The food in New Zealand is outstanding, and all very fresh, especially the sea food. Consequently, we always leave the country, feeling very full and satisfied, although a little overweight.
I will start this blog, with a photograph of sheep, quietly eating in a paddock, without a care in the world. Little do they know they will soon become lamb chops, or a lamb roast. There are not so many sheep in New Zealand these days, and the old saying that there are more sheep in New Zealand, than people, can no longer be said. The price of lamb in New Zealand is also horrendously expensive, so not a popular dish on most tables.
The reason for the lack of sheep in the paddocks, is due to the upsurge in diary farming. Intensive dairy farming has resulted in a large number of cows per paddock, a concentration on growing very lush pastures and much cow effluent flowing into the streams and rivers. The milk is sent to huge factories where it is processed into milk powder and sent to China. Big business, dairy farming, and it brings a huge return for the farmers, related businesses and the country generally. A pity about the environment though.
But onto more serious matters, which is about the food that went inside our stomachs, while we were visiting New Zealand. Whitebait patties. The little fish, caught in nets along the rivers, at certain times of the year, are a luxury. It takes many of these tiny, tiny fish to make a patty, and they are delicious.
Paua patties. The meat of the paua is very tough, so needs to be minced or sliced thinly and tenderised with a mallet. The meat in the patties below had been minced, and was combined with onions and spices. We liked the taste, but the grittiness of the meat can only be enjoyed by true New Zealanders, I think.
The paua shell is multicoloured and has a high sheen, and much sought after for jewellery making, etc. The meat is green, by the way, and I have heard it is bleached and sold to the Japanese as abalone. But this may be just a rumour.
As an aside from fish, I have included a photograph of a trailer load of clean potatoes, and without blemishes, which were too large to sell to the supermarkets. These potatoes, excluding the ones we cooked, were destined for the ponds, in readiness for the duck shooting season. I am unable to see the connection, but apparently ducks like potatoes.
Blue cod, from Southland sea waters, and the most delicious fish I have every eaten. And so fresh too.
Not to forget Bluff oysters. The most delicious oysters ever to be found, and eaten. It was the oyster season, and we took advantage of it, by partaking of quite a few oysters. Luckily someone else had shelled them for us.
Scallops, again very fresh, and this time from the Nelson bays. Such a joy to eat.
Super large ice creams, and we certainly made sure we ate plenty of them too, especially hokey pokey ice creams.
Food, glorious food. New Zealand style. We love it.
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