Nourish Autumn 2016 BOP edition

Issue no. 22, Autumn 2016

JUST

PEACHY

EASTER BAKING

WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JAM SESSIONS

FRESH LOCAL FLAVOUR BAY OF PLENTY, NZ

NOURISH | issue 22

CONTENTS

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

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

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

Also in this issue we delve into the world of pickling (page 48), and the benefits of fermenting (page 49). Then on page 17, Brad from Falls Retreat in Waihi gives us some tips on a chef’s favourite cooking method, sous vide.

He’s got me hooked!

decadent chocolate mousse cake (page 28), and on page 35 we have my twist on hot cross buns.

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

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

Vicki Ravlich-Horan

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

RECIPE ICONS GLUTEN FREE

VEGAN

TIME SAVING

DAIRY FREE

VEGETARIAN

NUT FREE

REFINED SUGAR FREE

EGG FREE

COOKING

REFRIGERATION

DISHWASHERS

LAUNDRY

KITCHENTHINGS.CO.NZ

regular

recipes

04 05 06 07 20 22 22 25 38 49 54 55

14

Vic’s Picks News Farmers’ Market In Season Enviro Gardening Herbs Wine Column Local Art Scene Nutrition - Fermented Food Events Directory

features

08 40 44

Kitchen Things offer the largest range of world leading kitchen and laundry appliance brands, all displayed in lifestyle settings in our interactive kitchen showroom.

Premium brand range includes:

MIELE SMEG BOSCH FRANKE GAGGENAU NEFF AGA BAUMATIC BEKO BILLI FALCON FISHER & PAYKEL INSINKERATOR

15 17 1 9 26 28 34 35 37 46 48 50 52

Baked Peaches with Vanilla Mascarpone Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad Sous-Vide Chicken and Eggplant Scones Tempering Chocolate Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake Babka Hot Cross Buns Duck Pate with Tamarillo Chutney Seafood Chowder Pie Pickles Fermented Food Kombucha

EDITOR Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Sydney + One

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bron Alexander from Folk Creative

Coast to Coast

CLIENT MANAGER Paula Baxter PROOF READER Nikki Crutchley from Crucial Corrections

SAMSUNG SCHWAN TRANSTHERM VINTEC WHISPAIR

CONTRIBUTORS Bronwyn Lowe, Henry Jacobs, Megan Coupland, Megan Muldowney, Denise Irvine, Kate Underwood, Brad King, Darren Gussy, Liz French, Jim Bantree COVER IMAGE Vicki Ravlich-Horan PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Tracie Heasman, Brydie Thompson, Tracy Stamatakos, Helen Chapman, Rebekah Davenport, Leah Hoskins ISSN 2324-4356 (Print) ISSN 2324-4364 (Online) ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Liz French salesbop@nourishmagazine.co.nz 021 736 789 Feedback info@nourishmagazine.co.nz

TAURANGA Bay Central Shopping Centre, 65 Chapel Street, Tauranga 3110

The Dry Dock Cafe

Peach Melba Cake

Phone: 07 571 6366

KitchenThingsNZ

KITCHEN THINGS - NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST RANGE OF COOKING APPLIANCES

SUBSCRIPTIONS www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/subscribe– $30 for a year (4 issues)

NOURISH | news

NOURISH | spotlight

Vic’s Picks FALLS CAFE

A TOUCH OF FRENCH VINTAGE

When was the last time you visited McLaren Falls Park? Autumn is the perfect time to visit with nature’s stunning beauty in full bloom with the trees displaying their autumn colours. Falls Cafe, in the middle of the park, make it another reason to go and visit. Sit on their deck with a coffee and a home baked treat and take in nature’s wonder.

Pacifica Home & Garden Store is bringing a slice of the Continent to the Bay with the introduction of their unique French vintage furniture and decorative items for the home.

Falls Cafe 140 McLaren Falls Road, McLaren Falls Park, Lower Kaimai, Tauranga

This exclusive range has been sourced from the Southwest of France and is just the beginning of Pacifica’s new range under ’The Provenance Store’. Sourced from Europe and New Zealand, the collection includes vintage and antique pieces.

Many having been reused, repurposed or revamped with details about each piece’s provenance provided.

Pacifica Home & Garden Store | 112 Tara Road, Papamoa

Bay or Plenty News

NEW FACTORY SHOP FOR ARTISAN FOOD COLLECTIVE

A group of like-minded artisan food makers have joined together as a cooperative to sell their products direct from the new Factory Shop outlet at Wholesmoked NZ’s premises in Greerton.

The X Factor range genuinely reflects the food culture of its origins. NZ cheeses are smoked using manuka and pohutukawa. Dry cured bacon comes in rashers and lardons, and the hamburger steaks are “the best you’ll ever taste”! The arancini and bocconcini are as Italian as the gelato and panna cotta. A Hungarian chef offers a delicious range of gluten free small goods, beef croquettes are made the Dutch way, and a Frenchman and his Kiwi wife’s passionfruit curd and lemon honey have that je ne sais quoi! Direct trade coffee from Vanuatu rounds off the spread.

To find real food with the X Factor, it’s well worth a bit of a squiggle off the Cameron Road roundabout into Chadwick Road, past the police station, left into Sherson, right into Alach. You’ll see the big sign.

15 Alach Street, Greerton, Tauranga open weekdays 8.30–3.30

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

OTAIKA FREE RANGE Our favourite free range egg producers have gone viral. Otaika Free Range recently posted a YouTube clip of their happy hens coming out to play and this surprising scene for many has already had over 200,000 views and growing with people delighted to see what “free range” truly means. “Poultry in motion” one viewer wrote. Well done, Otaika. We love your eggs and what you do.

SKIN FOOD While the pleasure of eating good food nourishes us from the inside, our skin needs its own nourishment too. Nourishe skincare has been developed by naturopath and medical herbalist Serina Gardner, using natural herbs and essential oils which soothe, moisturise and beautify your skin and enhance the way you feel. Seems that Nourishe skincare has a lot in common with our Nourish magazine!

