I was working in Cusco when the Canterbury Earthquake struck New Zealand and it hit home as one of the hostelers was from New Zealand and was concerned about his family.
Initially hearing it was smaller was reassuring until we realized it was more shallow and destroying much of Christchurch
March 21, 22, and 23 has been set aside by travel bloggers throughout the world as 72 hours to remind the world what a great country New Zealand is and the best way to support recovery is through tourism as it’s desperately hurting.
I visited New Zealand for a month in 2007 and fell in love. It was such a beautiful country that I met with several headhunters to see if I could find work in the country. But alas I came back to Canada and years passed.
While many people rave about New Zealand as an adventurers play land they often overlook the culinary proficiency.
While the country is often compared to Canada, and it’s true we’re commonwealth siblings, I couldn’t help but wish that Canada had the food culture of New Zealand.
Below are photos of my favourite food memories from New Zealand all shot in film a month after I learned how to manually use an old 1970s Canon SLR:
Auckland: In addition to the stonegrilled fish we had on the waterfront, this curry wrap and scallop salad is a great example of the cafe culture in Auckland.
In 2007 they were years ahead of us offering local and organic as the norm.
A Maori co-worker of a friend sent home this coconut milk marinated fish. I kept asking what it was so I could look up the recipe but he simply said it was raw fish.
Nelson: I took a wine/olive oil tour and sampled great savignon blanc, olive oil and was introduced to the Middle Eastern spice mixture dukka.
Hokitika: Fortune smile on me and I landed in the South Island just in time for the Wild Food Festival which featured amazing horse burgers, more delicious deer, cow udder and the crickets on crostini featured above.
Queenstown: New Zealand was years ahead of Canada in the gourmet burger business.
In the North I ate Burger Fuel and in Queenstown I was introduced to Ferg Burger with burgers the size of my head! A must-eat in Queenstown.
So yes there’s plenty of bungee jumping, glacier hiking and other extreme sports in New Zealand but when you’re done all that there’s also lots to eat!
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I'm Ayngelina and in my mid-thirties. I left an amazing job, boyfriend, apartment and friends to find inspiration in Latin America. I'm creating a new life choosing what I want instead of what other people think I should do.
I spent two weeks on the North Island this time two years ago. It’s one of my absolute favorite places on the planet! Just reposted a photo essay on my site as part of #blog4NZ, as well.
Camels & Chocolate recently posted..Photo Friday- Truckee- California
Ooh I’ll have to go check it out, thanks Kristin.
oh my, those food photos are amazing!! love love love film cameras
I spent a couple of weeks in NZ for work in 2009 and I must say I spent most of my time feasting on Pineapple Lumps, only to discover, yes we do have them in Australia, too. Oh well!
(and in case you missed the culinary delight of gooey marshmallowy pineapple coated in chocolate: http://www.cadbury.com.au/Products/Pascall-Confectionery/Pineapple-Lumps.aspx
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Pineapple lumps, LOVE pineapple lumps. One of the first things I do when I arrive in NZ is go to a store and get my stash of Pineapple lumps and Jaffas.
Rob W.
South America ME recently posted..Christchurch Charity Event in Santiago
What? I missed pineapple lumps, I wonder if I can find them here in Chile as Cadbury is here too.
Ayngelina, I love this post!
The raw fish you mention is called ika mata, but most people just call it raw fish – which is pretty straight forward, but might confuse some out-of-towners! And it’s Burger Fuel
By the way, thank you so much for supporting New Zealand (and Christchurch especially).
Jess recently posted..History in the Making
Aha! Now I can finally look up how to make it. Ika mata was delicious!
Now I’m curious: Did you try the crickets?
I did, and ants too. They were both really good.
YUM! What more can I say?
I miss the NZ burgers, and the jaffas and the mussels and…
probably not those cricket things (that’s the first time I’ve seen them).
I’m looking forward to going back home to NZ later on this year (for a couple a weeks) and one of the highlights will be the food.
Rob W.
South America ME recently posted..Christchurch Charity Event in Santiago
yeah I think they only bring out the crickets for the wild food festival
Mmm, this is total food porn! Btw, It’s Burger Fuel
Roy recently posted..Manta- Birds & White Water
I always get it wrong! Fixed it, thanks!
