FACES AT GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET

FACES @ GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET

Benjamin Angus sells organic vegetable and fruit juice blends at Grey Lynn Farmers Market on Sunday mornings.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Auckland on the cusp of technology breakthroughs. I remember dial-up internet, “brick” mobile phones, and CRT televisions. I remember getting the first PlayStation and playing Crash Bandicoot for hours, but I got bored and would regularly escape outside for a skate.

How long have you been skating? Since I was nine years old – I love it to this day. When I got a driver’s licence, I naturally extended skating into surfing. I love getting outside and connecting with nature – surfing, skating, or walking.

What did you do when you left school? I studied marketing and management at Victoria University in Wellington. I learnt a lot but have learnt so much more through physical experience, getting this business up and running has been the greatest learning experience.

How did you get from university to your own business? When Covid-19 hit, I was managing a direct marketing sales team, with dreams of travelling around South America. Instead, border closure meant that I spent six months travelling the South Island, immersing myself in nature and solitude, reflecting on what is important to me and planning my new venture.

What is your vision? Mostly, I want to celebrate nature by creating a product that is good for health, made from nature’s fruits. After doing a fiveday juice cleanse, I felt energised and lighter in mind – not just in body. Raw juice can impact people in a profound way.

Raw? Yes. The juice is freshly made before the market, and not pasteurised so the nutrients remain living. This however comes with a short shelf-life (around 5 days). That’s why we offer our three most popular flavours at the market: Can’t Beet’a’root (beetroot, apple, carrot, ginger), Applicious (apple, carrot, ginger), Orange Sunrise (orange, carrot, lemon). By matching our products to demand, we ensure that everyone gets the maximum shelf-life and we minimise waste.

How does sustainability feature in your business? Everything is designed to minimise waste and minimise our environmental footprint. That’s why the juice is in glass bottles which can be washed and re-used endlessly. We give customers a discount on their next juice when they bring the bottle back.

And do they? Yes! They certainly do. I have been impressed by the number of customers at Grey Lynn Farmers Market who are conscientious about returning bottles. They do it because they care about minimising waste - some even decline the discount.

How have your market customers helped your business? Customers have given me valuable feedback that has helped me tweak and improve my recipes. They have also given me insights into how my business can best serve customer needs. I love connecting with so many people on Sunday mornings.

What’s next for your business? It’s going online so that people can subscribe to juice deliveries and partake in juice cleanses. I’m also looking for a bigger production facility to meet the increasing demand, allowing us to offer a wider range of seasonal blends and more green juices, overall satisfying more people!

And now that border restrictions have all eased up, what about that dream of travelling around South America? It’s still there but has been put on hold until my business is more established. It’s a demanding time, but it’s also exciting and I’m loving seeing my vision become a reality.  PN

juiceonthemove.co.nz

MONT REDON’S FAMILY OF WINERIES

The Abeille-Fabre family of wines continues to expand under the stewardship of Pierre Fabre.

Our feature winery throughout October is all three of the wineries that they own, Chateau Mont-Redon in Châteauneufdu-Pape, Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint-Martin in Cairanne, and Saint Max in Provence.

Mont Redon is one continuous estate sitting at the top of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape plateau - crafting a range of wines from their home appellation as well as from around the Southern Rhone. The most recent project at their base in Châteauneufdu-Pape has been the completion of a brand new winery. The winery is cooled by natural air-conditioning utilising a Canadian well. Warm air is circulated through pipes that are buried well below the vineyard at a depth where the ground temperature is more stable. This cool air is then used to control the temperature in the winery.

Cairanne is located not far from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, home to Pierre’s newest acquisition Domaine de l’Oratoire SaintMartin. The style of Cairanne is very elegant with moderate fruit concentration (less than Lirac, Gigondas and of course Châteauneuf) but great length and complexity. The whites have slightly more texture than Mont-Redon style.

Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint-Martin has been farmed according to organic and biodynamic standards for ten generations. Winemaking at the estate under the previous owners, the Alary brothers, was very low interventionist - read natural. This is a philosophy that Pierre is excited to continue and explore. The estate was organic since the 90s and bio since the 2000s. For those who have been purchasing from us for some time, you’ll recall Chateau Riotor Rose. Riotor was crafted by Mont Redon, the new name for their Provence Rose is Saint Max. Fruit for this comes off vineyards located in the inner valley of the Cuers plain, on the sides of the foothills of the Massif des Maures, and on the Arçois inland country at the foot of these same hills. This area benefits from a Mediterranean coastal influence, whilst the inland Arçois vineyards enjoy a cooler climate that yield fruit of great freshness.

You’ll find these wines gracing our tasting tables during October in all stores.  PN

Check out the details online www.glengarry.co.nz/tastings

FEATURE WINERY

Mont-Redon+

This month we feature the wines of Mont-Redon. There’s a new shipment just in we’d love to share with you, so come instore and have a taste!

WWW.GLENGARRY.CO.NZ | P: 0800 733 505 | E: SALES@GLENGARRY.CO.NZ

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS: VEGAN VIBE MY VISIT TO PICI

Ever since Pici moved into Saint Kevins Arcade in early 2021, I have been hearing about how desperately I need to visit.

