Whooo! The weeks are getting away on us. X amount of weeks to Christmas, X amount of weeks until the end of the year, X amount of weeks until … Yep, I’m not putting the numbers in because it is a tad scary. One date I will put in is for the fabulous Waiheke Garden Festival because it is nearly upon us: 11-12th November. This is seriously close so if you intend coming over this way to sniff the flowers, you better get booking! Hopefully, one of the events you will come to will be the fabulous Garden Party we are holding at Sacred Blessing Sanctuary. This is a garden to admire, to get lost in, to dream about, and you’ll take a little bit of it away in your heart when you leave. It is stunning. And, of course, it is a fundraiser. All the details here Waiheke Garden Party
I’ve got a fabbie weekend of cooking classes set to go two weeks after this, 24th and 25th November. These are full-on Christmas and summer entertaining classes, so if you need a bit of a rev up, or a new repertoire of delicious dishes to serve up during summer, or just feel like treating yourself to an enjoyable day on Waiheke eating, drinking and having fun while gathering up a new set of recipes (and why not!), then get yourself over here.
It’s worth noting, that come 2018 class prices will increase. I have held the classes at $125 per person since 2011. We are all aware I’m sure of food increases not just for staples like butter, but for fresh produce, too, and I’ve held off raising prices until absolutely necessary.
Savour A Slice of Waiheke – A Christmas & Summer Special
I also offer private classes, and these are a great idea for end-of-year celebrations. You can choose your day, time and theme, and make it cosy and intimate with a group of friends or work mates.
And I’m bringing back foodie days. We can go off foraging, tasting olive oils and Waiheke treasures and conclude with a cooking class at your venue or holiday home on the island, or at mine. These were great fun last year and are a way of saying a special thank you to friends, and make a gorgeous surprise engagement or wedding gift voucher for a small group. Email me [email protected] for more information.
I’ve gone all out on broad beans this week, while they are coming thick and fast off the plants. Stir a spoonful of cooked broad beans through a gloriously fluffy potato mash, and happy days! Or squish them in a food processor and make a spicy dip. If you don’t have fresh broad beans, you can use frozen. Read all about them here … and learn why Pythagoras wouldn’t walk through a field of broad beans. Intriguing!
Bissara – Moroccan Broad Bean Dip
Broad Beans – all you need to know
A couple of years ago I took a bunch of friends to visit my brother Pat and sister-in-law Lynne down in the Wairarapa and Lynne greeted us with a basket of still-warm cheese scones. We fell on them, and everyone has wanted the recipe since. There’s a secret to their lightness. Read the recipe here Lynne’s Cheese Scones
That’s it! I’m off to do some real work … like plan my canapé menu for the Garden party and other foodie jobs. Have a good one.
Julie
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