24 Oct A New Leaf
Last weekend we planted a bee and insect garden. Well, we have the forest which already supplies lots of food for birds, bees and insects, but when our herb garden is in flower it’s always humming with life. So, we took inspiration from this and dedicated the whole of one area to an abundance of flowering plants, most of them edible. Ultimately, spring created this garden, because I think we all feel energised by the sun, and this propels us towards new projects and creative activity. I hope the spring weekends ahead are full of creative energy and inspiration for you.
Talking of inspiration, I want to share a couple of observations with you from our recent time in Europe. One was particularly notable in Spain. It was fantastic to see the numbers of older people (many very elderly indeed) eating out in restaurants enjoying lunch ‘menus’ with friends and families every day. A ‘menu’ is a 3 course meal, and really quite economical (frequently around 20Es). It was evidently the main the meal of the day for older people, a sociable occasion which provided so much more than just ‘food nutrition’ for life! It’s not a very ‘Kiwi’ thing to dine out at lunch time, certainly we are more likely to consume a ‘coffee and a bite’ with a friend rather than a full meal. But it really struck me how much more benefit there might be in eating a good meal in the middle of the day. Breakfast and dinner become much, much simpler things. In light of our ageing population I reflected on the benefits of this a lot, how local restaurants become part of the social fabric and infrastructure, another pillar which helps enable ageing people to continue to live well in their homes and community.
The other thing that was so notable were the extraordinary number, size and variety of electric delivery vehicles servicing businesses in busy ‘pedestrianised’ city centres. It was so impressive we took a whole file of images – and also notable were the neat, small electric buses, sleek electric trams without cables (!) and other public transport systems that were so quiet and well-frequented. So many clever, new technologies. Spain and Portugal, powered by forests of wind and solar farms, make these really fantastic transformations for their towns and cities.
I’m excited to let you know that our Spring/Summer menu has launched – with some fabulous new lunch and breakfast options while of course preserving your old favourites. We do hope you’ll come in to explore the full menu. Lunch offerings are a bit more substantial and ‘Bistro’ style – we think you’ll love them!
It’s asparagus season – so here is a simple and gorgeous Asparagus Pappardelle to stimulate your taste buds!
Recipe for 4 people
Ingredients
400 grams of fresh pappardelle
About 2 bunches of asparagus spears
60gr fresh ricotta or bocconcini
50 gr baby peas
1 lemon freshly zested
1 small bunch of chopped chives
Optional
1 tbsp drained and chopped capers
Sauce
40gr unsalted butter
50ml cream
1 shallot very finely chopped
100 ml white wine
Flaky salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Start with preparing the asparagus spears. Blanche them in simmering salty water with the peas (about 2 minutes for medium thick spears), then plunge them into icy water. When cool, slice spears at a sharp angle into 1cm pieces – keep the ‘top of the spear’ whole. Drain and put cooled spears and peas aside in fridge.
Now prepare the White Wine Sauce:
Sauté the finely chopped shallot in 30 grams of butter (reserve a knob of butter for reheating the asparagus). When onions are soft and clear, deglaze the pan with the white wine, simmer and reduce liquid by half. Whisk in the cream and season with crushed flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Cook the pappardelle in a large pot of salty water, strain a put into a pre-heated serving dish. Toss through with white wine sauce. Pop the knob of butter with asparagus pieces into pot and quickly warm through.
Form ricotta into small balls (teaspoon size), and dot over pasta (or the bocconcini balls), sprinkle the dish with warm asparagus, lemon zest, chives and a little more ground black pepper.
Optional: Add a tbsp of chopped capers to the asparagus & peas when reheating with butter.
Bon appetit,
Alison
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New House-made Sweet Treats
Our talented pastry chef Tabiyeh has been busy perfecting the latest sweet addition to the Scarecrow cabinet. Our new macaroons are made fresh in the Scarecrow kitchen with all-natural ingredients. With a base of coconut, they are not only gluten free, but nut free too. We love them with a pot of organic tea mid-afternoon (anything from the fabulous Fine & Dandy range, though any of our gorgeous artisan tea brands will do the trick!). You can enjoy a Scarecrow macaroon or three in store at 33 Victoria Street East or pick up a box to savour at home. Each box includes three flavours: Original, Rosewater & Cardamon with Viberi hints and Orange & Nutmeg with Cacao hints. At $14, these are well-priced and make a wonderful housewarming gift or treat for a new parent.
