Nourish BOP Winter 2024

C L A R E N C E

EDITOR Vicki Ravlich-Horan

HEAD DESIGNER Sara Cameron, Minted Design Co.

PROOF READER Nikki Crutchley (Crucial Corrections)

CONTRIBUTORS Denise Irvine, Emma Galloway, Amber Bremner, Liz French, Lynda Hallinan, Kathy Paterson, Harriet Boucher, Rachel Hart, Fiona Hugues, Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Emily Gray.

COVER IMAGE Ashlee DeCaires

PHOTOGRAPHERS Brydie Thompson, Ashlee DeCaires, Emma Galloway, Amber Bremner, Kathy Paterson, Fiona Hugues, Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Alex Spodyneiko. ISSN 2324-4372 (Print) | ISSN 2324-4380 (Online)

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Vicki Ravlich-Horan vicki@nourishmagazine.co.nz 0210651537

Nourish Taste of Tours are small group tours (max 12 pax) which give you a real taste of place.

For more details on any of these tours please email vicki@nourishmagazine.co.nz or go to nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOV 2024 & MARCH 2025

5 nights staying in Adelaide and Barossa, and exploring the surrounding area.

JUNE 2025

ONLY8SPACESLEFT!

SEP/OCT 2025

This tour sells out every year and is not one to be missed! We spend 10 nights immersed in Sicily’s culture and countryside, tasting all it has to offer.

14th-25th June 2025, $6995pp (twin share). Join us on our inaugural tour of Sri Lanka where we will enjoy a feast for the senses.

SEPT 2025

This brand-new tour will take us to the foodie heart of Italy from Bologna to Modena, Parma, Alba and Milan. This is the home of lasagne, truffles, balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano, Parma ham and so much more!

Here's to Winter

Winter is my least favourite season for two reasons! Firstly, although my body appears to have plenty of insulation, I hate the cold. I am the type of person who takes a cardi to a BBQ in the height of summer for fear of being caught in a chill. Secondly, winter means we are halfway through the year. Before you know it Christmas will be here and another candle will be added to the birthday cake that is beginning to resemble a mini bonfire.

The problem is, it’s my job to celebrate the seasons, and this includes winter. Luckily for me, as I ease myself into the reality that the colder months are coming, I have beautiful, mouthwatering recipes and images arriving in my inbox from our many different contributors with their winter recipes.

On page 29 Fiona Hugues works her magic with some storebought pastry (and, heaven forbid, tinned apples) to create the ultimate in comfort food – pies. Talking of comfort food, Harriet Boucher dives deep into doughnuts on page 58. Amber Bremner shows us some love for lentils on page 16. And I get roasting on page 52 with three different roast chook recipes plus ways to use up the leftovers.

Mother Nature is a wise old thing and the arrival of citrus fruit in winter, right when we all need a dose of vitamin C, is proof of this. So on page 40 I make some delicious orange dishes for you to enjoy. And on page 36 we meet the Grow On Katikati team to discover this cool community initiative helping people grow more of their food.

On page 8 we meet Simone and Kylie from The Trading Post; on page 11 Sandy from Clarke Road Kitchen; and on page 22 the ladies at Chalk & Charcoal give us the scoop on what’s hot this winter. Which brings me to an important point. We have heard a lot over the past five years about supporting local, but this is more than a catch phrase, this is something you need to live. For the past 14 years it has always been one of the key pillars behind Nourish as we strive to highlight the great work of so many wonderful local businesses.

Nourish is itself a local business, which we hope you all enjoy and value being around. If this is the case, I ask you to support those businesses on our pages, for it is these guys that allow us to exist. If you have watched the news of late or seen the demise of several great New Zealand magazines in the last few months, you will know that New Zealand media is in crisis, and we are at risk of losing our voice. I am immensely appreciative of you, our supportive readers, but most of all those businesses that see value in what we offer. And we will continue to buck the trend.

With that, happy winter.

ULSTER WEAVERS AT FORAGE

Looking for a gorgeous tea towel, beautiful apron or a fab set of oven gloves? Forage at Read Bros stock a wonderful range of quality Ulster Weavers textiles. Ulster Weavers have been around for 136 years and prides itself on producing high quality products alongside excellent customer service. Not too different from Forage @ Read Bros really.

1.

WHITE GINGER CAFE AT PACIFICA

I love visiting Pacifica Home and Garden Centre; it’s such an inspiring garden centre and their homewares store is always full of wonderful things you don’t find anywhere else. I do admit I am usually on a mission when I visit, which is why I enjoyed my last visit, which included a spot of morning tea at White Ginger Cafe. As I enjoyed my coffee and treat (a delicious oaty ginger slice) in the beautiful garden setting, I realised I’d been missing out and my next visits to Pacifica will include time spent recharging in the cafe. In fact, it’s going to be my suggestion for my next girls catch up.

White Ginger Cafe

Inside Pacifica Home and Garden Store

112 Tara Road, Papamoa

Available online (www.readbros.co.nz) and in store at 308 Pollen Street, Thames. 2.

3.

IGNITE YOUR PASSION FOR FOOD AT THE GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW, 6 & 7 JULY!

Get ready to elevate your culinary skills with exclusive hands-on educational sessions in the Volare Masterclass Hub at the Great NZ Food Show.

Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a kitchen newbie, these masterclasses promise to tantalise your taste buds! From wine and cocktails to Indian spices and mastering authentic dumpling dough, get ready to roll up your sleeves and learn from the local experts.

And that's not all! The Heathcotes Cooking Theatre is bursting with well-known and local chefs, and a wide range of exhibitors will be serving up their latest products and show-only specials.

To indulge, grab a VIP ticket and enjoy access to the lounge, a goodie bag and tasty treats. Limited VIP tickets are available and always sell out, so get in quickly!

greatnzfoodshow.co.nz

Claudelands Events Centre 6 & 7 July

PICNICKA MARKETS

With the scaffolding down and the apartments completed, the final piece of the Elizabeth Towers development will open in late July with Picnicka Markets.

Open Monday to Saturdays from 7am until 5pm, owner Noel Cimadon says the “Picnicka Markets are all about making the goodies we use in the restaurants available to our customers”. Think great meat cuts, pasta, bread, fresh live oysters, cheeses from New Zealand and around the world and more. There will be a boutique bottle store and a gelato shop (open 7 days from 12noon to 9pm). Pop in for the fixings of a great meal or simply for a coffee and pastry or sandwich.

PLATES A PLENTY WINNERS

Congratulations to But First Dessert, winners of the Plates a Plenty Judge’s Choice Award with their dish Passionate Kiwi –Bay Tropics passionfruit parfait, Yieldia kiwifruit curd, Noble & Sunday Earl Grey cremeux, passionfruit and Dabbler's gin gel, bubble sugar and white chocolate crumble.

The judge said the dish was “a great fusion of flavours, where sweetness was perfectly complemented by the citrusy tang of the passionfruit and a refined hint of gin. It was a party on my taste buds, a symphony of flavours. I really enjoyed every bite of it.”

But First Dessert owner Adele Hall says she “loved” the range of ingredients that were in the challenge box and that “it’s nice to be able to celebrate our chef’s creativity and using local produce, and just giving people something different to try that they wouldn’t make at home and wouldn’t usually have. That’s what we’re all about here and that’s what we love doing, so to be awarded for that is awesome.”

Beating out the 18 other entrants during the 11-day Plates of Plenty Challenge for the People’s Choice award went to Pāpāmoa cafe Pearl Kitchen with their dish Pearl’s Pie & Beer – Smoked fish pie with blue cheese potato, curried onion chutney and smoked fish gravy, served with a beer.

PICNICKA MARKET

PIEMONTE TO PAENGAROA

WORDS EMILY GRAY | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

Located just 10 minutes from Te Puke, in Paengaroa, sits a historic cottage that is home to the beloved Trading Post, which, last May, started its latest chapter as an Osteria Italiana, owned and run by husband and wife team Simone and Kylie Saglia.

Almost 12 months in, we caught up with the couple to see how they’ve settled into life in the Bay of Plenty.

The story of how they arrived in Paengaroa starts in the beautiful Italian region of Piemonte, where Simone grew up in the rural town of Alba, famous for its white truffles and the Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo wineries that surround it. It was here that he spent his formative years, with his zio (uncle), learning all about wine, truffle hunting as a family and watching his zia (aunt) cook traditional dishes from scratch. “Some children played with toys, but I played with pots and pans,” explains Simone.

After five years in culinary school, Simone was ready to embrace life as a chef, and to travel. And it’s a journey that has seen him cooking across the world from Michelin star restaurants in Italy and private clubs in London, to start-up bakeries in the Coromandel and a stint working as a sous chef for acclaimed chef Neil Perry at Melbourne’s opulent Rosetta. It was in Melbourne that Simone met his Kiwi wife, Kylie, while he was working at Scopri, where, notably, Simone helped the team achieve their first Chef’s Hat.

As it was for so many, the Covid-19 pandemic was the catalyst for Simone to open his own business. With the restaurants closed, Simone and Kylie decided to rent out a kitchen space in Melbourne, where Simone could prep and hand make fresh pasta and sauces for takeaway. “It was a great success and it confirmed to me that I wanted to own my own restaurant and work for myself,” muses Simone. Having been separated from their families during the pandemic, once the restrictions were lifted, the couple knew it was time to move on from Australia.

Closing up shop, the couple and their two young children, Noah and Alba, moved to Whangamatā, where artisan microbakery

Rüdi’s (now based in Hamilton) was taking its first steps. Simone joined the team, honing his baking skills for six months – the fruits of which can be seen in the moreish daily fresh pastries and handcrafted bread served at The Trading Post.

Knowing that, ultimately, they wanted to bring a taste of traditional Italian cuisine to the country, the couple started the search for their own restaurant. When they came across The Trading Post, they knew it was the one.

“We saw the kiwi and avocado orchards, and the community vibes in Paengaroa and it reminded me of home,” says Simone, “but when we found out it was also just five minutes from the Binn family’s Te Puke Truffle Farm, we knew it was supposed to be.”

Over the last year, Simone and Kylie have worked hard to build a menu of authentic, seasonal hand crafted dishes from across Italy’s regions and foster the warm and generous hospitality that the country is renowned for. “Many of our customers have been to or are going to Italy and we want to recreate the experience for them,” says Kylie.

It’s why you won’t find eggs benedict or a big breakfast on the menu. Instead you can indulge in the likes of a rollino – a savoury style crêpe, thick polenta chips served with a heady truffle and parmesan dip, gnocchi viola, and door stopper Italian club sandwiches. If you still have space, then round it off with a classic affogato. As for wines, best sipped in the sunny courtyard, you’ll find a varied list covering every corner of Italy.

As any restaurant owner will tell you, having a community who keep recommending you is the ticket for great success, but as Simone points out, it’s even more important given The Trading Post’s rural location. “Having a good relationship with our regulars isn’t just important, it’s the whole basis of our business. We’re lucky to have brilliant locals who spread the word about us, drop in on quieter days and bring us fresh produce from their gardens.

We always listen to their opinion too. That's why, following their feedback, we have introduced an a la carte menu in the evenings, alongside our Chef’s Choice degustation offering.”

In the future the couple hope to continue to build their community through cooking classes, wine events and being open seven days a week (they’re currently closed on Sundays and Mondays). There’s also talk of more pasta and pastry – which we say can only ever be a good thing. “We’d love to have a lab where we can produce pastry, pasta and sauces for customers. They’d be wholesale but not mass produced and would follow our dishes now made using Italian recipes and techniques with fresh, local ingredients,” says Simone.

“We love a garden to plate philosophy and have already planted herbs and citrus in the garden at The Trading Post that we use for our dishes, and we are looking to grow more of our own produce as well,” adds Kylie.

As for their thoughts on success, from an outside perspective, you could say the couple have already achieved it: a popular restaurant with a loyal following and a steady stream of new customers. But, as Simone explains, “In hospitality there isn’t an end, it’s an ever evolving world and industry. You always have to be up with the trends and to bring something new to your customers. You’re never done.”

The Trading Post 1 Hall Road, Paengaroa thetradingpost.nz

Having grown up in rural England, Emily made the move to London where she spent 7 years writing about all the city has to offer, specialising on the never-ending list of restaurants to try. Now living in the Mount, Emily is a freelance writer, and when she isn’t writing, she’s making the most of being able to swim in the sea all year round and going in search of the perfect pie.

Emily Gray

SATISFYING SEASONAL SUSTENANCE

WORDS LIZ FRENCH | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON - TITLE IMAGE BY MADISON MCBRIDE

The black house in the green garden that is Clarke Road Kitchen has long been a popular fixture for a morning fix, a snack, a meal or a takeaway on a busy day.

