Feel kind of stink but I’ve let myself get rather disgruntled with Fuel Willis Street since the latest barista changeover and twice in the last week have made the hike up to The Terrace to see my old barista. Got into a bit of a moan fest today so I hope the guys at Willis don’t get into too much trouble. Weeeeell, maybe at least just enough to realise that while it is a busy site that speed isn’t everything and if quality slips then there are several other coffee places close by could be tried out. Anyway, had a fantastic coffee at The Terrace Bar as I knew I would and was greeted like an old friend. As a 10-year customer I should think so!

I knew there was a purple cauliflower variety but until I saw this photo on Martha Stewart’s blog of some she grew (and very green peas too I might add) I didn’t realise how purple it could be!

We’ve got a favourite spiced apple cake recipe and I’ve made it a few times recently as it does really well as a packed morning tea – doesn’t dry out and the outside is slightly chewy. Mmmmmm. Really good. It just needs one apple and a couple of times I’ve made it with feijoas but yesterday I made it for the first time with an old left over pear from the pear and almond tart last week. And with pear the cake is even better. Seems the sugar soaks further into the fruit and gives the cake a new level of sweetness.

So we all know the Mister’s dream car (well one of them) is a Porsche. I’m not keen. Watched an episode of Top Gear last night in which they drove the new 4 door (yick) Porsche Panamera (yick) and now the Mister is *very* excited because he thinks we can get one. The way to my heart? Has to be quote of the year …”LOOK! Now we can get a Porsche because Aidan can fit into the back of that one!” What?!

Saw a few random things while on our Gisborne road trip.

A very orange old computer in an office supplies store – drawing attention to a sale I think. Otherwise that’s pretty random!

Found these shakers for sale in a kitchen store. What a rocket back to my childhood! Mother had one (probably still has it) and we used it for shaking up cornflour and water to thicken stuff or cold milo drinks. Funnily enough when we were helping Bevan clean out his father’s house he found one in the cupboard and uttered the exact same examples of what he remembered it being used for when he was a kid! Judging by the label I reckon the shakers have been on the shelf in that shop for a good many years! And I always thought it’s name was ‘Silver Shaker’.

Ahhh, rural post in New Zealand – post your letters and get your letters by a corrugated iron fence in the middle of nowhere. Well, Raupunga (somewhere between Wairoa and Napier) to be exact. A store and a mail box!

Got to know our way around Gisborne a little bit while we were there – it continued to be quite a busy town even in the middle of winter. Locals tell us the population increases by 30,000 in the summer (beaches, surfing etc) which practically doubles the population. The port there is pretty busy and we watched a fishing boat being unloaded one day which was quite entertaining – some of the language was particularly colourful!

A couple of snaps:

Hello my friend the orange door! Finally got into Cafe Ruba – very nice. Excellent Supreme coffee and on a second visit we had some of their homemade sour dough bread – chef called out over the grill if we wanted to try some when we showed interest in it – we didn’t even have to order off the menu … I just said “Ummmm, I’d love some toasted. Can I have tomatoes on toast?” Was no trouble and was absolutely perfectly delicious!

Good old town clock. Still there. Looking a bit tired, and kind of orange. Was completed in 1934. Not sure if it was me, or the road or an optical illusion but it looks as though it’s on a lean!