Pouring their hearts out

UNO’s wine columnist Jess Easton heads to Hawke’s Bay to discover a resilient label which is perfectly balanced in more ways than one.

Words Jess Easton  |   Photos Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

Woven into grapes on the Saorsa wine label is a heart so vivid and intricate, it almost pulses.

Everything they do, they do with heart. And while their recent viticultural journeys have involved a degree of heartbreak, they've also been pretty heart-warming too.

When we drop in to see them at their Haumoana home, a steady drizzle occasionally erupts into rain outside. A traumatic Cyclone Gabrielle-plagued summer has given way to a miserable winter and Alex has been busy digging boxes and boxes of their delicious wine out of the silt.

Saorsa is Gaelic, with rough translations of freedom, salvation, redemption and liberty. The label lived up to its name; despite the vineyard being in the heart of the Esk Valley, it came through the cyclone relatively unscathed. Unfortunately they had stored most of their stock at neighbouring Linden Estate and much of it was left buried beneath metres of flood-strewn material, however.

But this is where the heart comes in. As soon as he could after the unprecedented devastation, Alex was back helping clear the vineyards, pulling the drowned stock of neighbours out from beneath the wires, doing his bit to help resurrect an ailing industry.

Wife Hana, meanwhile, was ignoring the floodwaters lapping at their own home and spending days and nights on duty with the local volunteer fire department.

With Haumoana's fire station under water, their home became the
designated base, and remained that way for months afterwards.

Selfless and community driven, it's worth remembering the couple have
three children of their own, while Hana – a qualified stainless steel
engineer – has a full-time job as operations manager in the waste industry.

The pair are perfect foils for each other; Hana is a 100km/h live-wire, bristling with energy and zest, while Alex is all earthy calm. And somehow, impossibly, they've infused all this personality into their wines.

The Saorsa Syrah 2021 is luxuriously earthy and smoky, with hints of rose, yet retaining a freshness and liveliness.

And their Viognier 2021 is decadent and silky, with bold notes of peach and apricot mingling with toasted spices.

Saorsa's grapes are handpicked and treated with the utmost care. There are no shortcuts during winemaking and the whole process is an affectionate nod to tradition, mixed with modern sensibilities and style.

This is the dream Alex and Hana have created – making wine they love with the ones they love – all of which is infused with heart. 

Playing for keeps

Esteemed pianist Somi Kim is set to join Opus Orchestra
for a captivating soloist performance.

Words Casey Vassallo 

Photo Jen Raoult

One of sought-after pianist Somi Kim’s earliest memories is attending keyboard classes with her mum in South Korea. “I just remember loving how interactive it was… And that we could collectively experience and share the enjoyment together,” Somi shares. “I guess that's what I love about music and going to concerts – you're in that moment that will never be the same again.”

At eight years old, Somi moved to New Zealand, and despite her commitment to music she says she coasted on the back of her natural talent. That was right up until the end of her Master of Music degree at the University of Auckland. “I realised music was my saviour, and thought I’m going to give it a really good go,” she says. “Once I started putting in the effort, doors started to open.” 

Somi went on to win the Royal Over-Seas League Pettman scholarship with her Estrella Quartet chamber group in 2012, and complete two more degrees in collaborative piano at the Royal Academy of Music in the UK. The stack of accolades she’s achieved since are nothing short of outstanding.

Today, Somi has her dream job as the official pianist for Auckland’s NZTrio, and regularly plays with the Auckland Philharmonia and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. “Being in Europe helped me find my musical voice and with experience comes confidence… Which opens a lot more doors for you,” she says. “Coming back home and being able to give back to the musical community – the home that helped shape me into the musician I am – feels extra special.”

Her upcoming performance with Opus Orchestra is her first with the group. Conducted by Peter Walls, the Somi Kim: Mozart and More concert is coming to Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua this October, which includes music from Prokofiev and Hamilton’s own composer Martin Lodge. “I get to play a Mozart concerto, which is every pianist's dream,” she says of the dark and stormy piece she’ll be playing in D minor, alongside his operatic Overture to Don Giovanni. 

“Without orchestras like Opus, it would be difficult to get classical music out to places like Tauranga, Hamilton and Rotorua that just don’t get enough exposure like the main cities,” Somi says. “Music is an integral part of life. It gives us all a chance to sit back and take some time for yourself and be present with your emotions.” 

Somi Kim: Mozart and More will be heading to Hamilton on Friday, October 13, Tauranga on Saturday, October 14, and Rotorua on Sunday, October 15. 

Opusorchestra.co.nz

Acoustic spirit

Whiskey SoHo is the Bay’s top-shelf blend of musical talent.

Words Shiree Schumacher

Singer-songwriter Waylon McPherson has been steeped in music since childhood – strumming his way through various bands and playing to crowds over the years with some memorable success. But a voice injury, and the pandemic, forced a hiatus. After time to recalibrate and heal his voice, Waylon re-emerged as Whiskey SoHo – a multi-genre percussive solo-acoustic act that’s as interesting as it sounds. Singing, playing and percussing on his guitar using effect pedals manufactured by McPherson Stompboxes, his own Papamoa-based family business, he produces a full band-like experience. His sound is funky, soulful – and just like a great whiskey, hits all the right notes. 

What led you to become a musician?
I can always remember being drawn to music. When I was three or four years old, and my dad put on a Dire Straits Live Concert VHS, and that's when the penny dropped: “Wow, so this is how music is made!” I began to learn guitar at 10 years old and was totally into it, but it wasn't until I was around 18 and I played my first live show that I knew music was something that I wanted to be a large part of life.

How did you end up creating Whiskey Soho?
I’d been playing the cover circuit for quite a few years but during lockdown, all my gigs were cancelled. This coincided with a vocal injury, and I was advised not to sing until it was addressed. After quite a bit of vocal therapy, I was able to heal my voice back to a point where I could perform, and in late 2022,  I started working on Whiskey SoHo. 

What do you love about what you do?
The biggest thing I love about playing music live is how it brings people from all different walks of life together in a positive way. It's an addictive feeling when you are playing in front of a crowd that's really engaged. I love my day job, which is a company my wife Shelley and I started in 2008, McPherson Stompboxes NZ Ltd. We work with musicians all over New Zealand and around the Bay, building, servicing, repairing and modifying musicians’ instruments and gear. We are a musical household 24/7 around here.

What are your music career highlights so far?
Being managed by Ray Columbus and having a single on the NZ Charts. Being nominated for best new artist in the Juice TV Music Awards. Performing on Top of the Pops with Chefu and Opshop. Performing live on the Good Morning Show. Rotorua Sound Shell performance to a crowd of over 30,000 people. Supporting Midwave Breaks on the Mount Maunganui leg of their tour. I have played many memorable gigs, and they all make up epic lifetime experiences.

What inspires your music?
Life experiences, random thoughts and ideas. My style of writing is all about the vibe. Songs can have several storylines that are all intertwined. Even though my songs have meaning to me, I would rather the listener have their own idea of what it might mean to them. When I was six or seven, I remember really liking a song, and watching an interview where the artist was describing what the song was about, and I felt like knowing the backstory took away some of the magic of what the song meant for me.

How is it being part of Papamoa's music community?
Papamoa and the wider Bay of Plenty is such an incredible musical community, supportive, encouraging and helpful. The quality of the musicians in the Bay is world-class. There is so much inspiration every time someone releases new music, or you get the opportunity to catch a live show.

What is your favourite instrument to play?
Guitar! I'm totally obsessed with the guitar and have been since I was 10! The entire Whiskey SoHo act is built around pushing the boundaries of what you can do with just one acoustic guitar.

Who is your favourite band or musician right now?
I love so many styles and types of music, hence the  range of genres I write and play. I love that there is something for everyone and more amazing music is being written, recorded and released every day. When I connect with a song, I can enjoy it, regardless of the artist who wrote it, or who performs it. Every style or mix of music has its place and has the opportunity to connect with people, and the big thing is how to give people the opportunity to hear your music.   

whiskey.soho

Bella cucina

Forget takeaway pizza – these simply mouthwatering recipes from Kiwi chef Bri DiMattina will transport your tastebuds to the Italian countryside

Tomato with Whipped Feta

This tomato medley salad plays with the contrasting flavours of whipped feta and a sweet honey-chilli drizzle. Make extra of the whipped feta and the honey-chilli drizzle to reconstruct this later as a dip with other garden goodies. Though, honestly, it is best with fresh tomatoes – an addictive combination.

