Pastry Ninja

How did Pastry Ninja come in to being

Pastry Ninja came about in 2008. I had just moved into a property a few doors down from Marrickville Market in Addison Road.  This was the beginning.

Once I saw the market I wanted to become part of it!

The name was thought out on a rainy day, sitting at home mid July 2008.

I had a few names on paper and someone just commented about me working like a Ninja and that was that...Pastry Ninja was born.

You have "just the right size" in the tartlettes where for it would be a "get your own. THIS is mine!".  Was this a deliberate choice or was it more of a learning from the customer type evolution

Yes the tart size are just the right size.

We deliberately chose the  tart size and then found the case size to match. But yes, we were thinking it was the perfect size for one (person).

What would be your best seller at market

The best seller is definitely the Lemon Meringue Pie

Now firm faves amongst the Marrickville Market shoppers, how much of a role does market'eering play in the world of the Pastry Ninja

Market life is our life.  We participate in quite a few markets around Sydney every week.  So right now it is 100% of Pastry Ninja's life.....well maybe 99%

How would you sum up life at Marrickville Market in 5 words

Eclectic, humming, Jim (manager), alternative, fulfilling

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Having personally tasted just about every item the Ninja's have on offer we can attest to their yumminess and more importantly suggest you get yourselves to Marrickville Market to sample some yourselves.   They are seriously easy to find....just look for the AMAZING display and then dive head first in to the land of treats just for one

It would be a crime if we didn't include at least one more photo of what we feel is the all time up there 100% favourite number one photo of probably the singularly most pleasurable mouth explosion treat (in case you hadn't already guessed we kinda sorta LOVE this product): it melts in the mouth, it must be eaten immediately to avoid having to share, then one must simply return for more to take home!

5 Questions with Ttotaler

What is it about tea that let you in to the world that is known as Ttotaler

I have always had a love affair with tea and believed there was a need in Sydney market for locally blended, good quality loose-leaf tea. 

Since I can remember I have had a passion for experimenting with different flavours of food and drink.  Tea and herbal blends are so good for you and have been used for centuries as a cure for many illnesses.

When I blend tea I think of the balance between taste, smell and benefits, and how to marry them to create a refreshing yet beneficial drink.  I have travelled to over 30 different countries in pursuit of that perfect cup which has led into the world of tea alchemy.

I have lately been running some tea appreciation and blending work shops to educate and talk about all things tea with people who feel the same way about tea as I do.

We are always suckers for branding and we love yours.  How long did it take to come to a decision about a) the name  b) the branding and c) the overall presentation of our product and stall

Owning my own tea company has always been a dream of mine so it didn't take long once I started.

The name came up when I was chatting with friends one night.  It comes from the word Teetotaler: someone who abstains alcohol and drinks other beverages instead.  During that particular time period tea houses popped up and became the new watering hole to drink and chat.

The industrial pharmaceutical look and feel came about as that is the design aesthetic I love.  I'm always thinking of how to re-use old things as it is part of our history and should not end up in landfill.

On our stall we have vintage slide containers as display boxes for our tea, we use recycled wood to make our signage and have wooden ironing boards as tables.

Our amber glass pharmaceutical jars we package our tea in make the tea feel that little bit more special.

A firm fave at Marrickville Market, what is it about this particular market that makes it stand out from others

I've always loved Marrickville Markets having lived in Newtown for years.  the Ttotaler warehouse is just off Addison Road so Marrickville Markets is our local grocery stall.  

I was brought up on going to the markets every week with my parents as they and I believe that we need to support our local business and the quality is a lot better.

Where do you source your product and how long does it take from picking to drying to bottling to market

I source my product from all over the world then blend the tea and/or herbs together to make different and unique combinations.  We have other 30 blends.

I have actually spent the last three months researching in to finding herbs that are grown organically and locally within Australia.

It was surprisingly tough to find as everything is now grown offshore as wages are cheaper.  I am happy and proud to say that we now have 10 new 100% Australian grown teas/herbal blends.

Having locally produced tea reduces our company's footprint and keeps job in Australia.

If you were to describe the world of tea, moreover the world of Ttotaler in 5 words what would they be

Refreshing

Local

Quality

Loose Leaf

Love

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Massive thank you to the queen of Tea and we love her desire to keep it real and local.

TtotalerTea

almost end of July Shoutout!

Rebecca

@thelushscoop

@jaxzon5

@han_mars

adele

Morgan

@mrskatmosphere

@nattystylist

katie

Stefano

5 questions with Jackie M

How long have you been at Marrickville Markets

I've been there since day 1....how long ago was that!!!

We know you have your ever faithful weeklies, but what has been one of the biggest orders or most unusual questions you have had about your food

Both Marrickville Markets & Orange Grove Markets attract a lot of shoppers with special dietary requirements and sometimes it's not as clear cut as vegetarian vs non vegetarian.

For example, I once had someone ask for a Char Kway Teow (stir-fried rice noodles) that was vegetarian, but then specified if I used seafood that was alright as long as the seafood didn't have legs.  I assumed prawns would be out of the question, but apparently they were ok.  

I still can't figure out what he meant by "legs" on seafood.

There are so many different shades of each category dietary needs that instead of trying to be all things to all me, I've adapted by introducing a range of Curry Pastes so my customers can decide if they want us to use free range/organic, vegetables, fish , white or dark meat etc.  That way thy can also "legitimately" claim to have prepared dinners themselves, albeit with some assistance from my products!

I have also recently started to teach people how to cook via my Cooking Workshop Masterclasses, videos, blogs and my soon-to-be-launched free mobile app.  That way they can take the skills and apply it to their own dietary needs.

