17 minute read
EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY
EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY FACES @ GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET
Edward Pan has been selling certified organic vegetables at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market, since the market started twelve years ago.
Where did you grow up? China. I grew up in a village area on the outskirts of Guangzhou.
How did you decide to come to New Zealand? I came here 20 years ago. I had heard from friends, and newspaper reports, that New Zealand was a quiet and peaceful place. It sounded like a good fit for me.
Did you study horticulture in China? No - I worked as an accountant when I first moved here. I always loved the horticultural aspect of village life but I studied international trade and accounting.
Why did you change to become a farmer? I was trying to find a place to live and I noticed an ad for a farm in Whenuapai. It was a horticultural business.
How did you learn to run the farm? The previous owner trained me for a few months before I took over the business. Since then, I have learned from other experienced growers and learned on the job.
What was the farm like when you started? When I started, the farm was half hydroponic lettuces and half land-grown vegetables. I tasted the hydroponic lettuce and hated it - it looked beautiful but it tasted of chemicals.
What did your customers think? Back then, the customers were all wholesalers. I tried to talk them into switching to land-grown lettuces. They weren’t interested. They liked the hydroponic lettuces because they were so attractive and clean, but they were very unnatural - I couldn’t get over how white the roots were.
You don’t grow hydroponics any more. No - I couldn’t bring myself to do that so I sold that business and moved to another farm where I could farm in a more traditional way. How have you coped with the lockdowns? We have been lucky that we could sell everything we produced to wholesalers. But we have been missing our customers and our market friends.
And you changed who you were selling to. Yes - when we moved, our main focus was to grow nutritious and tasty vegetables for ourselves and our children. When we started producing more than we could eat, we started selling the excess at markets. The founders of the Grey Lynn Farmers Market invited us to join their new market and we have been there ever since. Were you always an organic grower? We were using traditional farming practices, with no herbicide, no insecticides, and no artificial fertilizers. Our market customers liked that and encouraged us to grow more. It was our market customers who suggested that we become certified organic.
What did you need to do to become certified organic? It takes three years to become fully certified with Bio Gro. We were very proud when we became fully certified in 2014, but it doesn’t end there. Every year we are audited for the seeds, fertilizer, and other materials that we use. Our soil and water are also tested each year. The standards are demanding so that customers can be assured about how their food is grown.
You seem to be getting more and more popular. Yes - our customers are very loyal and they spread the word. Now that we have moved our stall into the Garden Room at the market, there is more space for customers and more space to display our vegetables.
Is that why you sell at the market? Yes - we have got to know our customers well over the years that we have been at the market. I love hearing how people are getting on in their lives and it’s amazing to see parents who used to bring small children with them and now those children have grown up. I’m looking forward to seeing them again when we get back to Level 2. PN
GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET @ the Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, www.greylynnfarmersmarket.co.nz
DIDA’S WINE LOUNGE ON JERVOIS ROAD, HERNE BAY
Dida’s Wine Lounge is located on the spot where it all started for Glengarry back in the 1940s.
As Ponsonby News celebrates another milestone, it seems only fitting to share a little history. The very first edition of Ponsonby News featured an advertisement promoting the very site that Dida’s sits on today.
Dida is Croatian for grandfather, and as Jak Jakicevich recalls it, "in the early 1920s when my grandfather stepped off the gangway in Auckland, he had a handful of change in his pocket and very little else to call his own. His English was rudimentary, and he had only a passing knowledge of the country that was to shape the rest of his life."
Josef Jakicevich arrived in New Zealand in 1920 and for several years he worked as a stonemason in Northland and Auckland, earning a reputation as a first-class tradesman. After seven years, Josef was joined by Marcia Colic. They married and in 1929 had their first son Anthony (Tony) followed by daughter Nada.
By 1940 Josef had saved enough money to purchase ten acres in Glengarry Road, Oratia, West Auckland. 1940 turned out to be a momentous year for the Jakicevich family. A third child, Peter, was born and Josef planted a vineyard, setting the foundation for a thriving and enduring family business.
