Nourish Magazine Waikato Spring 2020

ISSUE NO. 41 SPRING 2020

ISSUE NO. 41 SPRING 2020

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FRESH LOCAL FLAVOUR WAIKATO, NZ

J002860 DEVCICH.CO.NZ

You’re welcome to visit Waikato’s finest retirement showhome

Tamahere Country Club offers you the opportunity to enjoy arguably New Zealand’s finest retirement lifestyle. Our architecturally designed homes nestle beautifully into the park like grounds and are finished to the highest standard. Residents will enjoy all the facilities of a five star resort. Book an appointment today to come and visit our showhome or one of our homes we have available for you to move into – you won’t be disappointed.

For sales enquiries or to book a special viewing please call Sandy Turner on 0800 82 62 43

tamaherecountryclub.co.nz 46 Tamahere Drive, Tamahere

regular 6 8 30 32 38 42 70 74 75

News Vic’s Picks In Season Nutrition Health Gardening Book Review Events Directory

features

16 20 44 55 58 63

Piopio’s Fat Pigeon Meet the Meyers A Buzzy Experience Stay a While at Falls Retreat Te Koi Made to Order

recipes

9 13 18 24 26 34 46 49 52 66

Peach on Earth Cake

A Decade of Great Recipes Fat Pigeon Recipes You've Gouda Try These Spring Chicken Asparagus Bee-autiful Recipes Cheers to Spring Canapés

Ah Choux

EDITOR Vicki Ravlich-Horan HEAD DESIGNER Sara Cameron, Minted Design Co. PROOF READER Nikki Crutchley (Crucial Corrections) CONTRIBUTORS Bronwyn Lowe, Megan Coupland, Denise Irvine, Emma Galloway, Amber Bremner, Liz French, Lynda Hallinan, Rachel Hart, Kate Underwood, Fiona Hugues COVER IMAGE Ashlee DeCaires PHOTOGRAPHERS Brydie Thompson, Ashlee DeCaires, Emma Galloway, Amber Bremner, Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Sheryl Nicholson, Alex Spodyneiko, Fiona Hugues ISSN 2324-4356 (Print) | ISSN 2324-4364 (Online) ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Vicki Ravlich-Horan vicki@nourishmagazine.co.nz 0210651537

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WA I KATO’ S Artisan beer, cheese and fermented food festival Saturday 26 September 2020

AT

SkyCity Hamilton 11am – 5pm

Free entry, live music, demonstrations and more! waikatofoodinc.com/FermentFest

R18 for the service of alcohol. Drink responsibly.

Beef Pho GREENLEA

WITH RESTORE BONE BROTH

Nourishing bone broth with tender beef, comforting noodles and fresh herbs. The perfect dish for the change of season.

F I N D THI S RECIPE AND MO RE O N OUR WEBSIT E

Order your Greenlea beef and Restore bone broth at

www.greenleabutcher.co.nz

NOURISH

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ISSUE 41

Welcome to Nourish Magazine Spring, it’s the season of new life, hope and regeneration. After a cold, hard winter, nature has a way of telling us it was worth it with beautiful blossoms, bright clear days with a hint of the summer warmth to come. Man, do we need spring right now!

the highlights is sure to be dinner at Hiakai, and on page 72 you can read more about Hiakai, the book chef Monique Fiso has just released. If you are keen to join us in Wellington, get in quick as there are only a few spaces left.

When the world seems in turmoil, we need to stop and remember what we have and how lucky we are. If this year has taught me anything it is just that. I am fortunate to be surrounded by such passionate and talented people, from those who work on Nourish to our fabulous clients. I am also very privileged to be able to do what I love.

Staying with travel plans and discovering New Zealand, on page 59 Denise Irvine visits Ian and Ali Metcalfe at Te Koi Lodge just out of Nelson. So taken were we with Denise’s tales we are also taking a small group for a weekend away at the end of November. Again, this is a small group tour so book early to avoid disappointment.

I have been reminded of this over the last few days as I trawled through our archives for images and memories from the past decade of Nourish. Because with this edition we celebrate 10 years of bringing you a slice of fresh local flavour. You can see a small snapshot from the past 10 years on page 12, and on page 9 the wonderful Fiona Hugues created a celebration cake just for us.

On page 13, long time contributor Megan Priscott from Red Kitchen shares her most requested recipes from a decade of Red Kitchen. Continuing the celebration theme on page 52, Wayne Good whips up some party nibbles and on page 49 the Hayes Common team say cheers with some spring inspired drinks.

There is no denying 2020 has been the year of rescheduling and changing plans – I won’t use the ‘P’ word. While we had to cancel our Nourish trip to Vietnam, we are instead taking a small group of lucky people to Wellington for an amazing weekend. One of

We’ve also got beautiful recipes celebrating spring from asparagus on page 34 to chicken on page 26. We meet award winning cheesemakers the Meyers on page 20 and demystify choux pastry on page 66.

Enjoy!

Vicki Ravlich-Horan Editor

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LOOKING FOR A RECIPE? Go to www.nourishmagazine.co.nz

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BREAKFAST | BRUNCH | LUNCH | GOURMET CATERING

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News

MEYER CHEESE MELT CHALLENGE WINNERS This winter just under 30 eateries from around the Waikato have heated up their grills in an attempt to melt the hearts of locals with the ultimate comfort food — the cheese toastie. Over 950 votes were cast as the public enjoyed everything from the classics, like Te Awamutu cafe Red Kitchen’s Croque Monsieur or Furnace’s Philly Steak sandwich to the likes of Cucina Cafe’s entry, a lasagne encased in toasted Volare bread. Andrew Clarke at Camarosa went all out with a Croque Lobster – a lobster tail in golden toasted Volare brioche with melting Clevedon buffalo mozzarella and a Meyer garlic and chive Gouda mornay, poached egg, crayfish oil, crispy Vandy bacon crumbs and spicy kimchee. While Mr Pickles turned a toastie into the perfect bar snack selling over 1,800 of their Cubano Sliders.

With the votes counted, the finalists were determined and then mystery judged before a grand winner was determined. And this year the judges were won over by Cinnamon Café’s ‘Grind it up Pierre’, saying it was a beautifully executed classic combination.

The French classic frit au steak 'hache' turned into toastie form proved to be a huge hit with hundreds of comments from voters like these: “Loved the beef and onion combination! And it was cooked to perfection.”

“Very tasty, amazing presentation, good portion size and at a great price.”

“Soooooo tasty and cheesy.”

“Taste and flavour was amazing, well presented.”

“The deliciousness of it all, mmmmmmm mince and cheese.”

“Delicious! Lovely combination.”

In its second year, the Meyer Cheese Melt Challenge had twice as many entries and went for twice as long in 2020. This saw a whopping 269kg of local cheese consumed. Award-winning local cheese makers Meyer Cheese were sponsors of the challenge in its debut in 2019 and were quick to come back on board for 2020. Miel Meyer admits grilled cheese toasties has been “my favourite food since forever. So when the concept of 'Melt' was launched

by WFI we jumped at the chance to support it. This is us! Good soul warming food”. And Miel took the job as sponsor seriously, trying over half of the entries.

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OVERALL WINNERS Cinnamon Cafe (Sandwich Road, St Andrews) with ‘Grind it up Pierre’ Ground beef, onion, cheese and their own secret sauce, served with French fries and hollandaise.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNERS Punnet Eatery (Newells Road, Tamahere) with ‘Black Beauty’ Rich black pudding, dry cured bacon, Clevedon buffalo curd, NZ black truffle and Meyer goat gouda.

The Meyer Cheese Melt Challenge is organised by Waikato Food Inc, the team serving up the best in the Waikato.

News

CREATING THE GOOD LIFE “There is a big red oven going in and a Spanish tile splashback,” says Wayne Good from Arkanda as he shows me around what is currently a shell of a 70-year-old cottage moved on to its current site from Whenuapai Airbase. “You need a bit of imagination,” admits Wayne, “but I can see it all in my head.”

We can all see it this spring when the first stage is complete and Arkanda Gordonton opens its doors in late Spring.

There is an Egyptian door for the entrance, the floorboards are to be painted, and feature wallpaper is planned for the bathroom. But Wayne’s grand plans aren’t limited to the cottage. Next door is what was once a classroom and is to be stage two. Meanwhile, Wayne has his hands full as they transform a block of land on the Gordonton farm into Arkanda HQ.

During lockdown over 100 fruit trees were planted in the front paddock. There is a glass house for propagating annuals and growing herbs, a camelia hedge, wildflower lawn all before the end of the driveway where you reach the barn. What was a utility shed has been transformed into a gorgeous space that will be the showroom for antiques, curios and a number of other things.

Wayne is known for turning his hand to many things from gourmet cook to tour guide and interior designer. This project will see him combine his talents in one evolving space while adding a few more strings to his bow.

Wayne is looking forward to hosting his annual Christmas cooking classes in his new space from mid-November.

To find out more about these go to www.arkanda.co.nz or to follow Wayne’s rural adventures follow him on Facebook.

VETRO HAMILTON OPENS Three years in the planning by Cambridge couple Anna and Daryl Greentree and Hamilton finally has a specialty food store!

Vetro Hamilton opened its doors in September on Rostrevor Street. The purpose-built building is full of gourmet treats, imported specialty items as well as quality kitchen staples.

Anna says they wanted to open a Vetro because “we love the product offering, business model and brand and felt there was a gap in the Waikato market”. The couple have ploughed everything into the venture with Anna working on it full time for ten months as she added to her existing skill set after leaving her role as a National Account manager for a health supplements business, which she had done for the last 6 years.

I asked Anna, when she was knee deep unpacking pallets of stock, what she was loving. Her response: “There is something new to see every day! The pastas we have are amazing – loads of variety, top quality and at a great price. The range of vinegars, oils and interesting fish are wide and varied and the Greek range is absolutely delicious. There is something here for everyone.”

Check it out for yourself! Vetro Hamilton is open from 9am–5.30pm Monday–Friday, and 9.30am–4pm on Saturdays at 122 Rostrevor Street, Hamilton.

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Vic's Picks

1.

THE MURDER CLUB The Murder Club is the second in the Miller Hatcher series by local crime writer Nikki Crutchley. The first, Nothing Bad Happens Here, was a finalist in the Ngaio Marsh Award for best first novel in 2018.

‘Not all evil, on the surface, is ugly and menacing. It doesn’t always lurk in city centres after dark. It mows your lawns, frequents your local pub, takes its kids to school and contributes to communities.’

When the first letter arrives saying that ‘tonight it begins’, journalist Miller Hatcher ignores it. But then the body of a murdered woman is discovered, strangled, a scarf around her neck.

Cassie Hughes has always vowed to find the man who murdered her mother. Cassie knows he’s out there and wants him to pay, and Miller agrees to bring the cold case back into the public’s eye.

2.

FERMENTFEST

Back for its fourth year, Fermentfest celebrates all things fermented. What started as a celebration of Waikato cheesemakers and brewers now has chocolate, sourdough, kimchi, yoghurt makers and more all fizzing as they converge on Sky City Hamilton for the one-day festival.

Saturday 26 September. Free Entry For more details www.waikatofoodinc.com/fermentfest

3.

A NIGHT WITH PETA MATHIAS La Cave & Waikato Food Inc present a wonderful evening of food, fashion and fun with Peta Mathias. Tickets are $115 which includes a glass of bubbles and buffet dinner and are sure to sell out.

Thursday 15 October For more details go to facebook. com/WaikatoFoodies

Logan Dodds has been obsessed with true crime ever since his sister was murdered thirty years ago. He has turned his obsession into a career and has created the True Crime Enthusiasts Club and his newest venture, True Crime Tours.

The lives of Miller, Cassie and Logan – all affected differently by murder – become entwined as The Scarf Killer, desperate for infamy, and Miller’s attention, makes his mark on the small town of Lentford.

Available from www.nikkicrutchley.com, as an ebook on Amazon, or order from your local bookshop.

5.

4.

PHORIC NATURAL ENERGY DRINKS Phoric was started by two university students, determined to create a clean, greattasting energy drink without the artificial ingredients and refined sugars. It’s also a refreshing alternative to a cup of coffee.

Five cents from every bottle sold goes to Supporting Families NZ, a charity doing life-changing work in the mental health space here in Aotearoa. Phoric is made in Tauranga, using the incredible guayusa leaf as an organic source of energy.

Available in three flavours, Original (Apple Lemon), Ginger Turmeric, and Elderflower Lime. www.phoric.co.nz

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GET IN EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS Looking for the beautiful cut of meat for this year’s Christmas lunch? Look no further than Expleo in Te Awamutu who pride themselves on providing an old-fashioned butcher experience.

Grass fed, free range, organic, spray free NZ meat is their specialty, meaning you will get a great product and service.

And if you are after something special for Christmas, fresh free range turkey, Expleo made ham, whole eye or scotch fillet or a lovely leg of lamb, I suggest you call in and order it early!

Expleo, 51 Mahoe Street, Te Awamutu www.expleo.co.nz

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RECIPE

P EAC H O N E A RT H CA K E With Burnt Buttercream RECIPE & IMAGES FIONA HUGUES

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ENOUGH FOR TWO LAYERS

FOR THE BURNT BUTTERCREAM

200 grams butter, softened

Melt the butter in a pan over medium low heat. Stirring constantly and watching carefully so it doesn’t catch, continue to cook until it foams and then subsides to reveal a glorious golden colour. It will smell amazing and caramelised, at this moment remove the pan from the heat immediately so it doesn’t burn and become bitter, then allow to cool completely.