SERVES 2

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp honey

• ½ tsp chilli seeds

• 1 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp capers

• 500g mixed heirloom (or homegrown) tomatoes, sliced (little ones can be left whole)

• ½ small red onion, finely chopped

• Small handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped

WHIPPED FETA

• 80g feta

• 40g sour cream (or yoghurt)

• ½ garlic clove, minced

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp olive oil

• Lemon zest and cracked pepper (optional)

Method

To make the whipped feta, blend the feta and sour cream in a food processor until smooth, then stir in the remaining ingredients by hand. Chill until required.

In a small pot, heat honey until runny (no need to simmer or boil) then add chilli seeds and stir thoroughly.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan and fry capers until crispy. Leave to cool.

Layer whipped feta on the base of the plate, followed by tomatoes, capers, red onion and parsley. Drizzle with the honey chilli just before serving, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Arancini

Arancini are usually made with rice, often from leftover risotto. They have a delectable filling, such as cheese, truffle or ragu, and are rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. A lot of Italian cooking represents this
style of using up everything, and is the spirit of this dish. If you, like me, are seduced into planting lots of zucchini, unsurprisingly you will have lots of zucchini to use up, so this is for you. Arancini are Sicilian and southern Italian, and a similar recipe in Rome is called suppli. There are many variations and other names as you travel through Italy, but I think this one, made purely from grated zucchini, is a uniquely New Zealand garden version.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 zucchini, grated

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• Small handful of parsley, finely chopped thyme leaves, to taste

• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup pecorino, finely grated 

• ½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs, plus more, to coat

• 100g mozzarella, cut into 1cm cubes

• Vegetable oil, to deep-fry

METHOD

Place the grated zucchini into a clean tea towel and wring out over the sink, to remove excess liquid. Place zucchini into a large bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Gently cook the onion and garlic until translucent, then add to the zucchini. Add the parsley, thyme, pepper, eggs, pecorino and breadcrumbs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too wet, add some more breadcrumbs, though it should be fairly moist.

Take a small handful of the mixture and flatten a little in the palm of your hand. Place a cube of mozzarella in the centre, then enclose with the zucchini mixture and shape into a ball. Roll in the fine breadcrumbs to thoroughly coat.

Half fill a large saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat. Deep-fry arancini in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

NOTE: You can make these in big batches and freeze them after crumbing. They make a great lunch snack in the middle of winter.

Grilled Capsicum & Tomato Tart

This tart is almost better cold the next day than it is straight from the oven. Feel free to use puff pastry instead of shortcrust, but still leave a border around the edge so that you get a lovely crust.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

• 2 anchovy fillets

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 500g shortcrust pastry

• 150g gruyere, grated

• 4 tbsp chopped herbs (such as thyme, sage and oregano), plus extra, to serve

• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced

• 3 large capsicums, cut into pieces and lightly chargrilled

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a large baking tray.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the anchovies, shallots and garlic for a couple of minutes, until softened. Set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry to a 30cm × 20cm rectangle and place onto the prepared tray. Spread the cooled anchovy mixture over, leaving a 2cm border around the edge.

Sprinkle with gruyere and herbs, then layer the tomato and capsicum on top, slightly overlapping.

Fold the edges of the pastry over to make a crust. Drizzle the topping
with olive oil. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until pastry is golden.

Cool slightly and serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and cracked pepper.

Spiced Apple Cake

This recipe hails from my mother’s café, Eliza’s Pantry. It’s super simple and uses four apples with their skin on. The apples don’t have to be at their best, it’s a little like a banana bread recipe for apples. They can be rescued because no one is inclined to eat them, and turned into something delicious – but the best part is that it is all just mixed up in a food processor, then baked.

SERVES 12

INGREDIENTS

• 4 apples, quartered, cored

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 2 tsp ground allspice

• 250g butter, at room temperature, chopped

• 2 cups plain flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• Ice cream and caramel sauce, to serve

CINNAMON CRUMBLE

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup rolled oats

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 25g butter

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper.

To make the crumble, combine the ingredients in a food processor and process until crumbly. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

For the cake, place the apples into the food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process for 1 minute. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 1–1.25 hours, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve with ice cream, caramel sauce, or both. 

Where the boys aren’t

The Hits radio personality Lauren Mabbett is single and ready to mingle… But where are all the men?

Calling all singles in the Bay of Plenty! We're putting on a speed-dating night!"

What joy I felt reading those words as a single 30 *mumble* year old gal in the Bay of Plenty. I moved back here from living in Auckland and Wellington a couple of years ago and fairly quickly noticed the lack of 30-something single guys or even meetup-style events. So when a local bar started promoting their speed-dating evening, myself and a few of my single girlfriends were rapt. Finally! A chance to meet potential dates face-to-face and not via a dating app. As tempting as those photos of dudes holding up a fish or a dead deer are, or the profiles that solely consisted of a pic of some cash spread out on a bed (cool that you've got $180, go you!), it just wasn't working out for me.

Two days before the speed-dating night, the bar organising it posted on Instagram: “Apologies ladies, due to the lack of interest from males we've had to cancel the speed-dating night.” 

You could hear the resounding heavy sigh from women across the Bay. My point had been proven.

And it's not for lack of trying. Many nights my friends and I will go out and try and meet someone the good old-fashioned way – getting on the piss at a pub. However, a quick scan of the room usually results in disappointment. Groups of men old enough to be my dad, young enough to be my children, or all sporting those bloody wedding rings.

In the two years I've been back in Tauranga, I've been on one date. I met a guy from Tinder at a bar in town and straightaway realised he didn't look at all like his photos. His profile said he was 36 but he informed me in person he was 45 and didn't know how to change his age on the app (side note: If you can't figure out how to type in your own birthday, that's a bit of a red flag in itself). He then proceeded to spend our whole date talking about how much he hates the government and “Cindy”, all the while continuously calling me “chickadee”.

On the way home, while sitting on Cameron Road for 45 damn minutes, I thought to myself, “Even though I'm single, if the right guy for me isn't out there right now, there's no point pushing it. I have friends in other cities who will end up dating the wrong person for the sake of not being alone. They're not happy, but they believe they're happier than they would be being single.”

As the great Robin Williams once said, “I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.”

As nice as it would be to at least be able to go on a few promising dates, being single certainly has its upsides. I have so much time for my good friends and family, I get to wake up and start my day exactly the way I want to, I can travel without having to work around anyone else, and I don't need to bother changing the second pillow case on my bed (apart from when it's covered in cat fur). Seriously, though, it's given me heaps of time to focus on myself which I haven't taken for granted. I've been filling my evenings doing standup comedy, hosting pub quizzes or going out for lovely dinners with friends. And if among all that I have no plans, there's something quite enjoyable about hibernating at home, ordering Uber Eats and catching up on White Lotus. Perhaps opening a bottle of wine too.

If you're single and over 30 in Tauranga, first of all, call me! Secondly, embrace it. Make each day your own and enjoy it. And if you get really desperate, I know a guy who has $180.

Listen to Lauren weekdays 9am to 3pm on The Hits 95.0FM. 

Wines worth hunting for

UNO’s new wine columnist Jess Easton is introduced to the wild Wairarapa through a unique fine wine.

Photos Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

JESS EASTON

Jannine Rickards arrived for our Martinborough meeting adorned with luscious wines and an apology. She'd wanted to catch up earlier but needed to break down a boar she'd shot, she explained. And the day before that was a write-off, landing a hefty kingfish while out fishing.

Any further attempts to say sorry by the Wairarapa winemaker – who sells under the crazily appropriate Huntress label – were met by our group with thoroughly deaf ears and a barrage of questions, which she quickly silenced by opening a bottle of her Waihonga.

Fermented with wild yeasts, each of her vintages is a unique expression of the wild Wairarapa. Jannine (Ngā Puhi/Ngai Te Rangi) has an uncanny knack of conveying her love of nature and passion for hunting and foraging through her wine. Her own wairua (spirit) shines through, with an earthiness and intense connection between whenua (land) and palate.

Waihonga is Māori for “nectar” and the honey-coloured amber wine comes from pinot gris grapes fermented on skins with a dollop of skin-fermented riesling. It's fresh and vibrant with a deliciously long finish, dragging tones of peach, honey and spice along for the ride.

