Foodie event in Ambrym

murray lloyd August 19, 2017

Ranon celebrates

I wasn't enthusiastic about attending a circumcision ceremony having walked 24 km to view a volcano the previous day. Three hours later I had no regrets. Torpedo like yams paraded past me as if in a military setting. A bullock was butchered in front of the crowd and a 12 yr old boy killed three pigs . All to celebrate the circumcision of three boys.

Captain Cook's legacy

The name Ambrym means yam, bestowed on the island by Captain Cook and prominent in the ceremony they were. However pigs provided the main event.

Pigs and kustom

Pigs are the principal objects of wealth in Vanuatu. They are accumulated, traded, loaned, and paid out to resolve disputes. Pigs are central to kustom and are pampered, revered, and sacrificed. Killing a set number of pigs gives a man high status. When the pigs are killed, the killer assumes their spirits, gaining power and prestige among his village.

Circumcisions are a one time thing and the ceremony reflected this. The Ranon community gathered as if partaking in a wedding or a funeral.

Vanuatu coffee

murray lloyd June 2, 2016

It surprised me to see three brands of Vanuatu grown coffee for sale in Luganville. Alongside the well-known Tanna coffee there was a selection from Aore Island and a haphazard collection of different bags branded as Cafe de Vanuatu. I found the origins of this coffee at VARTC ( Vanuatu Agricultural Research Technical Centre ),10km north of Luganville. The VARTC farm is quite compact and it did not take long to find children on school holidays picking the arabica beans (30 Vatu for 1kg or about 40c NZ ). From picking to roasting, the whole operation is done by hand.

With a new wharf being built in Luganville and more cruise ships visiting it would be an ideal time to package the operation for tourists in a similar way to Tanna Coffee in Efate.

In the meantime you will have to buy the very good quality arabica beans at LCM ( the best supermarket in Luganville ), I just hope the branding gets some love.

Rakiraki Market after Cyclone

murray lloyd March 13, 2016

I did not think I would return to Rakiraki Market so soon but after Cyclone Winston devastated parts of Fiji I was called to photograph some of the marketplaces on Viti Levu. Beguiled by the blue skies and sunshine it was still clear the damage in Rakiraki area was widespread. The market was pretty much non existent after the council had already bulldozed it flat.Tents have been put up to house some of the market vendors until their buildings are restored. Pineapple vendor Ajay Lal was looking a little worse for wear which was not surprising after he told me his house had been badly damaged by the cyclone. Three weeks after the cyclone Rakiraki township has power restored but it will take months to repair outlying power lines and even longer for crops to get back to full production.

Foodie tour starts in Vanuatu

murray lloyd January 12, 2016

A block of land north of Port Vila with a multitude of food-producing plants is now open to visitors. The brainchild of Jimmy Nipo and his wife Ledcha Nanuman, Fansa Farm Foodie Tours has been designed to showcase the best in Vanuatu’s food while also wanting to demonstrate new crop varieties and farming practices better suited to Vanuatu’s shifting weather patterns. Crops you will see on the foodie tour include pineapple, mango, pawpaw, taro, drought resistant yam,kava, corn, tamarind, banana, breadfruit, sugarcane, pepper, chilli, kumala (kumara), coconut, nangai (an almond like nut ) and manioc (cassava) which Jimmy says represents continuity: “Manioc is always there, it just keep going, it feeds us and provides our energy throughout the seasons,” he says.

Jimmy Nipo and Ledcha Nanuman come from the island of Tanna in the south of Vanuatu. Jimmy says Fansa Farm takes its name from the fansa bird (similar to a fantail ) which holds special significance as a leader in Tanna Island culture.

“The fansa leads all other birds to food. It is active, smart and creative, and never stops moving,” says Jimmy. “Fansa also means safe, and for us Ni-Vanuatu, that relates to food security which is very important for our survival” he says.

Visitors to Fansa Farm can choose between three tours ranging from two to four hours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings.

The Food Path provides a guided tour through the farm with refreshments and produce on offer along the way.

Food Path and ‘aelan-style’ Cooking provides a guided tour through the farm with refreshments and produce along the way followed by an opportunity to cook local dishes ‘aelan style’.

The third tour, Food Path, Port Vila Market and brunch at Lapita Cafe is offered in partnership with Port Vila’s Lapita Café, well known suppliers of high quality aelan cuisine ( the Lapita Cafe food at the opening was delicious ). The tour includes a guided tour of the farm, then a tour of the Port Vila central market, followed by brunch.

Bookings are essential. Visit www.fansafoodietours.weebly.com

Vanilla Pioneer departs Vanuatu

murray lloyd November 11, 2015

After 28 yrs of Vanilla production in Vanuatu Pierro Bianchessi has left for Italy, his homeland. An organic chemist, Bianchessi arrived in Vanuatu in 1987 and found the perfect climate for growing vanilla. He established Venui Vanilla and by 1991 demand had increased beyond what he could produce on his own land. Growers were contracted and trained from northern islands in Vanuatu, processing 2000-2500 tons of vanilla each year at the peak of production. Certified organic from 1997, Pierro marketed the vanilla himself at food shows in Europe, NZ , Australia and New Caledonia. Venui Vanilla quickly became Vanuatu’s premiere artisan food producer.

Vanilla needs a dry coolish winter of 7-8 weeks for successful pollination and although this was possible initially the amount of vanilla being processed has now dropped to 2-300kg per year. Bianchessi states this is a direct result of climate change.

Venui Vanilla now also produces peppercorns, turmeric, chillies and ginger and to reflect this has been rebranded Venui Vanilla - Spices of Vanuatu. Venui would have to process five times the amount of peppercorns to replace the value of the declining vanilla crop according to Bianchessi.

New Zealand has strong links with Venui. An Auckland based graphic designer created the cool looking soft packaging and New Zealand’s BioGro Organic Certification was achieved in 2013. This certification also covers the 200 small farmers who supply the company.

A new manager has been found and the company has been sold to LCM, a very established grocery business based in Luganville. A new cold pressed centrifugal coconut oil processing facility is being built as a result of the new investment.

Although departing, Bianchessi was optimistic the organic ethos of Venui will continue. He believes Vanuatu has a good future with food production as it remains naturally organic, the last of the Pacific Islands to be in this state.

Pierro Bianchessi with bags of peppercorns in Vanuatu

Unloading trays of chilies to dry in Vanuatu

Portrait of Pierro Bianchessi in Vanuatu — Portrait of Pierro Bianchessi founder of Venui Vanilla

Making Lap Lap in Vanuatu

murray lloyd June 16, 2015

Lap lap is a traditional Vanuatu dish wrapped in leaves and cooked above ground on hot stones. Mangaliliu Village has a strong heritage in making lap lap and this was seen when staying in the village recently.

Starting at 6 AM (photography in this light was a treat) the lap lap was made on Sunday morning by the women and children from the extended family for lunch following a session in Church.

With no fridge available two chickens were freshly slaughtered for the occasion and were plucked by the children. Aside from the lap lap faol seen here (chicken), other versions are dakdak (duck), fis (fish), mit (meat), taro, maniok (cassava), yam and banana. There are also regional variations.

GoodBuzz in Wainuiomata

murray lloyd December 18, 2014

Kombucha, booch and SCOBY are new words in my vocab after a visit to photograph the GoodBuzz soft drink factory in Wainuiomata. The GoodBuzz process combines sugar, tea and water (from the Te Puna Wai Ora artesian aquifer in Petone) with the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and turns into an effervescent, healthy, non-alcoholic drink.

In the short time GoodBuzz has been operating they already have five kombucha brews in more than 60 cafes in Wellington, Christchurch, Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth and Nelson, and recently have been included in Auckland’s Nosh outlets.