It is no mean feat to deliver consistently good sustenance and service over a long period. Longevity in the food business is hard won. Sandy Crooks has been in catering for nearly three decades. She took over, revamped and renamed Clarke Road Kitchen five years ago.

With the help of her loyal staff, some of whom have worked with her for many years, Sandy has built a business with a solid following of locals, passers through and city people wanting to get out of town but not too far out.

The reasons are deceptively simple: good coffee, a strong cabinet offering and an ever-evolving menu which changes seasonally. Getting it right six days a week is something Sandy has down to a fine art, if a slightly hectic one.

The good coffee, especially appreciated by daily addicts, like this writer, and the regulars, like the many cyclists who detour here, is Organico Fair Trade coffee by Karajoz. The cabinet has a great mix of savoury and sweet. The extensive menu invites a big breakfast (from 7 am) or brunch, and a healthy or hearty (or both) lunch. Soups and comfort food feature among the fare on the winter menu. Clarke Road Kitchen is licensed if you are celebrating a special occasion or simply the joy of life and company of good friends.

Sandy’s catering background sees Clarke Road Kitchen offering

gourmet dishes you can pass off as your own at the next dinner party or treat the family, and give yourself a break, at the end of a busy week. Order these Monday and collect later in the week or check out the Clarke Road freezer for instant deliciousness.

INSIDE OUT

Yet another advantage is the choice of seating areas inside and out. The day Nourish visited we sat in the glasshouse of the café, where out the window we could see one of Sandy’s helpers raking up a colourful carpet of autumn leaves in the courtyard. “A thankless task,” says Sandy, laughing. She completely transformed this popular outdoor eating area into a shady fernery under the mature and mostly deciduous trees. This and the lawn make Clarke Road Kitchen a very dog friendly environment and equally appealing on fine winter days and hot summer ones. In warm weather the glasshouse windows all open out to the garden. “Our older customers enjoy this inside out atmosphere,” says Sandy. Now it is winter the warm main cafe rooms are beckoning. As the cafe premises were originally a family home, the interior retains a homely feeling, enhanced by the beautiful matai timber floor.

COOK SCHOOL

Sandy is generous with her skills and knowledge, sharing them through her cook schools. They are themed for season

or celebration, strictly limited so that participants get her full attention. Her Christmas one last year sold out quickly, so check out the website for upcoming sessions.

If you want to be generous and treat someone else to the Clarke Road Kitchen experience, a meal or endless coffees, vouchers are available at the cafe or online.

Parking is plentiful here and it would be hard to come to Clarke Road Kitchen without having a browse of the other businesses that make up Clarke Road Village, on the corner of State Highway Two, and what must be one of the Bay’s prettiest country lanes, Clarke Road.

Clarke Road Kitchen, 7 Clarke Road, Te Puna Open 7am–3pm Tuesday to Sunday www.clarkeroadkitchen.co.nz

4 Te Puna Road, Te Puna

Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm

Saturday & Sunday 10am to 3pm www.chalkandcharcoal.co.nz

Liz French

Liz French calls her writing deeply superficial as she enjoys creating stories about interesting people, places and property, adventures and animals. Her ample spare time is spent cycling, skiing, walking, reading and haunting cafes. She’s written 35 chapters of her memoir titled “What was I thinking?”

FASHION ACCESSORIES GIFTS BABY

Falling IN LOVE

WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES

JADE BROWN - PORK BELLY, COURTNEY HORWOOD - ALL OTHER IMAGES

In a past life I was a wedding caterer, so when he ‘put a ring on it’, I knew a few things for sure.

It was going to be a small, intimate affair, maximum 80 guests. I’d seen far too many big weddings which stretched budgets and the bride and groom. I wanted a beautiful venue where we could get married, have the photos and the reception. And, of course, the food had to be amazing!

I only wish Falls Retreat had been around then, as they would have ticked all my boxes and more. With over 10 years of creating that special day for over 120 couples, Emma Walters from Falls Retreat says, “The key to helping create that special day is ensuring on the day the bride, groom and guests can just turn up and enjoy it! We offer a one stop place to get married with onsite accommodation, incredible food, a stunning venue with waterfall views and amazing photo opportunities and, of course, our dedicated wedding staff who take care of all the small details to ensure everything runs smoothly from start to finish.”

Emma says that Falls Retreat’s focus on connecting people with food, nature and each other is a perfect match for weddings and elopements. “We allow nature, including the beautiful outdoor ceremony area with Owharoa Falls in the background, to take centre stage while our focus is on providing incredible menus utilising produce from our organic veggie gardens.”

Her tips for couples planning their wedding are simple: “Keep focused on what is important to you as a couple, remembering that a great day can be a simple formula of good food, good company in a beautiful setting. Don’t get too caught up in minor details and let the experts guide you so that you can enjoy the planning process.”

One such couple who did just that are Yanika and Curtis Reed, who were married at Falls Retreat in March this year and sent this letter of thanks to the team:

“We just wanted to say how grateful we are for our wedding. Your team, yourself, and the venue went above and beyond and delivered a thousand-fold! We were so impressed; our guests cannot stop raving about how incredible the day was. The food, drinks and service. The kitchen staff were incredible, we cannot get over the taste of the food and standard! We are so happy with the day and how things went, thank you so very much. You made our day run so seamless and enjoyable.”

Emma’s tips for couples planning their wedding are simple:

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OFF-PEAK TIMES

While summer is always a popular time to get married, winter

“We knew we had picked the most perfect venue and on our big day it was even more stunning. Thank you, Anna, for all your hard work leading up to our day...

Thank you to all the staff that attended and kept the running of the day smooth. The food was delicious and of course the drinks were great! We’ve had so many compliments on our venue choice."

– Kris and Ash Robb

offers a number of advantages, from off-peak pricing to the intimate cosy atmosphere of Falls barn with the fire burning. Plus, take it from me, when you plan a winter wedding, you’ll never be disappointed by the weather, as it’s part of the plan, unlike a cyclone in February.

SMALL AND INTIMATE

Keeping your guest list to those close to you or under 60 will help the budget plus it opens up a lot more options, be it venue, menus or those special touches. Plus, these will be the people you really want to celebrate your big day with, and the atmosphere will reflect that.

TRUST THE EXPERTS

Most of us don’t have more than one wedding and there is a lot to consider, much of which you have no experience of. So trust the experts, especially your venue/caterer. It’s their job to ensure you and your guests have an amazing day.

MAKE SURE THE FOOD IS GREAT!

Let’s face it, even if you have every detail perfect but the food is bad, that’s what people will remember. Every celebration deserves great food, and your wedding is no exception!

Perfectly located in the stunning Karangahake Gorge (between Waihi and Paeroa), Falls Retreat is only 1.5 hours from Auckland and 1 hour from Tauranga and Hamilton, making it a central spot to celebrate your big day.

The beautiful property, complete with boutique accommodation means you can stay on site the night before and/or the night of your wedding. Plus, the photo opportunities are endless, from the pergola overlooking the stunning Owharoa Falls to the garden to the rustic barn.

Check out their Intimate Winter Wedding Special.

Available for 12–48 people in June, July or August from $3900 and includes full venue hire as well as accommodation for 10 people, plus celebrant and décor.

Email events@fallsretreat.co.nz to find out more information and to start planning your special day.

fallsretreat.co.nz

Gentle lentils

RECIPES & IMAGES AMBER BREMNER

I’m all about lentils, from salads to dal and everything in between. The little protein powerhouses are so versatile, and they’re of course a very budget friendly ingredient to fall back on when grocery prices are biting. Here are two ideas for using lentils in an entirely different way. The little show offs!

lentil AnD CHiA

seeD WRAPs

I hesitate to use the word ‘wrap’ to describe these, because they’re not as strong as a gluten flour wrap, but nor are they pancakes, dosa or flatbreads. So we’ll go with wrap.

Soaked lentils and chia seeds, spinach and a few flavourings are blended together to make a smooth batter, then cooked in a pan to form wraps which are strong enough to hold a light filling, and also delicious to pull pieces from to pick up tasty morsels and saucy bits. You can make this recipe without chia seeds, but after experimentation I found including them improves the structure and makes these wraps more resilient.

MAKES 7–8

1 cup red lentils (dry)

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 handfuls of roughly chopped spinach

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp each of salt and pepper

Soak red lentils in plenty of cold water for at least 2–3 hours. Combine chia seeds with 3 tbsp of water and set aside to soak (the mixture will form a thick gel).

When ready to blend, drain lentils and give them a good rinse. Put lentils, soaked chia seeds, spinach, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper into a blender with 1¼ cups of water and blend until completely smooth. Check this by rubbing a little batter between your fingers. If it feels gritty, blend a bit more.

Heat a non-stick pan over low-medium heat (a pancake pan is ideal). Lightly grease the surface, then pour in a ½ cup measure of batter. Use the back of a spoon to quickly spread the batter into a thin circle (if you make any holes, spread a little batter in to fill them). Cook for a few minutes, until the surface appears dry, then carefully flip and cook another few minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and stack cooked wraps on a plate to keep warm.

These will keep for a few days in the fridge, and can also be frozen and reheated successfully. A quick blast in the microwave is enough, or wrap them in tin foil and pop in the oven at a low temperature.

FRieD lentils WitH HARissA CAUliFlOWeR

Crispy chickpeas have made many an appearance in my kitchen, but I’d never thought to try the idea with lentils. I was in for a treat and enjoyed these very much with a few meals while experimenting with the idea. I use dry lentils, as they’re the cheapest option and also can be cooked until just right – with a little remaining firmness so they stand up to frying. Tossed with some za’atar, they become crispy, tasty, nuggety little bits of goodness that are delicious scattered over almost anything. I paired them with roasted harissa cauliflower on a bed of yoghurt, and watched my family hoover it up and lick the plate clean. I’ll call that a win.

LENTILS

½ cup dry French style lentils (available from Vetro)

½ cup neutral flavoured cooking oil

ZA’ATAR

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp sumac

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp flaky sea salt

CAULIFLOWER

½ a large cauliflower (about 800g), cut into florets

¼ cup olive oil

2–4 tbsp harissa (I use rose harissa from Vetro)

2 tbsp tomato paste (optional, see recipe instructions) salt

TO SERVE

1½ cups yoghurt (dairy or coconut) coriander leaves

Give the lentils a good rinse, then cook in plenty of boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until tender but retaining a little bite. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then spread them on a clean tea towel to dry out.

Make the za’atar by mixing all ingredients together. It’ll make more than you’ll need for this recipe – try using the leftover spice mix to season roast potatoes, or for dipping with bread and olive oil.

Heat ½ cup of neutral flavoured cooking oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the lentils and fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until the lentils start to smell a bit nutty, and the oil is browning and foaming. Test a few lentils for crispness – keeping in mind they’ll crisp more once drained. The easiest way to drain them is to carefully strain the cooked lentils using a sieve, to separate them from the oil. Spread the lentils on paper towels to drain and cool, then pop them into a bowl or jar and stir through 2 tbsp za’atar.

In a large mixing bowl, mix olive oil, harissa and tomato paste. Harissa can vary wildly in heat, from quite mild and fragrant to blow your head off hot. If you’re not familiar with the brand you’re using, taste some first. If it’s tasty as it is and not too hot, use 4 tbsp. If it’s more spicy, cut the heat by using 2 tbsp of harissa and 2 tbsp of tomato paste. Toss chopped cauliflower through the harissa mix, then spread on a baking tray and season with salt.

Roast cauliflower for 15 minutes at 220°C fan bake (or 240°C conventional oven), giving everything a stir part way through, until fragrant and a bit charred around the edges.

To serve, smear a plate with yoghurt, pile up with roasted cauliflower, and sprinkle over a generous quantity of lentils (with more available on the side – you’ll want them!). Drizzle with a little more olive oil to make lovely pools in the yoghurt, and add some coriander to finish. Mop up the tastiness with lentil wraps, or a hunk of sourdough.

Amber Bremner | Quite Good Food | www.quitegoodfood.co.nz

Amber Bremner is the author of popular plant based food blog Quite Good Food. A champion for cooking and eating food that makes you feel good, she believes small changes in the way we approach food have the power to make a difference.

WAIPUNA HOSPICE CHARITY SHOP TE PUKE

Celebrates 10 Years!

You’ll likely hear Catherine Sipson spontaneously singing before you see her bouncing down the shop aisles. Her enthusiasm and positivity are contagious, making Waipuna Hospice Charity Shop in Te Puke a fun place to work and visit.

