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Foreword

By Lauraine Jacobs MNZM May 2017

Food production forms the very backbone of our wonderful country, New Zealand. Since the signing of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, and even before that, agriculture and horticulture have been embraced in the rich and fertile districts found throughout both major islands by both the indigenous people and the new comers. It did not take long for the early settlers to realise the potential of our land, rivers and surrounding ocean and since the late eighteenth century our economy has been firmly rooted in the production of meat, dairy, seafood, vegetables, fruit and more recently the crafted and value-added products from these sources for export and distribution at home.

But as a nation we still struggle with a real and unique identity for a national cuisine and we have not yet reached a point where our food is acclaimed internationally. Visitors to New Zealand often do not recognise the abundance of flavourful and fresh food until they encounter it here, and many instantly fall in love with the fare they eat. “We didn’t realise how delicious your food was before we came here,” they cry. At grassroots level chefs, food-lovers and food producers are still grappling with the question; what is truly unique about New Zealand food?

We need to find our stories, we need to sing from the same song sheet, we need to recognise local specialties, and most importantly we need to tell our stories to the world. Like anything that might take on international importance, our story telling begins at home. There are a wealth of fine people in every region, people who are passionate about growing food, producing food, packaging food and consuming very good food. And they all have exceptional stories to tell.

The necessary conversation about what makes this such a special place is just beginning. So it is timely that in this book, two ardent food lovers, Gerhard and Henri Egger, have sought out these stories in their journey around New Zealand. They have discovered the folks who are as passionate as they are about food, and crammed their stories into these pages, complete with some breathtakingly beautiful photography that truly captures our people and our landscape.

The pair have moved off the beaten track in many places, taken boats and hikes into unknown territory, and visited numerous farms and artisan producers to uncover a wide array of people, places and food that we can all identify with.

It is exciting to flip through the pages, taking in the wonderful scenery and meet some of the people who would all qualify as our Food Heroes, and it’s even better to sit, read and absorb their stories. The depth of talent on our farms and waterways is almost limitless, and the well-researched stories identify both history and the quirkiness that are the pieces of the puzzle that make our food scene so unique. The very essence of New Zealand is captured; alive and well and breathing contentedly.

Two sections of this book are not to be missed. Tangata Whenua, the section on the Māori contribution to our food landscape and culinary scene is respectful and well researched. And to conclude the book there are some fine recipes that utilise the ingredients so well described in the stories here.

It is both an honour and a privilege to write this foreword. I sincerely hope that many New Zealanders and international visitors embrace the stories, relish the food and develop the same passion for our amazing fare and cuisine that Gerhard and Henri have revealed in the gathering and sharing of this insightful record.

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Crayfish Fiordland

Skipper Tristan on his boat ‘Thetis’ Tristan Topi is from Bluff, and deckhand Rhys Leask is from Stewart Island; together they work in one of New Zealand’s most scenic spots, Milford Sound in Fiordland, fishing for crayfish—also known as rock lobster.

It is an early start for this pair; leaving the dock at Milford Sound on board Thetis, before daybreak, they travel 16km’s to the mouth of the Sound and then out into the open sea. The trip up the Sound, in the early morning before the daily influx of tourists, is ethereal; the water completely still with low cloud often lingering around the sheer cliff faces as they rise up from the sea floor. Tristan and Rhys prefer fishing in this area as the weather is more settled than that off the southern coast. The entrance to the Sound can be quite different however, and is, at times, dangerous; there is little landmass between here and Antarctica and the sea is extremely cold. Due to the high level of rainfall experienced in Fiordland, there can be up to 1.5 metres of freshwater floating on top of the sea water; this can make the water at the entrance to Milford Sound turbulent as the increased volume of water tries to escape out into the Tasman Sea.

Left: Tristan and Rhys onboard Thetis, off the Fiordland Coast Right: It is early in the morning as Tristan travels up Milford Sound with Mitre Peak in the distance Another cray boat leaving the Sound for a days fishing

Tristan is from a long line of fishermen—both his father and grandfather fished the southern waters and some of his siblings are also fishermen; some might say they are born to it. Tristan sat his Skippers licence 6 months before the legal age limit of 18 and then had to wait until his birthday before receiving his ticket; he purchased his first boat, Thetis, at the young age of 20. Thetis came with cray pots “I purchased the pots and the boat got thrown in” Tristan jokes. For Rhys, growing up on Stewart Island where fishing is part of daily life, working on such a boat comes naturally.

