Sparkling, effervescent, glowing gold in the sunlight – it's The Cider Factorie's soon-to-be-released cider and you could be one of the first to indulge in this delectable drink this weekend!
For the first time ever, The Cider Factorie has jumped on board the Flavours of Plenty Festival – featuring 35 events from dinners, chocolate factory tours, cooking classes and more.
The Cider Factorie's husband-and-wife duo Rowena and Simon Pearce say they're all about keeping things low-key at their restaurant and cidery. 'We're not fancy here,”
says Rowena. 'What we do is we make really great ciders and we make really nice hearty food where you kind of want to just sit and be. We don't have all the frills and things, but it's a place where you come and congregate.”
Last two days
This weekend Saturday, April 1-2, is their last two days as part of the festival and the last chance to tantalise your taste buds with their sparkling ice cider.
Yet to be released in another month, Rowena says this awarding-winning cider is special to the festival experience and 'needs to be tried”. 'This is a little different with that bit of effervescence, that little sparkle that just lifts it off the palate just that bit more and you still get all those rich honey, ripe apple flavours.”
Three of their other award-winning ciders will be paired with scrumptious bites, served fresh from the cidery kitchen. The Weekend Sun's photographer John Borren and I were lucky enough to try some of these delicious flavour combinations, and can confirm a solid 11/10!
Idyllic spot
'We've paired the Resident Hawk cider with our pan-fried prawns so nice, buttery with shallots and garlic – it's light but pairs really well with that bubbly apple cider,” says Rowena. With Resident Hawk as their ‘flagship cider' – cider maker Simon says: 'I make it from some Kingston Black cider apples and just by themselves their really full bodied and intense with lots of flavour”.
Nestled in Te Puna's countryside, the spot is more than idyllic with sensational views of the Kaimai Range and Tauranga Moana. The Cider Factorie's ‘Flights and Bites' experience is 11am-5pm this weekend at 50 Oikimoke Rd. For tickets, visit: https://www.flavoursofplentyfestival.com/events/flights-and-bites/