Margaret McHugh

To be found at various markets around Auckland
For info on her catering services, visit www.gourmetfoodstore.co.nz

We discovered Margaret at Devonport Farmers market. Muttering to ourselves “She looks like she knows what she’s doing” we made a bee-line straight over.

Margaret was most affable and chatty, giving us a piece of this and a piece of that to try. And it was all so delicious. Kevin the sausage roll aficionado gave this one the thumbs up.

We’d heard of the legendary date scones a few weeks earlier, so how lovely it was to happen upon them like this. No sugar, just the sweetness from the dates themselves go into making these the most delicious scones we have had since roughly 1978. We enjoyed these later in the morning in the blissful sun at a friend’s new flat in Stanley Bay overlooking the harbour across to the city - with a very fine coffee.

Margaret had been up since three that morning preparing the food at her kitchen in Sandringham. You wouldn’t have guessed it from the sheer energy she exuded. Margaret is a passionate foodie - and that’s exactly the kind of person you want to be buying your food from.

Having just obtained a full rundown of future diary dates we can confirm she will be at Sandringham market this coming Saturday, Albany Market on the first Saturday of each month over Summer, and in Greenhithe market on November the 18th.

Margaret is also to be found running her catering business and the café by the Auckland Courthouse.

** The email that’s being referred to below has been published at The Spare Room - where they’re using our now rather infamous photo.

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The Italian Country Market

439 Papakura-Clevedon Road
Tel. 09- 292 9229

The Italian Country Market is a delightful little secret, hidden on the road going out of Clevedon towards Papakura. Only a few minutes past the Takanini turnoff we stopped here after the Farmers Market and bought our culinary supplies for the week.

This charming shop stocked everything we could have dreamed of wanting to eat, from fresh walnuts and gourmet potatoes to the best tomatoes. Ever. We aren’t lying. This place has the best tomatoes we’ve seen anywhere between here and Aix en Provence.

They’ve also got a mean line-up of balsamics, proper mozarella and fresh, fresh, lovely veges and salad ingredients. Their provolone was something else. We enjoyed it later that afternoon on crackers with a drop of good rosé.

The fridges are stocked with gorgeous pastas from cucina and all the good cheeses one might care to daydream about. Well-stocked shelves are simply bursting with olives, aioli, biscotti and crostini, mustards, pastas and more.

If you aren’t up for the trip out to Clevedon they’re also to be found in Orakei (09-520 5976), Karaka (09-291 9364) and Whitford (09-530 9027).

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