Grey Lynn’s Ripe Deli has been serving home-made takeout meals since September 2002. Something of a revolutionary concept in the food service industry at the time, it was the brainchild of proprietor Angie Redfern.

“I remember that you could never just go and grab something healthy to eat. There were lots of great cafes where you could sit down and have a nice meal but if you were on your way somewhere and you wanted to grab something fast, McDonald’s was about your only option,” she says.

How things have changed.

Today Ripe Deli offers TV dinners such as spaghetti bolognaise, chicken parmigiana and seafood paella as well as salads, slices, cakes, sandwiches and wraps. Everything but the bread is made on site and it all reflects Redfern’s core philosophy that food should be delicious and healthy. “We try to incorporate good stuff, such as slipping LSA [linseed, sunflower seeds and almond meal] into the muesli, without compromising taste.”

And unusually for a bustling neighbourhood deli that makes 300 cups of coffee each day, you’re unlikely to find exactly the same dish served twice. Ripe is an egalitarian work environment where the chefs have a great deal of creative freedom in the kitchen.

“We’ve got about six chefs and a couple of bakers and I kind of let them get on with it all. I just sort of give guidelines of what I like and what I think we should be doing … but I try to give them a free hand.”

With thousands of unofficial “recipes” and no set menu, Redfern, 38, struggles to name even one staple item. “Probably that raw energy salad [grated beetroot and carrot with pomegranate molasses] which we got from my friend Jo who owns [Remuera deli] Madam Jojo’s. We don’t have a favourite orzo salad or anything; we create fresh ones each time,” she says. “People come in and they go: ‘That salad yesterday …’ And we’re all like: ‘Oh, ****, what went in there?’ To be honest sometimes I’ve tried to get [the chefs] to be more structured – ‘Please let’s get some more recipes down’ – but it just never has gone that way. And I think that’s actually part of the secret of it.”

For a deli with such an off-the-cuff approach to its food, it’s perhaps unexpected that more than 130 of its dishes have finally been documented in Redfern’s new book: Ripe Recipes. Arranged seasonally in two-month blocks, it provides a gentle nudge for anyone who’s ever struggled to remember exactly when, say, the tamarillo or feijoa season begins.

The recipes for rhubarb butterscotch layer cake, beef daube and pear-and-date chutney are among Redfern’s favourites. Provocatively titled sections such as the Dressing Room, the Slaw Floor and the Root Room have recipes for dressings, coleslaws and root vegetables respectively. The Green Room contains Brussels sprouts with bacon, cabbage and caraway, creamed silverbeet with horseradish, as well as pea and mint puree.

New projects such as the book help keep Redfern motivated in her quest to bring unfussy and nutritious cuisine to an ever-expanding market. And with her business well-established, she’s enjoying the opportunity to contribute to the community. Half the income of Ripe Deli’s baked goodies sold at a recent triathlon event went straight to Westmere School. “It’s nice to be in a place now where we can put a bit of time into helping support other things more.”

Taumaranui-born Redfern shifted to Britain with her parents at the age of two and the seeds of her culinary career were planted during a three-year hotel management course at Bournemouth University. Her time as a commis chef at London’s Savoy hotel further cemented her love of cooking. “I worked in the larder section there. It was only a short stint because I couldn’t stand working evenings. I very much discovered I was a morning person.”

Then followed a job in designer Tricia Guild’s in-house cafe where the emphasis on “healthy salads and keeping things very simple and fresh” still underpins Redfern’s cuisine. A trip back to New Zealand about nine years ago “just to sort of check out where I was from” turned into a permanent relocation.

“I just loved it here, really. Things were possible. In the UK it seemed really difficult to set up a business.” Redfern identified with the Kiwi can-do attitude and shortly opened Ripe Deli on a “shoestring budget” with help, both practical and financial, from friends and family. It’s the social side that Redfern loves most about the food service industry.

” I’ve always liked the whole shebang. I don’t like to be hidden away in a kitchen.”

So now that dozens of Ripe’s recipes have been published in black and white, perhaps Redfern and her team will take the opportunity to standardise the deli’s fare?

“No, I don’t think so. You know, already, a few months down the track, I think I’d tweak the recipes here and there.” And it’s no doubt that spirit of spontaneity and irrepressible evolution that moved one Facebook fan to describe Ripe Deli’s offering as “the bestest kai in town.”

