Hunter Gatherer

New Zealand is the land of milk and honey… and wine, oysters, mussels, cheese, avocados, whitebait – the list is endless. And life really is too short to eat mediocre anything, so we have compiled a list of the gold standard, crème de la crème, pick of the bunch for you to eat your way through as a modern-day hunter gatherer.

OYSTERS

Love them or hate them, these little doses of vitamin-sea drive their fans wild; helicopters have been known to airlift the world-class Bluff oysters to waiting fans. Bluffies are grown slowly in the cold waters of Fouveax Strait, harvested down south and sold during the annual season from March to August.

The crystal clean coastal watersof the Bay of Islands make idealconditions for farms to flourishand, further down the coastline,the Mahurangi River is hometo a healthy collective of Pacificoyster farms, too. Availableall year except for January till

March when they are in their growth/recovery stage. Over the wintertime they are crisp, plump and meaty but from October till Christmas, they become fat and creamy.

The Kaipara Harbour on the north-west coast and Clevedon on the east coast of the North Island are also bountiful and produce high-quality beauties. Flip to the northern end of the South Island to the Marlborough Sounds’ Okiwi Bay where farmers have harvested since 1850s. Many farmers operate from these waters; their oysters have a subtle and slightly salty taste.

WHITEBAIT

With concerns around species of whitebait becoming endangered, new regulations aim to improve the fisheries sustainability by reducing pressure on them. A great way to sample some responsibly is on the west coast of the South Island, the heart of whitebait country. Westport’s busy main street becomes the home to their annual Whitebait Festival,where you’ll be opened to a world beyond the classic bread-and-butter fritter.

AVOCADOS

Katikati in the Bay of Plenty has been home to the humble avocado since Arthur Honeyfield planted his first orchard back in 1968, before avocado toast was even a glimmer in anyone’s eye. The region now has over 500 orchards and so, naturally, an avocado, food and wine festival happens here. With cooking demonstrations, live entertainment and of course plenty of dishes to indulge in,you wouldn’t want to miss this one usually held in January.

MUSSELS

It’s hard to get any closer or fresher than a local mussel farm in the middle of the Marlborough Sounds. The three-hour Greenshell Mussel cruise will set you up nicely with freshly steamed mussels paired with a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc, the perfect match for the stunning backdrop you take in along the way. Mussels are harvested year-round in all coastal areas of New Zealand but most are grown in farms in the Marlborough Sounds, The Coromandel, Golden Bay and Stewart Island.

Mussels in Marlborough Sounds © Only Marlborough

PĀUA

Pāua meat is tasty in a fritter or cooked in a buttery creamy chowder, served with rēwena bread. It’s not for everyone but if you love it, you’re best to enjoy this treat in the northernmost parts of the North Island where pāua stocks are more sustainable.

SCALLOPS

Found most places in New Zealand but scallops prefer the warmer waters of The Coromandel and Northland. One of the best ways to enjoy a sweet scallop, fresh from its fan-shaped shell, is at the annual Whitianga Scallop Festival in September, where you will find ways to cook them that you didn’t even dream of.

CRAYFISH

The Bay of Islands, the Coromandel Peninsula and the east coast of the South Island are popular sources for these critters, but the crayfish capital is Kaikōura, with some of the best crayfish in the world. Join them in celebration at their annual Crayfest, when over 25 eateries across the region serve a variety of crayfish-themed dishes.

Crayfish dish, Kaikōura © Adobe Stock

CHEESE

All this dairy needs somewhere to go. The country is abundant with fresh fromage, from the soft and gooey to the beautifully aged and smoked, some produced straight on the farmwhile others foster age-old techniques from our European friends. Google search ‘Cheese Shops in New Zealand’ and you’ll be driving around forever to try and cover them all. Or check out the South Island Cheese Festival in Kaikōura and have them all come to you.

Cheesemonger, Art Centre, Christchurch © Art Centre

PEANUT BUTTER

If you can’t get enough of the nutty stuff then Pic’s Peanut Butter World is a must-visit.There’s an option here to be guided through the process and the kids can even make their own peanut butter. On your 50-minute tour you’ll get to taste all of Pic’s nut butters and jellies and the best part – it’s all free!

BLUEBERRIES

There is an abundance ofpick-your-own blueberryfarms across New Zealand andalthough the global food marketdoes provide throughoutthe year, it is inevitably moresustainable, better for localbusinesses and just morefun to gather your own. Inthe Auckland region, Pōkenoand the Āwhitu Peninsula aretop locations; in the Waikato,Ngātea and Ōhaupō offer somechoice juicy blues. They’re alsogrown in Manawatū, Wellington,Christchurch and in Southland.

STRAWBERRIES

Over the early summer months,the country is awash with strawberries. Buy from the gate or pick your own in the Auckland region (Riverhead, Helensville, Takānini and Matakana) in the Waikato (Ruakura, Hamilton and Morrinsville), in the sunshine of Manawatū and Whanganui and also in Levin and Horowhenua. Whakanewha, Havelock Northand Wānaka also receive their fair share of bounty, during the harvesting months of November to March. The Waimate Strawberry Fare in Timaru in December is the place to be if you still can’t get enough of them.

Julians Berry Farm in Whakatāne © Strike Photography