee bit of epicurean backlash.

Too summarise, hopefully not too unkindly although I appreciate I can be blunt, the new look menu on Friday consisted of:

§ three Panini options: poached trevally; pear and cheese; and mixed seasonal vegetables,

Soon into my carrot, carrot and beetroot sandwich, I was wondering, WHY?

Purple carrot is quaint indeed, but not a large roasted slab accompanied by barely cooked orange babies.

Most cooks know you need salt to make a dish, but that was so seasoned I found it almost inedible.

To be fair, there was a scant green something in the mix but its representation was purely tokenism.

I love to eat new things and I want to be challenged.

But not all the time and not by the entire menu.

If I was to build on your vegie sandwich, I would have said less carrot, another vegetable participating as an equal (and of a different colour) and the option of a bit of feta or haloumi. Of course, less salt! It's bad for us.

Dear Ms G, please don’t get so groovy you forget some of the simple pleasures too.

The original Basket and Green vegie burger was the best I’d ever eaten anywhere (Skye's take on the best burger EVER thanks to recipe provided by former Cook).

The blueberry pancakes with caramelised walnuts were to die!

I remain committed. And I look forward to another meal, because Basket and Green is so wonderful.

I trust you read this letter in the spirit with which it was written: love of good food, love of Basket and Green and optimism in the future of both, together.