Alice in Bakingland cookbook | Murray Lloyd Photography

After bringing armfuls of fresh baking home over the last couple of months, I will miss Alice and her kitchen. Alice has been fantastic to work with and her generosity showed no bounds. This was typified when on the last day of food photography she offered me a cake to take home. Aptly named Celebration Cake, Alice was celebrated when the cake was presented at a friend's house and held pride of place amongst fish and chips, burgers and a few beers.

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Although the styling here differs from the more refined book version, the inside remained the same - three layers of chocolate cake. For those who like to bake, look out for the book in the middle of next year.

FairTradeBananas vs EthicalChoice | Murray Lloyd Photography

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Fair Trade Bananas

I was surprised to see All Good Organics Fair Trade Bananas right at the entrance of one of my grocery suppliers recently.

I thought the move may have resulted from the stoush between the owners of the Fair Trade bananas – New Zealand’s All Good Bananas, and Dole’s Ethical Choice brand. However Chris, the fresh produce manager at the supermarket, said the move was because of a special they were running. Either way it was good to see they sold a lot more Fair Trade bananas from the new location.

To avoid any confusion this is the All Good Bananas Fair Trade brand

All Good Fair Trade Bananas

I wonder if they are using Fair Trade bananas on Sesame Street

A Royal Afternnoon Tea at WOAP | Murray Lloyd Photography

A Church, and particularly a Maori church, seemed a very appropriate place to commemorate Mrs Royal, an Otaki Caterer of yesteryear. At the Wellington on a Plate event hosted by Ruth Pretty Catering and Rangiatea Church, her kindness was noted, with special mention of the Maori families she used to help by selling goods from her bakery at below cost.

The guests who travelled to Otaki for the event not only got fed by an afternnon tea inspired by Mrs Royal but were also welcomed to Rangiatea Church. Andre Baker gave a compelling talk about the history of the church including minute details about the rebuild after the church was burnt down in 1995 by arson (he was one of the key project managers). It is seldom I hear someone talk with such humbleness and depth of knowledge.

Louise Carkeek (who had just turned 90) was also introduced to the audience. She along with Marie Hakaraia was instrumental in renewing the embroided kneeler cushions that were destroyed in the fire. We were told they got bored with the delays in the rebuild and just got on with it. Sixty three cushions were destroyed but there were at least twice as many replacements on display.

1953 was the year Ruth Pretty selected to recreate Mrs Royal's time and once the guests entered the church hall they were greeted by food and royalty (it was the year the Queen was coronated). Even with the two Bishops available there was some confusion (and amusement) about who was going to say Grace. I am sure Mrs Royal would have would have been both thrilled and humbled by this tribute.

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Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

Wellington on a plate event by Ruth Pretty Catering

The Best Coffee in Wellington | Murray Lloyd Photography

At home I have put many beans through the grinder, into the stovetop and drunk usually as a long black with flat milk (I am drinking one as I write this). I have had several bean favourites but these were blown away when I tried the Italia blend from Tony Gibbs recently.

Gibbston Coffee Interior

Although his tiny café on the Terrace has been operating since 2001 it has been unnoticed up until now. Maybe this is because the sign overhead remains blank and the café doesn't even have a name.

The lack of a sign was no hindrance to the flow of people coming in and out of the cafe while I was photographing, most of them exchanging greetings with Gibbs while he roasted beans. The beans are roasted in a fully restored Aug Olsen originating in Denmark.

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbston Coffee

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Gibbston Coffee

Gibbs has been roasting beans since 1987 when he was trained by George Kepper, an Australian based Russian who consulted several of the big roast companies in Sydney from time to time to correct blends and adjust roasts that were not quite right. The Italia blend was perfected by Gibbs on visits to Kepper in Sydney and has not been altered since 1987.

Of the beans Gibbs purchases for his café he rates the Columbian Medellin Supremo as the best (and the most expensive), supplied by John Burton, New Zealand’s primary importer of beans for smaller roasters.

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbs’s blends, aside from the Italia include TG Pearl, Indian Mysore (named after the Southern Indian province where it comes from) and Brazilian which is made especially for the drinkers at Taste Café in Kelburn, one of two cafes Gibbs supplies (the other is Salvation in Newtown).

