New Zealand - A cookery question ...

Simon & Emily

5th May 2005, 11:01 PM

A question please for those of you who are living in NZ, or regular visitors. Are you able to get decent cookery items, such as baking tins, mixing bowls etc etc (all the boring stuff) at a decent price, comparable to the UK? I'm hoping that you can do, as things like convenience foods have not yet become so popular and people may still cook their meals? Or is it that these things have to be imported, and therefore expensive? I'm not talking about top of the range things, like a certain French brand, but just a decent bit of kit that won't warp / burn within a few weeks.

If not, I'll just have to go on a spending spree before we leave :laugh

Thanks,

Emily

paulwardle

5th May 2005, 11:14 PM

hi,
yes everyone seems to bake for themselves in nz, they're always doing morning or afternoon teas at work, where you bring a plate of food & everyone has a good break for someone's birthday or something, & people are bringing in all sorts of cakes & savouries baked at home.
As for prices of stuff, cant swear they're comparable to the uk, but in wellington, theres this ace shop called moore & wilson which has EVERYTHING you can think of for houses, & it seemed well priced. I love that shop its great, you name it, they sell it. All ranges, all standards. don't bring stuff from the uk, there mutst be more shops like that, even if you're not going to wellington.
Nz does have processed convenience meals, but people do tend to cook for themsleves, i think they respect their health a bit more than brits !!!!

Moorf

5th May 2005, 11:20 PM

The easy answer is yes you can buy just about every gadget you could possibly want for your cooking needs.

You could start at the Warehouse ... lots of cheap, basic items there - have bought plenty there and, apart from electric items which I'm never buying from Warehouse again, all have been good quality.

Apart from the Warehouse there are plenty of shops, both in big out of town stores and in the malls, where you can buy just about any cookery item you desire :nice1

A couple of examples:

www.thecookshop.co.nz - online ordering

OR

http://www.homestore.co.nz - has stores in Auckland, Welly and Chch

:nice1

Simon & Emily

5th May 2005, 11:58 PM

Thanks Moorf - looks like it's as good as I'm hoping. It's just in this country it seems you can get everyday cheap stuff that doesn't last or very expensive stuff that whilst brilliant, you don't want to buy everything at once. That's not just for pots and pans - it's the whole lot, things like serving dishes and so on. I'm hoping that when we enter the 1950's timewarp (that's tongue in cheek - we're really looking forward to it) life will become so much simpler / better / less stressful (but we know it won't be a bed of roses).

Thanks again,

Emily

Moorf

6th May 2005, 12:09 AM

I wish we could get married again - there's some stuff I need to add to the wedding list :laugh

Ok, I've heard this 1950's timewarp comparison applied to life in NZ before... from several people...where did that come from? :? Does it still apply? (I wasn't alive in the 50's!! :mrgreen: )

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 12:16 AM

I have no idea where it comes from Moorf - only the old joke about the pilot of the plane announcing:-

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now approaching Auckland airport - please put your watches back by 20 years!

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

We just hope that life gets easier - I know it will be hard financially, and we will have to downgrade our house, lifestyle, etc etc but it should be worth it in the end.

Now, I like the idea of a second wedding gift list - or even a 'leaving the UK' list :mrgreen: Do you think our friends will go for it?

Emily

Moorf

6th May 2005, 12:26 AM

please put your watches back by 20 years!

:laugh Hadn't heard that one before!!

My fav pilot announcement was on an Easyjet flight where the pilot urged passengers to listen to the safety demonstration by saying "there may be 50 ways to leave your lover but there's only 3 ways off this plane, so listen up folks!" :laugh :laugh

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 12:33 AM

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 12:38 AM

Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I'd better get my ample backside away from here and go to supervise the children kneading the bread in the kitchen.

On no, I think they've started without me. I know I shouldn't have left the flour within their reach. :eek :eek

Emily

Moorf

6th May 2005, 12:41 AM

Me too... bedtime, cookie jar empty. :wah

Anita & Marco

6th May 2005, 01:18 AM

Hi all,
You seem to know a lot about baking etc.
We love to make our own bread in holland, but we use a bread baking machine for this, with ready to use mixes.
Are these easily available in NZ?

Regards,
Anita

Moorf

6th May 2005, 01:26 AM

Yup, have seen them in Woolworths... Elfin is the brand that I remember..

Diny

6th May 2005, 04:17 AM

Moorf ....

I've just had an attack of the vapours after reading your comments about the Warehouse.

Oh my lovely Warehouse ..... an aladins cave of desirable tack and endless useless 'must have' items.

Tell me tell me ........ why not buy anything electrical from the Warehouse?

Darn it woman, you're spoiling my arrival already. First thing on the agenda ..... a trip to the Warehouse for a mountain of electric heaters. Why do you do this to me ............... :(

Diny

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 05:45 AM

Moorf ....