1 cup golden caster sugar plus 2 tbsp extra 4 free range eggs /3 cup flour

2

2 tsp baking powder 200g ground almonds 410g tin of peaches in juice (reserve juice) or any ripe pitted stone fruit, finely chopped zest & juice of a large lemon

Place the cooled burnt butter in a stand mixer on medium speed with a paddle attachment (or do it the hardcore way by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon) and gradually add the icing sugar until you have a fluffy mixture. Add a little milk to loosen if needed to get the desired spreading consistency.

BURNT BUTTERCREAM 200g butter 3½ cups Icing sugar

FOR THE PEACH SYRUP

milk to soften

Place the reserved peach liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat with 2 tbsp sugar and the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and reduce until syrupy. Cool.

Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with baking paper.

*If using fresh fruit substitute with two-thirds of a cup of peach nectar or juice.

Pre-heat oven to 160°C fanbake and grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Spread the ground almonds in an even layer and toast in the oven to gently lightly brown and become fragrant, stirring a few times. Keep a close eye on them, it should only take 10 minutes or so.

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice then the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Sift together the flour and baking powder and add along with the cooled toasted ground almonds, carefully folding it all in.

Add the finely chopped fruit and gently fold through. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little curdled – trust me, it will turn out fine. Bake for 50–60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Set aside to cool.

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TO ASSEMBLE If you are making one cake, carefully cut cake in half horizontally and sandwich with a decent dollop of the burnt buttercream.

(Use a discreet bamboo skewer to hold layers together if needed. Poke it through from the top and cut it off level with top of cake.)

Using a spatula, cover the entire cake as best you can in the remaining buttercream and carefully arrange your peach roses, peach slices or edible flowers on the top.

Serve slices with whipped cream or Greek yoghurt and a drizzle of peach syrup over the top along with cups of tea or flutes of sparkling Prosecco.

When gorgeous editor in chief Vicki asked me to create a cake for this 10th birthday issue we were still reeling in the haze of lockdown and the world was forever changed.

Back in autumn, when there was no inkling of the global sideswipe that was to come, I had great plans for the year. I still have those plans, but the urgency is less, the gratefulness of still being able to make them more, with family and kinship foremost priorities.

So here is my ode to good times ahead, a cake to celebrate a decade of fantastic food stories, and here’s to many treasured peachy time feasts with those we champion and those we love.

By lockdown design I’ve used tinned peaches in my recipe, but it will be just as fabulous with ripe fresh stone fruit when they’re in season. Teamed up with toasted ground almonds for an earthy note, burnt butter frosting because I’m happy to smear that sublime stuff over anything, and a drizzle of zingy peach syrup for a touch of pizazz. I’ve crowned her with a fancy bouquet of caramelised fresh yellow and white peach roses here but it’s a bit of fiddly faff to create so feel free to decorate instead with whatever edible blooms you fancy.

Here’s to you Nourish. Happy Birthday. X

Prosecco

HENRY FROM PRIMO VINO'S PICK - SOLIGO PROSECCO DOC TREVISO EXTRA DRY Gold Medal Berliner Wine Trophy 2019 and Asia Wine Trophy 2019 This wine has typically lifted Marlborough aromatics and these match with a palate that has finesse and texture. Lovely ripe passionfruit aromas are complemented with green grass and lime notes.

The palate is light and fresh with delicious citrus notes and a chalky, crisp finish.

R E L A X & E N J O Y PA R A D I S E AT T E KO I W I T H O U R AWA R D W I N N I N G H O S P I TA L I T Y

L U X U R Y C U L I N A R Y & V I N E YA R D E S C A P E S | of f ice @ te ko it h e l o d ge . co m | w w w. te ko it h e l o d ge . co m

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Volare have been with us since the start

Our very first edition

Celebrating 10 years of Nourish

We made it to Bali

Wow, 10 years! Where did that time go? When I started Nourish along with then business partner Sheryl Nicholson, I don’t think we really had a plan. While Sheryl was a hugely talented designer and had dabbled in food publications before, my experience had all been from behind a cafe counter or kitchen bench.

What we did want to do, and this is still at the core of Nourish a decade on, is celebrate fresh local flavour. And my goal with each edition is that it’s better than the last and, in this way, we are continually learning and striving to be better.

While being in business for a decade is no mean feat (and for me Nourish is the longest job I have ever had!), the true reward has been the relationships formed with our clients, people who are passionate about what they do and work really hard to build businesses that add so much to our communities. Many of these people I now call good friends, and I realise I am in a privileged position to be able to highlight who they are and what they produce.

In 10 years, I have learnt a lot, but one of the biggest lessons is to surround yourself with amazing people. The Nourish team is a small one but one full of women who are far more talented and creative than me. Ten years ago, I was a jack of all trades, taking pictures, writing stories, selling advertising, mastering Facebook, filing GST… By once doing all these things, I can now value the talent and skill of those that specialise in their field. I now rely on the super talented photographers like Brydie Thompson and Ashlee DeCaires and legends in food writing like Denise Irvine and Liz French. Our recipe writers Emma Galloway, Megan Priscott and Amber Bremner are all amazing chefs. Nikki Crutchley, now a successful crime novelist, has been dotting my i’s and crossing my t’s for over six years and I don’t know what we would do without her attention to detail. And the super talented Sara Cameron brings it all together each quarter with no drama or stress often associated in a deadline-driven environment.

The list above is by no means exhaustive, it just illustrates that while I often get the attention and praise, Nourish really is the result of passion and talent, from our clients through to those that put it together. And then there is you, our reader. To you I thank from the bottom of my heart for your support because without you we would be little more than a dream.

Awarding Winn

Fiji Tour

Behind the scenes

NOURISH

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RECIPES

A DECADE OF

Great Recipes RECIPES MEGAN PRISCOTT | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

There must have been something in the air 10 years ago. Around the time the first edition of Nourish hit the streets, Megan and Mat Priscott had returned home to Te Awamutu to open Red Kitchen. In that decade they have created a thriving business that has set the benchmark in Te Awamutu.

Megan has been contributing recipes to Nourish for seven years, and I have to say many of these are on my high rotation list, from her cashew, lime and coriander dressing to spaghetti cacio e pepe.

One of the first recipes Megan shared with us was her Mum’s date loaf and it is still one of our most requested recipes, so we had to share it again. Her broccoli salad is a Red Kitchen staple and one you will love while the mushroom risotto is a dish Megan loves to teach people so they can see how a few simple ingredients can result in something very special.

Here’s to another 10 years and more great food!

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MUM’S DATE LOAF This is our most requested recipe. We have been making it since we opened over 10 years ago. Well Mum made it for the first year and when we finally convinced her to hand the recipe over she left an ingredient out, so it took a few attempts to get it right and I think we even made it better!

2 cups sugar 2½ cups dates 600ml water 1 cup sultanas 1 cup currants 2 cups walnuts Boil the above ingredients for 5 minutes.

Add 100g butter and allow to cool.

ADD 3 cups flour 3 tsp of Baking soda Put the mix in a large loaf tin and top with extra chopped walnuts.

Bake at 160°C for an hour or more.

Test with a skewer. It is ready when the skewer comes out clean.

Cool before taking out of the loaf tin, and store in baking paper or wax wrap.

RISOTTO FUNGI PORCINI Risotto is a real go-to meal for us. I am a huge fan of Ferron rice. It is grown using ancient and traditional methods and milled using the original stone wheel near Verona, Italy, resulting in a less polished grain with the ability to absorb more flavour and produce a higher yield. It is expensive, but you can almost taste the rich Italian history, hard work and love that goes into it.

1 onion, finely diced 50g butter

Megan Priscott www.redkitchen.co.nz Megan is mum to Lily, Lennox and Lincoln. Along with husband Mathew she owns and manages RedKitchen in Te Awamutu. Megan loves good food and wine and holidays with the family.

Whangamata is their favourite spot where Megan says a huge paella on the beach is the perfect way to finish a summer's day.

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100g button mushrooms, chopped 1½ cups risotto rice 2 tbsp porcini powder 1½ litres chicken or vegetable stock (I use MSG-free Vegeta) 100g shiitake mushrooms, finely sliced 1x spring onion finely sliced 1 cup mascarpone salt and Pepper Get the stock in a pot to heat.

Pan fry the shiitake mushrooms in a

frypan with the butter. Season and set aside.

Heat a little olive oil in a risotto pot and add the button mushrooms and onion.

Cook for a few minutes and add the rice and porcini powder. Stir till it starts absorbing all the goodness, approx. 2 minutes.

Stir continuously while the rice lightly cooks and becomes a little transparent, approx. 2 minutes. Start adding the stock and stir for the first few additions while it absorbs. Stir in the remaining stock all at once and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

When it is still a little firm to the bite (al dente) add the mascarpone. Stir, bring back up to heat and just as it starts to simmer, pop a lid on and turn it off. It is still quite runny at this stage, but as it sits it will thicken up.

Let it sit for 10 minutes. Open the pot, add the shiitake and spring onion and check the seasoning and consistency.

You may have to add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper to reach the perfect taste and consistency.

Serve immediately topped with a little rocket, fresh shaved Parmesan and cracked pepper.

BROCCOLI AND BACON SALAD I discovered this salad while working on the boat in Bermuda. This is my version and it has become a firm favourite and on our menu since opening.

2 heads of broccoli ½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup currants (look for good quality juicy ones) 8 strips streaky bacon, cooked till crispy and chopped Cut the florets off the broccoli and finely chop.

Slice the stalks into strips. Slice and dice until they are a similar size to the florets.

If the bottoms of the stalks are too tough, just peel the outside with the peeler and then start to dice.

Put the broccoli in a bowl and pour in enough dressing to just gently coat the broccoli.

Stir well.

Add the remaining ingredients and just give it a gentle toss, so the seeds, bacon and currants are not overtaxed with dressing and still add contrast.

DRESSING 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tbsp grainy mustard ½ cup mayonnaise (I use Best Foods) Whisk the sugar and cider vinegar together until sugar has dissolved.

Add the grainy mustard and then mayo.

This is now ready to use. It is also a great dressing for your homemade coleslaw.

Hand Crafted Foods Premium Meats – Cheeses – Salamis & Specialty Goods 51 Mahoe Street, Te Awamutu 3800

07 871 6779

shawn@expleo.co.nz

www.expleo.co.nz

@expleobutchery

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Piopio's Fat Pigeon WORDS KATE UNDERWOOD | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

Recipe Page 18

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NOURISH

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F E AT U R E

If the Piopio gas station is the town bloodstream, the Fat Pigeon Cafe is undeniably the heartbeat of this small King Country village. Amidst the thriving rural township sits an inviting, quirky space guaranteed to brighten the long road trip between the Waitomo Caves and the Taranaki Coast. For the last 11 years, owner Melanie Simpson has nurtured a classy, farmhouse-style cafe with the sole purpose to feed hungry locals or travellers and to make sure everyone who enters feels welcome.

The Fat Pigeon has all your culinary desires and dietary bases covered and being located ‘on -the-road’ means its diverse cabinet selection outsells everything. You’ll find all the joyful classics from ham and cheese toasties made with Volare bread, to custard squares, cheese scones (including a gluten free version), a good ol’ mince and cheese pie, club sandwiches and a particularly flavourful, keto-friendly veggie and feta frittata.

The bacon and egg savoury has filled many a hole, and Mel's son Roy, the chief quality controller, raves about the Moroccan lamb pita. From the full-scale menu, omelettes are a current favourite, there’s mince on toast, the hearty Fat Pigeon Brekkie and even a green shakshuka for the gourmet-leaning.

For those needing a side of fresh air with their caffeine fix, there’s a covered porch and outdoor wooden tables that stretch out to the Piopio playground — perfect for letting those backseat bandits fly free. In today’s cafe culture where you are only as good as your flat white and your children speak fluent ‘fluffy’, Mel reckons “you’d be buggered without good coffee”. The Fat Pigeon crew pride themselves on making consistently great brews and have always used Taranaki-born Ozone Coffee Roasters, founded by Craig McFarlane, who along with his team have been a huge support over the years.

There’s a generosity that exudes from this SH3 pitstop, that goes beyond the bountiful cabinets, extensive seasonal menu and that sweet little brownie treat that comes with your coffee. The Fat Pigeon Cafe is a true community hub and a genuine must-stop destination on the drive to and from New Plymouth. “I really love the surprise and delight factor,” shares Mel. “We often see people stop here — in a place that feels like there isn’t much going on, then they come inside and are always so excited to have found us.”

There are shelves perched high with a curated selection of food-related gifts. From cookbooks and crockery, to ceramics, beeswax wraps, takeaway coffee cups, gift cards and the much-loved Pepper & Me condiments. Plus the incredible range of local honey, The Keeper Apothecary, a small Piopio business conjuring up specialty honey products infused with chai spices, cacao, turmeric and maca powder.

As a local hospitality legend, naturally, Mel has her fingers in a number of pies, including owning The Night Owl, a bar/bistro, and the Owl’s Nest Motel. Earlier this year, along

Our menu changes with the season.

Pop in for a taste of spring!