The in-store process is to clean, sort, price and distribute. Volunteers selflessly donate their time, working hard to ensure donated items (clothing, books, bric-a-brac and furniture) are of high quality and displayed well. “It’s the happiness of my volunteers that I love. There is so much value in the time they give. It makes my heart sing when I hear them say I love coming to my happy place.”

Catherine enjoys the creativity of regular customers, who she says “have a brilliant eye and look a million dollars”. She notices savvy people, not interested in fast fashion, frequently come through the doors because “they want individuality and they’ll find it here”. Te Puke, she says, is a great little town that attracts people from all over the world. Some are travelling and pop in, others stay for the kiwifruit season and need work clothes.

This is more than just a shop, it's an important part of the Te Puke community, a place where every purchase supports a worthy cause.

Top: Jean Carran, Heather Cartwright, Catherine Sipson and Sally Sutton. Every Friday 15 minutes before closing you’ll see this team adorn wild outfits to suit a chosen theme. They call it 15 minute Friday Fashion.

Bottom: Pera Tipene was on the hunt for jars. Her home in Te Teko is surrounded by fruit trees and the right size jars are essential for her seasonal preserving. Pera is now a counsellor but formerly worked as a chef in Tauranga and Whakatāne. She featured on the Great Kiwi Bake Off, Marae Kai Masters and Whānau Bake Off. Happy to add a few jars to her collection, Pera was better prepared to make her famous feijoa, zucchini and apple chutney.

WORDS + IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

Above: Andy and Emma Shaw with daughters Brooke (2) and Lily (7 months). Emma had a successful morning second-hand shopping. She’d found beautiful artwork, a bright beach towel and drink bottles. She frequently visits the store and discovers quality clothing and linen. Her visits are motivated by the need to lower expenses due to the high cost of living and to shop more sustainably.

Below: Kiwifruit seasonal workers Roger Henry and Robert Boblang from Vanuatu had finished work early and stopped in near closing to have a quick browse. They were keen to return.

Above: Mel Yeates helps out on Mondays by receiving donations and sorting and fixing items. He’s a talented wood turner and often revamps tired furniture into bespoke pieces. Mel enjoys sifting through the many treasures that are donated.

“There is joy in the discovery. It’s not nosey, it's curious!”

Top-right: Great mates Di and Jackie have been volunteering since the store opened 10 years ago. Di Watson had baked a tasty caramelised feijoa gingerbread loaf to share the day I visited. She was taking a break from sorting books and cracking jokes to have a slice with a cuppa. “It really is a great place to work.” Jackie McEwan is efficient and practical, flitting happily and masterfully from one cleaning and sorting task to the next. She knows the store inside out. “This is my happy place. I love coming here. I get a huge sense of achievement paying it forward.”

Above: Pamela Jones is queen of bric-a-brac and has been polishing and cleaning for about four years. “I’ve made some lovely friends here. We have a lot of fun together.”

Bottom-left: Pat Govan has been volunteering in the laundry department for the past five years, ensuring clothing is neat and tidy before entering the store. “It’s a joy to be here with a great bunch of people.”

Bottom-middle: Heather Cartwright has been assistant manager for 10 years. She was skilfully repairing tight black leather pants the day I met her. Heather’s sewing skills are admirable and so too is her ability to ensure all aspects of the store are running well.

Bottom-right: Friendly Sue Cronin greets customers behind the front counter. “I like to give something back. Waipuna Hospice provides important support services at very difficult times in people's lives.”

Waipuna Hospice provides specialist palliative care for patients living with a life-limiting illness and support services for them and their whānau. Proceeds from the Te Puke shop and their five other charity shops help fund this work.

Waipuna Hospice Charity Shop - Te Puke 200 Jellicoe Street, Te Puke 3119 facebook.com/tepukewaipunahospiceshop

What’s Hot this Winter at Chalk & Charcoal

Winter is a time to layer clothes, experiment with jackets and coats and get cozy with beautiful accessories like scarves and hats.

The sparkle in these t-shirts (right) will make you want one in every colour! These are a perfect t-shirt for layering and look great under a coat or blazer.

A classic blazer is a wardrobe staple, but this one by Mos Mosh (right) is unbelievable! It is a classic cut single-breast blazer, with an amazing pop of pink, both in the fabric and in the gorgeous lining. This will look great with jeans, for casual weekend wear.

Monari is a new label in store at Chalk & Charcoal and is already proving popular with customers. The Monari collections are smart, casual quality pieces with a hint of glamour. While this season’s range comes in a more subtle colour palette, it has stunning patterns, and the finishing details are beautiful.

Who doesn't love a bit of bling! Check out the embellishments on the face of the tiger, which adds another dimension to this Monari top (left). It also has a slightly crimped shoulder seam, giving it a more elegant look than just a plain tee.

This Monari Lurex Sweater (right) is a blend of cotton, acrylic and polyester. The high neck, with a subtle v design gives the sweater a unique detail that looks fantastic.

Wilson Trollope is a label the ladies at Chalk & Charcoal love. This New Zealand label has a focus on making women feel great about themselves and what they wear. Each season they create a small selection of garments with a strong emphasis on timeless uncomplicated silhouettes that complement the female form. The fabric they use is rich in design and a real statement to wear.

Houndstooth is a classic pattern and is trending this season. Wilson Trollope have used it on their very popular Otama style dress (above) for the winter. You will really love this versatile dress this winter and beyond.

The Margareta dress (above right) is just one of those timeless designs that is a must-have in any wardrobe. The beautiful cut and flow of the style is typical of Wilson Trollope, and the navy colour is a great choice for those of us who try to steer clear of black. And how good do those gold-coloured buttons look!

Rana from Chalk and Charcoal says, “We adore the accessories we get from Antler NZ (right). These are the small add-ons that really make a difference to the finish of your winter outfit. What we really like about buying from Antler is that we are supporting another small New Zealand business that provides great quality items.”

Chalk & Charcoal 4 Te Puna Road, Te Puna www.chalkandcharcoal.co.nz

Designing Your Mood

Are you diving into a home renovation or building project, only to find yourself lost in a sea of design choices?

With the plethora of options available, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Perhaps you've scrolled through countless social media feeds or watched numerous DIY videos, sparking a flurry of ideas. But amidst this creative chaos, the question remains: How do you unite these scattered inspirations into a cohesive vision?

A mood board can help streamline your design journey and transform your vision into reality.

VISION & STYLE

Before diving into the details, take a moment to define your vision and style for your home. Ask yourself: What atmosphere do I want to create? What adjectives describe my ideal space – cosy, modern, eclectic, or timeless?

Gather inspiration from interior design magazines and online platforms such as Pinterest, Archipro and Instagram. Websites like gerrandfloorings.co.nz have real-life examples highlighting local projects and what is available in New Zealand. Your mood board should reflect your unique personality and preferences, serving as a visual roadmap for your design journey. Nothing beats a physical mood board, where you can touch and feel, but during the research phase digital assets, such as Pinterest, are a great way of collating ideas by room or by style.

COLOUR PALETTE

One of the most powerful elements of your mood board is the colour palette. Choose a cohesive palette that sets the tone for your space and evokes the mood you desire. Consider the psychology of colour – warm tones like reds and oranges can create a sense of cosiness and intimacy, while cool tones, like blues and greens, promote calmness and tranquility. Experiment with different combinations and take a trip to the local paint store for actual swatches until you find the perfect balance of hues that speak to your style and personality.

KEY ELEMENTS

Identify the key elements that will define the look and feel of your home. Start with foundational elements like flooring, which can set the stage for the entire design scheme. Whether you prefer the timeless elegance of carpet or timber flooring or the versatility of designer vinyl, include samples or images that capture the essence of your chosen flooring material. Then, move on to other key elements such as cabinetry, countertops and architectural details. These elements will anchor your design and provide a framework for the rest of your selections.

Gerrand Floorings now offer larger loan out samples to give a better in-home experience when considering your flooring. You can select samples of your choice, and they are always happy to recommend options if you need help. Their website (gerrandfloorings.co.nz) also has a handy “save to your design

list” option to help you keep track of what takes your fancy. And, of course, there is always the option to visit their magnificent showroom on Hewletts Road to touch and feel the hundreds of options and where their staff are on hand to answer any of your questions.

TEXTURES AND MATERIALS

Texture plays a crucial role in adding depth and visual interest to your home design. Incorporate a variety of textures and materials into your mood board to create a tactile experience that engages the senses. Consider the juxtaposition of rough and smooth surfaces, soft and hard materials, and matte and glossy finishes. From natural stone countertops to plush upholstery fabrics, each texture contributes to the overall richness and warmth of your space.

FINISHES

Finally, don’t overlook the importance of finishes in completing your design vision. Finishes encompass everything from hardware and fixtures to lighting and accessories, adding the final layer of polish and personality to your space. Pay attention to the small details – the shape of a drawer pull, the finish of a faucet, the style of a light fixture – as these finishing touches can elevate your design from ordinary to extraordinary.

Happy designing!

Gerrand Floorings 123 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui www.gerrand.co.nz

BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL HOMEWARES ENHANCE EVERYDAY LIFE

WORDS LIZ FRENCH | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

The recent arrival of Clover Design Store in Mount Maunganui’s vibrant main shopping street has been welcomed by shoppers who appreciate high quality homewares in an inspiring retail atmosphere.

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris, textile designer associated with British Arts and Crafts movement, said this in the 1880s. It still holds true today. Clover’s range is the perfect example; beautiful things that are useful and uplifting.

Fast fashion, fast food, disposable household items … if you are reading Nourish magazine you are likely one of the many who are ‘over it’. The team at Clover could not be further from ‘throwaway’. Everything you see on display is the result of the considered curation of functional pieces of enduring quality and timeless style that speak of today, tomorrow and forever.

The establishment of Clover was a considered process for these experienced homewares retailers. Mary Clark and her daughters, Rana Reuther and Emma Clark, have owned a store on Waiheke Island for nearly a decade. When they all ended up loving living in Mount Maunganui, they studied the market while waiting and watching for the ideal place to appear, somewhere they could share their design ethos.

The space left by Gilded Edge has been transformed into a light, open, airy store where you feel drawn to a gallery of temptingly tactile treasures. The Clover team acknowledge the assistance of Colin Carmichael of Proform and his team for the fitout and

Kathrine McDonald for her contribution to a cohesive interior which allows the stock to shine.

Clover is a passion project for this family who share a love of interior design, architecture and travel. While sourcing product has taken them to Paris and exotic places, they are just as excited to showcase local and antipodean design. And you will find examples throughout the store, all labelled with their provenance.

A DAY IN CLOVER

At Clover they appreciate that whatever your personal style, your home is your sanctuary and an expression of your individuality. Their mission is to help you enhance your own environment with pieces that provide lasting pleasure and practicality.

Take a stroll around Clover and imagine investing in quality that will sustain you for years to come. Sleep in soft natural linen and cocoon yourself with custom made cushions. Slow food looks and tastes better when your ceramics and cutlery have been crafted with care. Good wine deserves great glasses. Elevate daily experiences with beautiful candles you probably won’t find anywhere else, and other simple pleasures.

Clover encourages you to look beyond trends and choose homewares that have soul and appeal to yours. Fickle fashion has no place for products designed to last generations, in the timeless palette of earthy colours that complement each other in nature and in nurturing your home life.

In buying the best you will also have the best time browsing Clover Design Store. Enlist their assistance and enjoy a friendly

family team delighted to guide you to the best expression of your personal taste. Or help you find the perfect gift, be it one that keeps on giving, or that is temporary but smells or tastes terrific.

If you can’t visit in person, or you later wish you’d bought that piece you coveted, Clover is also online and can ship your purchase lovingly packaged.

CLOVER DELI

By tucking a deli inside the front window, the Clover team also encompasses their appreciation of good coffee and fine food. They’ve got you covered, from a quiet caffeine and Danish in the morning to a filled baguette for lunch, cheeses and antipasto items to take home, artisan bread from local Just Bread, and a range of pickles and preserves, oils and sauces from prime purveyors. Mary, Emma and Rana are delighted with the way their vision for Clover has been realised and with the response from people who live locally and who visit, notably many from throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. “We feel that in creating a store that reflects our own values and our respect for the uncomplicated and classic, we have also filled a niche in the market for homewares that are both beautiful and useful.”

Clover Design Store

159 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui

Instagram: @cloverdesignstorenz

Web: cloverdesignstore.co.nz

MEET THE TEAM AT

Tranquillo Beauty Clinic

Tranquillo Beauty Clinic prides themselves on offering personalised, results-driven beauty therapy in a serene and relaxed environment. Key to this is building trust and rapport with their clients. So meet the team responsible for this.

