SOUND BITES

Kitchen eco warriors will be thrilled to make the acquaintance of Breville’s benchtop FoodCycler. It makes it possible to turn your food scraps into odourless EcoChips, reducing waste in four to six hours. It works by dehydrating and grinding, then cooling food scraps that can be used as compost or scattered on the garden. No garden? You can still pat yourself on the back by reducing the volume of food waste by more than 80 percent. $599.95.

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

All the ingredients for kitchen and entertaining success

Good grilling

Eco-friendly and biodegradable, a portable Casus Grill uses bamboo charcoal briquettes, insulating lightweight lava stones, natural bamboo and cardboard packing. Ready to grill in five minutes, it retains heat for more than 60 minutes, which is long enough to get a round of snarlers in bread in. $19.95 from The Eco Table.

WE LOVE A GOOD GIN AND THIS PEDDLERS RARE SHANGHAI GIN IS SET TO BECOME A FIRM FAVOURITE. THE EAST ASIAN MINT AND SICHUAN PEPPER NOTES ARE INTERESTING, BUT IT’S THE GNARLY CITRUS BUDDHA’S HAND – YES, IT’S SHAPED LIKE SLIM MEDITATING FINGERS – THAT MAKES THIS PARTICULARLY EXOTIC. $85 FOR 750ML.

MMM, MARMALADE

Esther’s is a small Wellington producer of sauerkraut and fermented pickles – all lovely – but it’s the Orange and Turmeric Marmalade that we’re particularly taken with because it’s such a clever twist on a classic. Esther makes every jar by hand, uses Fair Trade organic sugar and no synthetic preservatives or additives. $8. esthers.co.nz

NOT NUTS

One for those with nut allergies. VGood has come up with a peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut spread alternative that uses chickpeas instead of nuts. VGood PeaNOT Butter and HazelNot Choc Spread can be spread on toast or use the not choc spread in crepes. $6.79 each.

DOWN MEXICO WA

for a weeknight when you need some inspo. The new flavour kits in Smoky Chipotle and Hickory BBQ, $7.79, come with a spice mix, tortillas and mayo. farrahs.co.nz