Reference

Fern frondIconic Kiwi food

Have you heard the story about the tourists who excitedly skipped along to one of Queenstown’s famous burger restaurants wanting to sample some local cuisine? The receptionist at their hotel had recommended this place to get a “real Kiwi burger” but, much to the tourists’ disappointment, no flightless kiwi birds were used to create these burgers. No kiwi is ever harmed in producing tasty Kiwi burgers.

Despite dashed hopes on the “kiwi burger” front, there still is enough to discover about New Zealand cuisine.

Kiwifruit
Like Dutch tulips have their origin in Asia, kiwifruit does not actually originate in New Zealand. Also known as Chinese gooseberries, the fruit comes from China but, when New Zealand farmers wanted to market their crop overseas in the 1960s, China was out of favour in the West. To identify the fruit with New Zealand, it was given the name kiwifruit. It is never called a kiwi. That term is reserved for the bird or to describe a person from New Zealand.
L&P
L&P (Lemon and Paeroa) is a sweet, uncoloured soft drink made by combining lemon juice with carbonated mineral water from the town of Paeroa.
Jaffas
These orange coated choc balls are traditionally associated with going to the movies. They were first made in Sydney by James Stedman Sweets (aka "Sweetacres", also makers of "Minties") who had a plant in Auckland making Jaffas and Minties. When Rowntree Hoadley took over Sweetacres in Australia, the NZ business went to Griffins.
Pineapple lumps
According to a bag of Pascall’s Pineapple Lumps, the sweets have been available since 1935. They may have been first made by the Regina sweet factory in Oamaru, currently Rainbow Confectionery Ltd. They are unique to New Zealand.
Chocolate fish
Indigenous to New Zealand, the chocolate fish – white or pink marshmallow covered in milk chocolate – is a popular favourite with hot drinks. The fish have even coined a popular expression: “give that man a chocolate fish” to indicate someone deserves thanks.
The pavlova
The pavlova is a Kiwi food icon – a large cake-sized meringue filled with fruit and cream. It is claimed by both Australians and New Zealanders as their own.
Lamingtons
New Zealanders and Australians also argue about the origins of the Lamington – a sponge cake cube coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing and desiccated coconut. They are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream and/or strawberry jam between. There is also a strawberry variety that is more common in New Zealand, while sightings of a lemon variety have occurred in Australia.
Afghan Biscuits
These tasty chocolate and cornflake biscuits, generally topped with chocolate icing and walnut pieces, are a real Kiwi treat although, according to renowned food historian Tony Simpson, the origins of the name is shrouded in a bit of mystery. It is believed the name has nothing to do with the country Afghanistan but simply with the dark colour of the biscuits.
Anzac Biscuits
The popular version of the Anzac biscuit’s history is that they were made by Australian and New Zealand women for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers of World War I and were reputedly first called "Soldiers' Biscuits" and then "Anzac Biscuits" after the Gallipoli landing. However, according to TV chef Allyson Gofton, this isn’t the case.
Marmite/Vegemite
New Zealand Marmite is significantly different in taste from UK Marmite – the ingredients include sugar – and comes in different packaging. It is manufactured by the Sanitarium Health Food Company, which started importing it from Britain in 1910, gained the exclusive agency to sell in New Zealand in 1919, and in the 1930s started experimenting with blends that led to today’s independent product.
Vegemite is the registered brand name for an Australian-made dark brown, salty food paste made from yeast extract. While highly popular in Australia and New Zealand, it has never been successfully marketed elsewhere. It is notorious for the dislike it generates amongst some foreigners.
Kumara
This sweet potato is a staple in the Māori diet and has a long history of cultivation in New Zealand. Early Māori settlers brought the kumara with them from its Pacific Island source more than 1000 years ago. These days, the kumara is used widely in New Zealand cooking.
Whitebait
The New Zealand whitebait is small, sweet and tender with a delicate taste. The most popular way of cooking whitebait in New Zealand is the whitebait fritter, which is essentially an omelette containing whitebait. Foreigners frequently react with revulsion when shown uncooked whitebait, which resembles slimy, translucent worms.
Huhu Grub
The Māori consider the huhu grub delicacy while others may have tried it as a dare during a wild food festival. Said to have the taste and consistency of peanut butter, the grub’s high fat content can be a lifesaver for people lost in the bush.

We recommend: Kiwi food resources

Our online resources:

Our Internet Gateway recommends:

  • Foodlovers.co.nz has more than 500 recipes using fresh New Zealand ingredients, as well as cooking and food hints from NZ Foodie Helen Jackson.
  • New Zealand food personality Jo Seager’s web site offers recipes, cookbooks, cooking tips and competitions.
  • Kiwi cooking magazine Cuisine has an online version with a recipe search, cooking tips and more.

Browse the resources in our libraries:

  • Search the library catalogue for books and other materials on New Zealand cooking.
  • For more information on the origins of New Zealand cuisine, check out food historian Tony Simpson’s book A Distant Feast.