To view the skincare range and buy online see www.nourisheskincare. co.nz

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

WIN one of three duos of Nourishe Face Cream and Feminine Bliss Bath and Body Oil. Email your details to info@nourishmagazine.co.nz with Nourishe Skincare in the subject line, before May 1 2016.

LIZ FRENCH In joining Nourish as our BOP representative, Liz French combines her love of the media and her enthusiasm for selling products she believes in and can now justify her daily cafe fix as market research! Liz cooked motel breakfasts to help fund her OE in the early 1970s and between travels catered businessmen’s lunches in London, and was a bar maid in a loch side restaurant outside Glasgow and in a London pub. To fund a change of direction from school teaching, she worked in fashion retail and evenings as a dining room hostess in a Wellington hotel. Her career then spanned public relations, sales and promotions for Radio New Zealand, picture frame salesperson and a decade in real estate for Eves Realty in Tauranga, before becoming a freelance writer. Liz has been around Tauranga for over 30 years so is a familiar face! She decided years ago to only work at what she loves and the Nourish position expresses exactly that. When she’s not reading, writing and promoting Nourish, she’s mountain biking, walking and skiing.

JIM BARTEE

TAKE AWAY RAW FOOD DELI - TAUPO WHOLE FOOD SHOP - ORGANIC FRESH PRODUCE GLUTEN FREE & DAIRY FREE FOODS ESCAPE COFFEE - TEECCINO

45 ORUANUI STREET, TAUPO (off Spa Road) | 021 138 2066 | 027 578 4702 rawbalancenz@gmail.com

rawbalancenz

rawbalancenz

Jim Bartee moved permanently to New Zealand after falling in love with the country on a visit, leaving the corporate life in Kansas for a life of wine in Katikati. He has enjoyed sharing his passion for, and knowledge of wine during more than 10 thriving years in business at Finer Wines where he retails, imports and exports his extensive and eclectic range of local and international wines. Jim recommends and supplies wines for some of the top lodges and restaurants in New Zealand and also provides the narrative for wine lists for some highly regarded restaurants.

We’re at the TAUPO SATURDAY MARKET and also ROTORUA THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET page 4 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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TAURANGA FARMERS’

MARKET AUTUMN NEWS

LOCAL, FRESH & ARTISAN FOOD DIRECT FROM THE PRODUCERS Autumn delivers yet another range of seasonal fruits. The growth in the vege patches is still strong even though the days are slowly getting shorter. The Market is the ideal place to connect with the growers and gather product for those old fashioned preserves. Our producers offer bulk buying bags and prices to match. Favourite recipes are shared around as we stock up the pantries and freezers.

THIS SEASON

The essence of autumn is feijoas and persimmons, apples and pears, pumpkins and early brassicas to name a few. For this Market our treat is the late variety of blueberries and the white Muscat table grapes.

Take advantage of autumn by planting the garden with the wonderful selection of natives, perennials and fruit trees from Lyncroft Nurseries.

MAY Persimmons – Arosa Farms Asian greens – Riverside Growers The last of the capsicum season – Southern Belle Orchards

NOTE

MARCH Blueberries & feijoas – Kurowski Forde Orchard Grapes – Lusty Grapes Newstead gold apples & ‘Comice’ pears – Divine Fruits Passionfruit & heritage apples – Spring Valley Orchard

APRIL

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY Vicki Ravlich-Horan

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

So get figgy this autumn with these quick fig ideas.

AUTUMN CAN BE A SEASON THAT IS DRY WHICH CAN AFFECT THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

MARKET EVENTS

MEET THE LOCAL GROWER

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

Drizzle with a balsamic dressing just before serving.

March 26 – Jazz at the Market May – Birthday month. Market Hamper tickets supporting Tauranga Riding for the Disabled May 28 – Market Birthday Celebrations Look out for information on our casual, fun cooking demonstration.

French Heritage pumpkin – Potato Power Broccoli - Te Teko Vegetables Fennell – Guy’s Gourmet Produce

get figgy with it

Follow our website or Facebook page for updates on these events at the Market.

Come, see, taste & learn from the producers what is in season from this region

Bert van Heuckelum has 25 fig trees on his olive grove in Katikati.

Bert says figs, along with his olive oil and the many other fruit and veg he grows, “are part of my Mediterranean style diet”.

The trees consist of several varieties: Miss Williams, San Pedro, French Sugar, Vlassoff, Candy, Brown Turkey, Brunswick and one unknown from cuttings taken from an old farm in Katikati. Bert’s main crop of figs are ready in April and May and available at the Tauranga Farmers Market.

Bert says, “Fig trees are vigorous growers with an invasive root system. So either give them space or prune them hard.” They can also be grown successfully in a large container, but remember to water them regularly.

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

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

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

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

MARKET MANAGER | 07 552 5278 | 0274 915 876 | tgafarmersmarket@gmail.com

“Picking every day is a chore,” says Bert, “but is the only way to beat the birds, unless you want to place nets over the trees.”

When ready the figs are soft and plump and come away from the steam with ease. Once picked, a milky sap is released and this can irritate the skin, making picking a hot job with long sleeves a necessity. This sap can be used to remove warts and has also been used as vegetarian rennet since the time of the Ancient Greeks.

WWW.TAURANGAFARMERSMARKET.CO.NZ

Figs are high in fibre and contain a wealth of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, page 7 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium.

7:45AM-12:00PM | EVERY SATURDAY RAIN HAIL OR SHINE TAURANGA PRIMARY SCHOOL

page 6 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | feature

the

Dry Dock Cafe

Nearly six years ago, when Sandra Johnson found a small espresso bar on Tauranga’s Wharf Street was for sale, she sat outside it and thought, “I want it.”

