Otaki Street Scene summer 2022-23

What’s on

FESTIVAL OF POTS AND GARDEN ART 2023: Anam Cara, 150 Rangiuru Road, Ōtaki. January 20-25, 10am-4pm. See page 4.

KAPITI COAST HERITAGE CLUE HUNT: Saturday January 21. 10am2pm. Looking for a fun, free, family activity over Wellington Anniversary Weekend? Visit eight museums, find eight clues, one from each museum and be in to win prizes. See kapitiheritage.org.nz

ŌTAKI KITE FESTIVAL: Ōtaki Beach. Back for the 10th anniversary after Covid restrictions last year. On the weekend of February 18-19.

MĀORILAND FILM FESTIVAL: March 15-19. See maorilandfilm.co.nz

MAHARA GALLERY: Mahara iti, the pop-up space in Mahara Place while the new gallery is being built. Free entry. Open 10am-4pm Monday-Friday.

MĀORILAND HUB and TOI MATARAU: 68 Main Street, Ōtaki. Open Tues-Sat 11am-4pm. For events go to: maorilandfilm.co.nz/events ŌTAKI MUSEUM: 49 Main Street, Ōtaki. Open Thursday-Saturday 10am-2pm. Current exhibition The way we were, glimpses of days gone by. See Otaki Muse on Facebook or visit otakimuseum.co.nz

ŌTAKI MARKET: Opposite New World, SH1, 9am-2pm every Sunday during daylight time Contact Georgie 027 234 1090.

TE HORO COUNTRY MARKET: Te Horo Community Hall, School Road. First Sunday of the month, 10am-12.30pm.

ŌTAKI GARAGE SALE: Third Saturday of the month, 9-11.30am, rain or shine, Presbyterian Church, 249 Mill Rd, Ōtaki. 06 364-6449.

Fresh summer foods

We all love summer in Ōtaki.

We hear lawnmowers on sunny afternoons, and the sound of kids on holiday having fun on the trampoline next door. We go swimming at the river or the beach, or the pool at Haruātai. We have whānau at Christmas and enjoy a drop of wine, hoping that good old Uncle Ron doesn’t drink too much – again. And we eat. Sometimes copiously, but knowing the diet always starts tomorrow.

Food is an integral part of every society. Traditions and customs around food have been handed down for generations. Offering food is the highest form of manaakitanga – hospitality.

I still love cooking and baking, though I do less of it now I don’t have children in the house 24/7. There’s nothing like showing the grandkids how to make a simple recipe, with them standing on a chair at the bench wanting to help. Yes, you’ll get flour all over the place, but it’s a small price to pay for creating life-long memories.

At Christmas time especially, we can be under stress to present the family with memorable food. I’ve learned that it doesn’t need to be stressful, because with the right ingredients and a good recipe, we can create wonderful summer dishes that won’t cost a fortune.

We can create many of them from fresh produce out of our gardens, the supermarket or from local suppliers such as Penray Gardens.

If you want to try some of them, have a look at my favourite, simple summer recipes on pages 20-21. Enjoy – and relax. Merry Christmas! Debbi Carson, editor

INSIDE:

Pots festival fires up 4 Ōtaki Market reboots 6 Gone are homestead’s glory days 8 Kites fly again 12 Mahara reopening edges closer 15 First film-maker residency 16 Arts attractions 19 My Ōtaki kai 20 Ōtaki map 23

Ōtaki Street Scene is published quarterly by ID Media Ltd, also publisher of Ōtaki Today and Ōtaki Yesterday. 13 Te Manuao Rd, Ōtaki, 5512 Ph: 06 364-6543 e: debbi@idmedia.co.nz

Editor, general manager and sales: Debbi Carson. Writer: Ian Carson Design: ID Media Ltd • Print: Graphic Press & Packaging, Levin Issue 58: Summer 2022 • ISSN: 1172-7748 (print) – ISSN 2815-9411 (online) No part of this publication may be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. To read Ōtaki Street Scene online, search www.issuu.com

GUEST ARTISTS

The Festival of Pots and Garden Art always has guest artists who showcase the exceptional art being created throughout the country.