Tell me tell me ........ why not buy anything electrical from the Warehouse?

Diny

Hi Diny

I'm not sure which thread it's on (so not really very helpfull :laugh ) but there has been a number of postings about Warehouse electrical items catching fire, melting etc and so on. Even some oil radiators, if my memory serves correct.

Emily

GeorgeM

6th May 2005, 07:05 AM

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now approaching Auckland airport - please put your watches back by 20 years!

Nah - that's Australia.

We had a conference call with one of our offices in the US the other day - 9am our time, 4pm the previous day their time. They asked us what time it was in Australia (we needed to clarify something), so we said 'about 1965'.

Just honing our trans-Tasman rivalry in time for the Tri-Nations.

Carol

6th May 2005, 07:48 AM

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 08:04 AM

I could be talking rubbish .... :oops: :oops:

GeorgeM

6th May 2005, 08:15 AM

gulp!
I've never had any problems with anything I've bought there......including the oil filled radiators.
C

Ditto for us. The stuff may not be top drawer, but in many areas is sufficient for most needs.

Briscoes is another potential source of reasonably cheap domestic items. They have a constant sale on - each Tuesday they come out with a large flyer of what's on sale this week, and when this coincides with what you want your luck could be in! Frequently they'll have 50% a range of stock, and their brands do tend to be one step up from the Warehouse.

The Woolworths/Countdown group are also starting to get into this area in a limited way also. Each week their flyer seems to have some very cheap stuff. A few weeks ago they had a toaster for $10. It might not last forever, but I suspect you could do worse if you needed one whilst waiting for the container to arrive, or for the bach etc.

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 08:39 AM

I found it!

http://www.emigratenz.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2763&postdays=0&postorder=asc&high light=warehouse&start=0

The link should have been to the thread 'Oil Filled Radiators' but i don't think it'll work. It was only posted end of April so should be fairly near the top.

Emily

sarahw

6th May 2005, 03:18 PM

We've got stuff from the Warehouse too (electrical kitchen gadgets) - sandwich toaster $12 and toaster $11 -cheap as chips, however, they're not the best make in the world but they work OK & luckily haven't had any melting or catching fire incidents.

Moorf I hope you got a refund on your defective goods! & thanks for posting the warning - I now stay in the room when I have them on just incase!

Briscoes, however, is fab & better quality stuff - bought a very nice slow cooker from there thinking that I would be all organised & put it on before work - do I heck! I'm usually running around thinking - oh no I'm late! They also do lovely towels & bathroom stuff & they had some great picnic rugs on sale in the summer - never shop there at full-price though - they have 50% off days on a very regular basis!

Going on to the domestic 1950's bliss thing - nice idea & the cakes in the shops are all so laiden with sugar that you might want to bake your own anyway. All my friends tell me I sound so much more relaxed here - I guess that's because the pace of life (certainly for us) is soooo much slower. For example, I've spent the whole day shopping for gifts & catching up on my correspondence - I never had time at home to do that!!! It'd be a quick e-mail in between meetings to say hi I'm busy speak soon! Even at work (OK I know I'm lucky & a lot of people are probably busier here than where they've come from but...) - we have morning tea for AN HOUR!!! I ask you?! then work for an hour & have an hour off for lunch! Net result is not a lot gets done & everyone has a lovely time & comes home feeling quite relaxed! Work... what's that?! :laugh Ian finishes at 3pm on a Friday (infact he'll be on his way home now - just in time to get to the pub for 4pm!!!!) & the office closes at 3pm so everyone can have a few beers courtesy of the company in their social room for a couple of hours! Now how many companies do that in the UK?!!! Or anywhere else come to that!

Moorf

6th May 2005, 07:21 PM

Diny

Can't remember which thread I posted about my warehouse purchase now, but basically we bought a cheapie toaster there and the plastic on the rim (where you put the toast in!) slowly melted after a few weeks!!

Hey, I love marmite on my toast but not melted plastic! :laugh

:?

Moorf

sarahw

6th May 2005, 09:34 PM

How do you tell the difference between marmite & melted plastic? :laugh

Moorf

6th May 2005, 09:35 PM

:laugh :laugh I was waiting for a comment like that !!

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 09:41 PM

A question for all you marmite lovers out there:- have you ever had a marmite sponge cake? Just a normal victoria sponge with a marmite filling. I was brought up on it, but no-one else has ever tried it. Everyone who likes marmite loves it when they try it - but you should see the look of horror from the hate-it camp :laugh :laugh :laugh

Emily

sarahw

6th May 2005, 09:41 PM

:laugh :laugh Well I have been down the pub tonight before logging in!

sarahw

6th May 2005, 09:43 PM

Emily - you sound like you need serious help - Marmite cakes?!!! :laugh :laugh I couldn't even stomach it on toast let alone in a victoria sponge! I think you get points for bravery there!