And what a ride it turned out to be. Tasked with finding wine matches for Kitchen Takeover's “Ki Tua” event earlier this year, combining delicious liquid offerings with the culinary mastery of Kārena and Kasey Bird, meeting Jannine seemed like a sign from the gods. One sip and I knew immediately this wine was going on our menu.

Fast forward a few months and Jannine's Waihonga sat serenely alongside Kārena and Kasey's Kai Kōhua dish, a deconstructed boil-up featuring bacon broth, nasturtium and watercress.

Ki Tua presented diners with five delectable courses, each inspired by legends of female Māori atua (gods), each paired with wines from Māori-owned vineyards or winemakers.

It was entirely fitting we opened things up with Tohu's Rewa Rose Méthode Traditionelle 2017. Tohu is acknowledged as He mātāmua taketake – the original and first Māori-owned and operated wine label. The stunning Greywacke Riesling 2021 was next up, made by winemaker Richelle Tyney (Ngati Tama ki te tau Ihu/Te Atiawa/ Ngāti Maniapoto/Ngāti Porou).

The Tiki WJM Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 followed The Huntress as the fourth match, produced by Sue (Ngāi Tahu) and Royce (Ngāti Ranginui) McKean. The second Tohu offering – the Raiha Reserve Noble Riesling 2016 – provided silky apricot and honey flavours with a dash of zesty lemon meringue and sweet citrus to finish.

Showcasing Māori wine talent was such a proud moment for our team.
And while New Zealand is renowned for our Marlborough sauv blancs and Central Otago pinots, plenty of sensational boutique offerings are
out there. Using Jannine Rickards as inspiration, sometimes you've just got to go hunting for them. 

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer. Her lifelong love of wines has been taken to the next level, tasked with crafting the wine list and wine matches for Kitchen Takeover's culinary masterpieces.

Life is a cabaret

Celebrated vocalist and Pāpāmoa local Mandy Meadows is taking her internationally acclaimed cabaret, Piaf: The Legend, around the North Island.

Words Karl Puschmann

Édith Piaf is a true French icon. The singer was one of the country’s biggest stars and one of its few musical acts to have a global impact. Her songs, largely autobiographical ballads about love and loss, were received as instant classics that immediately joined the standards songbook to be covered and reinterpreted forevermore.

But despite all of Édith’s fame, her life remains shrouded in mystery. Even decades after her death the renowned French chanteuse still
keeps many dark secrets. 

“She was a very complex, complicated character,” vocalist Mandy Meadows says. “She was abandoned by her mother and father who were circus performers and grew up in a brothel. Nobody really knew exactly where she was from.”

Mandy has been fascinated by Édith for as long as she can remember. As an international singer, it’s no surprise that she’d be enamoured by the songs, but Édith’s life also captured her imagination. So much so that she created a cabaret style show around it.

Titled Piaf: The Legend, the show tells the story of Édith’s life via her remarkable songs like La Vie En Rose, La Foule and Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien. For complete authenticity, Mandy sings them in their original French.

“All the songs are in French but the story is in English, so everybody can understand that because it is a show for everybody,” she says. “Whether you're a fan or not, it's really her incredible story that’s so captivating.”

Édith’s life was full of contradictions but never boring. From her childhood as a street urchin to helping POW’s escape during the war to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world.

“She was a real contrast of flaws and beauty,” Mandy says. “And unapologetically human, which is what I really like about her. She was a phoenix, rising above the ashes. There was nothing pretty about her life. It was really very tragic. But through all of that, she created these absolutely stunning songs and had a big, booming voice out of someone so small.”

Mandy first performed Piaf: The Legend in London’s Piccadilly Circus around seven years ago after funding its development by joining a paid clinical trial.

“I literally gave my blood for this show,” she laughs.

Since then she’s taken it all over the globe, leaving audiences spellbound and earning four and five-star reviews. Now she’s bringing that special French je ne sais quoi to the North Island. 

With dancers, a six-piece band that includes French accordion and clarinet and, of course, Mandy’s acclaimed vocals and performance leading the way the cabaret is all but guaranteed to transport you out of the regions and straight over to Paris. 

“I get quite emotional actually,” Mandy replies when asked how she feels while performing Édith’s passionate and powerful songs. “I really feed off the audience and I always cry. I always have that moment on stage where something really emotional happens and I feel the audience tense up. I do the same. It's a real energy and a beautiful thing. It's a really unique experience.” 

For more info, videos and tickets visit piafthelegend.com

Cool, calm and collected

With its artfully designed space, locally-sourced
treasures for sale and delectable food on offer, every detail of this café has been thoughtfully curated.

Words Hayley Barnett

As far as locals go, Gather is up there with the best. The vibe, the crowd, the food. It’s slightly bigger than a hole in the wall, but everything just works. And not one bit of it is an accident. Chatting with owner Steph Meaden, it’s obvious there was a very clear focus when she and husband Sam took over the Pāpāmoa spot three years ago.

“We knew we wanted to run a neighbourhood café but we both agreed it had to be three things – good for the community, good for the body and good for the environment,” explains Steph.

Having spent most of the first year behind the counter with their first baby in a front pack, this wasn’t easy to execute, especially during Covid 19 when supplies were limited and there were very few customers. But this is a couple who knows an opportunity when they see one.

They first opened the Tay Street Store two years prior to opening Gather, selling local products (mainly created by innovative and entrepreneurial friends), with the aim of branching out into food. When Gather came up for sale in 2020 the couple jumped at it. They had a bit of experience with a coffee caravan business , Lulu Coffee, which was a great first taste of the hospitality scene. It was just lucky they weren’t put off by dire times.

Today Gather is run by an all-women team, bar Sam who runs the finance and payroll back of house. Their head chef, Dominique Rojo Vivot, is Argentinian and the menu is largely influenced by her home country’s cuisine, with a colourful, vegan twist. The cheese puffs, vegan carrot cake and chimmi chilli eggs have all become loyal customer favourites. Thank goodness they’re staying on the upcoming, otherwise-new winter menu.

Steph and Sam aren’t chefs themselves but they were inspired by the very “farm to plate vibe” that they picked up on their travels overseas. “When we came home, we realised there’s an abundance of good food out there – you just need to know where to get it from,” says Steph.

Keeping in line with their noble ethos, they worked with their friends
– Mt Atkinson Coffee – who has a direct trade relationship with Ugandan coffee farmers and gives back through village projects. It does, however, come all the way from Auckland, which is quite a way away for Steph and Sam these days. A lot of product in the café is close to fully local, even the wide array of wares, skincare and clothing they sell in store. The clothing is actually designed by Dominique herself. Steph and the multi-talented chef even have plans to start their own pantry range.

With another baby in the front pack, Steph and Sam certainly have their
work cut out for them, but that’s all part of the fun.

“One day we’ll get back on the road – that’s kind of the idea of setting up a business!” she laughs. But right now, they’re both enjoying being part of a community which has embraced them and their passion for all things local and delicious. 

gatherpapamoa.co.nz

Plant power

Foodie Stacey Jones takes in Tauranga’s delectable plant-based restaurant scene

Falafel Metro

Last month, I emceed an event for Flavours of Plenty Festival called “Food for Thought”, featuring a panel of chefs who had all brought their distinctly different food cultures to Tauranga. One of the speakers, Tomer Rooney, was from CBD favourite Falafel Metro. Tomer grew up on a kibbutz in Israel and once a month, he would take the bus into Jerusalem to indulge in a fresh pita stuffed full of the delectable chickpea-based snack, topped with lashings of tahini. Yum!

The very next day I couldn’t get falafel out of my brain, so I decided to pop in to devour the aptly named “Jerusalem”. Holy smoke… I was in food heaven. The cherry on top? The dish was completely plant-based, not a morsel of meat in sight. “I love turning meat lovers to falafels,” Tomer explained. And it got me thinking… Where else in the Bay might one discover a plant-based bite that rivals the sensory bliss of its carnivorous counterpart? 

It seems I’m not the only one asking this question. Recent statistics reveal that a remarkable 34 percent of the New Zealand population has gracefully transitioned to a flexitarian diet (Massey University, 2022), reducing their meat intake and embracing the vibrant world of plant-based foods. So this month, I thought I’d reveal some of my top picks of places to eat where you can enjoy a meat-free meal that tastes as good,
if not better.

