Nourish Waikato Autumn 2016 edition

Issue no. 23, Autumn 2016

JUST

PEACHY

EASTER BAKING WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JAM SESSIONS

FRESH LOCAL FLAVOUR

WAIKATO, NZ

NOURISH | issue 23

CONTENTS

Welcome This autumn edition is the first for 2016 and our biggest issue yet. As Nourish gets bigger so too does our team, and I am loving discovering some fabulously talented and passionate people in our region.

For me autumn is my favourite time of year. I love the warm sunny days and crisp mornings, but I especially love the abundance of produce available.

Only in autumn can you enjoy sun ripened tomatoes and sweet local berries as well as new season apples and juicy figs. On page 7 we learn more about figs, from growing them to some simple ideas on how to enjoy them. And on page 6 we find out about the array of local produce available at the farmers’ market.

Also in this issue we delve into the world of pickling (page 51), making jam with Lynda Hallinan (Page 16) and the benefits of fermenting (page 55).

Then on page 41 Brad from Falls Retreat in Waihi gives us some tips on a chef’s favourite cooking method, sous vide. He’s got me hooked!

decadent chocolate mousse cake (page 30), and on page 37 we have my twist on hot cross buns.

From the whole team at Nourish, we hope you enjoy this issue and would love to hear your feedback. Simply email me: vicki@nourishmagazine.co.nz.

And if you haven’t already, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for a sneak peek at what we are up to between issues.

Vicki Ravlich-Horan

With Easter upon us, we got baking. Megan Muldowney created a truly

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recipes

04 05 06 07 11 20 22 42 44 52 53 61 62 63

Smoked Duck Breast

News

10 14

Waikato Farmer’s Market

Baked Peaches w Vanilla Mascarpone

In Season

15 17 19 28 30 36 37 41 50 55 56

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

Vic’s Picks

Herbs Enviro Gardening Local Art Scene Beauty Craft Nutrition Wine Column Waikato Events Directory

Peach Melba Cake

Pear, Thyme & Saffron Jam Scones Tandoori Lamb Salad Decadent Chocolate Mousse Babka Hot Cross Buns Sous-Vide Chicken Thighs and Eggplant In a Pickle Fermented Food Kombucha

EDITOR Vicki Ravlich-Horan

features

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bron Alexander from Folk Creative CLIENT MANAGER Paula Baxter PROOF READER Nikki Crutchley from Crucial Corrections CONTRIBUTORS Bronwyn Lowe, Henry Jacobs, Megan Coupland, Megan Muldowney, Denise Irvine, Kate Underwood, Brad King, Darren Gussy, Liz French, Jim Bantree COVER IMAGE Vicki Ravlich-Horan PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Tracie Heasman, Brydie Thompson, Tracy Stamatakos, Helen Chapman, Rebekah Davenport, Leah Hoskins, Bron Alexander

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NOURISH | spotlight

Vic’s Picks LUNCH BOX PICKS

LEWIS ROAD ICE CREAM

Looking for healthy snacks for the school lunch boxes or perhaps the desk draw? Dante’s in Cambridge stock these roasted broad beans in various flavours. They are gluten, wheat, dairy and sugar free and a great source of protein, plus the kids will love them.

The company that brought us the hottest product in 2015 with their chocolate milk have done it again with their range of ice creams. Available in chocolate, vanilla (made with Heilala vanilla) and hokey pokey, plus their limited edition Rose, they are sure to be the hottest thing in the freezer.

$9.90 for a pack of 6

Available at good supermarkets and food stores like Red Kitchen in Te Awamutu.

Dante’s Fine Foods, Duke Street, Cambridge www.dantesfinefoods.co.nz

NOURISH | news

Waikato News The new year sees some exciting news in the Hamilton restaurant scene.

Mr Milton’s kicked off the year with renovations, and the bright new space with an open kitchen is looking fantastic.

Local lad Josh Emmett is opening Madame Woo in Hamilton on 17 March.

With Madame Woo’s in Auckland, Queenstown and Dunedin, the Hamilton restaurant makes four, and the first restaurant Josh has opened in his hometown. Inspired by traditional Malaysian Hawker food and serving up big, fresh flavours in a vibrant, fun and modern setting, Madame Woo is sure to add another element to the local hospo offering.

AWARD WINNING BUNS Our favourite bakers have proof of what we already knew; Volare’s Hot Cross buns were named the best in the land in the recent Baking Industry Association of NZ awards. You can pick some up at the bakery on Kahikatea Drive, their cafe in Garden Place and at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market. Get in quick as buns this good sell fast!

Also opening in March is River Kitchen’s reinvention of the old Hydro Majestic, to be called Hayes Common.

Whatawhata now have a great food hub too with the opening of Village Café and the Village Farm Shop.

WAIKATO FOODIES

IN A SPIRAL Everyone’s in a spin about spiralisers at the moment. These nifty gadgets give fruit and veg a new twist. From zucchini noodles to carrot strings, you might even get the kids enthused about their vegetables. The Scullery on Victoria Street in Hamilton has a range of spiralisers to choose from, ranging in price from $27–$200. www.thescullery.co.nz

OSTEN Have you peeked inside the new Ebbett Volkswagen and Audi showroom on the corner of Grey and Clyde Street yet? With the wonderful cafe, Osten, in the middle you have a great excuse even if you aren’t in the market for a new car. Serving delicious Allpress coffee, and cabinet food created by the team at Paddock to fresh, seasonal organic produce, there is little wonder it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite spots.

Open 6 days | Cnr Grey and Clyde Street , Hamilton East

Launched at Feast Waikato, Waikato Foodies is an initiative by Waikato Food Inc with the aim of bringing together a group of foodies to celebrate the wonderful food we have in the Waikato.

Members will get exclusive offers, invites to great events and be the first to know about the food news in the Waikato.

For more information go to www.waikatofoodinc.com

THE FOODIE NETWORK OF THE WAIKATO

SPCA SHOP The Waikato SPCA recently opened a brand new premises in 19 Northway Street, Te Rapa. The new premises comes with a shop where you can buy all your pet needs from food to collars, beds to leads. Open 7 days from 10-4pm,it’s a great way to support the SPCA.

GREAT NEW ZEALAND FOOD SHOW Back for its third year, the Great New Zealand Food Show is on at Mystery Creek Events Centre from 30 April to 1 May. As well as a huge array of different foods to discover, taste and buy, the show also has the Heathcote Appliances’ Cooking Theatre and the Wintec Cooking Classes to inspire you. For more info go to www.greatnzfoodshow.co.nz. Nourish Editor Vicki Ravlich-Horan is taking a class showcasing beautiful local ingredients and giving you some great practical tips. www.greatnzfoodshow.co.nz

SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM | MARCH 2 - 11 Five talented artists, come and view their sculptures taking shape SANTIE CRONJE | APRIL 5 - 30 Santie Cronje - “The Unconventional Guide to Owl and Pussycat’s Adventures” exhibition opening of @ 5.30pm on April 5

page 4 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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Wa i k a t o

FARMERS’ MARKET fresh local & seasonal

Autumn is harvest season; time to start filling the cupboards and freezer with the last of the summer produce. With spring arriving late last year there is still an abundance of vegetables like corn and beetroot.

Peel the corn and freeze the cobs whole, or blanch quickly, remove the kernels and freeze.

Snap up the end of the beetroot and bottle these babies for a ready supply throughout the year, perfect for sammies and the quintessential Kiwi burger.

TIP: Cook the beetroot with the skin on, and peel as soon as it is cool enough to handle. But remember gloves are your best friend.

TIP: Use beautiful local honey instead of sugar to sweeten your stewed fruit.

Pumpkins – get adventurous with this delicious autumnal vegetable. Add mashed pumpkin to muffins; roast small pieces and make a healthy salad with the addition of rocket or baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, some toasted seeds for crunch and perhaps a little feta or fresh goats’ cheese for bite.

RATATOUILLE Ratatouille is a versatile sauce that makes the most of the produce in abundance in autumn. Serve as a wonderful meat free meal over pasta or polenta or as an accompaniment to steak or chicken. Double, triple or quadruple the quantities and freeze in convenient portions for a quick dinner and a taste of summer throughout the winter months.

2 red onions 4 cloves of garlic 2 aubergines 3 courgettes 3 red or yellow peppers

Courgettes, cucumbers and capsicums are all coming to an end and are perfect made into pickles.

In plentiful supply during autumn: pears, apples and nashis, rhubarb and of course feijoas!

6 ripe tomatoes a big handful of fresh basil olive oil 1 400g tin plum tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Chop all the veg into similar 1–2cm² pieces. Heat a little oil in a large pan and sweat the onions for 5–10 minutes over a low heat, being careful not to colour them. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes before turning up the heat and adding the remaining veg and basil. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the tinned tomatoes, vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Stewed, they make a lovely dessert, alone or as a combination in a crumble, pie or muffins. Left over stewed fruit is great with yoghurt for breakfast and can always be added to smoothies.

And of course fresh apples and pears make the perfect healthy addition to the lunch box.

FIND OUT MORE

Fresh produce, growers and producers onsite, live entertainment, local crafts, loads of parking - a 100% Waikato experience!

HAMILTON SUNDAY 8AM-12PM Te Rapa Racecourse

There is nothing quite like a fresh fig. If you haven’t tried one, make it your mission this autumn to do so. This ancient fruit is a member of the mulberry family and is thought to originate from Western Asia before spreading around the world. It flourishes in warmer climates, which is probably why many associate it with Mediterranean countries, that and the strategic placing of fig leaves on ancient statues.

So get figgy this autumn with these quick fig ideas.

MEET THE LOCAL GROWER

Make a stunning salad by scattering a platter with rocket, quartered figs, prosciutto, candied walnuts and fresh mozzarella.

Drizzle with a balsamic dressing just before serving.

The figs have a very short shelf life as they have to be picked ripe.

Picking is all done by hand as this is the only way to determine which fruit are ripe. When ready the figs are soft and plump and come away from the stem with ease. Once picked a milky sap is released and this can irritate the skin making picking a hot job with long sleeves a necessity. This sap can be used to remove warts and has also been used as vegetarian rennet since the time of the Ancient Greeks.

CAMBRIDGE MARKET MANAGER 021 685 719

LOCAL FOOD FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS CAMBRIDGE SATURDAY 8AM-12PM Victoria Square

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Graeme Parke grows figs on his six acre property in Ohinewai, near Huntly. Originally in citrus, Graeme has gradually converted the block to figs, planting several different varieties of the Brown Turkey cultivar.

To find out more about the Waikato Farmers’ Market follow them on facebook.com/ waikato.farmers.market or check out their website www.waikatofarmersmarkets.co.nz HAMILTON MARKET MANAGER 022 639 1995

get figgy with it

CREATIVE MARKET FIRST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 8AM-12PM Te Rapa Racecourse

FRESH LOCAL PROD UCTS 2 GREAT MA R K ETS 2

Once picked this delicate fruit is carefully packed and sent off to be sold to restaurants here and in Auckland. You can also find Graeme at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market on Sundays at the height of the season. Seconds are sent off to a company that makes jam.

Fig trees can grow quite large, so Graeme’s advice is to prune them back hard to ensure not only a good crop next season but fruit you can reach.

Figs are high in fibre and contain a wealth of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium.

Place half a fig on an oat cake with some goats’ cheese, prosciutto and a few sprigs of rocket.

Cut squares of flaky pastry on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese on each and top with sliced figs. Brush the pastry edges with egg and bake at 180°C until golden brown.

For a quick easy dessert, cut a cross in each fig and pipe in sweetened vanilla mascarpone, and drizzle with a little vincotto vor honey.

Line a tart tin with 250g of crushed biscuit crumbs mixed with 100g of melted butter. Fill the tart shell with whipped cream and top with figs. Decorate with chopped mint and chopped pistachios.

NOURISH | feature

fish was a challenge! He also had to adjust to cooking with a large team to a small kitchen where he was the sole chef.

Three years in and their hard work was paying dividends. Bookings were essential for dinner at Suburbia, especially on a Friday or Saturday night, so the decision was made to expand. Also on the increase was the Hodgson family, with the arrival of their daughter Sophia. This life-changing event meant Suzanne had to take a step back from the business, and family time became more and more important.

MEET THE

CHEF

Six years after buying Suburbia, the Hodgsons sold the business and opened The District Eatery in Te Rapa. At roughly three times the size of Suburbia, the pair admit it was a daunting move and, as Suzanne says, caused some sleepless nights. But the move meant more of a day operation and for Adrian being back leading a team of chefs. Trusted employee Becky Lewis made the move too, helping Suzanne with the much expanded front of house team.

While it seems counter-intuitive, the move to a bigger venture has allowed the couple to have more flexibility and, most essentially, more time to spend together.

With its industrial feel, overflowing cabinet and tempting menu, which includes house made pizzas, The District quickly proved a hit with those who work close by as well as many loyal Suburbia clients, and word has continued to spread. Originally open six days, Adrian and Suzanne have recently relented to pressure and are now also open Sundays.