It’s no different this year, with three featured artists: painter Lee Robinson of Ōtaki, potter Maria Brockhill of New Plymouth, and sculptor Bruce Winter of Upper Hutt.

Lee is largely self-taught, developing her painting for more than 20 years. She exhibits regularly and has completed many commissions, with paintings in private and public collections not only in New Zealand, but also in Australia, Canada and Europe.

Acrylic is her preferred medium. She paints a wide variety of subjects in a contemporary, realistic style, from landscapes to figurative work and portraits.

Maria (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Maniapoto) has been making with clay since 2008, when she pursued a full-time career in ceramics. She has no formal training, learning the basics at the New Plymouth Pottery Club. She does mostly sculptural and decorative artworks, and enjoys making large pots and adding textural elements. Her work reflects who she is as a contemporary Māori artist.

Bruce works in mixed media producing large outdoor sculptures. During the past 20 or so years he has been developing his stone sculpture skills, combining wood, stone, and metal; often making use of recycled materials as an inspiration for something new.

He has produced an international piece called “Patritha” (in collaboration with Lower Hutt artist Maria Heath) as a commission that was presented to the city of Athens in 2004 by the New Zealand Olympic Committee. The sculpture is in the building that is home to the Greek Olympic Committee.

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An example of Bruce Winter’s outdoor art. Photo supplied

All fired up for pots festival

Visitors to the 2023 Festival of Pots and Garden Art will not only get to experience work in clay, but also a variety of artworks in paint, wood, steel, glass and stone.

Now in its 14th year, the festival is a highly regarded event in the Wellington arts calendar. The Ōtaki Pottery Club organises the festival, which attracts artisans from throughout New Zealand. The 140-plus members of the club are also well represented.

It’s the club’s main fundraiser for the year, helping to support club operations, and maintenance of the clubrooms and kilns.

The Ōtaki Pottery Club was established in 1989 by a group of enthusiastic local potters and has grown to become one of New Zealand’s most progressive pottery clubs.

The club runs 14 weekly adult pottery classes and a young people’s class during the school term. There are also school holiday programmes for kids and a variety of workshops throughout the year for interested adults.

Organisers say more demonstrations and interactive events will be offered in 2023 so visitors can have a go, whether on the pottery wheel or forging their own steel creation. The programme is designed to appeal to young and old, and from collectors to people who are just looking for something different.

Guest artists this year are realist painter Lee Robinson of Ōtaki, potter Maria Brockhill of New Plymouth, and sculptor Bruce Winter of Upper Hutt (see opposite page).

The festival opens to the public on Friday, January 20 and runs until Wednesday the 25th. It’s set in the beautiful Anam Cara gardens near Ōtaki Beach, which offer the perfect festival backdrop.

An on-site café will be selling tasty treats and drinks, and there will be an information booth detailing the plans for The Kilns at Te Horo. A community blood pressure unit will be set up outside the gardens to encourage visitors to get a quick health check. n Anam Cara, 150 Rangiuru Road, Ōtaki. Open 10am-4pm daily (public opening day Friday until 8pm). Entry $5 (includes raffle entry), children under 16 free. On-site parking free. Look for Festival of Pots and Garden Art or otakipotteryclub on Facebook and see otakipotteryclub.org

Newcomers help reboot Sunday market

be right.

The market opposite New World has had a reboot, with a resultant revitalisation in stall numbers and visitors. The new vibe is largely down to a couple of newcomers to the Ōtaki Women’s Community Club, which has been running the market since 1996.

Earlier this year the market was in danger of closing completely because of uncertainties after Covid. It was decided to build up the club membership to help revitalise it.

A concerted membership drive mid-year brought new blood to the committee, including Claire Roper and Michelle Vui. While they had no experience running markets, they did have enthusiasm in bucketloads, and they were supported by committee members who help out at the market every Sunday.