Falafel Metro is one of the best cheap eats you can experience in the Bay, so the fact that it's plant-powered too gives it a double thumbs-up. The team are constantly striving for improvement, having recently purchased a pita bread-making machine so everything you eat there will be produced in house. Less food miles = more eco goodness.

falafel metro  

Just around the corner in Tauranga CBD is Mudan, offering an array of
plant-based delights, all made from scratch including the tofu and noodles, plus it’s MSG-free. My pick would be their homemade Chinese hot spicy noodles with cooked tofu, fresh vegetables, and a delectable spicy sauce, or the kimchi fries.

neworientalmarket.com

Sugo Italian Restaurant

If you’re after something a little more fancy, Sugo Italian Restaurant is one not to be missed. Chef Ian Harrison, who was trained by Marco Pierre White, loves the challenge of creating food that is not only planet-friendly but ridiculously tasty at the same time. They have a dedicated plant-based menu featuring entrées, mains and desserts. My recommendation would be the mushroom bolognese with cashew nut parmesan, which I think is even better than the original version

sugosugo.co.nz

Sea People

Sea People makes ice cream using a blend of cashew and coconut milk, giving rise to a velvety-smooth, creamy texture that tastes as good as dairy ice cream, without compromising on flavour. Owners Mariah Whittaker and Allan Blondeau have a genuine passion for sustainability, creating a new generation of ice cream that is kind on the planet. Last time I was there I was treated to the olive oil ice cream – definitely worth
a try.
seapeople.co.nz

Tiny Seed NZ is a vegan baker offering a range of treats at the local farmers’ markets including Tauranga on Saturday and Mount Mainstreet on Sundays. My pick would be the orange and raspberry cake with caramel sauce. They also offer a grazing platter service which is 100 percent plant based – perfect for a guilt-free gathering.

Whittaker's and Naomi Toilalo celebrate Matariki

Naomi is the author of Whānaukai, New Zealand’s first entirely bilingual cookbook with the recipes available in English with a full Te Reo translation.

Kūmara celebration cake

KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE

300g Orange kūmara, peeled

1 tsp Salt

Zest of 1 ½ oranges

⅓ C Orange juice

1 Tbsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

⅔ C Brown sugar

⅔ C Caster sugar

⅔ C Oil, neutral

½ C Yogurt, unsweetened

2 ½ C Self-raising flour

½ tsp Baking soda

1 Tbsp Mixed spice

1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon

2 tsp Ground ginger

100g Whittaker’s Fijian Ginger and Mandarin chocolate

1. Pre-heat the oven to 140 fan bake or 150 bake. 

2. Grease two 19cm or 20cm cake tins with butter and line with baking paper. 

3. Grate the kūmara into a large bowl. Add the salt, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Stir to combine and leave aside.

4. Add the eggs, brown sugar and caster sugar in to a large bowl. Whip together until smooth. 

5. Continue to whip as you slowly add the oil and yoghurt. 

6. Sift the flour, baking soda, mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger on to the egg mixture. Add the kūmara mixture on top and fold all the ingredients together.

7. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and fold it in the batter. 

8. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Bake for 25 minutes and then place a large tray on top of the cake tins (this helps keep the moisture locked in). Bake for a further 15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre. 

10. Remove from the oven. Tip the cakes upside down on to a cooling tray straight away to help flatten them out. Cool the cakes as you prepare your delicious frosting.

THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

180g Whittaker’s 62% Dark Cacao chocolate

3 Tbsp Cream

190g Butter, softened

½ C Icing Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

1. Add the chocolate and cream to a small bowl. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Once smooth, leave to cool for 5 minutes. 

2. Add the softened butter, icing sugar and vanilla to a large bowl. Whip it until light and fluffy.

3. Add the warm chocolate mixture a tablespoon at a time to the butter mixture as you whip continuously. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

   ASSEMBLY

1. Spread half of the chocolate frosting on to one of the cooled cakes. Add the second cake and spread on the remaining frosting. Note: This buttercream can also be spread to cover the sides of the cake too if you prefer.

2. To top it I used dried orange slices, fresh strawberries and rosemary. You could also top it with maple candied pecan nuts and add some caramel for a touch of glam.

Enjoy with your whānau and friends this Matariki!

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA (KŪMARA CELEBRATION CAKE)

KEKE ĀRANI ME TE KŪMARA

Kia 300 karamu kūmara ārani 

Kia kotahi kokoiti tote 

Kiri ārani o tētahi me te haurua ārani

Kia hautoru kapu wai ārani

Kia kotahi kokonui wanira

Kia rua hēki

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka hāura

Kia rua hautoru kapu huka one

Kia rua hautoru kapu noni

Kia haurua kapu miraka tepe (kāore he huka)

Kia rua me te haurua kapu puehu parāoa whakatipu

Kia haurua kokoiti pēkana houra

Kia kotahi kokonui rau kikini whakauruuru

Kia kotahi kokonui hinamona kuoro

Kia rua kokoiti tinitia kuoro

Kia kotahi rau karamu tiakarete manarini me te tinitia

1. Whakamahanatia te umu kia 140 te pāmahana.

2. Hinuhinutia kia rua ipu keke (19, 20 rānei henimita te rahi), ā, whakaritea ki te pepa tunu.

3. Waruwarutia te kūmara ārani ki te oko rahi. Tukua te tote, kiri ārani, wai ārani me te wanira. Whakaranuhia. Waiho ki te taha.

4. Raua atu te hēki, huka hāura me te huka one ki te oko rahi anō. Wepua kia māene.

5. I a koe e wepu tonu ana, āta riringihia atu te noni me te miraka tepe.

6. Tātaritia te puehu parāoa whakatipu, pēkana houra, rau kikini whakauruuru, hinamona me te tinitia ki runga i te ranunga hēki. Tukua hoki te ranunga kūmara ki runga. Whakaranuhia te katoa. 

7. Tapahia te tiakarete kia iti te rahi. Kaurorihia ki te ranunga.

8. Whakainatitia te ranunga ki ngā ipu keke e rua. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. 

9. Tunua ngā keke mō te 25 mīniti, kātahi whakatakotoria tētahi heri nui ki runga i ngā ipu keke (kia mau tonu ai te mōwai) . Tunua anō, mō te 15 mīniti. 

10. Tangohia ngā keke kua tunua i te umu. Huripokia ki ngā heri hauhau kia papatahi pai ai ngā keke. I ngā keke e makariri haere ana, mahia te pani reka tiakarete. 

TE PANI REKA TIAKARETE

Kia 180 karamu tiakarete parauri (62 te ōrau)

Kia toru kokonui kirīmi

Kia 190 karamu pata kūteretere

Kia haurua kapu puehu huka

Kia rua kokoiti wanira

1. Raua atu te tiakarete parauri me te kirīmi ki te oko iti. Āta whakarewaina ki rō ngaruiti. Ia 20 hēkona, kaurorihia te tiakarete. Gently melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring well between each time. Waiho mō te 5 mīniti kia makariri hāere. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

2. Tukua te pata kūteretere, puehu huka me te wanira ki tētahi oko rahi. Whakapāhukahukatia kia tāhungahunga.

3. Tāpirhia tētahi kokonui o te tiakarete mahana ki te ranunga pata i a koe e tāwhiuwhiu tonu ana. Whakamātaohia mō te 10 mīniti kia kukū ai te pani reka. Once it is all incorporated, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly. 

TE MAHI HANGA KEKE

1. Pania tētahi haurua o te pani reka ki tētahi o ngā keke. Tāpirihia atu te keke tuarua ki runga. Pania te toenga o te pani reka ki runga i taua keke,( ki ngā taha hoki o ngā keke mēnā e hiahia ana).  

2. Hei whakarākei, tāpirihia ngā ārani raki, ngā rōpere māota me te rohimere. Hei whakaaro anō, mahia ngā nati rare me te karamea.  Mānawatia a Matariki e te whānau!

THE NO KNEAD DOUGH

¾ C warm milk

¾ C lukewarm water

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 sachet instant yeast, 8g

2 C high grade flour

3 Tbsp neutral oil

1 ⅓ C high grade flour

1 ½ tsp salt

1 block of Whittaker’s Hazella chocolate (broken in to pieces)

1.25L rice bran oil

CINNAMON SUGAR

¾ C caster sugar

2 ½ tsp cinnamon

1. Add the milk, water and brown sugar in to a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

2. Sprinkle over the instant yeast and stir with a whisk. Allow the yeast to activate for a few minutes (it should rise to the top).

