Brown Sugar Kitchen

267 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland
Tel. 09-360 0593

We stopped in here on Saturday afternoon because we easily found a park within the shouting of, ‘Cake. Stop!’

The lemon loaves in the window wrapped in butter paper were a sight to behold. I found myself at an absolute loss for a decision and erred towards a raspberry mud cup cake instead of the usual passionfruit and yoghurt. I got the last lamington for Kevin and another mud cake cup cake for the baby.

At the back of the shop, a shelf piled high with biscuits all in pink icing were looking a touch magical there reminding me of my childhood. A display of gift cards also drew my gaze - some of the illustrations were simply delightful. And a shelf of perfect lollipops in all colours of the rainbow shaped as stars, moons and plain round lollipops. More childhood feelings. And the person who served me seemed; Just, really really nice. And genuine.

When I went to pay the brown sugar cinnamon rolls were beckoning - flaunting their gorgeousness so brazenly they were right by the eftpos counter. So many delicious things were left behind that day. But so many delicious days lie ahead.

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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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