Can somebody please explain to me, why, oh why does the hospitality industry persist with their idiotic statutory holiday surcharge carry-on? Don’t get me wrong, I understand their reasoning. I manage a large team of staff in a 7 day operation … Read more
Michal Haines I wonder if the French hated washing the dishes so much that they created the cassoulet. I think maybe in Toulouse, the renown “Capital of Cassoulet” a couple’s argument over who would do the dishes went that little … Read more
Virgil Evetts Back in the good old days of the 90’s, when most television was still scripted and mercifully free of Ryan Seacrest, Sharron Osborne and ball-room dancing, the phrase ‘a very special Blossom…’ was tongue-in-cheek industry jargon, used … Read more
Autumn Eating – Root Vegetables Michal Haines The cold weather brings us an abundance of root vegetables and harvesting them young is a great way to enjoy them. Root vegetables are somewhat overlooked. Maybe it is their rough exterior … Read more
Time to take stock This was supposed to be an article about soup. I certainly started off with soup in mind, but the words have a mind of their own sometimes and seem to have veered off on more of … Read more
Green kiwifruit – cheaper than chips Marion Farrell If there’s one food that’s going against the tide of rising food costs – it’s our green Kiwifruit. I spotted them at my local supermarket for just 89c the other day, that’s … Read more
Autumn Eating – Cooking with Persimmon Michal Haines First Cultivated way back in the eighth century by the Japanese, the persimmon had long been an autumnal delight in China. Resembling a glowing lantern, the leaves of the persimmon mimics its … Read more
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Marion Farrell When it comes to buying presents I usually turn to edible goodies, the never fail to please option. I mean, who wouldn’t be pleased to receive a box of chocolates or a good bottle … Read more
Readers Recipe Requests Often we go to a Cafe or Restaurant and taste something positively delicious that we would like to make at home. If you have a recipe request that you would like then email me [email protected] with as much … Read more
Farming Old Breed Farm Animals in Ngaruawahia Marion Farrell It had been a few years since I last visited Jonathan and Sarah Walker of Soggy Bottom Farm to see their rare breed pigs, cows and sheep and knowing what an innovative … Read more
Shall or Shallot Virgil Evetts Where would we be without onions? This great and pungent clan of edible lilies is the back bone of practically every great cuisine. Just try to imagine a world without garlic, onions, leeks, spring onions … Read more
The way of the sausage I seem to be a man of increasingly simple tastes. I’ve been in ecstasies lately over the humble sausage. I suppose if I’m honest the sausages I eat aren’t all that humble, but the ways … Read more
a>Autumn Eating Pumpkin and Squash Magical jack-o-lanterns, coaches for princesses to be and perches for goblins-the pumpkin is much like the mushroom in the way that they have a fairy tale air about them. These New World natives must … Read more
Fig-ure it out Virgil Evetts Supermarkets and high street fruiters like to perpetuate a myth that all the best fruit comes out in summer. But we know better. Those of us who truly live by our stomachs and taste buds … Read more