3. Add the 2 cups of flour and the oil in to the activated yeast mixture. Stir with a whisk until smooth.

4. Cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes.

5. Add the remaining 1 ⅓ C flour and the salt in to the bowl. Mix until all the flour is incorporated in to the dough.

6. Once combined, stretch and fold the dough 30 times in the bowl. Take a piece of dough from the side of the bowl and lift it high and press it in the middle, turn the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat the pattern. Each time you do a 1/4 turn, it is 1 count.

7. Cover and leave the dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

8. Once risen, gently tip the dough on to a table. Cut into 12 equal squares.

9. Take a piece of dough, place three pieces of Hazella chocolate in the middle. Fold in the dough and pinch the seams. Place it on an oiled tray to rise as you repeat the pattern, making 12 in total.

10. Rise the fry bread for 35 - 45 minutes in a warm place.

11. As they rise, prepare the cinnamon sugar by combining the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

12. Heat the oil in a cast iron pan to around 165-175 degrees.

13. Fry three fry bread at a time for 2 minutes on each side and roll in straight in to the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately!

    PARĀOA PARAI POKE KORE ME TE TIAKARETE HĀNATI (NO KNEAD FRY BREAD WITH HAZELLA CHOCOLATE)

    TE POKENGA POKE KORE

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu miraka mahana

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu wai aromahana

    Kia toru kokonui huka hāura

    Kia kotahi pēke īhi tere (kia 8 karamu)

    Kia rua kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia toru kokonui noni

    Kia kotahi me te hautoru kapu puehu parāoa kounga

    Kia kotahi me te haurua kokoiti tote

    Kia kotahi paraka tiakarete hānati

    Kia 1.25 rita noni

    HUKA HINAMONA

    Kia toru hauwhā kapu huka one

    Kia rua me te haurua kokoiti hinamona
    

    1. Riringihia atu te miraka, wai, me te huka hāura ki te oko nui. Kaurorihia kia rewa ai te huka.

    2. Ruia te īhi tere ki runga. Koheritia. Waiho mō te rima miniti.

    3. Raua atu kia 2 kapu puehu parāoa me te noni ki rō ranunga īhi. Whakaranuhia ki te koheri.

    4. Tūpokina ki te tī taora mō te 20 miniti kia rewa ake ai te pokenga.

    5. Tukua te toenga o te puehu parāoa me te tote ki te oko. Whakaranuhia.

    6. Kia 30 nga wā koe e kume, e pōkai ana. Kūmea te pokenga mai i te taha o te oko, waiho ki waenganui. Hurihia te oko ki te hurihanga hauwhā. Hāere tonu kia 30 nga hurihanga.

    7. Tūpokina ki te tī tāora mō tētahi hāora me te 15 miniti kia rewa ake anō te pokenga.

    8. Ka tino rite ana te pokenga, tapahia kia 12 ngā wāhanga pokenga.

    9. Tīkina tētahi o ngā pokenga, ā, tāpirihia atu ngā tiakarete e toru ki runga. Pōkaitia ngā taha ki waenganui. Kinitia te pokenga. Waiho ki tētahi heri, pania ki te noni. Me pērā te mahi ki ngā pokenga katoa.

    10. Waiho te katoa o aua pokenga kia rewa ake mō te 35 ki te 45 miniti.

    11. I a rātou e tipu ana, whakaritea te huka hinamona. Whakaranuhia te huka one me te hinamona ki tētahi pereti āhua rahi.

    12. Whakamahanatia te noni kia 165 ki te 175 te pāmahana, ki rō hōpane rino kia rewa ai.

    13. Paraitia ngā pokenga ki roto i te noni wera, e rua miniti mō ia taha. Kātahi, pōkaitia ki roto i te huka hinamona. E kai!

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

with Spiced Red Plum Compote, Cocoa Almond Shards and Vanilla Chantilly Cream 
By Chef Will Mordido

Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond 'Panna cotta'

800mL Almond Milk (unsweetened) 

200g Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond Chocolate

13g Gelatine leaves

1. Soak gelatine leaves in ice water, adding each leaf to the water one by one to evenly hydrate. 

2. In a pot, add almond milk and Whittaker's Honey Nougat & Almond chocolate. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the chocolate is melted, then bring to the boil and remove from the heat.

3. Strain the gelatine, and squeeze out any excess water.  Then add to the hot pot of your almond milk and chocolate mixture. Stir until gelatine has melted then strain the mixture into a jug with a spout. 

4. Pour 100ml of the mixture into each glass and allow to chill in the refrigerator until set.

Spiced Red Plum Compote

x2 Star anise

x1 Cinnamon quill

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

300ml water

80g Honey

x5 Red Plums

10g cornflour

30g water

1. To make the poaching liquid, add star anise, cinnamon quill, honey, Heilala Vanilla and water to a pot then bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 10mins.

2. Cut the plums in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking tray. 

3. Return your poaching liquid to the boil then pour over the plums. Tightly cover with foil, place in a preheated oven at 150°C and cook for 10mins. Check the plums and if needed, cook for a further 5-10mins or longer depending on their size. 

4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and using a slotted spoon gently remove plums from the poaching liquid and carefully peel off the skin while still warm.  For best results, allow the plums to cool in the poaching liquid (overnight is ideal) . 

5. Weigh out 250mL poaching liquid and bring to the boil. In a jug, mix together cornflour and 3OmL water and pour into the boiling liquid whisking until thickened. Allow to cool. 

6. Cut plum halves into 4 wedges (smaller if they are bigger) then fold into the thickened poaching liquid. 

Cocoa Almond Tuile Shards

50g Standard flour

50g Icing sugar

50g Egg whites

25g Cocoa powder

50g Unsalted Butter

20g Slivered almonds

1. In a bowl, mix together sifted flour, icing sugar, cocoa powder. Add egg whites and mix to a smooth paste. 

2. Melt butter in a microwave or pot on gentle heat then slowly pour into the bowl and stir until combined. 

3. Using an offset palette knife, spread the tuile mixture very thinly on baking paper or silicone mat then sprinkle the slivered almonds on top.

4. Place in the bottom rack of a preheated oven at 150°C for 15mins, checking every 5mins until the tuile is dry and crispy. Allow to cool then break into shards. 

Vanilla Chantilly Cream

200mL Cream

40g Icing sugar

1 tsp Heilala Vanilla paste

1. Whisk together all ingredients to a soft peak and transfer to a piping bag. 

To assemble 

1. Remove your set panna cotta from the fridge, spoon on plum compote, pipe on the vanilla Chantilly cream and finish with Cocoa and Almond Tuile Shards.

2. Finish by dusting over Freeze dried plum powder (optional) 

Take a dive

UNO editor Hayley Barnett experiences the quintessential American dive bar experience that is Palace Tavern.

Walking past all the bright, shiny bars and eateries on the Mount's main drag, Brad Dellar and Sam King had a revelation. There was nowhere they wanted to go. They were tired of frequenting bars that only catered to certain people of a certain age bracket and felt there was nowhere men in their thirties truly belonged. They wanted dark and dingy – where everyone knew their name, but no one cared to use it.

"We wanted it to have an American dive bar sort of feel," says Sam. "A place where the locals can come hang out, have a beer, a burger, a game of pool – we spent a lot of money on that pool table!"

Having originally opened around the corner as Palace Burger on the Mount main street, Sam and Brad decided to start over with the décor and a rebrand when they moved to Banks Ave in November, 2022. 

The glass 80s-style ashtrays outside give you a taste of what you're in for. Indeed, the bar is dark and dingy but, strangely, the UNO team don't want to leave.

The menu is mouth-wateringly good. From the Buffalo Burger to the Hoedown, there's a definite American vibe going on, with a bit of a Kiwi twist. The Crispy Boy is packed with potato crisps, along with a smashed patty, bacon, cheese and onion. I went for the Classic Chicken, one of their most popular burgers, and washed it down with Maple Butter Wings, Jalapeño Poppers and Cheese n Gravy Fries. If you're going to eat like a man, you might as well do it right. 

Everything was perfectly more-ish, tasty and extremely satisfying – exactly how Brad and Sam like their food.

"...We're not really the place to come if you're trying to lose weight."

Palace Tavern might have been set up as a place for 30-something men, but they've set it up so well that it's naturally become inclusive. "We've made our fair share of lettuce burgers, but we're not really the place to come if you're trying to lose weight," laughs Sam. 

And, despite refusing to play Top 20 hits, they can't hold the crowds back once the wee hours of the morning swing round. "We have long lines right up the road every weekend," says Brad.

