For some, the lack of tomatoes in a salad during winter is a source of great confusion. But for chef Michael Daly, owner of the Daly Larder, it is about “sticking to my guns”, and serving delicious, quality food that is “paddock to plate” fresh, seasonal and, if possible, locally foraged.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, foraging “starts in your own back garden”, according to Michael. “There are loads of weeds that are edible greens and quite nutritious.
“There’s a plant called purslane. It usually grows along the cracks in the footpath, because it likes that little bit of dry soil and it kind of spreads out like a hand. Not many people know that that plant is absolutely packed with Omega-3, so anybody who doesn’t like fish, or doesn’t want to take oils, can opt for that. It tastes quite crunchy, it actually tastes like cucumber.
“A lot of people don’t realise that these edible weeds contain more vitamins and minerals than any of the stuff that’s growing elsewhere. That’s because it’s natural, it’s untouched, and nobody has tampered with it.”
Foraging starts in your own back garden.
Michael says he can attribute his keen sense of foraging to his grandfather, who taught him back in his home country of Ireland. “From when I was eight years old we used to go out for walks through the country lanes. He would be showing me different things that I could eat, teaching me from an early age. I’ve used this throughout my career as a chef, through getting my hands on fresh ingredients and the best of everything.”
It was the desire to work for himself, while incorporating his own values, that led to the creation of the Daly Larder – café, gourmet delicatessen and cooking school all in one, in the heart of Michael’s adopted home, Feilding. “I had a little dream of bringing my own foraging concept, and sustainable way of thinking, to life. The store is based on the idea of recycling and not wasting food. The food is fresh daily, dependent on what’s in season and what I can get my hands on.” Even the building itself reflects the theme, with everything repurposed from something, “old sheep gates to the table tops refurbished from old 10-pin-bowling lanes”.
The Daly Larder is also often home to an audience. Its unique open plan décor, with everything on display, was purpose designed by Michael. “You can see me cooking and going from one kitchen to another, just like you would sitting in your lounge at home. I can’t hide anything, so the whole concept is what you see is what you get. It’s theatre and live entertainment.”
A Bachelor of Applied Visual Imagery graduate from UCOL, and former Massey student, Lauren developed a passion for food on migrating to New Zealand from her native England eight years ago. Fast forward to the present day and Lauren is totally committed to a diet of the freshest, best-quality, local food that inspired her passion – well, mostly.
Lauren rolled her Paleo lifestyle, photography degree, and love of food together when she established her Facebook page from her Palmerston North flat. She posts healthy recipes that she creates for students, along with tips and tricks on how to maximise their food budget.
Other projects up Lauren’s sleeve are a recipe book that she wants to be “universal, not just for university students”, and after a successful appearance at Palmerston North’s Festival of Cultures in March, Lauren is keen to get on stage for some more live cooking demonstrations. “It was amazing to have met Nici Wickes and Ray McVinnie at the Festival. I’ve admired them for years. I was cooking just before they were on and I was scared I’d ruin the demo before they came on! I didn’t pass out or burn my food though, so I think I’m good to do more.” Lauren has also been hitting the road, travelling the country and cooking for a very exciting secret project.
Coming to the end of renovating their first home, the couple were looking for “a new and exciting project that we could do together,” Kylie remembers. The pair delight in “taking tired objects and materials and recreating them in an innovative and modern way”, and it was from this love that ‘Mabel’ came into the picture.
Every inch of Mabel will be restored from the ground up, “along with a few sympathetic alterations in order for her to take on her new hostess role!”.
The ultimate goal is for Mabel to be a “sophisticated and stylish” travelling bar that will be the home and centrepiece of their successful business “Meet Mabel”. Mabel will be ‘met’ and hired for private and corporate events once the renovations are complete, and will be equipped with all the trimmings, “of which many will be built and created by us”. “She will also be available for private photo shoots, dining and select local public events as well.”
In the past decade Arapuke Forest Park has been swamped with the sweat of bikers chipping away dirt for the park’s trail development.
There has been a new feature added to the Rose Garden at Palmerston North’s Victoria Esplanade. In memory of book lover Joyce Scott, her friends and family have erected a Little Free Library. Joyce, who passed away last year, wanted everyone to know the joy that comes from getting lost in a good book.
