Pear Tree Lane Cooking Experience

Just had a great class at the weekend, full of autumn flavours, autumn colours through the window ... and glowing red fire !
At the class, Pukeko Junction came up in the stories, and everyone related their favourite food they remembered when I was there ....lots of mutterings of Chicken and Mushroom Filos .... and Caramel Oat slice .... and of course the Savoury scones !
So we all decided the next class should be a Pukeko Junction Celebration !
All of the above plus a spinach and Feta tart, salmon and caper fishcakes (I had one in the car every time I went off to singing !),
Lime and Lemon tart , vinaigrette and Mayo and a crunchy coleslaw ... and a lovely loaf of daily bread !
Sunday July 7th is the day .
Please contact me : [email protected]
or phone : 021 176 1439
So looking forward to hearing from you to share a trip down memory lane !

Hurrah ! I am back in the kitchen ! I don't know where this year has gone but I am now ready to offer the Luscious Autumn Lunch on Saturday May 18th.
Lots of lovely warm flavours and colours of Autumn, including this glistening Apple Raisin Filo Tart . Hot tomatoes on cold yoghurt, braised eggs w/ leeks and za'atar, roasted salmon w/ pine nut salsa, asked rice w/ pomegranate, olives and feta .... and more.
Start the day in front of the fire at 10 am w/ coffee and a fruity friand and a talk about the menu .... then into the kitchen where I will cook a couple of entrees. Then a glass of wine along the way leading up to lunch together around the big table. The day finishes about 3pm.
The cost is $ 130 per person which includes all the recipes to take home.
Please contact me : [email protected]
or phone me on : 021 176 1439
Look forward to hearing from you !

Sailing to the North Island on the ferry for a Christmas/New Year adventure with family !
What a great year of cooking schools it has been - Thank you so much everyone for coming and making it so much fun ! I had wondered if this would be my last year …. But after being away in Europe for a few months, I came back to 3 classes in a row , and I sooo enjoyed sharing all my foodie thoughts and tips and tastes with everyone, I have decided to carry on next year ! So, keep your eyes peeled for the class dates in 2024 when I have them worked out !
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and an ongoing great year …. And look forward to seeing you all then ! Bella, Bella !!

What a great day on Sunday - the Christmas Platter day ! A glorious hot nor’easter day so the courtyard was enjoyed with the cured Salmon entree … again for the chicken vol- au- vent taster … then into the dining room for a luscious lunch followed by a bevy of desserts ! Sound like you would enjoy that ?!
There is one more Christmas Platter day to go , on Saturday December 9th , and due to a cancellation, there are two places left !
Please contact me : [email protected]
Or : 021 176 1439

Can I offer you a platter full of delicious Christmas Platter food ?
In just one week, on Saturday November 25th, is the Christmas Platter Day, when I will be making a variety of gorgeous tastes to go on a platter in the middle of the long table to talk, eat and laugh around ! Basil pesto, salsa verde and red pepper sauce with citrus cured salmon , mayo and crostini. Chicken vol-au-vent w/ cranberry sauce, Salmon and caper filos - a handsome chilli pepper beef fillet with a shaved cucumber and pomegranate salad. Finishing with a trio of sweet flavours : Lime and lemon tart w/ baked summer fruits, the best mincemeat parcels ever and chocolate, pistachio and pomegranate molasses truffles !
There are two places left on Saturday ... would you like to come ?
Please contact me at :[email protected]
0r phone me on : 021 176 1439
The class starts at 10am - the coffee pot will be on ! - finishing about 3pm. The cost is $130 per person.
I look forward to hearing from you !

The colours of great food ! I have always loved going to markets and finding the tastiest morsels - and here are a selection from England and Italy on our wondrous travels ! Just a heads up for upcoming classes when I get home - there are still some places available on each class :
Christmas Platter Day
Saturday November 25th
Sunday December 3rd
Saturday December 9th
Hope one of those dates appeals . Please contact me : [email protected]

This was a lovely, chatty, food interested group who came to the Late Winter Day - a day of tastes and sunshine and lively conversation !
I am now sitting at the airport , bags packed and raring to fly - to family in London and family in Italy .
I will be back at the end of October ….. excited to share the Christmas Platter Day with you . A celebration of Christmas food … and ideas for a different way to have Christmas Dinner perhaps !
The dates are :
Saturday 25th November
Sunday 3rd December
Saturday 9th December
The day starts at 10am with coffee and a little something, and finishes about 3pm after a lovely lunch together around the big table … and a glass of wine along the way.
The cost is $130 per person.
Please contact me at :
Penny [email protected].
I look forward to hearing from you !

