Fritters are a New Zealand classic and these ones, packed with fresh spring produce, make a perfect light lunch or dinner. Spring is well and truly upon us – my garden has exploded and I take such pleasure in being able to harvest its bounty on a daily basis. We are currently enjoying purple sprouting … Read more
Symbolising the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, Diwali – or Deepavali, as it’s known in the south of India – will always hold a special place in Renu Sikka’s heart. Deepavali is one of those festive occasions when you feel the warm, enclosing presence of your elders – it’s like your … Read more
Is it worth forking out for deluxe snacks for your pooch, or are budget brands the business? Critic reviews eight dog food varieties, rating each on appearance, aroma, mouthfeel, taste and the all-important ‘aura’. This article was first published in the Otago University student magazine Critic Te Arohi. Luxurious images and buzz words like “succulent” and “delicate” … Read more
The mind-boggling array of flavours, the suspiciously fat straws, the disconcertingly long queues… for the uninitiated, boarding the bubble tea bandwagon can be a daunting prospect. Fear not: Lucy Zee is here to walk you through it. You see them on Queen Street, wearing rare TNs, the latest Off-White™ jacket and some $320 Travis Scott … Read more
What’s better than bread and butter pudding? BRIOCHE and butter pudding, naturally. There is something wonderfully simple about the humble bread and butter pudding. Stale bread (or in this case brioche) is buttered and soaked in a custardy base, peppered with lemon zest, currants and almonds and baked until crunchy, custardy and utterly delicious. BRIOCHE … Read more
In the little town of Inglewood, you’ll find a cosy spot serving up top-notch pies, decadent doughnuts and coffee as good as any you’d get in the big smoke. Sixteen kilometres southeast of New Plymouth, under the shadow of maunga Taranaki, lies a little rural town by the name of Inglewood. With a population of … Read more
This December, with the help of other generous food businesses, Freedom Farms will deliver 40 Christmas hampers to women affected by domestic violence. “What’s this?!” I hear you cry. “A Christmas story at the beginning of October? Madness!” I know, I know. But look, someone has to be first. Better you be eased in gently … Read more
Get the kids to help you make these during the holidays, then add them to the regular lunchbox rotation come back-to-school time. If you’re reading this and have children then, according to recent research, there’s a 50% chance they aren’t consuming their recommended daily serving of vegetables. Walk through your local supermarket and it’s little … Read more
The Hiakai hāngī was one of the most exciting events at this year’s Visa Wellington On a Plate. Photographer Amber-Jayne Bain was there to document the journey of Monique Fiso and her talented international collaborators. There aren’t many people in the world who work harder than Monique Fiso. She is driven to excel, but with … Read more
Planning a big blowout of illicit dairy deliciousness? This is the brownie for you. How great was Covering Climate Now last week? I was engrossed, following along with these practical, sobering and funny discussions about what we are (or are not) doing well now and should do in the future to change the course of … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Don Rowe heads to Queenstown to see if a Fergburger lives up to the hype. It doesn’t take much to become an institution in New Zealand. Cast adrift at the bottom of the Earth, we cling to whatever collective … Read more
Two years on from her open letter to Andrew Little on his vow to slash immigration numbers, Israeli-born Yael Shochat, who owns Ima Cuisine in Auckland, writes about the harm the changes to the work-to-residence visa will do to the hospitality industry. Last week I, like many who employ immigrants, received an email from Immigration … Read more
Transforming food scraps into a nutrient-rich climate-change fighter is dependent on keeping it in the neighbourhood, according to the people behind a new composting initiative. It’s sweet to chuck this apple core under that bush over there, right? It’ll return to the earth and nourish the soil… surely? Sorry, but that’s not how compost works … Read more
Covering Climate Now: There’s a range of dairy-free ice creams available these days, but it’s a fair bet none will be as delicious – or satisfying – as making your own. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! If the latest stats are anything to … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. This month, we go crazy for crickets in a climate week special. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! September’s … Read more
Covering Climate Now: The Spinoff crew who took on climate change with a vegan diet for the week reflect on the highs, the lows, the pies and the fries. Check out the introductory post and midweek update for the full story. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. … Read more
Covering Climate Now: A midweek update from the Spinoffers who have ditched dairy (and eggs, and meat, and fish…) for the week. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! Read this for the background on what this plant-based palaver is all about, and this for … Read more
Covering Climate Now: As part of The Spinoff’s commitment to Covering Climate Now, the food section has gone vegan. Today, a delicious recipe to herald the arrival of spring. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! Roman-style vignarola has great appeal at this time of … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Connecting your everyday choices at the supermarket to a crisis half a world away might be a hard concept get your head around, but we all have power to effect change, writes Hannah McGowan. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! In … Read more
Covering Climate Now: Why we’re saying adios to animal products (just for a little while). The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! As part of The Spinoff’s commitment to Covering Climate Now, a week-long worldwide initiative aimed at strengthening the media’s focus on climate change, … Read more
For some, it symbolises the very backbone of New Zealand’s food culture. But can Kiwi onion dip survive after the factory that makes reduced cream is shut down? The Australian factory that makes Nestlé reduced cream, an integral ingredient in Kiwi onion dip, is shutting down, casting a shadow over the future of the New … Read more
To celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, cookbook authors, 2014 MasterChef-winning sisters and badass wāhine Māori Karena and Kasey Bird (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa) have translated some of the delicious recipes from their second cookbook, Hungry, into te reo Māori for The Spinoff. Today, poached pears in chocolate. NGĀ PEA KŌHUA KI ROTO I TE … Read more
To celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, cookbook authors, 2014 MasterChef-winning sisters and badass wāhine Māori Karena and Kasey Bird (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa) have translated some of the delicious recipes from their second cookbook, Hungry, into te reo Māori for The Spinoff. Today, a tino reka salmon salad. NGĀ MOMO REKA O TE HĀMANA … Read more
Simon Day learns about the history and power of Chinese five-spice. Both the origins of Chinese five-spice and the flavour itself are a little mysterious. My internet investigations revealed the powder’s name could be in reference to the use of five spices (although this often grows to six or seven), or it could refer to … Read more
To celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, cookbook authors, 2014 MasterChef-winning sisters and badass wāhine Māori Karena and Kasey Bird (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa) have translated some of the delicious recipes from their second cookbook, Hungry, into te reo Māori for The Spinoff. Today, fried chicken. HEIHEI PARAI kia 4 ngā heihei korehere … Read more
Nancy Silverton is one of the world’s great chefs and for three nights in August, she took over a restaurant in Wellington. Simon Day was there. The first thing legendary Californian chef Nancy Silverton does after she greets the bright-eyed dining room that’s gathered at Wellington restaurant Shepherd to see her in the flesh and … Read more
Got a surplus of lemons? Make these and you’ll be thanking yourself in those months when they’re few and far between. Like little rays of sunshine, lemons are such a fantastically versatile fruit suited perfectly to both sweet and savoury dishes. Their flavour is equally wonderful on its own as it is married with other … 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. This month, we’re joined by one of Wellington’s finest sons, musician and food writer Samuel Flynn Scott. In our Wellington special, capital culinary evangelist Samuel Flynn Scott joins fellow displaced Wellingtonian Alice (plus … Read more
Countdown’s restriction on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s came into force this week. Near-lifelong energy drink consumer Sam Brooks writes on his relationship with the buzzy beverages, and what he thinks of the age restriction. I was seven years old when V launched in New Zealand. That radioactive green can made it look … Read more