It's a dark place with a cool vibe, cold craft beer, amazing cocktails and great food. It's the place Brad and Sam always wanted to go. And, now that we've been, it's a place we can't wait to head back to.  

Palaceburger.nz

Kai for the soul

Full of flavour and good for you too, contemporary Māori foods combine traditional knowledge with modern methods.

Words Stacey Jones

Coming off the back of Kitchen Takeover's most recent pop-up restaurant alongside passionate advocates of Māori culinary cuisine, Kasey and Karena Bird, it struck me how the indigenous food and beverage space has grown since the last time we were in the kitchen together. This is a trend happening throughout New Zealand, with a rising number of Māori food producers inspired not only by traditional foods, but also by the methods in which to produce them. 

When I asked Karena about this growing trend, she explained that what makes this space so interesting is that Māori ingredients blend together not only delicious flavours but also strong health properties. “It’s a holistic way of eating that reflects the Māori way of life in general. It’s not only food – it’s how that makes your wairua (living soul) feel. The energy it brings to your life. It’s such an exciting and changing space, and it's great to see more people wanting to use and learn about Māori ingredients.”

I'd like to share some of our leading Māori food producers making waves on the world stage – not only do they taste great, they make you feel great too.

Wai Mānuka is set to become the next big thing in non-alcoholic beverages, with a new drink that is inspired by Māori culture and ingredients. Wai Mānuka combines water (wai) with mānuka honey to create a premium
non-alcoholic beverage.

The brand was founded back in 2020 by “three Maori boys” from Whakatāne during the height of lockdown. Founder Joe Harawira explained, “It was New Year’s Eve and I was drinking pineapple kombucha, and it tasted gross. So after a bit of ribbing from my friends, we started to think about other non-alcoholic drinks that could elevate the occasion and taste great.”

Within just months of launching, the brand was selected as the chosen non-alcoholic supplier for the America’s Cup, alongside Coca Cola. “Since then we have been on a meteoric rise – within just 18 months we are in 33 supermarkets, 25 hospitality venues, supported major New Zealand events and have just started a trail in Tokyo. We intend to become a global brand representing Aotearoa.” 

Manufactured in and distributed from Tauranga, they are focused on sustainability. Honey is sourced from Whakatāne and the lemon juice from a family in Hawke’s Bay. “My mum puts it best when she sums up the drink,” says Joe: “He taonga utu nui na Aotearoa – a precious gift from New Zealand.”

While truffles probably don’t spring to mind as a traditional Māori ingredient, we know from looking back at the history books that truffles have a long history of use as a food in many cultures, and in the mid-1800s, pioneer missionary Reverend Richard Taylor wrote that Māori “esteem [them] as an article of food.”

Ohiwa Black Diamonds is a truffle producer based in Whakatane, making truffle oil, salt, honey and more. Run by husband and wife team Matiu Hudson and Annette Munday, their truffière produces more Black Perigord truffles per hectare than any other truffière in the country. Matiu works with Māori land trusts and farmers around New Zealand to grow truffles on unproductive land.

A truffle’s health properties are playing a key part of the brand’s focus on export in the coming months as they hit the world stage. "It's claimed that truffles have anti-ageing and anti-oxidant properties, so we're looking to tap into that," says Annette. 

Manawa Honey was founded by the Tūhoe Tuawhenua Trust. It focuses on wild honey gathering, or te nanao miere, in Rutahuna, located in the heart of remote untouched indigenous forests known as Te Urewera. 

Using traditional methods, with a focus on sustainability, they are producing some of the world’s best honey right here in the Bay of Plenty. So much so that they won the Grand First Prize for the Best Tasting Honey in the World at the Black Jar International Honey Tasting Contest in 2021 with their Rewarewa Honey. Not only does it taste delicious, but their honey has strong antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties too. 

“In the past, we have been a bit reluctant to promote our honey because our old people say, “Kāre te kūmara
e kōrero mō tana reka – A sweet potato doesn’t boast about how sweet it is!” But we know that to be successful, we must let the world know.”

If you’re interested in finding more Māori food suppliers locally, be sure to check out Kāuta (kauta.co.nz). Established by chef Grant Kitchen, it aims to connect consumers to authentic Māori food supplies at the source. 

waimanuka.co.nz
Manawahoney.co.nz
truffles-ohiwa.myshopify.com

Behind the curtain

This April, take a peek backstage at Baycourt’s colourful history – and celebrate its ruby anniversary with a diverse roster of performances, exhibitions and community engagement.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor

If a venue like Baycourt is marking a milestone, then it follows that creative celebrations can be expected.

And such is the case, with all eyes on the stage between April 21-29, when Baycourt’s 40th anniversary
celebrations will be rolled out. It will be a time to reflect upon, and celebrate, the many magic moments delivered in one building over four decades, says Baycourt manager Reena Snook.

In its time Baycourt has served its community well – providing the venue for hundreds of school musicals, primary school music festivals, all sorts of dance competitions, dramatic performances, Tauranga Art Festival and Jazz Festival events, and so many more. It’s provided a stage for comedians like Ben Elton, for example, and national dance companies like Atamira, for Kiri Te Kanawa, and repeatedly for The Royal NZ Ballet and NZ Symphony Orchestra. 

Many have used the Baycourt stage over the years as the springboard to stardom, with these including actor Tim Balme, and prima ballerina Katherine Grange. Technicians involved backstage have gone on to work in some of the world’s biggest venues.

This Tauranga premier performing arts venue’s impressive history actually has a royal connection too. On April 26, 1983, Baycourt was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales – the late Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles. 

Baycourt’s Technical and Operation manager Dale Henderson - who has a lengthy association with Baycourt - tells how the Royals were restricted to entering solely the then-called Exhibition Space as Addison Theatre, with its many curtains and entry points, offered too great a security risk.

Reena says the 40th celebrations are a time to remember such momentous events and to acknowledge her predecessors, such as the late Bob Addison. The city identity started his time as long-serving manager of Baycourt in 1988. Dale recalls Bob’s focus on getting school and community groups in using the venue.

Baycourt’s history tracks many changes in performing arts in general, he says, back to the days pre-radio microphones, LED lighting, and e-ticketing. And he recalls the days before Baycourt’s flytower was constructed. One of the biggest changes Baycourt has been through, he believes, is in what was called The Exhibition Space, now X Space. 

“It was used as a display/exhibition area but is now much more around performing arts and enables emerging-type performances to go ahead there.”

Baycourt can boast many wonderful stories of community involvement, and Dale offers up one dating right back to when it was being built. 

“With acoustics in mind, material was needed for the back wall. So, local spinners and weavers managed to create 20 woollen wall hangings. They still hang today on The Addison Theatre’s back wall.”

Reena and Dale see the 40th anniversary celebrations as a launching pad for the next stage of Baycourt’s journey too. In the not-too-distant future, Baycourt’s interior will be refurbished and its façade upgraded, as part of the development of the new civic arts and culture precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa. ” 

baycourt.co.nz

Let’s celebrate

There’s much to remember, much to celebrate, and Reena assures the public can expect a diverse 40th anniversary programme that will involve:

A gala concert (7pm on April 21). Think royal variety show. Taking the stage will be groups like Tauranga Musical Theatre, Opus Orchestra, and local dance groups – all of which have performed on the Baycourt stage over the years. 

A curated art exhibition in the X Space (from April 21-29) – free entry. Organised in collaboration with The Incubator, X-bition will be a creative presentation of historical and current images from Baycourt’s collections. 

An online digital component which has involved taking archival images and digitalising them. A website, with the images, will be launched on April 21. 

A community engagement programme named He Toi Kupu is being produced by Tauranga-born creative Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) and his organisations Tuatara Collective and Ahipoutu Collective. This event will involve extracted stories dramatically interpreted. 

A whānau day on April 29 to end celebrations. The community will be welcomed for guided tours of Baycourt during this free, family event. Face painters, balloon sculptures and food will all be part of the fun atmosphere.

On purpose

Vivid, bold and playful, Paul Darragh’s artwork brings all the drama.

Words Hayley Barnett

Having worked on projects for Rihanna, Nike, IBM and The New York Times, Mount Maunganui artist Paul Darragh knows a thing or two about pop culture. When he moved home from the bright lights of New York City, where he had established his own design studio and gallery space (Manhattan Born), he knew he wanted to “strip back the BS” and focus on getting to the bottom of who he really is. Each painting, he says, gets him a little closer to that place.

UNO: How did you become an artist?