Mahia is a senior therapist who has returned from living in Melbourne. A highly trained professional, passionate about all things beauty, she has amazing skills in skin analysis and skin treatments as well as being a brow makeup artist.

Ellisha is a senior therapist with 23 years' experience in the beauty industry. Ellisha's passion comes from the joy of nurturing others and enhancing their natural beauty. She enjoys administering personalised treatments utilising her knowledge of ingredients, facial peels, needling, microdermabrasion and an array of innovative beauty techniques.

Leah is a skilled therapist from the UK who dedicates bringing spa experience to every session. Her passion for massage includes relaxing, pregnancy, and sports along with fascia and Reiki. Alongside that she enjoys other treatments, waxing and maintenance.

Toni has five years’ experience in the beauty industry. Her passion for the industry continues to develop with an inquiring mind and a natural love for nurturing. She loves the diversity in her work, from waxing and brows to relaxing treatments. Her favourite part is being able to enhance people’s confidence.

John is the receptionist and administrator and all round go-to person at Tranquillo. With his years of experience, John has a great understanding of both treatments and products to help you if the therapist is busy.

Sue, advanced senior therapist and founder of Tranquillo, is passionate about ensuring excellence in the clinic and the industry at large, so is always looking to share her knowledge and educate those around her.

Tranquillo Beauty Clinic works as a team to deliver personalised treatments, from a brow enhancement through to advanced skin treatments. Utilising their vast combined knowledge of skin, ingredients and the innovative beauty techniques available, treatments are designed to enhance your natural beauty and promote radiant, healthy skin.

Dedicated to bringing the best skin and beauty care to men, women, young and mature, they look forward to helping you on your journey.

Tranquillo Beauty Clinic 76 Grey Street, Tauranga tranquillobeauty.co.nz

TONI

ELLISHA LEAH

JOHN & SUE

MAHIA

Pie Time

WORDS & IMAGES FIONA HUGUES

It’s a small miracle I have anything to do with pies considering as a kindy kid, freckle faced, pigtailed and innocent, I was made to sing a creepy song of sixpence about some nasty morbid sounding pie stuffed with blackbirds.

And let’s not mention greedy Little Jack Horner, the boy with no mates, sitting with himself in the corner poking about in a festive pie with his pudgy hands, pulling out plums with his undoubtedly grubby thumbs. The whole notion was frankly quite disgusting. Pies back then were marketed as pastry prisons for naughtiness, all a bit ghoulish with their hidden and unknown fillings. Nevertheless, fast forward to now when our editor suggested I make pies, I took a deep breath, banished my fear and created pastry delights, mostly with their contents revealed so you, dear reader, can relax, deliciously indulge and not be triggered by horrid childhood nightmares of little fairy tale animals encased in dough. Go forth, be safe in your kitchens and enjoy happily ever after.

POTATO BOLOGNAISE (NOT COTTAGE) PIE

I’m not going to string you some bucolic line here, so here it is, my name is Fiona and I detest cottage pie. “Whatever,” I can hear you tutt-tutting. Call me a snob, but my aversion is with valid reason. It’s stemmed from this – I’m a mother of three and back when I was hindered at home with a freshly laid newborn, the officious but kind mother of one of my best friends would take it upon herself to fill my freezer with tired Tupperware containers full of what she called ‘cottage pie’. Bless her (she’s dead now so I can write this without too much collateral carnage), she’d arrive, drenched in a cloud of No.5, lippy always, Chanel-clad from coifed head to her Versace tottering toes, clutching said containers of sloppy dull brown mince, scattered with frozen mixed veggies and topped with, wait for it, instant mashed potato. Sometimes there would be a scattering of grated cheese and a few dollops of margarine on the top for good measure. Honestly, I – weary, lactating and sleep deprived – did indulge in one, two, or thirty-frigging-five of these pies, if you can call them that, but not without seasoning the f-ck out of them first. A blessed accompaniment of a decent dollop of chutney also immensely helped shove life into my soupy sad prison-like servings, praise the good Lord. But, alas, after my third child and subsequent third tedious

season of a freezer full of those damn things, a decade or two later, I can no longer look, nor glance at a cottage pie. This far removed rendition here admittedly I didn’t eat either, but my crew devoured it, and if I ever was to get over myself and eat it too, this golden spud galette crowned bolognaise version would surely be it. It also makes a fast handheld tart, or pretty petite canapés – cut casual squares of puff pastry, lay them on a baking tray, dollop with the bolognaise sauce, top with some of the sliced spuds in the same way and bake until golden.

1 x 500g pack flaky pastry sheets (I used Paneton - available at Vetro)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

900g prime beef mince

½ cup red wine

400g tin crushed Italian tomatoes

400g tin cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp raw sugar

1 tbsp tomato paste

sea salt and fresh ground pepper 1 egg, beaten sour cream to serve

TOPPING

5–6 medium Agria potatoes, par boiled until just beginning to soften

2 tbsp butter, melted parmesan dust (powder) basil leaves

Heat a slop of oil in a large saucepan, add the mince and garlic and season well. Cook over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon as you go, until evenly browned.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan then add the tinned tomatoes, balsamic, tomato paste and sugar and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 190°C fan bake.

Grease a 26cm or a large loose bottomed tart tin and line with flaky pastry, pressing the edges together to seal and pricking the base all over with a fork. Brush the rim of the tart with beaten egg. Refrigerate while you prepare the potatoes.

Slice the par boiled potatoes into 2mm thick slices.

Fill the tart case with the cooled mince mixture.

Top with the potato slices. Brush potatoes with melted butter and season. Sprinkle over the parmesan powder.

Bake for around 25 minutes until golden. Decorate with basil leaves and serve with sour cream.

At the Pacifica Complex 112 Tara Rd, Papamoa p (07) 542-0190

www.pacificapapamoa.com whiteginger_pacifica

WOODLAND SPINACH & MUSHROOM PIE

There was a French bakery in the big city a couple of decades ago that made great take home pies before imperious Francophiles appeared everywhere and ruined many of our gluttonous French gourmet secrets. Prior to being discovered by the masses, we’d whip into the tiny bakery and buy the decadent pastry-clad creations they made to covertly take home and serve to our wanderlust guests to great, but totally undeserved, applause. It was a brilliant slothful entertaining trick until popularity blew our cover. Sadly, the bakery no longer exists, but in desperation I’ve since conjured a rendition of their fabulous vegetarian pie version. She’s stuffed full of meltingly great amounts of Popeye pleasing creamy spinach, sauteed mushrooms and sweet onions littered with woodsy pinenuts. Encased in buttery pastry, it’s just gorgeous at this time of year when greens aren’t in abundance, so you can virtuously eat a decent whack with a very valid excuse. I bought my fancy cookie cutters at a cook shop in San Francisco, but you can find plenty at www.sweetpeaparties.co.nz. It freezes wonderfully, so make a few while you’re at it.

1 x 500g pack savoury short pastry sheets (I used Paneton)

2 medium brown onions, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

350g mix of portobello mushrooms, sliced, and brown mushrooms, quartered

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup white wine

Preheat oven to 180°C.

500g pack frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

300g baby spinach leaves

½ cup crème fraîche

1 cup ricotta

60g pinenuts, toasted

1 egg, beaten

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

In a large frying pan over a medium heat add the olive oil and onions and cook until golden.

Add the mushrooms and garlic, season well, and cook until the mushrooms are softened. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the thawed spinach and spinach leaves and cook until warm and wilted before stirring through the crème fraîche and ricotta. Sprinkle over the pinenuts and stir to combine. Taste and season again (it will need it). Set aside to cool.

With spray oil, grease a 24cm springform cake tin. Line with pastry sheets with a 1cm overhang around the edge, pressing the joins neatly together so there are no gaps. Pile in the filling. Brush beaten egg around the rim and place on a top sheet of pastry, pressing the perimeter edges together with fingers and thumb to completely seal. Brush the entire top with beaten egg and then (if going to the effort) lay on your cookie cutter pastry decorations. Brush the decorated part with beaten egg and cut a couple of small holes in the centre of the pie with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 35–40 minutes or until pastry is cooked and golden.

STEAK & CHEDDAR PIE SITUATION

As I write this headlines are full of gloomy outlooks, bursting with dastardly stories of wickedness and woe, and the days are delving into dark winter, all as it gets colder day by day. Subsequently I’ve just hung up the phone from an acquaintance I’ve not spoken to for a while, who took pleasure in rubbing my nose in a few things purely to make herself feel better. It was a decent seasonal snipe that got me questioning where it came from and what the actual [beep]? She has got a few annoying bags in her busy body closet, so I’ll dust myself off from her unwarranted digs primarily because I reckon she’s a victim of this weird time of year. In my opinion, now is a moody sub-season that makes the meanies meaner and the mouthy all a bit moronic. But fear not friends, we shall not tolerate such behaviour, so these pies are your delicious come-back artillery. They’re deconstructed versions of the damn great pie shop steak and cheese pies that we know and love but with a platform of voice in a golden top of flaky pastry. So, speak up, go get yourself some alphabet dough cutters and go to town with some suitable nouns to serve to your fellow pie eaters. I made plenty of cussword toppers for this shoot but as not to offend the minions left them out of shot and went with the obvious as not to be totally uncouth. A genius creation if I might say so, but slap it all in a sealed pocket of puff pastry if you prefer them benign and easy to pack up and travel.

1 x 500g pack flaky pastry sheets (I used Paneton)

2 tbsp olive oil

900g topside beef, cut into a couple of chunks

1 brown onion, sliced

150ml white wine

500ml good beef stock

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with ¼ cup water

120g approx. cheddar cheese, sliced

1 egg, beaten

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

tomato sauce to serve

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Season your meat on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based lidded oven proof pan on high heat and brown the beef all over.

Remove beef and brown the onion, adding a little more olive oil if needed. Pour over the wine to deglaze the pan.

Return the meat to the pan and pour over the stock. Cover with a cartouche (baking paper circle) and put on the lid.

Cook for 3 hours or until the meat is easily pulling apart.

Lift out the meat, carefully pull apart into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Heat the remaining oniony cooking liquid and stir in cornflour to thicken. Check seasoning and add beef back to the thickened juices. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 190°C. Cut pastry circles and decorate with words of wisdom.

Lay prepared pastry discs on a lined baking tray and brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 10–12 minutes until puffed and golden.

To serve, heat beef to piping hot. Place a few slices of cheddar directly on portions of hot meat and top with a pastry topper. Serve immediately with t-sauce on the side.

APPLE OF MY EYE PIE

There’s something nurturing and comforting about a decadent, sweet and fragrant warm apple pie that makes it the delight of one's life. She’s the welcome home dish one loves best in all the world. Some love it more than others – no one can easily forget that hilarious scene in the movie American Pie when the world cringed and watched an unassuming apple pie become a vehicle to manhood. Ungodly behaviours aside, this pretty apple pie here is simply the best and easiest to prepare. I’ve gone all-out sloth style with pimped tinned apples and store bought pastry so there’s limited faffing about in the kitchen and you can get on with your day getting ready for band camp.

1 x 500g pack sweet short pastry sheets (I used Paneton - available at Vetro)

2 x 770g tins apple pie fruit

zest of a large lemon

¼ cup caster sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 red apples, sliced

¼ cup butter, melted

1 egg

raw sugar to sprinkle

whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease a 24cm deep pie tin or springform cake tin.

Line with pastry sheets, pressing the edges to seal and allow a 2cm edge. Refrigerate.

Place the tinned apples in a bowl, add the zest, sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir to gently combine.

Slice the two apples into 2mm thick slices and squeeze over a little lemon juice to stop them browning.

Place the apple filling in the chilled pie case.

I used a ravioli cutter to cut 1.5cm wide strips of pastry to decorate the top of my pie in a lattice pattern, tucking in a few of the prettiest apple slices in as I went. (My ponies happily got the apple leftovers.)

Brush the pastry with beaten egg.

Carefully brush the exposed apple slices with melted butter then sprinkle the whole top with a decent shower of raw sugar.

Bake until pastry is crisp and golden, around 30 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream.

Fiona Hugues

Award winning food stylist, designer & creative multi-hyphenate Fiona Hugues spent her childhood gallivanting around the Waikato countryside on horse back. After Hillcrest High School, Elam School of Fine Arts took her to Auckland where she has lived ever since and now resides on a rural property with her French husband, their three children & a plethora of animals. She’s an entertaining expert, sourdough coach, art director and gourmand and it’s said in dire circumstances she would possibly trade one of her children for a bottle of Pinot Grigio & a good burrata.

Fine Fennel

WORDS LYNDA HALLINAN

Leaf fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and its bulbous cousin finocchio (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum) are the Laurel and Hardy of my herb garden, with little in common aside from their shared family name and distinctive aniseed flavour.