What did you do before becoming the Queen of Malaysian Cooking and why the change?

I was an IT consultant for around 8 years, doing contract work mainly within the financial sector and merchant banking industry.

I was based in London in the late 90's and coming back to Australia in 2001 (post Y2K "scare" was over).  Contract work became scarce and I didn't want to go fulltime, so I figured it was the right time to get into something I really love: Malaysian food which I'd missed since leaving my home country back in 1984.

My parents got their start in Malaysia selling street-food so in some ways I see it as taking up their mantle, though I am sure they would have much preferred if I had stayed within a "safe" career.

You run an incredibly successful restaurant, conduct master classes and more, yet you remain part of market life

I sold my restaurant several weeks ago!  I'm now based in a commercial studio in Darlinghurst where customers drop in to pick up our frozen curries, Grab-N-Go meals, curry pastes and also other Malaysian spices mixes and Carotino red palm fruit oil.

I've started a CBD delivery service of our on-line orders now that I am right in the heart of the city and I also run internet broadcasts and mini Malaysian cooking workshops from my studio.  It's all very new (we only launched a few weeks ago!) but I'm very excited about this venture.

I hope to remain a part of Market life for as long as my business is around.  It's where I got my start and it's a great medium for me to be able to experiment with new dishes and offerings with relatively low overheads.

Plus being able to interact directly with my customers means I get to know first-hand what they are after.

How does Noah cope with fame & fortune, given he is (without a doubt) the number one operator of Jackie M

The first week I brought him to market he was stressed from the heat, noise & smoke having just been discharged from Westmead Hospital after spending 7 months of his life there.  

Since then he's grown to love it.  I can tell because he can't stop grinning all the way in the van en route and absolutely thrives on the social interaction with other market stall holders and with our customers.

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And that's is just a smidge of the world known as Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine!  Her food is from the heart which is why it is SO good and from all accounts as do you.

Sharing the love with Rebecca

You are passionate about food, photography and more.  What initially drew you to Marrickville Markets

I had gotten into a lazy routine of buying very expensive non-fresh produce from one of the bigger supermarket chains.  I found it hard to find organic produce on my goat-trail and that meant I had to make the effort to drive to an organic store once a week and paid big time $$$$.  When I stumbled across the Organic Food Markets in Kings Cross I found (on line) links to their other locations and Marrickville is SO close to home, it was destiny.

With such an eclectic mixture of food, people and more, do you have a "fave" stallie

I have lots of favourites and I go to see them all!  I really love the ladies who sell the medicinal herbs and plants. They have a wealth of knowledge and are so passionate about what they do.

As with most things, there will always be some who are yet to be enlightened as to the benefits of organic produce.  How much of role does the "organic lifestyle" play in your world

I believe it's a way for "the people" to become empowered to make a positive change in the world.  As simple as it may seem, the mentality behind why we choose organics is really one of holistic mindfulness.

It pervades so many aspects of our lives from cooking to gardening to how we view health care, environmental & political issues, and even a spiritual understanding.

We are all going through a process of becoming more aware, and when we understand these things from a holistic perspective, we gain insight into the truth and nature of our world.

And we thought it was just about the vegetables!

Do you have a NEVER go home without item, or do you simply go with the flow, discover what's new, what's seasonal and what's on the horizon

I never go home without organic kale. It's my staple and I love to buy it from the market stalls because it's so fresh!

In one sentence, who would you describe the "vibe" of Marrickville Markets

The vibe: Sunday mornings at Marrickville Market is like entering a playground full of smiles, tastes, smells and inspiration.  It's so good for the soul.

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Thanks to Rebecca for sharing not just her love but some of her photos of the Sunday institution aka Marrickville Markets

Sharing the love with Kirstie

When did you first discover Marrickville Markets?

I moved to Marrickville nearly 2 years and "discovered" the markets then, along with Reverse Garbage and The Bower.  I loved the feel of the place and just kept going back

What is is that keeps drawing you back to the point of (dare we say), fanaticism

I love the feeling of being part of a community and I get that feeling from going to the markets most (ok, pretty much every!) Sundays.

There is a great mix of stallholders who are really friendly, but most of all I love being able to buy my weekly veg, meat and dairy direct from the farmers knowing it has been grown locally and sustainably and that my money is going to benefit the farmer directly.

Who is your favourite stallie and why

Picking just one is hard!  But I guess my favourite stall is Mannelli Farms where I buy my fruit and veg each week. I love knowing the produce is seasonal, it tastes delicious and is great value for money!

Is organic an "organic" part of your life?

It's just over the last few years (I'm a late starter!) that I have been learning more about what food is good or bad for me and the environment, which is why I now choose free range/organic/pesticide free wherever possible.

I also think it's really important to support local farmers so they can continue to produce the food that is best for us.  Having Marrickville Markets so close makes it easy for me to do this and yes, has made organic an "organic" part of my life!

In 5 words, how would you describe (and encourage those have not yet been to) Marrickville Markets

This is difficult, but I'll try!

Marickville Market is: 

Friendly

Vibrant

Fresh

Local 

Eclectic

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And on that note we say THANK YOU to Kirstie for loving our markets, taking photos of these markets but most of all spending time to answer our 5 Questions!

Marrickville's strgrammers!

We love sharing the love and we know there are "strammgers" who share their love of our markets so we figured it was time to say thank you to some of them (and yes: we are allowed to use these photos!)

@kay-el-emm

@rebeccaspear

@sassybites

@zintaa

@rhanianne

Rachel

Time to say thank you to our fans!