Open 7 days, 8am-3pm | 337 Newell Road, Tamahere | punnet.co.nz | thecountryprovidore.co.nz

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with her business partner Jaimee Poole, she opened the aptly named Fat Kiwi Cafe in Otorohanga, which has been bustling ever since. Filling catering orders takes up another big chunk of her day, whether that be for weddings, birthdays or local farming meetings.

She is one of those humans that somehow has access to a few extra hours in their day. As a massive Rick Stein fan, Mel has been super fortunate to have travelled the world attending and hosting international food tours, which have helped her stay inspired and continue to learn. “I’ve made some special, life-long food friends on those trips, and to this day, I’m a proud member of the ‘Tarts on Tour’.”

potential for a new member of the ‘Fat’ flock, but she’s keeping that under her wing. Fascinatingly, the New Zealand pigeon is known for its role as a seed disperser, an important responsibility in the life cycle of our native trees. In many ways Mel shares a similar talent — an innate ability to scatter cafe concepts throughout the Waikato region and ensure they flourish. To her it’s all about fresh, honest food and that warm, unpretentious kiwi hospitality. “I just love feeding people — it makes me very happy.”

When asked of the success of her thriving Waikato cafe flock she shares, “You have to move with the trends and constantly evolve, so you have options for everyone.” Mel knows better than most that she is nothing without her team and the massive support of her equally food-loving family, now up to 11 grandchildren. Her current kitchen manager, Ulanda Taylor, started with her at Bosco’s in Te Kuiti, which she managed back in 2001, and new manager of the Night Owl, Deiresa Ratima, used to manage the Fat Pigeon. The team will attest she is often heard saying, “The only people who pay your wages are the people that walk in the door — without them we’ve got nothing.”

Kate Underwood Kate is a freelance Food Writer and Communications Specialist for Eat New Zealand.

With a background in human nutrition and food communications, she has her finger in a number of NZ food-related pies - including sitting on the Executive Committee of Food Writers New Zealand, judging the 2020 Outstanding Food Producers Awards and was named Emerging Food Communicator at the 2019 NZ Food Media Awards. Born and bred in Te Puke on kiwifruit, whitebait and avocados she now spends most of her days discovering, eating, cooking, grammin’ and writing about great food and the glorious humans behind it. You can follow her on @relishthememory and @eat.newzealand on Instagram.

There are exciting future plans for Fat Pigeon, including extensions to allow for the busy weekend trading, an open market kitchen and a take-home product range. Plus a little birdy tells me there is

Fat Pigeon's

The Fat Pigeon 41 Moa Street, Piopio

FAMOUS PUMPKIN, FETA, AND SPINACH SCONES

(makes 12)

4 cups self-raising flour ½ cup red peppers, diced

Sieve flour into bowl and add diced peppers, feta, onion, pumpkin, herbs, spinach, grated cheese, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.

½ red onion, thinly sliced

Mix till just combined. In a glass measuring jug, mix cream and lemonade together and add to dry mix, and mix till just combined (you just want a nice dough, not too wet, not too dry).

½ cup fresh herbs (parsley, sage, thyme)

You may need extra flour to roll the scone mix.

½ cup tasty cheese, grated 100g feta cheese

1 cup spinach, chopped 1 cup cooked pumpkin, diced 300ml cream 1 bottle dry lemonade (330ml) salt & pepper ¼ cup Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on scones before going in the oven

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Once mixture is ready, split in half, roll each half, and cut 6 pieces out of each log, to make a total of 12 pieces.

Place on a greased and floured baking tray cut side down.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes.

Blueberry & WHITE CHOC MUFFINS

1¼ cups white chocolate buttons

Makes 12 large muffins

1¼ cups frozen blueberries In blender add:

2 oranges, cut into quarters 1 cup sugar Blend until well mixed and mushy looking, then add:

½ cup oil 1 cup plain sweetened yoghurt

Add the wet to the dry mix. Fold until completely mixed but don’t over-mix.

Place in Tex Mex muffin tins lined with muffin liners or large cupcake papers.

Bake at 160°C fan bake for 35–45 minutes.

Test with cake skewer (sometimes the blueberries and chocolate make it hard to test that they are cooked).

1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 eggs Blend well

To Decorate In a bowl sift together:

3½ cups self-raising flour

¾ cup melted white chocolate buttons

1 tsp baking soda

¾ cup blueberries

½ tsp Chinese five spice (optional)

Place a dollop of white chocolate on each muffin then a few berries (3 or 4).

pinch salt Add and fold through:

Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the muffins and then dust with icing sugar.

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Meyers MEET THE

WORDS DENISE IRVINE | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

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NOURISH

On this Tuesday afternoon, Fieke and Ben Meyer are drinking tea at their dining table, looking out to picture-perfect green farmland where a herd of cows meanders up the race to be milked.

In a few months’ time, Fieke and Ben may be sitting at the same table, eating an excellent gouda cheese made from today’s milking, and they’ll know every step of its journey. “From grass to plate,” says Ben. And it will have passed through the hands of several members of their own family — during milking, making and marketing — as is the way with Meyer Gouda.

The Meyers’ cheese-making tradition and expertise is a source of many awards and quiet family satisfaction. Says son Miel Meyer, “We do not change. We play with different flavours but we’ve been making the same good product for thirty-six years in New Zealand.

We’re proud of that.”

Meyer Gouda is based at the 150ha family farm at Koromatua, near Hamilton, the cheese factory adjacent to the milking shed, the direct source of its primary product.

Meyer traditions are deeply rooted in the principles of Dutch gouda cheese that Ben and Fieke brought with them to New Zealand from the Netherlands in 1984. Ben, an electrical engineer, and Fieke, a school teacher, began making gouda cheeses in 1976 as a sideline on Ben’s parents’ farm near Bladel, in the south of the Netherlands.

When they immigrated to New Zealand, they chose the Waikato — the heart of dairyland — to continue their cheese-craft.

Since then, they’ve introduced countless Kiwis to the full-bodied

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F E AT U R E

flavours of Dutch-style wheels of brine-salted gouda. The wheels are typically cured for up to 18 months and require a lot of tender loving care (and daily turning) in that time. “It’s the flavours that make gouda so special,” says Ben. “It keeps well. It’s a strong, versatile cheese.”

The Meyers lived first in Cambridge and then bought the Koromatua farm in 1990. The early years were hard going as they scraped together every cent they had for the farm and learned to work with the unfamiliar New Zealand dairy milk, pasture, climate and customer expectations.

But as Fieke says, “If you make a quality product, the rest will follow.” And it did. In 1994 they won their first national supreme champion cheese award, for a vintage gouda, and they were on their way to become one of the biggest — and most awarded — of the country’s artisan cheese producers.

Meyer Gouda makes 34–40 tonnes of cheese each year. It sells to specialist stores and supermarkets nationwide, and it collects gold medals and championship awards year on year in competitions run by the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers’ Association. In 2019 and 2020 it won supreme awards for its sweet, creamy goat’s milk gouda, and in 2019 Geert Meyer, Ben and Fieke’s eldest son, won champion New Zealand cheesemaker. Miel won the same award in 2011, before he moved on to become the company’s managing director.

Which leads us to talk about how the family shares the duties and ensures quality control of every aspect of its goudas. Ben and Fieke have four children, and three are involved in the business. While younger son Frank is not part of it, Fieke says he is sometimes

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consulted on business matters. (There are also five non-family staff members.)

It works like this: Miel is managing director, Geert is the cheesemaker, and daughter Fieke and husband Bert Van den Bogaard, are 50–50 sharemilkers on the farm, running a herd of about 430 jersey-friesans, and ensuring a quality milk supply. Meyer Gouda takes about 30 per cent of the milk and the rest is sold to Fonterra.

Miel says Bert is the silent achiever at Meyer Gouda: “While I’m accepting awards, Bert is here making sure we have good quality milk. He’s immensely proud of his product. He knows the animals and the challenges of keeping them well fed and disease free.”

Miel’s wife Hayley works in packaging and planning; their three children, and Bert and Fieke’s children, all share jobs on the farm and in the factory. Miel says that while his parents, now in their late sixties, have stepped back from key roles, they remain at the heart of Meyer Gouda. “They have a huge skill set and are always here to share things with us. Dad is still quality control, and we have lunch together at Mum and Dad’s every day.”

deeply about their rural environment and they are involved with local initiatives that protect and enhance native bush. A stand of kahikatea on their own land, named Meyer’s Bush, is protected under Waipa District Council covenants.

It’s a heart-warming backstory to a much-loved Waikato product. Miel jokes that when he was a youngster he thought it was quite a boring story but now he knows it’s pretty special.

The push for quality and consistency continues. Cow numbers have been reduced slightly so they can in time be entirely fed on farm pasture, and maize supplements phased out. While they buy goat’s milk for their prize-winning goat gouda from a Morrinsville farm, the Meyers want to source everything else from their own land.

Miel sees an increasing trend for New Zealand consumers to shop local, and support trusted artisan suppliers. “We use simple ingredients here. We’re walking the talk.” www.meyer-cheese.co.nz

Ben and Fieke, and other family members, also care

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YOU’VE

Gouda TRY THESE RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

BLACK PEPPER

Gouda

SPAGHETTI

A cross between cacio e pepe and carbonara, this is a super satisfying pasta that you can whip up at a moment’s notice.

500g spaghetti 5 large egg yolks 1 large egg 300g grated Meyer Black Pepper gouda salt and extra cracked pepper In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the whole egg, the cheese and half a teaspoon of salt. Very gradually whisk in half a cup of the reserved cooking water.

Place the pasta pot back on the heat with the oil. Add back the pasta and quarter of a cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, tossing, until the pasta is hot. Take off the heat and add in the egg and cheese mixture. Stir vigorously until creamy, adding more cooking water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

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NOURISH

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RECIPES

BACON &

Cheese

CROWN

Bacon and cheese are always a winning combination. Wrap it in pastry and turn it into the crowning lunch dish.

While the onion and bacon are cooling, join the two pieces of pastry together. Place the pastry on the lined baking tray.

2 tbsp oil

Spread with the tomato sauce, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Spread the onion and bacon and then cheese over the tomato sauce.

1 cup bacon pieces 1 onion, diced 2 x sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry (we used Paneton, available from Vetro Hamilton, La Cave, Riverlea and The Country Providore, Tamahere) 4 tbsp tomato sauce 150g Meyer Vintage gouda, grated 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tsp sesame seeds Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Heat a pan with the oil and gently sauté the onion and bacon until the onion is soft.

Roll up the pastry like a Swiss roll, starting from the long edge.

Once it’s rolled, bring the two ends together to create a ring and join by squashing the pastry together.

Using a sharp knife, cut 2cm width slits around the edges, making sure not to go all the way through. Gently pull and twist each section of pastry and lay the slices on their side, so the swirly bits are slightly exposed.

Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes at 200°C.

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SPRING CHICKEN RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

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NOURISH

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RECIPES

SATAY ROAST CHICKEN

Cooking a whole chicken is very economical, often you can get whole freerange chicken for the same cost of two skinless boneless breasts. If your butchery skills are limited, restricting yourself to a whole chicken does not mean roast chicken is your only choice. This satay chicken is not only great the night you make it but the leftover chicken is delicious in fresh spring rolls or with salad for an easy lunch.

CREAMY BACON AND MUSHROOM CHICKEN

1 bunch fresh coriander, stalks included 1 cup roasted peanuts 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp soy sauce ¼ cup sweet chilli sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar 1cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 lemongrass stalk (white part only), bruised (or if you can’t get fresh 1 tsp of drained lemon grass from a jar) 2–3 kaffir lime leaves ½ cup coconut cream 1 large free range chicken 1 red chilli, extra coriander and peanuts for garnish.

My go-to midweek meal is invariably pasta, and bacon and mushroom is a favourite.

With a little more planning, plus some chicken, you have a meal worthy presenting to guests. I have used bone-in chicken thigh as it is inexpensive but also because cooking the chicken on the bone makes it less likely to dry out.

25g butter

Put the coriander, peanuts, curry paste, lime juice, soy and sweet chilli sauce, sugar, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk in a food processor and whizz until smooth.

1 onion, diced 4–6 rashers of bacon, diced

Split the chicken down the middle of the ribcage and flatten it out.

Pour half the marinade over the chicken and cover the chicken all over. Allow it to marinade for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

1–2 garlic cloves, crushed

Heat the oven to 180°C and roast the chicken for 35–45 minutes until the chicken is golden and when a skewer is inserted into the meaty part the juice runs clear.

¼ cup flour

Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes. While it is doing so, heat the remaining marinade in a small pot. Serve the chicken with rice and garnished with chopped chilli, peanuts and coriander leaves and the extra satay sauce on the side.

1–2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper 6–8 chicken thighs ¼ cup white wine ½ cup chicken stock

½ cup mascarpone In a large pan melt the butter, add the onions, bacon and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent.

Remove the cooked onion and bacon from the pan. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dust the chicken thigh all over. Heat the olive oil in the pan and place the chicken in skin side down. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Add the white wine and continue to cook until this is nearly evaporated.

Return the bacon and onion to the pan along with the stock and mascarpone. Cover and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with cooked pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

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KFC- KIMCHI FRIED CHICKEN Who doesn’t love fried chicken? No need for 11 herbs and spices though when you have a jar of kimchi on hand. I used locally made kimchi from Good Bugs whose kimchis won awards at this year’s Outstanding Producers awards: Ginger Ninja was awarded a silver and Kiss Me Kimchi a bronze.