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 09:48 PM

Nope - I swear it's great, but only if you like marmite :nice1 or just have it neat, like an open sandwich, on soldiers of cake.

OK, it must just be me then :eek . I'll file it away with other wierd foods from my childhood like junket and ham, mayonaise and pickle sandwiches.

yum yum yum

Emily

Moorf

6th May 2005, 09:57 PM

Hmmm, I have to try that :nice1

paulwardle

6th May 2005, 10:16 PM

you're all just sick twisted individuals, why would you ruin the simple beauty of a victoria sponge with that filth !!!!!
:exit

Moorf

6th May 2005, 10:21 PM

Errr, ummm, it has less calories than jam and cream? :uhoh

paulwardle

6th May 2005, 10:30 PM

but its horrible !!!!!!!!! victoria sponges are one of the more underrated of your cakes i think, they've been overtaken with the chocolates & banana cakes of this world, but they are great.....marmite on them.....sorry, thats wrong & i wont have any part of it.

Simon & Emily

6th May 2005, 10:38 PM

But have you ever tried it? It's one of those things that you think may be horrible, but when you taste it it's not. I just can't think of any other examples right now :oops:

Emily

PS how about peanut butter and jelly - now that sounds heavable, but the yanks rave over it. :(

paulwardle

6th May 2005, 10:41 PM

i'm an adventurous eater, but you're ruining a pefectly nice product with a spicy paste thats akin to tar in my book !!!!
leave the cake alone, i do however love the marmite ads in the uk......
down with marmite, anyway, they dont sell it in nz its vegi mite & something else (i think)

Moorf

6th May 2005, 10:45 PM

Sorry Paul, they sure do sell Marmite here - its called something slightly different and I'm too drunk to be bothered to check the fridge to find out :laugh

Update - I staggered... it's called Ourmate here - to all Marmite lovers.. don't touch the Marmite labels.. it's 'orrible...

Hubby likes jam and cheese sarnies :?

paulwardle

6th May 2005, 11:19 PM

i knew it wasn't called marmite.....
jam & cheese sandwiches, what......sober !!!! dear god.
I'm trying to think of the oddest thing i like, but its prob boring compared to marmite cakes & jam & cheese sarnies......
when i was a kid i liked sugar on ice cream, but i dont do that any more......now i have to pay for my dentist.....but nowadays, pork scratchings, they make catherine feel ill........

Moorf

7th May 2005, 12:05 AM

I used to porky scratchings until i realised there were hairs on them :eek

Simon & Emily

7th May 2005, 05:20 AM

How about roast lamb sandwiches, complete with mint sauce :nice1

(I must have had a very strange childhood :laugh :laugh :laugh )

Emily

kiwidebs

7th May 2005, 05:58 AM

Nothing wrong with roast lamb sandwiches - with mint sauce, a little gravy (not too much or it gets too soggy to eat) and some sliced up roast spud!! Mmmmmm!!

Debs

Simon & Emily

7th May 2005, 06:39 AM

Oooooh - I'm sitting here drooling .....

Could this be the new world version of the cornish pasty? :yes

Emily

kiwidebs

7th May 2005, 07:04 AM

Mmm, dunno, but my family are sandwich kings - anything can go between two slices of bread. I think it comes from my dad's upbringing as one of nine kids in a rather poor family - add bread and the food goes further!! Another fav in our family is 'squashed weetbix' - a kind of sweet porridge made up of weetbix (weetabix) crumbs. Came from my Nana buying large sacks of weetbix for the family but finding it was all crumbs by the time she was two-thirds of the way through. Mmmm- if we hadn't run out of milk this afternoon I'd be off to make some now - not quite the same with weetabix but close enough!!

Debs

Simon & Emily

7th May 2005, 07:13 AM

Don't get me started on a slice of bread in the gravy from a roast. Not exactly gormet, or even socially acceptable, but a great way to fill the last space after a meal in your own home.

Now, where's that emoticon for yum yum yum

(But perhaps that's why I'm worried about my medical being accepted :oops: :oops: :oops: )

Emily

kiwidebs

7th May 2005, 07:16 AM

Oh wow, I'm soooo hungry after reading this thread - and I've already had dinner. There goes the diet!! Think I'll go make myself some jam and cheese on toast - mmmmm yummy!

Debs

Glenda

7th May 2005, 07:25 AM

Fascinating thread! :yes

When I was young :roll: ... we stayed on a farm in NZ. For breakfast - minced beef on toast. For lunch - minced beef with egg, followed by peanut butter and/or jam sandwiches. For dinner - minced beef casserole. :eek It was a dairy farm and we had the pleasure of watching a cow shot and gutted. :eek The family we stayed with had big strapping kids!!! :laugh

Simon & Emily

7th May 2005, 07:32 AM

Glenda

7th May 2005, 07:44 AM

For breakfast - minced beef on toast. For lunch - minced beef with egg, followed by peanut butter and/or jam sandwiches. For dinner - minced beef casserole. :eek

It may not have been a 'healthy' diet by modern standards, but I bet it was a heck of a lot better than a lot of children nowadays, if you look at sugar, fats and addatives.