With a background in digital marketing, Claire set up a website for the club and established an active Facebook page for the market. She and Michelle worked on contacting past stall-holders and talking to potential new ones. They approached other local community groups to see how they might collaborate to mutual benefit. (At every market, charities, schools and other community organisations are offered a free stall or to run the sausage sizzle as a fundraiser.)

They brought activities into the market, such as a “onesie day” with prizes and a Bunnings strawberry giveaway (see at right).

The stalls were rearranged with stall vehicles moved farther back, allowing better pedestrian flow.

Tables and chairs were installed so punters could sit and relax. Local real estate company Kelly&Co provided a marquee.

The stall-holder numbers grew from 16-20 each week to more than 30 – and the visitors started coming back, too.

While the wetter winter months have kept the market largely in the car park opposite New World, the grassy park next to RiverStone Café is also available and will be in full use in summer.

“It’s an ideal spot for arts and craft stalls, so the plan is to get most of them in there under the trees,” Claire says.

The market – which is the

longest-running on the Kāpiti Coast – is the main fundraiser for the club. All funds go back to the community. Without it, many organisations would miss out on vital funding, which every year amounts to between $8000 to $15,000.

Recipients have included the Ōtaki Foodbank, the Cancer Society, St John Health Shuttle, the Rescue Helicopter and Arohanui Hospice. The club also pays for two scholarships worth $750 each to help Ōtaki College students pursue tertiary education.

n The market is open every Sunday from 9am-2pm during daylight time, reverting to 10am-2pm on the first and third Sunday of the month during winter. If you’d like to be a stall holder, email otakimarket@outlook.com. Search Ōtaki Market on Facebook and see otakiwomensclub.org

Onesie day at the market: from left market organiser Georgie George, Mathew Cowan, Kahu Coldstream, Treeza Coldstream and Malcom MacKenzie.

Photos: Ōtaki Today

Bunnings staff on a recent strawberry plant give-away at the market. Two happy customers were brothers Evan (left) and Liam Matthews of Lower Hutt.

Claire Roper, left, and Michelle Vui, two newcomers to the Ōtaki Women’s Community Club who have revitalised the market in recent months

Glory days gone for old homestead

The

By Ian Carson

is

snapshot of a much larger story on Kaingaraki that appears in the 2022 issue of Ōtaki Yesterday

Of any old house in Ōtaki, Kaingaraki probably attracts the most attention.

It stands at the highway just south of Ōtaki Railway. Its front lawns used to host elaborate garden parties, but the homestead appears now mysterious and haunting. Its glory days seem over, at least for now.

Kaingaraki was built in 1881 by Frederic and Mary Ann Bright. They owned several holdings in the town, at one point acquiring several blocks of more than 400 hectares (1000 acres). They owned the Family Hotel for a time, and sons Horton and Arthur later built Bright’s Theatre, now The Civic, just next door on Main Street (then still part of Mill Road).

Their home was built from kauri from the north, and tōtara milled from Ōtaki Gorge. Ornate wrought iron for the balcony came by ship from Britain. They planted norfolk pine trees, some of which are still at the front of the property today (others only recently cut down).

It was a grand house befitting the status of the Brights as eminent Ōtaki citizens. They brought up their family there, with a daughter, Susannah, marrying another local entrepreneur, Byron Brown.

The house was built before the railway arrived (1886) and the bridge across the Ōtaki River (1901) – no main highway then. The Brights’ block of land extended not only well behind the house, but also towards the race course across what was to be the highway and railway line.

In 1881 the area was mostly open scrub and light bush. It had been the site of a Muaupoko iwi cultivation. The whole area, even after the railway line was opened in 1886, was liable to flooding from the river, which occurred at regular intervals until flood mitigation works in the late 20th century. The great flood of 1931, which inundated the whole Railway area, had water lapping at the windowsills of Kaingaraki.