Ripe’s raspberry and coconut slice

In this recipe raspberries can be substituted with blueberries or blackberries. The berries can be fresh or frozen both work well.

6 egg whites
2 cups (320g) icing sugar, sieved
2 cups (200g) fine desiccated coconut
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour, sieved
175g unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups (175g) raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm slice tin.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the egg whites, icing sugar, coconut and flour until well combined. Fold in the melted butter until just combined.

3. Pour mixture into the lined tin and sprinkle with berries.

4. Bake in oven for 35 minutes or until firm to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

5. Slice when cool.

* Ripe Recipes ($59.99: Beatnik Publishing) is available now at Ripe, 172-174 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn and at ripedeli.co.nz or from good book stores from December 8.

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10691303

Lucy and Justin Mackenzie face paying an extra $1000 a year for childcare but like most other people they say they will grizzle and pay up.

Mainly Kids, the Ponsonby childcare centre their son Jamie, 2, attends is increasing its fees by $20 a week, a legacy of the Government’s $300 million funding cuts.

It costs $208 a week to send Jamie to the centre four days a week from 8.30am-3.30pm. Food, care and education is included in the fee.

This allows Justin, 38, to work as a professional tennis coach, while Lucy, 39, is a freelancer in marketing.

“We will pay more because we are in a position to. We will just have to work a bit harder,” said Lucy.

Justin says he is “disappointed” in the Government’s funding cuts, which mean they have to find an extra $1000 a year, on top of the $10,000 they already pay. It is like “private schooling”.

The couple has a blended family, including three school-aged children, and the extra childcare costs weigh on their budget.

But ultimately the Westmere couple view Mainly Kids as necessary so Lucy can work in a job she loves.

They say it is a high-quality centre where Jamie thrives. He has learned a lot since he started at age six months, including a string of nursery rhymes and Maori songs. He can also count to 20.

Lucy says the staff are “young, vibrant and motivated” and not afraid to let Jamie have “fun and rough boy play”. He gets a hot lunch, too. “He gets up and asks, ‘Is it daycare, Mum?’ and then he lists the friends he will see,” she says. “He loves it.”

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=10689001

So as home sellers, where do you start?

Well, the first stage is to get an idea of what your home is worth, you could get a valuation or save yourself the money and get a free home appraisal.

If your house is in central Auckland please contact me to arrange one.

The next stage is to prepare your home for sale.

If you live in Auckland contact me to receive our excellent guide for preparing your property for sale.

After you’ve finished reading our guide, your mind will explode with all the ideas you can use to maximise your sale price.

Now it’s time to get to work.

Your house selling efforts will be more productive and generate dramatically better results when you put this checklist to use.

Preparing Your Home for Sale Checklist

A. The Exterior of your Home

1. The Garden

[ ] Cut and Edge the Lawn.
[ ] Trim bushes & trees removing all dead limbs & debris.
[ ] Add fertilizer/ greening agent to lawn & plants.
[ ] Remove all weeds from flowerbeds, rocks, & cracks in concrete.

[ ] Install/ Inspect decorative stone borders between lawn & planting beds.
[ ] Clean up rock/ mulch beds making sure the rock covers the ground Add more rock/ mulch if needed.

2. Decks, Patios, Driveways, Porches, & Fences

[ ] Wash driveways & sidewalks.
[ ] Patch holes & cracks.
[ ] Remove stains.
[ ] Replace any broken areas.
[ ] Paint and/or stain fences & decks.
[ ] Arrange outdoor furniture & firewood neatly.
[ ] Put away all lawn equipment, bikes, & toys.

3. House

[ ] Inspect all exterior elements of home: gutters, downspouts, siding, windows sashes, trim, & shutters. Clean, paint, and/or replace as needed.
[ ] Replace any broken windows, doors, & screens. Make sure they all operate properly.
[ ] Clean windows & screens thoroughly. This helps brighten the home inside.
[ ] Roof: Inspect for missing/ damaged shingles & flashings. Make any necessary repairs.
[ ] Clean & touch up paint on the little things: House numbers, mailboxes, doorbells, etc…

4. Front Porch: Extra Attention Needed! This should be very welcoming.

[ ] Replace front door if damaged & can not be repaired.
[ ] Paint door & trim.
[ ] Clean porch area.
[ ] Put out a new & clean doormat.
[ ] Install potted/ hanging plants if space permits.
[ ] Have a nice porch light. Repaint, clean, or replace. Install high wattage bulbs to make porch area brighter.

