We remember fondly when baking doyenne Jocelyn Hancock opened Jocelyn's Provisions in New Farm, becoming Brisbane's temple of all things sweet. Hancock baked some of the best cakes in town before trading in the whisks and patty-pans for time on the family farm and the gig of patron chef at Damien Griffith's Alfred and Constance.
Hancock's sweet treats are back, housed in a stark red-and-white, Lego-like building, slightly away from the beating heart of West End. There’s one table and six stools, and you can order a coffee and treat yourself on the premises, although for most this will be a takeaway proposition.
We gleefully smash our way through a mouth-puckering lemon square with curd lushly loaded with zest and topped with a miniature quenelle of meringue. Then it’s a chocolate caramel slice with a coconuty base, a smooth swathe of caramel and dark chocolate topping made all the more lovely with a sprinkle of salt. Cakes of red velvet, carrot, choc hazelnut, choc raspberry and more come in small and medium to be taken away in a brown paper bag plastered with the magic words ‘butter, flour, eggs and vanilla’.
Lunchtime salads cost a pretty penny with a small box racking up $12.50 a pop. The Asian-style slaw was disappointing, consisting of an undressed mix of cabbage, pepitas, cranberry, watermelon, apple, carrot, celery and mint. It was void of any qualities of a typical Asian salad so we're uncertain as to why they would brand it so. Just as underwhelming is the potato, bacon and egg salad in need of a healthy dose of seasoning. On the upside, Quiche Lorraine and sausage rolls, both with house-made flaky pastry, are right on the money.
Shelves are sparsely stocked with the Hancock & Farm brand of preserves and honey, along with snowy meringues, logs of nougat, Lirah vinegars, free-range eggs and other local products adding another positive note to Hancock's latest venture.