The health of our soil is intrinsically linked to the health of our people, and a new book aims to centre matauranga Māori in the quest to stop treating our soil like, well, dirt. We hardly ever think about it, even though it’s literally under our feet. But in the coming years soil will become … Read more
Hints for a happy, healthy vegan life as the AM Show host prepares to adopt a plant-based diet for the next 12 months. In July, MediaWorks broadcaster Duncan Garner was very confident that come election time, Labour wouldn’t receive enough votes to govern alone. So confident that he said if they did, he would do … Read more
One of New Zealand’s most revered culinary exports, BurgerFuel is also one of our most enduring. With the renowned burger chain reaching its big two-five this month, we reached out to a few of the folks who’ve worked with them along the way. Every great story has to start in a particular place. For BurgerFuel, … Read more
Hosting an election night party but still stressing over what to serve? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Election night parties are mostly shambolic. Between the people who want to sit in front of the TV and watch numbers roll across the screen for hours and those who just came to delete some beverages, sometimes the … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he’s joined by Josh Emett, Michelin-starred chef and restaurant owner. Josh Emett is a household name in New Zealand, famous for … Read more
Earlier this week, it was announced that Auckland’s oldest McDonald’s is closing its doors. Here are some saucy stories from the Queen Street icon over its 40-year tenancy. If you’ve had a night out downtown in Auckland, chances are you’ve ended up walking past the Queen Street McDonald’s, if not actually going into it. It’s … Read more
What we eat defines our economy, our health, our environment and our culture. That’s why we need a plan for the future of our food systems, writes Angela Clifford, CEO at Eat New Zealand. Eating is the action we do more than anything else. We spend tens of thousands of dollars on food each year. … Read more
We asked the people vying for our votes how they’re keeping their minds sharp and bodies fuelled for the final stretch of the campaign marathon. What New Zealand’s political party leaders eat isn’t usually something many of us give much thought to, but come election time, when they’re out and about winning votes, politicians’ kai … Read more
Accusations of cultural appropriation in the restaurant world have made headlines in recent months, but why aren’t we talking about the white-owned ‘Asian fusion’ eateries that continue to trade off casual racism? One day, I walked past Auckland restaurant Monsoon Poon. I’ve ambled past the area plenty of times, but never with any real interest; … Read more
In this episode of The Spinoff’s food podcast, Sophie Gilmour, Alice Neville and Simon Day are joined by chef Yutak Son for a crash course in festive Korean cuisine. This week is Chuseok 추석, or Korean thanksgiving. To celebrate, chef Yutak Son has teamed up with Satellites and the Korean consulate to put together a … Read more
Mooncakes are a traditional rich pastry eaten for the Mid-Autumn festival in East-Asian communities. Sherry Zhang shares a few recipes for mooncakes from her friends and family. October 1st is the Mid-Autumn festival for the East-Asian community and, like many harvest festivals around the world, it’s about having a big ol’ feast with your family. … Read more
The myriad plants we call ‘weeds’ get a bad rap, but many of them are nutritious, delicious and crying out to be added to your next salad. When lockdown 1.0 hit and we were confined to our house and garden, I began a wee love affair with edible weeds. Not only are they free, they’re … Read more
Over the last few months, Linda Burgess has cheered herself up by watching food television. And saying fuck. For fuck’s SAKE! I say as my husband grates the broccoli. And I think, when did fuck become tame like – well, like for god’s, or even for goodness, sake? I listen to so many podcasts, ours, … Read more
Farewell winter’s veg and welcome in spring with this delicious tart, perfect for a classy lunch or a simple dinner. While this tart makes the most of winter brassicas, it’s also a nod at the arrival of spring. I love tarts, and our kids do too – they’re quick and easy to whip up and a … Read more
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. What are we talking about when we talk about sourdough? On one level it’s just flour and water, but on another it’s so much more than that. To help … Read more
