Super salads go with anything

Salads are not just for summer eating; indeed, they go with almost anything, and ingredients are as varied as those who create the dish.     From sausages to steak, crayfish to chicken, a salad may just be the perfect accompaniment. Vegetable varieties and availability vary from season to season, and this also makes salads […]

Green goodness lemon and parmesan risotto

INGREDIENTS  3 tbsp butter or neutral oil 2 onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1½ cups risotto rice ½ cup white wine 6 cups hot gluten-free vegetable stock, plus a little extra if needed 1 tsp salt ground black pepper, to taste 4 handfuls baby spinach leaves 2 cups frozen peas, thawed 1 cup […]

Lake of luxury

The days are getting shorter, and the temperature is getting cooler … but for The Lake House that is not a problem. The solution? A handful of heating options and a bunch of blankets.     Boats are always on the lake, says owner Vanetia Bingham. And the sunsets are particularly beautiful on the deck […]

Delicious comfort cuisine: Quality Hotel Elms

Autumn means it’s time to cosy-up at Fig restaurant at Quality Hotel Elms and enjoy its brand-new dinner menu.     Food and beverage services manager Ravi Naidu says, “We aim to keep our menu international bistro-style, so you’ll see Asian-inspired dishes, pasta and that timeless crowd-pleaser – classic steaks.” Of course, the new dishes […]

Making Canterbury sparkle: Melton Estate

It’s time to raise your glass because “Meltonia” méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine is here!     The 2017 vintage sparkling wine was created using entirely estate-grown grapes from West Melton. The classic French technique ‘méthode traditionnelle’ (traditional method) is a proven process for producing quality sparkling wine. While the fermentation in the bottle takes longer, […]

Chocolate & almond butter swirl brownies

  INGREDIENTS For the chocolate batter 200g dark chocolate, chopped into 5mm chunks (150g for melting, the rest for the top) 100g coconut oil 100g white spelt flour 100g golden caster sugar ½ tsp baking powder 2 organic eggs, or 8 tsp flaxseed 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste For the almond butter batter 75g […]

The next exciting chapter! The Station Cafe

It’s full steam ahead at The Station Café in Rangiora, with proprietors Steve and Vivienne King announcing that opening hours will be extended to include an evening dining service. “It’s the next chapter for The Station. Beginning early May, we will be open for evening dining on Fridays and Saturdays,” says Steve.   The special […]

“Dirty” bulgur with roast chicken (Red bulgur bi jara)

This dish was originally prepared in a clay pot, hence the term “bi jara”, or “from the clay oven” in the recipe’s name. My version differs from the original, not only in that I have used a regular saucepan instead of a clay pot, but also because I have ‘dirtied’ the rice. A friend of […]

Trust the chefs: The Monday Room

As plate after plate of beautifully presented contemporary fine dining dishes arrive at your table at The Monday Room, it becomes quite clear you can indeed trust the chefs. Or, more specifically, you can trust Eeva Torvinen and Annika Kiviniemi, the Finnish chefs behind the restaurant’s exquisite social dining offering.   Owner Joel Christian says […]

Cardamom + dark chocolate “cheesecake” bars

  Gluten-free | Makes 12–14 slices | Vegan Method: Start this recipe the night before to soak the cashews. To make the cheesecake base, line a 28cm x 18cm slice tin with baking paper, overlapping the sides by 2cm. Put the pitted dates, almonds and melted coconut oil into a food processor and pulse until […]