Paul: I believe you are born an artist, and you can try and ignore those tendencies, but eventually they must come out in order to fulfil your life’s destiny and purpose. As a teenager, I loved art and graphic design, but decided to pursue the latter professionally. I worked as a graphic designer first in Melbourne for four years, then in New York City for 10 years. It was at the end of this period, after working with some top brands and experiences, that I realised I was no longer creatively fulfilled just doing that work. I needed to also create art. So I remember that day in 2015, at my job in Brooklyn, deciding from then on I would become an artist. 

How did you discover this medium?
My art practice is distinctly influenced by my design career; the work is flat, graphic and bold. However, I have always been influenced by artists that work in this style. When I discovered Andy Warhol as a teenager, his work really resonated with me, and so began a love of paintings that have a strong sense of composition and colour with a nod to commerce and pop culture. These things all interest me, it’s what I think about, and it’s who I am. I believe my art should reflect the contemporary world around me, through my visual language of colour and composition. 

What do you love about it?
I love that I am in complete control when I create an exhibition or collection of paintings. I have no boss or subordinates to consider. I have no one to bounce ideas off of. I only have my own mind and a belief in myself. It’s very raw and it can be very cathartic. Creating is very much a journey. You start with nothing and you have to make thousands of decisions to arrive at this final image and it often doesn’t come easy, nor does it end up like the image in your mind's eye. But therein lies the magic. 

Why did you move to the Mount?
When I moved home from New York I didn’t really know where in Aotearoa I wanted to live. I decided I would move home to my parents’ farm outside of Matamata and figure it out from there. I ended up staying there for a couple of years before meeting my now-partner Ali, who lives and has a business at the Mount. We had been together for seven months when the pandemic hit in 2020, so I moved over when the lockdown started. Three years later, I’m still here, and the Mount is now my home. 

What inspires you to create?
I have a theory that each person is born with a pure soul that is the representation of their unique identity and spirit. Over time, this gets whittled away as we learn how to navigate life. We pick up insecurities and bruises. We feel shame and hide parts of ourselves. We let in resentment and bitterness. When I paint, I am trying to achieve that purity again.

What is your favourite piece and why?
One of my favourite pieces is from my latest show “Shape Up or Ship Out” at Tauranga Art Gallery. It is called Precious Cargo. I love it because it’s really big, really simple and really bright. It has an optical illusion to it. It could be a jewel, it could be a container or it could be a button from a 1980s game. You could be viewing it from above, or in front or inside of it, so it has the ability to distort space and perspective.

Who is your favourite artist right now?
One of my favourite artists right now is Ad Minoliti. They are a non-binary artist from Argentina. They make incredible geometric abstraction and installations. There are also a lot of references to children’s illustration. The paintings are bright and fun and filled with joy. 

bemodern.co.nz

Adventurous tastes

Keen to explore some new flavours? These plant-based recipes
by The Intrepid Vegan will really take you places.

Recipes & Photos Tracie Heasman

CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups raw cauliflower florets (approx 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower) 

• 5–6 unpeeled garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

• 1 tsp vegetable stock powder 

• 1/2 cup raw cashews 

• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (eg oat, soy)

• 1/2 lemon, juiced 

• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 

• 500g fettuccine pasta

• Cashew parmesan or cheese of your choice

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 

Toss to coat the cauliflower and garlic in the olive oil and stock powder, then place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.

Meanwhile, place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain.

Remove the tray from the oven, and when cool enough touch, carefully peel the garlic cloves. In a blender, combine the cooled garlic and cauliflower with the cashews, plant milk, lemon juice and nutritional yeast, then blitz until smooth.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain and return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the top and gently stir through. 

Serve in bowls, sprinkled with cashew parmesan.

---

RAW BROCCOLI SALAD WITH CREAMY CASHEW DRESSING

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium-sized broccoli heads, cut into bite-sized florets (approximately 6 cups) 

• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds 

• 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds 

• 1 cup goji berries (or raisins or sultanas)

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 

• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, plus 1 tbsp extra to serve

Creamy Cashew Dressing 

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 

• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1 large clove garlic, diced 

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 

• 2 tbsp lemon juice 

• 1/3 cup water 

METHOD

Place the broccoli, seeds, berries and onions in a large bowl and toss to combine. 

To make the dressing, place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until just combined. Transfer the salad to
a serving bowl and garnish with the extra spring onion. 

---

GNOCCHI WITH KUMERA SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 400g orange kūmara, diced into 2cm cubes 

• 2 cups plant milk (I used oat) 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 

• 3 garlic cloves, minced 

• 10g fresh sage leaves 

• 3 cups spinach 

• 500g cooked gnocchi 

• Coconut yoghurt

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tray with baking paper.

Spread the kūmara on the tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and tender. Place the kūmara, plant milk and cinnamon in a blender, blitz until combined, then set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then sauté the garlic and sage for 2 minutes or until the garlic is almost golden and the sage is crispy. Add the spinach and stir gently for 1 minute or until wilted. 

Add the kūmara mixture and stir for 1 minute or until heated through, then add the cooked gnocchi and toss to coat. Fold through the coconut yogurt and serve.

---

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/2 cup smooth, salted peanut butter

• 1/2 cup cacao powder 

• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped 

• 1/4 cup maple syrup 

• 1 pinch sea salt 

• Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a tin with baking paper. 

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend to form a thick, uniform batter. Transfer the batter to the tin and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar and cutting into squares. 

The pursuit of hoppiness

Only available once a year in extremely limited quantities,
Mount Brewing Co.'s Fresh Hops beer won't last long. So hop to it.

Words Karl Puschmann / Photos Ben Parry

Forget Christmas. For beer connoisseurs, March is the most exciting time of the year. That’s because down in the South Island a plant called Humulus lupulus has just blossomed and its flowers harvested.

These flowers are hops, and hops are the most crucial ingredient in beer. 

Hops are what makes beer, well, beer. They give the beer its bitterness and, depending on quantity, source location, characteristics and amount used in the brewing process, also give the drink its identifiable flavours and aromas. Be that fruity overtones, citrus bite or an indefinable “wow” factor.

By necessity, most of the beer we drink throughout the year is brewed with hops pellets. These compressed pellets stay fresher for longer. But this month, when hops season begins, brew masters around the country will be brewing a batch or two with vine-fresh hops.  

Pawel Lewandowski, the head brewer at Mount Brewing Co., was one of the lucky brewers who was able to secure an order of the highly-desirable fresh hops. 

“It's once a year only. It's quite exciting,” he smiles as he tells UNO about the plan he’s brewed up for these precious fresh hops. “This season we’ll be brewing fresh hop IPA. A filtered and unfiltered version of the same beer.”

You might know “unfiltered beer” by its more popular name of “hazy”. So while the recipe will be the same, the differing brewing process ensures the two IPAs will taste unique from each other. That, Pawel explains, is the point.

“We want to showcase what filtering does to the beer, let people experience the difference and
let them choose what they prefer.”

Fittingly, for such a special ingredient, Pawel’s crafting a whole new recipe. When pressed for detail he says it will have the flavours and aroma of passionfruit and grapefruit.

“This year we're using specifically only  the Nectaron Hops variety, and hoping our drinkers will be able to identify flavours that this specific hop provides.”

Using fresh hops ensures the beer will be much bolder in taste, he explains, with a super fruit-forward aroma. 

“Everybody's excited. The smell you experience in the brewery is like going to the perfume shop, basically,” he laughs. 

Part of what makes fresh hop season so exciting is that even with the most careful forward planning and recipe refinement there’s no way to predict how the beer is actually going to taste.

“You can make assumptions but there’s science and chaos in the brewing process,” he says. “So you never know until you have your first pint in your hand. Then you can say, 'Okay, we did a good job'.”

Having been at Mount Brewing Co for around eight years, and head brewer for four, and having come up with the recipes for their ever-popular Coffee Stout and much-loved Crazy Hazy, Pawel’s confident that he can do just as good a job when he gets his hands on the fresh hops. 

They’ll be getting multiple plane loads with which to brew but, because fresh crop beer requires much more hops per batch than using pellets, the 180 kilos of hops being rushed in will only make two batches of beer. 

“We’re going to get around 1200 litres per batch,” he says. “So it's a very limited release.”

Pawel says the two fresh hop IPAs will be on tap at the Rising Tide around the third week of April 2023, with a very small quantity escaping out the door in cans to land in select supermarkets and bottle stores. But, if past seasons are anything to go by, you’ll need to hop down to Rising Tide fairly quickly if you hope to get a taste of the fresh hops hype for yourself.

