Scarecrow

Scarecrow

I’m happy to report that despite all the significant hardships across NZ and around Auckland due to the recent major weather events, Auckland city is pumping!  We are now full-on with the Arts Festival, the concert season, “Light From Tate” at the Art Gallery and tourists flocking to our shores. Walking through Auckland  City we’re enjoying the busy vibe – and notably our enlarged sidewalks and fewer vehicles in town. Recently we were running late for a theatre event (due to yet another cancelled ferry…!) , and it was a real bonus to zip up town on the e-scooter on a dedicated scooter and cycle path.

There are however many concerns pressing on our minds and our pockets. The crunch from climate related hardship is real and will affect us all, no matter how far many of us are from the immediately affected regions.  As a small example, the weather disasters have had a huge impact on prices of fresh fruit and vegetables (I have seen garlic for $80/kg and green beans up to $20/kg!). We can do things to help ourselves. If you have the time , motivation and some suitable space (including containers on a terrace), I can’t recommend more highly the reward of planting a vegetable garden – you won’t grow everything you need, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy eating at least a part of your meal from your own garden. Beetroot, perpetual spinach, varieties of brassicas and herbs can all be planted now for winter crops. You can still plant lettuce seedlings and you’ll be eating them it in just a few weeks!

There are plenty of delicious stone fruits available now and autumn fruits will be making an appearance soon.  It’s great to store them in jars for use now or later… I know I’ve discussed this before. They need to be in a sugar syrup to preserve them – you can determine how much sugar you are happy with – at a minimum you will need 1/2 cup sugar to 3 cups of water. Add spices depending on the fruit – with plums, pears and figs I like to add some warm spices such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, fresh ginger (I don’t advise using all off these at once!). Red wine is a great addition too – replace a cup of water with a cup of red wine for ‘fancy’ pears and plums.  For delicate fruits such as apricots and peaches you can skip the spices, or try adding some lemon rind to the sugar syrup. You can order fruit directly from some orchards and they will send you 5 or 10kg boxes. It is a money saver! Have a look at the kiwicountrygirl.com website for excellent tips and information on easy preserving.

Here is a recipe for a rich Chocolate Torte which I serve for dessert. Beautiful accompanied with poached or your home- bottled plums. You can easily make it gluten free by replacing the flour with your preferred GF flour or finely ground nuts. It will serve about 10 guests as it is very intense. There are only a few ingredients making it very simple to assemble, but it is a real treat.

Ingredients
250gr dark chocolate (at least 70% – I often use the Bennetto 75%)
150gr unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup whole milk or cream
4 large eggs (or 5 smaller eggs)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon coffee grounds if you have some from your morning coffee pot! (optional)
Cocoa powder for dusting.

Method
Break up chocolate into small pieces. Put butter and chocolate into a heavy base pan and warm them on a very low heat. Stir gently while the chocolate and butter emulsify. Turn off heat and stir in milk, then leave mix to cool as you prepare the rest.
Prepare a cake tin with buttered edges and a base of greased baking paper.
Pre-heat the oven to 175C.
Beat the eggs vigorously in a large bowl (you can use an electric whisk), as they lighten gradually pour in the sugar and add pinch of salt. Continue beating until you have a light and fluffy mix. Then slowly stir in the warm chocolate mix, vanilla and coffee grounds. Finally sieve the flour into the bowl while you continue to slowly stir until it is fully incorporated.
Pour the mix into your prepared pan and gently move into oven, turn heat down to 160C, bake for about 30 minutes. Check the cake after 30 mins, if the centre is not wobbly and is just firm to the touch, then it is ready. It will not be very risen. Turn onto a wire rack for cooling and peel off baking paper from base. When completely cool, turn onto serving plate and generously sprinkle with cocoa powder (use a fine sieve to do this).

To Serve
Serve at room temperature with poached fruit, and either a good quality vanilla ice cream or marscpone or whipped cream.

