Why do we act like the idea of reducing our meat consumption is an assault on the very backbone of the nation? This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine under the title A Life Less Meaty Vegans are one of the few groups it’s still widely acceptable to hate on. So worthy, we complain. Talk about … Read more
As our summer road trip season rounds to a close, Sarah Austen-Smith takes a whistle-stop tour of country cafes between Auckland and Wellington to see whether the grass really is greener in the regions. Black Stump Berries, Te Puke Pulling into Black Stump Berries in a seven-seater Toyota Highlander full of kids, my first thought … Read more
Get your hands on some sourdough starter and get crack(er)ing on this recipe. There is something magic about a sourdough starter – the life it contains, the life it gives and the potential held within it. I have been making sourdough bread for myself and my family for almost two years now and we are … Read more
With this detailed guided tour, it’s easy to follow in the footsteps of the unruly visitors whose shocking antics have gripped the nation. Mere weeks into 2019, we already have a strong contender for the year’s most compelling news story. From the farthest reaches of the North Shore to the light-industrial outskirts of the Tron, … Read more
The Swedish retail monster is coming to New Zealand, but amid all the excitement, its greatest asset has been left in the shadows. No longer: here we celebrate the unique culinary experience that is eating at IKEA. Even though globalisation has had its slimy tentacles tightly gripped around Aotearoa for some years now, we still … Read more
An intrepid band of Spinoff employees tries what may or may not be (OK, most likely not) the world’s hottest chocolate, and find it pretty freakin’ hot. You know how it is: the first week back at work after the summer break and you’re feeling a little… lost. What is it we do now? Content … Read more
Ditch the limp mesclun and supermarket dressing: this is a salad that doesn’t muck around. This salad is a riff on an Ottolenghi recipe and is a wonderful combination of sweet and sour, crunchy and creamy. And what’s more, it gives silverbeet a whole new lease on life as it’s finely shredded and used as … Read more
Does less booze mean less flavour? Well, yes… but it’s not all bad news. All prices given were correct at the time of original publication in January 2019. Prices may have changed since. Here at The Spinoff, we’re a responsible bunch, and we know that a hoppy 8 percenter isn’t always the answer. You might … Read more
Alex Casey dives into the murky world of crispy-cuppa-companion nomenclature in New Zealand. Every now and then, a simple revelation knocks your entire world off its axis. You could be staring at your daily box of Shapes, when suddenly your gaze pulls focus like a Magic Eye and you realise that the white background on … Read more
Since 1981, a pioneering Dutch immigrant has been developing a distinctive New Zealand style of cheese, and now the world is starting to sit up and take notice. But for Albert Alferink, he’s just doing what he’s good at: working. Waikato: home of the Tron, the mighty river, Hobbiton, Waikato Draught and Jacinda Ardern. The … Read more
How does a new meal kit delivery company break into the New Zealand market: they call up a handsome Kiwi fireman who we can all relate to. Jaco Kluts is an astonishingly normal man. He lives in an ordinary house in a steadily gentrifying suburb in Auckland, just near Penny Bright’s old place. Outside on … Read more
Restaurant dining can present even more complex issues than daily decisions at the supermarket or at home. But what responsibility do chefs have to inform and shape their diners’ eating habits? Nowadays, ethical eating is often presented as a truism: we are told we should all be making ethical food choices, not only at home … Read more
No-nonsense 31-year-old Māori/Samoan woman Monique Fiso is behind one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in years. Get ready, Wellington. This post was originally published 29 October 2018 Wood-fired kareao and asparagus with salted buffalo curd, pine dust and a pine needle vinaigrette. Kina panna cotta with smoked kahawai, green-lipped mussels, caviar and kawakawa oil. … Read more
Bollocks to the official guidelines – if you’re expecting, and also expecting to vomit at any moment pretty much all the time, try these 10 handy hints. My first pregnancy, I was basically Paleo Pete. I ate great piles of silverbeet and broccoli. All of the poached eggs. Sometimes a bit of parmesan on top, … Read more