Our ever-popular gluten free amaretti are in plentiful abundance, and Tabiyeh is working on yet more delicious baked creations, soon to appear in our daily-fresh cabinet.
Or, sample the ultimate in sweet sticky indulgence… Tabiyeh’s house-made baklava comes perfectly portioned in bite sizes pieces. Made up of layers of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and honey, this is just the thing to satisfy the 3pm cravings and lovely as an after-dinner treat. We also offer baklava by the tray, a lovely sweet treat at your next dinner party. Come into Scarecrow to see and sample our selection!
Ocho Chocolate
Otago Chocolate Company (better known as Ocho) has been a staple of the Scarecrow shelves for some years now, and with good reason. Not only do we love to champion Kiwi brand doing great things, we genuinely adore the Ocho selection of quality, dark, real craft chocolate. Ocho beans are sourced from cacao growers in the South Pacific then transformed from bean to bar in the boutique Ocho factory in Dunedin. From the best-selling Beekeeper and the Zero Added Sugar to the 100% Cacao for the absolute purists out there (it’s good!), Ocho Chocolate is the embodiment of care and passion, and deliciousness, all wrapped up in sustainable paper. Yum!
Artisan Honey
While we’re on the topic of sweet things, we must make mention 
of our extensive range of NZ made artisan honey. Aotearoa boasts some of the world’s finest artisan honey products from talented, passionate makers. You can’t beat the healing qualities of Manuka, a wonderful way to support immunity after the change in season. Take a teaspoon morning and night to soothe and nourish, or as a preventative measure. Manuka is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wonderful blends on offer, and at Scarecrow we stock plenty. Honey makes a great gift and a delicious addition to generally anything (especially drizzled over peanut butter and banana on toast, mmm!). Shop our range of honeys online or get a taste of everything ‘honey-bee’ in our gorgeous Pollinate Gift Hamper. You can find our full range in store at Scarecrow at 33 Victoria St East or 811 Mt Eden Road.
Late Harvest Wines from the Cellar
The Scarecrow Cellar at 811 Mt Eden Road is a treasure trove of some of NZ’s finest wine offerings, including a couple of Late Harvest Waiheke Island jewels we recommend you try. Peacock Sky Late Harvest Cabernet 2016 is gorgeous to look at and silky smooth to sip, made from 100% hand-picked Waiheke Island fruit. From just across the hills comes Passage Rock Late Harvest Viogner 2019. Super lush with notes of mango, honey, apricot and honeysuckle, enjoy this with foie gras or pate as an aperitif or alongside chocolate or fruit-based desserts. These wines represent Waiheke’s most charming late harvest wines and make a lovely gift too. Buy in store or online for Auckland wide delivery.
Gorgeous gifts and accessories by Sue Wickison
Speaking of delights of Waiheke – here is another treasure. We
are thrilled to now stock stunning botanical tea towels and gift cards by the very talented Sue Wickison. Sue and her husband are now settled on Waiheke, meaning we now have easy access to her incredible pieces. Her love of the botanical world was inspired by her upbringing in West Africa, where she accompanied her father on painting trips, discovering the joys of close observation of nature. From there, Sue studied in the UK and worked as a botanical illustrator in Kew Gardens for many years. Call into Scarecrow to browse Sue’s creations. With the busy season imminent, why not start ticking off your Christmas list now!
Join us at the Waiheke Walking Festival
The fabulous Waiheke Walking Festival is back on this year, with the usual outstanding line-up of stunning walks showcasing Waiheke’s beautiful beaches, coast and native bush. The festival stretches across 11 fabulous days, with nearly half the walks free including the very close to our hearts ‘Scarecrow Palm Beach to Oneroa’ on November 15th.
The festival programme is live with all walks available to view online here, with bookings to the public available now.
Also just around the corner on the 5th & 6th of November, is the Jassy Dean Trust’s Waiheke Garden Festival. Featuring 10 beautiful gardens, live music, local art and more, this is a wonderful way to see more of Waiheke and supports a fabulous cause to boot.
Grab some friends and join us to see what Waiheke has to offer!
