Sriyan from Teaz, an importer of special teas, demonstrates flavour tastings at an Auckland farmers market. The name Teaz stands for “taste, exotic, aroma and zest,” he says. The teas originate from individual tea plantations and gardens in Sri Lanka’s different climate zones on the island once known as Ceylon. These different flavoured teas are promoted as ‘single origin’, as opposed to tea blends from a number of plantations. Teaz products are packaged in ‘leaf tins’, herbal sachets, tea bags, and gift boxes that include silver tea canisters and miniature tea chests.

Tess serves a bowl of Dutch Patat Met - fries with curry ketchup, mayonnaise and fresh diced onion at Dutch Delight in Greenhithe on Auckland’s North Shore, a haven for the city’s Dutch community. The occasion is the birthday of Holland’s Queen Beatrice in May 2010. The venue is a sort of Kiwi/Amsterdam pancake restaurant with plenty of room to welcome families in its spacious garden. The menu includes the inevitable pancakes (even diabetic) and, ‘real Dutch, mouth-watering apple pie’ served with whipped cream or ice cream. Who said the Dutch have a sweet tooth?

Sonya serves a double hokey pokey ice cream cone at the Rush Munro Gardens’ flagship outlet in the middle of Hastings. The company logo has changed since this photo was taken and the cone is slightly different, but the company says the original, hand-crafted family recipe, created by Fred Rush Munro in 1926, is used to this day. Also see our Kohu Road ice cream article in this Winter 2010 issue. The most popular flavour in the world is vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Kiwis are among the world’s thirstiest and fastest ice cream lickers – woofing down some 23 litres plus per person every year.

We are what we cook, and there’s no better collection of the country’s recipe books than can be found at Antiques On Main at 5 Willoughby Street, Paeroa. The studio, which is housed in an historic National Bank gold refinery, has a wonderful collection of hand-crafted furniture, artefacts and a range of New Zealand reference books, including a comprehensive collection of Kiwi recipe and cooking books. The collection includes the iconic, such as Aunt Daisy who was from nearby Ngatea, to budget, A5 booklets produced by country institutes and schools, capturing heartland New Zealand baking and cooking. A must visit, closed over the middle winter months but viewable online – www.antiquesonmain.co.nz 

Daniel - at the entrance to MoVida Bar de Tapas in Melbourne city at the start of a lunch shift. This venue is one of those must try ‘destination’ food and beverage venues for epicurean tourists to the Victorian capital. The original MoVida is located in Hosier Lane, which is also a popular spot with picture-taking tourists for its graffiti and stencil art. The lane is off Flinders Street opposite Federation Square, between Swanston and Russell Streets. It gets a little confusing because literally next door, on the corner of Hosier Lane and busy Flinders Street, is MoVida Next Door. Both venues have the signature of Aussie chef and co-proprietor Frank Camorra, who was born in Barcelona.

Michael Wood, the winemaker for Obsidian winery on Waiheke Island in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour at a vintage tasting at Fables in Parnell, Auckland. The winery was set up in Waiheke’s Onetangi Valley in 1993, making quality blended wine. With an annual rainfall of 900mm, compared to Auckland’s 1200mm, the island makes a distinctive leathery rich red wine from its clay soils. Waiheke wineries enjoyed blessed weather for their 2010 vintage; the dry heat was only compromised by small fruit, in other words - quality over quantity. Until that vintage is in the bottle, the Obsidian 2008 is our pick of a good bunch.