Food

New Zealand meals are big and tasty, with prices being similar to those in North America and Western Europe. Tipping is not essential in our country.

The kinds of meat served are often New Zealand lamb, which is extremely tender. New Zealand beef is not too expensive, and chicken and duck are often eaten. Venison will also frequently be on the menu.

Seafood is common and all New Zealand shellfish are fresh and delicious. Crayfish, oysters and green mussels are favourites. The best fish to eat are blue cod, snapper, John Dory, groper, terakihi, orange roughy and salmon.

There is always a good supply of vegetables and fruit throughout the year and they can be bought from supermarkets, green grocers and roadside stalls. The kiwifruit is a delicious fleshy fruit exported to numerous overseas markets, while the feijoa and tamarillo may be a new taste for you.

Our national desert is pavlova, a meringue treat with lots of whipped cream and sliced fruit. New Zealand's ice creams are some of the best in the world. Cheeses can be bought anywhere throughout the country and roadside tea rooms provide tasty fare, including the traditional meat pie. Petrol stations sell a wide variety of groceries and 'food on the run' in the form of muffins, pies, sandwiches and rolls, burgers and toasted sandwiches.

The traditional Maori feast provides a delightful mouth watering sensation. The Hangi combines a great tasting mixture of kumara (sweet potato), lamb, chicken, pork, beef and potato. The hangi is prepared by digging a large hole, lining it with with hot stones and covering it in leaves. The food is put on top and sprinkled with water before the hangi is sealed with more leaves and fresh soil. The hot stones give off heat and steam to finish the cooking process.