On
a whistlestop tour of New Zealand we travelled over three and a half
thousand kilometres in less than three weeks, searching out artisan
food producers, funky restaurants and wine, on both the North and
South Islands.
From the tourist’s viewpoint, New Zealand is a stunningly beautiful
country with a fascinating
indigenous culture, diverse environments and ecological integrity.
The South Island possibly has the edge on the North as far as
breathtaking scenery is concerned. The wine industry is exploding,
with large acreage of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rheisling, Pinot
Noir and the Bordeaux blends being grown. Many of the top wines have
screw tops and apart from Europe, Australia and the US, there is a
fast growing market in China for New Zealand’s burgeoning wine
production.
New Zealand is about twice the land mass of Ireland with the same
population. There are no agricultural subsidies, when they were
withdrawn there was a painful period of adjustment, which has since
resulted in a highly efficient dairy, meat and fruit industry.
All over the countryside there are farm shops and farm stands where
farmers and food producers sell directly to the public. Farmers
Markets are gathering momentum.
The specialist artisan food production section is also gathering
momentum – there are an estimated 2000 in New Zealand as opposed to
280 over here. It was difficult to get exact figures and to
ascertain what the definition of a small producer was.
We flew into Christchurch on the South Island and our first stop was
at Dunsandal Store, 45 minutes south of Christchurch. Annabel Graham
and her husband decided to transform their excess dessert apples
into small varietal juices after a downturn in the apple export
market. The apples are handpicked and crushed within 24 hours. They
are pressed in the traditional way using acacia wood boards and
cloths to form ‘cheese’. The juice is pasteurised to prolong shelf
life – presently there are seven varieties in the Camla Farm range.
Annabel converted a local dairy into a must-stop café, it is on the
road between Christchurch and Dunedin a charming conglomerate – a
shop which serves as a local store and post office, a great deli
counter with delicious local produce and home baking and a
well-chosen selection of top quality dry goods. The café was packed
with locals when we called, and to our delight we discovered Sinead
Doran cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Sinead had cooked in the
kitchen at Ballymaloe House a few years ago. Below are recipes for
some of the good things she and Annabel cooked.
We travelled with Margaret Brooker’s Good Food Guide to New Zealand
tucked into the glove compartment in the same way as we do with John
and Sally McKenna’s terrific Bridgestone Guides over here.
This meant that as we travelled down the coast towards Dunedin, we
could find all the best eateries and artisan producers. We were
shown around the cheese making plant in Omaru. The owner went into
cheese making in 1987 when farming became difficult, and now after
much trial and error, he and his 5 cheese makers make 16 different
cheeses, including Brie and Camembert types, a feta and a stunningly
good Winter Blue (remember Winter is Summer in New Zealand!). There
was a terrific little café beside the ‘cheesery’ where people could
taste their cheeses and dishes incorporating the cheese.
We continued our drive down past the Boulders, through stunning
scenery, lots of memorial halls and monuments to World War 1 & 2
veterans.
Fantastic drive inland – huge landscapes, wonderful ancient trees,
New Zealand beech, willow, pines, tree ferns, rolling hills,
fantastic cacti, bleached fences, foxgloves, genista and wild lupins
all along roadside. Lots of beehives, snow on the mountain tops,
sparsely populated and virtually no traffic. Lots and lots of
elderflower in bloom – so strange at Christmas. On and on through
the chatto creek, past cherry and apricot orchards in the valley,
acres of wild roses on the hillside. Eventually we came to the wine
area.
We stayed in Arrowtown, we watched an old chap panning for gold down
by the river in the middle of blue and purple lupins, below what
must be one of the most charming towns in the south island. We ate a
memorable meal in a chic galvanised restaurant called Saffron – the
Cappucino Crème Brulee comes from there.
In Nelson we visited the Farmers Market and picked up some great
bread, fantastically good local bratwurst, Westphalian ham and beer
sticks, boysenberries and rhubarb.
The Museum of Wearable Art and the vintage car museum beside it are
not to be missed.
We gathered mussels, oysters and pipi on the little beaches along
Queen Charlotte Sound, scarcely another soul in sight, even though
it was over the holiday period.