Sandra was looking for a career change, she had no experience in hospitality, and by her own admission she’s not a foodie. Various people advised her against opening a cafe; she said, “What if it feels right?”

Which it did. So Sandra went with her gut feeling; she bought the business, named it The Dry Dock Cafe, asked herself, “Oh my God, what have I done?”, then got on with establishing a highly successful eatery.

to develop these fresh, colourful offerings further. There is also an in-house baker who does all the sweet treats from scratch.

The bonus at Dry Dock is Sandra, who has built a strong team, in the kitchen and out front, and has a reputation for caring about her customers.

Later, The Dry Dock expanded into the former Sunrise Cafe next door, and it now seats 90 people, inside and out. Sandra’s partner, Roger Norton, joined the business three years ago; he works frontof-house, and Sandra is the powerhouse behind it all; the woman who had what she describes as a mid-life crisis and developed a passion for hospitality.

The Dry Dock is in the heart of the smart Wharf Street Dining Precinct, off The Strand, and from its outdoor tables there are views to Tauranga Harbour. It is spacious, neatly fitted out, and it’s the place where you’ll be assured of a warm welcome, good food, efficient service and well-made Ozone coffee. The coffee is the domain of head barista Shine Kim, who has been at Dry Dock for two-and-a-half years.

The food is cooked from scratch, there’s a cabinet with fresh rolls, paninis, wraps, and delicious baking such as date and apple custard cake, cinnamon pinwheels and date scones. The cabinet also has tasty salads, including Moroccan chicken and couscous: quinoa with cauliflower and feta: raw energy salad and so on.

There is a made-to-order menu for brunch and lunch, and you could maybe enjoy a Spanish omelette with chorizo, corn fritters, eggs bene with bacon and homemade hollandaise, creamy mushrooms, and various bagels and toasties.

Sandra says she’s learned a lot about food since she started; she’s currently enjoying the healthy salads with East-West flavours that her chefs — from Germany and Japan — are making, and they plan WORDS Denise Irvine

page 9 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

PHOTOGRAPH Helen Chapman

At first The Dry Dock was tiny, and there was just Sandra and a staff member who did the food and coffee. “I did the talking,” says Sandra, “and between us we did the dishes.” The oven was bought on special from Farmers, and Sandra says it cooked its heart out.

PHOTOGRAPH Tracie Heasman

People, she says, are her forte, and hospitality is all about people.

“We want our customers to feel welcome, to be comfortable, and we want to provide them with good products, and a good experience.

If one of my regulars stayed all day here, I wouldn’t worry. This cafe belongs to everyone.”

As accidental proof of this, the interview with Sandra is punctuated by her frequently pausing to greet customers by name. “Hi Ian,” she says to one arrival, “you just want your usual?”

Sandra has a gift for remembering customers’ names, and at Dry Dock, when coffees are ordered, they are noted on the till slip by name rather than a number. This helps staff get to know their regulars.

Although Sandra admits to some big challenges in her early days, she quickly learned to love hospo. “It’s awesome. I love seeing people meeting, tables of families, mums, kids, or people on their own. It’s like opening our home to everyone.”

The Dry Dock Cafe 6 Wharf Street, Tauranga | 07 577 1573 OPEN SEVEN DAYS 7.00am–3.00pm, Monday–Friday 8.30am–2.00pm, Saturday–Sunday

Your place to

shine

DISCOVER, INDULGE, LEARN & BE INSPIRED

Think Easter, think Jazz Festival, think Downtown Tauranga Carnival, 26th & 27th March.

MYSTERY CREEK EVENTS CENTRE | 30 APRIL - 1 MAY 2016 | GREATNZFOODSHOW.CO.NZ page 10 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

There’s plenty more on offer Downtown Tauranga Enjoy our iconic waterfront location, boutique shopping, art & culture, entertainment and culinary delights aplenty.

/downtowntauranga

www.downtowntauranga.co.nz

NOURISH | recipes

just peachy

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

Peach Melba Cake

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

Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad

1 cup self-raising flour

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

1 cup coconut

You’ll need:

1½ cups icing sugar 5 egg whites 125g butter, melted 1 cup raspberries 2–4 peaches, sliced In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together before adding the egg whites and melted butter. Mix well and pour into a greased loose-bottom cake tin. Or if you want to make smaller cakes or friands, divide the mixture into a muffin tin.

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

Friands will take 20–30 minutes.

Baked Peaches with Vanilla Mascarpone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Peaches Prosciutto Fresh mozzarella Rocket Croutons* Aged balsamic vinegar Pit and slice peaches and then grill on the BBQ or in a pan. You want them to have a gorgeous caramelisation.

Meanwhile, scatter a large platter with rocket, torn fresh mozzarella and croutons. Add the prosciutto and then warm peaches. Dress with a drizzle (not too much) of an aged balsamic vinegar. *Make simple croutons by tearing bread into rough pieces approximately 1cm², drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and grill or bake until crispy. I used Volare’s San Francisco Sourdough, which has a wonderful sourness and the perfect chewy texture.

Show us your peaches!

NOURISHMAGAZINE

WHOLE FOOD HEAVEN For all your pickling and fermenting needs, from keffir grains to apple cider vinegar, Himalayan salt to mustard seeds and much more.

BIN INN PAPAMOA

30F Gravatt Road, Fashion Island, Papamoa | 07 575 0717 papamoa@bininn.co.nz

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bininnpapamoa

NOURISH | recipes

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

Cooking

sous-vide

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

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

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

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

Thermometer

FACEBOOK - DOUG Jarvis Butcher & DELI | www.englishbutchery.com

page 16 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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

SOUS-VIDE EGGPLANT

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

1kg eggplant sliced into 1cm slices sea salt

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

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

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

1kg fresh chicken thighs – skin on

MARINADE

MARINADE

1 level tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp crushed garlic

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp turmeric

1 level tbsp chopped garlic

handful fresh oregano

handful of oregano or marjoram

zest of 2 lemons

dash olive oil

dash of olive oil to combine into a paste

cracked black pepper

Pour marinade over chicken and cover each one thoroughly.