B. The Interior of your Home

1. Whole House Improvements

THOROUGHLY CLEAN ENTIRE HOME!

[ ] Clean windows & screens.
[ ] Clean curtains, drapes, & blinds.
[ ] Clean carpets. If pet stains exist replace carpet & pad.
[ ] Clean & wax wood floors.
[ ] Clean vinyl & ceramic floors.
[ ] Clean, paint, replace all vent covers.
[ ] Clean, polish, paint/stain wood trim in home.
[ ] Be sure to remove pet odor & smoke odor when cleaning. Smell is a huge part of what buyers remember about your
home.
[ ] Remove wallpaper & borders (this is a personal taste & buyers see work when they see wallpaper).
[ ] Freshly paint home using white, off white or beige paint. This will match the buyers furnishings.
[ ] Repair damages to walls & ceilings. Includes: holes, cracks, & water stains. Repaint after repair.

Make House Light & Bright!
[ ] Clean all lamp shades & covers.
[ ] Replace bulbs with high wattage bulbs.
[ ] Clean windows & screens.

2. Closets

[ ] Remove out of season clothing from closets.
[ ] Leave only a few items on the floor of closets.
[ ] Add extra, empty hangers.
[ ] Neatly arrange items on shelving.
[ ] Leave extra space on shelves.

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I found this checklist at the excellent We Can Team Blog.

We help people achieve their property goals & dreams.

“We called Ariel and Randall because they have been outstanding since we first met. Their determination and professionalism resulted in us achieving a sale at a price that far exceeded our expectations!” Glen & Kiri, Westmere Vendors.

Glen, Kiri and Rose outside 12 Sunny Brae Crescent, Westmere with real estate agents Ariel Levin & Randall Wulff from Bayleys.

Westmere also had a superlative pizza bar which has morphed into the Garnet Bar and Kitchen, courtesy of Luke Dallow, formerly of Salsa and Malt, now of Salt and Chapel.

Managed by his Chapel devotee, Nick Harding, GBK is tiny, Art Deco fripperies, leadlight windows, dark wood-panelled walls, plaster ceiling. Like a parlour in a neighbouring 30s bungalow or the snug in the pub in an Agatha Christie murder.

Emma is washing her hair so I’m on my own. Almost: after two weeks the place is full of locals by 6.30 on Saturday evening. Harding greets already-regulars from the bar, dispensing advice on largely patriotic wines.

Dishes come from Lyndon Cleveland’s kitchen, rather than a cabinet. Graze on oysters, bruschetti, salmon with an Asian flavour, pinchos, the tiny grilled and skewered pork, beef, prawns.

Three flash sausages come from the butcher next door.

Chargrilled artichokes with caper berries, balsamic reduction and Grana Padano cheese at the Garnet Bar and Kitchen in Westmere. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Spy Valley pinot at hand, a platter of pork rillettes (pate, if you must) with a tasty beetroot relish and crostini, another platter of artichokes, chargrilled with grana padano cheese and served with a balsamic reduction and the sharp bite of caper berries … It’s a light, unpretentious, delectable repast. “You get three plates for $25,” Himself said, and there was a tolerable Forme d’Ambert blue cheese with a smear of honeycomb and discs of walnut bread, so I did.

Grey Lynn. Came home past Craft, which brought the tapas craze to Auckland two years ago. It was almost empty. That’s what you get for starting a trend in this city.

Garnet Bar & Kitchen

Address: 129 Westend Rd Westmere
Phone: (09) 360 5656
Cuisine: Tapas
Open: 7 days
Bottom line: Stylish local making friends in neighbourhood

By Ewan McDonald and Reviewed by Ewan McDonald for viva

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/westmere/news/article.cfm?l_id=365&objectid=10375053

When Amanda and Mark ran their own restaurant in St Heliers some years ago, they used to invite Amanda’s parents along to sit at a front table on quiet nights so that prospective patrons wouldn’t think the place was empty.

I imagine they weren’t alone with this ruse, but it seems to have gone out of fashion now.

The week night that we went to Adelie with Mark and Amanda, the only obvious figures were the duty manager chatting to one of her staff, who was leaning in through the open front window.

Undaunted, we went in and, given that we had the run of the place, chose to sit outside in what was advertised as the newly-opened courtyard. It seemed like a good option given that the inside of the bar area is overly dark, to the point where menu-reading and conversation become more conceptual than achievable.

