After 30 years in project management and interiors, Jane Novis felt like a change. When a stint as Commodore at the Glendowie Yacht Club came to an end and premises came up in a small local parade, Jane jumped at the chance. Not quite a novice - as a family
Artisans: Scoops of intense natural delight
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Gelato cake from Spencer's. Photos / Devin Hart
Both her icecream and gelato can be made into celebration cakes on order, a gluten-free alternative to the traditional flour and egg-based cake. "It seems that more and more people these days seem to have some sort of intolerance, so we are always making them to fulfil specific orders."
At the moment Jane is keeping things small, supplying her gelati and icecream to Toto's Restaurant in the CBD and selling the rest from her deli. Batches vary between two and 10 litres and can be transported in an ice-filled chilly bin.
Jane hopes to expand in the next six months when a larger commercial kitchen is due to become available locally. Then, with the help of her son George, her products will be available at food markets around Auckland and, she hopes, high-end boutique grocers.
Until then, with seven days a week at Spencers and churning out stock - literally - for customers, she's kept pretty busy.
When invited to try from the selection in the cabinet I dithered, finally settling on the darkest chocolate I'd ever seen with scoops of rose and bergamot. The pleasure was intense and when I later offered up the Fire and Ice at home, the reaction was the same - groans of pleasure and demands to know where I'd found it.
Where to buy
Spencer's Delicatessen, Gelateria, Espresso. 7 Roberta Ave, Glendowie, Ph (09) 585 1448, 027 252 2296.