However, while I'd sooner chew on a green capsicum than swallow a single sprig of pungent leaf fennel, bulb fennel is one of my alltime favourite cool season crops, with sweet anise flesh that's as crunchy as celery in a raw salad, but meltingly soft after a low, slow spell in the oven.

It goes without saying, of course, that the former is therefore far easier to cultivate than the latter. Leaf fennel grows, quite literally, like a weed, self-sowing with wanton profligacy once it has a foot in the door. But it's such a wonderful weed! Standing on tippy toes, fennel towers up to two metres tall with sharp-smelling ferny foliage topped with golden summer parasols that attract bees, butterflies and beneficial insects. The immature seed heads, popping off in every direction like green fireworks, look fantastic in cut flower arrangements, or let the seeds fully dry to fill up your spice jars.

Unlike its brash and beautiful long-legged cousin, bulb fennel sits squat on the soil, a gentle goddess with big butt cheeks and dainty, dill-like foliage. It's much better behaved, never outstays its welcome and can be sown year-round, though it does prefer cooler conditions. In hot weather, unless mulched deeply, bulb fennel often bolts to seed prematurely, slimming down and toughening up as it heads skywards. (If this happens, just let it be. After the bees have had their fill, snap off the old stalk and wait a few weeks; new, smaller bulbs will appear around the base for a secondary crop.)

For the best results, sow bulb fennel directly where you want it to grow as root disturbance caused by transplanting is the main culprit for poor yields. Sow in full sun in moist soil, in garden beds or large containers, spacing the seeds 5cm apart. Bulb fennel doesn't mind being crowded by its compatriots, but you do run the risk of dislodging the roots of neighbouring plants when harvesting, so thin as required. Keep well-watered – not a problem in winter – and feed with liquid tomato fertiliser if you happen to have any leftover from summer.

One final tip: always sow way more than you need, as baby fennel is quicker to crop than leeks or carrots at this time of the year, taking as little as 60 days. Baby fennel is delicious chargrilled or roasted whole, so chuck in half the packet. You won't regret it.

FAVOURITE FENNELS

• Plant breeders have tried their best to rehabilitate the ferocious flavour of leaf fennel, blessing modern varieties with more palatable monikers such as ‘Sweet Leaf’ or ‘Bronze Smokey’ (both from Kings Seeds). However, given that a single plant is all you need to get started, just grab a potted seedling from the herb section at your local garden centre.

• For a punch of flavour in a green salad, sow leaf fennel as a microgreen or baby leaf crop. The seeds take 7–10 days to germinate, and 3–4 weeks to reach a snippable size.

• The bulb variety ‘Finale’ is recommended for sowing year-round. In my experience, the organic heirloom variety ‘Romanesco’ is a bit fussier and takes longer to mature, helping to extend the season. ‘Milano’ is also said to be less fibrous when mature.

Lynda Hallinan

Waikato born-and-raised gardening journalist Lynda Hallinan lives a mostly self-sufficient life in the foothills of the Hunua Ranges, where she has turned a former sheep paddock into an organic no-dig vegetable garden at Sweetgum Cottage. Her garden is open to the public by appointment.

FROm seeD tO tAble, FResH FOOD FOR All

WORDS LIZ FRENCH | IMAGES ALEX SPODYNEIKO

Food resilience is the goal of Grow On Katikati, a community initiative aiming to ensure that by supporting people to grow their own food, no one need go hungry.

An hour in the company of the organisers, volunteers, and participants of Grow On Katikati (GOK) at the Saturday morning seed and seedling share and you could be convinced that Katikati is one big food garden and that all the residents grow their own produce.

They may not be there yet, but GOK has, in just over four years operation, had a massive impact on the locals and got many people involved in fulfilling the vision of ‘Fresh Food for all, from Seed to Table’.

The GOK seed was sown in 2020 during lockdown when the demand meant access to seedlings dried up, and fresh produce was sometimes hard to source. Initiators Tessa MacKenzie and Anne Billing realised that, while they lived in the centre of a prolific food-producing area, most of what was grown locally is exported. The time was ripe to get the locals growing their own food resilience. It started with an approach to Kings Seeds, a long-

established local business. Kings supplied the seeds and another local business, Gammans, the seed raising mix (and both still do). Volunteers, notably Ray Nelson, propagated the seeds and GOK made them available to locals, the numbers increasing as GOK has become ever woven into the Katikati community.

SOCIAL SEEDING

By isolating people, lockdown also highlighted how humans are social beings, and that to flourish, a community needs reasons to come together for a common purpose. The happy chatter and the hugs at the Saturday swap are clear evidence that Grow on Katikati is also feeding souls.

Most Saturdays will see Jizzy Green and Jess Moir, the two GOK coordinators, in the middle of it all (and Jess’s children up a tree!) outside the Grow On Katikati shed beside the Katikati Community Centre. It is through their enthusiastic fertilising that people of all ages are involved in one initiative or another. Kids aged six to ten learn to garden through Seedlings Club, hopefully establishing a lifelong love of growing food. Children often man entrepreneur stalls at the monthly Crop Swap, where locals share their excess. GOK also has a local seed library that saves seeds grown and

harvested locally. Workshops and social events span seed sowing to composting and food preparation and preserving. They host film nights and long lunches too.

Many older residents have big gardens but bad knees. Collaborative gardening matches people who want to do more gardening with those who have more space than they can manage alone.

COUNT THE WAYS …

Grow on Katikati’s mission, “Connecting and empowering locals by sharing seeds, seedlings and skills”, and the obvious results they are achieving has attracted funding and local sponsorship, appreciatively noted on the new GOK website. More revenue comes from members, who pay $60 per year (works out at just $5 per month) for free seedlings and a selection of seeds every month. However, no one is excluded, and you do not have to be a member to get the newsletter, which now goes out to more than 400 subscribers. A koha is welcome if someone can’t afford membership. GOK want to help the community create a means to grow produce and help them meet the ever-increasing cost of feeding the family.

In the past year GOK has distributed over 9000 seedlings and hundreds of packets of seeds into the community and experienced increased membership. Regular swapper Jan enthuses, “I love coming here”, referring to the plants she gets every week, the produce she shares, the people she has befriended and the way her children and grandchildren have also embraced this growing culture.

GROWING COMMUNITY

GOK’s associations are far reaching in the Katikati community, from the local kindergarten to the MenzShed, and with other organisations in the food arena. Everything they do furthers the goal that no one should go hungry. As Jizzy Green says, “Growing their own food will translate into healthier outcomes. Food grown locally means less food miles, more nutrient density, less money spent on food and more money for other rising living expenses.”

Simple, really. It just takes a village, a passionate few and an enthusiastically grateful many.

Seed and seedling share: Saturdays 9.30–10.30 am, KK Community Centre, Beach Road

Crop Swap: First Saturday of the month www.growonkatikati.com

A Slice of Sunshine

WORDS RACHEL HART

I’ve always thought the hardest part of winter isn’t the cold weather, it’s the lack of sunlight. On the shortest day of the year, us North Island Kiwis only get nine and a half hours of sunlight, which is an hour more than our friends in the far south! But Mother Nature, in her infinite wisdom, has a solution to the darker days, and it comes in the form of oranges.

Oranges are a winter fruit at their peak ripeness between June and August, offering a burst of colour when we need it most. They grow easily and abundantly in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato; however, it is sunny Gisborne that grows most of the country’s oranges. While their origins trace back to southeast China, oranges found a new home when settlers brought them to New Zealand in the 1800s.

Oranges are often thought to symbolise luck, prosperity and abundance, and an orange wheel looks undeniably similar to the sun. You may have heard of orange pomanders – oranges studded with cloves – a popular Christmastime decoration in the northern hemisphere. Today they might lend your house a festive scent of zesty citrus mingled with woody warmth, but they stem from medieval Europe where pomanders were worn to ward off diseases and evil spirits.

The benefits of oranges are more than just symbolic; the fruit is also full of nutrition, most famously vitamin C. A single orange provides twice your daily quota of vitamin C, a nutrient that strengthens the immune system, making citrus a perfect antidote to the winter bugs floating around. Oranges also offer folate, B6 and magnesium, plenty of fibre to aid in digestion, and lots of water to keep you hydrated.

If you are keen to make the most of the health benefits, eat oranges raw or lightly cooked, as too much heat will damage the vitamin C content. Pair oranges with iron-rich foods like beef, chicken, spinach and seafood because vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron in your body. And don’t forget the peel, an often-overlooked source of concentrated flavour and nutrition. Orange zest can enhance anything from drinks to vinaigrettes, home baking to savoury sauces.

While some winter produce is best served warm, there really is no better way to eat an orange than fresh. Peel it, slice it, juice it – you don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, just crack into it and enjoy. Of course, if you are keen to experiment, there are plenty of dishes that will take advantage of the orange’s zingy, acidic sweetness. Orange-glazed carrots are a great side dish, while orange chicken features a flavourful blend of orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. For dessert, Middle Eastern orange almond cake is delicious (and naturally gluten-free), but my favourite orangey treat is a Mexican-inspired fruit salad where tropical fruits are tossed with a splash of orange (and sometimes lime) juice and sprinkled with a dash of chilli! However you like ’em, there’s no better way to fight the winter blues than with a slice of orange sunshine.

Rachel Hart

Hailing from Canada, Rachel has fallen in love with life in the beautiful Bay of Plenty where she is a freelance writer with a passion for healthy food. She splits her time between telling people’s stories, creating web content and experimenting in the kitchen.

CRUSHING IT THIS WINTER

RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

ORANGE POSSET WITH

APEROL JELLY

A posset is a very simple old-fashioned dessert, so I have tarted it up with the addition of an Aperol jelly and crisp tuile. With that said you can enjoy a simple unadorned posset without the jelly. Try setting it in hollowed out orange halves for a little fun and cheat by serving it with store bought shortbread or biscotti.

FOR THE JELLY:

3 sheets of gelatine (available from Vetro)

¼ cup Aperol

½ cup prosecco sec

¼ cup orange juice (approx. 1 orange)

Soak the gelatine in a small bowl of cold water for 5–10 minutes. Put the Aperol, prosecco and orange juice in a pan and heat gently. Squeeze the water from the softened gelatine leaves and mix them into the warm liquid. Stir to dissolve completely before pouring into 6 glasses.

Leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

FOR THE POSSET:

2 oranges

300ml double cream*

½ cup sugar

Finely grate the zest from one orange then squeeze the juice from 2 oranges.

Place cream and sugar into a saucepan and gently heat, stirring to

dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved increase the heat and bring the cream to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.

Take off the heat, add the orange zest and juice. Stir thoroughly and watch the cream thicken. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally to avoid lumps forming. When at room temp, divide over the set jelly.

*Regular cream will work but if you can find double cream (Lewis Road do a version of this) you will get a thicker posset.

PISTACHIO TUILES

2 egg whites

50g butter, softened

50g caster sugar

50g flour, sifted

1 tbsp pistachios, finely chopped

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Fold in the egg whites along with the flour.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with an 8mm nozzle and pipe biscuits about 10cm long and 1.5cm wide, leaving a little space between them as they will spread. Sprinkle with pistachios and bake for about 8 minutes until golden around the outside.

Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container.

ORANGE AND AVOCADO SALAD

Make the most of the end of avocado season with this fresh winter salad. Or when avocado prices skyrocket, swap them out for fresh mozzarella.

Serve this for a lovely weekend lunch with fresh bread or as dinner with grilled fish or chicken.

2 tbsp dukkah* + extra for serving

4 oranges

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp sherry vinegar (available from Vetro)

pinch salt and white pepper

2x avocados

fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

120g bag mixed leaves (I like a mix with some bitter leaves in there like rocket, plus some variety of colours)

Peel and segment the oranges, reserving ¼ cup of their juice. Place the dukkah (or 1 tbsp of fennel salt) with the oil, vinegar, salt & pepper and ¼ cup of orange juice in a small jar. Place the lid on and shake well.

On a platter arrange the orange segments, fennel, and avocado slices over the rocket leaves. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.

*I used my homemade dukkah for this. You can find the recipe for it in our latest cookbook. If making your own or buying one look for one that has fennel seeds in it. Alternatively, you can make a quick fennel salt. Simply toast 1 tbsp fennel seeds in a frying pan. Leave to cool a little, then roughly crush in a mortar and pestle, then mix in a tbsp of flaky sea salt.