From 1940 to 1960 the attitudes prevailing in New Zealand in the post war era were remarkably restrictive and discouraging for the local wine industry, but change was on the way. In 1948 the Government created wine reseller licences in an effort to assist local winemakers.
Josef was quick to see the potential and was granted one of the first two licences issued in Auckland, for the green grocery he had opened on the corner of Jervois Road and Blake Street. It’s on that site that Dida’s Wine Lounge proudly sits today.
Congratulations Ponsonby News! The team at Dida’s look forward to sharing a glass with you and all our local loyal customers as soon as we can. Until then, stay safe everyone. PN
DIDA’S WINE LOUNGE, 60 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 2813, www.didaswinelounge.co.nz
“We hope to see xyou soon.”
EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS: VEGAN VIBE
Lockdown came suddenly and despite the rest of the country being in relative freedom, for those of us in Tamaki Makaurau it continues as my deadline looms so no chance of reviewing a local vegan eatery or even a takeaway this month.
We were lucky though.
We’d been shopping on the day lockdown was announced – to both Countdown and Bulk Food Savings. And even if we hadn’t, we are largely pandemic prepared at all times with our pantry. Hoarding seems to be a genetic trait. Delta hit our local Countdown and Farro Fresh early in the outbreak too so it was just as well. Half of the complex where we live was put into isolation as a consequence. Thankfully we dodged that one.
Our bubble is small and it is vegan. We largely eat fresh whole foods at home with an emphasis on legumes, tofu and tempeh. We know how to make bread, how to bake cakes and biscuits and have a good supply of homemade sauerkraut. We have foraged herbs on our bubble walks and have had citrus fruit gifted at our doorstep by friends. Once we had sorted out a few essentials and they had arrived – bulk supplies of Kokako coffee, All Good oat milk and Angel Food cheese locally from The Vegan Shop - we were ready to settle in. We even managed to get some seedlings from Huckleberries so we’ve had fresh lettuce, herbs and spinach growing throughout.
Despite being a bit of an early bird myself, I’ve been sure to make the most of these slow start mornings. I’ve been settling into the day with stove top espresso coffee paired with either an assorted toast or oatmeal, often in the sun as I begin my day's work. With all this time at home, I’ve made the most of my kitchen with enthusiastic cooking and baking. So far on my baking journey I’ve made lemon cupcakes, snickerdoodles, jam heart cookies and afghans, all of which have been a hit in my bubble.
We have eaten well for the most part with favourite dishes being stir-frys and bento bowls using tempeh or tofu, lasagne using Beyond Meat mince, pumpkin and lentil soups and roasted assorted vege salads for lunch. Anything to use up fresh food, eliminate waste and avoid the dreaded supermarket run.
Although I love home-cooked meals and the constant bubble battle of rice/quinoa or noodles to pair with a stir-fry, after five weeks of it I am more than ready to hit the town and continue to try Auckland’s best. Because as much as I love a stove top coffee, nothing quite beats the taste of barista-made at some of my favourites such as Postal Service in Grey Lynn and Remedy Coffee on Wellesley Street. This is a really tough time for those in hospitality.
However, great initiatives such as Kokako coffee’s ‘Support Your Local Cafe’ help these businesses just that little bit more. As we move towards level three and hopefully elimination, I am looking forward to supporting our local businesses again by ordering some takeaways and visiting of course in level two. I hope you will too. (SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS) PN
A quick and easy dinner that will bring joy to family and friends and that just happens to be vegan.
Elaiasalata
It’s one hell of a mouthful!
Tried the zingy new green olive flavour-bomb? It’s Elaiasalata – rhymes with yummy-dip-sauce-enhancer. It’ll pizzaz-up pizzas, pep-up pastas, jazz-up platters and liven-up lunchbowls. Ask for it in all the best food stores. The Elaiasalata goes really well with pasta. For a super quick meal, simply cook some pasta and add a spoonful of Elaiasalata. Delicious, child-friendly and super quick and easy.
If you want to push the boat out and impress the whanau then use fresh pasta and add some caramelised onions, and any other vegetables you have to hand. To really wow the judges, serve with a fresh Fattoush salad.