Bon appetit!
Alison


The story of Scarecrow

A very warm welcome to our newest readers. It’s been a wee while since we profiled Alison, the founder and beating heart of Scarecrow. So, to those who may not know Alison’s motivation for creating Scarecrow, here’s a little recap.
Many years living in Paris with her young family opened Alison’s eyes to the beauty and value of living ‘local’. Mere steps from their apartment door was a collation of specialty stores. All within easy walking distance, with the children in the pushchair, were all their daily needs including the butcher, the baker and pâtissier, the fruit and vegetable sellers, fromagerie, cave a vin, cafés and restaurants. They provided not only the freshest of quality, artisan, seasonal products; these places embodied community. Local purveyors knew their customers by name, their children’s names, their favourite cuts of meat, or preferred daily loaf. Often sharing advice on how to best prepare that evening’s meal or offering a tried-and-true family recipe. It was a way of living that stuck with Alison.
When Alison and Paul eventually moved into Auckland City, they struggled to find provisioners of the daily foods they enjoyed. Quality fresh breads, organic coffee, artisan cheeses, fresh olive oils, organic produce and more. And so, Scarecrow was born with this ‘market’ place in mind. A place to find good things to eat, build community relationships and foster small artisan producers. Over time this vision has evolved to fit the local demand – with an emphasis now on serving great coffee and great food! You will still find fresh bread, eggs, milk and cheese for sale alongside delicious Scarecrow products (such as our house-smoked salmon) and much more.
Alison is passionate about developing a vibrant central city community. She believes a city functions best when residents, workers, students and visitors can walk or cycle to find all their core necessities – from childcare and play-parks to cultural events, arts, theatre and leisure. A great city should be a friendly and stimulating place where it’s easy to feel at home, and where you can access the great specialty things that you might otherwise have to go to the farm to find! Scarecrow’s vision is to contribute to Auckland becoming this place. With the support of a wonderful team, Scarecrow strives to offer the best possible experience and a variety of quality local products to our Central Auckland community (and our wonderful tourists also!).


Our Cafe

Perfectly positioned in the heart of Auckland City, Scarecrow is the ideal escape from the daily hustle and bustle. An urban oasis, some might say!
We bring local, seasonal food to your plate, be it breakfast, brunch or lunch. We source our organic hot brews and cold drinks from local artisan suppliers, to ensure you are always getting locally-made quality.
Our dishes are inspired by the Mediterranean and European palette, while showcasing simple, sustainable & ethical ingredients from New Zealand producers. Our wine list reflects some of the best of award-winning small NZ wineries, including biodynamic, organic & vegan wines.
We encourage our community to eat well, consume consciously and benefit from all the wonderful produce and products created right here in Aotearoa. So come into Scarecrow for your next breakfast, brunch, lunch or event.


Our Chef

Head Chef Aurélien has been a valued member of the Scarecrow team for some years now, responsible for creating and serving up the delicious seasonal plates you’ll find on our menu and in the cabinet; and the Scarecrow range of ready meals filling our deli fridges. Many of you will know him by name! Pop your head through the pass and say hi to Aurélien when you are next in store.


Bistro Lunch

A recent and very popular addition to the Scarecrow menu, our Bistro Lunch is available from 12pm Tuesday through Sunday. From our crowd-favourite Soup of the Day (no matter the weather!) to Grilled Lamb Cutlets and Roasted Duck Breast, you’ll find something to love – and we have plenty of vegan options too! We do recommend reserving a table if you’re coming with a group. Give the team a call on 09 377 1333 today.


House Made Baking

Lucky us, Chef Aurélien is passionate about patisserie! Under his guidance, the Scarecrow team creates some of the most delicious sweet treats you’ll find in Auckland. Take a look in our cabinet for a slice or a bite of indulgence and let us know if you’d like more. Many of our housemade baking products are available in larger sizes to pre-order via the website. Just give us a couple of days’ notice and we’ll have a whole cake, batch of cookies, or fresh loaf of gluten free bread ready for collection upon your next visit.


Grocery

Walking into Scarecrow, you can’t miss our grocery department. Shelves lined with a quality selection of locally made artisan food, homeware and gift items. We have a stunning collection of NZ made kitchen accessories, linen tea towels and napkins, tea and coffee accessories, mugs, NZ candles, and an extensive range of NZ made artisan chocolates, honeys, cheeses, organic milk, eggs and fresh bread daily. Come and discover what we have in store. Grab a cuppa and a bite to eat, then browse our shelves for goodies to take home.


Events

Our cosy space lends itself to special occasions in a relaxed atmosphere. Scarecrow is an ideal place to share with colleagues, friends or family. Whether you are hosting a small celebration, a team event, a special guest or you’re just looking for a cosy venue to be with friends, we can help you. Call the team on 09 377 1333 or ask us about it when you’re next in store.