½ cup kimchi juice, drained from a jar of Good Bugs Kimchi 1 cup natural yoghurt or buttermilk 1 egg 1 tsp garlic powder 750g–1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine the kimchi juice, yoghurt, egg and garlic powder together then add the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

In a large heavy based pot or deep fryer heat the oil to about 170°C. While it is heating, mix the remaining dry ingredients together. Coat the marinated chicken in the flour and spice mix then, in batches, carefully place in the oil. Cook until golden brown, approx. 5 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

Drain the chicken on paper towels.

Serve with Kimchi mayo

4 tbsp sesame seeds 1 cup flour ½ cup cornflour 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion salt ½ tsp white pepper

KIMCHI MAYO Mixed together 1 cup of drained and roughly chopped kimchi with a cup of mayo.

2 tsp paprika 1 tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp celery salt oil for deep frying

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QUINOA CHICKEN PARMIGIANA

1 cup quinoa

cooled, if the quinoa is still really wet, dry it in a low oven.

1 cup grated Parmesan 2–3 tsp Tuscan seasoning

Mix the Parmesan and Tuscan seasoning with the quinoa.

1kg skinless chicken breasts This is a modern and slightly healthier version of the classic chicken Parmigiana. It’s also a great way to use up left over quinoa.

Sometimes I add prosciutto when I add the mozzarella and tomato but just as often omit it as it’s just as good without it.

ith our al cheese.

2 eggs, beaten

If the chicken breasts are thick, give them a quick bash with a rolling pin in the thick part to flatten out slightly. Dip each breast in the cornflour, then egg and then quinoa before placing on a baking tray.

½ cup cornflour punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved 120g pottle of cherry mozzarella fresh basil Rinse the quinoa well then cook in 2 cups of water. When the water has evaporated, spread the quinoa on an oven tray to cool and dry out. It’s good to do this a day ahead. Once

Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, then dot the mozzarella, tomatoes and basil over the top and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Celebrate Spring with

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Fresh,

Local & In Season Spring is a tricky season to predict. If winter lingers the asparagus spears will remain hidden in the ground, but as soon as things begin to warm up, all that was lying dormant will start to flourish. Asparagus spears will shoot up, berries will begin to ripen while growing times for almost everything will shorten.

Here in the Waikato, spring is proof positive we grow more than just grass. The Waikato is the second biggest producer of strawberries in New Zealand and provides the perfect conditions for growing asparagus. We are also a major producer of potatoes, with new season spuds arriving at the end of spring.

Add to this a number of salad green, baby veg, tomato, mushroom and herb growers, there is no excuse not to support local.

Gus Tissink Gus is our resident vegie guy. Like most of our best chefs in the region, when we need beautiful produce, Gus and his team at Bidfresh Hamilton are where we turn.

Strawberries Spring marks the beginning of berry season.

Everyone loves beautifully ripe strawberries and cream, but these spring berries are just as delicious in a savoury salad as they are on your pav. They pair as well with balsamic vinegar, pepper and basil as they do with chocolate, cream and vanilla.

Speaking of chocolate, if choc dipped strawberries are your thing, look for specialty long stemmed strawberries to make these really spectacular.

Be careful though, akin to small red sponges, strawberries soak up all the water they come into contact with so, don’t wash them and then store them or they will turn to mush and rot.

A member of the rose family and technically not a berry, each strawberry has, on average, 200 seeds on the outside.

Bidfresh 2 the Waikato!

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF

NOURISH

|

IN SEASON

Asparagus The start of spring will see a spindly array of these delectable spears appear. As the season is established, grades of asparagus will be available allowing you to choose if you want thin stalks or thick ones, each allowing you to do different things. While traditionally blanched or steamed, asparagus is fantastic chargrilled but also lovely raw, thinly shaved or finely diced.

Along with the different sizes, different colours (purple and white) will also be available to offer you more ways to serve and present these symbols of spring.

Hand-picked Harvesting asparagus is labour intensive with the spears being cut by hand, usually in the cool of the night and early morning to retain maximum freshness.

Spring Highlights Rainbow chard Forget the silverbeet your mum served you! For a start, rainbow chard is stunning. Slice young leaves and add to salads. Steam, sautĂŠ or use as a carbfree wrap.

Fennel is a vegetable with a lot going for it. It’s crunchy and sweet when tossed raw into a salad, and once cooked, it becomes silky soft. Raw or cooked, fennel has a faint flavour of liquorice or anise.

Rhubarb is dormant in winter but springs to life in spring and because this is new growth, the stalks in spring are lovely and tender. Rhubarb goes wonderfully with strawberries but can be used in more than crumbles and pies. Pair with pork or get creative with syrups and shrubs for a refreshing drink.

Radishes come in a huge array of shapes and colours.

Watermelon radish is popular among many chefs as a stunning garnish. I love Sparklers with their red tops and white bottoms, plus the young leaves are edible.

French Breakfast radish are very similar but with a more elongated shape.

Call us for the best in season, local produce CONTACT GUS TISSINK

0800 346 3366 | 027 241 3090 | gus.tissink@bidfood.co.nz

SPEAR A THOUGHT FOR ASPARAGUS WORDS RACHEL HART

You’d be hard-pressed to think of a vegetable more symbolic of spring than asparagus. Starting to pop up in farmers markets and greengrocers as early as September, it’s not until you have your first bite of these slender green stems that you feel you can safely say goodbye to winter.

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NOURISH

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NUTRITION

While traditionalists will do little more than steam, grill or fry them, there are plenty of creative ways to enjoy asparagus. They are excellent tossed into a pasta, baked into a frittata or shaved into a salad.

Packed with nutrients, it’s worth including asparagus in your weekly food shop for the few months of the year that they’re available. The tender spears offer a decent dose of vitamins A, C and E and half your daily vitamin K quota. If you’re looking to swap your salad for another healthy, high fibre, low calorie alternative, asparagus is your go-to spring side dish.

While it’s no shock that this green vegetable is chock-full of nutrients, it may be a little surprising to learn that asparagus contains more folate than almost any other vegetable on the planet. Playing a role in making blood cells, turning carbs into energy and fetal development during pregnancy, folate is a very useful nutrient and, while it is in many fruits and vegetables, it’s often found only in minute quantities. One serving of asparagus, on the other hand, will give you a third of your daily needs.

With a unique texture and an earthy flavour, asparagus can be a divisive, love-it-or-hate-it type of food. If you don’t understand what all the fuss is about, there are a few tricks that can help you change camps. First and foremost, a dry cooking method like roasting or grilling is a good idea, as the waterlogged version is not nearly as nice as a crisp spear. And always keep cooking times to a minimum to enhance the crunch.

Another tip is to make sure you’re eating asparagus at its sweetest and freshest. Asparagus doesn’t have a long shelf-life, so buy it direct from growers and consume within a few days. If you’re not eating it immediately, cut the ends and store the spears upright in the fridge in a cup of water. This way, the tender stems will stay fresh and won’t go limp or rubbery as quickly.

Finally, asparagus is so densely packed with nutrients that it can stand up to some of its most delicious pairings and still offer some goodness to counteract the guilt! How does asparagus wrapped in bacon, deep-fried or smothered in hollandaise sauce sound to you?

The bottom of the asparagus stalk can be tough and woody, but that doesn’t mean it has to end up in the rubbish bin! Making an asparagus stalk pesto; peeling them into thin slices that can go into soups or salads or adding them to a spring vegetable pickle are all excellent ways to use up the entire plant.

It's a blink-and-you-miss-it food, so keep an eye out for this quintessential springtime wonder!

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

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PAGE 33 | WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

ASPARAGUS

RECIPE & IMAGES AMBER BREMNER

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NOURISH

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RECIPES

We are fortunate to have a number of asparagus growers in the Waikato, making it easy to find locally grown, perfectly fresh asparagus at an affordable price. Choose asparagus with firm stems and tight tips. Store it in the fridge with the cut ends wrapped in a wet tea towel or standing up in a jar with 1–2 cm of water.

SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD WITH GOLDEN TURMERIC DRESSING

Raw asparagus has a distinctive grassy flavour and tastes a little like green peas. It’s rather lovely, and a nice alternative way to enjoy this healthy vegetable. Make sure you use the freshest asparagus you can find. This golden turmeric dressing is one of my favourites. Its creamy, tangy and slightly earthy flavour goes well with most vegetables and works very well with this crisp spring vegetable salad.

Salad

salt and pepper to taste

Baby cos lettuce leaves (2 heads, or 1 pre-packaged bag)

Put salad dressing ingredients into a small jar or sealed container and shake to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. If the dressing is too thick, add a little more lemon juice or a splash of water.

2 courgettes 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp lemon juice

Separate baby cos lettuce leaves and arrange on a serving platter or salad bowl.

Use a vegetable peeler to slice courgettes into ribbons. Toss the courgette ribbons with olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and set aside to soften slightly while you prepare the rest of the salad.

pinch of salt 250g asparagus (1 bunch) 3–4 radishes Dressing 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp tahini (Available from Vetro Hamilton, La Cave and The Herbal Dispensary in Raglan) 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated 1 tsp maple syrup or sweetener of your choice ½ tsp ground turmeric

The Herbal Dispensary ph. 07 825 7444 6 Wallis Street, Raglan theherbaldispensaryraglan.co.nz Mon to Sat 9am-5pm Sun 10am - 5pm

Snap tough ends off the asparagus, then slice thinly on the diagonal. Trim radishes and slice very thinly. Just before serving, add sliced asparagus and about half of the sliced radishes to the bowl with the courgette ribbons and toss to combine. Arrange the vegetables on top of the cos lettuce and use the remaining sliced radishes to garnish.

Serve with golden turmeric dressing. Best eaten fresh.

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

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PAGE 35 | WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

Farinata (also known as socca in France) is made with chickpea flour and water. These simple ingredients can be enhanced with herbs, spices or vegetables, then cooked in a very hot oven to create a deeply golden quiche-like pancake with lacy edges. Use any fresh soft green herbs you like — parsley, chives, mint, basil and oregano will all work here. Olive oil is traditional, but as it’s less stable at high heat I prefer to use coconut oil.

Chickpea flour (also known as besan or gram flour) is available from Bin Inn, Indian food stores and some supermarkets.

3 cups water 2 cups chickpea flour (available from Vetro Hamilton, The Herbal Dispensary in Raglan) 1 cup soft green herbs, roughly chopped 1 tbsp lemon zest 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated 1 tsp salt black pepper 3 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil) 500g asparagus (2 bunches) Make the farinata batter ahead of time. Whisk water, chickpea flour, herbs, lemon zest, garlic, salt and a good grind of black pepper together until smooth, then set aside, covered, for a minimum of two hours. This resting time hydrates the chickpea flour and ensures a good result.

Preheat oven to 250°C with a shelf towards the top of the oven. Snap tough ends off the

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asparagus and cut each stem in half. Reserve the spear ends and slice the remaining asparagus stems into rounds.

Heat a heavy ovenproof fry pan (cast iron is ideal) to a very high heat. Add the coconut oil, swirl to coat the pan and when it reaches smoking point, quickly pour in the farinata batter.

Sprinkle the asparagus rounds evenly into the batter, then arrange the spears over the surface.

Carefully transfer the hot pan to a high shelf in the oven and switch the oven to grill or fan grill if you have it. Cook the farinata for 10 minutes, or until deeply golden and pulling away from the edges of the pan. It should have no jiggle. Don’t be concerned if it puffs up while cooking, it will flatten again when removed from the oven.

Slice into wedges and serve immediately.

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A prestigious lifestyle pocket spread over 3.7 quality hectares (more or less). Located at the end of a quiet lane in Matangi and tucked behind private gates is an impressive home spanning 413 sqm (more or less), designed by award-winning designer, Aaron Haddock. A sense of warmth embraces visitors as they approach the home, with its honey toned hinuera stone, dark stained timber and copper trimmed exterior. Modern family living built for modern day comfort with five bedrooms, a family bathroom and two ensuites.

FOR SALE

93D DEVINE ROAD, TAMAHERE DEVINE REINVENTION 5

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This premium lifestyle property in the heart of Tamahere is brimming with features. A beautiful revamped residence in ‘as new’ condition, offering the best in modern comfort. The owner spared no expense in revamping this stylish, and sophisticated space. The aesthetically pleasing exterior features an attractive blend of plaster over block while the interior is elegant and contemporary, with neutral tones and stylish appointments, it offers a variety of shared spaces to curl up with a book or enjoy the company of family or friends. Take a dip in the solar heated pool or enjoy a Pinot under the covered alfresco dining area.

Situated on 6,852 sqm (more or less) with easy-care gardens, reflecting the modernism of this property.

Phone me today for further information or to arrange a private viewing for either of these properties.

ANGELA FINNIGAN BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE AGENT

 021 623 550

 angela.finnigan@bayleys.co.nz

Kid's Digestion WORDS BRONWYN LOWE

In our work we find there is plenty of awareness about the implication of poor gut health and digestion for adults, but what about kids?

When starting to look at gut health for your children, it is important to look at what is going in, i.e. what are they actually eating and how?

