Food Archive
Beer and Wine of the Week: A dragon ale from Kāpiti and a near-perfect pinot gris
Alice Neville tries a multifaceted, dragon-inspired Belgian beer from Waikanae, while Henry Oliver opts for a full, fragrant and ever-so-slightly funky pinot gris from Waipara.
Out of the wild brew yonder: Why weird beers are the new normal
Did you know that all kinds of weird and wonderful shit floats about in the night sky, and you can make beer with it? If you’re into wine, you’ll probably be …
Take your toastie game to the next level
Hungry? Give these top-notch toasties from the Fed and Baker Gramercy a whirl.
Dietary Requirements: Sausages, mental health and a dispatch from Ireland
Dietary Requirements is our new monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms and Fine Wine Delivery Company.
Who’s afraid of big bad chardonnay?
These days, chards are far more complex than the buttery, oaky monsters of yore, so dive on in.
Kraft peanut butter v Bega peanut butter: A Spinoff taste test for the ages
Kraft is introducing a new peanut butter to compete with Bega peanut butter, which due to some business stuff is now producing Kraft's original recipe. Hayden Donnell taste-tested it.
You wouldn’t eat a kiwi – so why is whitebait okay?
Whitebait season is here, and Forest and Bird are steaming mad about it. Why are we serving endangered fish in kitchens and cafes alike?
Remembering Anthony Bourdain: Hope springs from tragedy for Auckland hospo
For many in the restaurant industry, Anthony Bourdain's death hit close to home, so a group of hospo friends decided to build something positive out of the sadness.
X is for extra pale ale: An A-Z of the Beervana craft beer festival
Reflecting on the highs and lows of multiple circumnavigations of a beery concrete concourse.
How refugees are enriching Aotearoa’s food landscape
Whether making Somali sauces or Nepali dumplings, former refugees are providing income for their families and delicious food for the rest of us.
The beauty of bubbles: why champagne is so good (and NZ sparkling is not far off)
'Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right,' according to Mark Twain. Simon Day has a cleansing glass of bubbles (or three) to go with a history lesson on champagne.
The shake-and-drink smoothie drops revitalising indigenous foods
Kaitahi's Leonie Matoe explains how her company's innovative products are reviving the use (and growth) of indigenous plant-based ingredients.
Punjab is basically the Taranaki of India
Two Kiwi dairy devotees feel right at home in the northern Indian state that's mad for milk products.
Zero waste, maximum taste: The restaurant with no rubbish bin
Meet the UK chef inspiring his Kiwi counterparts with a radical approach to food waste.
We’ve come a long way, baby: Why Kiwi pinot just keeps getting better
With its fascinating regional diversity, New Zealand’s most popular red has evolved into a wine that’s making the world sit up and take notice.
The maddest Insta-breakfasts of The Mad Butcher
Alex Casey counts down the most intriguing Instagrammed breakfasts of Sir The Mad Butcher.
Boiling point: Feeling the burn in the home of hotpot
A lily-livered foreigner braves the fiery cauldron that is Chóngqìng's specialty.
The milkshake master and the nostalgia of fast food
Food and drink are the source of many memories. Simon Day remembers a hangover and his childhood with milkshake guru Matt Fitzgerald.
The Spinoff reviews and rates New Zealand’s best petrol station pies
Finally, the definitive ranking of Aotearoa's favourite snack – featuring notes of burnt marshmallow, wet undies and duplicitous giraffes.
Sausage fest: The problem with dude-centric food events
Cheffing is a male-dominated industry, but shouldn't food festivals be leading the way in promoting equality?
Blades of glory: The knives chefs go nuts for
In a world replete with generic knives, Auckland chefs are moving towards something a little more special.
Saving our bacon: How Freedom Farms champions consumer-led change
Choosing ethically produced meat and eggs at the supermarket is now a no-brainer for many of us, but not so long ago it wasn't even an option.
What’s the deal with the country-of-origin food labelling bill?
A select committee has proposed limiting the kinds of products the Consumers' Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill will apply to, and plenty of folk ain't happy about it.
No mean peat: A refined trip through the birthplace of great whisky
Featuring hints of marshmallow, Prince Charles, booze-soaked shoes and being bullied by a large Scottish man named Paul.
