Fantasy, bees part of passion

TASTY TREAT: Annabel Newman of Cupcake Parlour.

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Blokes are eating their way to longer lives The fragrances of summer Nice nectarines Tender, loving care for lamb Crop makes for sweet surprise Reclaim old ways Fare sharing Dine like a king, pay like a pauper Frozen assets Simple and sweet

Annabel Newman, co-owner of the Cupcake Parlour, is the queen bee of cupcakes. She talks to Amy Parsons-King about her passion for beekeeping, Mr Spock and her guilty pleasures.

What's your all-time favourite cupcake flavour?

It would have to be raspberry and marshmallow. It's a summer cupcake and it reminds me of eating sponge, cream and berries.

If you weren't making cupcakes you'd be?

I would be a full-time beekeeper. I've started to get into it. I keep bees because I love being outdoors and spending time at home is important to me. Maybe some day, I'll have my own honey too.

Who would you most like to share a cupcake and a pot of tea with, dead or alive?

Well, there are a lot of famous people, from Nina Simone to Charlie Manson, but it would be my greatest pleasure to sit with my grandfather, Geoffrey Taylor. He died 15 years ago and we were really close.

What's your proudest cupcake moment?

That would have to be the first wedding we did in December 2007. It was a hot, sticky summer's day and we had to transport all these cupcakes to French Farm Winery. We were really worried all their icing would melt in the heat, but everything turned out great.

What's your biggest cupcake blunder?

We once made 168 cupcakes, and instead of using baking powder in them we used baking soda.

What's your guilty pleasure?

My guilty pleasure is that I love science fiction and fantasy. I have two signed photographs of Leonard Nimoy [Mr Spock] I paid about $100 for. I also like Dolly Parton's music.

What would we find in your handbag?

Coins, lipgloss, a notebook, a packet of seeds, keys, a book and a spare pair of earrings.