Food Archive
Every dairy lolly in New Zealand, reviewed and ranked
Summer is the time for buying dollar bags at the dairy. It's also the time for Madeleine Chapman to rank every single one of them.
Abominations unto God: Reviewing Nestlé’s new Kiwi onion dip flavours
This summer, Nestlé released two new flavours of Kiwi Onion Dip. Hayden Donnell, our nation’s leading Kiwi onion dip researcher, delivers the company an angry rebuke.
WTF is Quorn and why did it make me hurl? A search for the (fake) meaty truth
After a bite of schnitzel sends her running to the toilet, Julie Hill dives into the murky world of Britain's favourite meat substitute.
Recipe: Smoked paprika zucchini chips
Got a glut of zucchini? Turn 'em into chips and they'll be gone in a flash.
New Zealand’s new-wave RTDs, reviewed and ranked
Premixed spirit-based drinks have shed their low-brow reputation and are taking over a summer barbecue near you. But are they any good?
Days of sugar and ice: Remembering the sweet treats of the 90s
From foul combat snacks to forbidden cones and fruit-based sophistication, the most sought-after sugary snacks of his childhood still hold a special place in John Summers' heart.
No sausages or salami?! The country-of-origin regulations let pork eaters down
Finally, New Zealand is getting country-of-origin food labelling. But the recently released draft regulations are a missed opportunity to provide consumers with clarity around where their food comes from and how it's produced, writes Hilary Pearson of Freedom Farms.
Food podcast: Summer eats, RTDs and a breast-milk taste test
We're joined by food writer Ginny Grant and a whole lot of babies for our first Dietary Requirements of 2020.
The Sawmill Brewery on fires, feuds and forging an identity
In the near decade since Sawmill Brewery's new owners came on board, they've won awards and watched their brewery burn down. And their former landlords at the Leigh Sawmill Cafe accuse them of acting unethically.
Hamilton bar pulls Corona-coronavirus promotion
House on Hood, which was criticised for linking a deal on Corona beers to the coronavirus, has discontinued the promotion.
What New Zealand could learn from the Cuban agricultural revolution
After the collapse of the Soviet bloc, Cuba embarked on a rapid reorientation of its agricultural system to a self-sustaining, biointensive and essentially organic model. Nearly 30 years on, a Canterbury vegetable grower ponders whether Aotearoa could follow its lead.
Every great city needs places like Food Alley – but we need to back them
Our job as walkers of city streets is to continue supporting gems like the soon-to-close Food Alley, writes Miriam Moore.
Recipe: Best-ever potato salad
Everyone needs a good spud salad recipe in their repertoire, and this herb-packed offering is hard to beat.
An ode to Food Alley, 1992-2020
A downtown Auckland institution, the 28-year-old foodcourt Food Alley is soon to be demolished. The Spinoff visited at lunchtime the day after the news broke to see how diners and stallholders were feeling.
BREAKING… your toilet. Because detox teas will only make you shit
Detox teas have been taken off shelves after being shown to include a pharmacy-only laxative ingredient.
Fun, frolic, fire and food: Celebrating the Indian festival Makar Sankranti
Plus: a Punjabi recipe for spinach curry and exquisite chapati.
The Mad Butcher on being NZ’s greatest food influencer
Alex Casey counts down The Mad Butcher's maddest insta-breakfasts, with bonus commentary from The Butch himself.
Please stop offering sober people orange juice
Embrace the many zero-alcohol drink options out there and stop bloody serving OJ.
Eight simple rules to make the most of a restaurant buffet
The buffet offers up a grand opportunity to stuff one's face, but what is the best way to optimise your buffet-going experience and eat all the glorious things?
The ice blocks I have eaten this summer, from best to worst
Whether you're a hungover mess, on a road trip with fractious children or just a bit hot and thirsty, ice blocks are the answer. But not all are created equal, finds Amanda Thompson.
The chaotic history of the lolly scramble in New Zealand
It’s a Kiwi tradition fraught with outrage, red tape and injury. It’s also really bloody fun. Alex Casey takes a look back at the evolution of the lolly scramble in New Zealand.
Make a fresh start(er) in 2020 – then whip up some sourdough bagels
Been wanting to join the sourdough club for ages but haven't managed to find some decades-old starter with a suitably charming backstory? Fuggeddaboutit and make your own bubbly batch, after which you can give these bagels a whirl.
Why are limes so freakishly expensive in New Zealand?
They're bank breakers, and they're 'knobbly little things, horrible things'. A major wedge issue, explained.
What we ate on our holidays
From the deep south to the top of the north, we spread our culinary wings to sample regional summer delights. Here's what we can't stop thinking about.
