TRY IT, YOU’LL LIKE IT
1 A fun twist on regular popcorn,
Proper Crunch Corn is half-popped wholegrain corn kernels, making it crunchier, and the addition of Lake Grassmere Marlborough sea salt gives it a moreish savoury flavour. It's $4.90 for a 150g bag. propercrisps.co.nz
2 Made by hand to get a decadent gooey centre and flavoured with manuka and rewarewa honey, this pretty Manuka Honey Dark Chocolate Tablet from
Honest Chocolate is dusted with coloured cacao butter to resemble bee pollen. A 70g tablet is $16. honestchocolat.com
3 At the Clareville Bakery they use New Zealand-grown and milled flour, local Greytown honey, butter and free range eggs from their neighbour to create their delicious crispy Honey & Cinnamon Cookies. $8.50-$10 for a 175g pack. theclarevillebakery.co.nz
4 OK, so we've heard of acai, but what about cupuaçu? Wildness take this Brazilian fruit, similar to cacao, and dip chunks into acai and sugar cane juice from their own farm for their Organic 57% dark chocolate. $11.95 for a 70g tablet. wildness.co.nz
5 Waiheke Imperial Gin is distilled using uniquely soft and silky water naturally infused with minerals. They add a blend of classic, new
world and native botanicals such as manuka flowers and kawakawa leaves, infuse it with a natural native quinine and finally handbottle it, adding 23ct gold flake. Made by Waiheke Aquifers it's $125 for a 500ml limited-edition bottle. waihekeimperial.com
6 Packed with omegas 3, 6 and 9 and high in mono-unsaturated fat, rapeseed oil from Omega NZ is cold-pressed to ensure that key nutrients, enzymes and acids are not destroyed and health benefits are maximised. It's $14.50 for 250ml. omega-oils.co.nz
7 A little spritzy with fresh zesty pops of ginger, lime elderberry and lemon, this Ginger-beer-flavoured Water Kefir from Happy Belly
Ferments is a raw, natural and active probiotic beverage. Not too sweet, it's a refreshing alternative to sugar-laden sodas and good for gut health,too. $13.50-$15.90 for 750ml. happybellyferments.com
8 Eggplant kasundi from Relish
the Thought is made from New Zealand-grown eggplants, carefully balanced with toasted spices and chillies to create an aromatic preserve. Mix it with yoghurt or mayo to make the pefect dip. $10 for 250ml jar. relishthethought.co.nz
9 This French-style boudin noir from Wild Game Salamis is made
to a traditional recipe using wild venison for a beautiful texture, and subtle spicing. Each boudin is hand-made and twisted into the customary horseshoe shape. $8-$15 for 200-300g.
10 Harking back to the traditional ice blocks of days gone by, Mr Pops Zesty Lemon Ice Blocks contain just four ingredients – including glorious Gisborne Meyer lemons – letting the refreshing lemon flavour shine. Each 75ml block has a RRP of $4.50. mrpops.co.nz
11 For Fix & Fogg Crunchy Almond Butter they use Nonpareil almonds dry-roasted deep and dark and then add just a pinch of Marlborough sea salt. That’s it. No additives, no nothing. $9.99 for 275g. fixandfogg.co.nz
12 If you crave bacon but don't eat pork, then get your hands on some Honey-cured Manuka-smoked Beef Bacon from Grey Lynn Butchers, which is made using sustainably farmed beef sirloin. $10 for 250g. facebook/grey-lynn-butchers
13 Wooden Spoon Boutique Freezery have produced Superfood, a cashew-based non-dairy ice cream line that's additive and preservative-free, too. Their Fudgy Salty Caramel flavour has a great nutty, luxurious caramel flavour and its RRP is $11.49 for 500ml. woodenspoonfreezery.com
14 Casheta is an organic, cultured vegan nut cheese by Savour. It's creamy yet firm, marinated in organic olive oil infused with rosemary and peppercorns, so it's great as part of a cheeseboard. $13.95 for 205g jar. savour.co.nz
15 To produce their ultra-premium monofloral manuka honey, Avatar Manuka Honey MQS20+, Avatar ensure the hives are placed in the purest manuka source, using helicopters to get to areas where access is tricky. Applying the Manuka Quality Standard rating system verifies the purity and provenance of this lovely honey. $229.95 for 250g jar from avatarhoney.com
16 Great New York-style pastrami from Pastrami & Rye, made from New Zealand grass-fed beef and smoked over manuka wood chips to give a distinct flavour. The maker earned his stripes working in NY delis and butchers so you can be sure it's good, and it comes beautifully packaged, too. $9.50 for 200g. pastramiandrye.co.nz
17 For a traditional Kiwi Christmas pudding, look no further than this Traditional Steamed Christmas Pudding from Kitchen Six. Steeped in brandy and Guinness to give it a luxurious taste, it has Hawke's Bay oranges and lemons too, so it's not too sweet. The 840g pudding costs $30. kitchensix.co.nz