After the Ōtaki River bridge was built and the main road followed the railway line, Kaingaraki lost a big portion of its front garden. Frederic had died by then (in 1900), although his sons carried on working the land for a time. Mary Ann moved to Aotaki Street, where she died in 1917. A year later, both Horton and Arthur died of the influenza pandemic shortly after returning from the First World War.

After a succession of owners, Stan Grant and his mother bought the property in 1929 and ran a market garden at Kaingaraki for more than 30 years. Stan married their housekeeper, Mary.

After Mary died, Stan remained on about two acres of his original land on the south side of Kaingaraki, selling the rest – about four acres (1.5ha) – to Jean and Raymond (Ray) Kimberley in December 1951. Their three boys – Gilbert, Bernard and Stephen – were raised there, enjoying the mid-century outdoors life exploring the property and climbing the pine trees.

The Kimberleys stayed on the property for more than 50 years. Jean died in 1996 and Ray, who was in his 90s, moved to Wellington about 2000, dying there in 2006.

The property was bought by the current owner, Chui Leung, in 2003.

The 2022 edition of Ōtaki Yesterday has more about Kaingaraki and its residents. See back page.

Kaingaraki, built in 1881. The old homestead still stands, but with flat cladding covering the old weatherboards, vandalism inside and missing a resident family, the old house on the highway is a shell of its former glory.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Kimberley

Connections inspire Jos Smith’s art

Ōtaki artist Jos Smith is a semi abstract painter working in non-traditional ways with watercolour and a variety of other acrylic-based mixed media and collage.

Jos makes art primarily for the simple joy of interpreting things that have meaning to her. She says art for her is a lot about exploring new ways of representing the known and about having fun.

“Often you’ll discover something exciting when you’re just mucking around experimenting – having fun.”

Jos’s work is inspired mainly by connections and subjects that have meaning to her personally. That might be with a place, an experience, memories, the beauty of nature, a scene or something with character and history that fascinates her. Through her having a connection with her subject, the people drawn to her artwork frequently express what it reminds them of . . . their memory of something meaningful for them.

She loves painting buildings, street scenes, landscapes, flowers and still life in a semi-abstract style where the subject is recognisable but leaves something for the viewer’s imagination and interpretation. She enjoys the unpredictable qualities of watercolours, along with collage and other acrylic media.

She works in a couple of different ways, either with a clear intention and plan about how to achieve the end result, or she will start more intuitively.

“Working intuitively is a more recent way of working, which is fun, challenging and involves some risk taking,” she says. “It’s a more abstract way of starting a painting with spontaneous marks, non-traditional tools, one or two colours, then responding to those initial marks, problem solving, adjusting with layers as some clarity emerges of what the painting is about. For example, the marks and paint might remind me of flowers in an abstract way or some old abandoned building I’ve seen.”

Jos often works in a state of experimentation and discovery using non-traditional approaches in a non-traditional way with the media, which might mean that a painting is completed without a paintbrush.

While art has been a life-long love, it’s only now she’s retired that there’s more time to indulge in her passion for painting, but it’s not all through the process of accidental discovery. She’s also been open to learning from other experienced successful artists.

“I’ve attended various art classes over the years and six years ago I was fortunate to became a student of Manakau artist Pauline Hailwood, who ignited my creative spirit in many new directions,” she says. “Pauline showed me a new world of creativity. She introduced me to new techniques that I found really inspirational.

“I have a lot to thank Pauline for. She’s started me on a path I never envisaged would be so much fun and so enjoyable.”

Jos loves learning and says learning to develop art is a journey for her. She’s always interested in exploring new ways of being

creative that build on what she’s already learned. In recent months she has become an on-line student of two accomplished UK artists, Karen Stamper and Louise Fletcher, whose tuition is enabling her to explore new and interesting ways to think about her own art.