Emily

As I said ... they had strapping kids !!! Must have been building them up for the rugby. :laugh Still, the first thing we did when we left three weeks later was to have a feast - never have cornflakes, bacon, chicken, and biscuits tasted so good. The trouble is I still hanker after minced beef on toast occasionally. :roll:

Simon & Emily

7th May 2005, 07:50 AM

I can't remember having minced beef on toast myself (but it's only a small step from chilli sandwiches :nice1 ) but I bet it's up there with my marmite cake. :clap :clap :clap

Emily

Oooooh - a chip buttie just popped into my mind. Dripping with butter and tomato sauce.

I'm going to have to go and cook some dinner now :exit

kiwidebs

7th May 2005, 07:37 PM

Oooooh - a chip buttie just popped into my mind. Dripping with butter and tomato sauce.

Emily, you're a girl after my own stomach. We really are going to have to meet up and do dinner sometime. Mmmmm, chip butties!! And mince on toast - fab, just a variation on anything between two slices of bread, most things can also go on a slice of toast!! I must go dig out my Mums recipe for sweet curried mince (on toast!!)

Debs

Diny

7th May 2005, 08:23 PM

Haven't even had breakfast yet.

A firm childhood favourite of ours was a slice of fried bread covered with tomato sauce. Then of course there was sugar sandwiches. My dad won't eat fruit cake without a slice of cheese on top of it.

Did anybody ever have braun in the 'olden days'? Made out of a boiled pigs head !!!! What about chitlins. They were the pigs intestines, which would have to be washed out by inserting the hose pipe in one end (out on the back yard) and flushing all the poo out of them. Sadly my nanna was never a stickler for detail and would think nothing of leaving abit of 'suss material' in the tubes. Then I think they are all squashed together and cooked. I could puke just thinking about it.

Oh yeah ..... as kids we would fight for the beastins custard. Beastins is the first milk that the cow produces after giving birth. It's thick and orangy/yellow with pale pink 'clots' of blood in it. It made the creamiest, sweetest custard you could ever want.

I think I had a damaged childhood ...... nowadays I hardly eat anything that once had a pulse.

(Apart from the occasional fish finger sandwich).

Diny

Glenda

7th May 2005, 09:04 PM

My goodness Diny, just how old are you? ;) ;) ;) That diet is like something out of history books. :laugh I thought I was old as I remember the excitement when the dried Vesta curries came on the market. :roll: Guess I have missed out on such a lot! :laugh

Diny

7th May 2005, 09:23 PM

Actually - that does make me sound ancient doesn't it. I'm 42 next month :nice1

I come from a long line of farmers and home economics teachers - guess that's a pretty lethal combination when it comes to eating every part of the pig except its squeek!

I remember as a kid I would really love going to a friends house for tea because their mums always served up bought cake. My mates would love coming to our house 'cos my mum served up home made cakes.

To this day, a shop bought cake is still a real treat for me (especially a chocolate Swiss Roll with white creamy filling). We have very little (if any) processed food in this house, I make everything from scratch. To be honest I think I'd have to say that this is due to the fact that we've always done it rather than any health issue - well that was definately the case in the earlier days before I had kids.

I have to say though, if the survival of the world depended on me eating a portion of chitlins then I'd have to say ........ prepare to die :laugh

Diny

Moorf

7th May 2005, 09:49 PM

Bread and Dripping :nice1 :nice1 :nice1

clarabell

10th May 2005, 08:44 PM

Can you buy packets of frozen filo pastry in NZ?

If not, anyone know how to make it? :?

Mildred

12th May 2005, 12:25 AM

Did anybody ever have braun in the 'olden days'? Made out of a boiled pigs head !!!! What about chitlins. They were the pigs intestines, which would have to be washed out by inserting the hose pipe in one end (out on the back yard) and flushing all the poo out of them. Sadly my nanna was never a stickler for detail and would think nothing of leaving abit of 'suss material' in the tubes. Then I think they are all squashed together and cooked. I could puke just thinking about it.

Oh yeah ..... as kids we would fight for the beastins custard. Beastins is the first milk that the cow produces after giving birth. It's thick and orangy/yellow with pale pink 'clots' of blood in it. It made the creamiest, sweetest custard you could ever want.

Now I know why I turned vegetarian at 4 years of age. My dad used to have butcher shops. The staff used to have competions using animal eyeballs. They used to aim them at the wall tiles and see which eyeball walked down the tiles the quickest. Can't do that with Quorn ;)