Here at the Herbal Dispensary, it is not uncommon to have parents coming in and telling us that their child seems to have trouble with their digestive system, but they are not sure how to help them and what the implications of poor digestion are or what the benefits of addressing this could be.

How many servings of green vegetables?

So why should you care?

Good gut health for your children may help to contribute to a stronger immune system, as well as offering long-term benefits for physical and mental wellbeing. Improvements that you may see in the short term are with bowel and digestive functions, improved sleep, mood and general wellbeing. You may also notice an improvement in conditions such as allergies and skin conditions like eczema.

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How many pieces of fruit have they eaten?

Where did their protein come from? What about iron and zinc rich foods?

Did they drink enough water each day?

Are they overeating at mealtimes or running around eating?

Are you serving balanced meals, but they only eat a portion and the rest goes in the bin?

Keep a record of what they are eating, you could even jot down over a week what they have eaten and see if you can pick up where the gaps in nutrition might be.

Once you have identified that you would like to change some of

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the foods that they are eating, or add in some new foods, start slow with a few simple changes.

Let them play with their food — make eating fun Depending on their age, allow your children to be involved in meal preparation. If they are a little young for active involvement, they love to watch and be with you; create games with colours, shapes, textures and tastes.

Bright coloured fruits and vegetables are usually high in antioxidants, which remove free radicals from our body, protecting our cells. If your child is not a fan of fruits and/or vegetables, try cutting them into fun shapes, making fruit kebabs and coming up with fun names for foods. My children always loved their broccoli trees.

Keep them hydrated It can be difficult to keep children hydrated but it is important, and in fact is a crucial component of good gut health. Again, bring in a fun element, give them their own water bottle. They can decorate it or have them pick out their own special one. Add in some bright coloured frozen fruits, or make some funky shaped ice blocks. You can also make herbal teas and have the kids drink them; good, flavourful herbs to choose from could be lemon balm, lemon verbena, rosehips and lime blossom.

Breathe deeply Deep breathing helps to detoxify the body, burn fat, improve relaxation and increase mental focus and clarity.

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H E A LT H

Teaching your children to take a moment and focus on their breath is such a crucial life skill; they will thank you for it one day!

Beneficial foods and supplements to consider for your child (depending on age) include

Get them moving For some children, this won’t be a challenge, for others though it might be about reducing screen time, going for a walk with them, adding in family activities that are fun and provide exercise such as outings to the playground, beach, local parks, bike parks and skate parks.

• Avocado for potassium and magnesium

Don’t sweat the small stuff If they occasionally have the odd treat, a birthday party to attend or go off your idea of ideal meals, just accept it and let them enjoy it. The stress for them and you of eating the ‘wrong food’ can do more damage than just eating and enjoying the moment.

It can be challenging when you are up against some of the advertising and enticement that comes from larger food businesses (free toys with a meal) and also peer pressure, but you can have your own fun plan at home so your children don’t feel like they are missing out.

Be a role model It is true that children love to mimic those around them. They are also absorbing and learning at a rapid rate, so share stories about food and fun facts with them.

Allow time for your children and the rest of your family to sit and enjoy your meals with no distractions.

• Leafy greens for fibre and B vitamins

• Fish oils for essential fatty acids for brain health • Free range eggs for protein and B vitamins • Coconut yoghurt for probiotics, vitamins and minerals • Chia seeds and hemp seeds for omega-3 and fibre • Probiotic supplements if indicated A possible herbal tea blend to help with stomach upsets and stress can easily be made at home. Try equal parts by weight of dried lemon balm, chamomile and fennel. If desired, add a little honey to taste (again depending on age). They can drink this at room temperature.

If you would like to explore natural options for supporting your child’s health, please contact us at The Herbal Dispensary, Raglan.

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

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GREEN UP YOUR Green Thumb Tips to ensure your garden and shed are earth conscious.

maintain your tools to extend their life

Maintain your tools to extend their life. Try to clean tools after use and perform regular maintenance following manufacturer’s recommendations and store them in a weatherproof place.

Tap into the sharing economy.

Borrow from a mate or a tool library. If you don’t have a tool library in your community, consider setting one up.

Menzsheds bring men together in one community space to share their skills, have a laugh, and work on practical tasks individually or as a group.

Most sheds around New Zealand take on some community projects, like building playgrounds for pre-schools, repairing toy library stock, repairing old bikes for distribution or those in need, or building planter boxes for the main street of the local central business district. Find out more at www.menzshed.org.nz

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THE MENZSHED HUNTLY has been going for a number of years, and run by interesting and creative characters.

Go down, check them out and give it a go. Join up for a yearly sub of $20. They can be found working away on Tuesday and Thursday mornings on various community projects as well as projects that bring in a little coin, which subsidises their local enterprise. Keep an eye out for the little libraries around Huntly Made by the Menzshed.

Natural spider repellent.

Spiders are great for the garden but not always welcome inside. All spiders have their taste buds on the tips of their legs. There are certain natural oils they hate, including peppermint, spearmint, citronella, cinnamon and cloves. Use this natural, waste-free spider repellent for those nooks and crannies you want cobweb-free.

• Add up to 5 drops of essential oil and up to 5 drops of dish washing liquid to 1 litre. of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake well.

• Spray the mixture around doors and windows and on any surfaces where you don’t want spiders.

• Oils may stain or cause spots, so be sure to test the mixture on a small section of carpet or upholstery before spraying an entire surface.

• Reapply the spray once a week during peak ‘spider seasons’.

re-use your plant pots Plant pots can’t be recycled in municipal collection. Saving seeds and reusing last year’s punnets will reduce the need for new plastic punnets and seed packs. Save the seeds of heirloom or open-pollinated plants (not hybrids) that can self-pollinate or cross pollinate resulting in plants similar to the parent plant. Collect dry, brown seeds and store in a dry place like in an envelope then in a drawer or cupboard.

Then sow next year!

Learn how to compost Through a system that suits your needs, like bokashi, worm farming or a traditional compost bin. With practice, these can add nutrients back into your soil and reduce the need to buy bagged compost.

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Bee Friendly WORDS LYNDA HALLINAN

Imagine a world without bees; according to some environmental pundits, we’d all be dead within a decade because bees pollinate more than half of our food crops.

That is true, to a point. Bees are certainly responsible for pollinating the majority of our most delicious food crops, but traditional staples, such as rice and corn, rely on gusty weather rather than worker bees. While we might have to kiss goodbye to smashed avocado on five-grain toast, there'd be no shortage of bread as wheat, oats, barley and rye are all wind-pollinated.

In our gardens, we could still grow lentils and most legumes, as well as leafy green vegetables including spinach, silverbeet and all brassicas (because we eat them before they flower, though saving enough seeds could be compromised). However, our orchards would bear little if any fruit — and even soft fruits that don't rely on bees to fertilise their flowers, such as strawberries, wouldn't taste as sweet.

An intriguing study by agroecology researchers at the University of Göttingen in Germany found that strawberries pollinated by bees grew redder, tasted sweeter (the

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ideal sugar-acid ratio), were more uniformly shaped and had a longer shelf life than strawberries grown behind an insect barrier without visitation rights for bees.

Why? Because strawberries are made up of as many as 200 tiny ovaries stuck together, and when bees pollinate their flowers, those ovaries go into overdrive, producing natural hormones that ripen the flesh around their seeds.

What's more, strawberries taste even better when pollinated by a tag-team of wild bees (who work the base of the flower) and honeybees (who tap and gap it from the top of the flower).

Even self-fertile crops, such as coffee, benefit from bee activity, producing greater yields of higher quality beans. So, in a world without bees, you could still order your daily espresso, but chances are you couldn't afford it — and if you're plant-based, you'd have to forego any frothy almond milk.

As I write this, on a sunny day in the first week of August, the almond grove on the bank below my house is in full bloom.

Almonds (Prunus dulcis) are the first to break bud after winter, luring my neighbour's million-plus bees out of their hives to work their magic on those blossoms, one by one.

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GARDENING

If I didn't grow my own almonds, I couldn't eat them without feeling guilty. Every year, more than two-thirds of America's commercial honeybee hives are trucked to California, where 80 per cent of the world's almonds are grown, to pollinate this pesticideheavy crop. In the 2018–19 season, more than 50 billion bees lost their lives while working in those trees.

There are many theories as to why, from chemical contamination to pest and disease exposure (it's like a bee bordello) and worker exploitation: because almonds blossom early, when bees are traditionally taking a winter rest, they simply run out of resources to keep going. But I have my own theory. I reckon those billions of bees are dying from dietary boredom. Just imagine being served the same meal all day, every day, until you die.

Just as the manuka honey boom sees thousands of Kiwi hives trucked into bush backblocks at a time when bee fodder is scarce, the almond industry is a monoculture on an unprecedented scale, serving up the dullest of single-flavour fare. Bees deserve better, and we can all play our part in delivering them a more biodiverse diet, rich in pollen and nectar from as many sources as possible.

It doesn't matter if your garden is as large as mine or is confined to a collection of pots on a patio. For every edible crop you plant for yourself, sow another for the bees. Simple bee-friendly ideas include scattering wildflowers on street berms or in empty vege beds, slipping punnets of flower seedlings between the rows of veges in your potager, planting herbal leys around lifestyle block orchards and selecting bee fodder trees for farm shelterbelts. And never, ever spray anything in flower.

As the Indian Hindu sage Ramakrishna once said, "When the flower blooms, the bees come uninvited."

Seasonal checklist

• Weed, wait two weeks, then repeat. When clearing vege beds for planting, disturbing the soil always results in a rash of spring weed growth. Use a push hoe.

• Direct-sow beetroot, broad beans, carrots, Florence fennel, radishes, peas, parsnips, swedes and quickcropping white turnips.

• Don't rush to transplant tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers and other heat lovers. Wait until Labour Weekend when the weather is more settled.

Lynda Hallinan Waikato born-and-raised gardening journalist Lynda Hallinan lives a mostly self-sufficient life at Foggydale Farm in the Hunua Ranges, where she grows enough food to satisfy her family, free-range chooks, kunekune pig and thieving pukekos. She has an expansive organic vegetable garden and orchards and is a mad-keen pickler and preserver.

• Plant potatoes — waxy earlies and starchy maincroppers — as soon as the risk of late frosts has passed. Get them in early, and out early to avoid issues with the potato-tomato psyllid in late summer.

Tauranga-Made Natural Energy Drinks Energetically eradicating the status quo.

Find your local retailer at phoric.co.nz 5 c F R O M E V E R Y B OT T L E S O L D G O E S TO M E N TA L H E A LT H I N N Z

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A BUZZY

Experience WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN

Did you know around one third of our food comes as a direct result of honeybee pollination? Honeybees can fly at a speed of around 25km per hour and beat their wings 200 times per second! They can detect nectar two kilometres away and fly up to 5 kilometres.

Funnily enough the worker bees are all females and their job, or should we say jobs, is to collect honey, pollen, water and propolis, build new comb, take care of baby bees (called larvae), and clean as well as defend the hive. The drones, on the other hand, are all males and their purpose is to mate with the Queen. Come winter, when the hive goes into survival mode, the drones are kicked out!

Fascinated? It turns out you’re not alone. Hannah O'Brien from Hunt & Gather Bee Co, says they get all sorts of questions at the farmers market on bees, with lots of people wanting to visit their ‘bee farm’. Hannah’s husband Rory, the head beekeeper, can understand the curiosity as bees had fascinated him for years before he took up bee keeping.

With this in mind, earlier this year this enterprising couple created Beekeeping Experiences, a chance for you to don a beekeeper’s suit and get up close and personal with thousands of buzzing bees. The first hurdle in creating these experiences was the fact that there is no such thing as a ‘bee farm’. Like most beekeepers, Hunt & Gather have hives dotted around the Waikato, some in very remote spots. The solution was found in Rory’s parents farm just up the road.

Next, the only time they can really hold such events is in the summer. In the winter the bees are hibernating and it’s too cold to disturb them. But summer also happens to be the busiest time of the year for a beekeeper. Unphased by the work, this busy couple with three

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KEEN TO KEEP BEES AT YOUR PLACE?

Rory is quick to point out that their Beekeeping Experiences are not a howto in beekeeping. While it is a great introduction, if you want to have a beehive at your place here are his tips to get you started.

• Join a beekeeping club or get a mentor to help you learn as much as you can.

• It is a legal requirement for all beekeepers and hives to be registered, so find out your legal obligations, including the need to get your honey tested.

• If you are going to have one hive, have two. This means if one colony starts to suffer, the other can help rebuild or strengthen it.

• Ensure there is a plentiful food and water source i.e. if you are surrounded by pasture there can be little for the bees to eat.

• Just like looking after any animal, you need to have a degree of commitment.

With bees you will be caring for 10–60,000 creatures, and while the commitment isn’t proportional to the number in your care it does require a lot of learning.

young children launched the experiences with great success.

Hannah saw a growing demand for food tourism in New Zealand and the beekeeping mornings were listed on Airbnb Experiences. “Not many Kiwis have discovered Airbnb Experiences,” says Hannah, “which saw us host lots of overseas tourists.” With no internationals around, the pair still believe there is a demand for such experiences among Kiwis and have 11 dates scheduled for this summer, with some dates already booking up. They also see the mornings as a great excursion for garden clubs, team building or work dos or teachers from schools keen to pass on the importance of bees to their pupils.

