Alice in Wonderland

There are some days when I feel much as Alice might have when she fell into that hole in the ground and found herself in an unfamiliar world.

As part of my serious work of assessing the various Eton Messes offered on menus around this town, today it was the turn of White Mojo.  I have had past problems finding addresses in Hardware Lane but today I am in luck. The café inside is packed and buzzing with conversation; it is noisy and I opt for sitting outside even though rain is threatening.

While I wait for my order to arrive I survey the scene outside.  It is like being in a foreign country without the expense and hassle of travelling, packing and spending a small fortune. At the next door table, queuing and waiting at the café across the street and later when I pay inside and look about at the patrons I realise that I am the white western minority.  This café is very popular with Asian people; mostly young, immaculately turned out, very well dressed couples, who may be visitors from overseas.  In this microcosm of Cup Day Melbourne I could be a foreigner in an Asian country.

 It comes as a surprise, sometimes, to realise how the face of this city has changed over the years I have lived here.   Today, for many of these people, all the hoo-ha attached to the day that stops the nation, the first Tuesday in November and the running of the Melbourne Cup, is not of the slightest interest.  They are more interested in sampling the food offerings in this fashionable part of town.

My Eton Mess arrives. A pink, gooey yoghurt with thin slabs of meringue, fresh and dried berries and a coconut concoction; it draws looks of wonder and enquiry from the Chinese family of three at the next table and I mime a response to their questioning looks.

The Mess is not the best I have eaten but if I don’t try it I won’t know will I?

Eton Mess - the breakfast version.