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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Ohoka Farmers Market and the Children Bookshop in Christchurch



Enchanted 


Yesterday morning we got up veeeeery early to go to the Ohoka Farmers Market, which is a beautiful market full of wonderful products and friendly people. We set up a stall and for most of the morning we were very busy teaching children (girls and boys too) how to make sugar roses. We also had a few adults trying, in this part of the country people really bake a lot of cakes, and to learn to make your own decorations is quite useful! I saw them taking good notice of the fondant we were using, quickly calculating that from a block of ready made rolling icing they could make hundreds of roses, and keep the kids occupied!!! Sold quite a few books there :-)!

I managed to take a few photos with my iPhone, but I really need to be better organized: when there is a real crowd Arantxa and I are too busy showing how to make the flowers to stop and take photos... I think that we need a photographer!! But a part from that we seem to have the demos down to a fine art now, as long as we have plenty of pink fondant ready to go for the girls, and yellow/cream for the boys! Yes, boys will join in happily as long as the flowers are not pink!


Ohoka Farmers Market

Back to Christchurch for a quick lunch, and then on to the beautiful Children Bookshop for another demo with some very enthusiastic girls, mothers and grandmothers! The kids made so many roses and rose buds and leaves, and they were trilled by the results (and so were the adults!). Many said that they were going home to make cupcakes so that they could use their roses, and once again nobody tried to eat the icing: they were all too busy being creative, treated their work and the ingredients with the upmost respect, and were truly enchanted with the whole process. Thank you to all the staff at the Children Bookshop for having us!


The Children Bookshop in Christchurch


Tomorrow morning I will be at the Oxford Farmers Market, while Arantxa and Max will be on What Now, and then we will fly back to Auckland in time to see the Rugby World Cup Finals! We will be wearing black :-).


Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©
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17 comments:

  1. BibiOctober 22, 2011 at 8:27 PM

    ma state facendo proprio un tour degno di un artista! e infatti sono molto artistiche le vostre creazioni :))
    Barbara

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  2. ElyOctober 22, 2011 at 9:58 PM

    Ale ma davvero che belle esperienze che state vivendo!!!! peccato essere così lontati :-) sarei venuta pure io con la family appresso :-))) buon w.e.

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  3. Sweet Snow FlakesOctober 22, 2011 at 10:43 PM

    I also love to go to farmar's markets. Things are greatly fresh and tasty. Also the sugar roses are beautiful too!!!

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  4. Johanna KnoxOctober 23, 2011 at 12:22 AM

    Quite lovely, Alessandra! A great idea for a demonstration. I hope we find out in advance if you are ever in Wgtn or the Wairarapa! :)

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  5. foodtravelandwineOctober 23, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    What a beautiful post!.....I love farmers market.....and for sure I will continue visiting you........Abrazotes, Marcela

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  6. MartissimaOctober 23, 2011 at 8:02 AM

    tempo davvero pieno di impegni in casa Zecchini ^_____^ buona domenica!

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  7. AlessandraOctober 23, 2011 at 1:50 PM

    Just done the last Farmers Market in Canterbury, packing now... got a big wooden present from a cuzzie... handmade, will show you in a later post
    :-).

    Thank you for all your sweet comments, and sorry I have been so busy and with too little internet connection to visit your blogs.

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  8. morenaOctober 23, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    Ciao Alessandra, piacere di conoscerti e grazie di esserti unita al mio blog e.. come vedi sono arrivata subito anche io!!!
    Tu sei di Sestola ma sei in Nuova Zelanda per Amore??? Io sono di Sorbara, sicuramente la conosci, la patria del lambrusco!!!
    ora mi guardo per bene il tuo blog e...sicuramente ci risentiremo!!
    Un bacio ed un'abbraccio da una modenese che è nata in Scozia (da genitori italiani).
    Morena

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  9. AlessandraOctober 23, 2011 at 10:48 PM

    Ciao Morena, di Sorbara eh!!! Certo che la conosco, e ammetto che il lambrusco mi piace molto!!

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  10. GianniOctober 24, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    Ciao Ale....ma che bellissima esperienza!!! Se non vivessi dall'altra parte del mondo ci verrei pure io! Un bacio

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  11. YariOctober 24, 2011 at 5:46 AM

    I wish I could have been there too, learning how to make these beautiful decorations! What's the situation like in Christchurch now, after the earthquakes? Is the city centre still closed?

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  12. ArtùOctober 24, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    Ma che belli questi post, sono pieni di incontri e di piacevoli e divertenti momenti con i bimbi, i giovani e i meno giovani....vorrei essere lì con voi!!!!

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  13. AlessandraOctober 24, 2011 at 9:41 AM

    Yes Yari, the city centre is closed and all around you see the signs of destruction: houses to be pulled down or not there anymore, and the roads are very bumpy. It is very hard for people who live there.

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  14. Mary BergfeldOctober 24, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    It sounds as though the tour is going really well. These photos are wonderful. Your daughter is a trooper :-). I hope you have continued success with your tour. Blessings...Mary

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  15. koraleeOctober 24, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    Hi sweet friend...pure joy you share today. I have your book on my Christmas list!!! HUGS xoxo

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  16. AlessandraOctober 24, 2011 at 8:30 PM

    Cheers Mary and Koralee :-)

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  17. YariOctober 26, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    What a shame... I remember it being a very nice place...

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