Mix into a paste.

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

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

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

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

PAPAMOA PLAZA, PAPAMOA | 07 572 0090 | doug.jarvis30@gmail.com

Vacuum pack machine

SOUS-VIDE CHICKEN THIGHS

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

WE CAN HELP WITH ALL YOUR MEAT REQUIREMENTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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NOURISH | recipes

perfect match RECIPES Vicki Ravlich-Horan PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

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

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

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

BASIC SCONES

SUPER QUICK SCONES

3 cups flour

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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NOURISH | enviro

HOME COMPOSTING WORKSHOP Saturday 12 March, 12.30pm–4pm A home composting workshop where participants learn about and experience the process of setting up their own worm farm and are given troubleshooting advice. Includes provision of a worm farm kit.

Bookings essential: cayley.manson@tauranga.govt.nz - $30.

BIO-INTENSIVE COMPOST Saturday 12 March, 9am–12pm Learn how to make a high quality compost for your garden using what is available from your own backyard. You will also learn how to grow your own compost crops and receive seeds.

More info and bookings: lora.scully@gmail.com - $30.

Don’t let it go to waste

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE FROM EXCELSO Excelso recently calculated that they go through approximately 122,000 takeaway cups a year! This is a lot of waste ending up in our landfill and uses a lot of non-renewable resources, which is why they have switched to using Ecoware compostable cups and are encouraging regular customers to invest in a reusable cup like the KeepCup. Ecoware cups are made from paper sourced only from sustainably managed plantations in the USA. The “plastic” components are derived from sugarcane and corn, a sustainable alternative when compared to oil based food packaging.

If you consume five takeaway coffees a week this would produce around 14 kg of waste a year. By using a reusable cup rather than a disposable one, you would halve the carbon emissions and energy used and reduce water consumption by one-third.

PRESERVES & RELISHES Saturday 19 March, 10.30am–1pm Throughout the year there are different crops in abundance. This course will show you how to turn them into great food that lasts longer.

Bookings essential: ace@katikatiresource.co.nz 07 549 0399 - $60.

FORAGING FOR EDIBLE WEEDS GREEN SMOOTHIE WORKSHOP Sunday 20 March, 10am–1pm You’ll be amazed how many wild weeds you can eat once safely identified. Get to know them, learn their role and turn them into green smoothies. More info: www. juliasedibleweeds.com - $40.

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

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

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

The very fact that the apple core is biodegradable is also the reason most people don’t see it, or any other food waste, as something they need to worry about sending off to landfill. Many households and businesses diligently sort their paper, plastics and glass to be recycled and then figure the rest will go into one giant compost pit to be buried. After all we’ve taken out the stuff that won’t break down or can be reused, right?

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

BIOINTENSIVE COMPOST Saturday 27 March, 9am–12pm Why and how to make nutrient-packed biointensive compost with the perfect carbon-nitrogen balance. More info: sprout@ growfoodinstead.co.nz - $30.

Thankfully the team at Excelso are making it easier for you to make a conscious choice and reduce your carbon footprint while still getting a caffeine fix. www.excelso.co.nz 112 Third Ave, Tauranga

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

But it turns out that having a compost bin, worm farm or Bokashi type system to dispose of your organic waste is essential, regardless of your gardens needs, or lack thereof.

SUSTAINABLE BACKYARD BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

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

Envirohub’s Sustainable Backyards programme is celebrating its eleventh year. This year there are more than 90 events to choose across the Bay from Katikati to Whakatane. Running from 1 March to 2 April, you can choose from an array of workshops, talks, festivals, movie nights and walks. Connect, learn and be inspired during March towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

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

Here are just a few highlights on topics covered in this edition of Nourish. For a full programme go to www.envirohub.org.nz or www.facebook.com/sustainablebackyards.

www.nourisheskincare.co.nz

Serina Gardner BNATMED, MNZAMH, MNZSN. NATUROPATH & MEDICAL HERBALIST

WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan

page 21 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | garden

Composting

101

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

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

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

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

Suitable for composting meat, dairy, fish and bones.

Less labour intensive than outdoor compost systems.

Low odour and will not attract fruit flies.

Up to 50% quicker composting time than outdoor systems.

PHOTOGRAPHY Rebekah Davenport

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

CONS

COMPOST BINS

PROS:

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

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

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

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

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

Requires more space.

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

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

Place carpet over the bin to maintain heat.

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

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

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

Chop matter into smaller pieces for faster decomposition. v

There is an ongoing cost to purchase the fermenting additive.

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

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

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

WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T DO

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

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

Worm juice is a natural fungicide, fertiliser and pesticide.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

homeopathic HCG detox programme 22 day programme $60.00 | 40 day programme $110.00 (Excludes postage)

Utilise your own stored fat while eating healthy foods. For normal healthy detox, cleansing and weight loss. Our clients commonly report weight loss between 7 and 10 kilos.

Call us now or check out our website or facebook for further information.

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OPEN Tues – Sun, 5pm until late

page 22 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

page 23 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

WINE LORE

HOMEOPATHIC HCG Is 500 calories a day sustainable for three weeks using homeopathic HCG? Intermittent fasting, 5:2 days are becoming more popular even though there is still little research to support its benefits. Recent documentaries are now suggesting fasting is actually very important to kick-starting the body’s immune system and enables the body to detox itself and may even be important for preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes.

So what happens to the body if you extend this process for three weeks? In the 1950s eating a low calorie restricted diet with specific foods that were determined to be appropriately combined, Dr Simeons discovered this restriction alongside an injection of a naturally occurring hormone HCG, was not only sustainable for three weeks but achieved massive weight loss of bad fats in the body while enabling the individual to continue on with their normal day to day life. Their vitals were taken each day and blood tests showed cholesterol levels lowered, stabilisation of blood sugar occurred, and there was increased energy and loss of bad fats, not lean muscle.

