My name is Alice and I have a passion for food – in particular local food, organic food and slow food. Seven years ago I came to live in Hamilton, a city that runs alongside the beautiful Waikato River. Straight away it was obvious that there was delicious local food right on our doorstep. On my very first weekend I went to the Hamilton Farmers Market and bought fabulous locally grown raspberries and tomatoes and salad greens and cheese and new potatoes… you get the idea.
I think the Waikato should be famous for food, but it isn’t – yet. Articles and books about New Zealand food tend to skip quickly through this part of the world. The Waikato region is mainly famous for dairy farms, which produce vast quantities of milk and other dairy products for the global market. But this is not just the land of milk and honey – there is so much more here.
I’ve started this blog to write about the delicious abundance of this part of the world. I think such wonderful food deserves celebration and appreciation.
I have at least three aims – raising awareness of some great local producers; and raising awareness of the Waikato as a food producing region. And also, spreading the word about places where local food can be bought (quite a lot is sold internationally).
I’ll be showcasing local food producers of all kinds – growers, cheesemakers, bakers, winemakers, chefs. And some dairy farmers too. I’ll be writing about local food retailers. I’ll be covering local food events and issues. I’ll also be taking a look at home gardening. I’m aiming to create a picture of the range of food being grown and produced locally.
It’s going to be a delicious process!
I don’t have a professional background in food. But I love food, I love cooking and eating. I have a particular passion for local food, slow food. As a backyard gardener, I appreciate people who are far more skilled at growing food than I am.