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbston Coffee

Gibbston Coffee

Located in Wellington’s corporate heartland (the PM drops in for coffee and the Treasury is right opposite) it is great to see someone putting taste firmly on the bottom line.

Stop Press: The cafe has been renamed Old George (after the Russian who taught Tony Gibbs how to roast the beans) and is still producing the best coffee in Wellington

Old George coffee beans with new packaging in Wellington.

The Good Oil on Bali | Murray Lloyd Photography

“Please bring organic olive oil and flour if possible…” Having booked numerous accommodation suppliers over the years, I was impressed by this unique approach from Swasti Eco Cottages in Bali. After leaving Common Sense Organics with the Bali bound bottle of Moutere Grove Organic Olive Oil I looked forward to handing it over to the Swasti kitchen once we got to Ubud.

Arriving at Swasti we quickly made a tour of the organic garden. The range of produce included turmeric, mulberries, egg plants, tomatoes and some Avatar lookalike goats.

Entrance to Swasti Eco Cottages in Ubud, Bali

Organic tumeric at Swasti Eco Cottages in Ubud, Bali

Organic Anglo-Nubian dairy goat at Swasti Eco Cottages in Bali

After a couple of days exploring the wonderful Ubud surrounds I finally got to photograph Pa Putra (one of the Swasti kitchen staff) holding the Moutere Grove oil in the dining room. In return for the organic oil we received two free desserts.

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Pa Putra from Swasti Eco Cottages holding Moutere organic olive oil from New Zealand

Other highlights were the squirrels darting around the treetops, the frangipani flowers draped around our room, frogs croaking through the night, very friendly staff and the abundance of fresh produce on which we dined.

Interior of Rama Room at Swasti Eco Cottage in Ubud, Bali

Breakfast at Swasti Eco Cottages in Ubud,Bali

However it will have to be the next visit for the 3 in 1 chocolate massage, black rice icecream or a special drink of organic raw cacao, banana and cashew milk.

Special drinks blackboard at Swasti Eco Cottages in Ubud, Bali

Although it was left behind the Moutere Grove Organic olive oil will feel right at home.

Scarecrow creativity | Murray Lloyd Photography

Traditional Scarecrow

Pinot plungers at Scarecrow Festival in Greytown

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Scarecrow looking like a Chef with barbeque and sausages at Scarecrow Festival in Greytown

Mad Hatters Tea Party in Wool | Murray Lloyd Photography

The inedible food at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party seemed very un-birthday partyish but after being served free tea and Kiwiana themed biscuits the mood became more festive. Although surrounded by tea cosies rather than mad hats this exhibition at the Kapiti Art Gallery resonated well with events on the other side of the world.

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Asparagus rolls and crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand

Wool crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand

Crackers at Mad Hatter's tea party in New Zealand

Wool sandwiches at Mad Hatter tea party in New Zealand

Kiwiana biscuit in shape of Kiwi

Kiwiana biscuit in shape of New Zealand

Wool food at mad hatters tea party in New Zealand

Wool food at mad hatters tea party in New Zealand

Whale meat in New Zealand | Murray Lloyd Photography

The can of whale meat pulled from sale on Trade Me recently (thanks to Project Jonah) reminded me of a can rusting away in our house.  This can arrived in New Zealand in 1989 originating from North Korea . It was brought into the country by a couple of young adventurers returning from a trip sponsored by New Zealand’s communist community. In 1989 the law in New Zealand stated you could not import any raw whale products so I guess the customs officials turned a blind eye to the cooked contents from North Korea. Changed in 1999, the law now prohibits the import of all whale products including the contents of this can.

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Whale meat

Whale meat

Whale meat

A Taniwha, a Ghost and the Scream| Murray Lloyd Photography

If you want to get your hands on the real Scream you will have to spend more than 140 Million NZ  Dollars, its last sale price. So here’s to the imperfections of the world, home grown produce, and heritage crops which can be very satisfying at a fraction of the cost.

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The Scream

The ghost

The Taniwha

Mischief

The Best Tasting Pineapple in NZ | Murray Lloyd Photography

The home of Northland pineapple

Expect the unexpected is what the tourists are told when coming to New Zealand and that is just what I got when visiting my brother in the Far North this summer. The talk had turned to a couple growing pineapple just a couple of kilometres down their dusty inland road.