Simon Day has a meal with a criminal narcissist. This post was originally published July 10 2018 Somewhere between the sweet-and-sour tripe and the dramatic dissection of the five-spiced suckling pig, we discover that our entrancing new acquaintance named Alex is actually called Wayne, and is one of New Zealand’s most prolific conmen. Over the … Read more
When you’re hot and thirsty after a long day of doing not a hell of a lot because it’s the holidays, you’ll praise last week’s you for having the foresight to make these bad boys. These ice blocks are the perfect balance between sweet and tart. The classic combination of lemon and ginger is made … Read more
Finally, the definitive ranking of Aotearoa’s favourite snack – featuring notes of burnt marshmallow, wet undies and duplicitous giraffes. This post was originally published on 14 September 2018 Pastry-bound parcels of deliciousness have been in the news a bit recently. Earlier in the week, the nation’s best pies were lauded at a (presumably) glittering awards ceremony, … Read more
Albert Cho, the 21-year-old student whose sweary Instagram stoush with an Auckland cafe ended in racist abuse and thousands of new followers, opens up to Samuel Flynn Scott over some of Dominion Road’s finest. This post was originally published 25 September 2018 A few months ago, Albert Cho was just a regular Auckland student, albeit … Read more
The Spinoff Food whānau and friends reveal the best things they put in their gobs this year. CLAIRE ADAMSON Earlier this year, before she had told anyone outside of the family she was pregnant, my sister gamely came along to a wine tasting I was holding and inhaled the aroma of each wine deeply from … Read more
In 2018, Leonie Hayden decided she didn’t want to each as much meat for the good of the planet – but also realised ‘flexitarian’ is a stupid word, and we’re all going to die anyway. A revelation came to me this year in the form of a New York magazine article titled The Last Conversation … Read more
In an unassuming spot just outside of our biggest city, exacting standards and secret methods are producing some of the smoothest spirits you’ll ever try. This post was originally published 21 September 2018 Alex Kirichuk makes the world’s best booze, he says. It’s a bold claim for a tiny distillery in Puhoi, a historic village … Read more
A chance encounter leads to a Christmas-phobe having a magical dinner with the first lady of New Zealand food. If you’re short on time, here’s all you’re really wanting to know: the food was amazing, and this is a family that truly enjoys spending time with one another. Back track #1: Christmas was not a … Read more
Whip up these easy, classy ice blocks at home and save yourself a trip to the dairy on a stinking hot afternoon. These ice blocks came into being just at the right time, at the start of the summer, enjoyed in the heat of the afternoon as we gazed admiringly over our ever-expanding vege garden … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Simon Day on the scourge of the scone. I’ve spent the last six months trying to like scones. After seeking advice on where the … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Jihee Junn on Christmas desserts. Around this time last year, I was very publicly, very elaborately outed to the world as an office Christmas … Read more
Alice discovers that juniper and hops are a match made in heaven, while Henry pops the cork on a bargain bottle of bubbly. DUNCAN’S BREWERY JUNIPER IPA 7%, 500ml, $10.99 from Fine Wine Delivery Co A lot of brewers have a penchant for gin. Come to think of it, winemakers too. I guess the point … Read more
Working to combat New Zealand’s loneliness epidemic, Dinner Together matches volunteers with elderly people for a cup of tea and a spot of dinner. When Katie Brown was tasked with ringing Wainuiomata locals to check if they had their voting papers, she didn’t anticipate having her heart shattered into tiny pieces. But that’s exactly what … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: José Barbosa on the perfect milkshake. Someone once said “only the madman is absolutely sure”. Well then I guess I’m eligible for in-home care … Read more
Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms and Fine Wine Delivery Co. In this very special – and very, er, extended – festive edition of Dietary Requirements, the gang escapes the confines of the studio for a wholesome jaunt to the countryside. … Read more