We had some friends round for dinner recently (recent by lockdown standards at least). These particularly friends have been vegan for many years and were particularly excited to try the Elaiasalata served with pasta rather than just enjoying it with some pre-dinner nibbles on a platter.
The recipe below serves 3-4, so feel free to adjust as required. A decent spoonful of Elaiasalata weighs about 40-50g, so a 200g pot of Elysian's vegan olive dip should cater for 4-5 people.
INGREDIENTS · 400-600g fresh pasta - homemade or store bought · 200g pot of Elysian Elaiasalata · 1 x large onion · 1 x red capiscum (or a carrot if capsicum isn't to hand) · 100-150g fresh brown mushrooms (if available)
1. Prepare the vegetables Slice onion and caramelise. Thinly slice the red pepper and add to the onions when they're nearly done.
In a separate saucepan, melt a knob of butter and add the mushrooms (washed and sliced) and cook for a few minutes until softened. Keep them separate until you plate up.
2. Cook the pasta While the vegetables are cooking, cook the pasta (best to follow the instructions on the packet if you're not sure about this step)
3. Serve up Place the pasta in a bowl, top with the caramelised onions/ capsicum and mushrooms. Add a good spoonful of Elaiasalata and hey presto, dinner is served.
For some extra colour and goodness, serve with a delicious Fattoush salad. PN
www.elysianfoods.co.nz
WELCOME TO iVillage
Kia ora - Greetings - Namaste - Swagatam - Welcome!
Dimple and the team at iVillage welcome you at Alert Level 2 for dine in and takeaways at your favourite place at Victoria Park Market.
Victoria Park Market is an old landmark and a symbol of life in New Zealand in the early 1900s; a time when life was simple, leisurely and modest.
The distinctive chimney was used to burn the town’s rubbish brought in by horse carts. Many stables housed these horses in Victoria Park market. The ox cart, similarly, epitomised everyday life for centuries in India, in what was predominately a rural nation. The ox cart was the lifeline for the rural folk as it was a convenient means of transport for both people and goods.
The cart at iVillage at Victoria brings back vivid memories of this unpretentious era. An unhurried pace when food was old fashioned, authentic and cooked in traditional ways.
Here at iVillage, we serve you food that is quintessentially Indian and original, made with our special homemade spices and masalas. We invite you to explore the ‘asli’ (real) taste of Indian cuisine - as it was always meant to be. Come and enjoy.
I Village At Victoria
“Under the Chimney”, Victoria Park Market / 210-218 Victoria Street West Phone: 09 309 4009 / www.ivillageatvictoria.co.nz
Scapegrace is a local Ponsonby story of Mark Neal and his brother Daniel McLaughlin. One I remember very well.
Back in 2014 I fell over a box blocking my office door that contained a bottle of gin and two glasses. Fortuitously enough it was a Friday afternoon and the tonic inside was cold. The gin got my attention very quickly and was none other than Scapegrace, although at the time it was not called Scapegrace, rather known as Rogue Society. Wind forward a few years and they found the American beer company called Rogue had the EU trademark for Rogue Society.
With a world class gin on their hands, Mark and Daniel were keen to share it with the world. They created Scapegrace, a name that means ‘a rogue’ and launched that overseas. For quite some time Scapegrace was Rogue Society in New Zealand and Scapegrace everywhere else. This was more a little like running two companies, remembering what stock to send where, production runs for different brands and two marketing campaigns etc, etc. From there Scapegrace was introduced into New Zealand and Rogue Society consigned to the archives. The liquid inside remained the same - the name and packaging was what changed.
From there the dynamic team did not stand still. An epic Black Gin was released. Unlike any other Black Gin, it’s created from natural ingredients and tastes amazing. Mix it with a tonic water that has a high content of quinine, and it turns a lovely pink hue. There’s now Scapegrace Vodka, and the latest edition to this distillery’s growing range, a collection of ready to drink vodkas. All in cans and conveniently in a 10 pack. There’s Soda and Lime, Pear and Apple, and my favourite, Pomegranate and Plum.