Adelie occupies the premises previously known as the Garnet Bar and Kitchen, and is right next door to the much-lauded Westmere Butchery, on the corner of West End Rd and Garnet Rd.

The previous owner, Luke Dallow, has moved on to greater things at Sale St, and Karl Lenden-Hitchcock, a recent arrival from Britain, has moved in.

We weren’t the only occupants of the courtyard, which was encouraging, but our companion moved off fairly promptly when the night’s feature band arrived. Lenden-Hitchcock’s expertise in London was founded in wine bars, and it shows in the impressive wine and cocktail list.

Adelie Bar & Kitchen, Westmere. Photo / Dean Purcell

The food menu comprises small plates ($10-$15), and while this offers variety it can be an expensive way to dine. But the square plates made sharing easy, so we tucked into stuffed olives and ciabatta with dips.

Acceptable on all fronts. I’m not sure of the traffic between the kitchen and the next-door butchery, but if the pork belly and eye fillet were examples of the butchers’ art then they are to be commended.

The aforementioned came thrice-roasted in soy and cinnamon, thinly sliced, with fig relish, and the beef was rare and served on a white bean puree atop a potato rosti. Both were absolutely delicious.

A herbed polenta cake with onion jam and blue cheese was less memorable, and the porcini and parmesan risotto balls on puttanesca sauce tasted of nothing in particular.

The smoked salmon and cream cheese rolls on cucumber with lemon syrup, whilst sounding like a sandwich you might get at Aunt Maud’s afternoon tea, were so good we ordered a second round, If this were a competition, though, the outright winner would have to be the five-spice duck confit, green beans and orange wrapped in a crepe and served with an Asian dipping sauce. It is uncouth to fight over food, but we nearly came to blows.

The one failing in this feast was that, although there were clearly four of us dining together, several of the plates came with three or five portions. Could someone not count, or was the kitchen not told of numbers? It seemed a shame that something so easily tailored to a table wasn’t.

When we had finished and wandered back out through the gloom, the place had filled up nicely, perhaps because of ex-punk and blues man Walter Hacon and his band. Good to see.

Adelie should be welcomed by locals as a drop-in bar, but not restricted solely to their use. The kitchen’s take on tapas is recommended.

Address: 129 West End Rd
Phone: (09) 376 3590

Rating out of 10
Food: 7
Service: 7
Value: 7
Ambience: 6
Our meal: $233.50 for nine plates, beer, wine and lemonade.
Wine list: Comprehensive, with sufficient choices by the glass.
Verdict: Like the curate’s egg, good in parts, some even spectacular. But the paintwork needs finishing in the courtyard and an investment in lightbulbs inside wouldn’t go amiss.

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/westmere/news/article.cfm?l_id=365&objectid=10627769

Here you can buy a brilliant range of tasty home made sausages, certified organic meats and eggs as well as gluten free meats.

The quality is so good some people drive 45 minutes to buy meats here and others write rave reviews on food forums.

There’s ample parking on Garnet Road and the butchery is open most days from six am to six thirty pm except weekends when the shop closes at four thirty pm.

Make sure you stop there before your next dinner or Barbeque or call (09) 3765954 first to see what’s on offer.

Westmere Butchery at 131 West End Rd

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A children’s triathlon in the Western Bays area.

Who can participate?

This year only kids from Westmere School can participate however the event may open to other schools in coming years.

What is the goal of the event?

As you can learn from the event’s name, the main goal is to give sport a try, rather than winning. The setting, a fun and supportive community environment, will introduce kids to the joys of exercise.

Who benefits from the event?

With more that 600 children currently attending Westmere School there is a need for an indoor space to accommodate them, their teachers and families. All the money collected from the Bayleys Westmere Kids Try will be used to build a new school hall.

When and where is the Bayleys  Westmere Kids Try taking place?

Sunday November 21st 2010 at Park. Rain date December 5th 2010.

Registration will start at 8.30am with the first race starting at 10am.

How much to participate?

$10 for an adult and $20 for a child with discounts for two and three children from one family.

Are there any give aways?

Children and adults who enter the race will get a ‘Westmere Try’ T shirt and a goody bag. A Cannonade bike will be raffled and there are many other prizes including Asics running shoes, yummy food from ripe Delicatessen and many more.

We are honored to be the principal sponsor of the event so when you see as there come by and say hi.