The Ministry of Health has listed three Auckland hospitality venues as ‘locations of interest’ after customers tested positive for Covid-19. Three Auckland eateries have been linked to recent Covid-19 cases, with at least one closing for deep cleaning after being informed a customer had tested positive. The Ministry of Health website today updated its “locations … Read more
The company’s latest product, made with supplement company Jeuneora, has come under fire from Consumer NZ for failing to comply with food standards. High-end dairy company Lewis Road Creamery is the latest brand to jump on board the collagen craze with a new collagen-infused milk that hit shelves just last week. However, the company has … Read more
It’s not a binary choice of one or the other, writes Brian Cox, who says the two technologies can work together for the good of the environment. In an opinion piece titled “Why industrial anaerobic digestion is not the answer to food waste”, Kate Walmsley argued that composting provides better environmental and societal outcomes than … Read more
Brown bananas ruining the aesthetic of your fruit bowl? Turn ’em into these healthy-ish biscuits to fill the tins. We have been away for the past few days, so the prep I would normally do at the weekend in anticipation of filling the week’s lunchboxes didn’t get done. Thankfully, we all woke early this morning … Read more
A new Instagram account holds our representatives to account on one issue: the manner in which they spread their Marmite on toast. The Spinoff talks to its anonymous founder. Move over oil, there’s a new black gold this election. Party policy is one thing, but your local electorate MP is someone who represents you on … Read more
New Zealand’s first commercial bioenergy facility has been lauded as a sustainable way to deal with the nation’s food waste. It’s anything but, says community composter Kate Walmsley. A couple of weeks ago, it was announced that construction was starting on Aotearoa’s first commercial bioenergy facility, owned by Ecogas. Many people might see this as … Read more
Everyday huge volumes of unsold supermarket food go to waste. That’s why a baker, a brewer, a chef and an innovator are collaborating to rescue as much as possible and turn it into something new and tasty. Beer is a simple product – there isn’t a whole lot you can do to improve its core … Read more
A whole heap of vegetables covered in a delicious peanutty, gingery sauce – what’s not to like? This has become one of my go-to weeknight meals. It’s quick and easy to prepare and I feel really virtuous when I serve it up as there’s a good 10 cups of vegetables packed into it, which when … Read more
On a Saturday night on Dominion Road, Sonya Wilson discovered a dish so gastronomically monumental it can only be described as life-changing. I’ve never been someone who knows how to wax lyrical about food. I love food, more than I love fitting into my jeans, but I’ve never slung around words like provenance or piquancy, … Read more
A cold day, a roaring fire, a steaming mug between your hands – Josie Adams reviews Hot Marmite Drink, in cupboards now. Marmite New Zealand’s Instagram page has gone off the deep end. It’s posting instructions on how to create obscenities: how to create Marmite salad dressing, Marmite zoodles, Marmite quesadillas. Its latest invention is … Read more
After lockdown, Leisha Jones and her family packed up the car and started driving south from Auckland, with no real agenda other than to escape. What ensued was an enriching, and delicious, reintroduction to this great nation’s cuisine. A few years ago, I took a course in New Zealand wine to become a more educated … Read more
‘Reading the cups’ is the ultimate reason to always drink proper leaf tea and never tea bags, adding a touch of drama to an otherwise boring cuppa. Amanda Thompson talks you through it. I don’t know who I am. I don’t know where I come from and I don’t know my people – it’s an … Read more
The small team behind the much-lauded Pasture is opening a bar – and true to form, it’s going to be unlike anything we’ve seen in New Zealand before. Jean Teng got a sneak peek. You enter Boxer via a text message. Well, that’s not strictly true. If you have the foresight to book beforehand, you’ll … Read more
Auckland’s oldest restaurant, Tony’s Steakhouse has been welcoming all-comers for more than 50 years. In the wake of news it may be facing closure, long-time regular Graham Reid penned this tribute. There’s a scene that has played out hundreds of times at Tony’s restaurant on Wellesley Street in central Auckland. I’ve witnessed it frequently. A … Read more