A couple of buddies and I have been getting into mountain biking. We recently met some pretty hardcore guys on a trial ride outside of Sydney and they couldn't stop raving about a trip they did to Wanaka in New Zealand so Rod, Mic and I decided we had to check it out and booked ticket that afternoon.

We fly into Queenstown, pick up our rental SUV, load up the bikes and drive over the stunning Crown Range to Wanaka (about an hours drive). If you haven’t been to this part of the world, its next level scenic. Every corner you go around there’s another photo to take. We arrived at sunset and grab a six-pack of the local brew and head down to the lake to watch the sunset and talk about our plans for the next day. We’d been told we had to check out Cadrona which is a ski field in winter and the new Glendu bike park.

We rose early the next morning to begin our first day on the bikes. As we drove up the mountain, I couldn’t help but admire the incredible sunrise. As we turned back onto the Cardrona access road, we were pumped to get some ride time in and drove our rental possibly just over the speed limit. Today’s plans were to explore Cardrona’s trail network, before tearing down the Peak on what is known as the Pub trail to finish our day off at the famous Cardrona Hotel. I had never ridden here before and because we were visiting on a weekday, we practically had the place to ourselves and didn’t once have to wait for the lift.

Our first run took us right down the middle of the park, following the Whitestar Express – the main lift in the bike park - coming down Grasshopper into another trail called Hi Vis, before making our way to the lift via Low Vis. This made for an amazing Grade 3 run down the mountain before diving off into the advanced Low Vis trail. The riding here is nothing short of stunning. A mix of wide mountain trails through to single trails in the  woods. The views are amazing, and you constantly want to stop on the trail to admire vistas that seemingly go on forever. The best part about the lack of trees, though, is the ability to build almost anything you want. The main natural obstacle on Cardrona is rocks, which are easy enough to work into trails, and the end result is a trail network full of fast, sweeping berms, all the rock rollers, rock drops and rock gardens you could dream of and, for the most important part, plenty of tussock to cushion your fall if you come off. 

One of the things I was most excited for on our trip, was riding Bike Glendhu. While it didn’t make the 4:30am alarm any easier to get up to, I tried to focus on the fact that soon enough I’d be watching the most incredible sunrise from the peak of Glendhu. We were all feeling pretty groggy as we rolled up after a few beverages the night before.

Glendhu is Wanaka’s newest riding destination, opened in January 2020 after a couple of years of development. John McRae, whose family has owned and farmed Glendhu Station for three generations, wanted to create a more sustainable farming experience for his family’s future generations. He partnered with Wanaka local, John Wilson, to build Bike Glendhu on 1000 hectares of the station. The big picture goal was to create a bike park that’s self-sufficient, both in terms of how they generate resources like power and in the sense of having a positive impact on the land the park is built upon. 

We all piled our bikes onto the shuttle trailer and began the 15-minute drive up to the peak, and I was pretty excited. I’d seen photos and the view from the top looked insane during the day, so I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like at sunrise. As we approached the top our surroundings really opened up and whilst it was still pretty dark, little hints of golden-orange began to creep over the edge of the horizon and it was clear we’d picked the right morning to take on Glendhu.

It was still pretty icy as we unloaded our bikes at the top, but it wasn’t long before the sun crested the mountains and the hillside lit up. The South Island of NZ is a special place to be in autumn, and it was definitely putting on a show for us today. We started our ride by dropping into Upper Baywatch, an intermediate trail with plenty of features to hit if you wanna spice things up a little. As we dropped in, I couldn’t quite get my footing right and as I pumped up the face of a table, and blew my foot completely off the pedal, accidentally ending up seat-bouncing, moto-style. My back wheel went sky high, my other foot was blown off its pedal and I landed in a nose manual. I was dead sure I was about to go over the bars but, someway, somehow, my feet managed to find their rightful spots atop my pedals, right in time to take the corner before the rock garden. I made it out alive ;>) Second time around, I killed it. I could go on and on about the different trails, different option on each trail but instead, I suggest you check this place out yourself. My only warning is if you come, be prepared to come back, it is addictive!!!

Mountain Biking Paradise

Since leaving their last roles as winemakers / general managers at the prestigious Tower Estate and Tempus Two wineries in the Hunter Valley, winemakers Sarah-Kate (SK) and Dan Dineen have quietly built a winery, a new home, developed the Maude wine label and started a family amidst the stunning backdrop of Lake Wanaka in Central Otago, New Zealand. It is no surprise to wine industry insiders that their wine, Maude, has become an instant success. But like any supposed 'instant' success there lies an enormous amount of energy, experience and professionalism behind a project, which epitomises this winemaking couple.

Part of the motivation to move to Central Otago was the eternal search for the holy grail of winemaking, Pinot Noir perfection, and to join forces with Sarah-Kate's vineyard owning parents, Dawn and Dr Terry Wilson. The family were excited by the opportunity to combine Sarah-Kate and Dan's strongly held belief in sourcing grape varieties from the regions that they best perform in, complimenting the exquisite small quantities of single vineyard fruit that Dawn and Terry produce at their Mount Maude vineyard.

Hence 'Maude' was created to showcase the very best of New Zealand's wine-growing regions and currently consists of a Central Otago Pinot Noir and naturally, a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, with plans afoot for a Pinot Gris to join the fold. In comparison, Mount Maude Wines continues to be solely from the family vineyard and in the future will be the pinnacle of the brand.

Sarah-Kate and Dan's ultimate goal is to make first-class Pinot Noir and illustrating that they don't underestimate the monumental nature of this task Dan has stated;

"It will take a lifetime to truly understand the variety and how it performs under different conditions but SK and I will have a lot of fun learning."

Maud Vineyard

This recipe comes from a recent staff road trip to the coast. Surfboards on the roof we did an overnight trip to Bruce Bay on the West Coast. We got some fun little waves and had a wonderful beach fire as the sun went down.

Once a month half the Kitea team take off for a little R&R, some downtime to reflect on operations, discuss how we can improve any and all aspects of the business and ultimately have a little fun. 

We take turns on these road trip to create dishes we think might get a run in the cafe. This one did and you'll find it on this month's Puku menu. If you'd like to try it at home here's the simple recipe. It feeds four, ideally done over some coals from the fire but a good grill at home will produce the goods also.

1.	Mix the cabbage, extra virgin olive oil and 1 Tbs of the lemon or lime juice in a bowl until well combined. 

2.	Cook the corn in a pot over the fire in simmering water for 10 minutes or until just tender 

3.	Brush the corn with 1 tsp of the olive oil. Add the corn and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until charred. Remove the kernels from the cob. 

4.	Combine the avocado, shallot, coriander and remaining lemon or lime juice in a bowl. 

5.	Combine the flour, ground coriander and cayenne pepper in a large shallow bowl. Turn the fish in the flour mixture to coat. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over the fire. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. 

6.	Divide the tortillas among plates. Top with the cabbage mixture, corn, fish, avocado, sour cream, coriander and chilli, if desired. Serve with the lime cheeks and chilli sauce.

1 & 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice

60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil or rice bran oil

1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Thinly sliced fresh jalapeno chilli, to serve (optional) Lime cheeks, to serve

Monthly Recipe

Book well ahead, foodies are flocking to this true farm to table experience. 

Provenance is the farm owned by the B Group who operate hotels, lodges, bistros and bars in Wanaka and Queenstown.

Located just out of Tarras about a 20-minute drive from Wanaka, the 3-acre site comprises a large commercial vegetable garden, micro orchards with a huge variety of fruits and a cooking school.

My husband and I are booked on the ‘Provenance Experience’, a full day paddock-to-plate workshop lead by one of the B Group head chefs. The other seven students are waiting in the cosy dining room, warming themselves by a crackling fire. To the left is a wall of bottled preserves, to the right a white bookcase bursting with cookbooks – Perry, Blumenthal, Fearnley- Whittingstall; a who’s who of the culinary world. On the long timber table, a loaf of banana bread sits temptingly. The whole setting is so homely and so perfect, it could be the set of a British cooking show. 

A figure appears in the doorway. It is not Jamie or Nigella, but James Howdry, the head chef from the group who invites us into the kitchen. I involuntarily catch my breath. This room is a chef’s fantasy. Light streams through paned windows that soar from the sinks to the cathedral ceiling and overlooking the kitchen garden and the farm beyond. 

Oak floors are soft underfoot; a wood-fired oven is at the ready, and a stainless steel workbench, double the size of my dining room table, gleams. Did I mention the full-size fireplace?

There is no time to linger, today’s bread has to be made. James shows us how to work the dough – raising it above his head and slapping it down on the bench. After some initial surprise, the group joins in, the noise echoing off the walls. My efforts seem uncoordinated, but pummeling the dough is cathartic. We leave our white mounds by the fire to rise. 

A tour of the farm is next. Kitted out with gumboots, baskets and shears we are introduced to the friendly goats, that gently nose our bags looking for food. Along the way, Jame’s describes his dream for the farm.  “I have tried to create a food wonderland, to work with nature,” he explains. Crops are rotated around the property to preserve the quality of the land.  In single file, three brown and white pigs come trotting towards us. Poking their soft snouts through the wire, they affectionately snuffle the tip of my gumboot. They are followed by some friendly chickens. As much as I love a good roast chook, my heart melts. Can I take one home? 