The Scapegrace distilling story is one of innovation and Kiwi know how, and it’s only just started. Wait until you see the next chapter. We can’t wait and look forward to sharing it with you.
What’s more, Scapegrace distilling is a wonderful New Zealand story tied to local Ponsonby residents and one that seems very fitting as Ponsonby News celebrates another big milestone with this 32nd birthday edition. PN
www.glengarrywines.co.nz
NEW
INSTORE AND ONLINE NOW
EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY PHIL PARKER: EMPTY NESTER PART 3
But wait. There’s more. Just when we thought our darling teenage daughter had gone to Wellington forever to pursue her studies at Vic – she flew up for a family birthday and got stuck in a Level 4 lockdown!
Yes folks, be careful what you wish for. We had envisioned a very short stay and a warm family catchup, but at the time of writing we are at Day 30 and tempers are fraying. Miss 19 had a fast burnout of living back home with ‘old people’. And meanwhile we are trying to cater for her new vegetarian diet that also excludes rice, cheese, butter, cow milk, green capsicum (red OK), onions, mashed potato (boiled, fried and roast OK), celery, and Jazz apples.
Yet somehow, she manages to consume crumpets, bagels, Whittakers chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream. Plus, there are now piles of washing that appear randomly in the laundry, and used cutlery and crockery abandoned - in the vicinity of, but not inside the dishwasher.
It’s not all that bad to be honest. My lovely wife is on Zoom five days a week teaching the few kids who bother to respond to her emails regarding online lessons. Daughter is studying in her room. Myself on lunch duty, odd shopping expeditions, lawn maintenance and shared dinner prep. But, roll on Level 2. Please.
Man O’ War Waiheke & Ponui Islands Pinot Gris 2019 - $25 Lovely wine. Rich, unctuous and complex. By sheer chance I found this wine when I reached blindly into the depths of my modest wine cellar under the stairs. I was looking for a white wine to go with our savoury tofu and soba noodle dinner. Great food match as it turned out. Flavours of mandarin marmalade, lime and stone fruit in a medium sweet style. Available: Glengarry. Main Divide North Canterbury Chardonnay 2020 - $25 Big and bold reductive style from Pegasus Bay’s second tier label. Flinty with a hint of struck match aroma. Crisp and dry with grapefruit citrus, and canned peach. Lengthy finish. Food match: roast chicken or creamy pasta. Available: Glengarry, Fine Wine Delivery Co.
Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2019 - $25 Fresh and youthful, with plum and cherry, and hint of smoky tar. Finishes with umami mushroom and silky tannins. Match with lamb, beef, or mushroom dishes. Available: Glengarry, Fine Wine Delivery Co.
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 - $50 Classic Central Otago pinot. Still a young thing from a relatively cool vintage, and could do with cellaring for another 12 months, but drinking very nicely right now. Smoky tar, cassis, boysenberry and a medium acid structure. A fab match for roast lamb, or ratatouille. Available: widely.
Leftfield The Hatchling Hawkes Bay 2019 - $18 A heady blend of merlot, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah and grenache. Great value. Very smooth and suave, with flavours of boysenberry, black plum, cracked pepper, dark chocolate and a hint of leather. Match with your best BBQ steak, or spicy tomato-based dishes. Available: blackmarket.co.nz, leftfieldwines.com (PHIL PARKER) PN
www.finewinetours.co.nz
FINE WINE & FOOD TOURS
“No. 2 Auckland Wine Tour” – TripAdvisor
Your host, Phil Parker wine writer.
Affordable tours for small and large groups.
E: phil.parker@xtra.co.nz www.finewinetours.co.nz
Photography Kate Battersby
210 SYMONDS STREET T: 09 377 1911 www.sidatthefrenchcafe.co.nz sidatthefrenchcafe PROGRESSIVE INDIAN CUISINE
SIDART, Level 1, Three Lamps Plaza, 283 Ponsonby Road T: 360 2122 www.sidart.co.nz
- Gusto Italiano GUSTO MEANING ‘TASTE AND ENJOYMENT’ When you dine with us, the focus is on freshly prepared classic dishes, featuring an excellent range of pasta, seafood, meats and our pizza classics.