While a day operation was one of the big attractions of The District for the Hodgsons, Adrian admits he misses his nights. The compromise is the ability for the space to be hired out at night for special occasions or for one-off special nights, like an American BBQ night currently in the works.

Adrian describes his food as “uncomplicated but still interesting with an emphasis on great flavours”. At home it’s all about quick and fresh with stir frys being a favourite as they tick both these boxes plus Sophia loves them, and “Sophia’s in charge,” laughs Adrian.

The District | 19 Home Straight, Te Rapa, Hamilton www.thedistrict.co.nz

WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan | PHOTOGRAPHY Brydie Thompson

The love of food has defined Suzanne and Adrian Hodgson’s lives. Adrian, originally from the Hawke’s Bay, says he discovered cooking at boarding school in Rotorua. The natural next step was to train as a chef and he chose Wintec in Hamilton. This proved to be a great decision for more than one reason.

For Adrian it led to him meeting his wife Suzanne. For Hamilton residents it meant, minus a few years when the couple travelled the world, that we secured a great chef to add to the local culinary scene.

Born in the UK but having moved to New Zealand at the age of one, Suzanne was keen to see some of her homeland. So like many young Kiwis, the couple packed their bags and headed off on their OE in 2000. A few years were spent working in pubs in London and Bath. This was the era of the gastro pub in Britain where pub food was being transformed.

Home of the World’s most trusted kitchenware brands

Then they met Anthony Hughes Onslow. This, Adrian says, was a “tipping point” in their careers. Anthony hired the Kiwi couple to run a new pub he had opened in the New Forest area. Within a year the pub had doubled in size. Opposite the Isle of Wight, Suzanne says the summers were mad!

Adrian credits Anthony with being a great boss and mentor, setting them up with the skills needed to run their own business when they finally returned home in 2007. Upon returning the pair bought Café Suburbia; the perfect business for a hands on couple.

With Adrian in the kitchen and Suzanne out front, they quickly grew a solid reputation and loyal following.

Adrian says there were a few adjustments being back in New Zealand. In Britain they had been lucky to be part of the resurgence of the farm to table movement where they could source great fresh, local ingredients. Here, just getting good quality fresh

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page 9 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

SMOKED DUCK BREAST AND WATERCRESS SALAD WITH A RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE RECIPE Adrian Hodgson, The District Cafe RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

3 duck breasts

1 cup raspberry vinegar

brine

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup oil (I like to use half canola oil and half olive oil)

½ cup salt

½ tsp crushed garlic

1 litre cold water

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the sugar and salt in the water.

Mix the vinegar, sugar and garlic before slowly whisking in the oil.

Add the duck breasts skin side up, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Taste and season accordingly.

TO SMOKE

SALAD

manuka wood chips

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

baking tray

salted cashew nuts

cake rack

dried cranberries soaked in hot water to rehydrate

tinfoil

watercress

Cover the baking tray with tin foil and scatter wood chips on top.

Put cake rack on top of the wood chips and the brined duck breast on the cake rack then cover with tin foil.

If you have gas hobs place the tray on the stove top (or BBQ works well too), and smoke for 10 minutes on high. The skin on the duck breast should be quite brown before you finish it in the oven for 8 minutes until medium rare. Then remove and cool.

TO ASSEMBLE Slice the duck breasts and divide onto four plates or one large platter.

Dress the watercress with the raspberry vinaigrette and place on top of the duck.

Scatter cashew nuts, cranberries and orange segments over the salad and serve.

If you don't have gas, place the tray in the oven on high heat (200°C) for 20 minutes.

TIME FOR

Thyme

Thyme Vulgaris. If you are planting a herb garden be sure to include some thyme. It is a delightful herb with its taste, fragrance and flowers that delight the senses. Thyme is also a bee plant and will attract bees to your garden.

No matter if you are a novice home gardener or an experienced herbalist, you can use thyme in your cooking and to also help your family with various ailments.

Thyme is native to Mediterranean areas; however, it is very easy to grow here. It prefers a free-draining sunny situation with adequate water but will withstand droughts and frosts. If you have ever visited the abandoned Central Otago gold fields in summer, you will see flowering thyme covering the hills as far as the eye can see.

Thyme benefits from regular picking or pruning,v otherwise it will grow scraggly and woody.

TRADITIONAL USES: Traditionally, thyme has been used to help relieve coughs. An infusion of thyme would be sweetened with honey and sugar and used for whooping cough, sore throats and excessive mucus. Thyme was also used as a gargle for tonsillitis, to calm colic and help with fevers in common colds. It has been used for diarrhoea, flatulence and painful periods.

The leaf and flowers of thyme have been used extensively in cooking, particularly in meat dishes and as a flavouring ingredient in teas and liqueurs. The dried flowers were used the same way as lavender, to preserve linen from insects.

Thyme is also used in perfumery, cosmetics, aromatherapy and in pest control as a preservative for agricultural crops.

ACTIVE COMPONENTS: Thyme contains volatile oils, including

thymol (an antiseptic which is used in mouthwashes, hand sanitisers and acne medications), also tannins and vitamins B, C and D. It is high in the mineral iodine and has smaller amounts of sodium, silicon and sulphur.

Today as medical herbalists, we would consider using thyme in cases of sore throats, tonsillitis, respiratory tract problems, for fungal infections and possibly for problems of the digestive tract.

At home: Thyme may be used at home for coughs and chest infections; oral infections, such as sore throats, mouth ulcers and thrush; minor skin infections and as a wash for acne.

DOSAGE: A general dosage guideline for an adult using dried thyme would be 1–2gm up to 3 times per day made into an infusion (cup of tea). Alternatively, you may like to use thyme fresh as a tea or as a steam inhalation for coughs and colds.

CAUTIONS: Children will need a weaker infusion. Use very small doses, and it’s a good idea to taste test before administering.

When using any herbs, please seek the advice of a registered Medical Herbalist and identify your herbs correctly.

by Bronwyn Lowe Medical Herbalist | MNZAMH The Herbal Dispensary 6 Wallis Street, Raglan theherbaldispensaryraglan.co.nz

DISCOVER, INDULGE, LEARN & BE INSPIRED

DAUNTED BY COOKING DUCK? MIKE VANDY FROM MAGILLS HAS SOME TOP TIPS Firstly, season well with salt and pepper. Place the breasts skin side down in a cold non-stick pan and heat on high to render and crisp the duck fat. Once a nice golden brown, turn the breasts to seal in the flavour. Transfer to a preheated overproof dish, skin side down & bake at 200°C for 6-8 mins. Allow to rest and cool like a good steak.

Slice the breasts thickly on an angle and serve.

MYSTERY CREEK EVENTS CENTRE | 30 APRIL - 1 MAY 2016 | GREATNZFOODSHOW.CO.NZ page 11 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | recipes

just peachy

Sweet, juicy and at their best right now RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHY | Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Peach Melba Cake

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

This is based on my favourite friand recipe which I always bake after making aioli. The connection? No, friands and aioli aren’t a great combination, but my aioli recipe uses five egg yolks, so what better way to use up those egg whites? In this version I used inseason raspberries and peaches, but almost any fruit, fresh, tinned or frozen, will work. Go to our website for my aioli recipe.

1 cup self-raising flour

Prosciutto is commonly paired with melon as classic hors d’oeuvres. The saltiness of the prosciutto works well with the sweet melon. Taking this theory I have created a fresh salad perfect for an autumnal lunch or a great way to start a BBQ meal with friends.

1 cup coconut

You’ll need:

1½ cups icing sugar

Peaches

5 egg whites

Prosciutto

125g butter, melted

Fresh mozzarella

1 cup raspberries

Rocket

2–4 peaches, sliced

Croutons*

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together before adding the egg whites and melted butter. Mix well and pour into a greased loose-bottom cake tin. Or if you want to make smaller cakes or friands, divide the mixture into a muffin tin.

Aged balsamic vinegar Pit and slice peaches and then grill on the BBQ or in a pan. You want them to have a gorgeous caramelisation.

Meanwhile, scatter a large platter with rocket, torn fresh mozzarella and croutons. Add the prosciutto and then warm peaches. Dress with a drizzle (not too much) of an aged balsamic vinegar.

Top with lots of fruit and bake at 180°C. Baking time will depend on the size of your cake tin. A small cake tin (21cm) will take approximately 45–50 minutes, longer than a 26cm tin, for instance, which will take approximately 30–40 minutes because of the depth of the cake. To check if the cake is done, insert a skewer in the middle and if it comes out clean, it is cooked.

*Make simple croutons by tearing bread into rough pieces approximately 1cm², drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and grill or bake until crispy. I used Volare’s San Francisco Sourdough, which has a wonderful sourness and the perfect chewy texture.

Friands will take 20–30 minutes.

Baked Peaches with Vanilla Mascarpone

Show us your peaches!

NOURISHMAGAZINE

This elegant dessert is the perfect way to end a meal. Simply halve and pit fresh peaches placing them on an oven tray.

Drizzle them generously with a dessert wine, approximately a quarter of a cup per peach, but make sure you have some left over to serve with the peaches.

Perfect for every occasion ....

Bake at 180°C for 20–30 minutes or until the peaches are soft but still holding their form.

While the peaches are cooking, mix a tablespoon of icing sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla paste into a tub of mascarpone.

Allow the peaches to cool slightly before serving with a dollop of the mascarpone, a drizzle of the cooking juices and some crushed amaretti biscuits or toasted almonds.

Tip – Make more than you need and puree the leftover peaches and cooking liquid for a stunning peach sauce that will store in the fridge for up to a week but also freezes well.

Use as a topping for pancakes or ice cream, or pour a little in a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine for the ultimate Bellini.

POP IN AND SEE US OR SHOP ONLINE 07 827 3354 | 63-61 DUKE ST, CAMBRIDGE page 15 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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NOURISH | review

JAM SESSIONS WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan | RECIPES Lynda Hamlyn | PHOTOS Sally Tagg

Autumn is the perfect time of year to channel your nana. The abundance of late summer fruit means a few “Jam Sessions” will ensure your cupboards are stocked with jars of homemade goodness for the entire year.

Faced with more jars of jam than she knew what to do with, Lynda Hallinan decided making smaller batches more often could be the answer. The result is her latest book “Jam Sessions”, where Lynda demonstrates how you can make a different jam, jelly or preserve every week from produce in season throughout the year.

As editor at large of the New Zealand Gardener, Lynda is more well-known for her green fingers than a cook but says, “If the Windsors have blue blood running through their veins, then I reckon my family has plum jam in ours.” Lynda and her young family live on a small farm in the Hunua Ranges, southeast of Auckland, where, as you can imagine, they have quite a garden and orchard.

I love how Lynda has intertwined tips on growing different, sometimes odd produce with ways to turn them into all manner of jams. This is a book for both the novice jam maker, with a very detailed basics section on all you need to know about making jam, as well as the experienced preserver with recipes for rose petal jelly and roasted rhubarb and berry jam.

PEAR, THYME & SAFFRON JAM “There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, “when it is perfect to eat.” The same is true of pears destined for the jam pot. Use only the sweetest and ripest of dessert pears, such as ‘Doyenne du Comice’.

6-12 saffron strands 1kg ripe dessert pears,peeled, cored & sliced 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, stripped of the woody stalks & finely chopped juice & zest of 1 lemon 1kg jam-setting sugar Pears famed for their crisp firm flesh, such as ‘Packham’ and ‘Beurré Bosc’, have pig-headed personalities. If even slightly underripe you can sweet talk them for hours, simmering them gently in sugar syrup, but still they refuse to yield, resulting in a lumpy jam. Save these varieties for bottling instead.

Pears are a tricky crop to judge for ripeness as if left on the tree to fully mature, the fruit is invariably attacked by birds or rots from the inside out. When ready to harvest, the stem should snap easily when bent at the joint. After picking, arrange pears in a single layer in a crate or box and test for ripeness every few days by pressing your thumb gently into the flesh just below the stem to test for softness.

Pour 1 cup boiling water over the saffron and steep for 30 minutes. The saffron adds colour rather than flavour; food colouring also does the job.

FOR STOCKISTS OR TO ORDER BY MAIL-ORDER FOR $55 INCLUDING P&P SEE

WWW.FOGGYDALEFARM.CO.NZ

Prepare pears. (You can also use tinned or bottled pears to make this preserve.) Place sliced pears in a pot with the saffron and water, thyme, lemon zest and juice. Stew gently until the flesh is easily mashed with a fork. Take the pot off the heat and purée the pears with a stick blender. Return the pot to the stove and add jam-setting sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Turn up the heat and boil briskly for 5 minutes. Pour into jars and seal.

page 17 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | recipes

perfect match RECIPES Vicki Ravlich-Horan PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

Scones, is there a better vessel for your homemade jam? Originating from the UK, very likely from Scotland, but let’s not open that can of worms or we’ll end up in a pavlova-esque controversy. The scones of old were made with ground oats and cooked on a griddle until the introduction of baking powder, which saw them begin to be baked in the oven and the form we are more familiar with.