With a quick phone call and a short drive, I was shown around the home of Jan Tagart and Steve Cottis, and close to one thousand pineapple plants.

Jan Tagart and Steve Cottis

New Zealand pineapple

New Zealand pineapple

New Zealand pineapple

After spending a sweltering hour and a half in two large tunnel houses photographing  Jan, Steve, plants and the pineapple I was invited to taste a piece of the exotic fruit.

New Zealand pineapple

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New Zealand pineapple

New Zealand pineapple

New Zealand pineapple

As the tropical flavours enveloped my taste buds I realised I had never really tasted pineapple before. The underwhelming supermarket supply in New Zealand had put me off what was a taste sensation.

Sold only at the Bay of Islands Farmers Market in Kerikeri at prices between five and twelve dollars the Tagert and Cottis stand gets plenty of repeat customers including one who was reminded of “pineapple grown in the Islands”.

It all started with two plants given to Jan by her chiropractor in Mangonui (home of the famous fish and chip shop) and another nine from a greenhouse in Kerikeri. Jan and Steve now have enough plants to supply their local market with fruit most of the year.

Back in Wellington Pina colada will never be the same.

Orphaned Calf Being fed by Horse | Murray Lloyd Photography

The calf having lost its mother was put into a paddock with Spook the horse. The orphaned calf does get hand-fed but clearly feels the need for more. And Spook is happy to oblige.

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Hand feeding orphaned calf

Hand feeding orphaned calf

Horse feeding orphaned calf

Horse feeding calf

3 Xmas Recipes from Star Chef | Murray Lloyd Photography

Zibibbo’s Adam Newell was the latest chef to grace the demonstration kitchen at Wellington's city market. Having photographed A Consuming Passion, the first cookbook by Newell a few years ago, I was keen to see him in action again. Newell introduced three recipes which included two versions of en’papillote - French for “in parchment”, and a caponata.

Cooking class at Wellington's City Market

While chatting and chopping his way through the caponata, Newell reflected on changes in New Zealand’s restaurant food.  He believes the fusion of the 90’s “should be illegal”, (my wife calls the same phase ‘confusion’). He went on to say the scene is now about emphasising seasonal ingredients and not about playing around with the food too much. Newell reckons we’ve even caught up with Europe – a slightly optimistic view to me.

Fresh New Zealand Salmon

The first of two en’ papillotes involved salmon sourced from a passionate Akaroa Fishery  Newell said he would be serving this at Christmas, leaving his mother-in-law to deal to the turkey.

Adam preparing at the market

The BBQ class was billed by the City Market as the Thriller in Manila . While struggling to see the link with boxing I guess it could have been the vanilla which received rave reviews by Newell. It’s used in the sugar syrup poured into the en’ papillote and Newell says the dish screams “eat me, eat me, its summer” as the perfumed steam envelops the diner once the parcel is opened on a plate.

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en Papillote summer fruit

En Papillote salmon and caponata at Wellington's City Market

The dessert can be made up to one hour ahead of time and Newell says his chefs at Zibibbo know they are in for a busy night if the en’ papillote is on the specials list (not being a cold pre-prepared dish).

The guests enjoyed being served by the Michelin starred chef (one of only two in New Zealand) as Newell delivered the fragrant packages to the tables. Scents of fennel, thyme and fish were followed by fruity fragrances and hints of mulled wine as the gathering pierced the sealed parcels and munched away happily. The $25000 Gaggenau kitchen stood up to the BBQ test well, easily competing with the hooded cookers that will be seen in most kiwi backyards this summer.

Murellen Pork in Canterbury | Murray Lloyd Photography

Following my blog in July celebrating the best ham we and our guests have ever eaten it was a pleasure last week to visit Canterbury’s Murellen Pork, birth place of the 21st Birthday ham.

Expecting the high pitched squeal of pigs on arrival I was surprised not to hear a peep from the grunters. Located in the lee of Mount Torlesse just out of Sheffield, this resplendent piggery sits on 20 acres of mostly glossy green grass.

Murrellen Pork was set up in 1999 by Murray and Helen Battersby (hence the name - Murr-ellen).  After farming pigs in the area for 40 years the couple realised to upsize the operation they could either focus on quantity or quality – and chose the latter. Now managed by son Colin and wife Karen, Murrellen Pork farms around 1500 pigs at any one time. Colin says this number means they can keep the ‘owner operator’ feel of the business.

