Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market, Hastings, New Zealand
My second day in Hawke’s Bay. Anticipating another big day of eating, I ordered a ‘light’ breakfast at Sol Cafe: a toasted bagel with avocado and tomato. A nice chewy bagel, though I like my avocado riper and tomato sweeter.
I felt very pious eating my healthy breaky. It would all go downhill from here. Or uphill, depending on your priorities and desires…
After checking out from my accommodation, I hit the road with Jane, my host for the morning. Next on my Hawke’s Bay journey, Hastings.
Welcome to Hastings – Heart of Hawke’s Bay. Even an ordinary road makes a pretty scene.
I loved the scenery wherever we went. Perhaps it was all the autumnal colours.
Jane showed me where the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market is held in summer – outdoors, among the trees. Even when I’m a tourist and not shopping for groceries, I love exploring farmers markets and jumping right into the local food community. The Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market is an initiative of Food Hawke’s Bay, a membership organisation that represents and supports food businesses and producers in the region, helping promote and develop culinary tourism events, and building the food and wine-loving community in Hawke’s Bay. Other events run by Food Hawke’s Bay include the annual Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Signature Dish, coming up from 12 September to 16 October 2013.
We have fantastic suburban and regional farmers markets throughout the year in Perth and Western Australia, but I must admit, as much as I love going to farmers markets, supporting our local producers and enjoying tasty market food, I struggle to find the time on most weekends. It was great to have nothing else to do but enjoy being at this bustling yet relaxed, friendly market.
Links Organics, where some serious gardening talk was going on. 
The Pizza Guy – woodfired pizzas and French waffles.
Bumbu Kitchen – a hot food caravan cooking up whitebait fritters, burgers and satay.
Mr Chai, for those who prefer to start their morning with a hot cup of spiced tea.
Market breakfast – poor dolly’s not having a great time!
The live music was great!
Avocados and mandarins.
Coastal Squeeze fresh fruit juice.
Bay Espresso are at the Farmers’ Market every weekend and have 7 cafes around Hawke’s Bay. Good coffee! There are a couple more coffee stalls inside the market hall. 
In winter, most of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market stalls are inside the hall.
Holly Bacon products.
Cherry and her preserves – sweet and savoury, and right next door, her hubby Carlo’s pasta sauces. 
Cherry’s preserves
Carlo’s sauces
Carlo is the market’s resident gelato man. Flavours include cherry, strawberry, plum, feijoa, blueberry, lime, blackberry, nectarine, chocolate, coffee, passionfruit, vanilla, lemon and raspberry. The gelato is sold in tubs – easy to eat on the go at the market or for takeaway. If he offers you a taste of his gelato, don’t say no! 
Entice Gourmet Kitchen sells sweet and savoury breads and cakes here at the market and also from their retail store in Hastings. 
Entice Gourmet Kitchen cakes
Entice Gourmet Kitchen doughnuts filled with chocolate, custard and jelly. I saw some pretty impressive doughnuts in Hawke’s Bay – could Hawke’s Bay be New Zealand’s doughnut capital? 
The Naked Honey Pot produces different varieties of bush honey from hives in remote bush areas located between Napier and the Putere farming district. 
Tasting The Naked Honey Pot.
The Village Press produces extra virgin olive oil, tapenades, infused oils and avocado oil.
Hohepa Cheese – I tasted their Danbo, Tasty and bio-dynamic vintage cheese. It would be too easy to stand there and just keep eating cheese. SO MUCH CHEESE. 
Sweet As Cupcakes – I enjoyed a lovely lemon cupcake! 
Chopmate Chopping boards – boards for chopping on as well as loading up with cheese…
Slicing fresh apple samples at the Pernel Fruitworld stall, run by two brothers. You can visit Pernel Fruitworld in Hastings for an orchard tour and fresh fruit ice cream in their cafe. 
Pumpkins, The Chef’s Garden @ Epicurean.
Celeriac, The Chef’s Garden @ Epicurean.
Cavolo nero, The Chef’s Garden @ Epicurean.
Ti Kouka Farm – organic meat and smallgoods.
Pasta Love – artisan pasta handmade in Hawke’s Bay.
Orcona Chillis ‘n’ Peppers – relishes for sampling. 
I visited Orcona’s chilli farm in Napier later during the trip – blog post to come. The yellow habanero chillies (in the background) are used to make Orcona’s hottest sauce called ‘Rings Around Uranus’ – be warned! 
Gernot’s Gold – hand-crafted jams, marmalades and jellies.
Harald’s Bread World sells European-style specialty breads including rye, wholemeal, and dinkel. 
Harald’s Bread World – I’ve never seen so many danishes in one place before!
Harald’s Bread World – doughnuts
The Damson Collection specialises in damson plum products including jam, paste, terrine, vinaigrette, liqueur and chocolate. I associate damsons with Famous Five books – the kids (mostly the boys and tomboy George) would eat damsons, then have contest to see who could spit the damson stones the furthest. I visited the Damson Collection orchard later in the trip – blog post to come. I bought a jar of damson jam for Jac. It’s wonderful spread on fresh bread with loads of butter.These were just some of the stalls at the market. I can imagine how fantastic it must be in summer when the stalls are all set up outdoors under the trees.
Hawke’s Bay A&P Showgrounds, Hastings. Back on the road to visit Te Mata Peak, then lunch in spectacular surroundings – just another glorious day in Hawke’s Bay. Where to next? Stay tuned!
I travelled to and stayed in Hawke’s Bay in May 2013 as a guest of Tourism New Zealand.
Sol Cafe
16 Hardinge Rd, Ahuriri
Napier, New Zealand
Telephone: 64 (06) 835 8950
Open daily 7am to 4pm
I stayed at Navigate Seaside Accommodation in Napier. They don’t have their own restaurant, so I was sent round the corner to Sol Cafe for breakfast. Beverages were not included; I paid for those myself.
Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market
Every Sunday 8.30am to 12.30pm
Hawke’s Bay A&P Showgrounds
Kenilworth Rd
Hastings, New Zealand
EFTPOS (cash out only), ample parking and toilets available
There is another Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market in Napier
Napier Urban Street Market
Every Saturday 9am to 1pm
Lower Emerson Street, Napier (Clive Square)
Wet Weather Venue – Municipal Theatre Carpark (Tennyson St)
Hawke’s Bay series
The posts so far:
There are more stories to come from the trip.