Busy Buzzing Market

What a difference the weather makes - Sundays Farmers Market saw glimpses of sunshine and people came flocking. I had hoped the piano accordion player would make it down but there was no sign of him. Maybe next week. He'll get the market pumping with some foot tapping toons!


This week I indulged in some delicious pastries from Petit Paris bakery stall. Its positioned right next to me and I could not resist the Croissant Amandine - almond filled croissants. JM's BONJOURS are terribly French & authentic too. I have noticed the little old ladies have taken quite a shine to him. Oh well if his visa runs out soon maybe we could arrange something for him!

Recipe - Mini Carrot & Orange Loaves

Lets not talk about yesterdays market. I think the population of Taranaki was at the Mystery Creek Field Days as it was eerily quiet! Despite the lack of traffic through town, my regulars made the trek through the rain for muesli, muffins and mini loaves. My Sticky Date & Apricot with Muesli Icing are a hit as well as my low fat Wholemeal Mini Carrot & Orange Loaves. So here is the recipe for them. Well not the muffins. I might share that with you another day.

Mini Carrot & Orange Loaves

Mini loaf tray for 8 loaves
2 cups wholemeal flour
2t baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
25g butter
2 eggs
1 cup grated carrot
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
2 T milk
1/4 cup orange juice
100ml sunflower oil

Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time beating well. Add orange juice, oil, butter and mix well. Add carrot & mix before adding in all dry ingredients. Finally mix in the milk. The mixture should be quite sticky & gluggy. Spray loaf pan with oil and half fill each loaf hole with the mixture. Bake for 20mins in a moderate oven 160C (no fan). The loaves should spring back when lightly touched. Leave in pan for 10 mins before turning out and glaze with lemon icing. Devour!

Nature's Bounty

It was another wet day at the Taranaki Farmers market last Sunday but the sunshine broke through for the last hour. People still come rain or shine so it doesn't really matter what the weather is doing but I always feel bad for the customers battling the elements as I am snug under the shelter of my stall with my gumboots on. There are some great stalls at the market and this week I remember to buy some produce for myself! I just HAD to buy Mr Mammoth Carrot.
I'll be using him in my Mini Carrot Loaves for next weeks market.

Also I couldn't resist Sue's lovely stall with avocados,tamarillos & fejoas! We are blessed with lots of interesting winter goodies here in Taranaki.

Aunty's Baked Goodies

So I have started out with 3 muesli varieties - Classic Fruit (Lightly toasted oats with honey, dates, apricots, sultanas, almonds), Toasted Tropical (golden roasted oats with honey, nana chips, papaya, sultanas, dates, coconut) and Deluxe Macadamia (lightly toasted oats, honey, macadamias, cranberries, sultanas, dates). They are all delicious but it seems the big hit is the Deluxe Macadamia. I sold out of my 1kg bags on Sunday!


The baked goods went down a treat too and I ran out of the Muesli topped Sticky Date & Apricot muffins in half an hour. The mini Carrot Loaves were a hit too.



But no great love for the Orange & Poppy Seed muffins. Poor poppy muffins. So alone.

Aunty's AuGo-Go!!

At long last, after 3 months of research, baking, packing and sweating in the Galleon kitchen, Aunty's Natural Muesli launched at the Taranaki Farmers Market on Sunday June 6th.

Thank you to all who braved the torrential rain to be my first customers.