Merino: Older, tastier
Merino: Older, tastier
Most of us know about fine merino wool and probably wear the soft, light, warm clothing made from it, but few of us have tasted merino meat.
Charmian Smith
On the menu: Culinary gems from Karitane
On the menu: Culinary gems from Karitane
Crema at Karitane A trip to North Otago over Easter revealed a few culinary gems worth a visit if you are passing through.
Hip, hip, hooray for humble rosehip
Hip, hip, hooray for humble rosehip
In autumn and well into winter, the wild briar bushes that colonise hillsides and wasteland in Central and North Otago are covered with bright red berries called rosehips.
Dandelion salad delicious
Dandelion salad delicious
Many of us like to use wild food where we can, whether it's mushrooms, wild thyme or pipis.
Simple and snazzy seafood
Simple and snazzy seafood
For an island nation surrounded by oceans which still have some fish, we are remarkably conservative when it comes to buying and eating it, although those who like to spend the odd day in a boat or on the rocks and catch fish themselves may be different.
Good old Kiwi fare (+ recipes)
Good old Kiwi fare (+ recipes)
The smell of baking wafting through the house is one of the most comforting homely aromas, and it's in the air again. Charmian Smith talks to Allyson Gofton about the resurgence in home baking.
On the menu: New US developed flat iron steak
On the menu: New US developed flat iron steak
We're all familiar with the regular cuts of steak - rib eye, fillet, rump, and so on, but there's a new one around - the flat iron steak, named because it looks a bit like the shape of an iron.
On the menu: Wine competitions
On the menu: Wine competitions
Wine competition results are big news - for the wineries that win trophies, medals or recommendations.
Going gluten-free gets easier
Going gluten-free gets easier
Coeliac Awareness week starts on Saturday.
On the menu: Potato choice
On the menu: Potato choice
Sometimes I wish chefs would be more selective with their choice of potato.
WINE REVIEWS: Variety is the spice of life
WINE REVIEWS: Variety is the spice of life
Every so often I find bottles in my tasting pile that haven't fitted into my regular varietal tastings.
Wine practices befit discerning diners
Wine practices befit discerning diners
A few years ago, if you wanted a decent glass of wine in a restaurant, you had to buy a whole bottle, or choose between the house white or house red, which generally meant something plain and unenjoyable.
WINE REVIEW: All in the blend
WINE REVIEW: All in the blend
Merlot and cabernet merlot blends can vary from punchy tannic wines with every last drip of fruit and oak extracted that call attention to themselves, to gentler, more balanced wines that invite another sip and obligingly fit in with what you are eating.
WINE REVIEWS: Marlborough sauvignon blancs
WINE REVIEWS: Marlborough sauvignon blancs
Marlborough sauvignon blanc was once a wine that "shocked, thrilled and entertained the world with its brash, unexpected flavours" according to British writer Oz Clarke. While the flavours may no longer be unexpected they can still sometimes shock and thrill.
WINE REVIEWS: Refreshing rieslings
WINE REVIEWS: Refreshing rieslings
Riesling is one of the most interesting of white wines with the variety of flavours it can show, the many degrees of sweetness balanced with crisp acidity, and the way it develops into something different with a few years bottle age.
On the menu: DVD celebrating Central wines
On the menu: DVD celebrating Central wines
A DVD to drink to Sometimes returning to a former line of work as a hobby can be satisfying, as Alan Brady has found.
On the menu: Four Otago restaurants among finalists
On the menu: Four Otago restaurants among finalists
Four Otago restaurants have been named finalists in the prestigious Cuisine New Zealand Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009.
Comforting food for winter (+ recipe)
Comforting food for winter (+ recipe)
These cold evenings when you get home from work you want something for dinner that's warming, comforting and quick to make.
On the menu: Finding real vanilla
On the menu: Finding real vanilla
Slit a real vanilla bean and sniff the aromas. It is so much richer, rounder and more complex than the aroma from a bottle of artificial vanilla essence.
Flavourful guide to NZ wines
Flavourful guide to NZ wines
Every so often a good wine-appreciation book comes out, but it's rare to find one that is specifically focused for New Zealanders, both beginners and those with a bit more knowledge.