I’ve always just assumed that Auckland’s Italian scene was off the roster for me as a vegan - because what’s a pasta dish without decadent amounts of cheese? (No, seriously….) For that reason, I’ve missed out on some of Auckland’s best Italian spots in the past - Cotto, Baduzzi, Coco’s Cantina, Prego - but as I’ve said before, times are changing. Now, Prego has a full vegan menu and Coco’s too has vegan options on offer - as just two examples. Little did I know that despite its simple menu, Pici too could pull through.

The compact menu at Pici is all part of its magic and charm - thoughtful and elegant. Pici’s small intimate environment felt fitting for a lovely evening with close mates. The dim lighting, excellent service and good social energy made for a lush but comfortable atmosphere - a personal favourite balance that I look for in a restaurant.

We ordered the nocellara olives and focaccia to start, our own pastas for mains and the grapefruit sorbet to finish. The olives arrived as a generous serving in a bath of herby olive oil, which we later paired with our focaccia. My friend and I created what she calls the ‘focaccia philosophy’, which is as follows: first piece enjoyed on its own, second dipped in the olive oil and occasionally paired with an olive too, and the third and final piece to mop up the residual pasta sauce. While I unfortunately couldn’t try Auckland’s favourite, the pici cacio e pepe, I was able to indulge in the fettuccine pomodoro which is naturally vegan. The simplicity and subtlety of the dish was classic and lux. The waiter also offered me the bucatini, mushrooms and pecorino, which could also be made vegan on request.

Solidly stuffed, we pushed through to the home stretch and ordered dessert. The grapefruit sorbet was a stunning way to end our meal. It was the perfect size with a beautiful balance of sweet and a tart bite. As a lover of sweet and savoury crossovers, I would highly recommend adding a pinch of sea salt flakes on top as you work your way through for a touch of elevation too.

I often walk through the arcade in the early mornings and get a sneak peak at the behind the scenes through the windows at Pici. All of their pasta is handmade and made daily; the love and authenticity put into the menu is truly impressive and admirable. There are not many places where you can get handmade fresh pasta quite like this.

A thoughtful restaurant that makes for a cosy but special evening, Pici is another gem I am glad to have seen added to the Saint Kevins community amongst other favourites such as Bestie Cafe and Gemmayze Street.

Until my next visit ... which I’m certain will be in the near future. (SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS)  PN

PONSONBY CHEF TAKES TOP PRIZE

Aspiring chef Julius Caesar has taken out top place at the Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge 2022.

A senior chef de partie at Ponsonby Road Bistro, Caesar competed alongside three other young chefs at the final event held in Auckland last month. Julius presented a dish of crispy pork belly, pork mince, noodles and crispy wontons.

Open to all chefs under the age of 40, either working or training in New Zealand, the competition saw entrants submit a Chinese or Chinese-inspired dish and video online using a minimum of three Lee Kum Kee sauces or condiments.

Battling it out in front of a live audience at Main Course in Auckland on Monday, the finalists had 90 minutes to make and present their dish to a judging panel made up of Main Course owner Sonya Oyston, Waitakere Licensing Trust Head Chef Paulie Hooton, and Mark Dronjak, a seasoned chef with over 40 years’ experience and a wealth of published work.

Taking home a $3,000 cash prize and the title of 2022 Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chef, the judges described Caesar as a “talented chef with a mature palette and a big future”. The 2022 Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge was proudly supported by Gilmours and Trents.  PN

NZdevelopingchefs.co.nz www.acton.co.nz www.facebook.com/LeeKumKeeNZ

The Botanist Gin, in association with participating local bars, are supporting community gardens this month.

Head along to your local bar and for every Botanist Gin drink sold, $5 will be donated to Kelmarna Gardens to continue their work in promoting a regenerative local food system.

A great opportunity to catch up with friends at your friendly local bar, enjoy a delicious Gin and Tonic or Negroni, and know that you’re supporting your local community garden.

Kelmarna Gardens, an organic community farm in Ponsonby, has been providing the local community with delicious, healthy food for over 40 years.

The Botanist, an artisanal Gin from the Isle of Islay in Scotland, has a deep connection to the terrior. Twentytwo foraged botanicals are hand-picked locally and sustainably across an entire growing season. They’re then carefully dried and slow simmer distilled with pure Islay spring water in a unique Lomond still, affectionately nicknamed Ugly Betty. The result is a smooth yet complex gin that speaks of Islay.

Sustainability has been a vital part of The Botanist’s journey and why they have a long-term vision to continue to be more sustainable in everything they do. Becoming B Corp certified was a huge achievement that helped solidify the commitment towards a more sustainable future.

For participating bars go to www.hancocks.co.nz/botanistginnz or scan the QR code at the bottom of the page. The Botanist Gin is available at all good liquor stores. RRP 700ml $99.

DISCOVER A TASTE OF THE WILD

Supporting Kelmarna Gardens

For every The Botanist Gin sold in participating Ponsonby bars, we will donate $5 to Kelmarna Gardens Trust.

Scan here to view participating bars & show your support.