ORANGE AND ROSEMARY DRUMSTICKS WITH YAMS

This one-dish dinner ticks all the boxes. In season colourful yams are delicious roasted with an orange glaze and with the addition of cheap and cheerful chicken drumsticks you have a meal full of winter nutrition, colour and flavour.

zest of ½ an orange ¾ cup orange juice

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard ½ tsp salt

1–1.5 kgs chicken drumsticks

500g yams

2 large rosemary sprigs

Mix the orange zest, orange juice, honey, mustard and salt together.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Arrange the chicken and yams on a large baking dish and sprinkle with rosemary. Pour over orange mixture and cook, basting with pan juices every 10 minutes, for 35–45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp.

Completely revamped - come and experience us!

Rice rice baby

Rice is the most important source of dietary carbohydrate on earth. It’s believed there are almost 50,000 varieties! That’s 49,998 more than what I grew up with where the choices were white (most likely short grain) and brown (only ever used for a salad).

WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

Rice is the grain of a fast-growing grass. In China, which produces about 25 per cent of all rice, some varieties ripen so quickly, two or three crops a year can be harvested.

We often associate rice being grown in flooded paddies. This method helps to keep predators at bay, but rice can in fact be grown in soil, it just requires more pest control.

While often considered a bland carbohydrate that perfectly accompanies more tasty dishes, not all rice is the same and many have their own unique flavour and texture. I had a quick squiz in my cupboard and I counted six or more types of rice on hand. A quick browse in Vetro and I found even more.

While there I chatted to Liz about her love of rice. Liz lived in Brazil for 25 years, where rice, together with beans, are a staple. Liz says, “I now find I use a lot more rice than most. I cook it the Brazilian way, using either basmati or jasmine. I wash and soak it first for about 20 minutes, then fry some salt and lots of crushed garlic in a little olive oil, adding the drained rice and frying quickly then covering with boiling water – just about a centimetre above the rice. I put the lid on, turn it down to very low and leave it for 10 minutes. Then I just leave it to ‘rest’ and when needed fluff it up – always works for lovely loose flavoursome rice. I make up a large pot weekly, often freeze some and use throughout the week for rice and beans, stir-fries, curries etc. My teenage son loves to throw a whole lot of things in a fry pan with rice as the base for a quick easy meal he can make and the Brazilian standard comfort food when sick is ‘arroz com ovo’ – basically softened onions, with reheated (lightly fried) rice and eggs scrambled through. Wellseasoned (or not) this is yummy and easy on the stomach. You can add lots of other bits and pieces to bulk it out depending on your patient. This is also brilliant for a late-night snack or quick pick me up.”

I’m a big believer in the right rice for the job, loving jasmine rice for its flavour, always pairing it with Thai or Chinese dishes. The fact that it sticks together a little helps when eating with chopsticks. On the other hand, basmati rice, with its long and separate grains, is what I serve with Indian dishes. Wholegrain rices add texture and flavour for a salad, while risottos and sushi need specific varieties to achieve the correct texture.

Around half of the world population is dependent upon rice as a staple food. In addition to the grain, rice can be puffed to make cereal, made into a flour, used to make noodles and, of course, to make alcohol.

RISOTTO RICE

Arborio is the best-known variety, although some believe the lesser-known varieties vialone nano and carnaroli are superior. Grown mostly in the north of Italy, risotto rices retain integrity and bite while releasing enough starch to make a thick emulsion which gives risotto that creaminess.

Liz says, “I am a huge risotto fan, being one of my must have weekly winter meals – love the variety this dish offers and the simplicity in making something yummy in one pot. With a few top-quality ingredients, you can easily have a restaurant worthy dish at home.”

PAELLA RICE

Short grain rices from Spain with firm textures lend themselves well to Spanish paella. Their pointy fat grains have the ability to absorb much more liquid than other rice varieties (from a third to five times more). The grains swell a lot yet keep their texture. Varieties include Albufera, Calasparra and bomba, although Liz says bomba is hard to source in New Zealand at the moment.

BASMATI RICE

Originating from the slopes of the Himalayas, this very fragrant, nutty, long-grain rice is widely considered to be the most superior of all. Traditionally aged at least a year, it is so highly prized by some it can be bought by district and vintage.

JASMINE RICE

Native to Thailand, jasmine rice is also known as fragrant rice and the finest examples should remind you of the jasmine flower. Unlike basmati the grain is shorter and fatter and the cooked texture softer. Best cooked by the absorption method to ensure you get the maximum flavour.

WHOLEGRAIN RICE

Brown or wholegrain rice is unprocessed rice simply harvested and dried. With its bran and germ layers still intact, it has a firmer texture and nuttier flavour than white rice, and contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than the white versions.

Every rice, long or short grain, can be a brown rice and over the last decades newer and forgotten types have come onto the market, sometimes offering a different colour, like red or black rice. All brown rice types require long cooking and should be served in smaller quantities than usual, as they're very filling.

STICKY RICE

Also known as glutinous rice, because of its special type of starch, these short grain rices become sticky when cooked. Grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia it is used in a variety of sweet dishes and as rice balls.

SUSHI RICE

A Japanese short-grain glutinous rice has a higher starch content than other varieties, giving it the sticky texture you're after when you make sushi.

And then there is rice flour, a wonderful gluten free alternative to cornflour!

JASBERRY RICE

Considered the world’s healthiest rice, jasberry rice is soft and aromatic with a nutty flavour. Touted as the next superfood, it has more antioxidants than kale, quinoa and blueberries, and 40 times more antioxidants than brown rice.

WILD RICE

Grown in the US from a reed-like aquatic plant, wild rice is in fact not a rice, although often used as you would rice. The grains are long, slender and black, with a distinctive earthy, nutty flavour.

AS NICE AS RICE

Rice is my comfort food. Brown, jasmine, basmati and black … I love them all! Rice’s versatility sees it playing the perfect neutral base topped with flavoursome stews, stir fries and more, but it can also shine as the starring role in puddings, risotto, biryani, pilaf and the like.

BLACK RICE PUDDING W/ HIBISCUS-POACHED PEARS + SALTED COCONUT CREAM

Black rice pudding has long been a favourite of mine, and while it’s usually served with mango or other tropical fruit as it’s eaten throughout South East Asia, it also pairs beautifully with rosy hibiscus-poached pears. The salted coconut cream brings it all together. You can find black rice at Asian grocers and dried hibiscus flowers/tea at health food stores, but see my note below for an easy everyday alternative. Start this recipe the day before, to soak rice and poach pears.

SERVES 4–6

280g (1½ cups) black rice

3–4 tbsp raw caster sugar

HIBISCUS-POACHED PEARS

4 firm pears (I use Beurre Bosc pears)

4 tsp dried hibiscus flowers (available from Vetro) or use 6 tea bags*

100g (½ cup) raw caster sugar

1 star anise

1 tsp vanilla extract

few strips of orange peel, optional

SALTED COCONUT CREAM

400g tin coconut milk**

1 tbsp raw caster sugar

good pinch fine sea salt

splash vanilla extract

ROTORUA 1131 Amohau Street, Rotorua • 07 346 0081

TAURANGA 111 Third Avenue, Tauranga • 07 579 9111 vetro.co.nz

Place rice into a saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water, pop on a lid and soak overnight.

To poach the pears, combine hibiscus with 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Add sugar, star anise, vanilla and orange peel and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, halve and core pears. Return poaching liquid to the boil, gently drop pear halves in, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover the top of the pears with a sheet of baking paper to keep them submerged, and poach 10–12 minutes or until tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat and cool pears in the liquid. Transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate overnight. Pears can be cooked 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

The following day, drain and rinse the rice. Return to the saucepan, add 2¼ cups water, bring to the boil, cover with a lid and reduce to the lowest setting. Cook, without removing the lid, for 35 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside with the lid on for 10 minutes before stirring through sugar. Cover with a lid to keep warm.

While rice is cooking, combine coconut milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer 5–8 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat.

Reheat pears gently in their syrup. To serve, divide black rice between bowls, top with a pear half or two and drizzle over salted coconut cream.

*If you don't have dried hibiscus flowers or plain hibiscus teabags, you can use any 'red' or berry herbal tea, as the main ingredient is usually hibiscus.

**Look for coconut milk which only contains coconut and water. I use AROY-D, found at Asian grocers.

Emma Galloway mydarlinglemonthyme.com

@mydarlinglemonthyme

Emma Galloway is a former chef and creator of the multi-award winning food blog My Darling Lemon Thyme. She is the author of three best-selling cookbooks, which focus on flavour-packed everyday recipes that happen to be vegetarian and gluten-free.

MUSHROOM STROGANOFF W/ BUTTERED RICE

There’s something super comforting about creamy mushrooms but add buttered rice and you have yourself one seriously cozy dish. I used button mushrooms simply for the convenience, but feel free to mix things up and use a variety if you like! You’ll notice I don’t rinse the rice, with basmati I don’t find it needs it. Stick to the rice/water ratios and you’ll be rewarded with fluffy rice every time.

SERVES 2–3 GENEROUS SERVES OR 4 SMALL SERVES

BUTTERED RICE

1 cup basmati rice

2 tbsp butter or ghee

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, finely diced

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh)

600g button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large

2 tsp paprika

½ cup vegetable stock or water

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1–2 tsp soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free if needed)

2–3 tbsp sour cream or crème fraîche

big handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped (reserve a little for the top)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To cook the rice, place unwashed basmati rice and butter/ghee into a medium saucepan, add 1½ cups cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook 12 minutes without removing the lid. Turn off the heat and without disturbing the lid, allow to sit for 10 minutes before fluffing up with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion 3–4 minutes until tender, add garlic and thyme and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often for 5–8 minutes or until starting to soften and release their juices. Add paprika and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add vegetable stock/water, mustard, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and a little salt and pepper. Give it all a good stir, then cover with a lid and cook on low for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through sour cream/ crème fraîche and chopped parsley. Taste and add the remaining teaspoon of soy sauce if needed, or a little more salt and pepper. Serve hot over buttered rice, topped with a little extra parsley.

FIRST CLASS

SECONDARY CUTS

Embrace some secondary cuts of meat this winter and enjoy the benefits on your plate and in your wallet.

WORDS & IMAGES KATHY PATERSON

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

I’m stoked to see a resurgence of this classic French dish with its silky smooth texture in cafes and restaurants. Pâté is simple to make at home, it’s full of flavour and best of all, the chicken livers are nutrient dense. If you can’t buy fresh then buy frozen. Thaw completely before using. Soaking livers in milk beforehand mellows the liver flavour, but it is not essential. Butter adds creaminess, improving flavour and mouthfeel. You do need plenty of fat to help emulsify the pâté and give it that texture I’m talking about. The herbs add freshness and help balance the flavours.

SERVES 4 (MAKES 2 SMALL JARS)

250g free-range chicken livers

100ml milk

100g butter, diced (divided into 3 uses)

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5 fresh sage leaves or French tarragon leaves, plus a few tiny leaves to garnish, optional

1 bay leaf

50ml brandy

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Witloof (chicory or Belgian endive), leaves separated

Ripe pear slices

Wagyu bresaola, optional

Bread slices, fresh or toasted

Clean the chicken livers by removing any connective tissue and sinew. Put into a bowl and pour over the milk. Cover bowl and put in the fridge for 2 hours.

Drain the chicken livers and dry on kitchen paper. Discard the milk.

Heat about 25g of the measured butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, sage or tarragon leaves and the bay leaf and cook for a further minute until aromatic. Turn up the heat a little and add the chicken livers. Cook for 2–3 minutes until browned on the outside but still pink inside. Pour in the brandy, allow to bubble up then remove from the heat. (Cook livers until pink inside and no longer, otherwise your pâté may become gritty.) Leave to cool for a few minutes then put into a food processor.

Process until smooth then slowly add most of remaining butter for a smoother texture. Taste for salt and add a little freshly ground black pepper.

Pass pâté through a fine sieve.

To serve, spoon into 2 small clean jars or ramekins and smooth the top. Melt the remaining butter and spoon over the top of the pâté (leaving milk solids behind). Cover and put in the fridge to firm up for a few hours or overnight if time allows. It will keep in the fridge for 3–4 days if sealed with a thin layer of butter.

Remove pâté from the fridge, about 20 minutes before serving so it is not fridge cold. Serve sprinkled with flaky salt and pepper (and extra sage leaves, if you wish), with fresh or toasted bread slices, witloof leaves, fresh pear slices and add Wagyu bresaola, if using.

LAMB SHOULDER CHOPS WITH WARMING SPICES

A popular one-pot dish – add a dish of steamed broccoli and to extend serve with grilled roti. It’s now a good time to clean out that spice drawer! Fresh spices add so much flavour to the dish.

SERVES 4

1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 tbsp vegetable oil

850g–1kg lamb shoulder chops

4 tbsp plain flour

1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 large carrots, cut into large pieces

Heat the oven to 160°C.