“I don't think it’s going to last long because fresh hop beers are quite popular. Last year, it lasted maybe two to three weeks on the taps,” he says. “It will probably be the same scenario this season.”

His excitement about brewing with fresh hops is infectious. But how fresh, exactly, are we talking here? 

“We're going to use hops that have been harvested on the same day. They're going to be flown up from the South Island from the farm right here to Mount Maunganui. We're going to pick it up from the airport and make the beer on the same day. It will be six or seven hours after the harvest. So straight into it.”

Then with a wide grin, he says, “You can't get any fresher than that!” 

mountbrewingco.com 

Home remedy

Photographer Alan Gibson’s new book For The Love Of The Country highlights the everyday beauty in the work of New Zealand’s farming families. Here’s an extract on Tauranga’s The Good Farm, a family
of organic farmers supplying the Bay with “good medicine”.

Loren Gibbs and partner Michaela Good own The Good Farm in Welcome Bay, Tauranga, and run it on organic principles, selling the milk, veggies and eggs they produce to locals. Loren Gibbs explains: “My mum always said that food is medicine. So, if you are eating good food, you are getting good medicine.

“At The Good Farm, we are on 10 hectares, and we are running mainly a raw-milk dairy herd. We milk between 14 and 16 cows during the day. We are not certified organic, but we like to think that we work alongside the principles of organic agriculture and gardening. We are spray free on our pastures and our vegetable garden. We don’t use synthetic fertilisers, any chemical pesticides or herbicides.

“We have a farm shop and that’s where we make most of our income. All the milk from our cows gets sold on the farm through a self-service dispenser. That’s about 180 litres a day. All the produce from the veggie garden and our eggs get sold through the shop as well, on an honesty system that works well. We get hundreds of people through the shop every week and they come from all walks of life; they are not all a bunch of hippies. The only thing they have in common is that they all want fresh, raw milk and that they care about their food. That’s the main thing.” 

Purchase
For The Love of The Country

at all good bookstores.

Jazz you like it

With the Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival celebrating its 60th birthday this year, UNO spoke to festival manager Marc Anderson to get a sneak peek at what to expect.

Words Karl Puschmann

It’s hard to believe that the Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival has kept crowds bipping, bopping and swinging for 60 years. Music fashions may come and go but jazz, it seems, is eternal.

Marc Anderson, the festival’s manager, has a theory for jazz’s long-lasting and generational appeal.

“It's such a broad genre that encompasses so many different styles,” he says. “Sixty years ago, jazz was the hip music that all the kids got into. Now, 60 years on, most genres of music can be somehow or another related to jazz. Whether you know the influence or not. It makes jazz still current and relevant.”

It’s a broad church, jazz, and everyone is welcome. With around 40 subgenres nestled under the umbrella term “jazz”, ranging from summery smooth cool all the way through to challenging modal explorations, its wide variety is one of the defining features of the genre. It’s also something taken seriously by the Jazz Fest.

“It's really important for us that we don't pigeonhole the festival into having one type of jazz because there's a lot of interesting music out there,” Marc says. “I love the lineup. It’s a really diverse array of music and I'm excited about the depth of music and talent that we've got this year.”

The Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival is renowned for the quality of its lineups but for its 60th Birthday Bash, they’ve pulled out all the stops. They’re expecting 20,000 people for the Downtown Carnival, which boasts over 40 acts during its two days, not to mention the huge range of shows, concerts and events going on over its 10 days. 

Local jazz institution Blue Train is reforming, Laughton Kora’s galactic-jazz ensemble Black Comet is landing and jazz duo Goldsmith Baynes will send chills down your spine with their contemporary fusion of jazz and Maori philosophies. Of course, that’s just a sliver of what’s on the programme. 

“The Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival is one of the flagship events in Tauranga and it feels like the community is really behind it,” Marc says. “Everyone's really positive for the festival, which shows because it's a great place to be. If you come along, I guarantee you'll find some magic every single day.”

Then, putting his money where his mouth is, he laughs and adds, “And if you don't, I might buy you a pint!”

The Port of Tauranga 60th National Jazz Festival is running from Saturday, April 1 through to Monday, April 10.

Two Worlds, One Music

Duo Goldsmith Baynes has been turning heads in the jazz world. Their latest album, the acclaimed E Rere Rā, brings a Māori outlook, vision and language to contemporary jazz. UNO caught up with singer-songwriter Allana Goldsmith ahead of their show at the Tauranga Jazz Festival.

How are you feeling about performing at the Tauranga Jazz Festival for its 60th birthday celebrations?

We can't wait to play. I've been going to the festival since I was about 18. It's such a great time. Everybody should get along and check out music they've never heard before. I always say, go with an open mind and be ready to experience something different or something new. 

That’s what jazz is all about, right? That search for something new. 

That's right. Innovation happens by pushing those boundaries. It's fun and exciting. As a musician,
you never know what you're going to create.

Is that how you found your unique sound with Goldsmith Baynes?

Māori music and jazz music meeting together to form a new space was more than just bringing a bit of Te Reo to songs. It was a complete way of approaching the music. The way it was made was thought about as bringing a Māori approach to jazz.

What was that approach? What brings these two worlds together?

The way that we think about it. I’ll tell Mark I’ll be singing about birds. He will reflect on that and then play what he thinks will match that. The idea is that the musicians will follow the meaning of what we're talking about and bringing to fruition in terms of music. 

A lot of jazz is based on explorations into theory, but you approach your songs from feelings or meanings?

A lot of people take a theoretical approach to jazz. Of course, prior to it becoming an academic type of music it was Black, African music. It came from feeling before they ever really thought about it. And theory came prior to that. So it's kind of like taking it back to its roots. I like to think of it like that. 

What's great about jazz is how pliable it is. It can be adapted in so many ways or incorporated in so many different expressions. 

That’s right. Jazz has been a way for me to write my own music and write my own lyrics and learn my language. It's multifaceted and pretty personal. Me and my friends and musicians think of jazz as an approach to life.  

jazz.org.nz

Moveable feast

Resident foodie Stacey Jones takes a big, juicy bite
out of the Flavours of Plenty Festival.

Words Stacey Jones

Picture this: it's a lazy Sunday. You're dining on the beach,  digging into some of the most delicious kai you've ever eaten, full of local flavours. The sun is shining. The prosecco is flowing. A celebrity chef is cooking you a plethora of dishes from their latest cookbook, while her 52k fans on Insta are getting some serious #FOMO. Sounds like a bit of you? Well, you’re in luck. 

This year sees the return of Flavours of Plenty Festival and the event described above (and no, we're not spilling many more beans) is just one of 30-plus food activations across our region from March 24 to April 2. Now in its second year, the festival is back, bigger and better and ready to take its rightful place in the ever-growing New Zealand foodscape. 

Last year's inaugural event happened on the cusp of going from a red traffic light setting to orange. Not ideal circumstances, but the success was a true testament to our local foodies grit and determination. Festival director Rae Baker explains, “It was important for us to show support for the foodie community at that time, and what we saw was amazing results for producers, event hosts and attendees alike.”

The festival reinforces our regional food story by showcasing the plentiful produce and culinary talent we have here in the coastal Bay of Plenty.  It creates real, tangible benefits for our community, such as a direct link from produce to plate, new revenue streams for our event partners, the opportunity to test new products and attract visitors from outside the region. 

Now, we can't give too much more away, but what I can tell you is this year the team behind the festival at Tourism Bay of Plenty are cooking up something even more mouthwatering.  A sneak peek of the programme promises Meet the Maker events, degustations, market workshops, panel events, wild food challenges, celebrity chefs and plenty of other opportunities to get your hands dirty and your bellies full. There will also be the Plates of Plenty Challenge where local eateries will design plentiful creations  from our Bay produce to be crowned The People's Choice winner. 

Chef Ian Harrison of Sugo and Kitchen Takeover was just one of the many restaurants to take part in the event. Ian treated guests to a multi-course plant based degustation using local ingredients. “It was the best Sunday in the restaurant we’ve ever had, we had so much amazing feedback. It was also a great opportunity to try new things, attract new customers and pull together our community of culinary talent. Bring on this year’s event!” 

The programme of events will be released alongside  tickets on February 1, 2023. I’d say get in quick or you might be left with an empty stomach. 

flavoursofplentyfestival.com