A good scone should have a crisp crust but be soft and fluffy on the inside. One of the keys to getting a beautiful delicate texture is not overworking the dough. My other tip is to ensure the butter is very cold when working it into the flour. Finally in my bag of tricks is using yoghurt or buttermilk instead of milk as your wetting agent. The acidity in these reacts with the baking powder giving you a better rise and a fluffier scone.

Once mastered, scones are not only quick and cheap to whip up, the basic recipe can be transformed with an endless combination of flavours both sweet and savoury.

BASIC SCONES

SUPER QUICK SCONES

3 cups flour

This two ingredient recipe is easy to remember and what I pull out to make super easy scone scrolls, kids pizza dough or a topping for casseroles, and of course you can add any number of flavourings from cheese to herbs, dried fruit to spice.

5 tsp baking powder 75g butter, cold 1½ cups buttermilk or thin natural yoghurt* Mix the flour and baking powder together. Grate the butter into the flour and then with your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until it is like fine breadcrumbs. If adding additional flavours add them now.

Simply mix 3 cups self-raising flour and 1 cup natural yoghurt. Roll, shape and then bake.

Mix in the buttermilk or natural yoghurt and mix efficiently until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and cut into 6–8 scones. Place these on a lined baking tray with a small gap between each.

Note. They will expand as they cook. I like mine to end up touching once cooked, resulting in softer edges. If you like crisper scones, leave a bigger gap between them.

Bake at 200°C for 10–15 minutes. *If you only have a thick Greek-like yoghurt on hand, simply thin it down with half milk half yoghurt.

VARIATIONS Currant and lemon – add 1 cup currants and the zest of a lemon Date and orange – add 1 cup chopped dates and the zest of an orange Classic Cheese – add 1 cup of grated cheddar to the mixture and top the scones with an extra ½ cup before baking Wholemeal and walnut – replace 1 cup of the flour with ½ cup wholemeal flour and ½ cup chopped walnuts

A celebration of local produce and good times.

250 Victoria Street, Hamilton, New Zealand 3204 (07) 834 2363 | www.DoughBros.co.nz

page 19 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | enviro

Avid gardeners realise they have a great source of free nutrients they can put back into their garden by collecting food scraps and creating compost, but not all of us have green thumbs or have a plot big enough to justify an elaborate composting system.

Don’t let it go to waste WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Have you ever thrown an apple core out the car window with the justification that it’s biodegradable?

While I in no way want to encourage this behaviour, you may be right. Putting said core into a bin that is then hauled off to be dumped in landfill is contributing to a growing problem.

Camilla from the Waikato Environment Centre explains: “When we put food and other organic waste in landfill they decompose differently than if they were composted. They release methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) and can change the chemical composition of the already toxic liquid generated by landfills (leachate).” And this is the key point that most people don’t realise.

The very fact that the apple core is biodegradable is also the reason most people don’t see it, or any other food waste, as something they need to worry about sending off to landfill. Many households and businesses diligently sort their paper, plastics and glass to be recycled and then figure the rest will go into one giant compost

pit to be buried. After all we’ve taken out the stuff that won’t break down or can be reused, right?

It is estimated 44% of New Zealand household waste is organic — 25% food waste and 19% garden waste. A 2014 study for Waste MINZ calculated that 229,022 tonnes of food waste was sent to New Zealand landfills a year.

Reducing the amount of food waste your household generates is always a good place to start. This will save you money as well as reduce the resources wasted on producing food that is never eaten.

Unfortunately, even the most vigilant household will still generate some food waste from that apple core to carrot peels.

page 20 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

But it turns out that having a compost bin, worm farm or Bokashi type system to dispose of your organic waste is essential, regardless of your gardens needs, or lack thereof. (See page 22 for more on these different forms of composting.)

And if this is an issue we all need to consider at home it is definitely something your local cafe or restaurant should also be looking into! Alana from Rouge in Cambridge says although not difficult, separating and diverting their food scraps from general waste “does require more time, organisation and staff training than just dumping everything in a wheelie bin”.

Alana says, “Sustainability is very important to us at Rouge. It seems silly to dump food waste in a landfill when it can be put to good use feeding people or animals, or composting it. It’s a change in thinking — it’s not rubbish, it’s a resource. Through diverting food waste and other resources (recycling, compostable paper) from landfill we have reduced our rubbish from three 200 litre wheelie bins per week to one, considerably less than other cafes. Not only is it good for the environment, but we pay less for rubbish disposal!”

The ideal would be for our food waste to be picked up with weekly rubbish collections, and while there are trials and pilot programmes underway to see if such a service would work, this is not something we should expect in the short term. So in the meantime organisations like the Waikato Environment Centre can help both businesses and households learn more about what they can do with their organic waste.

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NOURISHMAGAZINE

NOURISH | garden

Composting

101

Composting in your own backyard creates a nutrient-rich source of fuel for your garden and helps prevent landfills becoming overwhelmed with organic matter. Hamilton Gardens’ Sustainable Backyard gardener Teresa shares her experiences with transforming food scraps and green waste into a powerful resource.

BOKASHI COMPOSTING Bokashi is a generic Japanese term which means ‘fermented organic matter’. This popular method of reducing waste requires special buckets and additives to kick-start the composting process. Bokashi can be used indoors and is ideal for small homes or inner-city living. Kits can be purchased from the Waikato Environment Centre.

PROS:

Building an outdoor compost bin is a very easy method of disposing of green waste. Wooden bins (or even piles) can be built in unused shady areas of your garden, or near where you plan to create a garden. Come see the Hamilton Gardens’ composting bins in action.

Less labour intensive as worms aerate the scraps as they digest them.

PROS The compost is highly useful for enriching soil to grow plants, vegetables and fruit trees and can protect the base of trees from weeds and drying out.

Useful for bigger scale composting including grass clippings, paper, weeds, tree pruning and overflow from citrus trees.

CONS This method is more labour intensive and includes turning the piles and alternating bins to aid the decomposition process.

Requires more space.

PROS Prevents daily trips to an outdoor compost bin — especially during chilly winter days!

No need to worry about layering foods to create the perfect carbon and nitrogen ratio.

Suitable for composting meat, dairy, fish and bones.

Less labour intensive than outdoor compost systems.

Low odour and will not attract fruit flies.

Up to 50% quicker composting time than outdoor systems.

PHOTOGRAPHY Rebekah Davenport

COMPOST BINS

Also produces a potent liquid fertiliser which can be diluted for use on plants.

CONS

Compost can take several months before it is ‘cooked’ enough to become useable.

TIPS AND TRICKS To generate enough heat in the pile to decompose the organic matter, use one part nitrogen (e.g. green clippings, weeds, flowers or coffee grounds) and two parts carbon (e.g. paper, cardboard, straw or leaves).

Place carpet over the bin to maintain heat.

Grass clippings and chicken manure can be used as activators in your compost to kick-start decomposition.

Build your bin on bare earth to allow organisms from the soil below to aerate your compost.

You will still need to empty the decaying matter i.e. bury it outdoors.

Chop matter into smaller pieces for faster decomposition. v

There is an ongoing cost to purchase the fermenting additive.

No dairy or meat should be added as this can attract domestic animals or rodents, and potentially create a foul smell.

TIPS AND TRICKS A fermenting smell could mean you haven’t used enough additive or the bucket is not airtight.

WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO Initially, the waste cannot be buried near the roots of plants as the mixture is too acidic and needs approximately two weeks to neutralise.

WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO

WORM FARMS Worm farms are self-contained composting systems that generate worm manure (castings) and worm juice. Nearly one-third of all household waste can be recycled by worms into compost — even vacuum cleaner dust and hair! Head along to the Sustainable Backyard to see the gardens’ worms in action.

Materials can be constantly added so you don’t need to stockpile different scraps to achieve the perfect carbon and nitrogen ratio.

Worm juice is a natural fungicide, fertiliser and pesticide.

CONS Worms need to be separated from their castings so you can access the compost (see Tips).

Only certain worms can be used. The Waikato Environment Centre has a list of local worm suppliers.

TIPS AND TRICKS Old baths are perfect for worm farms and you can alternate sides for your fresh scraps to draw the worms away from their castings so you can harvest the manure.

The worm juice is very potent and initially needs to be diluted with water before applying directly to plants.

A sprinkling of dolomite each week reduces the acidity levels and the worms love it.

WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO Do not add meat or dairy, and limit the amount of citrus.

BIO: Teresa Parry is a qualified horticulturist and has been with Hamilton Gardens since 2005. She joined the team as a de-header in the Rogers Rose Garden and has since worked in all of the gardens.

She is now responsible for the Sustainable Backyard and Tropical Garden.

Find out more about Hamilton Gardens: www.hamiltongardens.co.nz www.facebook.com/hamiltongardensNZ

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flowers | jewellery | gifts

NOURISH | how to Indoor plants are back on trend and people are loving filling their homes with some “green goodness”. It’s a great way to keep your home or office looking fresh and they don’t need to be high maintenance or hard to keep alive. Here’s a little look at what you can do to achieve some “green goodness” in your life.

CHOOSE YOUR VESSEL You can use anything really: pot, votive, tea cup, ceramic vase, whatever look you are after. Keep in mind that for small plants, you don't need to worry about drainage, but for big plants you will.

Today we are using a tea light votive, small ceramic pot and a glass vase.

CHOOSE YOUR PLANT Try and keep to indoor plants or succulents e.g. ficus, echiverias, baby's tears, bubble plant, cactus, philodendron, ferns.

They are designed for indoors and cope with the conditions. Today we are using baby's tears, echiverias and philodendron (see picture below).

How to LOVE Your Indoor Plants

TIME TO PLANT You will need small pebbles, indoor potting mix (I like the Tui brand from Mitre 10), water, spoon, trough.

AFTER CARE DON’T OVER WATER YOUR PLANTS – you will drown them, especially succulents.

Just dribble in a bit of water relevant to your pot size every couple of days and watch them grow. Succulents do well if you spray them and only water occasionally.

INDOOR PLANTS LIKE SUNLIGHT and will do best if they are exposed to natural light. But try not to put them in direct sunlight e.g a window sill that gets a lot of sun, as you can end up 'cooking' them.

FEED THEM – a little liquid plant food every few months will keep them looking and growing well, it also helps with bugs and general plant health, which is important for anything in a pot.

Enjoy and happy planting!

The Bird Cage 196 Alexandra Street Te Awamutu

Autumn... time to nourish your skin

WORDS Tina Heffer | PHOTOGRAPHY Leah Hoskins

We handmake herbal creams to suit your skin.

Our Healing Blend cream has been a top seller for 20 years!

Do you have problems with your skin?

Tina from the Birdcage in Te Awamutu gives us some of her expert tips on indoor plants. The Birdcage is an eclectic mix of all things beautiful for yourself and your home, from fresh flowers to handmade jewellery, shoes, make-up, gifts and more.

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NOURISH | feature

the GARDENS CAFE

Craig Fraser works in one of the most special places in Hamilton. “It’s fantastic,” he says, “you come down the road, and it’s like its own little microclimate.”

We’re talking about the magical award-winning Hamilton Gardens here, off Cobham Drive, which does indeed seem to have its own atmospheric zone, its own world of lush planting and tranquility.

And Craig Fraser, his wife Jenny and their daughter Zeta, get to enjoy this every day from their cafe in the heart of it all.

The Frasers took over Hamilton Gardens Cafe in October last year, the latest venture for a family with long experience in hospitality management. Previous businesses include Cambridge’s GPO restaurant, and Prince Albert Tavern, as well as Zone Café & Wine Bar, in Mount Maunganui.

In their first few months at Hamilton Gardens, the Frasers have updated and refurbished their eatery, and increased the dining space. The former function room, previously closed to the main cafe, has been incorporated into the day-to-day operation; it’s been given a bold new design treatment, with lavish botanical-inspired wallpaper, sleek New Zealand-made furnishings and explorerthemed artworks and props.

trusty golf cart that the cafe has set up to ferry ice creams around the leafy pathways.

Team Fraser — Craig, Jenny and Zeta — are totally hands-on in the day-to-day running of their business. “There’s a family member here every day, from open to close,” says Craig.

Says Jenny: “We want to offer the best experience. We want people to be as proud of this place (the cafe), as they are of the gardens.”

Hamilton Gardens Cafe, Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton Gardens 07 856 6581 | open seven days, 9am–6pm

Says Craig: “We want people to walk in and go, ‘Wow’. We’ve upgraded it to almost a business class experience, in keeping with the international standard of the gardens.”

The refurbished space offers the best views in the house, looking directly to Turtle Lake and the green planting beyond. It is peaceful and beautiful, and Jenny points out the only background noise is from the chirping cicadas. She and Craig let the environment speak for itself, rather than having music on high rotate.

