My First New Zealand Tour

Two weeks ago we hosted our first food tour of Hawkes Bay and Auckland and I think I can confidentally say it was a huge success. We were blessed with a particlarly fabulous group of Americans which helped Rosie and I to be particularly fabulous ourselves. In spite of the unusually cold weather in Hawkes Bay the gastronomads LOVED their luxury accommodation at the Black Barn Riverside lodges.

We conquered the Hastings farmers market and invented new recipes in our tent cooking class; rocked around our farm visit and spit roasted lamb and pavlova dinner with Outfoxed; cycled along the beaches and wineries; checked out the tangatawhenua with Waimarama Maori; slurped avocado and olive oil at The Village Press and had tea and cakes at my sister Keriann's house.

Sunny Auckland welcomed us with fabulous Art Deco accommodation at DeBretts; Asian cooking classes; a trip on the high seas in a Maori waka; lunches and cooking demos at Merediths and The French Café; cheese tasting at Sabato; a coffee class at Good One and a fabulous Cook Island feast as our finale. We're doing it all again next year 20 - 27th February 2016... Can't Wait!!