New Zealand's flamboyant foodie, Peta Mathias, hits the gastronomic road to Kaikoura, Cromwell and Kerikeri with three festive picnic ideas for the holiday season.
For the first of the picnic courses, Mathias travels to magnificent Kaikoura. The local speciality is crayfish and she takes a fishing trip with Kaikoura Fishing Charters. Local chef Josh Spooner demonstrates an adapted Japanese celebration crayfish dish, Christmas Coloured Crays, with crays in the pot.
Second course is a meaty offering served in a Cromwell vineyard setting. There are pates and terrines from Bendigo Game Birds, Northburn Station Merino Lamb in a tortilla wrap, and chutneys from Cromwell's Provisions Preserves - accompanied by winemaker Michelle Richardson's superlative pinot noir.
The third course is served on the Kerikeri River Steamboat. Bay of Island's celebrity chef Paul Jobin dreams up a citrus cake made with quark, lemon and macadamia nuts and to wash it all down there's Kerikeri-made but Italian-styled limoncello spirit, LemonZ.
Mathias says "Christmas picnics are a time when there are no rules. You can make it as flash, as unfussy, or as silly as you like. Don't hang around, get out and enjoy yourself."
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