As with all other commercial New Zealand fisheries, the management of the crayfish is handled through the quota system, and sustainable management is supported by an extensive research programme. Of Ngāi Tahu descent, Tristan fishes for Ngāi Tahu Seafood Ltd. His quota package consists of Ngāi Tahu Seafood quota along with own and some of his fathers. Quota is determined by weight (tonnage) and not in numbers of crayfish caught.

Crayfish are found all around the New Zealand coastline and off-shore islands; however locals will tell you, that the pristine cold waters off the Fiordland coast contribute to the flavour of the succulent crayfish. Tristan has 90 pots and these are checked daily. The size and design of the pots is carefully regulated with gaps to allow undersized crayfish to escape. Nocturnal feeders, the crayfish move around on the ocean floor at night, eating a wide range of sea-life including: other shellfish, seaweed and small fish.

Happy Hogs

South Canterbury Dunedin

Ian, Linda and Cain at Havoc Farm & Butchery At the foot of the Hunter Hills in South Canterbury you will find Havoc Farm, the home of Ian Jackson and his wife Linda (the Lord and Lady) and their pigs. Why name the farm Havoc?

The simple definition of ‘havoc’ is: a situation in which there is much destruction or confusion. Pigs are intelligent but also crafty, and where there are pigs, havoc will occasionally happen—Ian and Linda have many a story of havoc to tell, and patience is definitely the key, pigs will do things in their own time.

A Scotsman by birth, Ian has worked on large industrial pig farms in both Britain and New Zealand. However he always had plans for his own farm: a place where the pigs could live in their natural environment, be free to roam and play, display their unique behaviours and farrow naturally. In 1991 he started his own free range pig farm on the outskirts of the South Island town of Waimate.

Left: Lord Havoc (Ian) holding one of his piglets Right: ‘I love pigs and NZ’ written on the shed by a former Japanese employee A contented sow resting in the straw bed of her hut A pig in her element, wallowing in mud A sow and her litter of adoring piglets

Trevor also employs a repairs and maintenance team led by John Sandilands who is invaluable and who has been with the Station for 12 years. The team does a majority of the maintenance and fencing on all of the properties. John’s son, Joe, has spent the last 10 years managing the finishing block ‘CastleRock’. Another important member of the Paparata team is Sally Street, who manages the financial side of the business.

Farming on a large scale such as this requires forward planning. “If you don’t plan, you plan to fail” says Trevor. He works with his managers 12 months ahead looking at what they aim to achieve and then working backwards, defining what needs to be done on the farm, whether that be a grazing programme, application of fertiliser or land improvements.

The philosophy for Paparata is that to stand still is to go backwards and to this end Trevor and his managers are always seeking to improve, taking part in large-station discussion groups, visiting other large farms to look at different management systems and sharing ideas amongst themselves.

Conscious that you don’t go on forever Trevor is looking to manage himself out of a job. He is in the process of developing a software programme which will make it easier for his staff to plan ahead; he is a firm believer in the continual development of systems and tools to empower his management and staff to do the job better.

The success of Paparata is due to the foresight of Trevor and his family, and to years of hard work, forward planning and the desire to achieve the best possible outcomes from the resources available. Trevor intends to maintain and continually improve on the station’s performance for the next generation. The Johnson’s four children have gone on to achieve their own goals; however whatever may happen in the future, one can be sure that the stock and land on Paparata Station are being well cared for.