Fortunately we had booked the ferry to the North Island, its
certainly risky to leave that to chance. In lovely weather this is a
spectacular trip up through the sound, on the grey and misty day we
crossed over we opted to watch Bridget Jones instead and then raced
into windy Wellington to The Tasting Place to get a table before
closing time – a really happening spot but not terrific food. The
L’Affarre coffee shop on College Street and the Moore Wilson Market
opposite are definitely worth checking out.
The red Pohu Tuk Wa Christmas trees were just bursting into a mass
of bloom. We made a detour to visit Graham Harris of Wellington
University who has amassed an impressive collection of Maori
potatoes about which I will write more in another piece. Meanwhile,
here are recipes for some of the delicious things we ate at
Dunsandel Store, with special thanks to Sinead Doran for sending
along the recipes to us.
Dunsandel Spiced Pumpkin
Salad
Sinead says this is the most popular salad at the store, she can’t
keep up with demand when the pumpkins are in season.
Large pumpkin, peeled and cubed
2 cups red pepper, finely sliced
3 spring onions, chopped
1 cup sweetcorn
lots of chopped parsley
salt, pepper
1 red chilli, chopped
olive oil
Roast pumpkin in lots of olive oil, don’t let it get mushy.
While still warm add rest of ingredients. Taste and correct
seasoning.
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Dunsandel Pasties
Makes 8 pasties
500g (18oz) pork mince
125g (4½ oz) bacon, diced
1 cup (2oz/50g) breadcrumbs
1 large apple, diced
1 medium onion, diced
200g (7oz) boiled potatoes, diced (if the potatoes are new, leave
the skins on)
1 egg
2 spring onions
salt and pepper
quatre epices (pinch)
Shortcrust pastry made with 1lb (450g) flour (you may have a little
spare).
Sweat the onions in a little butter until soft but not coloured.
Cool.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Fry a little piece
of mixture to taste.
Correct seasoning if needed.
Roll pastry into circles 20cm (7½ inch) diameter, 5mm(¼ inch) thick.
Put 150g (5oz) of mixture in the centre of circle.
Egg wash the edges, bring together on top of mix. Seal, crimp edges,
put 4 holes in pastry, egg wash. Repeat with rest of mix. Cook for
20-30 minutes at 180C/350F/gas 4.
Ginger Crunch
210g (7½ oz) butter, melted
210g (7½ oz) brown sugar
½ teasp. ground ginger
pinch salt
410g (14½ oz) flour
½ teasp. baking powder
Topping:
120g (4½oz) butter
1 cup (120g/4½ oz) icing sugar
4 tablesp.golden syrup
2 teasp. ground ginger
Mix dry ingredients. Add in melted butter. Press firmly into baking
tray.
Bake for 15 minutes at 160C/325F/gas 3.
For topping – melt butter and sugar together. Add icing sugar and
ginger and stir well.
Pour over base while biscuit is still warm, and spread evenly.
Portion while still warm.
Passion Fruit Slice
180g (6½ oz) butter
¾ cup (175g/6oz) sugar
2 eggs
1 teasp. vanilla essence
½ cup (2½ oz/75g) plain flour
1 cup (5oz/150g) self raising flour
½ cup (4fl.oz/125ml) passion fruit pulp
Icing:
80g (3oz/75g) butter
1 cup (4½ oz/125g) icing sugar
¼ cup (2 fl.oz/50ml) passion fruit pulp
Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs gradually
with essence.
Fold in sifted flours and passion fruit pulp. Put into greaseproof
lined trays, spread evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes at 180C/350F.gas 4 or until cooked. Cool before
icing.
To make the icing – soften butter, beat in sugar and passion fruit.
Saffron Crème Brulee
350ml (12 fl.oz) cream
125ml (4 fl. oz) milk
75ml (3 fl.oz) coffee
75g (3oz) sugar
6 eggs
2 tablesp. Kalua
Whisk the eggs and sugar together. Bring cream, milk and sugar to
the boil, allow to cool to10 degrees.
Add coffee and pour onto sugar and eggs and whisk.
Pour through a sieve into ramekins and cook in a bain-marie for
45-60 minutes at 160C/325F/gas 3.
Sprinkle a layer of castor sugar on top and caramelise with a blow
torch.
