Little emperors
A passionate duo from Tora Bay is serving up kaimoana fit for king
TORA COLLECTIVE’S CRAYFISH might be the most pampered creatures in New Zealand. When these crays arrive at the doors of homes and restaurants, they come in a chiller box lined with cushy natural-wool padding bags and compostable saltwater ice bags. The crays recline on thrones of seaweed like Roman emperors. It’s a far cry from the banged-up crays that usually make it into the local market, predominantly seconds unsuitable for export. Troy Bramley and Claire Edwards, the owners and operators of Tora Collective, wanted to offer local customers top-grade, sustainably sourced crayfish, pāua and kina usually destined for overseas. Their seafood is packed for delivery on the day it’s harvested; giving the crayfish a nice seaweed wrap is a way of showing local produce the respect and care it deserves, they say.
“Crayfish are one of our local taonga, and should be part of our local cuisine culture,” says Troy.
“Seaweed is a lovely natural resource, and it seems so much nicer they are rocking up in their environment. They’re not stressed when they arrive,” adds Claire.
The judges noticed the difference the royal treatment makes, describing the crayfish as “beautifully sweet, clean and delicious”.
Tora Collective’s pāua also received a gold medal and was Seafood Champion for 2021, proving that this small coastal Wairarapa operation is onto a good thing. Tora Collective will not harvest a mating or shelling crayfish and never takes the females so they can keep laying eggs for future generations. The judge’s comments about the sweetness of the crays come down their nutrient-rich aquatic home, says Claire. The wild shores of Tora Bay are hard to reach, and there are only a few homes sprinkled around the bay. It means the sea is clean and rich with aquatic life.