Although New Zealand is a small country, it is big on culture. New Zealand offers a range of outdoor activities, beautiful scenery and unique history. However, for New Zealanders or 鈥榢iwis鈥�, food plays a key role in traditions and how we interact in everyday life.
There are some must-eat foods that kiwis all know and love. These range from traditional M膩ori cuisine to savoury and sweet treats.
Traditional M膩ori foods come from the land and the sea. A 鈥楬膩ngi鈥� is a traditional meal shared among a wide group of family and friends. It consists of root vegetables such as potatoes and kumara as well as a variety of meats like chicken, pork or lamb, which are placed in baskets and lowered into a hole in the ground. The hole is filled with hot rocks, the baskets are covered and the earth is replaced. The H膩ngi is left to cook underground for several hours then dug up and served steaming hot.
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鈥楰aimoana鈥� or seafood is also common in New Zealand as we are surrounded by ocean. Popular seafoods include mussels, pipis, tuatua, bluff oysters, kina, paua and if you venture up river 鈥榃hitebait鈥� is considered a delicacy often made into 鈥榃hitebait Fritters鈥�.
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A classic kiwi meal is 鈥楩ish 鈥榥鈥� Chips鈥� where fresh fish is deep-fried in batter accompanied with hot fries and served wrapped in newspaper. Fish 鈥榥鈥� Chip shops are scattered around the country and if you鈥檙e not sure which shop makes the best, ask the locals. Fish 鈥榥鈥� Chips are often taken to the beach to eat together or to a picnic bench with a nice view, and are great with the addition of tomato sauce or vinegar.
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Another communal form of eating is what New Zealanders call a 鈥楽ausage Sizzle鈥�. Sausages are cooked on the barbeque, placed in a slice of bread and drenched in your choice of tomato sauce, mustard or onions. Sausage Sizzles are commonly used for school fundraisers or charity events, each sausage in bread costing about one or two dollars.
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Other savoury favourites include sausage rolls, which is sausage meat wrapped in pastry, and the traditional hot meat mince pie. These are always fully stocked at the local 鈥榙airy鈥� (a small local food store), and are a common and tasty choice among kiwis.
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New Zealand also has a delicious range of sweets and desserts. 鈥榃hittakers鈥� is the country鈥檚 favourite chocolate manufacturer, blocks of this yummy chocolate can be found in any supermarket across the country. One of our most popular sweets or 鈥榣ollies鈥� are Pineapple Lumps. These are pineapple flavoured chews coated in chocolate. Because of their popularity and recognition in New Zealand, packets are often sent away as gifts to Kiwis living overseas. 鈥楯etplanes鈥�, 鈥楬okey Pokey鈥� and 鈥楥hocolate Fish鈥� are other popular confectionaries.
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However, our number one traditional dessert is the 鈥楶avlova鈥�. There is competition over the founder of this cream-coated meringue topped with fruits, Australia often laying claim to its invention. But as far as kiwis are concerned Pavlova is a New Zealand creation, normally shared on special occasions such as Christmas.
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Food is a favourite for kiwis; social occasions are always filled with foods and many hosts may ask you to 鈥榖ring a plate鈥�. This means to bring a plate full of food to share. It is often customary to bring food or wine if you are being hosted. For an alcohol free option 鈥楲&P鈥� is a lemon flavoured soda with a twist and is also a favourite beverage.
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No matter where you go in New Zealand there are plenty of traditional and tasty foods to try and to be shared.
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Photos:
by Sarah Stewart,
by Jennifer Brown,
by ccyhan,