Caramel Walnut Slice
200g (7oz) butter
225g (8oz) sugar
1 teasp. vanilla essence
350g (12oz) flour
1 teasp. baking powder
Topping:
100g (3½ oz) butter
2 tablesp. golden syrup
1 can condensed milk
walnuts for sprinkling on top
Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy
Add vanilla essence
Fold in flour (sieved) and baking powder. Put in tray, keeping back
2 tablesp. of mix.
Topping:
Melt butter and sugar, mix in the condensed milk. Pour over base.
Sprinkle with walnuts and rest of base mix.
Bake for 35 minutes at 170C/325F/gas 3
Chocolate Crunch
210g (7½ oz) butter, melted
175g (6oz) sugar
2 tablesp. cocoa
260g (9½ oz) flour
1 teasp. baking powder
6 Weetabix, crushed
Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Add melted butter and mix well. Press
firmly into baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes at 160C.
Chocolate Icing:
1½ cups (6¾ oz/195g) icing sugar
1 tablesp. cocoa
enough butter melted to bring icing together.
Desiccated coconut for sprinkling
To make icing – sieve icing sugar and cocoa together, add enough
melted butter to bring together.
Ice tray bake while it is still warm and sprinkle with coconut.
Portion while still warm.
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Foolproof Food
Country Rhubarb Cake
The first lovely pink spears of new season’s rhubarb are in the
shops now.
This delicious juicy Rhubarb Cake based on an enriched bread dough
was made all over the country. Originally it would have been baked
in the bastible or baker beside an open fire. My mother, who taught
me this recipe varied the filling with the seasons – gooseberries,
apples, plums …
Serves 8
12 ozs (340g) flour
2 ozs (55g) castor sugar
a pinch of salt
½ teaspoon breadsoda
3 ozs (85g) butter
1 egg (preferably-free range)
egg wash
5½ fl ozs (165ml) milk, buttermilk or sour milk
1½ lbs (675g) rhubarb, finely chopped
6-8 ozs (170-225g) granulated sugar
castor sugar for sprinkling
1 x 10 inch (25.5cm) enamel or Pyrex plate
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4
Sieve the flour, salt, breadsoda and castor sugar into a bowl, rub
in the butter. Whisk the egg and mix with the buttermilk. Make a
well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in most of the
liquid and mix to soft dough; add the remainder of the liquid if
necessary.
Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, turn out the dough and
pat gently into a round. Divide into two pieces: one should be
slightly larger than the other; keep the larger one for the lid.
Meanwhile dip your fingers in flour. Spread the smaller piece onto
the plate. Scatter the finely chopped rhubarb all over the base,
egg-wash the edges and sprinkle the rhubarb with sugar. Roll out the
other piece of dough until it is exactly the size to cover the
plate, lift it on and press gently to seal the edges. Make a hole in
the centre for the steam to escape, egg-wash and sprinkle with a
very small amount of sugar.
Bake in a moderate oven, 180C/350F/regulo 4, for 45 minutes to 1
hour or until the rhubarb is soft and the crust is golden. Leave it
to sit for 15-20 minutes so that the juice can soak into the crust.
Sprinkle with castor sugar. Serve still warm with a bowl of softly
whipped cream and some moist, brown sugar.
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Hot Tips
Congratulations to Sean and Dorothy Walsh and all the team at
the Village
Greengrocer in Castlemartyr on winning the Bord Bia Best
National Green Grocer Award in Dublin - all their customers who
enjoy and appreciate the excellent service and produce from the shop
are delighted they have received this well deserved recognition, and
wish them continued success in the future.
Pink Lady apples with their
crunchy flesh and sweet taste make the ideal dessert ingredient
during the romantic month of February – but of course may be enjoyed
all year round – look out for their heart-shaped logo and enjoy –
for recipe ideas visit
www.pinklady-europe.com
ICA/SLOW FOOD
EVENT WITH DARINA ALLEN
Friday 4th March – 7-10pm at Schull Community College, Colla Rd.
Schull.
Meet the local producers – have tastings – bring your shopping bag
as you will be able to buy from the stalls. Meet local well known
chefs. Darina will talk about the opportunities available in
producing local food – this may be your opportunity to hear how you,
or a family member or a neighbour, could turn a hobby into a
lucrative small business.
Admission €12 by ticket only – contact 028-28433, 028-28227,
028-28231