Lovely post in support of New Zealand’s recovery. You certainly perked my interest with all this food (although I would have to pass on the crostini!) I recently made a ceviche with coconut milk, similar to the one you ate, but interestingly a Columbian recipe. How I wish I could join you in your travels and try all these different foods!
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It must have been a northern Colombian recipe because I’m dying to find coconut milk. You can find coconuts but not milk in a can
Hi Ayngelina,
Thanks for sharing these wonderful and tantalizing food pics. I’ve never been to New Zealand, but there’s nothing like seeing delicious food pics to make me consider visiting a country.
Yum.
- Lily
Definitely a great place for people who love food. They take pride everywhere, even in food courts.
I’m seriously dying here. I’m trying to watch what I eat and this post is KILLING me! Fresh scallops were so amazing in NZ! Did you ever notice their awesome pizzas in cafe’s? That’s kinda vague haha but my buddy and I used to go for afternoon beers and veggie pizza all the time in different spots. Usually tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, feta cheese on a thin crust with sort of olive oil/pesto on it. It was phenomenal! I plan to reconstruct it here in Canada.
How was horse burgers?
I’m so hungry now.
Lindsay aka @_thetraveller_ recently posted..Traveling by Home Exchange
The horse burgers were a bit of a flop, tasted like low grade beef. It’s unfortunate because I’ve eaten horse in Toronto and it was delicious.
I would say though that they know how to cook deer like no other, I would give up beef to eat deer if it tasted like it does in NZ.
The food in NZ is quite good. The best thing I tried there was New Zealand whitebait, so many people told me to try it. And on the last day I was there I finally did, and it was great
I wish I had known about the wild food festival before, I would love to go there another time.
Tijmen recently posted..4 Things to See and Do in Mali
I just happened to stumble upon it but it was a perfect day. I ate so much!
so fabulous
Ooh, such a nice twist on the NZ effort. The dish I remember from living in NZ is lamb with sweet corn.
Sophie recently posted..How to rent a home in New Zealand
The only unfortunate thing about NZ is that I realized I don’t like lamb.
Totally agree with the food in NZ. We were pleasantly surprised at the great cuisine found all over the country. The Asian influence was great, and yes, Fergberger is an absolute must. Great rundown!!
Adam. recently posted..A Review of Travel Blog Success
Even food courts were amazing, I loved the food there.
Photos from a manual SLR to me just has a lot of character. I also like the tone and the texture they produce. The coconut milk marinated fish looks really good!
Grace recently posted..What you can learn from the time I escaped a dangerous scam
Yeah I have to say I miss film a lot, there is a sense of character from the imperfection.
This post is totally delicious ( with the exception of the crickets, maybe)! Can’t wait to visit New Zealand!
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Raglan Eco Escape
Ahh even the crickets are delicious in New Zealand
I have never visited NZ and hence can’t contribute to this effort. But I’m all in favor of promoting striken countries, that goes for Japan as well as for the Middle East.
inka recently posted..Where Selene fell in love – Lake Bafa-Turkey
Agreed people shouldn’t be afraid to visit any of these areas.
Cow udder?? That food festival sounds nuts! I haven’t been to NZ but do hope to go one day
Laura recently posted..Montage Monday- A Glimpse Back of Cape Town
Cow udder is a lot less crazy than the mountain oysters (sheep balls) they were selling!
Mmmm, Fergburger. Burger Fuel. I’m craving some now…
Did you try any lamb/mutton while you were there?
I’ve heard about the Wild Food Festival – it sounds so cool! Though I’m not sure about that cow udder…
Amanda recently posted..My 5 Favorite Views in New Zealand
The festival is wild, it’s like a combination of Halloween as groups dress in theme and a fun beer and music festival.
I did have lamb and oddly am not a fan.
This sounds like a great way to help New Zealand. Great pics of some tasty New Zealand delicacies.
Ted Nelson recently posted..Travel Tuesday photo of the week- Somewhere- USA
Everything looks soo tasty! I was pretty broke at the time I was there (nothing’s changed haha) so the only thing I can relate to is the Fergburger but YUM!
