Art in the Park

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. Nanna and I did a tour of the Art in the Park, held annually, in the Government Gardens, Rotorua. There is a stall selling morning teas, in the Te Runanga Tea Rooms served by the local Rudolph Steiner volunteers (thanks Gerard). This is a fundraiser for their kindy. Just adore the kiwiness of this type of occasion. Christine would agree I'm sure. I had a filled roll and Nanna had a date scone. Not too fond of change, eh Nanna? Want a muffin next time?

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 7 SERVICE 8

Breakfast at the Lake Ferry Hotel...

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. For more kiwianaism... is that a word Chris? No. What was wrong with "Kiwiana"? Breakfast at the Lake Ferry Hotel comprises of a tray of jams, bread, butter, a bowl of grapefruit off the tree out the back and a toaster. Serve yourself as much tea and coffee as you like as long as you don't want anything with an Italian name. Love it!!! Spent a little time planning the trip out to Featherston...taking the western road around the lake. Winged it and arrived without a mistake. Un. Believable.

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 7 SERVICE 7

Central Otago Rail Trail

Who hasn't heard of this great MUST-DO activity then?
Not only is it awesome fun and fantabulous scenery, but the food and hospitality are the best I've enjoyed for some time. If you can't bike, then walk. If you can't walk, then go by horse. If you can't ride, what about an electric chair? (Or are they called something else - a disability scooter?) If all else fails get yourself there by minibus or car and stop in at least 2 different places to experience the magic.
Tunnels, amazing viaducts, accommodation in old school houses, meals that are home cooked. Grab a  few friends and make a date - March is settled and not windy. November is often blowing and more difficult. The bikes we hired were great - no escaping the sore bottom but it was minor compared to the fantastic adventure.
I'm going back!

Cairns, Port Douglas and Palm Cove

Just back from hols - if you can call 6 days a hol. Well, kind of. Just not long enough.
In terms of food, pretty good really, although we didn't go mad and eat at the VERY best places. Cairns had a big harbourside destination - rather large, strings of restaurants side by side and sitting under cover while torrential rain fell was rather nice.
Tha Fish at the Pier was the chosen place, and Jules arrived on her very birthday. What a fab way to have a holiday - invited to join some very special people on their big birthday trip.

The chef's tasting menu was the decision all round and very nice it was too.

Sand crab bruschetta with rocket, tomato and capers

Fresh oysters steamed in bamboo basket with soy, ginger and shallots
Then Hervey Bay scallops with braised pork belly, orange, coriander and master stock glaze
Black bean, chilli and seafood wontons with house made sweet chilli sauce
Then Fish of the day - Barramundi
and BBQ tiger prawns with avocado salsa and blood orange vinaigrette
Then Pear and cinnamon frangipan tart with vanilla bean ice cream.

Fortunately during the day Stew had found a way to exercise.

Very cool place for those with a penchant for exercise - a several-kilometre path around the entire harbour, with exercise stations like this every few metres. At the main marina a very large free swimming pool, and posters showing all the group exercise (FREE) classes held each day. Very inspirational stuff and I seee no good reason why we couldn't have that level or organisation here in New Zealand. Tamaki Drive in Auckland is just made for it.

However my adventure at the seaside left little to recommend it. While Stew played with mobilising his mobile in Aussie, I went water-edge for a closer view of the crabs when SURPRISE! I walk straight into knee deep black sticky mud hidden under the sand. White pants no longer, and lucky for me there was a firm bit where I could put the other knee while trying to haul myself out. Looking for Stew to help me I find he's walked on with my handbag and all, not noticing my dilemma. Nice! Covered in mud from the knees down including shoes. Thankfully we found a gardener with a hose. Next stop this sign:

which reads: Warning - do not approach the water's edge, crocodiles frequent this area.

Lovely. Thanks for that Stew, half-way to Darwin while I'm eaten alive.

slice of Turkish in K road

Ann had time in Auckland this week as she was seeing her son Harry off while at the same time my daughter left New Zild for the wirld. Sniff. Sniff.

Kebab heaven!

what the wider world must understand is thet Roto-Vegas is SERIOUSLY underwhelming in the food department.
SISTER ANN’S REVIEW: …and it was worth the wait. Little Turkish Cafe - Fabulous service and gorgeous bread. In Rotorua there are only roll up kebabs and I much prefer this plus K Rd is a new(old) hunting ground for us.. we watched as a local called the AA to start his Ford Mustang and we giggled at all the locals passing by watching him with envy.
The coffee was downed before I remembered to photograph it..so here is the empty cup …mmmmmmmmm (and not moccona)

AMBIENCE  9/10                   

SERVICE  9/10                      

FOOD  10/10

Whakatane Picnic, Riverside

Easter time and a row along the Rangitaikei River near Thornton in the Bay of Plenty. We headed out with several boats and aimed for Edgecumbe.
Eight km's later, we arrived at a paddock and were greeted with...

