[Tia Maria]

When I go back I wanted to say thanks to one of my friends who is practically lending me an entire nursery.

She's a real foodie, so I thought I'd put together a kiwi food hamper to pack in my suitcase.

So what foods are very NZ, from the everyday to the posh?

What would you include?

Cheers

Tia

[jubjub]

Manuka honey went down well with my dad.... its a bit of a luxury over there

Pineapple lumps, just for something a bit different!

Couple of nice bottles of wine, maybe a Mission Estate?

Run out of ideas now......

[gil]

I just put some sweeties together for my nieces including pineapple lumps, raspberry liquorice etc.

If I was doing it on a bigger scale I would include liquorice and chocolate logs, scorched almonds, pavlova (would it travel er, perhaps not! OK the recipe for a pavlova!) honey as Sal said, Tim Tams (yes I know you can get them in Tesco, but the range is far wider here), anzac cookies, lolly cake, a bottle of Brown Brothers Dolcette/Syrah (lovely red for chilling and summer sipping, only 9% :D) a bottle of muscat dessert wine (had a groovy one at Xmas and now can't remember the label!)
If I could include chilled and fresh produce, I would put some NZ camembert or brie, golden kiwi fruit, green mussels and smoked salmon.
If I was giving a taste of NZ basic eating rather than "nice", foodie-type stuff, I'd include Foodtown's Basic Hot English mustard (doesn't taste anything like Colman's but is good!) Wattie's "Bit on the Side" chutneys, Steak and Cheese Pies (could never have imagined the combo, but even OH who won't eat cheese at all will eat them!) and Whittakers nut slabs.

My daughter said "any of the wide range of Cadbury's big choc bars, yoghurt coated coffee beans and ostrich sausages."

Non-food that we love here is Listerine pre-brushing whitening mouthwash. Don't think you can get it in UK! Might be taken the wrong way though :o

Some initial thoughts, if I think of any more I'll add them.
Great idea Tia,
gil

[kiwidebs]

What about something like kiwifruit, boysenberry or feijoa jams/chutneys?

Debs

[StevieD]

Nobody mentioned Jaffas - the sweets mmmmmm

[sarahw]

Chocolate fish, jet planes (a must for any Kiwi!!), Chit Chats (biscuits), Mint Slices (Biccies) or Mint Slice Balls, Marmite?, Vogels bread if that's allowed through, definitely some Cadbury's choccie, Debs idea of the preserves of feijoa, kiwifruit & boysenberry is a winner & definitely some honey - Manuka if the budget stretches (Honey hive do some great honeys of all flavours.) If you're allowed cheese & if you have somewhere cool to keep it on the plane then Kapiti cheeses are gorgeous - we tried one cheese last year which was coated in volcano ash - sounds gross but very yummy! Good bottles of Kiwi wines that you can't get in UK from boutique wineries - a Pinot Noir & a Sauvignon Blanc. Avacado oil, Also, Prenzel do some great dipping sauces, tipsy sauces & spirits that you can't get anywhere else & they're rather yummy!! (Especially the tipsy sauces over hot cakes or ice cream!), Hokey Pokey biscuits, Afghans (biscuits), Selection of NZ bottled beers (Monteiths do a good range, but also other beers such as Tui, Speights, Steinlager)? RJ's liquorice (you can buy it in the UK but its £5- a bag instead of about $3 in the supermarket).

[Tia Maria]

Great ideas, I think I'll print the thread out and pop to New World.

In fact I might buy 2 of everything as there is lots of stuff on there I haven't tried yet!

Do you think its alright to pack glass jars/bottles in a suitcase, or do you think I'll end up with clothes smelling of Monteiths and Manuka Honey?

Cheers

Tia

[sarahw]

Yum you'll attract every Kiwi in a 100 mile radius Tia!! ;) Erm - depends on what type of suitcase you have & how well you pack I guess - my parents are bringing a big bottle of Amiretto disaronno in their suitcase from the UK next week... I'll let you know if they smell all holiday or if I'm up on the liquer I use to make choccie mousse with!!

[nippa&pippa]

I brought home last april for my mum is 3 bottle of liquer ice cream topping in different flavour, very nice (can use in other way like add into coffee, milkshakes etc)...not sure where you get from locally as got it from factory shop in kumeu, auckland.

[Ana&Steve]

We brought home a bunch of Whittakers kiwifruit chocolate and Ghana (sp) chocolate, and it was devoured by friends and fam, (and us!) as we don't have anything comparable here. We have dark chocolate, but not like the Ghana stuff ;)
Ana

[willowshouse]

L&P - "to wash down the chunks of spew" ... have you heard their radio adverts, they are sooo funny!

Whittakers Peanut Slabs

[sarahw]

Oh of course Willowshouse! - L&P - you can't do a hamper without it!!

[Tia Maria]

I've turned all your suggestions into the ultimate kiwi shopping list:

Chocolate, biscuits etc

Afghans
Anzac cookies
Cadbury's big choc bars
Chit Chats (biscuits)
Chocolate fish
Chocolate logs
Hokey Pokey biscuits
Jaffas
Jet planes
Lolly cake
Mint Slice Balls
Mint Slices (Biccies)
Pavlova
Pineapple lumps
Raspberry liquorice
RJ's liquorice
Scorched almonds
Tim Tams
Whittakers Ghana chocolate
Whittakers kiwifruit chocolate
Whittakers nut slabs
Yoghurt coated coffee beans

Sauces, preserves etc

Avacado oil
Foodtown's Basic Hot English mustard
Kiwifruit, boysenberry or feijoa jams/chutneys
Liquer ice cream topping
Manuka Honey
Marmite
Prenzel Dipping Sauces
Tipsy sauces & spirits
Wattie's "Bit on the Side" chutneys

Drinks

Brown Brothers
Dolcette/Syrah
L&P
Monteiths Beer
Muscat dessert wine
Tui, Speights, Steinlager

Fresh

Golden kiwi fruit
Green mussels
Kapiti cheeses
NZ camembert or brie
Ostrich sausages
Smoked salmon
Steak and Cheese Pies
Vogels bread

Feeling hungry yet?!

Cheers

Tia

[wiki]

Feeling hungry yet?!

Cheers

Tia

As a Kiwi "stuck" in the UK for nine years, you've almost reduced me to tears with that list! So many things that I'd managed to forget about!

It's 9am on a Sunday morning here, I'm at work and I'm suddenly craving lollie cake. I'd best get myself off to the baker for a bacon buttie to make up for it *sigh*

Oh and Whittakers? Save me some Almond Gold please :)

[willowshouse]

If we're talking 'Fantasy Hamper' then you have to include Steak and Cheese pies .. there's not many places in England you can get those!

.... although Snoggy's Butchers in Putney, London do them!

Never mind Wiki - soon come!

[oldtimbo]

Our eldest son, still in UK, sent us two lovely hampers that he bought on-line. They were superbly gift wrapped and contained all manner of kiwi goodies, from sauces/marinades to chocs and biscuits. All were sourced from the bay of plenty area and of high quality. I was so impressed, I intend to use the company to send something similar to Mum in England.
The company website is : www.boxesofplenty.co.nz