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces

1 tsp nigella seeds

1 tsp ground mild chilli powder (Kashmiri chilli is good here)

½ tsp ground turmeric

400g can chopped tomatoes in juice (we love the ones from Vetro)

375ml chicken stock

a handful of parsley leaves, chopped

Toast the whole spices in a hot, dry frying pan for about 30 seconds until aromatic. Transfer to a plate and leave to cool before grinding.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Rub the lamb chops in the flour to coat evenly then, in batches, brown in the hot oil. Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole dish as you go.

Lower the heat and add remaining oil. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes and cook to add a little colour and flavour, about 5 minutes, tossing them regularly. Add the ground spices and nigella seeds, chilli and turmeric, tossing for about 30 seconds, then transfer to the casserole dish.

Add any remaining flour from coating the chops into the pan and lightly brown. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and bring just up to the boil before pouring over the chops and vegetables. Put a piece of baking paper, cut to fit, directly over chops and vegetables then put on the lid.

Put into the oven and cook for 2–2 ½ hours until the meat is almost falling of the bone.

Remove from the oven halfway through cooking and baste chops with sauce and check seasoning. Add some salt, if needed.

Serve topped with the chopped parsley.

Tip – If you need to thicken the sauce at the end of cooking, make a paste using 25g softened butter and 25g flour. Whisk into the sauce about 30 minutes before the end of cooking to cook out the flour.

A piece of Italy Right here in the Bay of Plenty

1 Hall Road, Paengaroa, 3189 @thetradingpostnz VISIT THETRADINGPOST.NZ

Kathy Paterson

Kathy

www.kathypaterson.co.nz

ROAST & POST

RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

With only three in our family, a roast chicken has to come with plans for how we are going to enjoy the inevitable leftovers. While a post-roast chicken sandwich is always a popular choice, I think making these leftovers into a new meal is even better. In the winter, soup or risotto are great choices.

FENNEL & ORANGE ROAST CHICKEN

Orange and fennel is one of my all-time favourite flavour combinations. For this recipe the citrus of the orange is perfect with chicken, while the fennel mellows out and becomes a wonderful accompaniment with the chicken.

1 large free-range chicken

2 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

4–5 oranges

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

2 fennel bulbs

2 small red onions or 6 shallots

¼ cup orange juice

1 cinnamon quill

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

To easily spatchcock the chicken, place it on a chopping board, breastside down. Using a pair of strong kitchen scissors, cut down the centre of the backbone so the skin remains firmly attached to the bone on either side. Turn the chicken breast-side up, open it up and then, using the heel of your hand, press firmly along the breastbone so that you break it and the wishbone to make the chicken lie flat.

Lightly toast the fennel seeds. Crush these along with the salt in a mortar and pestle then add the maple syrup or honey along with the zest and juice of 2 oranges, the Dijon mustard, rosemary or thyme and 3 tbsp of the oil. Mix well then massage all over the chicken. Remove the core of the fennel and chop into 3–4 cm chunks. Lay these on the bottom of the roasting pan along with the quartered red onions or halved shallots. Slice the remaining oranges, peel and all, into ½ cm slices. Lay these over the fennel and onion, add the orange juice and cinnamon quill, before placing the chicken on top.

Bake for 10 minutes, turn down the heat to 180°C and continue to cook for 30–40 minutes or until the chicken is golden and the juices run clear when pierced. Allow your chook to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH CHILLI ORANGE DRESSING

I always think the way to make a successful salad as a main meal is by adding some different textures, think of the croutons in a Caesar salad. In this case I have deep fried a few wonton wrappers and then broken them up to add some crunch to the slaw. Crispy noodles work well too.

A slaw is perfect in the winter months when the likes of lettuce and tomatoes are pricey. Plus, you can switch and swap up the vegetables depending on what you have. The likes of broccoli stalk and fennel finely sliced make great additions.

1–2 cups of shredded roast chicken

¼ green cabbage, finely shredded

¹�8 red cabbage, finely shredded

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, julienned

1–2 handfuls of mung beans or sprouts handful of fresh coriander leaves

6–8 wonton wrappers, deep fried, or a handful of crispy noodles

In a large bowl add all the salad ingredients, except the wonton wrappers (or crispy noodles).

Pour over the dressing and toss, then add in the wontons wrappers and serve immediately.

DRESSING

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

¼ cup sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp white wine vinegar pinch of salt

Place all the ingredients in a jar. Place the lid on and shake well.

HERB AND RICOTTA CHICKEN

The game changer with this roast chook is that the ‘stuffing’ is not in its cavity but under the skin, creating a beautifully moist and flavourful bird.

1.5kg free-range chicken

250g ricotta (I love the Zany Zeus one available from Vetro)

1 garlic clove, crushed

handful of fresh herbs (like tarragon, thyme or sage), finely chopped handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped zest of ½ lemon

½ cup parmesan, grated

1 egg

¹�³ cup breadcrumbs salt and pepper

5 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed not peeled (I used Desiree)

4 large sprigs fresh thyme

4 unpeeled garlic cloves, bruised extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Make the ricotta stuffing by mixing together the ricotta, crushed garlic, chopped herbs, lemon zest, parmesan, egg, and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined.

Starting at the neck end, carefully push your fingers between skin and flesh, first over one breast and leg, then the other, leaving the skin attached at the end of each leg.

Now carefully place the stuffing between the loosened skin and meat. From the outside, smooth and shape the stuffing over the chicken so that it is even.

Slice the potatoes in to 1.5–2cm pieces. Scatter the thyme and bruised garlic cloves along with the potatoes in a roasting dish. Drizzle with the oil then place the chicken on top, breast-side up. Brush the chicken with oil, season with more salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes at 200°C. Turn the heat down to 175°C and cook for a further 35–45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with a skewer. Allow the chicken to rest for 5–10 minutes before carving.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM LASAGNE

This dish is so delicious, I have often found myself cooking ricotta stuffed chicken just so we can have this lasagne. It freezes well and, trust me, you will thank me on a busy midweek night when you have one of these in the freezer you can whip out!

25g butter

2 tbsp oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped 500g mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp truffle salt (available from Vetro) or porcini powder* (available from Vetro) - optional 120g–200g baby spinach

50g butter

1 onion, finely diced

¹�³ cup flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1½ cups cheese, grated

2 cups (around 300g), leftover chicken, shredded 6–8 dried lasagne sheets

In a large pan melt the first measure of butter and oil, over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 5–7 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned. Season with salt and pepper, and if using the truffle salt or porcini powder, add this now. Add the baby spinach and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted and much of the liquid has evaporated.

Make the white sauce by melting the second measure of butter in a small pot with the diced onion.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the salt and 1 cup of the cheese and continue to cook and stir the sauce until it thickens. Add the shredded chicken along with any leftover ricotta stuffing.

Assemble the lasagne by placing a small amount of the white sauce on the bottom of a 1 litre square or oblong oven proof baking dish. Place a layer of lasagne sheets down, followed by half the mushroom mix. Top this with a third of the white sauce followed by more lasagne, the remaining mushrooms and another third of the sauce. Place a final layer of lasagne on and cover this with the remaining white sauce. Top with cheese and either freeze at this point or bake at 180°C for approx. an hour or until golden on top.

*You can find porcini powder or truffle salt at Vetro. They may seem extravagant but a teaspoon added to an everyday dish like this, a risotto or your mushrooms on toast will elevate it to the next level!

CURRY POT ROAST CHICKEN

This recipe uses a store-bought curry paste. I’m not sure about you, but I don’t have time on a Tuesday night to make a curry paste from scratch! I’ve used a red curry paste for this, but it works just as well with green or yellow curry pastes, so use what you prefer or have on hand.

3 tbsp oil

¹�³ cup red curry paste

1 large free-range chicken

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp ginger, grated

2 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped*

1 400g tin of coconut cream

1–2 makrut lime leaves

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce fresh lime juice

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the curry paste and cook for a minute. Add the chicken, breast side down and cook for 4–5 minutes, moving the curry paste around so it doesn’t burn. Turn the chicken over. Add the ginger, lemongrass and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the coconut cream, lime leaves, brown sugar and fish sauce.

Place the lid on and put in the oven for 45 minutes. Take the lid off the dish, baste the chicken with the sauce. Add some lime juice and check and adjust the seasoning before returning to the oven uncovered for a further 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (Test this by piercing the thickest part and if the juice runs clear it is cooked.)

Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve on a bed of rice with steamed green veggies and the curry sauce.

*Unless you have your own crop of lemongrass I suggest buying it already chopped in a jar.

CURRY CHICKEN NOODLES

Warm, slurpy soupy noodles are just what some wintery nights call for. And these ones are almost as quick as those two-minute ones but oh so much tastier! I have added bok choy and carrot, but you could use whatever Asian greens you want or even mushrooms, broccolini or green beans.

200g noodles (I used udon but an egg noodle works well too)

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup of the curry sauce (left over from the previous night’s Curry Pot Roast Chicken)

1+ cups shredded roast chicken

½ carrot, julienned

2 bok choy, cut in quarters lengthways (I love the Fresh Grower Bok Choy) lime juice

Cook the noodles according to the packet.

Place the remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer. When the vegetables are cooked add in the noodles. Add a squeeze of lime juice, stir and check/adjust the seasoning.

HARRIET’S HOW TO:

DOUGHNUTS

WORDS HARRIET BOUCHER | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

Doughnuts are a weak point in my diet. I just can’t resist a fresh cinnamon sugar or jam and cream doughnut if I see one at a reputable establishment.

That being said, you won’t catch me eating doughnuts that look like a unicorn has barfed all over them or that are filled to the brim with overly sweet fillings and further drizzled with sauces and extra toppings.

The best doughnuts I’ve ever eaten are from Mister D in Napier. Mister D’s come out hot, coated in spiced sugar and you can opt to have injectable fillings of custard, chocolate or jelly. They’re to die for, and I’d love to know their secrets. I also love Little and Friday’s cinnamon sugar doughnuts, but we’ll get to these beauties soon.

Doughnuts are typically made from an enriched dough, which basically means it has the likes of eggs, butter and the odd other ingredient added into it to, well, enrich it. They’re cooked in a deep fryer rather than the oven, making them extra naughty.

LITTLE AND FRIDAY:

Little and Friday is a bakery in Auckland owned by Kim Evans. I vaguely recall making her brioche dough recipe when I was younger (and really quite bad at baking), without using a stand mixer. It was a total flop and a sticky mess. Now experienced, I found this dough very achievable second time around, but using a stand mixer was key. This was the quickest dough from start to finish and it proofed successfully, despite being a cold winter’s day. Shaping the doughnuts was a breeze as the dough was easy to handle, although I found the suggested measurements made excessively large doughnuts, so I had to cut them down. I did notice a crucial error in the book as it said to fry the doughnuts at 80°C, I’d still be waiting for them to cook if I followed this. The oil temp needs to be about 180°C for doughnuts to cook. Once fried and coated in cinnamon sugar, these doughnuts were perfection. The dough was fluffy and flavoursome, not stodgy, or too bready like some doughnuts can be. From the start I knew these would be hard to beat, and I’ve eaten my fair share from their bakery, you see.

THE JOY OF COOKING:

The Joy of Cooking is a 1000+ page book that’s described as the ultimate guide to home cooking. It has four doughnut dough

recipes within its pages, but I tested the Yeast Doughnuts. This was a fascinating but lengthy dough method. First, you cream butter, then add sugar, then eggs as if you were starting a cake. Next, flour is added along with an activated yeast/flour mix that has been developing for 30 minutes and it’s kneaded together to form a very soft dough. It rises, then proofs in the fridge overnight before being shaped the next morning. I found this dough quite hard to work with as it was really sticky and soft. Compared with Little and Friday’s, they were on par with flavour, a lighter texture, but the dough was harder to work with, which plays a big role.

DONNA HAY:

I felt it necessary to try a baked doughnut recipe, which I found in Donna Hays book Baked. I’m not quite sure why I bothered with this because (in my opinion) to be a doughnut it must be deep fried. They were meant to be custard filled with a brûléed top but in an effort to not waste food I didn’t complete this, it just wasn’t worth it. The dough itself wasn’t a fail, they just weren’t doughnuts! Enough said, so moving on.

MINT CAKERY:

I recently came across Mint Cakery on Instagram, owned by Michelle Morfett. It’s a little bakery in Ellerslie and she makes the most incredible range of scones, cakes, cookies, pies and, of course, doughnuts. I had high hopes for the doughnut recipe; however, I think I somehow mucked it up. The dough itself was beautiful and easy to work with, but I think I over-proofed it and it became too soft to handle. Visually, they didn’t rise as much as I expected and when I went to pick them up to drop into the oil, the dough lost its shape and it was disastrous. As for taste, the successful doughnuts had a great flavour, but this just wasn’t the recipe for me.

