Foods that you have to try if you are in New Zealand: Part II

Hangi – a hangi is a traditional way of cooking food – by digging a pit and cooking the food over hot stones.

This shows you the layers.  This is definitely not fast food.  It's not fancy food either.  Just hearty kai.

Kiwi burger – a traditional burger in New Zealand (before the fast food giants came in) contained a beef pattie, lettuce, tomato, tomato sauce a fried egg and a slice of pickled beetroot.  It was so popular that even Maccas does one from time to time as a promotion.  Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Kiwifruit – when I was a kid this fruit was known as a Chinese gooseberry.  It was renamed Kiwifruit as a marketing too because NZ was a big grower.  But we don't call it a Kiwi because to us, that means a New Zealander (or the national bird). We really love our kiwifruit – particularly sliced up on top of a pav (pavlova).

Kumara – this is a type of sweet potato that our Maori grew well before the Europeans arrived.  It has light to dark purple skin and is yellow inside with pink/purple streaks.  You can get orange skinned ones but I don't regard them as being in the same league.  I can't explain the flavour to you – it is not the same as other sweet potatoes.  And much better, of course!  You'll have to come and try some.

L&P (Lemon & Paeroa) – this is a home grown soft drink brand.  It was originally made from lemon and mineral water from the town of Paeroa.  Coca Cola now owns the brand which is now manufactured in Auckland.  We regard L&P as being 'World Famous in New Zealand'.  I don't drink sweet soft drinks but if I did this would be the one.

Meat pie – we share this one with Australia.  You can go to any dairy (convenience store) and buy a hot (or at least warm) meat pie.  They sit in pie warmers so they are ready to go.  People eat them when they are traveling or when they go to the rugby (that's a game with an oval ball).  Originally meat pies were usually just mince and gravy in pastry – now there are all sorts.  The must have accompaniment is tomato sauce.