Here’s a quick reference to our posts featuring discoveries we made that are unique to New Zealand. Just click on the title to link to the post.
Discovery #1: Long Blacks and Flat Whites
Our first discovery in New Zealand was the coffee. They don’t do coffee the same way we do in America, and this took us totally by surprise…
Discovery #2: Pohutukawa Trees
Pohutukawa trees are often called the New Zealand Christmas Tree because their prolific red flowers blossom during the December/January holiday season…
I can’t talk about pohutukawa trees without mentioning tuis, the birds that flock to them while they’re in bloom. They appear to be black, but if you catch them in the sunlight their feathers reflect a greenish hue, and you can see the white bars on their wings as they fly…
When I came to New Zealand 26 years ago, it was all about sheep and tea kiosks. Now, it’s all about coffee and cafes and good food and wine, lots and lots of wine. Aside from the famous big vineyards in the South Island and the lower part of the north island, there’s an abundance of small vineyards and wineries throughout both islands…
Discovery #5: Makana Confections
There’s a chocolate shop and “factory” just outside Kerikeri called Makana Confections. In the shop, you can observe the confections being made through the large glass windows. Most visitors seem to have far less interest in the confection-making process than in the confection-sampling process at the counter…
Discovery #6: New Zealand’s Ice Cream
Our love affair with New Zealand’s ice cream actually began at an ice cream shop in Samoa, where we sampled the famous Hokey Pokey flavor (vanilla with bits of honeycomb toffee) …
We thought we’d found the world’s best fish and chips in London, but that was before we went to New Zealand. What is their secret? The fish used is very, very fresh…
These birds are the size of large chickens, cobalt blue and black with a flash of white under their tails. They have long legs and large red beaks with a red crown on top of their heads. They are called Pukekos, and they are all over the North Island…
In a classic New Zealand burger, we found that not only is a slice of beet the norm but a fried egg is often on the burger, too…
New Zealand’s specialty dessert is pavlova. A meringue shell is baked to be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, then topped with berries and whipped cream…
Like America has Coca-Cola, New Zealand has it’s own signature soft drink: L&P. The slogan says it’s “Good Lemonish Stuff” that’s “World Famous in New Zealand.”
Afghans are a traditional cookie in New Zealand, common in bakeries and coffee houses. They’re made with cocoa powder, butter, flour and cornflakes, topped with thick chocolate icing and a walnut…
Discovery #13: Erdinger Weissbier
Ordering lunch one afternoon, our server described the beer selection and one sounded intriguing to me: the Erdinger Weissbier, a German wheat beer from Bavaria…
On any given walk through New Zealand forest, whether it’s native brush, pine, or sub-tropical, you will probably see these birds…
In America the word kebab usually refers to shish kebab, which is chunks of meat threaded onto a skewer and grilled. In New Zealand (and for that matter the Middle East), kebabs refer to meat sliced from one large hunk grilled on a skewer and served with salads (veggies) over rice or piled on a piece of flat bread and wrapped like a burrito…
Discovery #16: Feijoas (and Kiwi Berries)
A friend brought us a bag of fruit a couple of weeks ago, and along with the fruit imparted us with the knowledge necessary to consume said fruit. The fruits were called Feijoes…
Kiwiana Cuisine: Observations After Six Months in New Zealand
After six months in New Zealand, I can make some observations about modern New Zealand cuisine. Guidebooks consistently describe it as “Pacific Rim fusion,” combining the flavors of Asia and Polynesia with classic British fare…