The Food Show

www.foodshow.co.nz

This weekend was The Food Show, hosted at the Westpac Stadium. It's turned into a bit of a tradition for JP and I to go together each year. Someone else usually joins us but this year it was just the two of us.

After the last few years we've gotten the art of attending down. My advise:
1. Bring a bottle of water
2. Don't eat before you go
3. Go early to avoid the crowds
4. (a new entry this year) Bring a carry bag
5. Go on the last day for the best deals

Around the rim of the stadium stalls from wineries, food outlets and food related companies are set up. The best bit - every stall has FREE samples! (hence the "don't eat before you go" rule. And, lots of really good deals. Most years I come across some new or different product or brand. Last year I found Cherry and Vanilla Jam. The year before Rice Bran Oil.

Each year there seems to be a trend to the types of stalls there. Last year there was a lot of Jams and the year before a lot of pestos. This year there wasn't many of either, but there was a lot of lemon products. There was lemon zests, lemon oils, lemonades, lemon liquours, and even lemon icecream.

JP bought a glass this year in order to try the wines more enthusiastically. And it worked, because about three quarters of the way round, JP tells me he's stopping drinking now. And it wasnt' even 12pm yet.

Some years we buy nothing and some years a lot, but this year was definetely a year where we bought a lot. I think the last day of the show is a good one to go to - it seems to be when the stalls are reducing their prices in order to get rid of the product. Today we brought home:

- Olive Grove Falafal Mix. - I've wanted to make falafal for ages and this is a premixed falafal. All I need to do is cook it. Can be bought at Moore Wilsons or New World.
- Lisa's Hummus with Roast Garlic, Feta & Capsicum with smoky paprika dip and Feta & baby spinach with black pepper dip. YUM. Can be bought at most supermarkets.
- Nuttz Honey Roasted Almonds and Vienna Almonds. Sweet nuts - I love em. Can be bought at The Nut Store on Cuba St.
- The Dairy Collective Gourmet Probiotic Yoghurt - Mango, Dark Plum and Apple Crumble flavours. I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of yoghurt these days. I'm not fond of the normal dairy yoghurts, but the more "expensive" and "exoctic" yoghurts I love. This brand was delicious and I'm looking forward to having them for breakie. The dude reckoned most supermarkets stock it, but I've never seen it before.
- Teza Juiced Tea - Mango & Ginger flavour. I'm not a juice or tea fan for the most part, so these drinks you'd assume I'd avoid. I was intrigued by the ginger aspect, and it was delicious! It's a fairly new franchised New Zealand brand and can only be bought from their shop or from Moore Wilsons.
- Beehive Luncheon meats - Malanoi Salami, Champagne Ham and Honey baked ham. JP loves it and it was a good deal.
- Prenzel Original Vinagrette - I just ran out about 3 weeks ago and it was cheap.
- Olivado Macadamia Nut Oil - It was a sweet nutty oil that boasts uses for pastries, omelettes and salad dressings. It's something different which I like.
- And JP bought some beer and some Johner Pinot Noir wine.
- I also bought a cook book (seeing as it's my current obsession to find and buy cook books its not really surprising!). I bought the "Healthy Family Meals, Vol 2" book which is published by the Healthy Foods magazine.

Reading back on the large list of things we bought, I add a new piece of advice to the list "Bring a carry bag".

It's such a good show to go to, I love it! It's so much fun. Make sure you go next year!! You will have a great time, and if nothing else, you'll have a good lunch.

Ohhhh and I almost forgot to mention; We were talking to a gentleman at a winery stall and JP mentioned that I couldn't drink red wine. He asked me why and I explained that I was allergic to Red Wine, Oranges and Cocoa. He instantly said "Oh, it's the tannens (sp?)" He explained to me that tannens are a molecule substance thats in those three items. No one ever told me that before! Now dear google, let's research tannens. . . .