Their upgrade means they can now seat 230 people — indoors and out — at any one time, and locals and visitors come through the place in a steady stream. The Frasers welcome their regulars; they’ve found that many Hamiltonians use the gardens as part of their daily exercise and stop off at the cafe for coffee.

Then there is the rest of the world. “We have every nationality here that you can think of,” says Craig. “Some visitors spend the whole day at the gardens. They’ll come in here for morning tea, then lunch, then an ice block in the afternoon.”

Recently, on Waitangi weekend, there were around 1500 people in the cafe each day, some wanting quick refreshments, others lingering over breakfast and lunch, or maybe just after an icecream.

At Hamilton Gardens Cafe, they do all of this. The kitchen is headed by chef Jono Smith; he and his team cook everything from scratch, and herbs are picked fresh from a nearby garden.

There is well-made Allpress coffee to enjoy, and a good selection of cabinet food: you can take your pick from mini quiches, club sammies, savoury muffins, risotto cakes, roulades, savoury pastries, pies, vege frittatas and more. As well as sweet treats such as walnut coffee cake, and apricot and rhubarb slice.

The cafe also runs a seasonal blackboard menu of breakfast and lunch dishes, and among these you’ll find toasted quinoa muesli, eggs Florentine, smoked salmon roulade, smoked salmon salad, Cuban prawn taco, and tandoori roast lamb salad.

WORDS Denise Irvine | RECIPE Jono Smith | PHOTOGRAPHY Brydie Thompson

Ice creams are big business, too. “It’s nothing for us to knock out 600 a day,” says Craig. And if you’re in a far-flung corner of the gardens and craving an ice-cream, chances are that you’ll spot the page 27 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

Tandoori Lamb Salad LAMB MARINADE

SALAD

1 tsp salt

4 large tomatoes

1 tsp cayenne

1 punnet cherry tomatoes

1 tsp coriander, ground

50g baby cress

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp sriracha pepper sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

salt pepper for taste

1 tsp dry mustard

Cut large tomatoes into wedges and place in a large mixing bowl with half the cherry tomatoes cut in half and the other half left whole. Combine with the cress and sriracha sauce, fold in lightly then season.

1 tsp ginger 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp fennel 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika ½ cup yoghurt 2 tbsp lime juice 450g lamb back straps Combine all ingredients except for lamb in a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Trim lamb of any silver skin before placing in the marinade. Ensure the lamb is completely coated and allow to marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.

ROASTED OLIVES

150gm pitted Kalamata olives 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

TO ASSEMBLE Sear the lamb in a hot pan for 1 minute each side then finish in oven at 180°C for approx. 4–6 min, depending how rare you prefer your meat. Allow to rest for a few minutes before cutting into thin slices.

Arrange tomato salad on a plate, scatter olives and top with the lamb. Drizzle with plain yoghurt, and for a final flourish top with poppadoms.

Serves 4

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1 tsp fine diced red chilli 1 tsp pink peppercorns 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced 1 tbsp olive oil

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Combine all ingredients and mix well, then roast on a lined baking tray for 10 minutes.

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cracked pepper for taste

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NOURISH | celebrates

decadent achocolate mousse cake INGREDIENTS

Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the batter mix.

BROWNIE BASE

Bake for about 15 minutes in an oven set at 170°C.

60g butter, softened ½ cup sugar

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING

1 egg ½ tsp vanilla essence ⅓ cup self-raising flour 4 tbsp cocoa 100g chocolate, roughly chopped CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING

150g chocolate, chopped 1 cup cream 2 tbsp cocoa

Beat the remaining three quarters of a cup of cream with the cocoa until stiff peaks have formed. Place in the fridge while you prepare the egg whites.

3 egg whites

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks have started to form, set aside.

MALLOW TOPPING

Slowly fold the cream into the cooled chocolate mix, when this is done, fold in the egg whites.

100g white marshmallow (20 large) ¼ cup milk cocoa for dusting on top

Pour the mousse on top of the brownie base and place into the fridge to set while you prepare the marshmallow topping.

METHOD

MALLOW TOPPING

1 cup cream

RECIPE Megan Muldowney | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

Place the chocolate and a quarter of a cup of cream in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water until the chocolate and cream have melted. Stir the chocolate mix until it is smooth and set aside to cool. This will take 20 minutes.

BROWNIE BASE Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence for 1 minute until light in colour.

Add the egg and continue beating until combined.

Sift in the flour and cocoa and beat for 2 minutes until thick.

Spread this batter into the base of a 20cm round cake tin, with a removable base.

Place the marshmallows and milk into a small saucepan and melt slowly over a low heat.

Stir the marshmallows as they melt to get a smooth texture. When done, set aside to cool.

This will take about 45 minutes.

When cool, beat the cream until stiff peaks have formed and fold it gently into the marshmallow mix. Spread this mix evenly over the chocolate mousse cake. Sprinkle with cocoa and leave in the fridge to set. This will take a few hours.

Megan Muldowney The Cafe Baker | www.thecafebaker.co.nz

NOURISH | bakes

Easter baking RECIPE Vicki Ravlich-Horan | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

For me Easter and baking just go together. This probably dates back to when I was a child and we would go to the beach for Easter. My grandmother and later my mother would always bake. I remember my mum’s fruit plaits and the freshly baked buns with a hearty autumn soup.

The long weekend makes for a perfect excuse to get hands on and try something like home made hot cross buns or perhaps my version of a Babka .

babka

Easter and baking go hand in hand, but if dried fruit isn’t your thing or perhaps you’ve already had your fill of hot cross buns, I suggest giving babka a try. Babka is a cake made from sweet yeast dough in Eastern European countries, traditionally on Easter Sunday. But to confuse matters, babka, also known as krantz cake, is a Jewish treat of sweet dough filled and twisted to create a spectacular sweet bread/ cake. Perhaps a little strange to be baking a Jewish cake for Easter, but the truth is the Jewish version looks a lot more spectacular and it is really more about the baking than the tradition or symbolism!

hot cross buns

I have to confess hot cross buns are my weakness. I can’t wait each year for the Christmas decorations to disappear as it means hot cross buns will start popping up in the supermarket. I know these, often mass-produced versions, are not the best specimens, but they tide me over until Easter and act as a teaser until I can revel in delicious versions like those made by Ryan and the team at Volare.

I also enjoy the excuse to dust off my bread baking skills and make my own. These, my latest version, are more like brioche dough than your usual hot cross buns and are perfect for those odd people out there who don’t like the spices in the traditional version as I have opted to include this in the butter I serve with them.

This recipe is based on the chocolate krantz cakes in Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Once you have mastered the rolling, cutting and twisting, you can experiment with fillings, the options of which are endless: from Nutella to a crème patisserie, a cinnamon and ground nut combo to jam. I’m even thinking of taking this technique of rolling, filling, cutting and twisting to create a savoury loaf.

½ cup sugar

3 eggs

2½ tsp yeast

100g soft butter

½ cup lukewarm water

1½ cups mixed dried fruit

3½ cups flour*

⅓ cup rum

Makes 2 loaves

CHOCOLATE FILLING

DOUGH

150g dark chocolate (I used Whittaker’s 50% dark chocolate)

Mix the sugar, yeast and water together in a large bowl and set aside in a warm spot for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom. When the yeast has bubbled up, add the flour, salt, eggs and butter and mix well. You’ll now need to get your hands in and bring the dough together, then tip it out onto the bench and knead for 10 minutes.

4¼ cups flour ½ cup sugar 2 tsp instant yeast grated zest of half an orange 3 eggs

1 tsp salt Soak the mixed fruit in the rum for a couple of hours or, even better, overnight.

120g butter

Clean your bowl and return the dough to it, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel. Place in a warm, draft-free spot and allow to double in size (approximately 2–3 hours).

½ cup icing sugar ⅓ cup cocoa powder

Mix in the rum-soaked dried fruit and then divide the dough into 12 equal portions. I find the easiest way to do this is to divide the dough into thirds and then each third into four. Shape each portion into a round bun before placing in a greased baking dish allowing enough room between each bun for them to expand.

½ cup ground pistachios (optional)

½ cup water

SYRUP

150g soft butter

⅓ cup water ⅓ cup icing sugar

Place all the dough ingredients into a bread maker and set it to the dough cycle. If you don’t have a bread maker you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook, and mix on medium for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides 2–3 times.

Once the dough has mixed (in bread maker or mixer) cover it with cling film and allow it to rest in the fridge overnight.

Make the filling by melting the butter and chocolate together, then add the cocoa and icing sugar.

Cut the dough into two, rolling one half out on a floured bench top to approximately a 25cm x 30cm rectangle.

Spread half the chocolate mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1cm border at the end farthest away from you, then scatter over half the ground pistachios. Roll the dough up with the filling into a long, tight cigar. Place this filled roll on a tray and in the fridge for 30 minutes to help set the filling, making the next steps a lot easier.

spiced butter 150g butter, soft 1 tsp cinnamon

Cover the baking dish and allow the buns to rise again, approximately 2 hours. Or at this stage you can place the buns in the fridge overnight to be pulled out in the morning, allowed to rise and then baked. As the buns come to room temperature, they will also rise, but it will take closer to 3 hours,v depending on how warm a spot they are in.

Bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes. When cool pipe crosses on with a simple icing of 2/3 cup icing sugar and 3 tbsp hot water mixed together and serve with my spiced butter.

1 tbsp icing sugar

*Temperature and humidity can change the density of your flour. For this reason you may need to add a little more than specified. Use your judgement; add a quarter of a cup more at a time until you are satisfied. But note this enriched bread dough is stickier than regular bread and kneading it will also help.

Mix the butter, spices and icing sugar together.

Roll into a log then wrap in cling film or baking paper and chill.

Cheat – use a bread machine, simply add all the ingredients (except the fruit) and set on the dough cycle. Or instead of kneading by hand, a stand mixer with a dough hook will do the trick while you enjoy a cuppa.

1/2 tsp ginger 1 tsp mixed spice

Carefully cut the log in half lengthwise and lay each half next to each other, cut sides up. Pinch the top ends gently together. Lift one side over the next, forming a twist and trying to keep the cut sides facing out. Now the tricky bit of transferring your twist into a greased and lined loaf tin, don’t worry too much with this as you can adjust it once it is in the loaf tin.

Cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave to rise for another 1 to 1½ hours at room temperature.

Bake in a pre-heated 180°C oven for 30 minutes. While your babka is baking, make the syrup. I simply dissolved the icing sugar in boiling water.

Pour half the syrup over the baked loaf and allow to cool.

NOTES This recipe makes two loaves. If you don’t want to make two at the same time, the second half of the dough as well as the chocolate mixture will keep in the fridge for a few days or can also be frozen.

The syrup seems unnecessary and feel free to leave this step out.

TWO BIRDS EATERY | 44 Clyde Street, Hamilton 3216 | 07 856 8508 | www.twobirdseatery.co.nz page 37 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

twobirdseaterynz

NOURISH | recipes

ember brings the heat

Carlos Rebello, head chef at Ember on Church Road, shares with us one of his favourite dishes from their menu.

CHIMICHURRI MARINATED SIRLOIN 1kg of sirloin steak ½ cup of chimichurri from the recipe butter to cook sea salt CHIMICHURRI

4 tbsp curly parsley 2 tbsp fresh oregano 2 tbsp coriander

Submerge the garlic cloves in 100ml of canola oil in a small pot and cook until golden and fragrant.

Strain garlic (reserve the oil) and leave to cool down slightly.

Place eggs, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and garlic in a food processor and blitz the ingredients until it is a pale creamy paste.

Start to add the oil slowly with the food processor on, use the reserved garlic oil first.

Add all the oil and season to taste.

To finish the chips, cut them into long wedges. Heat up the canola oil in a pot (or use a deep fryer if you have one), and fry the potatoes until golden and crispy. Season to taste and serve with the aioli.

2 cloves garlic 1 small red chilli juice of 2 lemons 100ml of extra virgin olive oil sea salt to taste Start by making the chimichurri. Finely chop the herbs, de-seed and finely chop the chilli and finely chop the garlic. Mix all chopped ingredients together and add lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt to taste.

Let the flavours infuse for at least 1 hour.

Trim the sirloin, removing all fat and sinew. Cut the meat into thick strips (about 3cm by 1cm).

Marinate with the chimichurri and cover with cling film for at least 3 hours (preferably 24 hours).

In a hot pan add butter and once it’s melted and bubbling add the steak for 2 minutes on each side for a medium rare cook.

Once sirloin is cooked, place on a nice plate and finish it with sea salt and lots of the fresh chimichurri all over it. Serve with hand cut chips and baby cos salad.

