Five Things to Try When in New Zealand - Food Travel!!

Hangi food from Te Puia!

I travel to make memories and explore new places. But more often than not, travel also helps me stay sane, break everyday monotony, shake off anxiety and rejuvenate myself. Unfortunately, last few months, since travel is an option, I, like most of us, turned to cooking as a way to break the monotony. I have never been a foodie, so I don’t really pay a lot of attention to cuisines and unique dishes during my travels. But binge watching Great British Bake Off on Netflix and my sudden food love helped me remember some amazing dishes from my trips! And yes, I know we might not be traveling again like pre-COVID19 times anytime soon, but one can hope and have plans - ready to be put to use, right? Hence, starting today, I will be posting about some must try dishes from four different countries – starting with New Zealand and followed by India, USA and Malaysia! 

So, without much ado, here are 5 things (and some bonus stuff), you must try out when in New Zealand!

Pavlova – aka a sweet fluffy cloud for fruits!

(source - https://pixabay.com/photos/mixed-berries-pavlova-pie-cake-1470226/)

Ok, yes, I am not a foodie, but I have a sweet tooth and once in a while I do indulge myself with unique flavors of a place, especially if it is a dessert. So, when we were deciding to visit New Zealand, apart from the general itinerary, I had places marked out where I wanted to try Pavlova. Pavlova is a layered meringue cake topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, mostly berries and kiwifruit. Apparently, it was first made in New Zealand in 1920 in honor of Russian Ballerina, Anna Pavlova and by the middle of the century it had become an integral part of every Christmas feast in New Zealand and Australia.

Where to try it: Unfortunately, the “famous places” to try out pavlova or “the pav” (what it is called locally) are expensive. But there sure are ways to get a slice of this epic dessert without drilling a hole in your pockets. If, you guys are planning to visit Te Puia (in Rotorua) for the Te Po aka the evening experience with dinner, there is a high chance your dessert of the night will include the pav. Other places: Winona Forever Café in Auckland, Corelli's Café in Devonport, Floriditas in Wellington.

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream – the sugar rush you would want!

Often coined a Kiwiana (quirky things that contribute to a sense of nationhood), Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is undisputedly New Zealand’s best gift to summer days. In New Zealand, Hokey Pokey is actually the local term for honeycomb toffee, which is not a New Zealand invention. But creamy vanilla ice cream with Hokey Pokey pieces in it, sure is a New Zealand thing and on a hot summer evening, it is the most sought after sugary delight in the country.

Where to try it: Any dairy (convenience stores in NZ are called dairies) – be sure to try Tip Top’s Hokey Pokey. Also, Giapo in Auckland (it is an ice cream lover’s paradise!)

New Zealand Pie – not your regular pie!

(source)

Moving on from sweet to savory, confused? New Zealand has carried in its fist a piece of Victorian age into the 21st century and it is something you can find in every corner of the country now – the pie, actually meat pie. Meat Pies have been made all around the world since ancient times, but the meat pies found in New Zealand and Australia are just about a century old and are believed to be small hand sized derivatives of the famous Victorian game pies, that used to be center pieces of every Victorian affair. But I said pie remember, not meat pie. Though traditional pies were filled with minced mutton, steak, chicken, bacon and game with cheese and potato, nowadays, vegetarian pies with mushrooms, peas, kumara (New Zealand’s sweet Potato), spinach, and even “paneer” are also easily available. And New Zealanders take their pies very seriously, so you can find a pie for literally for every meal of the day. Imagine, by end of our trip we had tried the spinach and feta pie in every city we visited and had had it at least once for the 3 meals of the day.

Where to try it: Anywhere and everywhere in the country, seriously. There’s also an annual competition to find the very best in the country, so if you do want to try the very best in the country, you can just google the best of every year and hit those places!

Hangi - real taste of culture!

This is literally how Hangi is described by New Zealand Tourism and it is so true. Since we had a taste of the commonwealth, let me take you further back in time and bring to table something from New Zealand’s Polynesian heritage. The Hangi is actually not a particular dish but a cooking method and cuisine that has been around the country since the time Māori people (Polynesians who settled in New Zealand) discovered geothermal activities on the islands. Māori people discovered how to use earth as a natural oven. The called this technique Hangi, the food they cooked using this method was called kai, and the feast and cuisine they developed with kai was also called Hangi. Vegetables, chicken, pork, crayfish, oysters, rice, etc… Hangi has almost everything. The food is roasted on hot stones in a hole and covered with a wooden cage, wet cloth and soil – to trap the heat in the hole. Sometime, the food is also cooked in natural thermal water (can still be observed at Whakarewarewa Village). The food is then cooked for hours and the end product has a smoky earthy flavor to it. These days a lot of places cook Hangi with fire, to speed up the process, but there are still plenty of places where you can get the real taste of culture, especially in Rotorua!

Where to try it: Maori Heritage village and experience sites in Rotorua – Te Puia, Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village and Tamaki Māori Village or Te Puia; and at Waitangi Treaty Grounds in Bay of Islands.

Lamingtons – Adopted Aussie Delight!

(Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lamingtons_on_a_plate.jpg#filelinks)

There is no dispute of ownership here, Lamingtons are cakes from Australia, but New Zealand is probably its biggest fan base. These small square vanilla sponge cake, often with a center layer of jam, are either covered a decent layer of raspberry jelly or chocolate and snowed with shaved coconut in the end – sounds like a gourmet bakery item? They sure are drool worthy, but it is actually very common at dairies and bakeries all around the country and very budget friendly.

Where to try it: Almost every bakery in the country (bakery, because you would get it with the jam layer, and they are usually fresh) but a must visit place for Lamingtons is the Arrowtown Bakery.

And the bonus mentions:

These are some things you would easily find outside New Zealand but having them in New Zealand would be a tad bit special.

For all the Coffee Lovers Out there - The original flat white!

Much like the simple but innovative Hokey Pokey twist to vanilla ice cream gave the world something special, another simple yet ingenuous twist to classic latte by gave the world the Flat White! And while the origin of the Flat White is still disputed, most claim it was invented in Auckland in early 20^th Century and is an integral part of Kiwi lifestyle now. Yes, Starbucks lets you get a sip of this simple frothy expresso drink, but remember New Zealand holds the original recipe. So, when in the country, especially Coromandel Peninsula or Wellington, grab a cup if you are a coffee lover!

For all the Tea Lovers Out there – Zealong in Zealand!

If you love tea, and like trying different kinds of tea, I am sure you must have heard of Zealong. No points for guesses here - Zealong is organic tea grown in New Zealand and exported worldwide. In fact, Zealong Tea Estate near Hamilton (just an hour away from Hobbiton) is the only commercial tea estate in New Zealand. Unfortunately, our plan of visiting the estate was ruined by incessant rain, but I think, a trip to their estate should be on any tea-trotters itinerary.

    

New Zealand sure has a lot more to offer, but like I had mentioned earlier, I am not a foodie, so these pretty much gave me a memorable taste of the country. But if you are hunting for more flavors, maybe the Green Lipped Mussels from Northland, Whitebait Fritters from West Coast, and world-famous Sauvignon Blanc of Otago region might satiate your souls.

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