A good way to explore a country is by trying its food and drink. After all, if there is one thing we all need, it’s something to feed ourselves with. I don’t think New Zealand has a specific ‘haute cuisine’ like they have in France, for example, but the country has amazing foods and drinks. For instance, New Zealand has excellent lamb and delicious wine, but those aren’t my favourites. And it’s those favourites that make amazing memories, especially since most of the things I’m going to write about aren’t for sale where I live. I can get TimTams, but I don’t want to buy them too often, so it remains something special. 🙂
What my favourites are? I’d be happy to share! (They’re in random order)
TimTams
You can’t go Down Under and not have TimTams. Simple as that. They’re originally Australian (by Arnott’s), but you can find them everywhere in New Zealand as well. And they taste even better when you do a ‘TimTam slam’. My favourite flavour? Chewy caramel!
L&P
I don’t normally drink soft drinks (fizzy drinks), but I absolutely love L&P (Lemon and Paeroa). While it’s sweet like other soft drinks, it seems fresher somehow. I love it! Paeroa is a town in the Coromandel where the drink originates. Now owned by Coca Cola, L&P is still ‘World Famous in New Zealand’.
Lemon Pepper
I was introduced to Lemon pepper when I was on a boat tour and we were served lunch. We had, among other things, a cucumber salad with lemon pepper. So good! Since then, I always carried a little pack with me. It’s got a bit of spice and a little ‘twang’ which I really love. I found lemon pepper here in the Netherlands, but it really wasn’t the same and doesn’t taste nearly as yummy.
Fergburger
When you’re in Queenstown, you absolutely have to try a ‘Fergburger‘! They are so good! When I first travelled to New Zealand, and had my first Fergburger, they were still an up-and-coming business, located in some small alley called Cow Lane. Now, nearly ten years later, business is absolutely booming! They moved to one of the main streets and it’s always busy there. Don’t be surprised if you have to wait 45 minutes to get your burger. The people behind the counter aren’t always that friendly, but the burgers are so worth the wait!
Fudge
Another great shop to go to in Queenstown is ‘The Remarkable Sweet Shop‘ where they sell the most amazing fudge ever! I went back many times and got especially hooked on their delicious crème brûlée fudge. So good! They have tons of other kinds of sweets as well, so definetly worth a visit if you have a sweet tooth! 🙂
Pavlova
Ever since I was a child I’ve loved meringue. Meringue is my weakness, it’s even worse than chocolate! I’ve only had pavlova once I think, but I absolutely loved it! Going to get some more when I go back to New Zealand, whenever that may be!
Hokey Pokey
I love Hokey Pokey icecream. In fact, I’m really bummed out they don’t have it here. It’s vanilla ice cream with small, solid lumps of honeycomb toffee. I first ate it when I was in Curio Bay and I felt like trying something new. Instant love factor, no doubt about that! I enjoyed a Hokey Pokey ice cream every once in a while and I’m so excited about having it again when I go back.
Those were my favourites! What are yours? From New Zealand or from somewhere else on the globe?
Alive and Trekking 
Food is such a wonderful way of remembering good times. It certainly sounds like you have happy food memories from New Zealand 🙂 We always love to look back at the feasts we’ve cooked up over a fire or the hobo stove on our summer hikes – baked bananas stuffed with raisins and pieces of chocolate are always a favourite sweet treat for us.
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Yes, it absolutely is! I bet that gave you wonderful memories as well! I’ve never cooked over a fire myself, but tourguides have. It always feels like such an adventure! Now those baked bananas sound absolutely delicious, must remember that 🙂 How do you prepare them?
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Ah, cooking over a wood fire is wonderful … the smell of wood smoke, the taste of spicy rice and ‘well cooked’ onions – so many happy memories 🙂 The baked bananas are really easy to make: don’t peel the banana; cut a slit along the inside curve of the banana, cut into the flesh of the fruit but be careful not to cut through the other side of the skin; press two or three squares of chocolate into the slit; press some raisins into the slit in between the chocolate squares; ready to cook. We normally just rest the stuffed bananas in the hot ashes of the fire, being careful to keep them the right way up! But I guess it would be easy enough to rest the stuffed bananas across a baking tray and cook them indoors too. They’re ready to eat when the banana flesh has softened and the chocolate has melted. Eat with a spoon, straight out of the banana skin … careful though, they can get a bit hot. mmmm … delicious 🙂
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That sounds so delicious!! Maybe I’m going to try it out in my oven. Doesn’t give the same feel as an outdoorsy cooking session, but you’ve made me curious! I did help prepare Nutella bananas once in Sweden. Slice the bananas, smear Nutella on, join halves and wrap them in aluminium foil. Same idea, I suppose, just different ingredients and execution 🙂
I love the feel that outdoor cooking over a fire gives. Even though I just sat there as my food was being prepared, it has something magical somehow. One time I did a tour in Australia from Perth to Alice Springs, right through the Great Victoria desert. The tourguide was a great cook. Barbequed meat is always a favourite of mine and his applecrumble was incredible! Ah, happy memories indeed! 🙂
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