A great class on Saturday ..... the sun shone but the wind was cold, and we revelled in the warm flavours of chilli and harissa and miso paste and tahini .... a vegetable menu designed around a galette of roast butternut and oranges .... and a magic pudding at the end ! Thank you to the lovely, helpful, chatty and appreciative group that came - we had fun !
The next class in August is now fully booked .... but there will be classes in November and December when I get back from my travels - keep an eye out for those dates !

Coming up on Saturday July 1st - The Luscious Flavour lunch . I am so looking forward to this class for all the flavours involved - warm, smokey, hot, chocolatey .... and just plain interesting !
I am off to Wellington this weekend to visit my son and family, and along with my sketchbook, and lino cutting tools, I have packed a collection of goodies from this class : the gorgeously smokey marinated feta (great on hot brown toast for breakfast), the hot and spicy confit chickpeas (eaten at any time!) and some black garlic butter. Maybe I'll make the butternut, sage and orange galette when I'm there !
There are lots more flavour delights in the class !
There are a few places left - would you like to join me in the kitchen at Peartree Lane ?
Please contact me at : [email protected] or phone me :
021 176 1439

Just two weeks to go before the Baker's Day - Sunday June 11th. I can't wait to get my hands into the flour and show you how to make daily bread, focaccia bread, lockdown bagels, the secret of rough puff pastry and short crust pastry with sweet and savoury examples ... and by special request I have added the Pukuko Junction savoury scones .... delicious hot from the oven with lashings of butter !
The day starts at 10am with coffee and a tasty something and finishes about 3pm after lunch together around the big table.
There are just 4 places left, so if you would like one of those places, please contact me at : [email protected] or phone me on : 021 176 1439
Look forward to hearing from you !

The latest ... a lovely bowl of feijoas . Shall I make a galette w/ homemade rough puff pastry ?
I have been a bit slow getting going this year after rounds of Covid and then another Virus, but I am now very well and raring to go !!
I have three classes I planned for June. July and August ... and in the Baker's Day I will be making rough puff pastry from scratch , Pukeko Junction daily bread, lockdown bagels , yummy focaccia bread with all its varieties, cornish pasties and a sweet and a savoury galette .
I will be doing the Luscious Flavour day , inspired by Ottolenghi's fabulous use of ancho chills, harissa, limes and coconut and chaat masala - he is a master. Confit Tandoori chickpeas, Portobello mushroom w/ butter bean mash, cauliflower roasted in chilli butter , a magical chocoflan where the cake and the caramel flavoured flan change places in the oven ... and more !
The third class planned is the Luscious Winter Lunch with all the warm colours and flavours of sitting by the fire ! A spicy Cassoulet, Potato Gratin, curried Pumpkin and parsnip soup,
a chicken caserole w/ sage leaves and preserved lemons, fried Broccoli and Kale w/ garlic, cumin and lime and an Apple and Almond pudding cake w/ Creme anglaise !
Sunday 11th June : The Baker's Day
Saturday 1st July : The Luscious Flavour Lunch
Sunday 6th August : The Luscious Winter Lunch
Please contact me : [email protected]
or phone on : 021 176 1439
I am so looking forward to hearing from you !

Oh ! Christmas was wonderful .... and now they have all gone home - back to London and Wellington and Los Angeles. The first time for 5 years that all my family have been together ! They came for 14 days of fun and eating and adventures and being together. The time flew ... and now I have lots of sheets flapping in the wind and a bucket load of memories !!
And Thank You too to everyone who came to the classes this year - it has been such a great year (until I got Covid !) I hope you all had a great Christmas too , and I wish you a very Happy New Year.
There will be more classes this year. I'm off to see Ottolenghi in Wellington at the end of the month, so you never know what great tastes I will be in the mix this year !
Keep an eye on this page and I will have the dates up as soon as I can.
Role on 2023 !!