I hope to get a chance to try much more next time I’m there!
Annie recently posted..Blog4NZ–A Leap of Faith in Queenstown
The burger really is as large as your head!
Great post! You usually see the (beautiful) nature of New Zealand, but I think this is the first post I’ve seen about the food. And now I’m starving!
Ferb burger and Burger Fuel rock my burger world. Why can’t we have them in the US!!!
Nomadic Matt recently posted..Now Available for iPad or Your Kindle!
In Toronto we have quite a few gourmet burger places but no where as good as those two.
Um…crickets on crostini? Did you try some? Everything else looks pretty delish, though…
Marsha recently posted..Weekend Intelligence- March 19-20- 2011
I ate these and also ants on crostini and I’m pretty sure the crickets were on a smoked salmon pate which would make anything on top of it taste delicious.
Why is it that International food always looks better than what we eat in the U.S.?
Because it is
I love New Zealand too, Ayngelina, though I mostly ate in friends homes and didn’t get to experience much of the local cuisine. Your pictures are splendid and make me want to fly there again as soon as possible just to eat my way across the country.
Oh god, scallop salad. SO GOOD.
This post cleared a lot up for me I’ve been wondering why I have been seeing so many posts on NZ. The food in those photos look delicious.
Bluegreen Kirk recently posted..Have You Ever Thought About Amazing Wedding Jewelry Sets
Awesome post Ayngelina! I’ve heard a lot about adventure sports and beautiful scenery, but not too much about the food. Thanks for sharing
Phil recently posted..Plans- Goals and Dreams for Upcoming West Africa Trip
oh I would dearly love to go to New Zealand and what a great way to support it by skiving off work in dingy England and galavanting off on an adventure in Kiwi land!
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Of course you would choose to blog about the food of New Zealand! I like your pics with the old school camera.
Nicole recently posted..Women and aviation
Are those crickets safe to eat? Give me shivers just looking at it
Again, the photos are so crisp! Well done! I’m glad your enjoying your stay at NZ and still praying that everything will be alright in Canterbury.
Your photos make me miss my SLR! Stunning! I’ve never been to NZ, but look forward to it someday – especially after reading all these great posts this week
Margo recently posted..A Tapas Tour of Seville
Hey there, Ayngelina
OMG your pics make me hungry, those food seem very tastey, and I bet they are too.
I can’t remember last time when I was in NZ; like 10 years ago, I so enjoyed to be there, pretty landscape!
Hope to see it there again someday..
Thank you
~J
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Thanks Jenn, it´s definitely a great food culture.
Did you try the crickets?
Interesting selections from NZ’s culinary scene – there is a great Asian influence here as well the sushi bars and Japanese restaurants are divine. I’d recommend the sushi shop in Taupo (can’t recall the name, though there is only one!) and the Sake Bar in Queenstown.
Is that a stonegrill with green lipped mussels? Looks fantastic. Lovely photos too.
Mattm recently posted..5 Wineries Not to Be Missed While Traveling in New Zealand
Yeah of course I did, also the ants, horse, cow udder and a bunch of other stuff.
That stonegrill indeed had the green lipped mussels and was delicious!
You know that wildfoods festival I have never been to. But after reading this we’ll have to get there.
Thanks for all the Blog4NZ support. Travel bloggers rock!
Jim recently posted..This Moment- A single Photo – March 25
Yum – delicious photos! =)
Andy Hayes recently posted..Foodie’s Guide to New Zealand
Wow girl, they look so delicious! I want that wrap already!
It’s great to see someone write about NZ food. One of my entire blogs is dedicated to our local world food scene and I’m always surprised when people come here and only eat pies (although those are good too!). The local and artisan food industry is progressing rapidly down here so, I’m afraid, you’re just going to have to come down again soon:)
Marie recently posted..An Ode to New Zealand Food for Blog4NZ
I know Canada and New Zealand are often compared and I think because we don’t have a long history like European countries people discount the culinary progress.
But I have to say I was so impressed with NZ’s movement to support local, artisanal, organic producers.
Canada is getting there but NZ is far ahead.
Crickets on crostini? Spend so much time in NZ, but didn’t see this. I will need to come back there
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