Our Friend Charlie - CRUCIAL Stop in Matakana!

Charlie’s. Really, this is all you need to know. I’m not sure I want to give you anymore information, because I wouldn’t want you eating my share of THE best Gelato I have ever tasted in New Zealand. Even after having just returned from a trip through Italy, it can still compete, easily. Fortunately for Fräulein SoulFood, it’s just a skip and a hop (in New Zealand this refers to a less than 5km radius), away from her boudoir.

Charlie the Gelato Maestro is our friend. Not just in “Wishful-Thinking” land, but for real. Whenever the SoulFood Family arrives, usually on a sunny Sunday afternoon after a lengthy beach walk, “Hellos”, “How are you’s?” and hugs are exchanged. The Charlie’s crew even have a special technique of serving our Gelato. But I really couldn’t tell you what that involves, that would definitely be too much information.

A happy Beppi (Papa SoulFood) enjoying the hard labour of Charlie the Gelato Maestro!

Sometimes I think because I am so friendly with Charlie and Heather (his wifey), people assume I work there. Recently, as I was waiting for my second box of perfect strawberries to be filled by Heather, which I was picking up for work (at Brookie!), a lady rushed up to me and gently but firmly proceeded to pull the first box out from under my arm. I was so confused as to what had just happened, that for a moment I was dumbstruck. My mind was spinning as to what may have possessed her to steal my strawberries! I really had to call upon me the three C’s: cool, calm and collected, as to repress a desperate urge to grab her bleached-dry hair while simultaneously yanking back MY strawberries. I succeeded. In the three C’s that is. Clearly she was after a second box, as we both continued to wait anxiously, watching Heather pop the berries in the box one by one, by one…it was full. Quickly I blocked Blondie and snatched the box off Heather. That’ll show her, I thought. And it did. Blondie must have had a peanut more of a brain after all and I could see her thinking as she looked down at the box she was holding, then slowly up at me. Ding. She realised her faux-pas. With a lowered gaze, a spluttering of apologies and her face as bright as the berries she surrendered my box. I wished Heather a lovely day, and walked out with my head held high, a box under each arm.

Yours truly,

Fräulein SoulFood