BABY COS SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE 1 baby cos per person blue cheese sauce good quality Parmesan cheese

HAND-CUT CHIPS WITH AIOLI

olive oil sea salt

CHIPS

1kg large Agria potatoes (or more if you want, and you will!) enough canola oil to deep fry the potatoes sea salt black pepper AIOLI

3 eggs (whole) 30ml white wine vinegar juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 5 garlic cloves 1 litre of canola oil

BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

1 cup sour cream 1 cup good quality blue cheese enough cream to adjust consistency seasoning (salt and white pepper) To make the blue cheese sauce blitz sour cream and blue cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. If your blue cheese flavour is too strong for your taste add more sour cream. With the food processor running, add enough cream to make it just runny but still thick. Season to taste.

Prepare salad just before serving. Wash the cos lettuce well and cut in half lengthways. Drizzle blue cheese sauce all over the halves, then olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan and season with sea salt.

seasoning to taste (salt and white pepper) With a small knife stab the potatoes lots of times to draw the moisture out of them, then roast at 170°C for an hour or until fully cooked. Cool the potatoes in the fridge.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY Vicki Ravlich-Horan RECIPES Carlos Rebello

While the potatoes are cooling make the aioli.

Ember 62 Church Road, Hamilton | 07-850 9339

NOURISH | recipes

You have probably seen the term sous-vide (‘sue veed’) on restaurant menus. The French term means “under vacuum” and, in short, is the method of cooking food sealed in a plastic bag and submerged in hot water at an exact temperature for an exact length of time.

Cooking

sous-vide

atmosphere. Don’t underestimate the force of keeping all the flavours in the bag!

Tougher cuts of meat can be cooked at temperatures low enough to avoid them drying out but still hot enough to dissolve the connective tissue that makes meat tough.

Vegetables retain their texture, and as the food is sealed in plastic, the flavour is never lost to the cooking water or the

Thermometer

Magills Slow-Cooked Pulled Hereford Beef, Duroc Pork and New Zealand Lamb is healthy, convenient, versatile, gluten and preservative free. It’s 95% pure meat, slow-cooked for 12 hours and ready at home in minutes. Mouthwatering as-is or combine it with your favourite flavours to create your own culinary sensations.

MAGILLS.CO.NZ

0800 MAGILLS

Vacuum pack machine Large pot or container for hot water Timer TOP TIP: The key to success is in ensuring the exact timing and exact temperature of the water.

SOUS-VIDE EGGPLANT

At Falls Retreat we use sous-vide for our chicken ballotine dish as it gives us total control over the texture of the chicken thigh — super tender! The chicken comes out a lot juicier than traditional methods every time.

1kg eggplant sliced into 1cm slices sea salt

For the home cook, sous-vide offers a very convenient method of cooking as you can cook a whole batch to be chilled, stored and used later. When you are ready to use each portion, all you have to do is remove from the bag and pan sear it for 10–15 minutes in a little oil then serve with your favourite side dish. Easy!

Liberally salt a large flat tray and place eggplant, smaller round down.

Sprinkle with more sea salt and leave for 2 hours. The salt will draw out moisture and also reduce bitterness, especially in older and bigger eggplant. You will see beads of moisture forming on the surface of the eggplant as it sits. As the salt extracts liquid from the eggplant, it collapses all the little air pockets and when the eggplant becomes more firm, it absorbs less oil.

1kg fresh chicken thighs – skin on

MARINADE

MARINADE

1 level tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp crushed garlic

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp turmeric

1 level tbsp chopped garlic

handful fresh oregano

handful of oregano or marjoram

zest of 2 lemons

dash olive oil

dash of olive oil to combine into a paste

cracked black pepper

Pour marinade over chicken and cover each one thoroughly.

Mix into a paste.

Place chicken into vacuum pack bags in a single layer and put through vacuum pack machine on medium high.

After 2 hours, rinse salt off eggplant and pat dry.

Fully chill the chicken still in the bag before use (use an ice bath if necessary). Chilling it allows you to get extra crispy skin when you reheat.

Remove portion from bag, season and pan sear skin side down over a moderate heat for 10–15 minutes without overcooking the chicken underneath.

Available now from Magills in Te Awamutu, Farro Fresh in Auckland and selected supermarkets nationwide. Check our website for a full list of stockists.

Keen to give it a try? Don’t go out and buy an expensive machine, all you need to get started is:

SOUS-VIDE CHICKEN THIGHS

Place chicken into water bath at 74°C/174°F for 2 hours (this is the closest you will get to a traditionally pan roasted thigh only juicier and more tender).

SENSATIONAL SLOW-COOKED MEALS—FAST

page 40 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

But this is no boil in a bag quick cook. Sous-vide is favoured by chefs for the amazing results and super juicy and tender cuts of meat. Sous-vide ensures that the product is cooked evenly throughout, achieving the exact internal temperature, which is the same in the centre as it is throughout the rest of the meat.

Place in a large bowl and pour marinade over eggplant, coating each one thoroughly.

Place eggplant into vacuum pack bags in uniform single layer and vacuum at medium to low (45).

Place packs of eggplants into your water bath at 85°C for 1½ hours then place in an ice bath immediately.

Once chilled, open vacuum pack and crumb desired portions in Japanese panko crumbs, sesame seeds a pinch of salt and Parmesan.

Fry in a little butter and olive oil on a low heat until golden brown and serve with a tomato salsa, goats’vw cheese and basil.

WANT A COOKING QUESTION ANSWERED? Brad King is the chef and owner of Falls Retreat & Bistro in Waihi and a 2015 Beef and Lamb Ambassador. Each edition Brad shares his knowledge and expertise.

If you have a question or culinary problem you think Brad could help with please email info@nourishmagazine.co.nz with Brad King in the subject line.

page 41 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

The Garden Art

Local Art Scene

FRAMING TIPS

Studio

From the moment you step out of your car at The Garden Art Studio on Kaipaki Road, you get a taste of what is to come, as dotted amongst the trees and cars are gorgeous pieces of art. Carry on in and discover not only a garden space with an array of sculptures and outdoor art of all sizes, but a studio filled with unique New Zealand art from large paintings to quirky little pieces.

Owned by Kaye and John Murray, it is evident that discovering wonderfu,l talented artists is part of the joy of owning the business. Kaye and John have been known to go on big road trips to visit their daughter in the South Island and come back with a list of new artists and pieces of work for the gallery.

The artists don’t stop with those simply supplying The Garden Art Studio. The day I visited, Michelle Judge was the friendly face behind the counter. When Michelle is not at The Garden Art Studio, she is in her studio at home creating pieces of art from glass. Michelle loves that The Garden Art Studio has such a broad range of art available which means “everyone can own a piece of New Zealand art”.

With different featured artists or exhibitions each month “it is constantly changing” says Michelle, and the poor hole-marked walls are testament to this. What doesn’t change is the ethos of promoting New Zealand artists.

NOURISH | arts

FROM THE EXPERTS

SARAH MARSTON | THE FRAMING WORKSHOP

PROTECTING YOUR ARTWORK FROM ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT The framing projects we work on at The Framing Workshop vary widely. With the numerous frame designs and numerous methods of presentation we will advise on all the decisions that need to be made. This includes the best materials to use to protect the artwork as well as the design, proportion and colour that will best present the work in the environment you plan to hang it.

ARTWORK Sarah Hughes PHOTOGRAPH | Angela Keoghan

SARAH MARSTON With Sarah’s personal interest and knowledge in art, she sees value in all works – no matter whether that value is in dollars, sentiment, or historical interest.

All artwork is given the same respect and treated with the same care and attention. Over the years she has refined her craft in design and colour by keeping in touch with the latest ideas and materials , drawing from tradition and listening to your requirements.

Since ultraviolet rays are present in both natural light & artificial light it is not enough to simply hang your framed artwork from direct sunlight. Without protective glazing, not only do the pigments in the artwork fade, but the paper degrades. The effects are subtle over time and not easy to discern… until it is too late.

We recommend using conservation glass with 99% UV filter.

It comes in various grades which include clear, low glare, acrylic, and the optimum museum acrylic and museum glass.

Call into our workshop at 120 Silverdale Road for a consultation. We are happy to spend time with you to create a solution you will be happy with.

The Framing Workshop www.theframingworkshop.co.nz

While there are pieces from artists across the country, Michelle admits they have a strong local contingent. “We trip over them when we are out and about,” says Michelle who says they are always looking for signs at letterboxes or interested in recommendations from other artists.

This season stone sculptures will bring the carpark to life as they create their works of art before your eyes. Also coming up this season is an exhibition by local Cambridge artist Santie Cronje.

Open every day except Mondays, The Garden Art Studio is the perfect place to pick up a gift or that special piece for yourself.

Make a day of it with the Lily Pad Cafe next door.

1234 Kaipaki Road, Cambridge www.thegardenartstudio.co.nz

page 43 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | beauty

Beauty

NOT SUCH A MICRO PROBLEM Microbeads are tiny plastic particles, usually smaller than 2mm, found in almost all mainstream exfoliating face or body washes. These plastic exfoliants are used as they are soft enough to use each day when natural versions like coffee, salt or almond kernel could only be used once a week, and of course these companies want you using their product more than this!

then become part of the fish and then the food-chain which we are part of.

Just another reason to look at the ingredients in your beauty products and opt for those with natural ingredients.

The Herbal Dispensary in Raglan have a great range of natural exfoliants including those from Antipodes, Sukin and Dr Hausckha that use natural ingredients like jojoba beads, almond and walnut meal.

These plastic micro beads have been banned is several countries, including the US, but are still allowed in NZ, which means trillions of microbeads are being washed down the drain every year. They are so small they pass through any filter system and make their way into our waterways and the sea.

Sea-life, from birds to fish and whales, end up eating these small particles of plastic by mistake. The problem is compounded with scientists discovering that the microbeads pick up environmental pollutants. These pollutants

BROWS DOMINATE Bold natural brows are going to continue to dominate for 2016. Models are rocking the thick, natural looking brow with very little brow make-up.

All very well if you have a natural bold brow to work with; however, for some of us the bold thick brows are something we can only dream about.

Below are a few tips on trying to achieve this fashionable look for 2016.

Stop tweezing any hairs that are 3–4 rows below and above the natural bulk of the brow.

•

• Avoid trimming. If you need to trim, just trim the extra long hairs and leave any from the arch of the brow back. You will need these to create a thicker feel to the brow.

• Only apply a brow pencil or powder to areas that are looking sparse, too much and the brow will look unnatural and heavy.

•

looking longer and in place.

• Be patient. Brows can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to reshape and style.

To thicker brows.

Sara

Sara from Skin Beauty & Day Spa in Te Awamutu shares some great advice each season to keep your skin beautiful and healthy.

skinbeauty.co.nz

Use a clear brow gel and brush them upwards and outwards to keep them

Tired? Irritable? Gaining weight?

Are you finding you don't have the energy you used to?

Feeling hormonal? Craving sweet or salty foods?

Do you lead a busy life and find it hard to relax?

You may have adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is most often a result of leading a busy stressful, life. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include fatigue; weight gain; food cravings, especially for salty or sweet foods; easily stressed; memory loss; depression; hormonal imbalances; tired upon waking and sleep issues. You may be suffering from all or just a few of these symptoms.

Our bodies are designed to deal with a stressful situation, and then move back into a relaxed state once the stressor has gone.

However, in our current society we are calling on our stress hormones more and more as we run around with busy schedules along with stresses from finances, relationships, work and kids.

When you are stressed your body responds by the adrenal glands releasing the chemicals cortisol and adrenaline into the blood to help you deal with the stress. When you have long-term day to day stress you are causing your adrenal glands to constantly produce heightened levels of these stress hormones. Over time, when we are under constant stress, our adrenal glands can become fatigued. The constant stress can also start to affect other areas of our body, including our digestive and immune systems, as well as increasing our risk of chronic diseases. Stress can also lead to deficiencies in specific nutrients resulting in other processes in the body not working as well as they should.

One of the actions of the stress hormone, cortisol is to increase the amount of glucose in the blood so that we have the energy to fight or flee from the stressful situation. Repeated elevation of cortisol can lead to weight gain, especially around the tummy.

There are specific clinical tests that can be carried out to assess your adrenal function. Supplementing with key nutrients and lifestyle changes will often form an important part of a personalised treatment plan to help you to regain your health.

NOURISH | treats

YOU DESERVE A BREAK Imagine it – a day of pampering! A day just to yourself without any crying kids, ringing phones, nagging emails. Forget about what you have to do for dinner and the pile of washing that needs to be washed, hung out and folded.

Sara from Skin Beauty & Day Spa in Te Awamutu thinks more women need to take time out for themselves and we have to agree.

So we put our heads together to come up with what we could do, especially for those selfless women in our community who just quietly get on and do it. You know the one, the woman that sees someone in need and without any fuss gets stuck in. The one who is on three committees, gives up her weekends to stand at a sausage sizzle or organise the next fundraiser. She’s always short of time but that doesn’t stop her. What do they say - if you want something done give it to a busy person? The problem is that busy person needs a little time for herself.

to have some time out to herself and be pampered! She will hate that I've entered her in this, as she is extremely humble about her contribution to our community.”