The drinks come in five flavours - Origins, Green Jasmin, Lemon and Ginger, Jade Dew and Feijoia. A new brew made with coffee cherry (the outer red skin of discarded coffee beans from Go Bang in Petone) with an amazing light apple flavour is coming soon.

Each brew takes 8-10 days to ferment and another 7-10 days of bottle conditioning before heading out the door. The best before date is four months unchilled (a bonus when there is space restrictions in the fridge), and can be extended to nine months if refrigerated.

Another buzz emanating from the factory came from discovering owner Alex Campbell and I grew up in the same small Northland town – Kaikohe. This is where Alex’s first memories of kombucha came from – his grandmother Amy made what she called Manchurian Mushroom tea in the 1970’s. Kaikohe Kombucha - who would have thought?

Portrait of man holding a giant leek which was the cover of Martin Parr's book Black Country Stories.

Giant Leek at Country Show | Murray Lloyd Photograph

murray lloyd September 15, 2014

I have seen photos of over sized pumpkins appearing in the media but never a leek. The leek portrait has been published on the cover of Martin Parr's 2014 book Black Country Stories. I don't know what they feed their leeks in England's Black Country but a portrait I photographed recently shows another way to make your produce seem large.

Portrait of smiling boy holding a bunch of fresh garlic in garden.

Mobile Fish 'n' Chips at Quainton | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd August 19, 2014

Mushy peas or curry sauce with your Fish 'n' Chips? Quainton, a very cute English village of about 1200, located just north of London, gets visited every Wednesday evening from 5.30 – 8 by a mobile fish and chip van. Howe and Co have been delivering fish and chips from “coast to door” for more than 80 years, currently making hundreds of stops to more than 90 villages in a 50km radius. New Zealand does not have the same mobile service with fish and chips (although Mr Whippy hints at this) but we do at least have a mobile butcher in Waikanae.

The mushy peas certainly add a fresh colour to the golden tones but the quality of the fish 'n' chips did not match the high standard of service. Maybe I am spoiled by the excellent quality easily found in New Zealand.

Thatched roof house in Quainton, England

Howe and Co fish and Chip mobile van in Quainton Village, England.

From coast to door signage on side of mobile fish and chip van.

Close up of tubs of mushy peas with fish and chips.

7 stands, 3 lights and a bagel | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd August 12, 2014

The saying photography is 90% “moving furniture” and 10% photography was proved when I was asked to photograph one pulled pork bagel for Wholly Bagels in Wellington. On location, at night, saw three lights, one background, two diffusers, two bounce boards and seven light stands in action. Pulled pork originated in the southern states of the US but seems to be everywhere now.

Pulled pork bagel from Wholly Bagels in Wellington.

Passionfruit photographed from above and close up with purple tones in background.

Getting passionate in the studio | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd March 30, 2014

Italian Flavours in Paraparaumu | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd March 2, 2014

Basil grown from seed in full sunshine, Isle of Capri tomatoes freshly plucked from the garden and fresh buffalo mozzarella - Insalata Caprese - It is quite simply one of the greatest pleasures of summer and is one of my favourite dishes . The flavours and textures work together brilliantly - here's to Italian food.

Fresh live clams from NZ to USA | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd February 19, 2014

Working every day of the year, the team at Dunedin's Southern Clams can have an average of 4.5 tonnes of clams ready for market in six hours. In winter the team in the water harvest by torchlight and even have waves crashing over them on occasions. Director Roger Belton started Southern Clams in the early 1980's after his French girlfriend took him to experience the French food culture. Eighty percent of the clams are exported, particulary to the east coast of the USA where the large Italian poplulation need them for Spagetti alle Vonglole. The remaining clams are sold domestically at restaurants, wholesalers and the New World and Pak n Save supermarkets.

Southern Clams take sustainability very seriously even investing in forestry in order to be carbon accountable. They have never harvested their full quota of clams and are contantly looking for new ways to reduce bycatch.

