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.

Filed in Prepared food, Bakery and Cakes, mediterrannean

10 Responses to “Margaret McHugh”

Tiffany says...
Just remember there is always two sides to a story! Give this lady a chance to respond and apologise if she feels she has done wrong b4 trying to wreck her business and livelyhood!
I had a friend who wrote a somewhat rude email to a person and the story ended up on John Campbell Live Show…..so ridiculous and unnecesscary - just because someone gets p*ssed off at you doesnt give you the right to try and ruin them! Get a life yourself!

December 18th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
JB says...
I hope people realise that this site, Lovely Food is not actually part of Margaret’s company….

Being blunt (be it in an email or not) is part of everyday life for some people but to make it a personal attack is most uncalled for.

Christmas is a time for giving…we’ve all just given Margaret a fairly point towards the unemployment line.

People forgive an forget. We aren’t all Elephants, even though some of us may be hung like them :)

Merry Christmas all :)

December 18th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Hannah says...
Wow. Like everyone else, I too was shocked when I read the email. Incredibly unfortunate that Margaret didn’t have the foresight to consider the potential implications of her viperous diatribe. However, the rate at which the temperature escalated leaves me a little suspicious, and I wonder if a portion of the email chain was deleted for maximum impact. I would be interested to see any comments that Margaret herself has round this incident… Bring it on!

December 18th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Sue says...
Hmmm I’m of mixed feelings on this one

I think we’re A: missing a big part of the picture/emails and/or B: perhaps certain things have been added in…

December 19th, 2007 at 6:50 am
grotmonster says...
3 points.

1. Bollo duplicating a photo is not the same as “passing a newspaper clipping around” it’s breach of copyright & therefore theft.

2. There’s a huge gap in this email conversation, it’d be interesting to know what’s missing.

3. If the exchange has been altered to skew the meaning/interpretation Margaret will more than likely have legal grounds to go after Hayley/Ray White for any damage caused to her personal reputation and/or financial effects on her business.

Frankly were I dealing with an apparent dimwit like Hayley, she’d get short shrift from me also.

Oh & $2 for a hand-dipped strawberry seems perfectly reasonable;
Select fruit,
clean & hull,
melt chocolate,
dip leave to cool

December 19th, 2007 at 7:29 am
Claire The Bear says...
Come Awwn people! We all loooooose the plot at some point and this is the silly season! Clearly she has had a tough week. I agree that there are two sides to every story so throw some Christmas Cheer around and give her a break. Business is tough enough as it is.

Merry Christmas everyone.

December 19th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Jayne says...
You are all too fast to pass judgement - have any of you met Margaret? Fantastic person with a strong will and great sense of humour. Did we see all emails right from the start? Two sides to every story! Don’t be so quick to judge people.
And as for the food - $13 a head is not much to pay for the fantastic spreads she puts out.

December 19th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Swampfox says...
Well, welcome to the world of rabid pack mentality! A few cool heads amongst a seething mass of righteous indignation. Yes, Margaret let rip and was silly enough to do it by email. None of us know the full story or whether the emails are tailored to suit someones story. Most seem to have overlooked something fundamental to this story - a few hours before the event this Hayley still hadnt actually confirmed the order. A lot of stress this time of the year for business owners - Margerat blew a fuse and I can sympathise, pity it was on email. Certainly no reason to ruin a business and 30 years work just so the wannabees can tear someone up.

December 19th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Martin says...
I agree with swampfox. That original email certainly did seem tailored. Having worked in hospitality and retail I can say that idiot customers can certainly ruin your day. Remember the whole thing about he who hasn’t sinned throwing the first stone? If you did say that Margaret then good on you mate. I hope your business doesn’t suffer for it.

December 19th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Lovely Food says...
Commenting on this post has now closed. Sorry folks it’s old news now.

December 19th, 2007 at 1:31 pm