On top of being an integral part of Te Awamutu Light Operatic Society, Fiona spent much of her time caring for her 91 year old mother, who sadly just passed. Semi retired Fiona still loves her job teaching kids to read at Kihikihi School where she goes above and beyond the job description ensuring the children have the opportunities to thrive and finding special rewards when they achieve their goals.

Fiona enjoyed a day of pampering at Skin Beauty & Day Spa with a spa manicure and pedicure, a hydra restore spa facial and a vde stress full body massage.

So we set out to find one of these ladies and reward them with a day of pampering at Skin Spa. A simple post on Facebook and we were inundated with deserving candidates. It was truly amazing hearing about all the gorgeous generous, souls we have in our community.

Our deserving winner was Fiona Miller. Fiona was nominated by her daughter, Rowan who told us her mum “is a fantastic role model who works way to hard!”

“Whenever anyone calls, Mum is there helping. She totally deserves

NOMINATE SOMEONE SPECIAL! If you know someone in our community who deserves a day off.v please nominate them by emailing us at info@nourishmagazine.co.nz and we will pick another deserving woman that Sara and the team at Skin Spa can spoil with a wonderful day of pampering.

WANT OR DESERVE SOME PAMPERING LIKE THIS? GIVE SKIN SPA A CALL! 07 870 5249

If you would like further information about this or any other health concerns, please contact The Naturopathic Clinic for a FREE half hour consultation on 022 017 6033 or visit us at www.thenaturopathicclinic.co.nz

JENNY BARKER Dip. Nat. Naturopath

3 Gilbert Court, Rototuna, Hamilton 3210 022 017 6033 info@thenaturopathicclinic.co.nz www.thenaturopathicclinic.co.nz

page 45 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

BABY CENTRAL

BOON

GRILL’D

CARRIAGEWORKS FARMERS’ MARKET GPO GRAND

WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Sydney +one

NOURISH | travel

What a difference a year makes! Just over a year ago I was writing about our amazing time in Hanoi whizzing around the streets at night on the back of a moped, walking through the old town discovering hidden gems and delicious food down tiny lanes and up precarious stairways. Now as I remember that I wonder how we would get a pram up those tiny staircases or across those crazy roads.

Life has definitely changed! With a nine month old in tow, this year’s getaway was confined to a jaunt across the ditch. While many New Zealand families see the Gold Coast as the perfect family vacay in Oz, I’m not quite ready to accept this as our fate. So I was delighted to find the Sydney I had visited in my party going 20s and as an interested world traveller in my 30s also offered a lot to see and do for my now family orientated 40s.

WHERE TO EAT Always one of my biggest concerns with any trip and something I spend considerable time researching. No I’m not a fussy eater, we have no allergies or special dietary requirements, I just suffer from a severe case of FOMO when it comes to food in a new city. With a child on board my deliberations come with more to consider; do they have a highchair? Are they open at 5.30pm? And in many cases, can we get the pram in?

Breakfasts and lunches are easy as there are a gazillion places to grab a good coffee, salad or sandwich. Our hotel was just a few hundred metres from the iconic Queen Victoria Building which offered many great options. This stunning building was commissioned in the late nineteenth century while Sydney was in the grips of a major recession. The elaborate Romanesque architecture meant hundreds of out of work craftsmen, stonemasons, stain glass artists, tilers and so on, could all be employed.

Just as I don’t think a small addition should condemn us to an all inclusive package holiday in the Pacific, I don’t think we have to accept meals that come with a toy. Although I do believe a few concessions need to be made and consideration for other diners is very important. Let’s face it, no one wants to have a special night out with a screaming kid at the next table, including those with kids! page 46 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

Today, beautifully restored, the QVB is a must visit every trip to Sydney. Sit, as we did most mornings, in the Metropolle Café and enjoy a great coffee while the locals rush by as you marvel at the elegant surrounds.

TIP – Pick up a treat from one of Australia’s most celebrated pastry chefs, Adriano Zumbo, who has a small store on the ground floor of the QVB.

their neighbourhood. There is a mushroom stall with over eight different varieties of mushrooms, fresh oysters, handmade pasta, artisan bread and delectable cakes of all descriptions, glorious bunches of flowers and an array of cheeses. There is a guy selling dried plums and a sauce he made from them. The produce is vast and all achingly fresh. Hungry? Ovur choices for breakfast cover the globe from Vietnamese Pho to bacon butties to crepes.

CARRIAGEWORKS FARMERS’ MARKET One of the best ways to discover more about a city and the culture is to visit a market, and Sydney has many. With limited time I could only visit one so chose Carriageworks Farmers’ Market.

This old rail yard is now home to one of Australia’s largest and most significant contemporary multi-arts centres. The market is held each Saturday morning and sits seamlessly beside the Arts centre. The market’s creative director is acclaimed chef Mike McEnearney, who has ambitious plans for this already thriving market. “My goal is to put Carriageworks Farmers’ Market (one of Sydney’s treasures) on the world stage, promoting local produce and creating an internationally acclaimed food and arts precinct in Sydney’s Redfern. I am passionate about produce and have always supported and promoted the local and smaller producers in my work. We’re aspiring to grow the Carriageworks Farmers’ Markets to the same international acclaim as London’s Borough Market.”

The large industrial railway building provides a spectacular venue for the market. We arrive by 8am and it’s already bustling.

This is the sort of market anyone would be proud to have in page 47 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

BOON

GRILL’D

What is a trip to Sydney without a visit to the famous Chinatown.

We went in hunt of the Friday Night Chinatown Markets but were enticed inside a gorgeous looking grocery store. Jaren Chan the Asian Grocer screams cool. Even if you weren’t into cooking Asian food, this store would make you want to learn.

The burger is a misunderstood and often demonised food. I blame a certain clown for this, because, done well, a burger is a great dish, suits both lunch and dinner mealtimes and can be tailored to all tastes and diets.

Once inside, and it was a tight squeeze, we discovered Boon. Boon is the type of place I love discovering in big cities like Sydney; delicious authentic food with style but not pretence. Opened in 2015 by the same people who started and run arguably the best Thai food restaurants in Sydney, Chat Thai, Boon is described as “sarnie by day Isaan by night”.

We stumbled upon Grill’d while getting in some late afternoon shopping and decided it would make an easy dinner at the end of a long day, and we were right. Little did I know when we sat down that Grill’d is a chain with outlets all over Australia, with 17 restaurants in Sydney alone. This would normally put me off, but before I discovered this fact I was impressed by the menu, the staff and the ethos; this is no ordinary burger chain.

Lunch is what they describe as “a bit of fun”, with Thai flavours combined in completely new ways; green chilli relish, spicy pork herb sausage, soft-boiled egg, soft herb and pickled cabbage salad sandwich, or fried chicken roll with papaya salad or amut fusilli with house-made spicy Thai herb pork sausage and egg yolk.

Owner Simon Crowe says, “I used to complain to friends that I could rarely find a burger that didn’t make me feel heavy and bloated. Most agreed and eventually a good friend (sick of my whining) told me to put up or shut up. It was in that pub that the idea of Grill’d was born.”

Dinner is more traditional dishes influenced by the cuisine from Isaan, a province in Northern Thailand. Influenced by their neighbours Laos, this region of Thailand is known for food with a kick, lots of fermented fish and pickled vegetables. The menu is extensive for such a tiny place. Take your time and discover something new and make sure you order one or two of the fabulous drinks, from single origin coffees to red tea, cold pressed juices and homemade tisanes.

Wholesome, natural ingredients sourced locally and prepared freshly is what Grill’d do and they do it well. With a choice of bun,

425 Pitt Street, Haymarket www.booncafe.com

OTHER THAN FOOD GPO GRAND The GPO Grand in the heart of the city centre (1 Martin Place) was once the General Post Office. If post offices were this beautiful today perhaps post would not be a dying business. Aptly now named Grand, the building is home to 14 restaurants and bars, including Prime, Sydney’s premium steak restaurant. Prime is where you go for the best steak in town, from a Wagyu to Black Angus, grain fed or grass fed, Scotch fillet or Chateaubriand, all matched with an impeccable wine list and knowledgeable staff. This is the place to enjoy the best steak ever, matched with gorgeous wines and not a place I would expect a high chair or would consider taking my little bread throwing angel.

We still enjoyed a fabulous meal at the GPO Grand, downstairs at Wood, their wood fired pizza bar. This is what pizza should be! The perfect thin crust fired in a hot wood fired oven. The pizzas, and there are plenty to choose from, are all well balanced with just a few exquisite toppings.

As an added bonus you get to watch the whole process in front of your eyes with the open kitchen providing some entertainment while you wait for dinner.

No trip to Sydney is complete without an ogle at one of the most famous harbours in the world and an obligatory snap of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The best views of both is from the water, so catch a ferry to Manly, these are cheap and frequent.

Manly offers a safe white sandy beach for the kids to play and swim plus many family friendly places to enjoy lunch.

Alternatively hop on a ferry to Taronga Zoo and get up close and personal with some of the weird and wonderful creatures that call Australia home. For those with older children, Taronga has a Wild Rope Course where you can face challenges or thrills, depending on the strength of your adventurous streak, to cross suspension bridges, swing through the trees and clamber over various obstacles all while catching glimpses of the wildlife.

We spent a day exploring Darling Harbour. This is easy walking distance from the central city and has several attractions, including Wildlife Sydney Zoo, Sydney Aquarium and Madame Tussauds.

But after a weekend filled with market and foodie forays it was time for my better half to choose, so it was straight to the Australian National Maritime Museum.

The munchkin and I were restricted to the actual land based museum as the pram didn’t fit in a submarine! So while my

from traditional to panini to gluten free or low carb, then comes the burgers: beef, lamb, chicken and veggie as well as sliders, all with a kilojoule count beside each choice. And for those who need fries with theirs, in addition to potato there is also sweet potato and zucchini options. husband marvelled at the ridiculously small space 64 people live and work encaged in a metal box under the sea, we learnt about Australia’s sea-faring past. In addition to the working submarine, the museum is home to a variety of other sea-craft, from tall ships and a life size replica of the Endeavour to small fishing boats that used to sail people from war torn countries like Vietnam to the safety of Australia. Set up for kids of all ages, the museum also has a great kids craft and play area.

Staying with a sea theme, another must do in Sydney is a visit to the fish market. The largest of its kind in the Southern hemisphere, you will experience a true working fish market, smell the smells, witness the bustle not to mention the array of seafood that passes through each day. If you are keen, get up early and join one of their behind the scenes tours or perhaps take one of their seafood cooking classes.

WE OFFER A RANGE OF TREATMENTS FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT’S BEAUTY THERAPY MAINTENENCE, REJUVINATION OR PURE INDULGENCE. • WAXING • MANICURES • PEDICURES

AWARD WINNING FOOD & GREAT WINES Book the Bistro Barn for your next family gathering!

Bistro 07 863 8770 | Accommodation info@fallsretreat.co.nz | www.fallsretreat.co.nz page 48 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

• TANNING • FACIALS • WEDDING EXPERTS

• MASSAGE • EYE TREATMENTS

Call our friendly team today to book your appointment page 49 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

07 870 5249 SKIN-BEAUTY-DAY-SPA 65 SLOANE STREET REAR EMPIRE THEATRE TE AWAMUTU

SKINBEAUTY.CO.NZ

NOURISH | recipes

in a pickle WORDS, RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPHY Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Before the advent of refrigeration, pickling was an essential skill to preserve food. This is why almost every culture in the world has a form of pickle essential to their cuisine: Korea has kimchi, Germany sauerkraut, Britain corned beef, the Italians capers, Spanish olives and Scandinavia the pickled herring.

It must be noted though that pickling is about preserving food and does not always involve fermentation. Fermented foods, from sauerkraut to kombucha, are very “in” at the moment with many natural health practitioners and whole food coaches highlighting the benefits of the good bacteria these foods introduce to our digestive system. (See page 53 for more on the benefits of fermented foods.)

The pickling process uses either salt or vinegar to prolong the lifespan of the food. Salt or brine creates anaerobic fermentation, while vinegar lowers the pH level.

Tap each jar to remove the air bubbles, clean the opening and seal with a lid. If your jars were piping hot and you managed to seal the jars quickly, your pickle lids may “pop”, this means they have really sealed and will keep in a cool dark cupboard for up to a year. If they don’t “pop” they will keep in the fridge for quite some time or you could process them to get the seal.

To do this place the jars in a boiling pot of water. When the water comes back to a boil, set the timer for 5 minutes and remove the jars immediately.

Once you have the basics mastered, a simple pickling recipe can be tweaked by adding different herbs and spices.

TIPS Make sure your jars and lids are sterilised before filling.

For crisp vegetables, like carrot, cauliflower etc, sprinkle with salt and allow to stand overnight. Discard the liquid then rinse and dry the vegetables before pickling as usual. The salt helps to pull the moisture out of the vegetables and makes them crispier.