Top left: Susan and the team on Haeo working in the covered sheep yards A bearded huntaway waits eagerly for the command to start work At the end of the day, the working dogs are taken back to their kennels to be fed After the morning muster, the number one priority is to hose the horses down before putting them into the paddock to graze and rest

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Bay of Plenty

Truffles Clare and Ian and their truffiere

Clare and Ian are passionate about their Truffiere, Clarian, where they grow the Perigord Black Truffle—one of the most expensive edible fungi in the world, affectionally known as black gold. Clarian is nestled into the hills of the eastern Bay of Plenty. People have been endeavouring to grow truffles in plantations, known as truffieres, since the early 1800’s, but with limited success. In New Zealand, landowners have been trying to establish truffieres since the early 1990’s. Ian and Clare first established their truffiere by planting their 2 acres with hazelnut and oak seedlings, which had been specifically inoculated with the melanosporum spore.

For the two pioneers it has definitely been a labour of love. It was to be 12 years before they were able to harvest their first truffle: “Definitely not a sprint” Ian jokes. “My wife Clare is patient” he adds, as they faced many challenges along the way. These included creating the special conditions that truffles appear to need to be able to grow. One of the most important that they have identified was around soil condition; the trees require a soil pH of around 7.8 prior to being planted; this meant 90 tonnes of lime was spread onto the land.

Left: Ian and Cole, happy with their truffle find Right: A fresh truffle, straight from the ground, the dark knobbly appearance can make it difficult to identify in the clumps of soil Cole indicates on the scent A Brumale truffle Ian carefully checks where Cole has indicated

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Kawhia

Hangi Te Raakaunui Marae, Hangi

There is something quite special about experiencing a traditional Māori hāngī, especially when it is prepared and cooked on the marae. Most New Zealanders enjoy the smell, and smoky taste of a good hāngī whenever the opportunity arises. The hāngī, a traditional cooking method for Māori, and very much a New Zealand favourite, is a communal way of cooking food over hot stones in an earth pit. Many islands around the Pacific cook their food in a similar manner; Samoans call their version an umu, Fijians a lovo. Although the concepts are similar, the hāngī involves digging an earth pit, whilst an umu is usually done on top of the ground. There are many cultural variations of the hāngī and the cooking method continues to evolve. An example of this is the geo-thermal activity of the Central Plateau, here local hapū found that fire, or hāngī pits weren’t necessary for cooking, the thermal steam was sufficient, and communal steam boxes were created for cooking in this area.

The hāngī is an excellent way of cooking, whether for a small family gathering in the backyard, a large family celebration, a feast on the marae, or as a fundraising event for the local community.

Left: Te Raakaunui Marae wharenui (meeting house) Right: Stacking the manuka logs and hangi stones for the fire Laying the pork in baskets lined with cabbage leaves A skilled hand is shown at butchering a young sheep

This hāngī was prepared the traditional way on Te Raakaunui Marae, near Kawhia, and the delicious food was then transported over to Kawhia township and sold at the annual Kawhia Traditional Māori Kai (food) Festival. A hāngī is time-consuming to prepare; part of the attraction is how it brings everyone together—all on the marae are involved. While children run around playing, the men attend to the pit and butchering the meat, others are involved in the kitchen with the vegetable and pudding preparation or are busy weaving the flax baskets to serve the cooked food in.

The process all starts days prior, with the collection of manuka logs, a native hardwood, which creates the dense heat required. Heat-retaining stones also need to be collected (volcanic stones are best as they retain their heat for several hours without exploding); and large pieces of iron are also useful.

Figs with blue vein cheese Serves 4 This is a quick and easy appetiser. The fig season in New Zealand is reasonably short, from mid February to May and they are best eaten within a day or two of picking. Use plump, ripe and juicy figs and a rich creamy New Zealand blue vein cheese.

8 ripe figs 100g blue vein cheese 80g walnut pieces 4 tbsp manuka honey 2 tbsp cider vinegar mesclun lettuce leaves Preheat the oven grill on high. Dry toast the walnut pieces under the grill until a pale golden, watch carefully as they will burn easily. Remove and set to one side.

Cut the figs in half lengthwise, but not all the way through so that they are still joined at the base. Open slightly and crumble the cheese into the centre.

Place the open figs on a tray under the grill for around 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on the top, the cheese does not need to be melted all the way through.

Warm the honey slightly and mix together with the vinegar.

To serve, arrange the figs on a plate, sprinkle with roasted walnuts and then drizzle with warm honey and vinegar.

Serve garnished with mesclun leaves.

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