Our Food

With a little planning, a touch of prep and — voila — a make-ahead Christmas lunch menu that leaves plenty of time for hosts to spend with guests.

A fruity non-alcoholic drink, fit for a festive feast.

Green beans with a tangy cranberry twist, a delicious side from Ruth Pretty's make-ahead Christmas lunch menu.

A pork roast with a fruity filling, fit for Christmas Day.

A fresh and tangy twist on a classic summer dessert with passionfruit curd and bananas.

‘Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clements.’ This is the inspiration for this easy but fabulous way to cook lamb on the BBQ. What more perfect choice for our New Zealand Christmas feast than lamb.

These tasty meatballs will be a hit at your next barbecue.

This summer strawberry cocktail can be made with soda water or dry sparkling wine.

This is the easiest ham glaze you will ever make, and the tamarind flavour works beautifully with the ham.

A mid-life career change is just what the doctor ordered for Auckland film editor Jacks Jackson

If you like the long green cucumbers, you're going to love these extraordinary orbs.

Vodka infusions are surprisingly simple to create and are hugely rewarding. Plus, they can make a great gift.

These delicious little spice biscuits are not too sweet, easy to roll out and quick to bake.

Horseradish dressing gives this beetroot salad the x-factor.

This moreish dish is best served with a fresh summer salad.

If you love daylilies, you’ll be delighted to know they’re a delicious option in the kitchen too.

Give new potatoes a Caribbean twist with a healthy dollop of  zesty Cuban guacamole.

You don't need a fancy machine to make this berry delicious ice cream.

These are perfect with drinks and easy to make with a Christmas-tree cookie cutter.

In South Canterbury, Tony and Afsaneh Howey are building the reputation of a remarkable but oft-overlooked berry.

A herbal tea hobby has brewed into a strong cup of business for a Nelson gardener.

The humble New Zealand biscuit is celebrated in a new tea towel and poster.

This pork rib recipe from Jenny's Kitchen is so delicious and easy-to-make it will become your summer go-to. Make them in the barbecue or the oven and order  Jenny's Kitchen Tamarind Chutney direct from the thisNZlife Farmers' Market .

This tomato soup with carrots, celery and cashew cream is a local favourite.

Breakfast for a sweet-tooth doesn't get much better than this.

A tisane or infusion is a drink made by steeping fresh or dried herbs in hot water.

This cake from East End Café in Wairoa is delicious served with a dollop of cream or unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

A comprehensive step-by-step guide to building a pizza oven for your backyard.

Get Christmas morning off to a cracker start with coffee, perhaps a glass of champagne and this festive take on filled croissants.

A little planning, a touch of prep and — voilà — a  make-ahead Christmas lunch menu that leaves plenty of time for hosts to spend with guests.

A brewery and tasting room in Kingsland is planning to convert as many as possible to craft beer. It’s fermenting a potent name for itself, including with thirsty international visitors, fresh off the plane.

The season's fresh flavours are celebrated with recipes that use local favourites (think roasted lamb and kumara mash) and are given a touch of Japanese elegance.

Jazz up new season lamb with this classic Japanese citrus-based sauce and pink-peppercorn rub.

This cake packs all the divine flavor of a traditional chocolate cake but is so much more beneficial for your health.