Winter fruit
When you eat locally, you become very aware of what’s in season. Right now, in mid-September, there isn’t much fruit at the farmers’ market. There’s a new stall selling excellently ripe oranges grown at Ohinewai. There are plenty of lemons, and there are apples that...
Duck egg omelettes
The top favourite breakfast in my household is duck eggs. We’re lucky to get them from Ian, who has a property down Matangi Road, not far from where we live. Ian has a small flock of Buff Orpington ducks - free-range, of course. When he has spare eggs to sell, he...
A new home for the market
The Hamilton Farmers’ Market has recently moved to its new permanent home in Claudelands Park. The stallholders say they’re happy to be in a covered building. There are stalls outside as well, but it will definitely give the market more options in bad weather. Market...
Mizuna, mizuna
We bought some beautiful feathery red and green mizuna from David of Suncakes Gardens at the Farmers’ Market. When I seized it with enthusiasm, David asked me how I was planning to use it. Mizuna is a mild-tasting member of the mustard/cabbage family. It thrives in a...
Time for tea
I’m very fond of tea in all its forms. (No tea bags in our house!) And I’d often driven past the Zealong tea plantation on the road to Gordonton, but never been there. So when my tea-loving friend Melissa proposed a visit, I was more than happy to agree. On a wet...
What to do with daikon
A huge daikon radish arrived in the Ooooby box last week. It was over 1kg, with a crown of beautiful fresh green leaves. I have learned to love daikon, but some people have said to me that they’re not sure what to do with it. So, this is a post about what to do with...