Making Ruth Pretty's Xmas Cakes

murray lloyd December 8, 2014

Every year in August Ruth Pretty’s commercial kitchen gets into the mid-winter Christmas spirit. It’s the start of a festive ritual which ends with more than 4000 Christmas cakes despatched for celebrations far and wide by the special December day. The never-published Christmas cake recipe arrived hand-written after Ruth asked her staff for contributions for end of year client gifts. Thirty five other recipes were tried but fell short of the magical combination.

Long-time Ruth Pretty staff member, Carla Carkeek bakes 74 cakes a day several days a week from August until December. One year 17,000 Christmas cakes were made as staff gifts when two banks merged (Carla had extra help for this one). The cake won top prize in Christchurch’s 2007 Royal A&P Show commercial bakery section and at least one cake a day heads offshore, delivered mainly to expats in Asia and as far as soldiers in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The fruit is first soaked in sherry and after the cakes are cooked they get doused in brandy, ensuring a long life.

One cake in 36 is cut and tested, with the slices then devoured by visitors to Ruth’s shop. Made by Carla’s steady hands, the testing seldom finds errors. Although one year the team did pick up a change in the potency of Hansell’s essences after the company changed hands.

Watching her handle 23 different ingredients to make 74 cakes and prepare mis-en-plas for the next day’s 74, it’s easy to see why Carla is referred to as the Christmas Cake Queen.

Koshering Ruth Pretty's Kitchen

murray lloyd October 28, 2014

To be accepted as kosher, certain foods which are completely cooked by a non-Jew (bishul akum) may not be eaten, even if the foods are kosher and are cooked with kosher utensils. Ruth Pretty calls on a local Rabbi to sanction the food for the times she has catered Jewish events in Wellington (this was for a Bar Mitzvah). Foods that generally come under the category of bishul akum are:

Foods that cannot be eaten raw, such as meat or grains. (This excludes foods that can be eaten either cooked or raw, such as apples or carrots.)
Foods that are considered important, "fit to set upon a king's table." There are various opinions regarding what are considered "royal foods."

The key is for the Rabbi to participate in the cooking in a meaningful way in order to render the food kosher. If a non-Jew cooked the food alone, without Jewish participation, the food and utensils are not regarded as kosher.

These photos were taken with 35mm film and I can't help thinking they have a natural and organic feel, resonating well with the Koshering.

Jamaican Food in Wellington | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd May 28, 2013

Bob Marley and New Zealand have always had a close relationship and this continues with the arrival in Wellington of Jamaican catering company Three Little Birds, named after a song on Bob Marley’s album Exodus.

Jerked pork and chicken, Ackee bruschetta, Solomon Gundy Cream Cheese Dip and Bob Marley all featured in the official launch of Three Little Birds thanks to the 100% Jamaican owners Simon and Lisa Bowen.

Amongst the crowd celebrating on the night was Wellington’s entire Jamaican community (so I was told) and the Mayor of Porirua, Nick Leggett.

Jamaican products on show were brought to the venue by the team at West Indies Spice Traders.

One of my favourite tastes on the night (along with the jerked pork) was the crackers topped with the Solomon Gundy Cream Cheese dip. Although they were modest in presentation the fishy flavours of the smoked herring were beautifully balanced with the heat from hot peppers.

You can look out for their delicious food at festivals around Wellington this summer and the word is Simon and Lisa are very keen to set up a restaurant in Wellington. Jerk, Rum and Reggae - let the party begin.

David Phillips, West Indies Spice Traderss

A Royal Afternnoon Tea at WOAP | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd September 2, 2012

A Church, and particularly a Maori church, seemed a very appropriate place to commemorate Mrs Royal, an Otaki Caterer of yesteryear. At the Wellington on a Plate event hosted by Ruth Pretty Catering and Rangiatea Church, her kindness was noted, with special mention of the Maori families she used to help by selling goods from her bakery at below cost.

The guests who travelled to Otaki for the event not only got fed by an afternnon tea inspired by Mrs Royal but were also welcomed to Rangiatea Church. Andre Baker gave a compelling talk about the history of the church including minute details about the rebuild after the church was burnt down in 1995 by arson (he was one of the key project managers). It is seldom I hear someone talk with such humbleness and depth of knowledge.

Louise Carkeek (who had just turned 90) was also introduced to the audience. She along with Marie Hakaraia was instrumental in renewing the embroided kneeler cushions that were destroyed in the fire. We were told they got bored with the delays in the rebuild and just got on with it. Sixty three cushions were destroyed but there were at least twice as many replacements on display.

1953 was the year Ruth Pretty selected to recreate Mrs Royal's time and once the guests entered the church hall they were greeted by food and royalty (it was the year the Queen was coronated). Even with the two Bishops available there was some confusion (and amusement) about who was going to say Grace. I am sure Mrs Royal would have would have been both thrilled and humbled by this tribute.

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

NZ Cuisine to the fore at TRENZ | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd June 12, 2011

What impressed me the most when I photographed TRENZ in Queenstown this year was the food and wine. Local caterer Flying Trestles was hired to feed 1100 exhibitors, media and buyers lunch and tea breaks throughout the four day international tourism showcase. Divine looking salad platters such as wild rice, fennel and hazelnut or tomato, bocconcini and eggplant were complemented by hot dishes of venison denver leg, kumara and lamb pies, blue cod, and more. All washed down by fine New Zealand wine (mostly from Central Otago). For dessert huge cake stands were festooned with tiny chocolate mousse cups, lemon tarts, lamingtons or miniature meringues. Lavish lunchboxes including Mediterranean salad, Turkish rolls, sushi, locally made Patagonia chocolates and Phoenix organic juice were provided one day when the vistors were taken on "famils" with the Queenstown tourism operators. Even the muffins at morning coffee provided a mouth full of excitement.

At a regular TRENZ social event the Regional Rendevous, the country's regional marketing agencies put their best foot forward presenting wines by Quartz Reef (including the fab Methode Traditionelle), Peregrine, Akarua, Astrolabe, Gibbston Valley, Mt Difficulty and Two Paddocks (complete with Sam Neil), Te Kairanga and Te Whau. Among the many pass-around foods were whitebait fritters from the West Coast and shavings from whole rounds of Balfour cheese from Gibbston Valley Cheese.

Gold medal Gibbston Valley cheese at TRENZ in Queenstown,NZ.

At tea breaks professional chefs from luxury operators put on cooking demonstrations for eager viewers who then got to sample the meals. The menus included Dale Gartlands' (Matakauri Lodge) Aoraki salmon, crayfish tortellini, scampi and chervil dressing and a Kiwiana intepretation of NZ by Sadie Richens (Millbrook) with the dessert called Hokey Pokey pavalova islands.

TRENZ visitors getting lunch in Queenstown

On the exhibition floor the Prime Minister and his entourage were handed out Roxborough dried apricots by the Central Otago operators. There was a new exhibit from Zealong Tea, the Waikato organic tea operation and a move to the national stage for Zest Food Tours now touring in Auckland as well as Wellington. Bon apetite New Zealand!