Oratia offers more than the average farmers' market, writes Karen Phelps.
It happens every Saturday and, rain or shine, it's always a great start to the weekend.
The quaint Oratia Farmers' Market is well worth the drive. We park on the road and and walk up the gravel driveway, only find to find plenty of parking inside.
The market, comprised of local artisan producers, is a good demonstration of New Zealand's cultural diversity.
A woman from Laos sells delicious spring rolls and rice balls with fried banana, which I remember enjoying on an Asian holiday some time ago. An Italian man from a business called Il Casaro has tempting rows of cheese.
We try stracchino, typical of the Lombardy and Tuscany regions of Italy. It's soft and fresh with a glossy white exterior and smooth taste that would be perfect on pizzas or a cheese board. We also try mozzarella cheese but finally decide on an aged cacioricotta, which has a unique sharp flavour.
It's hard to move on when the stall owner keeps pressing more samples of cheese into our willing hands but move on we must to the fresh organic certified Bio Grow veges.
Lettuce, bok choy, spinach, kale, mesclun and more is fast disappearing into the hands of eager buyers.
Smoked fish, locally grown macadamia nuts, home-made ginger beer and gourmet breads such as bagels and ciabatta tempt our wallets and taste buds.
Greg Flutey Breads stall at the Oratia Farmers Market in Auckland. Photo / Supplied
We grab a coffee and stand to watch a busker before rain drives us inside for brunch.
We head to the Packing Shed Gallery and Cafe. This cute grandma's-cottage kind of place is in the original shed of the old Tara Orchard. Local art for sale decorates the walls.
We order the Devonshire tea and enjoy freshly baked scones with plenty of whipped cream and jam. Not exactly healthy but a great way to pass the rainy afternoon.
No visit to Oratia would be complete without heading to Just Plane Interesting.
It's hard to describe this store, except to quote the tagline that it is full of "strange and wondrous things". Where else can you find a sex education book, old records, antique furniture and a special room dedicated to set items from Xena: Warrior Princess all in one store?
The business provides period and antique props and scenery hire for film, TV and theatre productions in Auckland.
In typical Auckland style, it's sunny when we emerge, so we head across the driveway to Artisan Wines, one of the closest vineyards to central Auckland. Fortunately, we still have room after the scones and tuck into the ploughman's platter, a mixture of cured meats, delicious cheese, pickle, dips and salad greens, served with fresh bread and crostini.
Afterwards my companion enjoys a glass of Kauri Ridge chardonnay. We are told it has been fermented with 30 per cent new French oak and smells deliciously of melon, lime and apple.
It's nice to know we don't have to wander very far to spend an enjoyable and eclectic day out west.