IS HCG SAFE? The actual homeopathic version of HCG has been classed by the FDA of America as safe and has had no side effects recorded from its use.

What the FDA do say (and they have sent me their video link of their statement) is that they believe 500 calories a day is not safe. So why is it that so many people each year succeed in enormous weight loss and change their shape and health using this method? I know over 300 people who have done this programme and

lost weight, many of them have got off their medication for blood pressure and diabetes to the delight and encouragement of their GPs.

MONOGAMY IS FOR MARRIAGE, NOT WINE! I admit it; I love wine. In fact, it plays a significant part in my life.

I also analyse wine, and it takes a well-made wine to please my palate. Yet when it happens, it is magical. Thankfully it happens with enough frequency for me to feel the magic often.

As a health practitioner who has specialised in homeopathic pharmacy, I was keen to give both methods a go. My first trial of HCG consisted of fasting on 500 calories a day for three weeks and was incredible. I lost 11 kilos and have kept it off for three years. It was hard, as the allowable foods are very restricted and it gets a bit boring. But my energy stayed up and the results were noticeable. Fasting while not using HCG … I couldn’t get past day three without becoming irritable, weak and just hungry. By day five I was a mess, couldn’t concentrate and needed to stop.

For me, now, I find fasting one day a week really great, it makes me more conscious of the foods I choose to eat on the other days I am not fasting, and my health is excellent. HCG for me is now a once a year detox resetting the hypothalamus (as Dr Simeons suggested). But as with all things, it is really down to the individual. With hundreds of thousands of people around the world doing HCG and achieving amazing results — I do know it is more than just mind over matter.

Amanda Macrae is a qualified homeopath specialising in homeopathic pharmacy. Owner and operator of Manutuke Herbs Homeopathic and Herbal Dispensary in Gisborne and Tauranga.

Amanda grows herbs for the business on her lifestyle property in Gisborne and is mother to Tilly 2.5yrs.

www.manutukeherbs.co.nz

It requires a degree of confidence (or sheer luck) to choose a particular wine, and one of the most obvious ways people choose a wine is “bling”, or the amount or colour of medals affixed to a wine bottle. This is a dangerous practice, as most of the greatest producers choose not to enter their wines into “wine contests” at all, as there is really nothing competitive about wine per se. Often the criteria to enter into a major competition requires a minimum number of (thousands of) cases to be available to win an award, something which automatically disqualifies many, if not most, worthy candidates. Thus, within a limited field, a “trophy wine” may be truly unimpressive when tasted on its own merit.

Additionally, wine judges often tend to be people with enormous egos, some who cannot help but dominate the less confident or more easily influenced wine judges. “Big” and powerful wines tend to win wine awards, not wines which may possess greater finesse or elegance or refinement.

Exploring wine is all about the journey, not the destination. Wine experts were not born, but gained expertise when pushing their boundaries beyond the norm. Some of us may think the key to wine enjoyment is in finding “the perfect wine”, a perpetual “turn-on” through which we will find eternal gratification. If this defines you, and you are content with just one producer, one grape, or one style of wine, perhaps you may be incapable of greater fulfilment. Please read no further, as you may find this column offends you. (Just kidding)...

Here is the first of several recommendations to be elaborated upon in future columns: RULE #1: NEVER DRINK THE SAME WINE OVER AND OVER AGAIN AD INFINITUM. Wine is not milk. Date around! Monogamy is for marriage, not wine. Test your senses.

Even if you have a favourite wine or preferred grape, you should “play the field”, as your tastes may certainly adapt once you have encountered other juices! Predictability can be a good thing to a point, but the excitement of a newfound love makes the pursuit all worthwhile. An adventurous spirit is a good thing, but thinking you can “tell” by a label whether or not a wine has merit is really quite silly, much the same as finding your romantic match through a photo or mail order catalogue.

The human sense of wanton anticipation and adventure dissipates if one stays within the conventional “comfort zone”. You may think you have reached nirvana with one particular maker and year of one variety of wine when instead you have only imposed a glass ceiling on your tasting possibilities. Don’t impose limits on trying new things!

THE FALLS CAFE IS A HAVEN OF UNIQUE BAKED GOODS, HOMEMADE BREAD AND FRESH SEASONAL MEALS. We cater for group bookings, private functions and business meetings with free Wi-Fi available | Find us on Trip Advisor

140 McLaren Falls Road, McLaren Falls Park, Tauranga | 07 543 4976 | harriet.fallscafe@gmail.com | page 24 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

thefallscafe

Jim

Jim Bartee | Finer Wines 8 Main Road, Katikati | www.finerwines.co.nz HAVE A WINE QUESTION? Jim will be writing a regular wine column so email us info@nourishmagazine.co.nz

ARTISAN

FOOD COLLECTIVE

FROM A LOCAL CO-OPERATIVE OF ITALIAN, HUNGARIAN, DUTCH, FRENCH AND KIWI ARTISAN FOOD MAKERS

Manuka and Pohutukawa smoked cheeses Unsmoked, organic and vintage cheeses Gourmet hamburger steaks Dry cured rindless bacon in rashers and lardons Italian arancini and bocconcini, stuffed olives; gelato and panna cotta Hungarian gluten free, preservative free small goods; salami and smoked sausages Genuine Dutch beef croquettes French inspired passionfruit curd and lemon honey Yasur Mountain organic direct trade coffee from Vanuatu Sampling is just the beginning..... continual tastings!

FACTORY SHOP NOW OPEN Monday - Friday 8.30am – 3.30pm 15 Alach Street, Greerton, Tauranga 07 579 9394 Left into Sherson off Chadwick Road, then right into Alach (opp. uzabus)

NOURISH | how to

TEMPERING

chocolate at home Tempering chocolate ensures the chocolate has a gorgeous gloss and satisfying snap.

