Growing Into Life at The Bayview Retirement Village

Pam in the Garden at Bayview Retirement Village “I’ve got to have my hands in the dirt,” Pam says as we leave the light-filled reception area at The Bayview and begin walking together. Her husband, Warren, is beside her, and we head through the cafe. It’s buzzing – conversations overlapping and people lingering over coffee. […]
Eggplant & Ricotta Pasta

You can make this dish vegetarian simply by removing the anchovies. Serves 5 2–3 eggplants (the dark purple variety) extra virgin olive oil salt 500g packet pasta (like penne or rigatoni) 250g chip of cherry tomatoes 2–3 garlic cloves 1–2 anchovies 1 cup ricotta* 8–10 basil leaves Chop the eggplants into approx. 1 cm cubes. […]
PINEAPPLE AND VIETNAMESE MINT SALAD

Pineapple pairs beautifully with Vietnamese mint in this fresh salad by Amber Bremner. Recipe and image by Amber Bremner Give me a hot day and a pineapple and I’m happy. I have a deep love for tropical fruits and herbs (and chilli of course), so this salad ticks all the boxes. Chilled pineapple and cucumber […]
Eggplant Schnitzel

Many Kiwis, unless of Asian or Mediterranean descent, have yet to learn to appreciate eggplants. I know I was in the camp for many years. But when you taste an eggplant dish that understands what eggplant brings to the table, you too will be a convert. In Sicily it is hard to go a day […]
A Decade of Hayes Common

Words Denise Irvine, Images Ashlee DeCaires When you head down Wellington Street to Hayes Paddock in Hamilton East, a big green building stretches out before you. It’s set back from the street on a corner site, and there are typically people sitting at outdoor tables in the sun, amid kids, dogs, bikes and gardens. The […]
Roast Tomato Sauce

Recipe Vicki Ravlich-Horan Images Ashlee DeCaires Every spring I plant way too many tomato plants, especially considering I’m the only person in the family that eats tomatoes. The family do love pizza night every Saturday and pasta though, so a few years back I started roasting up my tomato crop and turning it into this […]
Zucchini and Their Flowers with Fresh Cheese

Words and images Kathy Paterson Zucchini – Courgette “One in the same” The late Antonio Carluccio was Britain’s leading exponent of Italian cooking, and to quote him, “This vegetable may come last in alphabetical order, but for Italians it is the first and most widely used, along with the tomato. Zucchini [courgettes], are grown and […]
Spaghetti with Zucchini and Their Flowers

Recipe and image by Kathy Paterson An excellent bowl of spaghetti requires few additions, just like topping on a pizza – less is more. Serves 2 200g dried spaghetti good splash of extra virgin olive oil 4 baby zucchini (from the flowers), sliced 1½ tsp harissa (I used the milder green harissa) 4 flowers, stamens […]
Fatima’s

Over the past 30 years, Fatima’s has served more than a million customers from its bustling kitchens in Auckland. They’ve always been cooks first – passionate about feeding people, sharing flavour and making food that feels good to eat. Now you can bring a little of that magic into your own kitchen. Whether you’ve stood […]
My Croatian Kitchen

Both sets of Helena Nuic’s grandparents came to New Zealand from Croatia. While West Auckland was home, Helena says she grew up with strong ties to Croatia, via the language, music, stories and, of course, food. She explains, “My Croatian Kitchen began as a way to preserve the memories and traditions passed on to me […]