In the hustle and bustle of the Feilding Farmers’ Market, award-winning cheese-maker Adrian Walcroft can be found at the Cartwheel Creamery stall.
“I was tapped on the shoulder,” laughs James when discussing his selection as Federated Farmers’ newest Provincial President. “I’ve always been very passionate about the agricultural sector, having been a farmer my whole life. I was brought up on a farm, and had been in my own business for about twenty years when I got to the point where I had a little bit more time to get out in the wider industry, rather than just being on a farm.”
Even more vital than interacting with farmers is James’ driving focus on reuniting the rural and urban communities. “I enjoy talking to urban people, going to town groups, schools, Lions Clubs, Probus. Just getting out and talking, and sharing our story, what we are doing in New Zealand and the challenges we have.
“Farming has always been a bit of a lifestyle and that’s what probably got me into it, the lifestyle it encompasses. I’ve often said, ‘I’ve got the best air conditioning in the country.’ When I talk about my office I’m talking about my farm. My office is green paddocks and a wide, open sky. You’ve got plenty of room and space, fresh air. There is nothing better getting up in the morning and watching the sun come up. It’s just great to be out and free.”
The popular Pacific duo Aaron and Heather Freeman, the ‘Polynesian Cooks’, made it to the final of the show last year, nearly taking out the competition.
With no luck in finding a replacement, Heather recalls slamming her car door and saying, “FINE, I’LL DO IT!”.
“If it weren’t for people interrupting us on the street today, saying how much they enjoyed us, we would just be in the corner and it would have been for nothing.”
Today, Aaron and Heather have exciting new things in motion. Launching their new Pacific cuisine brand, Tatou, for catering and functions is one of their sources of pride. “I always saw having a brand in the future and it fitted the approach that we have to food because it means ‘us’, quite literally.”
Massey lecturer Craig Prichard is on a mission to promote sheep dairy as a viable form of agribusiness in New Zealand. “People from eastern and southern Europe take this as normal. I think that if New Zealand had been settled by southern Europeans rather than northern Europeans we would have had a sheep dairy industry from the beginning.”
Craig isn’t just watching the industry’s development from the sidelines. “I milk sheep myself in a very rustic, low-budget, low-impact way,” he says.
As for the taste of sheep’s milk – “It was the biggest challenge to get my twelve-year-old son to eat some sheep’s milk products,” says Craig. “It’s that little reaction where people go, ‘I’m not really sure about that’. We need to attach meanings to sheep’s milk products that are positive for the industry.” Sheep’s milk has a similar flavour to cow’s milk, only much richer. With the increase in dairy product varieties in supermarkets, sheep’s milk could easily make the shelves.
“We needed to do something for ourselves,” says Gill Yorke, the manager. “The girls talked about setting up a mobile salad and smoothie van, but we decided that was too much hassle, so instead we planned on moving to The Square in Palmerston North.” Along with Gill, Emily Blanchett and Lucy Gertsgraser share ownership in the bar, while their friends Kate Bryant, Chloe Hes and Emma Hintz are the passionate workers.
Popular with their visitors, and adding to the “simple and natural” approach, is the lack of strange or pretentious names for their food. “Lots of people comment on us not having funny names! One person commented on the smoothies, making sure we had got all the ‘right’ colours.” For Gill, her favourite salad has gone from The Caesar to The Thai Beef, with the Green No.1 smoothie going down smoothly as a lunchtime dessert.
Stephen and Mary started out in Taranaki and farmed there for more than 15 years before they bought a Manawatu farm in 1998. Taking advantage of the opportunities found here, Arran Farm has grow from 150 acres to 1200 acres and the new milk shop is heralding a new era, with the farm becoming a centre of community activity.
As the milk cannot be legally transported without pasteurising it, the Barrs are unable to sell the milk away from the farm gate. However, being grounded has been nothing less than beneficial for the community and the farther reaches of the country. A gem has been created in this spot on Taonui Road, near Feilding.
“I never really imagined myself owning it,” she says. “But when my grandmother saw it as a great opportunity and pushed me to buy it, I thought ‘why don’t I just give it a go and see if it works?’”
“My hobby is going around cafes and getting ideas. I’m creative and decided to have a crack at it. I’m no different from anybody else though. Anyone could do this if they just applied themselves and wanted it enough.”
In summer, Friday’s Pizza nights are a huge hit, with an outdoor, pizza oven the main attraction.