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Morsels: Christine Manfield impressed by Canberra scene

Natasha Rudra

Sweet: Christine Manfield's gaytime goes nuts dessert.
Sweet: Christine Manfield's gaytime goes nuts dessert.Jennifer Soo

Christine Manfield headed to Canberra last week and cooked up four of her desserts at Eightysix. We caught up with Manfield, who stayed at Hotel Hotel, professed herself impressed by Canberra's newfound sense of self.

"I think Canberra's got a vibrancy and energy about it and I love the whole new design precinct where Hotel Hotel is.

"It's just interesting, I sense a sort of buzz about the city and there's been a lot of investment in the cultural identity of the city ... it's much better than the politicians that inhabit it," she said.

She served four desserts at the Eightysix dinner series - her signature Gaytime Goes Nuts, a decadent chocolate and nut creation; Madame Pompadour, a trifle-like layered confection of yogurt sorbet, peach curd and tiny macarons in a glass; Bite the Pillow, which features zesty lime and marshmallow; and the Cheeky Devil, a chocolate tart filled with cherries.

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"You can't go past Gaytime Goes Nuts and I would be lynched if I didn't have it on the menu," she said.

"Madame Pompadour – I always put on as soon as the white peaches start, we haven't had that on any of our other menus because it was too early for the peaches and Bite the Pillow is just a really lovely, clean, refreshing dessert for today. It's a really nice mix."

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Default avatarNatasha Rudra is an online editor at The Australian Financial Review based in London. She was the life and entertainment editor at The Canberra Times.

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