Jos has shown her art at the Ōtaki Pottery Club and the Horowhenua Art Society, and has participated in the Kāpiti Coast Art Trail for the past three years. She finds the Trail gives her both an opportunity to sell her paintings and talk to people face-to-face about her work. People frequently say they’re inspired to get their paints out again.

“That’s great because it’s a fun and fulfilling activity for anyone.”

So why does she paint?: “It’s my happy place.” What’s her style? It depends on what she feels on the day.

“I don’t like labels, so I don’t want to be labelled as one particular kind of artist, but I suppose I could be described as an experimental, semi-abstract representational artist.” n Jos Smith, 027 614-4145. Art studio in Lemon Street, Ōtaki, open by appointment.

A watercolour/mixed media painting inspired by the movement and feeling of icy alpine rivers in the South Island.

RIGHT: A mixed media piece inspired by Jos’s love of sunflowers and old vases.

A watercolour/mixed media painting inspired by Jos Smith’s childhood memories wandering the hills on the family farm. Images supplied

Kites back to excite

The festival that always attracts huge crowds to Ōtaki Beach is back in 2023.

After submitting to the restrictions Covid imposed and cancelling in 2022, the Ōtaki Kite Festival promises to be as entertaining, exciting and enjoyable in February 2023 as it ever has been. In 2022 it was to have been the 10th anniversary, but now the celebrations are back with dates confirmed for the weekend of February 18 and 19.

The kite festival is one of the Kāpiti Coast’s biggest events. The last event, in 2021, drew an estimated 22,000 people. Surveys showed many were from out of the region, putting a smile on major funders Kāpiti Coast District Council.

The council has supported the festival since its inception, in later years through the Major Events Fund, which is aimed at encouraging events that attract visitors to the district.

However, coordinator Kirsty Doyle says the kite festival has always been fundamentally an Ōtaki community event.

“The people behind setting it up were quite focused on providing something that was for Ōtaki people to enjoy,” she says. “We know it’s one of the few opportunities throughout the year when locals can catch up with each other, in a safe, fun family environment that’s free to attend.

“The fact that it also attracts thousands of other people has been a bonus. The town’s businesses certainly know when the festival is on because of the huge numbers of people in the cafés and supermarkets.”

As expected, the 2023 kite festival will see hundreds of kites in the air above the spectacular Ōtaki Beach. There will be market stalls and bouncy castles, a Kelly&Co big dig for the kids, on-stage entertainment and the booming Taiko Drummers.

n For more information look for Ōtaki Kite Festival on Facebook and see www.otakipromogroup.nz

Mahara reopening edges closer

The completion of the roof on the Kāpiti district’s art gallery, Mahara, signals a big step forward in the gallery rebuild.

The rebuild in Mahara Place, Waikanae, will transform it into a museum-standard facility. Construction is due to be completed in February. The building will then be handed back to the Mahara Gallery Trust to re-occupy, manage the fitout and test the environmental control systems before installing the Field Collection of Frances Hodgkins paintings, and mounting exhibitions.

An official opening is expected mid-year.

Another significant step in the build has been the recent installation of four fibreglass-reinforced concrete panels (photo above). The panels are made of a fibreglass/concrete compound, which is lighter than precast concrete and enables shapes and textured designs to be formed. The wave features on the panels, inspired by the Reikorangi Potteries, represent the finger traces of a potter as they create a piece of art.

The next steps in the construction programme include completion of glazing, installing utilities such as electric wiring, heating and ventilation pipes, and fire systems.

Ōtaki.

Aussie film-maker first Māoriland resident

The first Māoriland film-makers resident, Australian Leah Purcell, will be a familiar sight in Ōtaki as she takes up residency in a renovated villa at the Māoriland Hub in Main Street.

Leah Purcell is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actress, playwright, film director, and novelist. She made her film debut in 1999, appearing in Paul Fenech’s Somewhere in the Darkness, which led to roles in other films such as Lantana (2001), Somersault (2004), The Proposition (2005) and Jindabyne (2006).