The mornings start off with coffee and casual chat, a little honey tasting and a look at an empty beehive. Then it’s time to suit up and head off to see the real thing. You’ll get to spot the Queen, her eggs, see the honey in the hive, where the pollen is stored and have “lots of time to ask questions” says Rory. Purposely casual, the morning is designed to make guests feel relaxed and comfortable so they can ask away and learn, and enjoy the morning. The events are rounded off with a good old-fashioned morning tea before guest’s head home or on to Raglan to enjoy the rest of the day.

Honeybees are the only insects that produce food that is eaten by man.

The hexagonal shape of the honeycomb is the most efficient shape in our world. The pattern allows for the cells to be packed with no empty space in between. Though the wax is thin and delicate, the structure of the hexagonal cells can hold a tremendous amount of weight.

“Bees have such a positive effect on the environment and make such a natural product,” comments Rory on why they chose to be beekeepers and why sharing this with others is important. Creating a sustainable business is built into everything Hannah and Rory do at Hunt & Gather including making beeswax wraps as an additional product to sell with their honeys.

Hunt & Gather Beekeeping Experiences are $95pp ($75 children).

Go to www.huntandgatherbeeco.com for more information.

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Bee-autiful Honey Recipes RECIPES & IMAGES EMMA GALLOWAY

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RECIPES

Roasted Carrot, Cauliflower & Black Lentil Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Honey rounds out this mustard-forward dressing to coat tender roasted vegetables and protein-rich lentils. This can be served as a side or a meal in its own right.

Serves 4–6

4 large carrots (approx. 500g), ends trimmed and sliced into bite-sized chunks ½ large cauliflower, cut into florets (cut stem into chunks and use too) 2–3 tbsp olive oil ¼ cup black (beluga) lentils (or use French-style lentils - available from Vetro Hamilton, The Herbal Dispensary in Raglan) ½ red onion, finely sliced large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped Honey Mustard Dressing 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 200C. Place chopped carrots and cauliflower onto separate oven trays, drizzle both with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 25–30 minutes or until tender and golden (the carrots will likely take a few more minutes than the cauliflower), stirring occasionally and rotating trays halfway to ensure even cooking.

Meanwhile, place lentils into a small saucepan, cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10–12 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain well.

In a small bowl combine honey and mustard and mix well. Whisk in apple cider vinegar, then continue to whisk as you drizzle in the olive oil to form a lovely emulsified dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Place red onion into a large serving bowl, add a few tablespoons of dressing and mix well, setting aside to marinate while the vegetables and lentils are cooking.

To serve, add cooked vegetables and drained lentils to the serving bowl, drizzle with enough dressing to coat (any leftovers will store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week), scatter over chopped parsley and mix well.

FOR A COMPLETE EXPERIENCE BOOK A WORKSHOP TODAY

BOOKINGS 07 863 8770 info@fallsretreat.co.nz

www.fallsretreat.co.nz

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Honey Soy Tofu We all know honey is great used in sweet dishes, but it’s also delicious used in savoury dishes where its sweetness can help balance strong flavours. Serve with cooked greens for a more substantial meal.

Serves 4

600g packet firm tofu, cubed (available from The Herbal Dispensary in Raglan) olive or coconut oil for shallow frying 4 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed) 1½ tbsp honey 2 tsp toasted sesame oil freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp lightly toasted sesame seeds cooked rice + sliced spring onions, to serve Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Pan-fry tofu cubes until golden on all sides (approx.

8–10 minutes). Combine soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and a few good grinds of black pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Reduce heat to medium and pour in the soy mixture and continue to cook, while stirring, until the sauce is slightly reduced and coating the tofu. Stir through sesame seeds. Serve tofu over rice, scattered with sliced spring onions.

Emma Galloway mydarlinglemonthyme.com | @mydarlinglemonthyme Emma Galloway is a former chef, food photographer and creator of the multi-award winning food blog My Darling Lemon Thyme. Emma has published two cookbooks, My Darling Lemon Thyme and A Year in My Real Food Kitchen. She lives in her hometown of Raglan, with her husband and two children.

Lovingly Fermented in the Waikato Waikato’s only producers of Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Zesta Fermented Pesto.

Find us at Farmers' Markets, local retailers or shop online

www.goodbugs.co.nz

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DRINKS

Cheers to Spring

WITH HAYES COMMON WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

Great chefs take time to source their ingredients. They understand the seasons, the importance of quality products and often the value of paying a little extra for this.

A great eatery winds this knowledge and philosophy into their service, the staff all take care and pride in not just what they create but the ingredients and the story and love behind each element. At Hayes Common this philosophy continues through to their drinks offering.

Like their food menu, there is an emphasis on local with around 75% of the wine and 50% of the spirits all being Kiwi. Tasters of wine are offered and wines can come by the glass, carafe (half bottle) or by the bottle.

Business development and events manager, Shona Lambert, says, “Our cocktails are heavily influenced by classic cocktails or flavour combinations which we then add our own twist to.� Like the food, the cocktail list changes seasonally to pair with what is on the menu as well as what is in season.

This creativity combined with the care and attention of all aspects of the guest experience is why Hayes Common is becoming more and more popular as a venue for special occasions, from intimate weddings to milestone birthdays.

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Mezcalrita

The Mezcalrita is a great example of how cocktails can come together. It started with an interest in Mexcal when Brent (owner) heard it was the tequila for whisky drinkers. Based on a popular cocktail of Mexico City called Jamaica (Jamaica being the Spanish word for hibiscus) the team approached their tea supplier, Forage and Bloom, to source dried hibiscus to make the syrup with clove and cardamom.

Shona says, “This is another humidity beating drink with an intriguing balance of smoke, sugar, acid, and spice.”

60 mls Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal 60 mls hibiscus syrup** 30 mls fresh lime juice Hibiscus flowers in syrup for garnish (available from The Country Providore, Tamahere, Vetro Hamilton and The Herbal Dispensary Raglan) Half rim your rocks glass using a fresh lime wedge and flaky sea salt.

Add ingredients into a Boston shaker and shake.

Double strain into glass. Add a large ice cube and a hibiscus flower to garnish.

**HIBISCUS SYRUP RECIPE: In a glass bowl, combine 100g of dried hibiscus flowers with 2 cups of water, 10g of cardamom pods (crushed) and 5g whole cloves. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

Transfer to a saucepan and add 2 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil. Let cool and drain out solids. Refrigerated for up to a month.

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Del Maguey brings you a collection of Single Village® mezcal made in the lush, remote mountains, plains and valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. Each mezcal is named for the village where it is made.

Chichicapa has a medium nose and a complex taste with lots of citrus and a long, smooth finish with overtones of mint. Twice distilled and unblended from 100% mature agave Espadin and is produced the original, 400-year-old hand-crafted way. Production is limited to exclusive quantities per year to preserve quality. There are no chemicals, colourings, or additives ever used.

Frosé

A firm favourite at Hayes Common before it went ‘viral’, Shona describes it as a boozy slushy for grown-ups.

30 mls vodka 6 strawberries 6 frozen raspberries 15 mls lemon juice 30 mls gomme – simple syrup ½ c frozen rosé* Blend and pour into a white wine glass, garnish with purple petals and freeze-dried raspberries

*FROZEN ROSÉ Mix 10 mls rosewater with 1 bottle of Rosé. Pour into a large flat container and freeze.

High Seas

Classed as a tiki drink, although there is no real definition of a ‘tiki drink’. The Hayes team stick to the following three attributes: heaps of rum, tropical fruit juices and layers upon layers of flavour. It should be drunk on an island beach, but the sunshine of Hamilton East is close enough!

60 mls Black Collar Spiced Rum (from the Bay of Islands) 20 mls passionfruit plus extra from garnish 30 mls lime juice 60 mls pineapple juice 15mls orgeat (almond syrup) 3 dashes tiki bitters Add all ingredients to shaker with ice and shake.

Strain contents into a tall/tiki glass.

Add ice and drizzle passionfruit.

Garnish with pineapple, mint and lime.

A legend reborn. Fresh food, friendly service, smooth coffee and a great vibe.

211 Victoria St. Hamilton NZ • 07 834 0120 kokocafehamilton@gmail.com k0k0cafe Mon to Thu: 7:30am - 5pm Fri: 7:30am - Midnight Sat: 8am - Midnight Sun: 8am - 10pm

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RECIPES WAYNE GOOD | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

I love finger food. It’s such a relaxed way to entertain, especially as everything can be prepared in advance.

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RECIPES

These wee morsels of loveliness are so elegant and are a play on the traditional stuffed eggs we remember from our childhood.

12 quail eggs (Look out for these often at Asian Supermarkets. Wayne got his from Vista Game Birds) 1½ tbsp good mayonnaise 1 tsp chopped chives ground pepper black caviar (salmon caviar is fine) Place the eggs in a pan of cold water. Gently boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove straight away and cool in cold water.

Carefully peel each egg and cut in half. Remove the yolk and mix the yolk with the mayonnaise, chives and pepper.

With a piping bag and a small nozzle, pipe the yolk back into the white.

Garnish with the caviar and serve.

Halloumi Streaky bacon Rocket Rosemary sticks Slice the halloumi. Lay your slices of bacon on your bench and place the rocket, then the Halloumi on top. Wrap the bacon around the halloumi and rocket and secure with a rosemary stick.

Place onto a greased tray and put into a hot oven (about 220°C). Bake until the bacon is starting to go crispy.

Remove the rosemary sticks and serve.

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1 jar good quality stuffed olives 100g cold butter 100g grated cheese 1 cup flour 1 tsp salt pinch cayenne pepper 50ml (approx.) cold water Place the butter, cheese, flour, salt and cayenne pepper into a food processor. Process until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse until a dough has formed.

Rinse the olives in warm water and dry off.

Place a piece of pastry in your hand (about a dessert spoon) and flatten into a round shape. Place an olive on the pastry and wrap around and roll in your hand to form a ball. Repeat until all the pastry is used.

Place onto a tray lined with baking paper and place into your freezer for 30 minutes.

Remove and cook in a pre-heated oven at about 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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Wayne Good is a chef, interior designer and travel guide.

Renowned for his hospitality, Wayne’s cooking classes and tours of France are hot tickets!

Discover more at www.arkanda.co.nz

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STAY A WHILE At Falls Retreat WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN

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Just over eight years ago I started to hear about this amazing restaurant in the Karangahake Gorge. No matter how I connived work trips or weekend jaunts I just never managed to get there. Then I heard they had accommodation and had the perfect solution. I sold the weekend away to my other half as a chance to try out the cycle trail, go on some nice walks, maybe visit the mining museum …

We enjoyed a fabulously relaxing weekend at Falls Retreat. We stayed in their gorgeous Rose Cottage, had an amazing meal at the Bistro accompanied by fabulous wines. I think there was even a few ports had. Ah, who cares? We weren’t driving anywhere. We simply stumbled across the drive to our bed. Then the next morning we were greeted with a wonderful basket of breakfast pickings.

If I’m honest, we did little else that weekend other than a short walk to the Owharoa Falls.

What we did do was relax and enjoy the warm hospitality from owners Brad King and Emma Walters. We are not alone in being enchanted by the charm of Falls Retreat! Emma says their vison was always “to create a place that offers a great all-round experience — charming accommodation, a beautiful setting, warm hospitality and rustic, delicious food”.

This is done with personal touches like fresh flowers, handwritten notes and of course delicious food made from scratch and often from ingredients grown just a few metres away. Children and dogs are welcome and there is plenty of room for both to run around.

Since our visit, Brad and Emma have grown the business and won a variety of awards.

They have also expanded their offering of experiences with regular gardening and cooking workshops. The Bistro too has grown and now hosts some very beautiful weddings and special occasions.

I no longer need to create an excuse to visit Falls as it’s often the highlight of any planned trip in that direction; the perfect halfway point for meeting friends or the reward for actually doing the rail trail. But perhaps it’s time to stay the night again and their Paddock to Plate dinner, held every Saturday night, might be the impetus needed.

Perfectly placed just a short distance from Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga yet, as Emma says, “you feel worlds away”. It seems, despite the lack of international tourists, the cabins are proving a popular choice with fellow Kiwis looking for a chance to get away.

So much so Brad and Emma have continued their expansion plans with a new cabin, the Log Cabin. Like the Rose and Waterfall cabins, the log cabin is unique. Emma says they are trying to create a home away from home vibe with each cabin which are rustic and quirky and all with their own style and personality.

The Log Cabin is “a little house in the woods” says Emma, one hundred percent log cabin with logs inside and out and stained-glass windows adding real rustic charm. There is a mezzanine floor, a cosy wood burner, plus an enclosed veranda to enjoy a little star gazing.

Falls Retreat 25 Waitawheta Road, Karangahake Gorge www.fallsretreat.co.nz

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IMAGE TESSA CHRISP

NEED AN EXCUSE?

Paddock to Plate Dinners – Enjoy a 4-course dinner carefully crafted by the Falls Retreat chefs using seasonal and local ingredients. $90pp (including a welcome drink).

Gardening Workshops - Run by Falls Retreats resident gardener, Nicki MurrayOrr, who has a wealth of experience and knowledge in all things gardening. Each course is fun and offers an interactive workshop in the garden followed by an informal meal in the Bistro.

