Cuisine

New Zealand cuisine is a combination of British influences and native Maori dishes. It is known for lamb and mutton chops, as well as seafood. Greenshell mussels, true New Zealand natives, are also very popular in the United States. Other meats popular in New Zealand include beef, venison, cervena and muttonbird, a bird that tastes like fish. A number of native fruits and vegetables are available, including - of course - the kiwifruit. A Maori specialty is the hangi, a feast of meat and vegetables steamed in an earth oven. Other popular foods include the following:

Pavlova

A popular dessert in New Zealand, inspired by ballerina Anna Pavlova's visit to the country. It consists of a sweet meringue that is baked and topped with an assortment of fresh fruit and berries.

Kumara

Also known as sweet potatoes, kumaras may be boiled, roasted, fried, or scalloped. They are particulary tasty when baked in their jackets and served with lamb or pork.

Rangitoto Ice Cream

A dessert consisting of vanilla ice cream, Berry "Lava", Chocolate Sail and Midori Anglaise.

Fast Food

New Zealand's fast food franchises include Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and of course, the ubiquitous McDonald's.

Beverages

New Zealand is quickly becoming world-renowned for its delicious wines, most notably its Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Reisling. Also popular are regional, micro-brewed and imported beers, and Michael Larson reports the comeback of the Cosmopolitan, a mix of vodka, Cointreau or Triple Sec, lime juice and cranberry juice.

Please visit Cuisine New Zealand for food and drink recipes