Does New Zealand actually have a national dish?
As the Italians proudly pound their pizza dough, and the Mexicans make tacos in their sleep, New Zealanders are a little let self-assured about their national dish.
It’s understandable, too – New Zealand is a young country, with both indigenous and colonial influence, busy cities and sleepy one-horse towns, coastlines and farmland. The culture here is still discovering itself, and the cuisine along with it. We may not have a national dish that everyone can agree upon, but there’s an abundance of delicious, unique food (or kai, in te reo Māori) throughout the country.
From the best lamb in the world and Southland’s cheese rolls, to lesser known delicacies like kumara (sweet potato), crayfish and whitebait fritters, New Zealand cuisine is as diverse as box of chocolates. And, of course, you can’t talk about Kiwi food without a nod to the beloved pie. While it may be hard to pin down one New Zealand national dish, meat pies would come damn close. A national treasure, the pie comes in many forms: from wrapped in plastic at the petrol station for a cheap and naughty any-time-of-day feed, to gourmet venison and blue cheese cased in flaky golden pastry at the Farmer’s Market.
Unlike its US counterpart, New Zealand pies are generally always savoury. Chicken, pork, beef, lamb, fish, vegetables – you name it, you can put it in a pie. There is one rule that every self-respecting, pie-eating New Zealander abides by, though: to save yourself a burnt tongue and filling all over your face, remember to always blow on the pie. They are always piping hot.
What food is New Zealand known for around the world?
Aside from pies, the best known food of New Zealand would be the stuff that’s produced from our abundance of rolling green pastures. With a massive farming industry, and a reputation for quality, New Zealand is best known for its dairy products, beef and lamb. In fact, there are approximately 5 sheep per person, which might explain why New Zealand lamb finds itself a place on so many menus around the globe.
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Also up there is New Zealand wine, particularly Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir. On the sweeter side of things, there’s Pavlova, though that remains an ongoing point of contention between New Zealand and Australia. This popular meringue-based dessert, served with fruit and ice cream or whipped cream is world-famous, and named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Both New Zealand and Australia claim the dish as their invention – either way, it’s delicious and worth a try.
What is New Zealand’s biggest food export?
Dairy, eggs and honey come in at first, making up nearly 30% of the country’s total exports, with milk powder making up the largest component of dairy exports. Next in is meat, followed by fruit and nuts. So it’s safe to say farming is a big part of the New Zealand economy
What are the five most popular foods (after the beloved pie)?
Whitebait fritters
Whitebait has got to be one of the most quintessentially New Zealand dishes – and one of the weirdest at that. Whitebait are small, freshwater fish caught in the rivers of the West Coast, and known for their delicate, tender flavour. Throughout the coast of both the North Island and South Island from September to November, you’ll find whitebait on the menu of most local restaurants – breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s not just the coast, either. Whitebait fever reaches even as far as Auckland, where people will pay $100 a kilo for the ‘white gold’.
The whitebait fritter (or pattie) goes by the ‘less is more’ philosophy, with very few ingredients – fresh whitebait, eggs, salt and a tiny bit of flour. Best served with lemon or mint sauce, between two slices of white bread. It’s strange and delicious – you’ve got to try it.
Did you know: Whitebait is more than just a fish; it’s way of life on the coast.
Whitebaiting is as much a local pastime as a means to catch and eat whitebait, particularly in the South Island. During the season the usually quiet coast is teeming with ‘baiters’, and there are festivals, balls and many, many costumes dedicated to this tiny delicious seafood.
Pavlova
This is one of New Zealand’s favourite dishes, and found at all worthwhile special occasions. Serve it with some whipped cream on top – or better yet, another Kiwi favourite: hokey pokey ice cream. While you’ll find the classic Pavlova recipe doesn’t vary much, some people do go a little wild, even creating versions like the Chocolate, Banoffee or Tiramisu Pavlova.
Seafood
As an island country, you’d be surprised if New Zealand didn’t do seafood well, and we don’t disappoint. There’s everybody’s Friday night favourite of fish and chips, which you’ll find Kiwis eating at the beach with a bottle of tomato sauce. To top it off, try kumara (sweet potato) chips as well as the French potato variety.
It’s not just fish and chips; fresh seafood (or Kai Moana) is a large part of Kiwi cuisine. Crayfish (best in Kaikoura), mussels, scallops, oysters and pāua (abalone) are often found in restaurants or on the table at home, especially in summer when people can get out fishing. Best paired with a crisp local white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc, which, fortunately, New Zealand has in abundance.
Hangi
The hangi is a traditional Maori form of cooking, where food like fish, meat and kumara are smoked in a pit dug into the ground. This ‘earth oven’ is the perfect way to bring people together and cook a feast, and is still used for special occasions around the country. It’s a uniquely New Zealand cuisine, and if you’re visiting, it’s worth a try.
While you generally won’t find traditional hangi on the menu at restaurants, it’s a popular way to eat for celebrations, and it’s always a good time.
Meat and three Veg
As a result of strong British influence and the farming culture in New Zealand, meat with boiled or roasted vegetables is a classic Kiwi meal. The most popular would be roast lamb with mint sauce, which for many New Zealanders, is the taste of home.
What percentage of New Zealand is farmland?
At the last check, around 45% of land in New Zealand was agricultural land. That’s a lot of milk, cheese and chocolate for the rest of the world!
How much food does NZ produce every year?
Over 20 billion dollars worth of gets exported from New Zealand, and then we keep some for ourselves, too.
It’s a fruitful land, and if you’re looking for somewhere to treat your taste buds as well as your sense of adventure, New Zealand is the place for you. When you get here, get yourself down to the beach for some fish and chips and big scoop of hokey pokey ice cream. We’ll se you there.