I was just thankful my waders didn't leak.

Clam shells being returned to seafloor from boat.

Portrait of Roger Belton, owner of Southern Clams, standing in sea.

Freshly harvested clams on barge at Blueskin Bay, New Zealand

Fully loaded barge of fresh clams at Blueskin Bay.

Roger Belton, Managing Director at Southern Clams on small outboard boat.

Waikanae Butchery goes mobile | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd September 18, 2013

After two years of planning the big day has arrived and Andrew Stroonbergen and Peter Hedgecock load up Waikanae Butchery’s brand new Fiat Ducato Maxi van. The van was built in Holland and shipped to NZ so Andrew can supply his great produce to Wellington’s Chaffers Market on Sundays. Now, following an invitation from Joanne Welch at Summerset Retirement Village, Andrew drives his van around four retirement villages on the Kapiti Coast each Friday supplying the good folk with lovely fresh meat and his famous smallgoods.

Butcher loading fresh meat in the Waikane Butcher mobile van

Close up photo of terrine and salamis for Waikanae Butcher's mobile van.

Customer being served at the Waikane Butcher mobile van.

Andrew talking to customer about the Waikane Butcher mobile van.

Waikane Butcher Mobile Van driving along road.

Customers shopping for fresh veges in open air market.

Customers waiting at the Waikane Butcher Mobile Van.

Andrew weighing meat in the Waikane Butcher Mobile Van.

Andrew serving customer from the Waikane Butcher Mobile Van.

Andrew exchanging sausages for bananas at market.

Portrait of Andrew Stroonbergen holding his famous pork sausages

Stop at the Bus stop Cafe | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd September 1, 2013

The bus came from Kahuna in Taranaki and Kirsty Green came from the café scene in Wellington – they are now united in the front yard of a Te Horo property she owns.

Opened in May 2012 the beachy Bus Stop Café was buzzing the morning I visited. The delicious food is all homemade and the superb coffee would make you think you were in Wellington – at least 30 disappeared out the door in the short time I was photographing – along with all of the jam donuts and a pile of cheese puffs.

The message clearly is - arrive early.

Friands at the Bus Stop Cafe in Te Horo, New Zealand

Hello dolly slice at Bus Stop Cafe in Te Horo, New Zealand

Cheese Puffs at Bus Stop Cafe in Te Horo, New Zealand

Blueberry muffins at Bus Stop Cafe in Te Horo, New Zealand

Open from 9-4 Fri-Sun the café even has eftpos however you don’t need to pay for the very convivial atmosphere Kirsty and her sidekick Sarah conjure up.

One visitor whispered to me “since she arrived she’s really brought the community together you know”.

The not so secret Bus Stop Café has reopened in Te Horo beach. Signs point the way.

Wellington on a Plate Pipi Trail | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd August 21, 2013

Queenie Rikihana and Ruth Pretty welcome guests at Rangiatea Church

Queenie Rikihana explains history of Rangiatea grounds

Andre Baker explains the hammerhead shark design in the kneeler cushions in Rangiatea Church

...and teaches the guests to sing this song

Elaine Bevan explains weaving at Te Whare Toi in Otaki

Rewana bread ready to go at Raukawa Marae in Otaki

Tootsie Iriha's fried bread...with butter and golden syrup, yum

Queenie Rikihana gives tips about fishing up pipis

Ruth Pretty looks forward to Tootsie Iriha's famous fried bread

Aunty Hira flips her very delicate pikelets

Ruth Pretty hands out Rewana bread starter to guests as they leave

10 Pics from WOAP Food WKSP | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd August 14, 2013

708 photos were analysed during the food photography workshop held at Ruth Pretty’s Springfield premises. As a part of Visa Wellington on a Plate, the event asked guests to photograph six dishes.

