'cause there's no-one here to say we can't have cake for breakfast'

 This week has been a mix of ground hog day,  thought provoking conversations  and a really odd comment... Ok, let's start with the odd comment...those following on facebook will already know about the couple that inspected the Toadie Room and deemed it to be  "This is not flash enough to bring the Very wealthy people we are meeting." For context, this was not a 'one off' statement. He seemed a little fixated on telling me the people they were meeting were VERY wealthy. So after the fourth time telling me this, I physically bit my lip. Over wine we have gone through all the imaginary scenario's as to WHY would someone book a shared house and consider the bedroom to be where they entertained VERY Wealthy people. After the 3rd glass you can imagine where our imagination went. This has got to be a Tinder hook up! We actually have no idea what this couple were planning or why they were meeting VERY wealthy people. Or why it had to happen where they were staying in...

Use the bread maker and have a couple of wines while you wait for the dough...in my experience this is the key to great Easter buns! Add to the bread maker pan, in this order: 350ml water 1 egg - break it up a bit 2Tblp oil (not olive. I use canolla) 1 tsp salt 2 Tblsp sugar 4 cups flour 3 Tblsp milk powder 1 tsp bread improver 2¼ yeast 1 Tblsp cinnamon 1 Tblsp mixed spice Set bread maker to dough. After a bit, or when it beeps, add 1 cup sultanas ¼ cup mixed peel When dough is done, remove it from the bread maker pan and put in a glass bowl. Have another glass of wine. This resting period is important but if you leave it in the bread maker it can get messy! Mix to a paste: 2 Tblsp water ¼ cup flour Divide your dough into about 18 buns and arrange on a baking tray. Let them rest for 15 mins. With the paste in an icing bag, paint the crosses onto each bun. Take creative license with this, happy faces and spirals are fun! Bake in oven at 190° for 15-20 mins. Let them rest before serving ...

Easter Break Regardless of what it means to you in terms of Pagan Festival, Christian remembrance, or just the kids being home from school, in this business it means domestic guests have four days to travel We had a great Easter with most of our guests here for the Mission Estates , Rod Stewart concert. It is an opportunity for us to attract domestic customers away from the motel industry. Many of our guests had not stayed in a shared house model of accommodation before. I think we did pretty well! I baked hundreds of hot cross buns. They are easy to make and soooo much better than store bought. If you have a bread maker, most of the work is done while you sip wine. (oh, that was me). This may have been why some of the crosses on my hot cross buns got all creative into swirls and happy faces. I planned to make Sunday morning breakfast the main event for Easter. I have a very clever and crafty mother - and I know she reads this - so Hi Mum and a very big thank you! Mum sent me some of ...

 The almond extract can be left out. I swapped it out for maple syrup. This icing is really easy to make and work with. My new go-to! I used the marzipan to create the eggs and this slightly disturbing looking rabbit! 1¾ cups ground almonds 1 cup caster sugar ¼ cup honey 2 Tblsp water 1 tsp pure almond extract (optional) Put the ground almonds into a food processor. Put sugar, honey and water in a pot and melt the sugar. Pour the hot sugar mix into the processor while it's spinning. Add the extract or whatever flavour you choose. Mix to a smooth, thick paste. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the bench and pour the paste on to it. Wrap to a disk shape and leave it to firm up. Once it's cool and firm you can shape and roll out as you wish.

 Get the cake mixer out - it takes ages to get the consistency right. My first batch was done with a hand held electric beater and my arm got bored before it was done. That resulted in a failed batch! 1 cup caster sugar ½ cup water 1½ tspn gelatine food colouring - go bold! 1 tspn lemon juice or vinegar - you don't taste these so either will do.  Use a little hot water to melt the gelatine to a thin paste. Put sugar and water in a pot and bring to boil - so sugar melts. Add dissolved gelatine and whisk in while bringing back to the boil. Pour mix into cake mixer bowl. Add food colouring if you're using it. Add juice or vinegar. Beat for what will seem like ages. Until it's light and fluffy. I then spooned drops onto a baking tray. When set, I dipped them in chocolate.

Make the marzipan first, so you can add the rolled balls into the middle of the loaf. I;m not a fan of marzipan so I flavoured it with maple syrup instead of almond.  170g butter 170g light muscovado sugar 1 Tblsp grated orange zest ½ teaspoon each of mixed spice and ginger Beat these together until light and fluffy 3 eggs Add eggs, one at a time 170g flour 85g ground almonds 2 tsp baking powder 120g raisins 120g sultanas 120g dried apricots - chopped 50g mixed peel 75g glazed cherries Combine the flour and fruits together and ensure all are well coated Add to the butter mix Add brandy Mix well 2 Tblsp brandy 120g marzipan (see receipe) Double line a loaf tin Pre-heat oven to 150°C Spoon half of the mixture into the loaf tin. Place two rows of five marzipan balls into the tin. Top with the remaining mixture. Bake for 1¼ hours or until skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

In the beginning....  It was a German teacher, Richard Schirrmann, that came up with the idea of hostel accommodation. He used a school that had closed for the holidays and took city kids into nature for some fresh air. Everyone pitched in to help with meals and cleaning. Cora Wilding It was Cora Wilding that bought the concept to New Zealand in 1932. Membership was mostly through established tramping clubs. By 1935 there were 27 established YHA hostels in New Zealand. (Youth Hostel Association) Over the 20 or so years I have been involved in accommodation - OMG has it been that long?- I've seen some changes. Our booking system used to be on paper. Yip, a huge grid of rooms, pencils and erasers were our tools. No on-line booking or recording system. Beds came with a bottom sheet and pillow.  That was it. You could pay extra for linen but hardly anyone did. We didn't carry phones, let alone smart phones back then - OMG I sound old! But this is all only in the past 20 years...