Full Day Gardening Workshops (The Full Monty!) - $125pp Sat 3 October, 7 November, 5 December Edible Gardening for Beginners - $75pp (9.30am-12.30pm) Saturday 10th October The Educated Gardener - $75pp (9.30am12.30pm) Saturday 31 October Cooking Workshops - Brad’s personal, fun

and informative masterclasses focus on cooking from scratch and using seasonal produce. These will be reintroduced in 2021 or private classes can be organised for groups of 8 or more.

Accommodation Waterfall Cabin – This quaint little cabin is a nature lovers haven with a view overlooking Owharoa Falls. Measuring only 4m x 2m, it was designed with a ‘tiny house’ ethos in mind including the bed which is accessed via a ladder. Everything about it screams character, so if you are looking for a glamping style, natural retreat then this one’s for you.

Rose Cottage – Charming, country-style accommodation. The A-frame bedroom is upstairs, downstairs is a log fire and French doors open out on a patio making this the perfect spot all year round.

Log Cabin – Immerse yourselves in the woods with Falls Retreat’s latest accommodation offering. Perfect for a family wanting to explore the delights of the Karangahake Gorge.

Combining creativity with expertise

P 07 856 4236 • 120 Silverdale Rd • Hamilton www.theframingworkshop.co.nz

TFW056 Framing Workshop 184x70 NOURISH ad NOV19 f_a.indd 1

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TE KOI WORDS DENISE IRVINE

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NOURISH

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F E AT U R E

Ali Metcalfe cooks Fish Dorothea for dinner on my first night at the award-winning luxury lodge she and husband Ian own near Nelson.

their elegant waterfront lodge is currently refocusing for the New Zealand market in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw its previously all-international clientele disappear from the booking sheets.

She fries onion in butter, adds orange roughy fillets, gently poaches them in white wine, and slips in some tomatoes. Her simple, fragrant fish dish reaches back into 1970s Hamilton culinary history: it was devised by chef Brian Anderson, of the long-gone Anderson’s Restaurant in London Street, later owned by Ian and Ali. Brian Anderson named Fish Dorothea after his wife Dorothy, and his timeless dish lives on, decades later, at the Metcalfes’ latest hospitality venture, Te Koi the Lodge at Bronte, on Nelson’s Bronte Peninsula.

Tariffs have been reduced for Kiwi travellers and Te Koi now offers a series of luxury escape weekend packages that draw in other Nelson tourism operators. There will be culinary experiences, including hands-on sessions with Ali in the kitchen, as well as cycling and art packages, vineyard visits and more.

Ali cooks with the seasons; when tomatoes are flush in her extensive vegetable garden she may make Fish Dorothea, or perhaps put together a summery soup of tomatoes, fresh basil and baby bocconcini from Nelson cheesemaker ViaVio. “People want real food,” she says. “I love honest flavours, local ingredients, nothing contrived, and over the years my fresh food ideology hasn’t changed.”

Ali is executive chef at Te Koi, Ian is the host and sommelier, and

To show the true beauty of their area, Ali and Ian take me on a helicopter flight to nearby Abel Tasman National Park, which many Te Koi guests visit. Pilot Charlie Rowe, of Helicopters Nelson, is at the controls: he flies us out over the blue arc of Tasman Bay and up to the golden sands and beech forests of the national park. “You can always find a beach to yourself here,” Charlie says, as we look down on a landscape untouched by human footprints.

He brings us back to the lodge and from the air it truly embodies its Māori name, Te Koi, the headland: the 100-year-old homestead sits in park-like grounds on a point above the Waimea Estuary, and has its own story to expand on.

NOW OPEN NOT YOUR ORDINARY FOOD STORE

V E T R O M E D I T E R RANEAN FO O DS

122 Rostrevor St, Hamilton 07 974 0415 • vetro.co.nz

PAGE 59 | WWW.NOURISHMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

Last November, Te Koi took top honours in the prestigious Boutique Hotel Awards held in London. It won the World’s Best Newcomer Hotel title, and Australasian awards for Best New Hotel and Best Chic Elegance Hotel, beating competition from countries such as Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand and Australia.

It was a golden moment in Ian and Ali’s hospitality career; followed just a few months later by the crushing blow of Covid and the loss of their international guests. They now bring their experience and complementary skills to the task of reinventing Te Koi for the New Zealand market. They know they’ll make it work.

Their polished partnership began with their first restaurant, the aforementioned Anderson’s, in Hamilton in the late 1970s and early 80s. They later opened fine-dining restaurant Harwoods in the city, then the Spanish-themed Rustici, and Ferrybank Reception Centre where they catered for untold weddings and other events.

Their three children, Rebecca, Stephanie and Anthony, all helped out, and in 2006 the family travelled to France and Italy for an 18-month sabbatical enjoying food, wine and travel. Says Ian: “The

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aim was to live like locals.”

Back in New Zealand, in 2008, Ian and Ali settled in Christchurch and created their Great Village Holidays business, taking small group tours to places they’d enjoyed on their European travels, and extending to Africa. When they moved to Nelson, and established Te Koi in 2017, the two businesses meshed neatly: in summer they hosted guests at the lodge, in winter they led Great Village tours abroad. (The tour company is now moth-balled due to the pandemic).

Te Koi, though, has truly won their hearts. Ian and Ali believe its success lies in their ability to listen to their guests, and to run the lodge as an extension of their home yet retain the required level of professionalism. To quote the Boutique Hotel Awards judges, “It is the ultimate Tasman retreat, a magical place you leave wishing you could stay forever.”

Couldn’t have put it better myself! * For details on Te Koi luxury escape packages, and other options, see tekoithelodge.com

FISH DOROTHEA

minutes. Don’t cook entirely.

4 fillets of firm white-flesh fish (tarakihi, white warehau, orange roughy)

Turn the fillets and lay the tomato slices on top. Continue cooking until fish is just done and tomatoes are warmed through.

50g butter 1 white onion, thinly sliced 2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced 500ml dry white wine Choose a skillet large enough to lay the fish easily, and slowly sauté the onions in butter until soft and sweet. Don’t let them brown.

Lightly dust the fish in flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and lay the fish on top of the onions.

Pour over the wine, just enough to allow the wine to create a shallow poaching liquid for the fish. Less wine may be required, depending on the size of your skillet.

Remove the fish from the pan to the serving plates and carefully divide the tomatoes and onion between the four fillets.

Raise the temperature in the plan to reduce the wine sauce a little if required, before pouring over each fillet. It should be slightly thickened. Scatter with plenty of freshly snipped Italian parsley.

Note: in summer at Te Koi, Ali varies the above method by sautéing the onions in a fruity olive oil along with a handful of black olives. After adding the fish and wine, she adds a sprig of fresh basil and tosses in plenty of cherry tomatoes.

Poach the fish very slowly for 2–3

A WEEKEND AT TE KOI Join us for a magical weekend at the award winning luxury Te Koi, The Lodge at Bronte.

27th-29th November | Cost $1775pp (double or twin share only) Includes all meals, wine, accommodation, cooking class, visits but not flights.

Strictly limited spaces so Book Now! www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/te-koi-weekend

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Local

TRAVEL GUIDE

wa i h i b e ac hi nf o.c o.n z

BIKE HIRE

Cycle Trail Shuttle Omokoroa Coastal Trail Tauranga Cycle Trail Maps Check our website for details

022 310 9120

EVERY VISIT A NEW ADVENTURE P | 07 838 6720

E | zooinfo@hcc.govt.nz

W | www.hamiltonzoo.co.nz

BE QUICK JUST 6 SPACES LEFT!

Join us for some foodie fun in Wellington $1595pp | Friday 9th- Sun 11th October Staying at the QT Wellington Includes, dinners, lunches, cooking classes, tours and more.

TO BOOK GO TO www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/wellington-weekend

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nourish

food tours

NOURISH

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F E AT U R E

MADE TO ORDER WORDS DENISE IRVINE | IMAGES ASHLEE DE CAIRES

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Fin Irwin could be described as the master of reinvention. He’s moved from the construction industry to cafe ownership, and in the past couple of years he’s learned to roast decent coffee.

He’s named his new brew Diesel, and it has a part to play in some upcoming changes in his Hamilton hospitality business. And while going from construction to hospitality may seem quite a leap, Fin jokes that he grew up in a supermarket so he learned about customer service early. This was back in the days when his parents owned the New World in Carterton, in the Wairarapa.

A quick history: in the beginning, there was Mavis & Co, started in 2008 with former wife Jayne as a Hamilton Farmers Market stall.

It grew into a catering company, and then came Mavis & Co cafe, in Hamilton East. Later, Mavis Made to Order at Wintec House, in the CBD, joined the stable, and after that Fin added Mavis Lounge at Hamilton Airport.

Mavis food was always fresh and boldly flavoured; it drew loyal customers and there were queues at the counters. But earlier this year, Fin said farewell to Mavis, selling the Hamilton East cafe and the airport business, and rebranding the city eatery as Made to Order (minus the Mavis).

Now, he and his business partners, Sarah-Jane Firth and Madeline Molloy (who are sisters), are embracing a new name and a proposed new look, in the form of Madeline Cafe and Bar, a reinvention of Made to Order.

This morning, Fin’s drinking his Diesel coffee at Made to Order, and flagging the changes they hope to see in place there by the end of the year. They’ll refurbish, rearrange and rename the premises, continuing a daytime menu and cabinet treats as well as creating a space that glams up for evening drinks and casual food.

Says Fin: “We’ll change the look at night with curtains and feature lighting. It will be a more intimate experience with a smart bar and tapas-style plates.”

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Belgian hot white chocolate has quite a following. There is a salted caramel version as well, made with flaky sea salt.

In the early days of Mavis, Fin was the breadmaker: “Every now and then, to the shock of everyone here (at Made to Order), I get in the kitchen and make bread. But the most I’m allowed to do, really, is the dishes.”

The coffee, though, is firmly his domain. Currently, he’s roasting his artisan Diesel Coffee Works brand in the premises of Raglan Diesel (engine repair service) at Te Rapa, the industrial setting lending itself neatly to the brand name. “I didn’t know anything about roasting coffee when I started. It took about a year to learn, to get it perfect. There was a lot of cupping and over-dosing in that time.”

Diesel is small-batch roasted to ensure quality and consistency, and Fin uses a blend of beans from Guatemala, Ethiopia, Columbia, Brazil and Kenya; he’s named his brew Socio, slang for good friend in some Latin American countries. “It’s an all-rounder coffee.” He’s working on a Diesel black blend, for a stronger hit.

Madeline Cafe and Bar, he says, will be beautiful, and have plenty of attitude and sass. And it will offer the fresh, tasty food that he admires. And while Fin won’t actually do the cooking, he’s bound to have a hand in designing the menu.

He’s created the current menu at Made to Order, going for winter classics such as braised beef cheek with creamy polenta and red wine jus; tuna melt Best Ugly Bagel with tomato salsa; and huevos rotos, Spanish broken eggs with chorizo, roasted potato, deep-fried egg, prosciutto and rich gravy.

There are always cabinet slices and cakes to follow. And if you’re in the market for another sweet treat, the richly caramel Amber

Diesel will shortly move from Te Rapa into the CBD, to a new location in a lane off Alexander Street.

“Coffee’s a fun business. I’m taking small steps at present. I love it.”

So that’s Diesel, the upcoming Madeline, plus a family project he’s involved in back in Carterton that will include a cafe. Probably about enough new stuff for the moment?

Made to Order Ground Floor, Wintec House Nisbet Street, Hamilton Diesel Coffee www.dieselcoffee.co.nz

Th e h e a r t o f H a m i lt o n 181 Victoria Street Hamilton 07 839 6680 Mon to Fri 7:00am – 3pm Sat & Sun 8:00am – 4pm www.scottsepicurean.co.nz

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Ah Choux RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

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NOURISH

Choux pastry is quite simply miraculous.

Everyday ingredients (butter, flour and eggs) are transformed into delicate desserts, divine doughnuts and even savoury nibbles. And while the pastry can be made into many different forms, the real beauty is the flavour combinations that are only limited by your imagination.

Choux

My go-to recipe is based on one by Allyson Gofton (from The Baker’s Companion).

100g butter

|

RECIPES

Eclairs

Fill a piping bag with a large nozzle and pipe 2cm x 5cm lengths on lined baking trays ensuring you leave plenty of space between each.

The tip to perfect eclairs is to pipe continuously and consistently; bumps or bulges will multiply once baked.

Cream Puffs

Pipe or place teaspoonfuls on the baking tray for classic profiteroles. Ice with ganache and fill them with whipped cream or crème patisserie. Or get carried away and glue them together with caramel to make a croquembouche.

1 cup water (you can use half water, half milk if you like) 1¼ cups flour

Preheat oven to 230°C (210°C fan bake).

Ice Cream Bombs

Melt the butter in the water (and milk if you are using) in a small pot. When the butter has melted, bring to a boil. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball.

Place ice cream scoops full of dough on your baking tray and bake giant puffs. Fill these with a scoop of ice cream and pour over my easy chocolate sauce.

5 eggs (size 7)

At this stage you can transfer the dough to a stand mixer, or I prefer using a hand mixer (or a little elbow grease to save on dishes). Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl or jug and slowly beat these into the dough bit by bit, saving 2–3 tbsps to glaze the pastry.

