Fun in the City and the Sun

We finally went somewhere! My first overseas culinary adventure in a long time left NZ and danced into Rarotonga, covered in flowers and smiles. The Rarotongans were thrilled to see us and the feeling was mutual. It was just a great big fat love fest. The Covid safety precautions at Rarotonga airport were very strict which was reassuring. After that we could just relax and get on with the business of having fun. My right hand man in Raro was the one and only Jacopo Dozzo – handsome, charming, efficient... basically perfect. We loved eating Janet Dearlove's hot pastries before church on Sunday, loved snorkling on the lagoon cruise and loved eating Rarotongan food in people's homes. Our eco cycling tour was wonderful as we tasted food from the ground and berries from the trees in an effort to learn all about indigenous food. Fish is BIG in Raro so we ate it till it was coming out our ears – my favourites are mahi-mahi and tuna. The Pacific Resort right on the beach was great and it seems Rarotongans are born hosts and entertainers. We learned how to cook an umu (ground cooking on hot stones), make tivaevae (Rarotongan patchwork) and made fools of ourselves with the fire dancers on our wild last night bash. My wonderful Gastronomads were everything you could ask for.... fun, adventurous, open and appreciative. AND.... I'll be doing it all again 3 – 8 November – bookings are open so what are you waiting for?!

While still rocking the Rarotongan vibes, a few days later I launched into my first ever Auckland Long Weekend. How could ten guests from all over NZ be so harmonious? It was as if they arrived already pumped with excitement, joy and openness. This was a very personal weekend bash so only included things I actually do in my home town, people I know, food I like and fashion I wear. Our private showing of luxury sleepwear on the first day was a huge hit and resulted in everyone having new jim-jams to sleep in for the weekend. We ate the fantastic multi-cultural food Auckland is famous for – Italian slow roasted beef, raw marinated scampi, Lebanese mushabbak (sweet fried fritters) and Peking duck. One of the highlights of the weekend was the private workshop at Giapo Icecream. Their motto is 'normal icecream is boring' so they demonstrated how they create their outrageous, experimental, brilliant gelato – think an edible picture fame. Our fun group parted on the 4th day swearing allegiance, exchanging recipes and dreading the thought of returning to normal life. So if you fancy a weekend hanging out with me in my favourite places it's time to carpe diem as the next weekend is 30 July – 2 August. More info and booking here.

Next week I'm off to Perth and Margaret River to write for Tourism Western Australia and put together a tour to that blessed gastronomic region – can't wait.

My 'Shed Couture' book about fashion and clothing, will be published by Penguin Random in early October.

Here's a little interview I did in Verve Magazine.

And finally, always remember – the happiness food brings is fleeting, which necessitates frequent repetition.

Peta