Avoid using iodised salt as this will result in a cloudy liquid.

DILL PICKLES OR GHERKINS No need to be pregnant to show a little gherkin love, be it on a hamburger or paired with a sharp cheddar. With a jar of these beauties in the fridge, a few capers and some parsley you can turn plain mayonnaise into tartare sauce or add them to a plain potato salad for an extra kick.

If gherkins weren’t part of your harvest this year, don’t despair; small cucumbers (Lebanese variety for instance) are perfect. And if they prove a hit this year you know what to plant next summer.

QUICK PICKLE Chefs find their inspiration from everywhere, and in recent years the influence of Asian cuisines has seen the rise of the quick pickle on our restaurant menus. Asian cuisines rely on a balance of sweet, salty and sour as well as different textures, and a good pickle can add all of this.

750g gherkins or small cucumbers 2 cups white wine vinegar 2 cups water 2 tbsp sugar

Don’t be fooled though, these quick pickles are all for taste and texture, not for longevity.

2 tbsp sea salt 2 tsp mustard seeds

½ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp celery seeds

½ cup water

8 cloves of garlic

1 tsp salt

fresh dill

½ cup +2 tbsp sugar

8x 250ml or 4x 500ml jars with sealable lids Before starting clean and sterilise your jars and lids. I do this by putting them in the dishwasher and processing them as soon as it finishes and the jars are still hot. Alternatively you can place them in a large pot of water and boil for a few minutes.

Next clean and dry the cucumbers before cutting them to your preferred shape.

Divide the mustard and celery seeds along with the garlic and dill between the jars. Then pack each jar tightly with the cucumbers, making sure they don’t stick up above the opening.

vegetables* Place all the ingredients in a small pot and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool before adding your vegetables.

Allow your vegetables to “pickle” for at least a few hours or overnight. *These can be anything from beetroot to carrot, green mango, cucumber, red onion, beans, capsicum, cauliflower …. the list goes on.

For best results cut them thinly and if using a variety, make sure they are all the same size.

Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers. page 50 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

page 51 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | nutrition

It’s time to plant your spring bulbs Daffodil Bridal Crown - 25 pack

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TOP TIPS

Henry’s top wine tips, aka everything you should or shouldn't know about wine.

Over many years and many conversations there has been many a collected tip that has delighted, surprised or engaged me. Some useful, some probably useless, but interesting all the same and some downright intriguing.

Drinking port smartly: non-vintage port from opening the bottle has a life of about 4 weeks; vintage port about four days.

Cellaring wine: If it is a cork enclosure store it on its side.

Sparkling wine should be cellared standing up. Screw-cap wine any which way you like.

Tulip Dark Night 12 pack

999

Kitchen wine racks are for short term storage only! This is often one of the warmest places in a house with temperatures that fluctuate wildly. Not a good thing for those top drops.

Wine is like chocolate and ice cream, it does not like heat. Keeping wine locked up in a hot car will permanently damage it.

'White Light, White Heat' - Lou Reed sang as part of the Velvet Underground. Apply it to wine too. Not only does wine dislike heat, light is a killer too.

Cellar fridges are for cellaring wine, domestic fridges are for chilling wine. Using a cellar fridge to chill wine defeats the purpose of cellaring wine because you are opening the door far too often. A cellar fridge that is only for cellaring wine should be opened sparingly.

Older isn't necessarily better: Certain wine styles are meant to be drunk young, others age brilliantly. Get to know which is which so you get the benefit of ageing something that is age worthy.

Colour Me In Boxes

Blue, White, Pink or Yellow

1999

20 bulbs per pack

The 'will a wine cellar check'. I read this in James Halliday's book on cellaring wine over 20 years ago and it has never let me down. After you have purchased a bottle you think might cellar very well, open it and plan to drink it over 3 or 4 nights, drinking an equal amount each evening. At the end of each night recap, and put into the fridge as per my earlier suggestion. The wine will change as more air gets into the bottle. It will be different each day. If it changes for the better then it is a sitter for the cellar. It is an especially good way to look at red wine. As a very rough guide: each extra night the wine is open equals 18 months to 2 years of cellaring.

Red wine should be drunk between 17 and 20°C, so warm it up in winter; cool it down in summer.

Do not over-chill Chardonnay (some say any wine). Chardonnay is best served slightly chilled or at room temperature in the cooler months.

Drink what you want, when you want. There are guidelines to help, but nothing is set in concrete.

Only one rule should be followed at all times: Don't over-indulge — we all know what happens if you drink too much.

Try one of the world's great wines or the best of a variety you really love. A hot tip if you haven't tried Dom Perignon, you really should ... quick, add it to your bucket list.

If you have any leftover wine in a bottle at the end of an evening or event, seal it with its cap or replace its cork tightly. Then put into the FRIDGE; red or white no matter. If its red wine take it out a few hours before drinking to return it to room temperature, or pop it into a sink of hot water for a minute or two ,shaking half way through until it's between 17–20°C. Wine glasses do make a difference to the enjoyment of wine. Yes I'm a square, no-stem glasses aren't me. And as for JARS! Never fill your glass more than two thirds full.

Cnr Thomas & Horsham Downs Rd, Rototuna, Hamilton. Ph: 07 853 0600.

Open Mon - Sun: 8.30am - 5.00pm.

Café Botannix open from 8.30am. palmersplanet.co.nz facebook.com/palmersplanet

If you come across a brilliant bottle at a function, restaurant or when out to dinner, take a photograph of it. It will guarantee you will remember with enough detail to get some later.

Take a walk on the wild side: try a very good to excellent example of a variety or style you have never tried before. Wine evolves as do its varieties and styles. It's a great way to broaden your horizons.

It's true, "life is far too short to drink bad wine”.

Henry Jacobs | primovino.co.nz

Make Friends with

Fermented Food

WORDS Kate Underwood | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

Fermented food is no longer quietly lurking in the back cupboard of a few health-conscious kitchens. Over the last few years their dietary importance has re-emerged from its bacterial depths to the forefront of our minds, menus and stomachs — and for good reason. In all its funky forms, fermented food has been shown to provide a host of beneficial bacteria to improve the health of our digestive system.

Foods such as sauerkraut, yoghurt and miso are all part of the fermented food family along with others such as kimchi, kombucha, kefir and tempeh. But what exactly is fermented food and how could ingesting live bacteria possibly be good for us? The answer lies in the type of bacteria.

‘Good’ or beneficial bacteria are the key to fermentation and in turn are the key to a healthy gut. Despite a newfound fame, fermented food has been alive and well for hundreds of years. Long before the luxurious days of refrigeration, food had to be harvested and preserved to ensure there was enough available for the coming season.

Lacto-fermentation, a process by which Lactobacillus bacteria produces lactic acid in order to ferment and preserve food, was the most common method. Sauerkraut, kimchi and yoghurt are all examples of this lactic acid fermentation, which are still used today.

As the lactic acid is produced, it imparts a tangy and distinct sour flavour that intensifies over time.

This fermentation process can actually increase levels of vitamin C, B vitamins and minerals. It also breaks down the hard cellulose in food so less enzymes are required for digestion. As we age, our digestive enzymes tend to slow down with us, affecting our ability to properly digest the nutrients in food. The presence of probiotic bacteria can help improve nutrient bioavailability and absorption — so we don’t miss out on any of the good stuff!

Sauerkraut is a globally recognised probiotic condiment that literally translates to ‘sour cabbage’. With just three essential ingredients — cabbage, salt and time, it is an integral part of the daily diet in many European countries, with each cuisine adding their own traditional twist such as juniper berries or caraway seeds.

Homemade sauerkraut is super simple and provides a rich source of friendly microorganisms, which help colonise the digestive tract.

Kimchi is the Korean version of sauerkraut, generally made with large chunks of napa cabbage and red chilli, providing a spicy heat and signature red hue. Koreans are total kimchi addicts, consuming it with most meals. A wholesome obsession, as regular consumption of fermented foods have proven to help create a harmonious balance of bacteria within the gut.

As Dr. Libby Weaver states, “The health of our gut is central to every aspect of our health.” With our stomach literally at the core of our being, it makes sense that good health starts with optimal digestive balance. Improved digestion can help aid metabolism, boost your immune system and improve your skin. Remarkably, it can also ensure adequate brain function and impact our mood.

The last few years have seen an influx of digestive disorders, gut dysfunction, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and food intolerances, which are often caused by issues in our gut flora. Getting the right balance of bacteria can be key to treating these types of issues.

Miso is another delicious way to help improve digestive health.

Made from fermented soybeans, salt and fungus, it has an intense savoury, umami flavour that is perfect for salad dressings or as soup. Studies have found all these funky fermented foods can enhance stomach acid production, ease digestive discomfort, improve bowel movement and relieve constipation.

The key to including fermented food in your diet is to start small, particularly as your body adjusts to a host of new bacteria. Test your patience with some homemade sauerkraut, make a miso glaze for your salmon or start sipping on kombucha. Trust your gut and do not be afraid — utilising the fizzy, tangy and sour probiotic properties will be a friendly reward for your digestive system.

NOURISH | recipes

fall in love with

fermented foods RECIPES Megan Coupland PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

I could write a book on fermented foods and why they are great for us, instead I will suggest some delicious recipes and ideas to get you started, and leave the research to you.

Mad Millies supplies fermenting crocks and cultures, this is a very easy procedure to follow, always with great results. These products are available at Red Kitchen and this is a great way to get started.

Bread can be made with fermented grains and you can change your bread tomorrow. A good fermented sourdough white bread is better for you than a grainy brown loaf from the supermarket.

FERMENTED CAULIFLOWER AND CAPSICUM

Flaveur Breads in Mount Maunganui make their breads with no yeast, just fermented grains. They soak their organic grains for 72 hours and ferment the dough for eight hours. Their fermented sourdough starter is 13 years old, making each loaf 100% organic and more easily digested, among many other health benefits.

2L of boiled water

A quarter of a cup of fermented food a day is all you need, and you can have this by adding different flavoured vegetables as a side dish.

2 bay leaves

Here are some recipes that I use as some of my daily sides.

EASY WHEY

1 litre plain pro-biotic rich organic yoghurt or milk kefir Set up a sieve and sterile muslin cloth and drip the yogurt through the cloth. The result will be a clear whey in the bowl underneath and you use this as your easy whey. This will keep for approx three weeks in the fridge.

GINGERED CARROTS

1kg grated carrots ¼ cup peeled and finely grated ginger (use a microplane) ¼ cup easy whey, plus extra 3 tbsp Himalayan salt Ensure everything is really clean, you don’t want any competing bacteria sneaking in.

Add your carrots, ginger and salt to a glass bowl, and with clean hands knead and massage till enough juice comes out of the carrots to nearly cover the carrots.

Add the easy whey and stir.

Put your mix into a sterile fermenting crock or jar and top with a little extra easy whey, add a weight or a cabbage leaf to keep the carrots under the juice.

Ensure the top on the jar is as clean as possible. Leave for 3–5 days.

They should remain crisp. When satisfied with the taste, take out of the fermenting jar, transfer into smaller sterile jars and pop into the fridge to stop the fermentation process.

These will last for approx six months.

4 tbsp artisan salt 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets and rinsed 2 red capsicums, sliced and rinsed 2 garlic cloves, peeled (or more if you love garlic!)

1 tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp peppercorns 1 sachet of Mad Millie Vegetable Culture Make a brine by dissolving 3 tbsp of salt in 1.5L boiled water. Set aside to cool.

Sterilise the sauerkraut crock and all your equipment.

Place garlic cloves, bay leaves, coriander and pepper in the bottom of the crock. Fill the crock with the cauliflower and capsicum, fitting them in tightly and leaving at least 3–5cm space to make sure the clay weights still fit in.

Dissolve a sachet of culture in the cooled brine (make sure it is less than 30°C so you don’t kill the lactic acid bacteria).

Pour the brine into the crock. Use the clay weights to keep the vegetables under the liquid. Top up the brine if necessary, so there is about 1cm brine above the weights.

Place the lid on the crock. Fill the moat with cooled boiled water making sure the holes in the lid are covered to make a seal.

Ferment at room temperature (16–21°C is preferred) until desired flavour is achieved (brine should taste sour).

Once the vegetables are finished (3–7 days), gently stir the crock contents to mix the spices; put into sterilised jars and move to the fridge. The brine may appear cloudy. This is good and means the bacteria is doing its work (unless the vegetables smell rancid or have a rotten, slimy texture!). The flavour will continue to develop over time.

You can eat them straight away but as it is a dynamic system, the flavours will continue to develop and the texture will soften over time.

The fermented vegetables can be kept in the fridge for several weeks.

Depending on the size of your cauliflower and capsicums, your crock may not be quite full, which is okay.

You can add more vegetables if you like, but make sure you have enough brine to cover all the vegetables.

