A much ballyhooed report has found that New Zealand is ideally placed to create beef patties that are sustainable across the entire supply chain. Sounds good, but it’s the product of some extremely selective calculations, argues Mathias Corwin. Earlier this month came the news that the Ministry for Primary Industries had teamed up with the … Read more
Is there anything better than a not-too-sweet, slightly sour jam atop lavishly buttered toast? The answer is no, no there is not. February for me is the month of foraging. The rambling blackberries that line our country roads are now dotted with purple black fruit that sparkle like jewels in the late summer sun. Filled … Read more
The American lunch meat has a special place on dining tables halfway across the world, from the Philippines to Japan to South Korea – and now, on the tables of Asian communities in NZ. How did this happen? Jihee Junn investigates. Believe it or not, but Spam and Seolnal (or Lunar New Year as it’s … Read more
The food pod squad assembles to talk about fine dining, Valentine’s Day dining and summer dining, including the location of the alleged best fish and chip shop in Aotearoa. Join Sophie, Simon and Alice as they reminisce about Antoine’s, the recently closed Auckland fine-dining institution where only one of them ever actually ate. Seems like … Read more
A lush take on porridge that just so happens to be vegan and gluten free. Sometimes I get stuck in breakfast-making rut and inspiration is slow to come. To combat this and make myself feel more prepared for the return to school, I made a big batch of muesli and have started to make the … Read more
Two friends are broadening ice block lovers’ expectations of the classic summer treat with their unique fruity combinations, all handmade on the Kāpiti Coast. Amy Delahunty and Chrissy Vize have been friends since they were 13 years old and their lives have constantly intersected with each other. They went through high school and university together, … Read more
Alcoholic seltzers are all the rage this summer, but are any of them any good? The dedicated beverage enthusiasts of The Spinoff took it upon themselves to find out. We saw the first glimpse of the hard seltzer craze in Aotearoa last summer, when an array of supposedly better-for-you fizzy alcoholic beverages that tasted of, … Read more
In the latest of her series of food comics, Liliana Mañetto Quick pens a love letter to the barbecue ‘not ribs’ at the capital’s vegan cafe Sweet Release.
She’s tied to the kitchen, by choice. Indigo Paul ponders how she ended up filling her days with domestic labour – and why she’s cool with it. The term came up after chatting to a friend about what I’d been keeping myself busy with. “Oh, I’ve just been at home, working on the garden and … Read more
Ignoring those QR codes when you drop into the supermarket? Can’t be bothered when you grab a coffee? The people serving you notice, and you’re freaking them out. So far, New Zealanders’ use of the Covid-19 Tracer app has been notably woeful. Food industry workers who’ve watched streams of customers walk straight past their workplace’s … Read more
Sophie Gilmour and Simon Day are joined by special guest Hugo Baird, co-owner of Grey Lynn’s Honey Bones and Lilian, to talk about opening new pub Hotel Ponsonby. Auckland is a city of many bars but few really good pubs – the kind of places you’d be just as comfortable going with your parents as … Read more
Bananas are unequivocally the best fruit in the world, and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind, writes Alice Webb-Liddall. I was about 15 when I realised that halftime banana cake wasn’t a tradition outside of my family. On the day of an All Blacks game a banana cake would always be whipped … Read more
Miss Torta in central Auckland is putting the spotlight on a snack that’s commonplace in Mexico, but until now relatively unknown in New Zealand. You’ve heard of a torta, but what is it, exactly? Well, depending on the cuisine it can mean a flatbread, cake, tart, sweet pie, savoury pie or an omelette. In Mexico, … Read more
Summer reissue: Chef Monique Fiso joins us for a chat about Hiakai – her acclaimed Wellington restaurant, and the title of her stunning new book. First published November 3, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn more about how … Read more
Why are New Zealand’s 2 Minute Noodles called 3 Minute Noodles in the UK? It’s a puzzle that has taken hold of Dylan Reeve and refuses to let go. I’m a child of the 80s and 90s. I watched a lot of TV and was a big fan of aggressively marketed brand name food and … Read more
