Is there anything more elegant and ladylike than "High Tea"?

A couple of years ago I bought tickets for me and my mum to the Dancing with the Stars concert.  We had our flights to Auckland all booked and then, the show got cancelled.  Disappointing!  So then came the task of finding something else fun to do with Mum.  After consultation with Lord Google, I found something that was a bit different.  High Tea at Orbit Restaurant in the Sky Tower followed by a mani/pedi at East Day Spa!  Sounded like bliss!  And it was!


And so began mine and my Mum's love of High Tea.


Some of you might be wondering "What is high tea?".  Click here for the Wikipedia definition if you are interested but to cut a long story short, high tea here in NZ, is actually what would traditionally be called an afternoon tea. For the less privileged, a pot of tea accompanied by a sandwich or a scone.  For the more privileged, a variety of teas with a variety of dainty sandwiches, savouries and sweets served on tiered stands.


High tea is elegant and ladylike and seems to be becoming all the rage like cupcakes and macaroons.  (Sometimes it even includes cupcakes and macaroons - Yay!)


After our first high tea at Orbit, which was just lovely, we've now been to 5 or 6 other places that offer high tea.  I keep an eye out for deals online and most of these were 2 for 1 or half price.  High tea seems to cost between $20 - $40 per person and so far I think it's worth it.

I've included some pics below with my thoughts on each of them.  


Note 1: I'm not a huge tea drinker so I focus more on the food, but each place you get to choose a variety of tea and you get a pot of it.  It's great if you are with a couple of people because you can share the pot around and try several different ones.


Note 2:  High tea does tend to include cucumber sandwiches.  This is my only dislike of high teas.  Although if accompanied with other things (cream cheese and pesto at SweetPea) they can be tolerated.  I have yet to leave anything on any plate at a high tea.  (Ooh, except a cherry tomato from a tartlet at Mojo, but I gave it to mum, so doesn't really count.)


Orbit Restaurant, Sky Tower, Auckland
This is probably still near the top of the list for best high tea.  The price was reasonable and included entry into the Sky Tower.  Orbit is the revolving restaurant so while indulging in the foody goodness, we had a great view that changed every second.  We also got to watch the crazy people doing the sky jump.  At the end, we got a cute little book to take away which included the menu and a couple of the recipes.  All in all a great experience.  Highlight - the view!  Food 7.5/10.  Environment 9/10.  Overall average 8/10.

Mum enjoying her cuppa with the beautiful view.

Elegant classic white!

Mojo on the Waterfront, Wellington
A nice high tea but nothing overly special about it.  It did include a glass of bubbles which was good.  The risotto ball was tasty, but the sandwiches were a little dry.  Highlight - Glass of bubbles.  Environment 7/10. Food 6/10.  Overall Average 6.5/10.

Enjoying my bubbles.

Mum with her cuppa.

Hippopotamus Restaurant, Museum Hotel, Wellington
A nice setting here in the hotel restaurant which is fantastically decorated.  The food here was definitely one of the best and included my first ever macaroon which was AMAZING!  We didn't even know what it was except that it was good.  Also, the white chocolate mousse with rhubarb compote was DELICIOUS!  Highlight - Macaroon and White Chocolate Mousse.  Environment 8/10.  Food 9/10.  Overall Average 8.5/10.



Yummiest of any high tea!

Enjoying a cuppa.

Dainty flowered cups.

Abode Cafe, Lower Hutt
Another nice high tea but nothing super duper amazing about it.  I forgot my camera this time so have nothing to jog my memory about it.  Environment 7/10.  Food 7/10.  Overall average 7/10.


Maginnity's Restaurant, Wellesley Boutique Hotel, Wellington
Another nice high tea.  Highlight was getting off work early to meet mum!  But in all seriousness, it must've been pretty tasty as we didn't leave a thing.  Environment 7/10.  Food 7/10.  Overall Average 7/10.

Now you see it...

Now you dont...