What a spread! We added our Easter buns and then tucked in. One of the best fruit cakes I've ever eaten, no photo for you but here's the recipe:
1kg very moist fruit
soaked overnight in 2 cups fruit juice
The next morning, add 2 cups of flour and 2 tsp baking powder, stir and bake.
Yes, that is stunning in its simolicity. And in honourof simplicity, I will NOT answer any questions about temperature, size of tin, length of cooking time. Let's go with our instincts o this one - it's cooked when it smells divine, the oven needs to be moderately hot, and just use a tin you have!

Easter brings a workout

A group of us including some of my favourite people were lucky enough to get a few days away at gorgeous Ohope for Easter. Of course, home made Easter buns were on the menu, and Adie was the one nominated to get the workout.

Two hundred kneads.

 Temperature's rising

 Paste on top - large crosses

Delicious!

Recipes online in their droves... just want to share pictures really.

too little too late...

apologies are not my thing... do I owe anyone this blog? No. And I don't feel that I let myself down..... it's not that I'm doing nothing out here! Just have a look at that excavation in progress, and think about how that's my usual work space in there. Not this week though! Rising Damp - funny maybe, but don't laugh near me. There we were sitting in our lovely carpeted new office-in-the-garage and then one day last week, wet feet. And the next day, wetter feet. Yes the rain had been pelting down but 3 days later no difference. So that afternoon we shifted the entire office out - 4 work stations plus the carpet. Same afternoon we went fishing (Anniversary Day regatta) and broke down in the middle of the shipping lane. Amongst the regatta, the tugs and the 1m swell. Nothing a tow from the Coastguard wouldn't fix though.

Two days later Stew (Engineer man) brought in the heavy machinery and there we were with dirt and dust and mess and noise and the whole house shaking. Carpet piled up in the main bedroom. Two work stations in another. Me in the third. And Em working on the kitchen table.

Therefore no apologies owed and none given - but I had the weekend in Rotorua and the morning that I left Stew was preparing the latest harvest from the sea.

Not only had he been for a little bike ride Saturday morning, but also spent a half day fishing with clients the day before. No break-down that day!

Charlie (cat) has decided she loves fresh snapper. So have I.

Fishing tonight..

 Fishing last night - so I made sushi, such a simple thing and easy to eat with one hand while the rod is in the other...

 Caro contributed a home-made mince pie, home baked bread and we that with a bottle of Lindauer Summer (my new favourite sparkling...) while the sun set and the full moon rose.

 Bill Hohepa, you're a legend. We find he always knows what the conditions will be like. LOTS of tiddlers, we threw many more back than what were kept, but enough for lunch today.

Rowing World champs

now you may be thinking this has little relevance to food - but I do find the mobile food carts at these events of interest. The World rowing event at Karapiro had to cater for many thousands of people each day and in the whole they did an awesome job. The volunteer workers would have won international awards for being tirelessly cheery and helpful. Everyone I spoke to had words of praise for all the staff they encountered in a uniform.

Here is a selection of the vendors lined up there...

 from coffee to icecream

 to "good sausages..."

 to gourmet wild foods

to a french patisserie next to a coffee cart. Just what the doctor ordered after an hour's drive to get there.

Laura was convinced to eat a donut or two - and the organisers were saved from one sore point when they relaxed the rules about taking food into the grounds. So a nice picnic on Sunday, but we did still spend money at the carts. As my sister pointed out, they seemed to think we might be like a rugby crowd - but we're not! So once they realised we could be trusted not to get drunk and punch people, we were allowed to take food in.

Power to the rowing audience! and congratulations to the vendors who had interesting foods, clean surrounds and prices that were fair.

Sydney at short notice

Laura and I took off for a quick shopping trip - what a luxury!

a day walking from Bondi to Bronte - what  magic weather!

nothing hard in this - but we loved the service in the cafes and the generous portions - this breakfast for $7

Dinner in the food hall at Chinatown was a feast for the senses. Dumpling soup, honey prawns, barbecued fish with lemon grass and chilli - ready for the price? $30

and although this sushi trai is nothing new we were impressed with the service again, and the amount others were eating.... 11 dishes nothing unusual! Sushi and sashimi would make a great masterChef challenge...

And finally on the last night, bar snacks at The Piano Room in King's Cross with live music by Scott. Salt and chilli squid! Yum!