Light Summer Cooking

Light Summer Cooking

  Virgil Evetts Who can be bothered with the whole galley slave routine this time of year? It’s far too hot to hang about over the stove, and as heat-heckled appetites grow spartan, the food should too.

Picnics

Picnics

During  January, along with many New Zealanders  we plan to head to the beach, enjoy a summer break and do as little as humanly possible.  I have been rustling in cupboards searching out insect repellent, hats and picnic rugs. Food for … Read more »

The Summer Barbeque

The Summer Barbeque

Virgil Evetts In the close and cloying heat of the Auckland summer I’m so very grateful for my BBQ. For months on end most of my cooking moves outdoors, while the house remains cool and mercifully free of food odours … Read more »

Herbal Summer

Herbal Summer

Virgil Evetts When I was small, my mother took a part-time job packing herbs for what was at the time New Zealand’s only boutique herb (and spice) importer, Ma Hellion. The shop was close to my school, so I’d often … Read more »

Oh Honey!

Oh Honey!

Virgil Evetts This week, after many months of quiet anticipation, I reaped the first luscious rewards of my life as an urban beekeeper – a staggering 10 litres of perfect golden honey. And I’m told this is a very modest … Read more »

Relax in Rarotonga

  I thought there must be a pricing error when I buy an enormous stem of bananas for $6 – there are close to 100 bananas in varying greenish hues with some faintly yellow.  I struggle to our little soft … Read more »

The Indian Winter

The Indian Winter

Virgil Evetts Recently, when I asked Foodlovers readers about their takeaway favourites (and secret shame! how low do you go?) a common theme that emerged was a collective fondness for the flavours of India (and South East Asia), but  a preference, … Read more »

The Reluctant Baker

The Reluctant Baker

  Virgil Evetts I’m a cook, DEFINITELY not a chef, and barely or at least very reluctantly a baker.  It’s not that I can’t bake,  I can hold my own given a bit of persuasion and arm twisting,  but I’ve … Read more »