Chocolatier Sarah Walton from The Confectionery Collection shows us how easy it is to temper chocolate at home using your microwave.

YOU WILL NEED:

Plastic bowl

Continue stirring the chocolate until you reach the correct working temperature:

Spatula

Dark Chocolate 31°C – 32°C

Digital thermometer

Milk Chocolate 30°C – 31°C

Microwave

White Chocolate 29°C – 30°

Teaspoons Couverture chocolate Place three-quarters of the couverture chocolate into a plastic bowl (glass retains too much heat).

Melt the chocolate in the microwave on high for short 30 second bursts, stirring in between and checking the temperature. Continue to melt the chocolate until it reaches 45°C — be careful and watch closely — do not burn the chocolate.

Add in all of the remaining chocolate and stir vigorously until all the pieces have melted.

If you find some of the pieces are being stubborn, you can apply gentle heat with a (clean) hair dryer or paint stripper gun. Alternatively put the bowl back in the microwave for short 5 second bursts being careful to not overheat.

Test the chocolate is in temper: Insert a teaspoon or plastic scraper into the chocolate and leave at room temperature to set Dark Chocolate 5 minutes Milk Chocolate 7 minutes White Chocolate 10 minutes The chocolate should be set in this time frame. It should not have any lines or streaks on the surface — if it does it needs more movement.

Continue to stir and re-test, constantly checking the temperature too!

KEY POINTS | TIME – TEMPERATURE – MOVEMENT Ideal room temp when working with chocolate is 18–21°C Cocoa butter is a polymorphic fat, which means the crystals can change structure. Our goal is to have one structure beta5, this is why we need to go through the tempering process to create the correct crystallisation.

Well-tempered chocolate has a good snap, glossy shine and smooth texture when eaten. Badly tempered chocolate will be grainy, melt quickly or have a grey/white speckled appearance on the surface (this looks like mould but is just the separation of the cocoa butter).

Well-tempered chocolate will contract from a mould or smooth surface; bad tempered chocolate will stick to it.

Types of chocolate: Couverture chocolate: a high quality chocolate made with a high percentage of cocoa butter and premium cacao beans.

Compound chocolate: low cost cheap chocolate made with hard vegetable fats such as palm kernel oil instead of cocoa butter (making it cheaper) and meaning tempering is not required. www.theconfectionerycollection.co.nz

Your chocolate is now ready to use. Don’t forget to re-check the temperature and keep it within the correct working temperature.

the Dry

Dock Cafe

Breakfast & Lunch menu. Sweet cabinet - all baked here.

Outcatering. Cakes made to order.

Sunny outdoor seating with water views.

OPEN EVERY DAY | 6 Wharf Street, Tauranga | 07 577 1573 johnson.sandra@hotmail.com page 27 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | celebrates

decadent achocolate mousse cake INGREDIENTS

Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the batter mix.

BROWNIE BASE

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

60g butter, softened ½ cup sugar

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FILLING

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

150g chocolate, chopped 1 cup cream 2 tbsp cocoa

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

3 egg whites

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

MALLOW TOPPING

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

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

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

METHOD

MALLOW TOPPING

1 cup cream

RECIPE Megan Muldowney | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

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

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

Add the egg and continue beating until combined.

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

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

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

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

This will take about 45 minutes.

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

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

NOURISH | bakes

Easter baking RECIPE Vicki Ravlich-Horan | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

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

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

babka

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

hot cross buns

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

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

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

½ cup sugar

3 eggs

2½ tsp yeast

100g soft butter

½ cup lukewarm water

1½ cups mixed dried fruit

3½ cups flour*

⅓ cup rum

Makes 2 loaves

CHOCOLATE FILLING

DOUGH

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

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

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

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

120g butter

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

½ cup icing sugar ⅓ cup cocoa powder

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

½ cup ground pistachios (optional)

½ cup water

SYRUP

150g soft butter

⅓ cup water ⅓ cup icing sugar

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

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

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

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

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

spiced butter 150g butter, soft 1 tsp cinnamon

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

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

1 tbsp icing sugar

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

Mix the butter, spices and icing sugar together.

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

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

1/2 tsp ginger 1 tsp mixed spice

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

RELAX

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

DOING GOOD

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

NOW LOOKS BETTER

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

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

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

page 35 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | recipes

Delissi’s Pate

with

Tamarillo Chutney

With tamarillos in season Darren, from Delissi in Mount Maunganui says it’s time to make chutney, and his duck liver pate is the perfect partner.

TAMARILLO CHUTNEY 1kg tamarillos

300g raisins

1 tbsp peppercorns

500g green apples

3 tbsp crushed ginger

1 tbsp whole allspice

600g onion

1½ tbsp salt

1 tsp chilli

900ml cider vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

1.5kg brown sugar

5 star anise

Peel tamarillos by cutting a small cross in the tip of each one and placing in boiling water for 20–30 seconds, remove and refresh in ice cold water. Grip skin and peel towards stem until all skin is removed.

Peel apples and onions and chop all three into uniform pieces, approx. 2cm cubes.

DUCK PATE

Place in a large pot with all ingredients and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat and simmer for 90 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of pot.

Serves 6 300g duck or chicken livers 70g butter

1 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves picked off

90g streaky bacon, sliced into 1cm pieces

50ml port

90g onion, finely diced

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ tsp salt

90ml cream

Melt butter in a thick-bottomed frying pan on a medium heat. Add onion and cook till transparent, turn up to high. Add livers, bacon, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown all surfaces. Pour in port (be careful, it may ignite ... which is a good thing, and will go out quickly when alcohol has burnt off) and cook for 1 minute then pour in cream and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Leave for 5 minutes then blitz with a stick blender (will need to put mix into a pot or heat-proof container) or kitchen whiz till smooth. Pass mix through a mouli or sieve using the back of a spoon to push as much of the mix through as possible. Pour in desired ramekin, pate tin or container to cool. Refrigerate and serve with tamarillo chutney and crusty bread or your favourite crackers.