After trying these four very different recipes, I was torn between the ease of Little and Friday’s and the flavoursome and light result from the Joy of Cooking. I attempted to shorten the method from the Joy of Cooking’s recipe, as well as change the ingredients just enough to firm up the dough without losing the flavour. This was a success, and I can’t wait for you to try them at home. They make enough to feed a crowd – if you’re willing to share!

DOUGHNUTS WITH BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL CREAM

Start this recipe the evening before and you’ll have fresh filled doughnuts ready by mid-morning. Despite my love for either jam and cream, or cinnamon doughnuts, I’ve made a brown sugar caramel cream to go in this recipe. It’s no sweeter than a Chantilly cream, holds its shape beautifully and is easy to work with.

RECIPE HARRIET BOUCHER | IMAGE BRYDIE THOMPSON

FOR THE DOUGHNUTS:

4½ tsp active dried yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

145g softened butter

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

4 cups flour

canola oil for frying

1–1½ cups icing sugar

TO MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:

FOR THE BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL CREAM:

¼ cup packed brown sugar

500ml cream

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tsp gelatine powder

Whisk the yeast into the water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes, or until it starts to get foamy and the yeast is almost dissolved.

In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between, followed by the vanilla.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and add in the flour and yeast/ water mix. Mix for about 10 minutes on low, scraping the sides of the bowl down occasionally. In this time the dough will form and it should start to come away from the sides. It should be slightly sticky but if it isn’t coming away from the sides, add a touch more flour (max ¼ cup extra).

Spray a large container with oil, shape the dough into a nice ball and place it in the container. Pop the lid on, leave on the bench for 1–2 hours until doubled in size then knock it back and refrigerate the dough overnight. At this point, also make the brown sugar caramel cream.

The next morning, tip the dough onto a clean bench and roll it into a long log. Cut the dough into about 18–22 even pieces. If you want to be really specific, aim for about 60g pieces of dough.

Using the palm of your hands, roll the dough around until it forms a ball. Line 3 trays with baking paper (I like to cut it into individual squares for easier handling later) and spray with oil. Place the shaped doughnuts onto the greased paper, giving them plenty of room, about 6 per tray. If you want to make cinnamon sugar doughnuts, use your fingers to gently work a hole into the middle of the dough balls before proofing. I find making half-filled and half cinnamon sugar is the best of both worlds.

Heat a deep fryer to 180°C.

Allow the dough to proof, uncovered, for 30–45 minutes while the oil heats up. You want them to be light when touched and for the dough to spring back.

Working with 2–3 at a time, carefully place the proofed doughnut into the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Drain on a wire rack set over an oven tray. If filling the doughnuts, allow to cool completely, then toss in icing sugar. If making cinnamon doughnuts, toss them immediately in cinnamon sugar (use 1 tbsp of cinnamon to 1 cup of sugar).

TIPS:

• If it’s a cold day, heat the oven to 100°C for 3 minutes, then turn it off. Proof the shaped dough in here, as a makeshift proofing oven.

• If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can use a large pot filled half way with canola oil. I highly recommend using a thermometer to determine the temperature and ensure you control the heat, so it doesn’t get too hot.

• The cooking time will vary if you’ve made smaller/larger doughnuts. Cook one first to check.

• Ensure the dough has proofed properly before cooking or they will struggle to cook through.

TO MAKE THE BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL CREAM:

Heat the cream and vanilla up until almost boiling, then take off the heat.

Stir the gelatine into 1 tbsp of water and allow to bloom.

Place the brown sugar in a small pot over a medium-high heat. Allow it to melt, stirring occasionally. Now be warned that it may smell like it’s burning, but unless you see black, it’s probably not burnt, but keep an eye on it. Once fully melted and caramel-like, pour the hot cream in a steady stream, whisking constantly. It may splutter and the sugar might seize but that’s ok. Keep whisking until the sugar melts back down and you have a smooth sauce. Whisk in the bloomed gelatine, then pour the cream through a sieve into a bowl. Place a piece of baking paper over top to stop a skin forming, then refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

The next day, using an electric beater, whisk the set cream for a few minutes until very thick, then transfer into a piping bag. Cut the icing sugar dusted doughnuts horizontally, two thirds of the way through, gently pry open and pipe the cream in.

Harriet is a Waikato born and raised foodie. She is a chef by trade and has worked in a few popular cafes and restaurants around Hamilton. When she isn’t whipping up treats, you can find her enjoying a walk along the river or dining at her favourite local eateries.

Harriet Boucher

Savouring South Australia

WORDS & IMAGES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN

There is something special about South Australia. Get chatting to a local and they will inevitably point out that the state was settled (aka colonised) by free men. I am sure there were some women among there too, but how free they were may be debatable – but I digress.

The pride extends beyond their non-convict stock, and why not, as this pocket of Australia has a lot going for it.

Known for its wine, South Australia has over 3000 vineyards, 680 wineries and 340 cellar doors to visit. Add to this the growing number of breweries (52) and distilleries (over 100) and the decision on who to visit can be daunting, and that’s just the drinks!

Aside from the discovery of copper and gold in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia’s fertile and abundant land saw the state become the economic darling of Australian territories by the mid-1850s, exporting wool and wheat. It’s also at this time the region’s first vineyards were planted and the regions wine-making pedigree begins.

The great climate and fertile land produces grapes, wheat and lamb, but also suits fruit trees from citrus and apples to stone fruit. Olive trees flourish and more recently so too do almonds.

The abundance and variety of produce is on display at Adelaide’s Central Market. The largest undercover produce market in the Southern hemisphere is one of the first stops on our Taste of South Australia tour.

We met up with local tour guide Katina Vangopoulos who has weaved us through the streets of central Adelaide giving us a taste of the city's heritage from Haigh’s chocolate to the uniquely local frog cakes from Balfour’s bakery.

All roads have led us here to the Central Market where the region’s produce and cultures collide to create a market worth moving countries for. Katina introduces us to the local bung fritz (a fancy luncheon), we marvel at the baked goods, including the droolworthy Portuguese tarts, and learn the history of the Kitchener bun. We sample Australian indigenous ingredients, local cheeses and more.

It’s torture going to a market such as this and not being able to buy some of the ingredients to take home and enjoy. It’s a torture I

inflict on the group two more times over our five days, visiting the region’s first farmer’s market, Willunga and the behemoth that is the Adelaide Farmer’s Market.

Before we pile in the van and head for the Barossa, I can’t help but buy a few varieties of the local grapes for sale. And when I say varieties, I don’t mean red, green and black. Instead, one is a tiny pale-yellow grape which is a burst of sweetness with a deep sultana flavour. Another is a dark purple variety with an elongated shape that has an intense sweet flavour. Oohs and ahhs fill the van as we navigate out of the city and the bag of grapes is passed around.

We arrive in Barossa, and our base for the next few days. Just one of the 18 distinct wine regions in South Australia, we are here to enjoy more than the many cellar doors. First up it’s a visit to Maggie Beer’s Farm.

During our week in South Australia, we were met everywhere with warm welcomes and great service – the exception being Maggie Beer’s Farm. Here, as we disgorged from the van, enticed by the beautiful quince orchard, we were met with a sign warning us of the snakes! Those that know me well will be proud of my keep calm and carry on or perhaps more appropriately “she’ll be right mate” attitude as I heralded the group inside to safety.

Maggie Beer is an icon of Australian cuisine, and it is here that it all started – pheasant farm, award-winning restaurant, television set for The Chef and Cook series, production kitchen of her many products, they all started here. Now a bustling cafe, retail store and tourist must-stop, we were lucky enough to visit on a quiet day and get the full experience, from cooking demo to wine tasting, lunch platter followed by a gin tasting. Even those not familiar with Maggie’s culinary fame would enjoy time spent here, where other than the initial sign, we felt very welcome.

Our afternoon was spent meandering around the historic Seppeltsfield winery and adjoining Jam Factory which is a collection of working artists and exhibition spaces, while dinner that night was at Otherness, an unpretentious wine shop/bar. Kiwi Emily Thomas was in the kitchen the night we visited and we enjoyed a menu of thoughtful, seasonal dishes.

Our second and last day in Barossa was spent in the kitchen of Cassa Carboni. Here we put together a four-course lunch under the strict instructions of Matteo Carboni.

Matteo teaches us to make the lightest gnocchi you’ve ever eaten, passing on game-changing tips and tricks. We roll and fill pasta and learn to make a gorgeous seasonal flan. By 1pm we’d worked up an appetite to sit down and enjoy the fruits of our labour.

Matteo and wife Fiona returned to Australia, having spent a few years in Matteo’s home of Emilia Romagna in Northern Italy, in 2012 to open Cassa Carboni. In addition to the regular cook school, they are open for casual breakfasts Thursday to Sunday, with an array of Matteo’s baked goods, along with a Friday night and Sunday lunch chef’s tasting menu.

Halfway through our time in South Australia and we are headed back to Adelaide, our base, where we will explore the McLaren Vale, Handorf and Adelaide Hills. We will wander around markets, visit a brand-new brewery and dine in the oldest pub in the region. We will visit wineries, big and small, a strawberry farm, taste local cheeses and so much more.

If you’ve been looking for a food heaven, South Australia is it! Keen to join me on our next Taste of South Australia tour? Cost $4500pp (twin share, including airfares).

Email vicki@nourishmagazine.co.nz for details on our tours in November 2024 and April 2025

EVENTS

TAURANGA FARMER'S MARKET

Where local and convenience collide. The Tauranga Farmer’s Market is on every weekend, rain, hail or shine.

Saturday 8am–12noon 31 Fifth Ave, Tauranga www.tgafarmersmarket.org.nz

MATARIKI AT THE FALLS RETREAT

Friday 28th June

The Local, a laid back, casual affair with a simple menu of wood fired pizzas, chips, and organic salads. Casual vibes with no need to book - just grab a table with family, friends and neighbours and rock on up to the bar to order.

Saturday 29th June

Brad and his kitchen team will be creating a special four course degustation menu inspired by Matariki and showcasing paddock to plate ethos.

$125pp with optional wine and nonalcoholic drink pairings.

www.fallsretreat.co.nz

THE GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW

Take your tastebuds on a culinary journey and experience a fantastic day out with family and friends, sampling the latest foods, wines and delicious products. Saturday 6 July & Sunday 7 July

Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton www.greatnzfoodshow.co.nz

HERITAGE TRADING CO

Upholstery Basics

Learn the basics of recovering a simple footstool. Materials provided but bring your own footstool and fabric you want to cover it in.

Cost $100

Thursday 20 June, 7.00 pm

French Fragments Slow Stitching Workshop

A slow stitching workshop using recycled French fabrics to create a collage with simple embroidery stitches which are then embellished with laces, trims, buttons and other recycled bits. You will create a unique piece of fabric art which can then be made into a cushion, a bag or framed.

Cost $125 including basic kit

Two nights – Thursday 27 June & Thursday 4 July 2024 at 6.30 pm

Heritage Trading Co.

40 Duke St, Cambridge heritagetrading.co.nz

FALLS RETREAT WORKSHOPS

Pasta from Scratch Masterclass –Sunday 7 July

Pickling & Preserving Masterclass –Sunday 4 August

Full Monty Edible Gardening Workshop – Sunday 7 July & Sunday 4 August

Workshops are $150pp and include morning tea and nibbles on arrival, workshop with take home instruction book/notes and a delicious shared lunch with cash bar available.

www.fallsretreat.co.nz

ARKANDA WORKSHOPS

Bastille Dinner – 14 July, 6.30pm –$125.00.

All the fun of a real French celebration with a glass of bubbles on arrival, a delicious three-course traditional French dinner (meat based) with refreshments.

Marvellous Meat – 22 & 23 June, 9.30am – $95.00

Preparing and cooking a great steak, with sauces and butters, along with sausage making and more.

Memories of France – 3 & 4 August, 9.30am – $95.00

Wayne has been eating some fantastic food while travelling around France in May and would love to share some of the joy with you.

Bookings via email wayne@arkanda.co.nz

NOURISH TASTE OF TOURS

Our small intimate tours give you a real taste of place, so come explore the world with Nourish!

Taste of South Australia (November 2024 & March 2025)

Taste of Sri Lanka (June 2025)

Taste of Sicily (September/October 2025)

Northern Italy (September 2025)

For more details on these and future tours email vicki@noruishmagazine.co.nz

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