Our curious group ambles through the gardens, harvesting supplies for the meal. Just past the asparagus lies the largest green cabbage I have ever seen; a beast that could feed an entire football team and more. My job is to bring it back to the kitchen. I hack at the thick stem until, like a falling tree, it collapses into the soil. There is a distinct feeling of satisfaction as I claim my big green prize. 

We make a slight detour to visit the smokehouse, where sweet peppers and chorizo hang from the ceiling. The Farm offers a charcuterie workshop where students make their own salami and smoked meats.  “They courier the salami back to your home after the class,” one of the other student's whispers. Now that is one heck of a souvenir. 

Today’s menu uses local produce and as much of the garden as possible. Handmade gnocchi, rabbit braised in Jame’s private cider, pumpkin, potato and walnut gratin, and a winter salad. For dessert, poached fruit and mascarpone will be sandwiched between coconut meringues and served with vanilla bean ice cream. James' finesse at creating recipes that match the seasons looks to be on the money... 

We split into small groups to work on the menu and my husband and I tackle the gratin. I search for the herb jars. “Where can I find sage?” I ask. “Growing by the back door” is the (now obvious) answer. I focus on infusing cream with cinnamon and caramelising onions, while my husband cracks a mountain of fresh walnuts. 

Despite being allocated to a particular dish, we are all encouraged to try our hand at different tasks. A ball of gnocchi dough suddenly lands next to me – the pasta is ready to be made. I roll the dough into a sausage and shape the gnocchi – this is easier than I had expected. James's patient tutelage and good humour make me think I could actually recreate the dishes at home. Unfortunately, my home does not come with the farm’s staff who magically appear, discretely cleaning up spilt flour, collecting dirty dishes and taking coffee orders to keep energy levels high. I am working for my supper, but also getting spoilt rotten as I nibble on another slice of banana bread.

All too soon it is time to plate up. I scoop a pile of gnocchi onto my plate, cover it with ribbons of James's pancetta and crown it with a feathery pile of Parmesan shavings. One of the staff has laid the dining table with antique cutlery and linen napkins stoked the fire and opened a crisp Marlborough white. 

The rabbit surfaces from the oven, its aromatic, garlicky vapour filling the room. My gratin is next. I taste it nervously – will it match the culinary finesse shown by the other students? My fears are unfounded, the creamy pumpkin and potato melt in my mouth while the walnut breadcrumbs provide a satisfying crunch. A bold red wine made from grapes off the farm is poured. 

After spending the day together, the conversation around the table is relaxed and convivial. I feel like I have known these people for ages, yet we only met a few hours ago.  I am full to the gills, but there is no way I could miss dessert. We return to the kitchen to assemble the finale, piping mascarpone onto the coconut meringues, covering them with sticky poached fruit and pulling out the blowtorch to create a decadent, caramelised top.  Back in the dining room, I tuck into dessert while another round of coffee and tea is offered. Shall I have the lemon balm or the mint tea? Both are grown in the garden, and both smell heavenly. Sadly, the day eventually comes to an end. I feel like I have been enveloped in a warm, homely cocoon where the food is plentiful, the wine excellent and where strangers have become friends. Perhaps it is the ethos of the farm, the simple pleasure of coming back to the land, or maybe it is Jame’s passion for food, but today was more than just a cooking class. I would call it a life experience, one I will remember fondly for years to come. 

Provenance

It’s a clear Summers day in Milford Sound. James Howdry, head chef at the B Group has suggested our interview best be done here. Seems James spends his days off work a little bit different to us mortal folk. We are aboard a helicopter flown by Bruce one of James mates. I guess we're safe given Bruce fly's in here every day only normally with tourists. Bruce explains he has some people to pick up in Milford so we are hitching a free ride.

I won't try and explain the view but the photo might give you some ideas. James however hasn't come to look at the views. The chef is here to fish and forage, he’s after some of the seaweed, a few fish and a couple of crays he tells me. This is not for the faint-hearted. We land on an outcrop of rocks and its not long before James has his wetsuit on and is waist-deep in surging water. He collects seaweed from just under the water then throws it up on a rock shelf. This goes on for about 5 minutes, he then pulls on a mask and snorkel and disappears underwater...

My photographer and I stand on the rock ledge looking at each other after about a minute has gone by and we haven’t seen James. We are actually now quite worried then up pops James with two huge crayfish. He pulls himself up onto the rock’s, crayfish and all like he’s getting out of a resort swimming pool and it’s all in a day’s work, or in his case, leisure. He puts the crayfish into a large rock pool then without hesitating casts a line into the dark waters of the sound. I’m not kidding you when I tell you he is getting bites in less than a minute. I say to him “Have you got one?” “Yeah," he says "I’m just waiting for another” What?? James goes on to tell us “...no point pulling the line in when you’ve just got one”

Speak with Howdry for any length of time and you begin to understand how unique this character is. “I grew up on a coastal remote farm, we had to pick things from the farm, things from the bush, things from the coast. That’s how we sustained ourselves,” he explains, of his upbringing. “My dad picked up this knowledge from the same place I did: from his father and from the community he lived in, in the 1940s and ’50s rural New Zealand. Harder times than I grew up in. The ’80s and ’90s weren’t great for dry-stock farmers, there was no money in it. We were happy, but we didn’t have things wealthy people had. We had other things.” Howdry pauses... 

