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Inside Market Hall

Metrosideros excelsa & Turkish Delight

14 July 2010

Rangitoto Island, New Zealand

This tiny, unpopulated island is a stone's throw from Auckland - but a world away from the modern city.

The volcanic island is home to some incredible species of flora - orchids and ferns in particular - but it's one tree that makes this island special and of particular interest to the folks at Waitemata Honey Company.

Metrosideros excelsa - Pohutukawa Tree

This native tree grows best in conditions in which most other trees wouldn't even attempt to grow! They love rocky, craggy soil near the edge of cliffs. In fact, the roots of the Pohutukawa tend to burrow down deep into the ground, past the rocks and into the sea water beneath. And since there is no water source besides rain on Rangitoto Island, this is often their best source of water.

It is this trait, this salty, marine influence on the trees that shines through in the honey produced from the flowers. New Zealanders have long known the secrets of this wonderful and unique tree, known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree

Pohutukawa Honey has an incredibly smooth texture and creamy white color. It is pure and uncooked, straight from the beehives to the jar. The flavor is very unique - sweet and rounded with a minerally, salty tang.
Try using it as a sweetener in sorbets this summer...lime or grapefruit would be incredible.  It is fantastic stirred into iced green tea. And Pohutukawa makes a fantastic honey butter - simply blend 3 parts softened sweet butter with 1 part honey. Spread this on warm scones, toast or melt over pancakes.
NEW LOWER PRICE! We've just received an order from New Zealand and we've been able to secure a special, lower price! Those serious fans of Pohutukawa will remember the old price of $13.50 - now you can have a jar for $11.00.

At long last, the return of a favorite...

Despite our efforts to make it less so, New Zealand is a long way away.  So importing from this tiny country isn't a simple proposition.  What this means for our customers is that sometimes we run out of our most popular products.

We've been sold out of this wonderful confection for some time now. In fact, the Turkish fellow who makes it, and perhaps some of you, must've wondered if we'd looked elsewhere for this product!

But fear not Mr. Ozpinar - we're back in stock on this tasty and much-storied treat. The ingredients are simple, the flavorings all-natural and the result, sublime. Available in MintLemon andRose, our Turkish Delight makes a lovely gift for lovers of old-fashioned candies and fans of C.S. Lewis who've always wondered what drove Edmund to such lengths!

Order a 250 gram box of Turkish Delight now for $7.00

"Brewing" Iced Coffee at Home

Iced coffee is one of those things, like souffle and lobster, that most people would rather pay for than make at home. But like souffle, iced coffee is really simple to make at home and, it goes without saying, cheaper. You can pay as much as $4.00 a cup for iced coffee!

But with a little planning, you can enjoy iced coffee at home for a few quarters a glass! And you don't even need a coffee maker!

The ratio is 1 to 4 - that's one part coarsely-ground coffee to 
four parts water. Scalable from 1 glass to a whole pitcher (or bathub), this "recipe" makes a powerful concentrate that lasts through the inevitable ice-melt. 

Stir together the grounds and water and stash in the fridge for 24 hours. Then just strain it through a coffee filter or a layer of cheese cloth into your vessel of choice. When you're ready to drink, just pour over ice - if you like it with milk, "dilute" the concentrate with milk. If you prefer it black, add a little water to the mix and enjoy!

It's said that fruitier roasts of coffee make better iced coffee because those flavors hold up well to the chill - so we use the Sumatra from Peaberry's (we ship our coffee whole-bean, but if you'd like it ground, just let us know in your order comments.)