Darren is the head chef and along with his wife Helen, owns Delissi in Mt Maunganui. Delissi specialise in a menu of small plates which allows Darren to be very creative. Within their first year Darren was awarded a NZ Beef and Lamb Excellence award, and backed this up with another this year.

112 TARA RD, PAPAMOA, TAURANGA 07 542 0190 | WWW.PACIFICAPAPAMOA.COM PACIFICA HOME AND GARDEN STORE

page 36 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

Ladle into hot sterilised jars, seal and leave to cool.

Darren is the head chef and along with his wife Helen, owns Delissi in Mt Maunganui. Delissi specialises in a menu of small plates which allows Darren to be very creative. Within their first year Darren was awarded a NZ Beef and Lamb Excellence award, and backed this up with another this year. www.delissi.net

A TIP FROM DOUG JARVIS - THE ENGLISH BUTCHER Chicken and duck livers can be hard to find but Doug Jarvis Butcher in Papamoa says they always have chicken livers in stock and can get duck livers in on request. Doug says “chicken livers make for a sweeter more smooth pate.”

Doug Jarvis Butcher | Papamoa Plaza, Papamoa | englishbutchery.com

07 542 0106 | OPEN 7 DAYS | DINNER FRIDAY & SATURDAYS | BEER & WINE ON TAP 5 GOLDEN SANDS DRIVE, PAPAMOA EAST | LOADS OF GLUTEN FREE VEGAN & SUGAR FREE OPTIONS

info@henryandted.com

henryandted

henryandtedcafe

page 37 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | arts

LOCAL ART SCENE

The Garden Art

Studio

XX xx

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

Owned by Kaye and John Murray, it is evident that discovering wonderful, talented artists is part of the joy of owning the business.

Kaye and John have been known to go on big road trips to visit their daughter in the South Island and come back with a list of new artists and pieces of work for the gallery.

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

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

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

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

Open every day except Mondays, The Garden Art Studio is the perfect place to pick up a gift or that special piece for yourself. Make a day of it with the Lily Pad Cafe next door.

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

Finer Wines.

THE LARGEST SELECTION OF WINE IN THE BAY OF PLENTY Over 2200 Different Wine Choices. Over 18,000 Bottles of Wine!

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4 THE ESPLANADE, OMOKOROA | 07 548 0279 TUESDAY 8.00AM - 5.00PM WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 8.00AM-8.00PM

8 MAIN ROAD KATIKATI | 07 549 3463 | wines@finerwines.co.nz MON – FRI 10.00AM - 5.30PM | SAT 10.00AM - 2.30PM

www.finerwines.co.nz

beachedonblue@hotmail.com | 021 797 079 Bookings appreciated for evening meals page 38 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

page 39 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

BABY CENTRAL

BOON

GRILL’D

CARRIAGEWORKS FARMERS’ MARKET GPO GRAND

WORDS Vicki Ravlich-Horan

Sydney +one

NOURISH | travel

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

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

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

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

Just as I don’t think a small addition should condemn us to an all inclusive package holiday in the Pacific, I don’t think we have to accept meals that come with a toy. Although I do believe a few concessions need to be made and consideration for other diners is very important. Let’s face it, no one wants to have a special night out with a screaming kid at the next table, including those with kids! page 40 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is the sort of market anyone would be proud to have in page 41 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

BOON

GRILL’D

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

425 Pitt Street, Haymarket www.booncafe.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HANDCRAFTED CHOCOLATES, CONFECTIONERY & GOURMET DESSERTS

www.theconfectionerycollection.co.nz PHONE 021 160 4628 EMAIL theconfectionerycollection@gmail.com ConfectioneryCollection page 42 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

page 43 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | feature

Beached on Blue is an apt name for the Omokoroa harbourside cafe owned by a woman who has always had an affinity for the coast.

Fiona Wells operated a coastal cafe at Urenui, north of New Plymouth, where she still owns property. She has worked in corporate catering in Perth and on her return to New Zealand she was snaffled by North Tec in Whangarei where she spent two years tutoring hospitality in their Youth Guarantee life skills programme. Then she managed a cafe near Ninety Mile Beach while she sussed out her next venture.

The beach front situation was just one reason why she jumped at the chance to take over this cafe, with gorgeous views down to Tauranga harbour. Her sister lives in Tauranga, her son and family recently moved to Katikati and her father lives in Rotorua. “Dad and I share a bit of gypsy. Blame it on caravans,” she laughs. Her father has always been involved in caravans, from travelling show man to food vendor, and Fiona was actually born in a caravan, at the Auckland show grounds during the Easter Show!

Since taking over the cafe space above the general store opposite the boat club at Omokoroa Beach, she has completely reinvented it. “If I had another career it would be interior design,” says Fiona, who loves doing up houses and furniture, her focus on repurposing and upcycling. She obviously has flair. The cafe interior has been transformed into a light and airy vision in blue.

Fiona even had the coffee machine powder-coated pale blue. The cafe is the only Bay of Plenty eatery serving Eighthirty coffee supplied by a Ponsonby roaster. Her teas are from the Herbal Teapot range created by a naturopath friend in Papakura. The pastel accents throughout the cafe even extend to the milk shake glasses, worthy of her Master Milkshakes flavours, which include lime sherbet and apple pie.

As well as tasty casual cabinet food, Beached on Blue has a full menu which spans breakfast to dinner and, as you would expect on the coast, features seafood. “We are known for our scallops,” she comments. “Our daily fish dishes go on the blackboard and reflect the freshest fish we can get, usually tarakihi or snapper.”