In 2014, Leah wrote and starred in the play The Drover’s Wife, based on a story by famed Australian bush poet Henry Lawson. In 2019, she went on to write the bestselling novel The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson. It was adapted for the screen when Leah made her directorial debut in the acclaimed film of the same name earlier this year (2022). She had also written, produced and starred as the titular character.

Leah is also well known for her roles in several television drama series, including Police Rescue (1996), Fallen Angels (1997), Redfern Now (2012–2013) that earned her the AACTA Award, Janet King (2016), and perhaps her most recognisable television performance as Rita Connors in the Foxtel prison drama series Wentworth (2018–2021).

Leah is of Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka, born and raised in Murgon, Queensland. Multi-talented, she has won at the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) awards, and

The home for the Māoriland Filmmakers Residency is a four-room villa within the Māoriland Hub on Main Street,

Photos supplied

Māoriland’s first Filmmaker in Residence, Leah Purcell

has been honoured by the Australian Directors Guild and Logies for her work. Her writing has been recognised with the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards, a Queensland Premier’s Literary Award, and the Victorian Prize for Literature. In 2021 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (MA) for significant service to the performing arts, to First Nations youth and culture, and to women.

In April 2022 at the Queensland Gala Industry Awards, Leah received the 2022 Chauvel Award for her contribution to Australian Film, TV and the Arts, especially in the genre of women’s and First Nations storytelling.

Most recently, she won the 2021 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Jury Grand Prize for her multi-faceted role in The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson

The Māoriland Filmmakers’ Residency, the

Zealand, will host international and national

up to three months at the Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki.

its kind

The residence is a four-room villa within what was originally the Edhouse’s department store. The residency offers a retreat for artists as they work towards their next project or complete existing ones.

During their stay, filmmakers will be encouraged to collaborate with Māori film-makers and other artists.

n For more about Maoriland see maorilandfilm.co.nz

first of

in New

indigenous artists for

Leah Purcell in The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, based on Henry Lawson’s The Drover’s Wife. Leah also directed, wrote and produced the film, which showed at the 2022 Māoriland Film Festival.

Diversity of art to see over summer in Ōtaki

Ōtaki has an abundance of galleries and art studios to visit over summer. Pieces of art not only make great presents, but also the best reminders of a fabulous trip. And remember to stop in for a coffee break at the many options the Ōtaki district has to offer.

If you’re visiting artists at home, please remember to call first as many are open by appointment only.

• Artel Gallery, Main Highway, Ōtaki. Open 7 days. artelgallery.net

• ATB Tattoo Studio and Gallery, Arthur St, Ōtaki. abandonthebox.co.nz

• Awatea Pottery, Brent Craig, ceramics, pottery. 19 Hadfield Rd, Peka Peka. 027 242 7572

• Birgit Moffatt Art Studio, sculpture, textiles. 32 Parenga Rd, Ōtaki Gorge. 022 460 2695. birgitmoffatt.com

• Hanneke Koop, ceramics, pottery, textiles. 144 Te Waka Rd, Te Horo. hankoop@gmail.com

• Hei Tiki Toi, woodwork. 24 Iti St, Ōtaki. Ariana Summers 021 990 566, and Ben Keene 021 205 6052.

• The Hori Gallery, artist. 84 Moana St, Ōtaki Beach. thehori.co.nz

• Jailhouse Pottery, Jennifer Turnbull 3 Iti St, Ōtaki. 021 295 7473. jenniferturnbull.co.nz

• James Carter Pottery, ceramics, pottery. 12 Waitaheke Rd, Te Horo. 022 672 7036. jamescarterpottery.co.nz

• Jos Smith Art Studio, painting/drawing. 7a Lemon Street, Ōtaki. 027 614 4145.

• Kathryn Ennis-Carter, textile artist, 55 Settlement Rd, Te Horo 021 620 757.

