ON THE MAKE
Willow table trivet by Mike Lilian from Frances Nation; candles by Hohepa Hawke’s Bay; potato masher by Derick and Jenny Foss from Frances Nation; pink ceramic candlesticks by Kirsten Dryburgh; tulip bowl stand by Walk in the Park; pottery tea bowl by Elena Renker from Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery; stone dinnerware by Homeground; embroidered linen tea towel by Companion Codesign; wooden spoon by Tom Muir from Kura Gallery; forged soup spoon by Nate Smith from Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery; ikebana pot by Fiona Mackay.
This community of like-minded and incredibly hard-working producers and growers has created an event that provides a rare and valuable level of transparency around how our food is produced and handled on a commercial scale. The event also shines a light on the immense value of fresh, locally produced food.
What really stands out is the incredible warmth and authenticity of the Taste Trail producers as they offer participants exclusive access to unique experiences which showcase the produce and reveal some of the secrets behind the production process. You’ll meet families that have passed down skills, traditions and flavours through generations and you’ll meet raw, new business owners taking risks to deliver products that are shaping a new and sustainable approach to food and the way we eat. Most of all you will discover why we need to put a value on premium produce and products and why we need to be prepared to pay a little more at a time when we can’t seem to get enough from our hard-earned dollars.
At many of the producer venues you’ll be able to sample freshly prepared dishes created by chefs and inspired by pure Horowhenua ingredients. You might also pick up a recipe idea or two to go with the shopping basket of products that you will undoubtedly gather. If you get in quick you can also extend your Taste Trail and sign up for a series of Savour Events that will include chefs' talks, a champagne breakfast, a masterclass and a wind-down beer and burger event to finish off the day.
GENOESE
Established in Levin in 1993, Genoese is a family-owned and operated business manufacturing premium pesto from herbs and all-natural ingredients. You’ll meet members of the Parkin family and learn why sometimes locally grown is not always the best solution. The Parkins grow their fresh basil in Fiji, working with local families who make it possible for them to have the fresh, intensely flavoured Fijian basil available all year round. Genoese have just launched three new pesto products and they have been working on a very cool new vegan pesto (see page 38). Fresh handmade saffron tagliatelle pasta with Genoese Basil Pesto and parmesan made by Capitol Restaurant will be ready for visitors to taste. genoese.co.nz
THOROUGHBREAD FOODS
‘Rising with distinction’ is a great tagline for Thoroughbread Foods. In 1989, Rebecca Rolls baked her first loaf of bread and eventually found her way to selling the product at a local market. Not wanting to turn away customers in search of a gluten-free loaf, Rebecca started the long and tedious process of inventing a glutenfree flour base that could tick all of her boxes – great taste, great nutritional value and great texture. Thoroughbread is now a family-owned company selling gluten-free baked goods at farmers’ markets and to specialist grocers. Through the love of food and a passion for health, she strives to make the best products possible. thoroughbread.nz
TURK’S
Turk’s free-range chickens are fed on corn, producing healthy chickens with delicious flavour and goodness. The corn is Ge-free and the chickens are not genetically modified. Ron Turk places an emphasis on staff welfare, community support, sustainability and an innovative approach to new products. What originally started as a business farming chickens for eggs has now grown into an operation that is about producing premium meat that has no added hormones, no artificial colours or flavours and no preservatives. To showcase this premium poultry, for the Horowhenua Taste Trail event Turk's is pairing with Yatai Japanese Izakaya Restaurant to give visitors a taste of Japanese
It’s a taste trail that creates a live paddock-to-plate experience and a rare behind-the-scenes look at areas of food production that consumers would not normally see.