"My parents set me up to succeed by accident. Foraging wasn’t a trendy thing back then, it wasn’t based on trying to impress guests at a restaurant or anything like that. Money was tight and food was free in the wild, and it seemed like folly to avoid it. I left the farm in my late twenties, solely focused on my career, and I forgot a little bit of the soul of that,” he continued, 

“When I started in my first proper chef job I felt there was a lot of sameness – everyone was doing New Zealand’s take on fusion food, but I wasn’t good at any of that, and I didn’t want to do it. I returned to the very early lessons I learnt on the farm." It is natural his background informs his cooking, but how it ended up manifesting itself into the dishes produced at the group's venues is something that can’t be explained so easily. “For the last while we’ve done an experimental menu, so I feel more confident and comfortable cooking in a style like that.  I like being in a situation like this, where I am in nature, in a difficult spot but knowing the reward is worth it.”

I ask why he has to be out here, in this location and this time of night? “I only get away from the venues for a couple of days, so I like to make the most of it, I enjoy being in remote locations and most of all this place is full of incredible produce”

Then the rod goes off again. We watch as James pulls up 8 large blue cod in about 15 minutes. He unhooks them kills them and tosses them into a rock pool with the crayfish. Then the quietly spoken chef says “That’ll do.”

We head back to the spot James has arranged to be picked up from, this time its a mate with a boat. We have a basket full of fish, seaweed and crayfish. Just quietly we are hoping we might get an invite to sample some of this fresh catch and we're stoked when James suggested we swing by the café tomorrow night to get a "feed" as he calls it.

I won't go into detail as to the meal that was produced, fair to say it's not a meal I will forget anytime soon, instead I would encourage you to get to Puku yourself and see what this man does to fresh produce. It truly is something special.

Puku - Meet the Chef

The 1578m summit of Roys Peak Track in the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island offers jaw-dropping panoramas over Lake Wanaka, Mt Aspiring and the Southern Alps, after a steep climb through meadows and grasslands on a 16km return loop.  This being New Zealand, be warned that the track is closed for the lambing season, from October 1 to November 10 each year. Alpine gear is recommended in winter and sturdy windproof jackets year-round. But if you can get there… DO IT!!!

After arriving at the trail carpark, you’ll see a point to walk over a fence, which marks the start of the track. There is a donation box here that is optional but a great way to say thank you to the private landowners who have opened the trail to everybody.

The start of the track gives you a good basis of expectations for what’s in store. Most of the hike continues on this wide, winding ascent up the side of the mountain, all the way to the Roys Peak summit.

Although the actual track tends to get monotonous, the views are a rewarding motivator. Stretching far out over Wanaka, the lake and far out to the distant peak of Mount Aspiring.

 As the track climbs, you’ll notice the green grass giving way to duller, native alpine grass. In winter, there is usually also snow and ice on the trail, especially as you climb closer to the peak.

You might notice that there are sheep and cows that tend to share the track. This is a reminder that you are hiking on private property. I personally find it awesome that Kiwi’s are supportive of opening their land for everyone to enjoy!

After approximately 6KM of walking at approximately 1300M of elevation, you will have reached the famous Roys Peak lookout. There is a signpost at a small fork to the lookout, and beyond this, you’ll even find a toilet. The lookout point is a small ridge that continues out to the right, which makes for a great shot if you get a buddy to snap it from the slope just near the fork. The famous lookout view is arguably more impressive than the summit itself, which results in many people not continuing on.

However, after making it this far, it’d be a crime to turn around now!

C’mon, with only another 1.5KM and less than 300M more elevation, you better be ready to pull up the bootstraps and keep going! The push to the Roys Peak summit from the lookout is very similar to the rest of the hike. The final section has an optional shortcut that follows the steep ridgeline. I followed this path on the way up as it was a little faster. I would imagine that this section would be very dangerous and difficult in winter. After finally reaching the  Roys Peak summit, it was time for us to relax and enjoy the view. I hope the images do it justice, it truly is a once in a lifetime view and well worth the hike…

Kitea

All Musings

Mountain Biking Paradise

Watch Movie

Maud Vineyard

Watch Movie

Monthly Recipe

Watch Movie

Provenance

Watch Movie

Puku - Meet the Chef

Watch Movie

ROYS PEAK

Watch Movie