Food and Wine Discovery Tours for Foodies

Welcome to Finding Flavour, Auckland's specialist foodie tour company

Come and join us on a food exploration tour in Auckland and beyond.  There are other foodies to meet, delicious cuisines to discover and markets to shop on a Finding Flavour tour.  We take you to meet the people passionate about their cuisine, and to markets and specialty food outlets which will enable you to recreate authentic dishes at home.

Get a behind the scenes look at some of the Auckland region's unique food and wine suppliers. We will enjoy some delicious food tastings and of course, time for shopping!  Pick up useful cooking tips and ideas to take home.  You will be taken on a tour of discovery by experienced guides who are also foodies.

Or learn to cook the freshest produce of the season at one of our seasonal cooking classes.  Savour delicious cuisines at our special themed lunches.  We have a foodie world to discover! 

Join us!

Programme, February - June, 2010

Join us on one of our exciting upcoming foodie day tours, lunches or cooking classes. 


Tues 9 Feb        Seasonal Flavour Cooking Class:  Summer 
(evening)           with Chef Sarah La Touche

 

Sat 20 Feb         Chinese New Year Event and Dinner 
                         hosted by Jean de Bruyne
                        (event now unable to be held this year by Jean)


Sat 6 March        Wellington Foodie Discovery Day Tour

Sat 13 March      World in a Day Tour: Eastern Suburbs

Thurs 25 March    Seasonal Flavour Cooking Class: Autumn 
(evening)           with Chef Sarah La Touche
Note new date!


Sat 27 March       Chocolate Lovers and Easter Treats Tour

Sun 18 April         "Food Alley Feast", a discovery lunch of
                           Asian foodie delights in Auckland's best food hall,
                           hosted by Jean de Bruyne

Sat 24 April          World in a Day Tour: West Auckland

Fri 30 April -           Sydney Foodies Weekend Tour
Sun 2 May

Sat 29 May           World in a Day Tour: Central Suburbs

 

Tues 15 June        Seasonal Flavour Cooking Class: Winter
(evening)             with Chef Sarah La Touche

Sat 19 June           World in a Day Tour: North Shore

Sun 20 June          Mexican Fiesta Lunch at Mexican Specialties

All tours/events subject to minimum numbers.  Finding Flavour reserves the right to amend/alter any tour/event if necessary.

Recent Event:  Wellington and Petone Foodie Discovery Day Tour, Saturday, 6 March

"Fantastic day - experienced wonderful tastes from around the world.  Thank you for a wonderful experience."
Feedback from one of the tour participants....just the experience that I was hoping our group would have, especially since most of them had made the trip especially from Auckland for this tour!

The weather gods were smiling on us at we explored the foodie scene in our capital city.  Forecasts for clouds and winds did not eventuate, and we enjoyed a beautiful sunny day in Wellington and the trendy suburb of Petone.

Any foodie tour of Wellington must include a visit to their premier food supplier conveniently located in the central city.  Terry kindly met us and provided a tasting of specialty food products from Wellington and surrounding regions:  Kingsmead Ngawi brie, Linkwater cheddar, Arobake honey and walnut leaf, Wairarapa gold olive oil, Mela apple juice, Ruth Pretty tomato chilli jam, Rutherford and Meyer wafers, Aromatics smoked mushrooms and Harringtons pepperoni salami.  We ate it all!

  

It is so interesting to see products from suppliers not usually seen in Auckland...and great that a large food retailer is supporting the local growers and food makers.  (No prizes if you guessed that our first stop was at the outstanding Moore Wilson's Fresh!)

Time for coffee....at a specialist coffee brew bar featuring nine single origin coffees and four brew methods!  Charlie and Ben guided us through all the choices and made their recommendations.

  
Our coffee "guides"                      This paper cone system looks familiar!

On to Petone....where we started by visiting a Dutch food importer (more tastings!), a spice shop and a cookbook shop on Jackson Street.  Then a little free time to explore some of the other interesting shops.

Gouda cheese tasting

 

Lunch just had to be at a very popular Italian food importer whose restaurant is always full to overflowing.  The philosophy of owner/founder Antonio Cacace is to use the freshest and best of Italian and New Zealand ingredients.  We can attest that it is a delicious philosophy!  Our lunch included linguine with clams, ravioli stuffed with pork and beef (the hit dish of the lunch), grilled vegetables and the most delicious seasonal salad of fresh peaches, tomatoes, walnuts and shredded basil.

 
Buono Appetito!                          Some of our delicious lunch

One last stop....at a treaure chest of a specialist food importer/supplier.  We were given a warm welcome by Stephen and his team, and plied with coffee and tastings of all kinds, including a selection of unusual salamis and sausages.

  
Stephen plying us with more food!  Just some of the salamis and sausages for sale

Fortunately this was our last stop of the day....I don't think many of us had room to taste another thing!

"A thoroughly enjoyable day.  Thank You."   Feedback from tour participant Liz.

Join us next year when we return to Wellington for another delicious foodie tour!  And watch out for possible day tours in Nelson or Napier/Hawkes Bay!

Recent Event:  Seasonal Flavour Summer Cooking Class with Sarah La Touche, 9 February

"Wow!"  "Mmmmm - this is delicious"

Chef Sarah La Touche kicked off our 2010 programme in our Summer Seasonal Flavour Cooking Class with a repertoire of amazing tastes. Our palates were awakened with delicious flavours from the Mediterranean region. 

Although several of the dishes were new to us, Sara demonstrated them in her usual relaxed and informative style and made it easy for us to prepare them at home.  The Tavel rose wine from Maison Vauron complemented the food perfectly. 

Special thanks to Anthea Springford who once again opened her beautiful home for the class and provided such warm hospitality.

    
Two of the dishes:  Grilled Vegetables with Romesco Sauce (the hit of the evening!) and Charmoula Prawns with Coriander and lLime

Join us for our Autumn Cooking Class now being held on Thursday evening, 25 March. (Note new date).  Book Now!
 

Recent Event:  Christmas Baking and Treats Tour, 5 December, 2009

    
     Santa joined us in a photo!

 

"Fabulous festive food, delectable delights tempting our taste buds - a wonderful introduction to the Christmas season." 
"Had a fantastic day exploring unknown places with beautiful and delicious food of all kinds. Thank You"
"Great day, very friendly, had a great time."
Comments from satisfied participants on our recent tour (far more fabulous words than I would write myself!)

 

This is the third Christmas season that we have offered these Christmas tours, and we love sharing our discoveries with you.  Our group of shoppers even came decked out in festive colours, so the day was off to a great start!

    
The day of tastings and shopping begins....

 

Buche de Noel

 

Christmas cake to taste

 

Traditional Swiss baking for 6 December

 

Cheers!

 

Shannon demonstrates some great gadgets

 

 
Grand finale shopping - Merry Christmas!

Join us next year for a festive day of Christmas foodie shopping.