Dash of Northland spices cooks' tour

Karena and Kasey Bird, MasterChef stars who were in Whangarei yesterday, say a generous helping of love works fried-bread miracles. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The organisers of Karena and Kasey Bird's cookbook tour didn't have any Northland stop planned, until the MasterChef winners insisted on it.

The sisters from Maketu in Bay of Plenty have family links to Northland through their mother, who grew up in Waima and went to Northland College.

But their visit to Northland wasn't on their initial itinerary.

"Our PR people showed us the plans for the tour and we thought, 'There's no Northland stops on there' ... our whanau wouldn't allow that!" Kasey said.

"We're from a small town, and we know what it's like to miss out on things," she said.

And while Karena and Kasey are the TV celebrities, it's their mum who is making waves here in Northland.

"Mum's travelling around with us, and wherever we go, she's the star," Karena said. "Yesterday [Monday] we were in Kaikohe and someone asked her to speak, so she's the one up doing a speech."

The sisters have been staying with their aunt and uncle at Pataua North, a place they fondly remember from summer holidays, where they have been feasting on Northland boil-up.

"They made our cheesecake, too, from our book," Kasey said.

Their tour has taken them to Paihia, to Kaikohe for a cooking demo, and a book signing in Paper Plus in Whangarei yesterday, before heading to Warkworth.

So apart from a boil-up, what has tickled their tastebuds in Northland?

"Oh, it's been great, everyone's been cooking for us, we had yummy cupcakes in Kaikohe, this amazing creamed paua, fried bread ..."

The cookbook contains their own fried-bread recipe, named after their Aunty Nani.

"We really wanted it in our book, so we asked her if we could use it - but we had to name it after her!"

And what is the secret to good fried bread?

"Using real dripping ... and love," said Karena.

The sisters have loved meeting the public and sharing their love of food.

"It's like we know everyone already," Karena said. "They just feel like part of your family, and it's nice because you've been in their living room three nights a week while the show was on, so people feel like they know you already."

The girls say their No1 Facebook fan is a Whangarei woman, who they were pleased to meet yesterday.

And while their lives have changed since MasterChef, they love every minute.

"People say, 'You must be so sick of smiling', but no way. We've written a book of our own recipes and we get to tour the country talking to people about it."