Spectacular show-stoppers: Sally Holt makes gasp worthy wedding cakes
No stranger to elaborate cakes, Sally Holt was a founding member of the Canterbury Cake Decorators Guild and the NZ Cake Decorators Guild. Her most memorable was a 17kg, half metre-tall wedding cake, made for a world champion ballroom dancing couple. “Back in the day wedding cakes were three-tier fruit cakes with lacework and handmade […]
A feijoa fixation: nine ideas for what to do with all those feijoas
There’s great excitement in the autumnal air, with feijoa season upon us. Generally available from about mid-March until early June, the small, green, egg-shaped fruit is pretty unique to New Zealand – although not native. A distinctive flavour and culinary versatility sees feijoa making their mark on an exceptional range of cakes, salsas, jams and […]
High Street’s dining destination: The Monday Room is the perfect pre or post wedding venue
Down at 161 High Street there is something very special. The Monday Room is a destination for any food and beverage lover already, but if you’re looking for the perfect venue for your pre or post wedding event, then look no further. For fancy home cooked sharing plates, ‘Trust the Chef’ is an amazing concept, […]
Beautiful bagels: Coffee Worx is serving up bagels you’ll love
If you have ever tried an authentic New York style bagel, you will know the difference between a real bagel and round bread with a hole in it. Coffee Worx has been serving a great range of authentic bagels since it incorporated Yellow Rocket bagels into Coffee Worx after the earthquakes. If you are a […]
Culinary energy efficiency: you need to check out Everhot’s beautiful cookers at Classic Cookers
Crafted in a fashion from days of old, where quality and longevity go hand in hand, Everhot embraces the future, with cookers that are energy efficient and suitable for solar power generation. Manufactured in Gloucestershire, England, Everhot is a heat storage range cooker. It steadily transfers the heat from its core into its ovens and […]
A cool cafe vibe: a visit to Riccarton’s popular Seven Cafe
The atmosphere in Seven Café at 11am is warm and welcoming. “This is coffee time and people really enjoy getting together for a chat,” says Vivi Xu, café owner. As one customer is about to leave the café she remarks, “I especially like the vibe here. Do you cater for private functions? I have been […]
An edible initiative: growing green thumbs at The Curator’s House
The greenfingers amongst us have long recognised the benefits of creating food sources in our very own backyards and, with a growing recognition of the health and happiness benefits inherent in growing your own goodies, garden to plate initiatives have been increasing in popularity. “We’ll discuss the importance of green cropping, and cover topics such […]
Have your cake and eat it too: a non-traditional approach to wedding cakes
Once upon a time, wedding cakes were a one size fits all affair – that is to say, dried fruit and white fondant were the order of the day. That was – of course – pre-Instagram. As our cake creations have become increasingly elaborate, they are taking a bigger bite out of the bridal budget. […]
Post-industrial hotspots: the uber cool transformation of Christchurch’s old industrial buildings to chic new “it” spots
As a post-manufacturing city, Christchurch is full of industrial-style buildings – mostly along old railway routes. As the city rebuilds, they’re being repurposed into hospitality hotspots. Welles Street is a bar accommodated in a building originally constructed as a grocery distribution centre. Its owner, Thomas Newfield, says the north-facing beauty was exactly what he was […]
Sure to rise: Q&A with instagram’s Baker Gatherer aka Dane McGregor
We’re not proponents of gender stereotypes round here at Metropol, but we won’t deny we were tickled pink by the sight of Dane McGregor, Baker Gatherer, getting his culinary craft on over on his Instagram @bakergatherer in amongst all the lasses. The sweet toothed recipe maker and content creator talks shop on whipping up a […]