• Lindsay Hey, artist and printmaker 027 454 2374, and Neil Hey Studio Pottery 027 443 9796, 6 Kingi te Ahoaho Place, Ōtaki artsenvogue.co.nz

• Lorna Tawhiti, lorna@may15tattoo.com. may15tattoo.com

• Margaret Hunt, ceramics, pottery. 173b Waerenga Road, Ōtaki. 06 364 8053 or 027 450 2726.

• Old Courthouse Gallery, Main Highway, Ōtaki.

• Organic Design Studio, 40 Miro St, Otaki. odskapiti.com. Jeweller Gavin Berry 021 051 3096, artist Karen McCall 027 226 2094, sculptor Sarah Shaw 021 452 465.

• Paula Archibald, ceramics, pottery, sculpture. 3 Bell St, Ōtaki. 027 247 7488

• Rod Graham Clayworks, 35 Ngaio St, Ōtaki Beach. 027 445 7545.

• Rosemary Mortimer, printmaker. 306 Te Waka Rd, Te Horo. 027 236 7343. rosemarymortimer.com

• Seagrass Gallery, Grant Stevenson, 38 Moana St, Ōtaki Beach. 027 231 4643. seagrassgallery.co.nz

• Savage Art, Sonia Savage 35 Ngaio St, Ōtaki Beach. 027 244 7322

• Studio Reset, 239 Hautere Cross Road, Te Horo. 021 179 3201. Painting, photography. studioreset.weebly.com

• Toi Matarau, Māoriland Hub, Main St, Ōtaki. Open MonSat 11-4pm, and by appt.

• Tote Modern Art Gallery, Ōtaki Racecourse, Te Roto Rd. Open Fri-Sun 10am-3pm. otakipottery club.co.nz

• Yvonne de Mille, Mahi Toi, 50 Kirk St, Ōtaki. 027 442 3106.

20

Summer eating: BBQs and picnics in the sunny outdoors

By Debbi Carson

Summer is time for alfresco dining, sizzling barbecues, and picnics galore. It’s also the perfect opportunity to make the most of fantastic seasonal produce – ripe tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, new potatoes, peas, berries and more – all at their very best. And whether the sun’s shining or the rain is pouring, there’s always something to celebrate when you’ve got a few quick summer dishes up your sleeve. So get the wine chilling, and tuck into our sunshine-filled recipes.

GREEK CUCUMBER, ONION & TOMATO SALAD

Olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar or lemon juice

Salt to taste

Fresh oregano Tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, artichokes hearts, feta, avocado. Mix any or all of the above together. Mix dressing and toss through. So fresh and delicious!

SLOW ROASTED TOMATOES

6 ripe tomatoes, sliced in half

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2tbsp balsamic vinegar

1tbsp brown sugar

2tbsp finely chopped basil

Preheat your oven to 150˚C. Place tomatoes flesh side up in a baking dish lined with baking paper. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over, then sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped basil. Season generously with sea salt and cracked pepper. Bake for 1½ hours, or until the tomatoes are starting to blister. Serve warm straight from the pan.

Strawberries simply say summer. They can be made into many recipes, or just enjoyed fresh. We have white alpine strawberries growing in pots, which the grandchildren love to forage for. They grow in a clump instead of sending out runners. It’s a great plant to have in a pot outside, where it’s easier to remember to pick the delicious fruit daily. It’s a very productive plant if fed well and can fruit almost all year in year-round warm weather, but is most prolific and sweetest over summer. The delicious, tangy fruit are smaller than regular strawberries but are sweeter. It’s an easy to grow plant, and great for home gardens.

EASY, DELICIOUS STRAWBERRY SALAD DRESSING

This strawberry dressing is delicious, sweet, tart, and goes wonderfully with green salads. Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor. Refrigerate until ready to serve, add dressing right before serving. This is particularly delicious in green salads that contain fruit. 1 cup strawberries with tops cut off 2tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper

CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRIES

Summer isn’t summer without the gorgeous combination of fresh strawberries and delicious chocolate. Easy to make and so eye catching, this is true eye candy. A few simple tips will ensure they turn out perfectly. Strawberries must be fresh, undamaged and completely dry. Use good-quality chocolate, as cheaper chocolate will not melt right and can leave an uneven finish. Place on a tinfoiled tray until chocolate sets, serve on your loveliest plate!

