Come and enjoy the charm of Willow Bank Heritage Village on a relaxed mid-week visit. While a little quieter than our usual Open Day, it’s the perfect chance to stroll through the village, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy a…
Join us at Willow Bank for a special High Tea on Friday 8th May at 1pm. Whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day, catching up with friends, spending time with family, or simply treating yourself, this is the perfect opportunity to relax…
Apple Harvest OPEN Day | 17 May 2026 - 10am-3pm 🍎 APPLE HARVEST DAY RETURNS 🍎 Entry: Adults $7 | Children $3 Get ready — Apple Harvest Day is coming back to Willow Bank, and it’s one of the highlights…
Rice Omelet (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Rice Omelet (Metric Version) Ingredients: For the omelet: 15 g butter 15 g flour 160 ml milk 120 g cooked rice…
Lamington Cake (Recipe from 1910) >>> Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 218, 21 September 1910, Page 5 Lamington Cake Recipe (Metric) 250g butter 375g flour 400g sugar 5 eggs (reserve 2 egg whites for icing) 250ml milk 1 tsp bicarbonate…
Lemon Buns (Recipe from 1903) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 113, 13 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Italian Rolls (Recipe from 1897) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1339, 28 October 1897, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Cookies (Recipe from 1903) >>> Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7437, 18 April 1903, Page 4 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish…
Regent's Sauce (Recipe from 1894) >>> Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2001, 22 June 1894, Page 4 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Sandwich Cake (Recipe from 1910) >>> King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 249, 9 April 1910, Page 3 Sandwich Cake recipe converted to metric measurements: Ingredients (Metric): 113 g flour (quarter of a pound) 113 g sugar 1 large egg…
Sponge Roll (Recipe from 1908) >>> Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 277, 15 August 1908, Page 11 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Chocolate Macaroons (Recipe from 1908) >>> Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 277, 15 August 1908, Page 11 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Potato Puffs (Recipe from 1912) >>> Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1791, 11 May 1912, Page 3 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Potato Fritters (Recipe from 1908) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 19, 22 January 1908, Page 8 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish…
Indian Chutney (Recipe from 1910) >>> King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 249, 9 April 1910, Page 3 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
To Avoid Domestics (Recipe from 1881) >>> Colonist, Volume XXV, Issue 2998, 1 November 1881, Page 3 Domestic Danger Signals.On the topic of managing things at home, I want to share a tip for avoiding family arguments, which I think…
Washing Whiter Clothes (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Here is a modernized version of the instructions from the image: How to Whiten Clothes with Lemon in a wood-fired…
Copal Varnish for Shoes (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) >>> Copal varnish is a protective and decorative finish made from copal resin, a natural resin derived from trees…
Lunch Cakes (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and…
Tea Cake (Recipe from 1897) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1345, 9 December 1897, Page 12 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Golden Sponge Cake (Recipe from 1907) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 289, 4 December 1907, Page 8 Here are the approximate quantities to try the recipe. You may find the sugar content in some of the old recipes too…
Concerning Cakes (Recipes from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1053, 6 May 1892, Page 5 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Bride's Cake (Recipe from 1907) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 289, 4 December 1907, Page 8 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish…
Ragout of Beef (Recipe from 1903) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 95, 22 April 1903, Page 2 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and…
Baked Mince (Recipe from 1897) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1316, 20 May 1897, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
White Soup (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and…
Queens Soup (Recipe from 1897) >>> This recipe refers to Queen Victoria >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1298, 14 January 1897, Page 18 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send…
Raspberry Shortcake (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and…
Cream Baskets (Recipe from 1911) >>> New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14739, 22 July 1911, Page 6 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and…
Potatoes Au Gratin (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, 11 November 1892, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it along…
Potatoes A La Russe (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, 11 November 1892, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Cinnamon Buns (Recipe from 1900) >>> New Zealand Mail, 2 August 1900, Page 27 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it along with…
Jellied Fig Pudding (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, 18 August 1892, Page 18 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it along…
Tomato Farcies (Stuffed Tomatoes) (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, 9 December 1892, Page 16 Here is the Tomato Farcies recipe converted into metric measurements and modern terms. Tomates Farcies is a classic French dish that translates to "stuffed…
Celery Fritters (Recipe from 1898) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1350, 13 January 1898, Page 17-3 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Hot Cross Buns (Recipe from 1893) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1103, 21 April 1893, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish…
Potato Scones (Recipe from 1903) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 113, 13 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Gingerbread (Recipe from 1912) >>> Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 65, 16 March 1912, Page 11 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Ginger Snaps (Recipe from 1903) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 119, 20 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Sponge Biscuits (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1056, 26 May 1892, Page 6 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Scotch Buns (Recipe from 1903) >>> Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 209, 2 September 1903, Page 2 (Supplement) Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Cocoanut Biscuits (Recipe from 1912) >>> Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1808, 1 June 1912, Page 3 (Supplement) Here is the recipe for Cocoanut Biscuits converted to metric units. The old term "cocoanut" is an archaic or historical spelling of…
Piccalilli (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1053, 6 May 1892, Page 5 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it along…
Tomato Chutney (Recipe from 1909) >>> Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9706, 10 November 1909, Page 3 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Raspberry Vinegar (Recipe from 1893) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1089, 13 January 1893, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…
Pickled Cauliflower (Recipe from 1910) >>> King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 302, 12 October 1910, Page 6 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Bottling Plums (Recipe from 1909) >>> Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9706, 10 November 1909, Page 3 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll…
Apple Chutney (Recipe from 1892) >>> New Zealand Mail, Issue 1060, 23 June 1892, Page 16 Please let us know if you’ve tried this recipe and if it worked. Feel free to send us a photo, and we’ll publish it…