What is New Zealand food exactly?

Searching Google for ideas - I stumbled upon http://purenewzealandfoods.co.nz/

I guess I was expecting - possibly some lamb dishes - definitely seafood - and perhaps some pacific fusion style cooking.

But actually http://purenewzealandfoods.co.nz/ is selling frozen curry and Italian pasta dishes.

The marketing makes the linkage between New Zealand - clean and safe - therefore although all the ingredients for the frozen meals seems to be imported - they are cooked and mixed in a clean Kiwi kitchen.

Quite funny really.

I guess the hygiene in an Indian commercial kitchen is not so good?

I always thought clean green - referred to the water - the air and the soil - not the QA procedures in place in a commercial kitchen.

However, the humour, of the above does make me contemplate the simple question - What is New Zealand food exactly?

You never hear of anyone picking up a lamb and pavlova takeaway - but everyone certainly loves their Thai and their Indian.

Is New Zealand food - really only a list of nostalgic experiences?

  • Seafood caught whilst staying at the batch,
  • Ducks shot in lake Ellesmere,
  • Pavlova and sav's at the family barbecue;
  • A crayfish tail - from the next door neighbour - who happens to be into diving,
  • Shearers sandwiches - thick cheese lettuce and marmite?
  • Hokey Pokey icecream - melting over your hands at the beach,
  • Whitebait fritters - made for dinner - after a freezing day in the surf.
Or have our food experiences always had a strong international flavour - I'm thinking the early Chinese gold miners - the Opium den's in Wellington - and no doubt Chinese restuarants?

So what really is Kiwi tucker?

What are pure New Zealand Foods?


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