SweetPea, Petone, Lower Hutt

Mum's a bit upset because I went here without her but I had a friend over from London, so thought it would be something neat to do with her.  Mum needn't worry, I will definitely be going back to SweetPea.  The overall best high tea experience so far.  SweetPea is a newish little cafe that has opened in Petone in the last year.  They specialise in High Tea and Cupcakes!  And they sell other food too.  The decor is gorgeous and just adds to the whole experience.  They even do "High Tea for He" for the boys!  And can do vegetarian and gluten free options also.  Your high tea can be accompanied by a glass of NZ bubbles for an extra $10, or a glass of champagne for an extra $20.  The food was delicious and the tea menu was extensive with lots of information about the different types of tea.  The ladies have gorgeous aprons and I think they do a Friday Frock day and encourage ladies to come in their prettiest dresses.  There was plenty of food and if that wasn't enough, you also get to choose a cupcake to have after or to take home.  The food included homemade pate which was delicious (I've never tried pate before because I'm not so keen on what it's made from, but didn't want to waste it.  And it was worth it because it tasted great.), cheese and date scones, fresh sandwiches, and a mini tropical trifle in a shot-glass - Yum!  Highlight - everything!  Environment 9/10.  Food 9/10.

Cutest tea cosies ever!

Lots of food.

I've saved the best for last.  So far, the best high tea we've had is the one that me and the BF put on for mum's 60th Bday last May.  Admittedly, this was all his idea to start with, but I loved it so much I butted in and probably took over.  Combined it was a great afternoon.  Managed to send mum off with her bestie for a "mother's day" facial.  Invited a few of her closest friends to her place.  Pulled out all the fancy tea cups.  And went to town in the kitchen.  Here's some pics.  A definite 10/10 overall average here, but I'm probably biased.

The savoury options included filo triangles stuffed with spinach and feta, creamy mushroom tartlets, blue cheese mousse and beetroot relish tartlets, rare beef on crostini with pickled red onion and aioli, and goats cheese gallettes with caramelised onions.

Sweets included mini lemon meringue pies, apricot balls, mini macaroons, and a dark chocolate mousse.

What a spread!  We also had finger sandwiches, asparagus rolls,  lemonade scones and 2 sponge cakes!

There are still a few places to try in Wellington for High Tea, like Martha's Pantry in Cuba St, James Smith Hotel and Logan Brown.  Also, I think Fig Tree in Upper Hutt do a high tea on request and since their food is amazing, I can imagine the high tea would be too.  I will also definitely be revisiting Sweetpea. Fortunately they are in the new Entertainment Book for this year!  Hmm, who can I steal extra vouchers from?...

My Whitewater Rafting Adventure!

I'm not the most adventurous person.  I have no interest in skydiving or bungy jumping.  I don't like going upside down on rollercoasters.  So, when my bestie Kerry said to me a couple of years back that she wanted to try Whitewater Rafting, I thought she was a bit mad.  Until I saw it!

My BF's family have a holiday home at Okere Falls by Lake Rotoiti (20 mins from Rotorua).  It is one of the most beautiful places around.  The Kaituna river sweeps from Lake Rotoiti through gorgeous native forests and over waterfalls, including the 7 metres high, highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world!
Having stayed in Okere Falls many times, we've watched a lot of rafters launch from the start of the river and then walked to the falls to watch them go over and it is spectacular!  And for the first time, I thought to myself, maybe!

And then, an opportunity came up.  Grabone had a deal for $60 for a rafting and photo package with Rotorua Rafting.  So, I bit the bullet and bought one for me and Kerry.

After freaking out about it for a while, we finally went a couple of weekends ago.  Sadly, the family holiday home is rented out now, but we stayed in Taupo and made a real girls weekend of it.

Paddling in Lake Taupo.  Kerry on the left, me on the right.

I never realised that Lake Taupo was so clear.  Here I stand almost knee deep in water and you can barely tell.

When the day came, I felt nervous, but in the end, I was too busy listening to the guides instructions to actually feel frightened.

Here are some of the pics:

Heading over the first waterfall, 2 metres high.

A zoomed out shot, after the first waterfall, just about to go over the second one which was 1 metre high.

Bottom of the second waterfall

Top of the 7 metre waterfall

At this point we are spitting out all the water we swallowed!

Woohoo!  We made it!

Victory!  Note: I am in the second row and Kerry in the third row.

Shooting the gap!  For some reason we ended up last on the river but all the other boats stopped and tied up together.  Our guide, Sam (standing) decided to hit the gap and shoot on by.  I really love this pic!

Once you hit the trout pool at the end, they take you surfing! (Paddling back into the rapids and letting the water shoot you out in whatever direction it feels like)  That's me at the back, probably the only surfing picture of me smiling!

Me on the left looking scared.  Kerry at the top loving it!  I wasn't scared as such, but the raft does bump against the rocks quite a bit.  More than I was expecting.

So, that was my rafting adventure!  All in all, a big thumbs up.  I would love to do it again, so I can take in more of the scenery next time.  It's such a beautiful spot but I just felt I was paying more attention to the guides than to the view.  The water is crystal clear and so fast!  It swirls around and you bump all over the place.