RED CABBAGE WITH APPLE AND JUNIPER BERRIES

1 head red cabbage, finely shredded

A PERFECT START

3 apples peeled, cored and cut in cubes

1 slice of Flaveur seeded sourdough toast

1 tbsp caraway seeds

¼ avocado

3 tbsp juniper berries, crushed

¼ cup your favourite sauerkraut

2 tbsp Himalayan salt

handful watercress

Ensure everything you use is clean, dry and sterile. I clean my equipment with boiling water and put it in the dehydrator until I use it.

1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

Put the red cabbage, salt, juniper and caraway in a glass bowl, massage and knead the cabbage until there is enough juice released from the cabbage to cover the cabbage.

Mix through the apple and transfer to a sauerkraut crock, push the cabbage down in the crock so the juice covers the cabbage and then add the weights to keep it down. Ferment at room temperature for 7–10 days (20°C being ideal).

Smash avocado with a fork on your hot fermented sourdough toast.

Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Top with your sauerkraut and watercress, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds to finish.

When you are satisfied with the taste and smell, transfer to sterile glass jars and keep in the fridge.

page 54 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

Note: A fermenting crock has weights supplied and a water channel around the lid to keep out bacteria and allow a clean fermentation. You can use a jar and weight your veges down with cabbage leaves and a clean rock (try boiling one).

Megan Coupland RedKitchen | www.redkitchen.co.nz

Kombucha

a how - to guide for making this popular new health drink RECIPE Vicki Ravlich-Horan | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

NOURISH | recipes

Want to get some great probiotics into the family but think you might struggle to convince them to eat sauerkraut?

Kombucha could be the answer and makes a great alternative to soda drinks.

Known as the tea of immortality, Kombucha dates back to the Chinese Tsin dynasty (221 BC) and is packed full of an array of organic acids like glucuronic, gluconic, lactic, acetic, butyric, malic and usnic acid and vitamins, particularly B vitamins and vitamin C. And of course there are all the benefits of the probiotic microorganisms themselves.

DID YOU KNOW “Scoby" is actually an acronym: Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. And that's exactly what it is! A scoby is the living home for the bacteria and yeast that transforms sweet tea into tangy, fizzy kombucha.

Make your own booch YOU NEED

1 scoby in 1 cup liquid from the previous brew ½ cup kombucha from previous batch 3 litres of water 1 cup sugar 4–6 tea bags (must be tea from Camellia sinensis. Black, green and white tea will all work but not herbals teas with no actual tea in them) PLUS

a large 4 litre glass jar muslin cloth fruit juice, preferably organic and unpasteurised or at least not made from concentrate.

Other flavourings: fresh ginger, goji berries, freeze dried fruit powder like Fresh AS powders from Dante’s in Cambridge or Red Kitchen in Te Awamutu STEP ONE Bring the water to a boil.

Pour into your jar and add the sugar, stir to dissolve.

Add the tea bags and steep for ten minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the sweet tea to cool completely.

STEP TWO Add the scoby and kombucha from previous brew. Cover the jar’s opening with muslin or Chux cloth and place in a warm spot but not next to a fruit bowl or compost bin.

Allow to ferment for 7–21 days depending on the time of year and temperature. When to bottle the kombucha is a matter of trial and error. After seven days taste the brew, you want it to be sour and to no longer taste of tea. If your scoby has started to form a baby this is a great sign.

STEP THREE Remove the scoby and approx. one cup of the tea. Store this in an airtight jar in the fridge for your next brew.

Pour the tea into sterilised bottles, to approximately two-thirds full. Top with fruit juice*. I love using Divine Orchards apple juice from the farmers’ market. Add in any flavouring like ginger. *Adding fruit juice is optional, but also, I think it’s essential in making it palatable for the family. You can then decrease the amount added, tailoring it to your own tastes.

Seal and allow to sit at room temperature for a few days to ensure you have a fizzy brew. Again, the length of time to leave at this stage will depend on the temperature, in the summer this is only a few days, in winter it can be 4–5. You will be able to see the bubbles forming.

Store in the fridge before serving.

WARNING – Open carefully over the sink and be careful not to shake!

Share the joy – Your scoby will form a new one, if not every brew at least every couple, so share these with friends and family. If you have more than you can giveaway your compost will love them or look online for the many different uses, including a face mask.

page 57 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | feature

the mates behind

mizzoni WORDS Kate Underwood | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

It’s been a wild wood-fired ride for the entrepreneurial pair behind Mizzoni Pizza. Just six years ago lifelong mates John Moughan and Ryan Burke found themselves on a weekend jaunt in Melbourne, eating the best pizza of their lives. Returning home with a hankering for pizza, they made an ‘on a whim’ decision, built a mobile wood fired pizza trailer and within two months were serving up fresh, quality pizza to hungry Hamiltonians.

At the ripe young age of 20, both had finished university, Ryan with the culinary background trained as a chef, while John studied law and management. With little experience in the complex world of pizza, they were inspired by the wood fired Neapolitan style. They set out researching, trialing and refining their craft — enjoying each slice along the way.

Their first official gig was the Waikato Fieldays in 2010. “The organisers put us in a really good spot,” said John. “That was a crazy day, people were loving our pizza!” During the early stages they focused their energy on mobile catering, attending events, parking up on busy Hamilton streets, promoting their locations through social media and building a strong local following.

Fast-forward to 2016 and one courageous idea is now a multi locational pizza empire. Complete with takeaway pizzerias in Rototuna, a presence in Whangamata and Ohakune and two mobile trailers. With a passion for the snow, John noticed a demand in Ohakune to feed hungry skiers and boarders after a day on the slopes. That same ‘give it a go’ attitude saw them develop a semi-permanent pizzeria there in 2013, which is open for ski season, keeping them busy during winter when the catering side is quiet.

From the snow to the surf, refusing to slow down, by the end of 2014 they purchased an ex coffee-shop container in Whangamata. A quick refurbish, including a hand built, brick laid wood fire oven, had them serving pizza and coffee to summer holiday makers in the Coromandel.

By early 2015 they established their first permanent space in Rototuna, a bold yet necessary move to ease the load of the mobile business.

Six years on they are still great mates, despite being so busy they hardly ever see each other! Chatting on the phone most days they continue to do things by hand — from hand stretching pizza dough, building wood fired ovens, making their own tomato sauce and decorating the unique wood stump countertop at the new pizzeria.

Just like any business, the ‘dough’ is important, but for these guys getting it right has been crucial. “We have changed our recipe hundreds of times since we started and are finally happy with it,” says John. Through trial and error and natural progression, John explains that perfecting pizza dough is a precise science, with even the smallest temperature change impacting the final product.

Their pizza is chewy and tender with a charred based and a slightly crisp end crust complete with leopard spotting. ‘Leoparding’, as it’s also known as, refers to the black charred spots on the crust that occur when the dough puffs up to form air bubbles. The intense 600°C plus heat chars the top paper-thin layer of dough, creating a black spotted effect and adding depth to the flavour.

page 59 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | craft

Their mobile trailers cater hundreds of events throughout the North Island. With weddings becoming particularly popular they have teamed up with fellow food trucks Tag Burger and Mr Whippy to feed hungry wedding guests. Many couples these days are opting for a more affordable, casual and fun approach to wedding catering.

What is it exactly that keeps their fire blazing? Along with the manuka and gum wood, it’s the ‘getting to create stuff’ that they really love. “Coming up with new menu creations and brainstorming ideas,” says John. “Plus the adrenalin rush is awesome. Right in the middle of a punishing shift and churning out quality pizzas, you feel a real sense of pride.”

The Mizzoni menu is continuously evolving, with aptly named ‘Kune’ containing spiced pulled pork and special slaw, the classic spaghetti and cheese just for the kids and menu stalwart ‘Hawaiian’ keeping the punters happy. With a personal aversion to pineapple on pizza, John’s favourite is tomato, garlic, chorizo, rocket and mozzarella, while Ryan’s pick is ‘Chilli and Lime’ with chicken and chilli lime mayonnaise.

After cooking thousands of pizzas they certainly aren’t letting things go stale, introducing a dessert pizza range featuring ‘Banoffee Pie’ and ‘Donatella’. There are plans on the horizon for homemade mozzarella and ready-to-bake pizza bases, in collaboration with Volare bakery, as they want their customers to enjoy epic pizza at home. John’s tip for making great homemade pizza is a super hot oven, taking it through a double heat cycle to really get it cranking.

The evolution of Mizzoni Pizza reflects a journey of two kiwi guys with a tenacious appetite and enthusiasm to serve delicious pizza ‘that hasn’t been messed with’. Creating a business around good food, good times and good friends — and boy are we glad that they did!

Mizzoni Pizza 2/111 Thomas Road, Rototuna, Hamilton 07-974 9037

a crafty

easter

WORDS Bron Alexander | PHOTOGRAPHY Rebekah Davenport

rouge

food • espresso • wine Visit us in Cambridge this autumn Explore the cycleways - relax over coffee Open 7.30am - 4pm, 7 days closed public holidays

Empire St, Cambridge

07 823 9178 page 60 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

w w w.rougeempire.co.nz

If, like me, you don’t get your decorating fix from the Christmas season alone, Easter is the perfect time to get crafty and adorn your house once again.

Wreaths are not just for Christmas

What do you have in your craft box?

Embark on a foraging expedition... gather up some twigs, fresh or dried, to make your own Easter wreath.

I keep all sorts of things in mine, usually excess packaging, buttons and all sorts of other bits and pieces I think I can reuse. Have a rummage through to see what you have on hand that you can use to create your own Easter nest decorations. Wool, shredded packaging, feathers and bits of material can be used to make the inside cosy.

Hold onto those eggshells There’s no need to buy expensive decorations, just recycle your eggshells after baking. I was lucky enough to get hold of some duck eggs which make for gorgeous decorations, but whatever you have in the cupboard is fine for this project. You can paint your shells in gold if it takes your fancy!

The egg in my egg-nest is a very special quail egg I got from The Speckled Egg company, but you could put a cute-foil wrapped Easter egg in yours — an Easter advent!

NOURISH | events

WAIKATO EVENTS THE GREAT PUMPKIN CARNIVAL Celebrating all things ‘pumpkin’ at Hamilton Gardens. Guaranteed fun family day out for people of all ages.

3 April www.thegreatpumpkincarnival.co.nz

NOURISH | directory

DIRECTORY SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN WITH MAMAS DONUTS Decorate a Donut at Mamas Donuts during the school holidays 21–29 April, Thursdays and Fridays 10am–12noon.

No booking necessary — $5.

VINTAGE

Rediscover the new

Collectables & Revamped Homewares

THE GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW Waikato’s premier culinary event, showcasing the best in food, wine, delicious edibles and innovative products. This is a show with real bite!

Mystery Creek Events Centre 30 April – 1 May www.greatnzfoodshow.co.nz

THE GARDEN ART STUDIO EXHIBITIONS Sculpture Symposium 1–20 March A selection of NZ’s best stone sculptors are taking over the car park for three weeks for the second annual sculpture symposium

HOMEGROWN HARVEST Homegrown Harvest is a new section at the Waikato Show this April. Celebrating food produced locally, Aaron Brunet will be in a pop-up kitchen space where the public can come with their home grown produce and he’ll share his recipe ideas.

A tasty bounty of locally produced cuisine to sample and buy from our selection of exhibitors along with the Waikato Vegetable Fruit & Food Competition (categories include a vegetable bounty basket, apple pie bake and preserves).

Entry forms and more information at www.waikatoshow.co.nz/homegrownharvest

NOW STOCKING

Combining creativity with expertise.

Newton’s Chalk Paints VINTAGE FOR HIRE

OPEN 7 DAYS | 07 856 6581 Gate 1, Hungerford Crescent Hamilton Gardens

Volcom Lane | Wainui Road, Raglan luv_vintage_nz@hotmail.com vintage

SEE OUR FRAMING TIPS ON THE ARTS PAGE

07 856 4236 | 120 Silverdale Road | Hamilton www.theframingworkshop.co.nz

Santie Cronje – 5–25 April

THE FRAMING WORKSHOP EXHIBITION Experimental works by Barbara Smith The Framing Workshop, 120 Silverdale Road Hamilton Friday 18 March - 15 April

Get on the Grapevine wine@primovino.co.nz

Join our weekly email, keeping you in touch with our Friday night tastings wine education classes and special wine deals.

Corner Victoria & Liverpool Streets, Hamilton email wine@primovino.c.nz | ph 07 8393139

wine@primovino.co.nz Join our weekly email, keeping you in touch with our Friday night tastings wine education classes and special wine deals.

Corner Victoria & Liverpool Streets, Hamilton email: wine@primovino.co.nz | ph 07 8393139

SUBSCRIBE TO Local food from local producers Fresh produce, growers and producers onsite, live entertainment, local crafts, loads of parking - a 100% Waikato experience!

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Shop online for herbal liquids, teas, food, supplements, skincare, personal care, petcare and eco-friendly products. info@naturallyyourstore.co.nz www.naturallyyourstore.co.nz Caring for you and the environment.

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