About

Welcome to “my baking book” which started out as my own personal online database of my favourite recipes.  In my first post I set out what I thought the blog would be about. Now I find this original mission statement or statement of purpose is slightly outdated. The sentiments are the same, but the topics have broadened and over time, this blog has expanded to contain so much more – stories, wines, my favourite products, seasonal fruit and vegetables, more wines, poetry, and lots of craft projects (especially Christmas crafts) – plus other important things such as cake – but the main focus is on recipes.  Through this blog I have discovered a love of seasonal cooking, foraging, buying local, food terms, cooking tips and tricks, as well as a real passion for food styling and food photography (and thanks to my love of food photography I eat a lot of cold dinners – all in the name of art!)

I spend a lot of time in the Hawke’s Bay district of New Zealand, where my Mum lives and I am very passionate about the Hawke’s Bay region and all it has to offer.

The Hawke’s Bay lifestyle is one that I am fortunate to have experienced. I could never run out of inspiration and food ideas in Hawke’s Bay. It is a foodie’s paradise. There is a growing number of Farmers’ Markets to visit which I look forward to and find fascinating. The Hawke’s Bay area is an exceptionally great growing area with fertile soils and a warm climate. There is abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and with it an abundance of clever artisans, making specialty food products. I have mentioned a lot of them in my blog posts. And I think I may have mentioned the great wines in the region (just once or twice, …or lots) with wineries everywhere. There is no denying that we are very spoilt living in this region with so much choice and “good stuff” on our doorsteps.

So the point is that the original idea has moved on and the topics have become broader. Things change, things evolve, life’s like that. I’m going with it because I am doing something I love.

Thanks for reading, I hope you find something of interest.

I can be found on Twitter @im_s_t_e_p_h