Dogs on the loose maul birds at estuary
How much would you pay for the perfect cheese scone?
A $5.50 cheese scone has raised eyebrows – and some ire – on the Ka¯piti Coast but the woman behind the baked goods says they’re worth every penny.
Leigh Healy, owner of High Tide Cafe at Paraparaumu Beach, north of Wellington, was surprised when a disgruntled customer took to social media to protest against her recent price hike but she stands by her scone.
‘‘Our customers have told us they’re the best scones in Wellington.’’
Those customers flocked to defend the cafe, quashing price comparisons between the beachside cafe and its Wellington City counterparts.
Debate raged over the $1 price rise – which works out at 22 per cent – and just how much a cheese scone should cost.
Healy said she had been nervous about increasing the price of her scones but rising costs and construction work outside the cafe left her with no option.
‘‘We’ve survived for months with it looking like we were closed, so we had to do something.’’
Quality scones needed quality ingredients and, with the rising cost of dairy products, a cheesy scone wasn’t cheap to make, she said.
‘‘These are substantial and there’s a generous amount of cheese in each scone because people value generosity.’’
The comparison between her cafe and the big-city scone stars like Pravda were unfair, she said.
‘‘If we were in Thorndon Quay I’d have four chefs in the kitchen making cheese scones all day.’’
Feedback on the price had been mostly positive, with some loyal customers suggesting it should have been raised a long time ago.
The scones came about through an ‘‘amazing mistake’’ when the cafe opened over four years ago.
‘‘We were in such a panic when we opened that we used paprika instead of cayenne pepper, but people kept coming and we had to get the scones out.’’
That day, customers declared them the best scones ever and the recipe had never changed.
‘‘It’s a modern day tragedy when we run out.’’