One of the blokes in my swimming group is planning a day at the beach on Waiheke for a bunch of us. I can’t wait. It’s wonderful to spend time on the island, and even better catching up with friends, as opposed to chatting quickly between lengths at the pool.
He has suggested we eat at the fish and chip shop at Palm Beach but I’ve been sowing the seed for a little more creativity great food that can be pre-made and packed to enjoy after that swim in the sea, game of poker on the sand or vigorous hike.
It’s not always easy choosing picnic food that will travel well and taste good cold but a pie always goes down well with a hungry crowd. Hot water pastry is fun to make warm, pliable and easy to work with. It’s what you’ll find in the traditional English Melton Mowbray pork pie, which is baked without a supporting tin.
This pork and kumara version, which uses the same pastry, can be eaten hot or cold.
Another delicious addition to the picnic hamper is Greek salad. Robust and flavoursome but made using relatively few ingredients, it’s a cinch to put together and the punchy flavours will cut through the heaviness of the pie.
Finally, I've included a fabulous fresh ginger, apple and walnut loaf. Sweet, yet not too sweet, it gains a little digestive assistance from the ginger. Best of all, it's easy to transport no melted icing disasters to contend with here.
Recipes: