SweetPea vs Martha's Pantry

I decided to try and take mum to SweetPea this weekend since the BF's mum was visiting too.  We ended up with a few extras though so when I rang to book on Friday, they were already booked out for Sunday.  I'm glad about this as hopefully this means they are doing well and will stay around forever so I can go again and again.  But this did leave me with a dilemma.  Where to now?


Luckily, there are still a few places we haven't tried for High Tea and one of the first ones I'd ever read about was Martha's Pantry on Cuba Street in Wellington.  So, off we went there today.


Now, when I first started reading about high tea's Martha's Pantry had some really nice write ups but when I've looked recently the reviews haven't been as good.  I was keen to see for myself.  Like my other High Tea reviews in my previous blog post, here is my review for:


Martha's Pantry, Cuba St, Wellington


Martha's Pantry is very similar to SweetPea in that they both specialise in the high tea experience and try and take you back in time.  Sweetpea does it with more modern settings but in a classical style, whereas Martha's does it real old school.  Beautiful antique cups and saucers, plates and spoons, each set different but beautiful in it's own way.  The staff were lovely and attentive and wearing cute outfits, the food was tasty (not amazing, but tasty) and the tea choices extensive (in saying that, we didn't enjoy one of our choices, but that's life).  The price of $25 seemed reasonable to me in comparison to other prices I've paid and while the size of each item was dainty, this is what I have come to expect from a high tea and I was satisfied with the overall experience.  They also have teapots and other paraphernalia for sale which was nice to peruse after paying.  Highlights - The real antique feel of the place and the overall setting.  Environment 9/10, Food 7.5/10. Overall 8/10.

Each person's tea cup set was different.

And all the spoons were different and random.

Old fashioned and varied tea cosies.  SweetPea's tea cosies were all the same but with different colours for each pot.

The food all tasted fresh and was flavourful.  We had this as a lunch and it was completely satisfying.

Next on the list of High Tea's to try is Logan Brown.  Maybe for Mum's birthday.

Also, have booked in for the Wellington Food Show Master Class 'No Ordinary High Tea' with Annabelle White and Mark Gregory.  Should be a lovely day strolling the Food Show with mum and the BF followed by the class and a nice way to treat mum for Mother's Day.  Can't wait.

Homemade Hot Cross Buns!

What a beautiful Easter weekend it has been!  I'm sure the forecast was for a weekend of cold and misery but boy did they get it wrong.  4 days of glorious warm autumn weather.  It's gonna be hard to go back to work tomorrow.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, the latest food mag arrived.  

Once again, lots of pages turned down, but to keep with the Easter theme, I thought I'd try my hand at the hot cross buns.  Below is some pics of the process and the final result.

Hot Cross Buns

Not all the recipes in the mag are so stepped out but usually 1 or 2 are.

This was my first time using yeast.  I don't think I had the milk quite warm enough as it didn't foam up as much as I thought it should.

Frothy but not quite frothy enough I don't think.

Ready to mix!

Really wish I'd had a bread maker to kneed the dough.  Or a kitchen mixer with a dough hook.

The dough rose so yeast must've been ok.

Time to rise again... Hmm, easter appropriate?

Didn't quite get the cross mix right.  It was a little stiff and cut my hole a little big in the piping bag.

All baked!

And glazed!

Time to enjoy!  Ok, the cheesy pic is to enter a competition to win a Kenwood Kitchen Mixer.

So, final verdict, pretty good.  Definite room for improvement but think that is mostly to do with the milk not being warm enough for the yeast and my kneeding not being up to scratch.  Would definitely make them again and the family seemed to enjoy them so they can't have been too bad.

Is there anything more elegant and ladylike than "High Tea"?

A couple of years ago I bought tickets for me and my mum to the Dancing with the Stars concert.  We had our flights to Auckland all booked and then, the show got cancelled.  Disappointing!  So then came the task of finding something else fun to do with Mum.  After consultation with Lord Google, I found something that was a bit different.  High Tea at Orbit Restaurant in the Sky Tower followed by a mani/pedi at East Day Spa!  Sounded like bliss!  And it was!


And so began mine and my Mum's love of High Tea.


Some of you might be wondering "What is high tea?".  Click here for the Wikipedia definition if you are interested but to cut a long story short, high tea here in NZ, is actually what would traditionally be called an afternoon tea. For the less privileged, a pot of tea accompanied by a sandwich or a scone.  For the more privileged, a variety of teas with a variety of dainty sandwiches, savouries and sweets served on tiered stands.


High tea is elegant and ladylike and seems to be becoming all the rage like cupcakes and macaroons.  (Sometimes it even includes cupcakes and macaroons - Yay!)


After our first high tea at Orbit, which was just lovely, we've now been to 5 or 6 other places that offer high tea.  I keep an eye out for deals online and most of these were 2 for 1 or half price.  High tea seems to cost between $20 - $40 per person and so far I think it's worth it.

I've included some pics below with my thoughts on each of them.  


Note 1: I'm not a huge tea drinker so I focus more on the food, but each place you get to choose a variety of tea and you get a pot of it.  It's great if you are with a couple of people because you can share the pot around and try several different ones.


Note 2:  High tea does tend to include cucumber sandwiches.  This is my only dislike of high teas.  Although if accompanied with other things (cream cheese and pesto at SweetPea) they can be tolerated.  I have yet to leave anything on any plate at a high tea.  (Ooh, except a cherry tomato from a tartlet at Mojo, but I gave it to mum, so doesn't really count.)


Orbit Restaurant, Sky Tower, Auckland
This is probably still near the top of the list for best high tea.  The price was reasonable and included entry into the Sky Tower.  Orbit is the revolving restaurant so while indulging in the foody goodness, we had a great view that changed every second.  We also got to watch the crazy people doing the sky jump.  At the end, we got a cute little book to take away which included the menu and a couple of the recipes.  All in all a great experience.  Highlight - the view!  Food 7.5/10.  Environment 9/10.  Overall average 8/10.

Mum enjoying her cuppa with the beautiful view.

Elegant classic white!

Mojo on the Waterfront, Wellington
A nice high tea but nothing overly special about it.  It did include a glass of bubbles which was good.  The risotto ball was tasty, but the sandwiches were a little dry.  Highlight - Glass of bubbles.  Environment 7/10. Food 6/10.  Overall Average 6.5/10.

Enjoying my bubbles.

Mum with her cuppa.

Hippopotamus Restaurant, Museum Hotel, Wellington
A nice setting here in the hotel restaurant which is fantastically decorated.  The food here was definitely one of the best and included my first ever macaroon which was AMAZING!  We didn't even know what it was except that it was good.  Also, the white chocolate mousse with rhubarb compote was DELICIOUS!  Highlight - Macaroon and White Chocolate Mousse.  Environment 8/10.  Food 9/10.  Overall Average 8.5/10.



Yummiest of any high tea!

Enjoying a cuppa.

Dainty flowered cups.

Abode Cafe, Lower Hutt
Another nice high tea but nothing super duper amazing about it.  I forgot my camera this time so have nothing to jog my memory about it.  Environment 7/10.  Food 7/10.  Overall average 7/10.


Maginnity's Restaurant, Wellesley Boutique Hotel, Wellington
Another nice high tea.  Highlight was getting off work early to meet mum!  But in all seriousness, it must've been pretty tasty as we didn't leave a thing.  Environment 7/10.  Food 7/10.  Overall Average 7/10.

Now you see it...

Now you dont...

SweetPea, Petone, Lower Hutt

Mum's a bit upset because I went here without her but I had a friend over from London, so thought it would be something neat to do with her.  Mum needn't worry, I will definitely be going back to SweetPea.  The overall best high tea experience so far.  SweetPea is a newish little cafe that has opened in Petone in the last year.  They specialise in High Tea and Cupcakes!  And they sell other food too.  The decor is gorgeous and just adds to the whole experience.  They even do "High Tea for He" for the boys!  And can do vegetarian and gluten free options also.  Your high tea can be accompanied by a glass of NZ bubbles for an extra $10, or a glass of champagne for an extra $20.  The food was delicious and the tea menu was extensive with lots of information about the different types of tea.  The ladies have gorgeous aprons and I think they do a Friday Frock day and encourage ladies to come in their prettiest dresses.  There was plenty of food and if that wasn't enough, you also get to choose a cupcake to have after or to take home.  The food included homemade pate which was delicious (I've never tried pate before because I'm not so keen on what it's made from, but didn't want to waste it.  And it was worth it because it tasted great.), cheese and date scones, fresh sandwiches, and a mini tropical trifle in a shot-glass - Yum!  Highlight - everything!  Environment 9/10.  Food 9/10.

Cutest tea cosies ever!

Lots of food.

I've saved the best for last.  So far, the best high tea we've had is the one that me and the BF put on for mum's 60th Bday last May.  Admittedly, this was all his idea to start with, but I loved it so much I butted in and probably took over.  Combined it was a great afternoon.  Managed to send mum off with her bestie for a "mother's day" facial.  Invited a few of her closest friends to her place.  Pulled out all the fancy tea cups.  And went to town in the kitchen.  Here's some pics.  A definite 10/10 overall average here, but I'm probably biased.

The savoury options included filo triangles stuffed with spinach and feta, creamy mushroom tartlets, blue cheese mousse and beetroot relish tartlets, rare beef on crostini with pickled red onion and aioli, and goats cheese gallettes with caramelised onions.

Sweets included mini lemon meringue pies, apricot balls, mini macaroons, and a dark chocolate mousse.

What a spread!  We also had finger sandwiches, asparagus rolls,  lemonade scones and 2 sponge cakes!

There are still a few places to try in Wellington for High Tea, like Martha's Pantry in Cuba St, James Smith Hotel and Logan Brown.  Also, I think Fig Tree in Upper Hutt do a high tea on request and since their food is amazing, I can imagine the high tea would be too.  I will also definitely be revisiting Sweetpea. Fortunately they are in the new Entertainment Book for this year!  Hmm, who can I steal extra vouchers from?...

My Whitewater Rafting Adventure!

I'm not the most adventurous person.  I have no interest in skydiving or bungy jumping.  I don't like going upside down on rollercoasters.  So, when my bestie Kerry said to me a couple of years back that she wanted to try Whitewater Rafting, I thought she was a bit mad.  Until I saw it!

My BF's family have a holiday home at Okere Falls by Lake Rotoiti (20 mins from Rotorua).  It is one of the most beautiful places around.  The Kaituna river sweeps from Lake Rotoiti through gorgeous native forests and over waterfalls, including the 7 metres high, highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world!
Having stayed in Okere Falls many times, we've watched a lot of rafters launch from the start of the river and then walked to the falls to watch them go over and it is spectacular!  And for the first time, I thought to myself, maybe!

And then, an opportunity came up.  Grabone had a deal for $60 for a rafting and photo package with Rotorua Rafting.  So, I bit the bullet and bought one for me and Kerry.

After freaking out about it for a while, we finally went a couple of weekends ago.  Sadly, the family holiday home is rented out now, but we stayed in Taupo and made a real girls weekend of it.

Paddling in Lake Taupo.  Kerry on the left, me on the right.

I never realised that Lake Taupo was so clear.  Here I stand almost knee deep in water and you can barely tell.

When the day came, I felt nervous, but in the end, I was too busy listening to the guides instructions to actually feel frightened.

Here are some of the pics:

Heading over the first waterfall, 2 metres high.

A zoomed out shot, after the first waterfall, just about to go over the second one which was 1 metre high.

Bottom of the second waterfall

Top of the 7 metre waterfall

At this point we are spitting out all the water we swallowed!

Woohoo!  We made it!

Victory!  Note: I am in the second row and Kerry in the third row.

Shooting the gap!  For some reason we ended up last on the river but all the other boats stopped and tied up together.  Our guide, Sam (standing) decided to hit the gap and shoot on by.  I really love this pic!

Once you hit the trout pool at the end, they take you surfing! (Paddling back into the rapids and letting the water shoot you out in whatever direction it feels like)  That's me at the back, probably the only surfing picture of me smiling!

Me on the left looking scared.  Kerry at the top loving it!  I wasn't scared as such, but the raft does bump against the rocks quite a bit.  More than I was expecting.

So, that was my rafting adventure!  All in all, a big thumbs up.  I would love to do it again, so I can take in more of the scenery next time.  It's such a beautiful spot but I just felt I was paying more attention to the guides than to the view.  The water is crystal clear and so fast!  It swirls around and you bump all over the place.

Okere Falls is well worth the visit if you are ever up that way.  The first set of falls, is just by the carpark, so not much walking required.  There is also a big set of steps down to the waters edge at the edge of the carpark closest to the road.  If you want to head to the big waterfall, it's about a 10 min easy walk up the track.  And you can keep going another 15 mins or so to the Trout pool.

And when you are done there, stop in at the Okere Falls Store! 

This serves as the local dairy for all your basics, but it is so much more.  Serving coffee and food, you can pick up lots of gourmet treats too.  Or, even better, enjoy a German imported beer in the Garden bar out back!