Okere Falls is well worth the visit if you are ever up that way.  The first set of falls, is just by the carpark, so not much walking required.  There is also a big set of steps down to the waters edge at the edge of the carpark closest to the road.  If you want to head to the big waterfall, it's about a 10 min easy walk up the track.  And you can keep going another 15 mins or so to the Trout pool.

And when you are done there, stop in at the Okere Falls Store! 

This serves as the local dairy for all your basics, but it is so much more.  Serving coffee and food, you can pick up lots of gourmet treats too.  Or, even better, enjoy a German imported beer in the Garden bar out back!

My love for the Foodtown Magazine!

Wow, so this will be my fourth blog post and yes, all of them have included food!  If you haven't realised by now, I do love food.  I love cooking and baking and eating it!  I am in no way shape or form a culinary genius.  In fact, to most people I am an extremely fussy eater.  Admittedly, until a few years ago, I was very fussy.  I have come a long way in the last few years but am still a challenge to some of my more epicurean minded friends!

I basically have 3 definite no-no's when it comes to food...

1.  Tomatoes - don't like them, never have and never will.  Yes, I do eat tomato sauce and I wouldn't refuse canned tomato soup, but I draw the line at pretty much anything else tomato related.

2.  Capsicums - can't stand the smell of them and they taste foul.  (I do appreciate their beautiful colours though)

3.  Anything spicy - I can't even handle spicy wedges.  I have no tolerance for anything even vaguely hot.  I can handle a small amount of ground black pepper, but cracked pepper, no!  And don't even talk to me about chillies.  I have though managed a extra super mild butter chicken and can handle some Thai Massuman curries but that's about my limit.  Sad I know, but I can't help it.  I don't see the point in eating food that I then can't taste because my mouth is on fire.

Don't get me wrong, these aren't my only no-no's, just the absolute ones.  I will still screw my nose up at things I haven't tried.  It's a habit of 30+ years that's hard to break.  But I am getting better.

Anyway, this leads me to what this whole blog post is about.  Being someone that loves food but is fussy, I find most food magazines are a little fancy for me.  I like simple food with simple ingredients that I can get easily.  And that's where the Foodtown Magazine comes in.  (Just FYI, the Foodtown Magazine is now known just as Food)

Every two months, it gets delivered to my door, and I get SOOOOOO excited.  I can't wait to rip it open and find out whats in it.  Inevitably dozens of pages get turned down in anticipation.  The variety is huge and the recipes are great.  I've had many cooking successes and a few so so's.  My latest attempt last night was the cover recipe of the February/March 2012 issue.

Rustic Baked Fruit Tart

Looks pretty good right?  This is the uncooked stage.  Basically puff pastry with a layer of  marscapone with icing sugar and lemon zest, then layered with slices of nectarines, plums, apples and strawberries and glazed with honey maple syrup!

The final product!  Looks picture perfect right?  (Sadly, while it looked good and tasted good,  the pastry didn't cook properly and the marscapone seperated so when it was cut it all fell apart. :(  But, I was still happy and blame my oven which is a little crazy at the moment and heats up too much.)

Here are some more pictures of my Food Mag experiments...


Dark Chocolate Cointreau Truffles and Peppermint Creams

From The Food Mag

From The Food Mag

My take - The selection of chocolates I made for Christmas this year. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

From The Food Mag

My take

Smoked Chicken & Kumara Pie with garlic and herb crumble topping

From The Food Mag

My take.

Meringue Roulade with Raspberry Lemon Curd Cream

Sorry, can't find the link for this recipe and pic but think my picture looks pretty good.  The Raspberry Lemon Curd cream is A-MAZING!  Basically, whip a cup of cream, then stir in 1/3 cup of Lemon Curd (you could make your own curd or I just used Baxters cos I was lazy) and 1 cup of frozen raspberries.  It's to die for and I've used this for other things too.  It was particularly nice in a sponge cake.

Anyway, that's just a few samples that I've actually photographed but I'm going to try and do this more often and blog about it.  The Food Mag is definitely value for money as it's always full of great sounding recipes and I've had more successes than failures.  Long story short, go get yourself the latest copy at Countdown.  You will not be disappointed and before long, you will want to subscribe too.  (FYI, if you do decide you want to subscribe, try and hold out till the Food Show as it's always cheaper and you usually get to spin for free prizes, that's where I usually renew mine)