Marlborough Localvore

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Local Locals

What up with this whole local thing? Only in America do they take things to the extreme, food miles are not measured in Meters – how far did the cow travel to get to the restaurant dinner table? How many meters were the winter spuds grown from the restaurant kitchen. Yes you are right it is all getting just a little bit OTT

But wait a minute – you are happy to buy plums in winter time from Chilli, 10,000 km, and happy to purchase Garlic from China, 11,000 km so you tell who is a little bit OTT. Right lets meet in the middle and lets think about the middle ground. Do you think you could eat well if you only purchased NZ grown and produced fresh product ?(I am talking about fresh only not processed goods). Now that would be interesting, you would have to eat seasonally, no more strawberries in winter time, no more rockmelons in winter time from Australia, you would have to find NZ tree ripened Pears, feijoas, persimmons, Oranges, Passionfruit, Bananas (yes they do grow in NZ), cranberries, grapefruit etc etc etc

Yes could be interesting, now the first thing that you going to say is where do I find all of this fruit throughout winter time, golly gosh I would have to start thinking about it, I will have to start keeping a calendar!, it all sounds to complicated and a lot like hard work – which is what we really don’t want to be doing in the kitchen after a hard days work. Rest assured there will soon be a way to find all of the NZ produce with the touch of a button.

Well this is where we can help, eating and cooking should be a enjoyable experience (keep that mental picture in your head when it is -2 degrees ) and it does not matter what time of the year it is there will always be NZ products available. Look in your own backyard first you may be surprised that there really is a hidden localvore in us all

Poached Persimmons

6 x Firm-ripe persimmons,

1/2 cup Dry white wine

3/4 cup Strained fresh orange

1/4 cup Sugar

1 tsp Minced peeled fresh gingerroot

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Method :

Stem and peel the persimmons, discard any seeds, and cut each persimmon into 8 wedges. In a saucepan combine the persimmons, wine, orange juice, sugar, gingerroot, and cinnamon, bring the liquid to a boil, stirring occasionally, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the persimmons are tender. Transfer the persimmons with a slotted spoon to a bowl, boil the syrup until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup, and pour it over the persimmons. The persimmons can be served warm or chilled over ice cream, rice pudding, or bread pudding.

Friday, May 15, 2009

What do you mean you are a localvore?

Now you may think that this is just a phase and if you close your eyes really tight it will go away, that when you wake up there will be no more new silly words to describe something that is so blinding obvious and that you would have to be a fool to think any different. We are all Localvores at heart but there is something that makes some of want to go that little bit further.

I only buy NZ fish that has been caught and processed in NZ – you may (or may not) know that a large % of our seafood is processed and value added in china and then shipped back.

I only buy NZ Olive oil that has been grown and processed in NZ – you may (or may not) know that a very large % of imported olive is rancid and thinned out with Canola Oil

I only buy NZ Lamb and beef - you may (or may not ) know that when I first arrived in Marlborough nine years ago the butcher would send me Australian beef and lamb because that is what everybody else in town was using

I only buy Marlborough Garlic – you may (or may not) know that a very large % of imported Garlic is bleached white and has no flavour or aroma

I only buy Marlborough Mussels and Salmon – you may (or may not) know that we have one of the worlds best sustainable aquaculture industries, the quality and taste speak for them selves

I make lots of decisions daily as to what I purchase and buy from individual companies and business in the Marlborough region. While I am not a mateyer and will not die for my cause (so please don’t take away my Italian Arborio rice or French de puy lentils) I strongly believe that the money that I spend in my local region benefits the families and people of my region and that is more important to me than supporting large multi global empires and business’ with no names or faces to them who have different goals and objectives

Yes I hear you say, sounds good, but local products are much more expensive and I don’t have the time – well if you eat seasonally from your local region and use what is plentiful at that time of the year then it is cheaper and if you plan your meals and put the same amount of energy into them as you spend deciding what beverage you are going to drink or sport to watch on telly then time becomes irrelevant.

A real localvore is not just about somebody who eat local food but it is about a person who has a appetite for supporting all things local – locally owned shops, local events and organisations, local neighbourhood groups and local projects. Most importantly a localvore is somebody who is proud of there region and the people who live in it

Local Feijoa, pear and crystallised ginger jam

Feijoa, Pear and ginger are great partners. Crystallised ginger imparts a zing and flavours that will make this jam a family favourite.

1.5 kg fresh pears, peeled, cored, diced into 1 cm cubes

1.5 kg Feijoas

225 g crystallised ginger, roughly chopped

2 kg sugar

zest and juice of 2 lemons

1 cup water

Bring all the ingredients to the boil in a large pot. Simmer for approximately 2 hours or until the jam sets. To test for setting point, pour a little jam onto a cold plate, let it cool for several minutes, then run your finger through it – there will be a trail left through the jam if it is ready. Pour into sterilised jars and seal