The
Good Life
ƆƱĕĕƐ ōşưĕ ëǔ ëĶſ Ķŕ Ʒſşŕ ëƷ TOGETHER WE CAN GO PLASTIC FREE! BIOPAK 5% DISCOUNT OFFER for new members of Make the Switch Join Plastic Free Byron's Make the Switch program (it's free) and for the first 3 months enjoy a 5% discount on BioPak purchases. Make the Switch works with food retailers in Byron to help them switch away from single-use plastics. Find out more & join at: plasticfreebyron.com/join
In a match made in chocolate, two of Byron Bay’s much loved treat shops have combined forces to create a superpower of sweet treats. David Tetu of L’ultime French Patisserie was born in Poitiers France, and after many adventures in pastry and chocolate, arrived in Byron Bay and opened his shop in the old Jenny Cakes shopfront in 2004. Across the road, Alison Campbell is the owner and founder of Love Byron Bay Creperie & Chocolate Boutique. Alison says it was only natural that her lifelong love of chocolate would one day expand into owning a chocolate boutique, and what better place to do it than in the area she loved the most – Byron Bay. After an introduction in the ‘business’ of chocolate at a macadamia company, Alison realised there was a need for a chocolate boutique in Byron Bay; one
The Original Beautiful Gin
that was about quality, and educated lovers of chocolate – encouraging them to be self-professed chocoholics and be proud of it. It wasn’t long before she added crepes to the chocolate boutique. Why crepes? ‘Oh la la, crepes and chocolate are perfect bed companions,’ says Alison. ‘The crossover happened quite naturally. Combining both a creperie with a
chocolate boutique as our business model has resulted in a unique retail experience.’ Alison has a keen eye for collaboration – with food and with people. The two sweet businesses waved to each other from across Lawson St for six years, both loving what they do best, chocolate and French inspired delicacies that make consuming a love affair.
But COVID-19 rocked the boat. Having run the business successfully for 16 years it was hard, post-COVID, for David when he decided not to reopen L’ultime in Byron central and to only operate from his factory at the Arts and Industry Estate. Looking across Lawson St at her neighbour’s closed patisserie, Alison saw potential for yet another
great collaboration, and invited David to offer his luxurious french cakes, pastries, danishes, croissants and sausage rolls in her boutique and – SHAZZAM! The two much-loved businesses combined forces and Love Byron Bay raised the bar to an even higher level, becoming the sweet centre of the deliciousness universe, in the heart of Byron Bay. Together they add a fabulous French flourish to the Shire. Alice and David have established the ultimate one-stop shop for sweet ecstasy. ‘Our mission is to deliver to you the happiness that chocolate brings,’ says Alison. ‘In these uncertain and fast changing times, quality chocolates and pastries provide the small indulgences that deliver a feel-good experience – and deliciously nutritious treats – to your life.’ Q Love Byron Bay is at 3 Lawson Street, Byron Bay (next to the Spar supermarket). Visit online at: www. love-byronbay.com.
COLOUR FROM NAT URE
¨ƱĕŕƐƷ ƷĕëſƆ ëƐ ŔëſŊĕƐƆ Īşſ ƐIJĕ ōşưĕ şĪ Ĉşǔ ĕĕ Story & photo Kate O’Neill
Hand made by Husk Distillers IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS WWW.INKGIN.COM
He may be 70, but local coffee grower Bob James isn’t thinking of retirement any time soon. The Myocum farmer, who has been part of the local farmers markets for almost 20 years, says he looks forward to his weekly outings. ‘It’s always interesting coming to the markets,’ he says. Locally born and raised, Bob started growing coffee after a career driving trucks and buses. He and Marlene planted coffee trees on their farm in the 1990s. By the early 2000s, they’d joined Byron, and then New Brighton and Mullumbimby Farmers Markets, where they sell their bags of roasted coffee beans, as well as their coffee by the cup. Aside from the roasting of the coffee
beans (and the picking, which he admits he finds a little hard these days), Bob is hands-on in every step of getting the coffee from farm to cup. After they are hand picked, the ripe coffee cherries are delivered to Bob’s shed, where they are pulped, fermented, sun dried, then bagged and aged for 4–6 months to mature and develop their flavour. The final step is roasting, which gives Bob’s coffee its distinctive full Coffee farmer Bob James, of Myocum Coffee. flavour. Bob has his coffee roasted fresh at a roastery in Rosebank every his stall for his customers. Despite last year’s drought, Bob says few weeks to either dark or extra dark: ‘The extra dark is roasted longer, which his coffee trees had a big flowering this draws more oil out of the bean and gives year, and his team of pickers have just you a stronger flavour,’ he said. finishing the last pick on this year’s The whole process is documented in bumper crop. Once processed, this new a little book of photos that Bob brings to crop of beans will be mature and ready to enjoy in a cuppa by early next year. the markets each week and displays on
NEW MENU! Loft is back with an incredible new menu designed by our new Head Chef, Craig Mcfarland. A share-style menu featuring snacks & nibbles, deli boards as well as an array of larger main dishes. Perfect with a cocktail or wine. Open every day from 4pm - Late
Happy Hour $6
- 4PM - 6PM EVERY DAY -
$6
$10
$14
@loftbyronbay
www.echo.net.au/byron-echo Loft-Echo-Ad-XL_260x88mm_V24.indd 1 Byron Shire Echo archives
ĕżƐĕŔćĕſ Ǩǭǽ ǩǧǩǧ The Byron Shire 31/8/20 Echo 3:24 p. m.29