The most photogenic food - Prawn Cocktails, Saffron Crepes, Honey and Lemon Marinated Smoked Salmon and of course the dessert - Little Orange Cakes with Chocolate Mousse, Poached Mandarins and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Of the two dishes which did not fare so well on looks (Olive and Parmesan Rugelach and Coq au Vin), this picture certainly got the biggest laugh.

and these are the top ten

Saffron Crepes with Roasted Pumpkin and Cumin. Photo by Juliet Watterson

Saffron Crepes with Roasted Pumpkin and Cumin. Photo by Asher Regan

Palace Court Prawn Cocktail. Photo by Andrew Harrow

Saffron Crepes with Roasted Pumpkin and Cumin. Photo by Natalie Keane

Palace Court Prawn Cocktail. Photo by Susan Knaap

Palace Court Prawn Cocktail. Photo by Susannah Field

Honey and Lemon Marinated Home Smoked Salmon with Red Onion Pickle and Citrus Sour Cream. Photo by Susan Knaap

Little Orange Cakes with Chocolate Mousse, Poached Mandarins and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Martinborough Olive Harvest Fest | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd July 8, 2013

Sign advertising Martinborough Olive Festival

Helen Meehan explains Olivo Oil at Martinborough Hotel

Olivo Oils served at Martinborough Hotel.

Guests dining at Martinborough Hotel as part of olive harvest festival.

Peter and Ruth Graham from Atutahi at Tirohana Estate.

Lamb Cutlets poached in Tuscan Blend Olive Oil (from Atutahi) with baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, gremolata of hazelnut, mint, lemon and parsley.

Peter Graham talks to guests at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival

Poppies Restaurant, Martinborough, New Zealand.

Margaret and Mike Hanson from Blue Earth Olive Oil, photographed at Poppies Martinborough

A dessert at Poppies Restaurant, Creme Inglesa with Barcelona inspired Trifle .

Jared Gulian with his newly published book Moon over Martinborough.

International Olive Oil Judge Margaret Edwards explains how to taste olive oil.

Guests smelling olive oil at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival.

Guests tasting olive oil at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival.

Margaret Edwards helps blend individual oils for the class to take home.

Night Market at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival.

Visitors at Night Market at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival.

The Olivo crew at Martinborough Olive Harvest night market.

Ray Lilley of Whiterock Olives holding fresh olives.

Young girl picking olives in morning sunlight.

Picking olives at White Rock Olives in Martinborough.

Picking olives at White Rock Estate in Martinborough.

Nalini Baruch giving cooking demonstration at Lot 8, Martinborough.

Narlini Baruch giving a cooking demonstration at Martinborough Olive Harvest Festival

Orange slices with sea salt and Lot Eight 2013 Aromatic Olice Oil.

Close up photo of hands holding green olives in sun.

From Olives to Oil in 12 Hrs | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd June 26, 2013

Gleaming olive-green Italian made machines greeted me as I was introduced to the factory by Nathan Casey, Operations Manager of Hawkes Bay’s Village Press Olive Oil.

Village Press Olive Oil factory in Hawkes Bay.

500 - 600 tonnes of olives delivered to the factory each season come from 60,000 Hawkes Bay trees and are processed according to the variety of cultivar - Barnea, Frantoio, and Manzanillo are the three I am most familiar with.

12 years ago, Wayne and Maureen Startup started making olive oil under the brand Village Press. Today they are New Zealand’s largest producers of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, processing enough olives to make more than 100,000 litres of the golden liquid each year.

Once the oil is extracted the remaining finely ground by-product is destined for kitty litter and is also being trialled as dairy cow feed (mixed in with other things).

Al Brown, Ruth Pretty and Peta Mathias get their own branded oil from Village Press who bottle, label and pack the oil at the factory. Nathan also showed me newly labelled bottles with a big red heart destined for collaboration with the Returned Services Association.

You can find bottles and boxes of Village Press oil in New Zealand easily enough and the distinctive oils can also be purchased internationally via Amazon and Shopping Moa.