Fiona encourages her customers to linger and enjoy the views. In the evenings, Wed – Sun, Beached on Blue morphs into a relaxed bistro, adding pizzas, platters and tapas to the fare. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy a beer or a wine while the sun sets over Tauranga harbour. “The locals appreciate that they can take away any meal on the menu,” says Fiona.

While most of her customers either stroll down or drive out to Beached on Blue, some diners sail in. Fiona tells the story of a couple (Italian she thinks) who moored their yacht and came for dinner, relieved that they could keep an eye on the boat from their table. They were the last to leave, after a final espresso. They returned as soon as she opened the next morning, for their first espresso of the day before sailing off.

4 The Esplanade, Omokoroa Dinner bookings 07 548 0279 | 021 797 079 WORDS Liz French PHOTOGRAPHY Tracy Stamatakos

page 45 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

SEAFOOD CHOWDER PIE Serves 2 50g butter ⅓ cup flour ½ onion, finely diced 1 celery stalk, diced ½ cm 1 carrot, diced ½ cm 1 garlic clove, minced 1 Agria potato, diced into 1cm pieces ¼ cup white wine 2 cups fish stock ⅔ cup cream 1 egg 2 x 15cm rounds of puff pastry 6 mussels (2 whole, 4 meat only)

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

6 prawns (2 whole, 4 shelled tails off) 160g white fish cut into chunks 4 scallops (meat only) sea salt white pepper To garnish – fennel tips, chopped parsley and lemon wedges Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake at 190°C for 12–15 minutes or till puffed and golden Bring fish stock to the boil, add potatoes and simmer till just tender but not mushy.

Set potatoes aside, reserve stock.

Meanwhile in a large saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in butter till soft. Add celery and carrots and cook gently for two minutes. Add flour and cook for a further two minutes without colouring. Stir in white wine. Add stock half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. Add cream and simmer to reduce and thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes and seafood and simmer till mussels open and prawns change colour.

Divide evenly into two large bowls and top with pastry lid. Garnish with the whole mussels and prawns, parsley, lemon wedge and fennel tips.

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

page 46 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

page 47 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

NOURISH | recipes

NOURISH | nutrition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 cups water 2 tbsp sugar

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

2 tbsp sea salt 2 tsp mustard seeds

½ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp celery seeds

½ cup water

8 cloves of garlic

1 tsp salt

fresh dill

½ cup +2 tbsp sugar

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

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

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

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

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

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

DILL PICKLES OR GHERKINS

2 cups white wine vinegar

WORDS Kate Underwood | PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

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

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

750g gherkins or small cucumbers

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

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

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

Make Friends with

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

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

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

Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers. page 48 www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miso is another delicious way to help improve digestive health.

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

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

NOURISH | recipes

fall in love with

fermented foods RECIPES Megan Coupland PHOTOGRAPHY Tracie Heasman

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

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

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

FERMENTED CAULIFLOWER AND CAPSICUM

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

2L of boiled water

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

2 bay leaves

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

EASY WHEY

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

GINGERED CARROTS

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

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

Add the easy whey and stir.

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

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

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

These will last for approx six months.

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

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

Sterilise the sauerkraut crock and all your equipment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RED CABBAGE WITH APPLE AND JUNIPER BERRIES

1 head red cabbage, finely shredded

A PERFECT START

3 apples peeled, cored and cut in cubes

1 slice of Flaveur seeded sourdough toast

1 tbsp caraway seeds

¼ avocado

3 tbsp juniper berries, crushed

¼ cup your favourite sauerkraut

2 tbsp Himalayan salt

handful watercress

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

1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

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

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

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

Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

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

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

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

Megan Coupland RedKitchen | www.redkitchen.co.nz

Kombucha

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

NOURISH | recipes

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

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

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

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

Make your own booch YOU NEED

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

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

Other flavourings: fresh ginger, goji berries, freeze dried fruit powder like Fresh AS powders from Bin Inn Papamoa STEP ONE Bring the water to a boil.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Store in the fridge before serving.

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

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

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NOURISH | events

BAY OF PLENTY EVENTS RAW FOOD WORKSHOPS

THE GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW

Starting end April/early May at Raw Balance in Taupo. Head to Facebook for more information. www.facebook.com/rawbalancenz

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

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

THE GARDEN ART STUDIO EXHIBITIONS Sculpture Symposium 1–20 March A selection of NZ’s best stone sculptors are taking over the car park for three weeks for the second annual sculpture symposium Santie Cronje – 5–25 April

PIRATES & FAIRIES FUN WALK Dress up as a pirate or fairy for this fun family walk at The Lakes in Tauranga.

Adventures include a choice of 3.5km or 5km walk, face painting, bubble machine, Pets 4 Parties and a free BBQ. Sunday 13 March Register from 9am, walks start at 10am, only $10 (family or individual).

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DIRECTORY TAURANGA

TASTING

TOURS AND

CHARTERS EPICUREAN EXPERIENCE A LOCAL TASTING TOUR A SUNDAY LUNCH REGIONAL WINERY TOURS LET US CREATE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR GROUP

Improve your posture!

‘Click into Shape’

atlaschiropractic.co.nz

WINERY TOURS

CUISINE CONCEPTS COOKING CLASSES

Matakana Winery Tour 18–20 March 2016

Various small hands-on classes held by Chef James Broad in his home and utilising his garden and often wood fired oven. Classes coming up include Sharing Plates, Cold Comfort Food, Relish the Thought and much more.

07 544 1383

For more information go to www.cuisineconcepts.co.nz

tastingtours.co.nz

Sunday Lunch at Vilagrad Winery, 10 April.

Transport ex Tauranga.

Phone: 544 1383 | tgatastingtours@xtra.co.nz www.tastingtours.co.nz

Children & Teens Always Free* FREE WIFI

021 259 0982 | 0800 777 527 2/30 Pacific Avenue, Mt Maunganui

tgatastingtours@xtra.co.nz

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