Haggis, neeps and tatties and whisky may not be a traditional spread for a summer gathering in NZ, but trust Auckland city councillor and Kiwi-Scot Cathy Casey on this one. Gie it laldy! Rule one: Hold it on (or near) January 25 Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759. Since the early 19th century, … Read more
Supermarket shoppers looking for citrus are seeing a sour trend at the moment – some stores are entirely tapped out of lemons. But why? Batches of homemade lemonade will be taking a hit this summer, with life not giving New Zealand shoppers lemons. Prices are high at supermarkets and grocers that have the citrus fruit, … Read more
Amanda Thompson and her family are attempting to cut back on the meat, so they gave all the vego sausies the local supermarket had to offer a hoon on the barbie. Here are the results. I was a vegetarian once. Even the best of us take a well-meaning wrong turn on the tangled highways and … Read more
Summer reissue: What is sourdough and why did so many people become obsessed with it during lockdown? This month’s Dietary Requirements podcast cracks open the starter to investigate. First published September 11, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn … Read more
Summer reissue: Kind-of vegetarian Alex Casey brings you the only meat-free fast food burger ranking you’ll ever need. First published October 31 2020 At the start of the year, several centuries ago, I went vegetarian. Kind of. As a coward with commitment issues, I decided to enter into a dietary Yes Man situation, where I … Read more
Summer reissue: A definitive answer to a burning question: what is the best gluten-free bread of them all? First published October 21 2020 Outside of coeliac circles, not many people know that gluten-free bread is actually better than regular bread. It’s true.* After years of fastidious experimentation and perfecting, gluten-free bakers have now produced a … Read more
In the second in her series of food comics, Liliana Mañetto Quick introduces us to her hometown go-to Rustic Cuisine, a slice of France at the top of the South Island.
With the help of her faithful four-legged assistant, Jean Teng disregards commonsense and ‘only for pet consumption’ labelling to review dog food fit for a king (or at least a cavalier king charles spaniel). First published June 2, 2020 Three months ago, I was reviewing fine-dining restaurant The Grove. Today, I’m reviewing vacuum-sealed frozen dog … Read more
Summer reissue: As the American media giant comes under fire for its treatment of POC contributors, it’s time to talk about the whiteness of food media in Aotearoa, say Jean Teng and Charlotte Muru-Lanning. First published June 13 2020 A wave of consciousness around racism is sweeping the globe at the moment. Protests that started … Read more
Kawakawa adds subtle peppery notes to a refreshing summer sorbet. Make it while strawbs are cheap and plentiful! There are some crops that thrive in my garden, and others, strawberries being one of them, that don’t. I’ve tried my best and I haven’t given up yet, however. Perhaps next year will be the year! And … Read more
Summer reissue: We fought when she ranked the chips. We bickered when she ranked the lollies. And now, Madeleine Chapman returns to bring the nation together as one, with this, her longest list yet, an unimpeachable ranking of the biscuits. First published April 26 2020 In a world without restaurants, cafes and bakeries, all that remains … Read more
Summer reissue: Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. In this episode, we’re joined by food writer Ginny Grant and a whole lot of babies for our first podcast of 2020. First published February 2, 2020. Independent journalism depends … Read more
Summer reissue: Summer is the time for buying dollar bags at the dairy. It’s also the time for Madeleine Chapman to rank every single one of them. First published February 14 2020 In a feeble attempt to pre-empt the outrage, I’d like to make some disclaimers. Firstly, the lollies were limited to those sold in … Read more
Summer reissue: From the tip of Farewell Spit to the very arse end of Stewart Island, there is one delicacy that unites Te Wai Pounamu: the humble green onion chip. But why? Alice Neville embarks on a quest for the true story behind this regional snacking quirk. First published February 29, 2020. I have many … Read more