Like a Wellington team management text, the farming practice is built around reducing stress. Some techniques follow the research of Temple Grandin, famous for her extraordinary knowledge of animal behavior. The entire supply line has been analysed and set up to avoid stressing the animals unnecessarily. For example the pigs are trucked to Timaru for processing via State Highway 50, instead of State Highway 1. This is not for the scenery but because the truck only needs to stop twice on the way. Every stop on a journey arouses the pigs and they get stressed! On the farm round feeders are used instead of straight designs. Pigs have narrow vision and being able to keep an eye on the pigs on each side while eating allows for a more relaxed mealtime and improves nutrition intake. Other measures include PH analysis of the meat and temperature control of the pig enclosures..

While being fattened up at the Murrellen premises the pigs are initially housed in mobile pens (the piglets arrive from a free range supplier) before shifting to a larger facility for the final five weeks. In a similar manner to Joel Salatin mobile chook houses (as described in the book the Omnivores Dilemma these pens are regularly dragged onto a fresh patch of grass with the resulting rich effluent spread to fertilise new grass and enormous worm farms. The pigs are fed a locally produced vegetarian diet which supports the mobile self-fertilising system.

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Pigs in pen in New Zealand

The effect of the Canterbury earthquakes on Murrellen has been twofold. Restaurant closures in Christchurch meant a substantial drop off in demand and Murrellen’s office, and the historic house where Colin and Karen live will probably be demolished.

If you are after New Zealand pork, charcuterie or other piggy offcuts, Murrellen’s produce can be sourced via discerning Christchurch and Wellington butchers. They include Ashby’s in Christchurch which won the best bacon award in 2011 with Ashby’s Murrellen dry cured bacon, and Waikanae Butchery who was the Gold Medal Winner (Pork category) in The Great New Zealand Sausage Competition 2009.

Al Brown Fires up at Springfield | Murray Lloyd Photography

Fresh from opening Depot - his Auckland restaurant, Al Brown arrived at Ruth Pretty’s garden room to promote his new book Stroked.

Al Browns book Stoked, at Ruth Pretty garden room

In front of a small gathering in his trademark laid back style Brown talked about his backyard, his TV show, and more.

Al Brown and Ruth Pretty

Al Brown talking about his new book Stoked

As guests ate their way through tasty morsels including chargrilled tuatuas (actually it was a gas barbeque), smoked kahawai potato cakes and marshmellow caramel muesli slice, Brown explained his philosophy on food.

Barbecued Tuatuas

It’s about savouring the journey to the plate; the prep, slowing down and enjoying. “By the time food arrives on a plate its dead”.  Fitting with this philosophy Stoked is about cooking on an open fire (preferably your own hunter-gathered produce). A stark contrast he says to books of recipes containing only four ingredients, ten minute meals, and frozen sushi.

Pulled pork sandwiches with apple coleslaw

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Al Brown talking at Ruth Pretty's Springfield in New Zealand.

As Brown munched on a pulled pork sandwich (with apple cider slaw) he described his own backyard on the South Coast of Wellington; the big outdoor fire, a wood-fired oven, a chargrill, a Japanese teppanyaki plate and yet another oven that acts as a warmer.  A set up Brown says was designed “to take cooking classes for Khandallah housewives if the phone didn’t ring after leaving Logan Brown”.

Al Brown's marshmellow caramel slice

Despite a packed programme Brown has created a winning combination in his new Auckland establishment.  Depot seats 70 and is already doing 300-400 meals a day. No dots on plates, formality left at the door and serving wine ‘on tap' are some of the markers of this fresh restaurant. Underlining Brown’s approach to food, Depot’s current menu includes freshly shucked oysters and cockles, wild pork salami, wild rabbit rillettes, kahawai, snapper, kingfish and food cooked over charcoal or hardwood.

Unfortunately for Wellington, a Depot style restaurant will not be arriving anytime soon.  Brown says this is partly the due to the capital’s smaller population, but also to his vision of expanding into Australia.  The audience left the garden room warm and contented with Stoked. They’ll be lighting their own fires.