The dough should be smooth and glossy and should just fall from the beater or a spoon but not be runny.

Once formed into your preferred shapes, brush completely with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes then lower the oven temp to 180°C (160°C fan bake) and continue to bake for 30–35 minutes. They should be golden brown and completely dried out inside. If you can, turn the oven off and leave them in there, with the door cracked open, until they have cooled completely.

EASY CHOCOLATE SAUCE ¾ cup water 50g butter ¼ cup golden syrup ¼ cup cocoa ¼ cup sugar Mix all the ingredients into a small pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

Once baked and cooled they can be stored in an airtight container for 2–3 days.

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Beignets Refrigerate the dough for a few hours or overnight then deep fry. For best results your oil should be around 180°C. You can pipe the dough in to form churros like doughnuts or you can simply place large teaspoonfuls. Once golden and cooked through drain and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Serve with caramel dipping sauce.

CARAMEL SAUCE

¾ cup sugar 100g butter ½ cup cream Melt the sugar in a small pot over a medium heat. At first the sugar will clump together, but after 6–7 minutes it will melt completely into a thick amber liquid. Be careful not to let it burn.

Once the sugar has melted, carefully add the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and then slowly pour in the cream. Allow the sauce to come to the boil, then remove from the heat.

You can store the sauce in the fridge and just reheat before you want to serve it.

Cheese Puffs These are a perfect snack with a cold beer. Make the dough ahead of time and cook just before your beer drinking buddies arrive.

Follow the basic choux recipe and just add 110–125g of finely chopped Meyer’s Garlic and Chive gouda in before the eggs.

Deep fry teaspoonfuls in batches in 180°C oil until golden and brown. Drain on a paper towel and season with sea salt.

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Paris Brest Pipe rings of dough on the baking tray for individual desserts or for one large one pipe three rings (22cm diameter) of dough side by side. Pipe two rings on top of your base three, then another on top of these two.

Once cooled, split in half and fill with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Dust with icing sugar and serve.

For everything from piping bags and nozzles to icing flavours and colouring, decorations and more go to www.sweetpeaparties.co.nz or visit them at 6 Princes Street, Hamilton

2B GORDONTON RD, HAMILTON (NEXT TO THE WAYWARD PIGEON) 07 855 3573 | BOOK ONLINE WWW.MOUSEYBROWN.CO.NZ  

PRECISION CUTTING & PROFESSIONAL COLOURS

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Ottolenghi Flavour

by Yotam Ottolenghi WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN

The third installment in Yotam’s bestselling and multi-award-winning Plenty series, Ottolenghi Flavour celebrates the limitless potential of vegetables and reveals how to transform them into magical dishes.

Flavour-forward, vegetable-based recipes are at the heart of Yotam Ottolenghi’s food. In this stunning new cookbook, Yotam and cowriter Ixta Belfrage break down the three factors that create flavour and offer innovative vegetable dishes that deliver brand new ingredient combinations to excite and inspire. Ottolenghi Flavour combines simple recipes for weeknights, low-effort high-impact dishes, and standout meals for the relaxed cook.

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The book is broken down into three parts, which reveal how to tap into the potential of ordinary vegetables to create extraordinary food: ‘Process’ explains cooking methods that elevate veg to great heights; ‘Pairing’ identifies four basic pairings that are fundamental to great flavour; ‘Produce’ offers impactful vegetables that do the work for you. With sure-fire hits such as Aubergine Dumplings alla Parmigiana, Hasselback Beetroot with Lime Leaf Butter, Miso Butter Onions, Spicy Mushroom Lasagne and Romano Pepper Schnitzels, plus mouth-watering photographs of nearly every one of the more than 100 recipes, Ottolenghi Flavour is the impactful, next-level approach to vegetable cooking.

Published Ebury Press, RRP $60

NOURISH

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REVIEW

Chaat Masala Potatoes With Yoghurt And Tamarind This dish is inspired by aloo chaat, an Indian street food that has many regional variations, all of which are not for the faint-hearted because they are loaded with sweet and sour and a fair bit of crunch. This is a slightly tamer version, though still pretty ‘noisy’, both in flavour and in looks. It’s absolutely perfect for a weekend lunch, alongside other vegetables, such as the aubergine with herbs and crispy garlic, or the radish and cucumber salad with chipotle peanuts. You can also serve it as a side with roasted lamb or chicken. Chaat masala is the slightly tangy spice mix that gives this dish its distinctive flavour. It gets its sharpness from amchoor, dried mango powder, which is used widely in Indian cooking as a souring agent. You’d recognise the flavour from samosas and pakoras, where it is often used.

Both the coriander chutney and the tamarind sauce are great condiments to have on hand to brighten up sandwiches and wraps, to spoon over eggs, or to serve alongside tofu or fish. Double or triple them, if you like – the coriander chutney will keep in the fridge for up to a week and the tamarind sauce for up to 2 weeks.

750g baby new potatoes, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp chaat masala ½ tsp ground turmeric 250g Greek-style yoghurt ½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds on a mandolin, if you have one, or by hand 1 green chilli, thinly sliced into rounds Extracted from Ottolenghi Flavour

by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage (Ebury Press, $60) Photography by Jonathan Lovekin.

1½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted 1½ tsp nigella seeds, toasted salt CORIANDER CHUTNEY

30g fresh coriander

1 green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 tbsp lime juice 60ml olive oil SWEET TAMARIND DRESSING

1½ tbsp shop-bought tamarind paste, or double if you’re extracting it yourself from pulp 1½ tsp caster sugar ¼ tsp chaat masala

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

2. Put the potatoes and 2 teaspoons of salt into a medium saucepan and top with enough cold water to cover by about 4cm. Place on a medium-high heat, bring to the boil, then simmer for 6 minutes, or until they’re almost cooked through but still retain a bite. Drain through a sieve and pat dry, then transfer to a large parchment-lined baking tray and toss with the oil, chaat masala, turmeric, 1 /3 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Roast, stirring once or twice, for 35 minutes, or until deeply golden.

3. Meanwhile, make the coriander chutney. Put all the ingredients and ¼ teaspoon of salt into the small bowl of a food processor and blitz until smooth. Set aside until needed.

4. For the tamarind dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl with 1½ teaspoons of water and set aside.

5. Spread the yoghurt out on a large round serving platter.

Top with the coriander chutney, swirling it through without completely incorporating. Drizzle with half the tamarind dressing, and top with the potatoes, onion and chilli. Drizzle over the remaining tamarind, then sprinkle over the seeds and serve.

ph. 07 214 2275 | w. RedKitchen.co.nz

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HIAKAI Modern Māori Cuisine WORDS VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGE AMBER-JAYNE BAIN

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NOURISH

Named one of the Greatest Places of 2019 by Time magazine, one of the 10 coolest places to Eat in 2020 by Forbes, lauded by National Geographic, the New York Times as well as Cuisine magazine, Hiakai has taken the New Zealand food scene by storm.

“Chef Monique Fiso is a special talent, a woman with a vision for merging ancient Maori techniques and traditions with modernist touches and boundless imagination.” – Forbes Magazine Monique recalls from a young age helping her Nan prepare Sunday lunch.

“I loved it,” she says. “The other kids would be outside playing but I’d be standing on a chair cutting the vermicelli noodles for chop suey. By the time I was seventeen, I knew I wanted to be a chef.”

After training at Wellington Institute of Technology and working at Martin Bosley’s, Monique headed for The Big Apple where she worked for an array of renowned restaurants. She returned in 2016 and began the pop-up dining series called Hiakai which then evolved to the celebrated restaurant in Wellington.

“Hiakai is the Māori word for hungry or having a craving for food,” says Monique.

“I think it captures everything about what we are trying to do; to fill up our bellies and our minds with the indigenous ingredients that nourished our ancestors.”

Monique says, “I didn’t grow up knowing a lot about my Māori heritage; as I got older I wanted to connect with it and realised I could do this through food.”

Just as there is no other restaurant like

|

REVIEW

Hiakai, there is no other like its namesake the cookbook. In fact, to call Hiakai a cookbook is a disservice. Not until page 146 do we actually get a recipe, with the first half of the book a stunning resource for anyone interested in learning more about native New Zealand food. Monique says with Hiakai the restaurant “I wanted to create a modern dining experience and a new chapter for the next generation of chefs”. And with this beautiful resource she will continue to inspire and lead future chefs.

“It’s my hope,” says Monique, “that this book will help you look at Māori cuisine in a new way, to understand and respect the rich history, culture and knowledge that it contains.”

Fittingly, the first recipe is for rēwena bread, a dish that so many Kiwis have enjoyed since childhood, a dish that intertwines Māori food with Pākehā, for as Monique points out, pre Europeans there was no flour in New Zealand. And as you would expect, Monique has put her own spin on rēwena making them as flat bread and serving them with titi butter.

“As a chef, I want my food to challenge people and their assumptions — it has to be delicious and creative but it also has to tell a story.”

– Monique Fiso At this point you might be wondering where you are going to find titi fat to make said butter. But as I mentioned, this is not a cookbook like any other. Monique admits “some of the recipes require equipment or skills not often found in domestic kitchens, but others are more achievable for home cooks. Either way, I hope the recipes will stimulate your curiosity and creativity.”

WANT TO EXPERIENCE HIAKAI THE RESTAURANT? Join us for our Nourish weekend in Wellington where dinner at Hiakai will be just one of the amazing experiences planned. www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/aboutus/nourish-foodie-tours/ © MANJA WACHSMUTH 2020

Published by Penguin Random House RRP $65

P RIMO W I NE I N A P RIMO NE W LOC AT IO N You’ll always get great service, banter, value and of course wine at Primo Vino.

Come and see us in our brand new space on Tristram Street.

Open Monday to Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 4

222 Tristram Street, Hamilton primovino.co.nz

Support Local:

Henry Jacobs

Head honcho, chief wine buyer and taster.

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EVENTS FERMENTFEST Celebrating all things fermented.

Saturday 26 September Sky City Hamilton | Free Entry www.waikatofoodinc.com/fermentfest NOURISH WELLINGTON FOODIES TOUR Join us for this small group taste of Wellington.

9–11 October | $1595pp www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/wellingtonweekend FALLS RETREAT WORKSHOPS Full Day Gardening Workshops (The Full Monty!) - $125pp Sat 3 October, 7 November, 5 December Edible Gardening for Beginners – $75pp Saturday 10 October, 9.30am–12.30pm The Educated Gardener – $75pp Saturday 31 October, 9.30am–12.30pm www.fallsretreat.co.nz A NIGHT WITH PETA MATHIAS Waikato Food Inc and La Cave present a night of fun, food and fashion with Peta Mathias. $115pp – includes a glass of bubbles and dinner Thursday 15 October, Vilagrads Winery Tickets from Humanitix WAIKATO DESIGNER & LIFESTYLE MARKET Waikato's newest and most exciting outlet for designers, creatives and entrepreneurs.

Saturday 17 October, 9am–4pm The Barn, Claudelands, Hamilton www.waikatomarkets.com

SCARECROW FESTIVAL Come along to see all the scarecrows, vote for your favourite and enjoy a fun day of family activities!

Sunday 1 November, 11am–3pm Hamilton Gardens Facebook – Hamilton Gardens Scarecrow Festival HAYES COMMON MEET THE MAKER WITH REID AND REID Sip your way into the silly season with drinks by Reid and Reid, craft distillers from Martinborough. Paired with seasonal food with a party twist, this event will have you primed for Christmas entertaining. $120pp Thursday 12th November, 6pm FESTIVE COOKING CLASSES WITH WAYNE GOOD Join Wayne for some festive inspiration in his brand new space in Gordonton.

Classes from 14 November $75pp Email wayne@arkanda.co.nz for dates, details and bookings.

NOURISH WEEKEND AT TE KOI Join us for a luxury weekend in Nelson at the award winning Te Koi Lodge $1800pp (twin share) Friday 27–Sunday 29 November www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/te-koiweekend BEEKEEPING EXPERIENCES with Hunt & Gather Bee Co in Raglan December 2, 6, 11 & 30 from 9.30am $95pp www.huntandgatherbeeco.com

Reset yourself with whole food in their natural state.

Vegan meals delivered NZ wide.

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LIFE AND BUSINESS YOU LOVE. 07 838 2825 | 0272 349 560 yolanda@yolanda-innervisions.com

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Raw, sustainable local honey

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CLINT©-ARTIST

BO L D - 07 U856 NIQ U E| 120 - Silverdale O R IGIRoad NAL| Hamilton 4236 www.theframingworkshop.co.nz

New team, new dream.

17 OCTOBER, 2020 | 9AM-4PM TH

A creative, inspired a la carte diningHAMILTON CLAUDELANDS, COMMISSIONS AVAILABLE – 021 2233103 www.waikatomarkets.com experience   clintc.artist and exceptional service.

Extensive beverage list of wines, beers, cocktails and mocktails.

AUTHENTIC JA PA NESE CUISIN E

If you’re reading this so are your potential customers!

Now open for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner MON - FRI 7am to Late | WEEKENDS 9am to Late 60 Church Rd, Te Rapa, Hamilton p. 07 850 9339 e. eat@embereatery.co.nz www.embereatery.co.nz

07 838 3085

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161A Victoria Street Hamilton tatsutarestaurant@gmail.com

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