ACCOMMODATION

The Stables @ Talisman, 135 Ringawhati Rd, Ōtaki. 06 364-5893. talisman.otaki@hotmail.com

ARTS & HISTORY

OTAKI STREET SCENE ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Artel Gallery & Store. 180 Main Highway, Ōtaki. 06 210 2517. artelgallery.net

ATB Studios, 3 Arthur St, Ōtaki. 04 212 5520. abandonthebox.co.nz

Jared Carson Illustrations & Cartoons, 027 698 7529. jrodeo@gmail.com

Mahara iti, 2 Mahara Place, Waikanae. 04 902-6242. maharagallery.org.nz

Old Courthouse Gallery, Centennial Park, Main Highway. Open Thu-Sun 10am-4pm Ōtaki Museum, 49 Main Street, Ōtaki. 06 364-6886. otakimuseum.co.nz Ōtaki Yesterday, ID Media Ltd, 13 Te Manuao Rd, Ōtaki. 06 364-6543 or 027 285 4720. Paula Archibald Studio, 027 247 7488, Ōtaki. Toi Matarau Gallery, Māoriland Hub, 68 Main Street, Ōtaki. toi.maorilandfilm.co.nz

DINING & FOOD

Dice, 200 SH1, Ōtaki. 06 364-5472. Fair trade Emporio organic coffee, real fruit ice-creams. Oz’s Bakery, 200 SH1, Ōtaki. 06 364-5468. Freshly baked pies daily, cakes, sandwiches. RiverStone Café & coffee cart, south end of highway shops, 170 SH1, Ōtaki. 06 364-6742. Text your order to the coffee cart at 022 476 8613.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Hebe Botanicals, 34 Riverbank Road, Ōtaki. 06 364 6690. hebebotanicals.co.nz

Old School Beauty & Electrolysis, Deb Shannon. 06 364 7075. oldschoolbeauty.co.nz Ōtaki Medical Centre, 2 Aotaki Street, Ōtaki Village. 06 364-8555.

RETAIL

Hammer Hardware, Titoki St, Ōtaki. 06 364-8389. hammerhardware.co.nz

Penray Gardens, SH 1, Ōtaki South. 06 364-5302. penray@xtra.co.nz

Talisman Nursery, 135 Ringawhati Rd, Ōtaki, 06 364-5893, talisman.otaki@hotmail.com Watson’s Garden, 17 Bell St, Ōtaki. 06 364-8758. Creating simply beautiful gardens.

PROPERTY

Gardner Homes, 10 Gardner Place, Ōtaki. 06 364-8493. gardnerhomes.net.nz Tall Poppy Ōtaki, Brendan Heenan, 027 479 2772. tallpoppy.co.nz

TRADE SERVICES

Concrete Doctors, 10 Rimu St, Ōtaki. 06 364-8634. concretedoctors.co.nz

LEVIN Superminx, 194 Oxford St, Levin. 06 368-5750. www.superminx.co.nz

To advertise in Ōtaki Street Scene and be listed in this directory, call Debbi at 06 364-6543.

Ōtaki Yesterday out for Christmas

If you liked the first two issues of the new historical magazine Ōtaki Yesterday, you’ll love the 2022 issue. Published just in time for Christmas, the 2022 edition features a fascinating story about a young girl who came to Ōtaki 90 years ago. For 2½ years, from the age of 6, she had been in a dreadful Dunedin orphanage. Back with her mother and siblings, she endured a life of poverty, but found delight in the everyday goings-on of Ōtaki. Her story is a rare glimpse into life through the Depression and into the years of the Second World War. Ōtaki Yesterday also reveals some of the history of Kaingaraki, the grand old house behind the norfolk pines on the highway . . . and much more.