Canterbury food and beverages on show

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Canterbury food and beverages on show at Taste at The Cloud

October 4, 2011

Visitors to Taste at The Cloud have a special opportunity to sample Canterbury food and beverages during a six-day Connecting Canterbury at The Cloud event kicking off this Wednesday.

Four Canterbury food producers, two breweries, and six wineries have been supplying ingredients and product for the event, which is showcasing New Zealand’s diverse food and beverage industry at The Cloud in Auckland until October 23.

Connecting Canterbury at The Cloud provides an opportunity for the region’s businesses to show they are moving forward with a bold new vision and business confidence, while reinforcing that the region is an important centre of research and innovation.

Canterbury food features in some of the most popular menu items at Taste at The Cloud, including beetroot chutney and beef for the beef brioche burger; spring lamb cutlets; and cheese and honey for a boutique farmers platter. The food producers from Canterbury are:

• Anzco Foods, a $1.3 billion company which procures, processes and markets a full range of quality New Zealand beef and lamb.

• Barkers of Geraldine, which interprets food trends to create products that add personality and flair to food.

• J. Friend & Co, which works with artisan beekeepers to source single flower, organic honey made from New Zealand’s native plants.

• Barry’s Bay Cheese, which is New Zealand’s only cheese company to produce vintage cheddar aged in cloth and wax.

Canterbury’s vineyards are also well regarded and wines from six of its wineries are among 70 chosen to complement the menu items at Taste at The Cloud. The Canterbury wines include sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling varieties.

The region has not missed out on the growing popularity of New Zealand’s craft beer scene either and has a number of boutique breweries. Wineries and breweries supplying drinks to Taste at The Cloud are:

• Matson’s Brewery, which concentrates on producing beer that uses locally-sourced malted barley, hops, and water.

• Harrington’s Brewery, a family-run company that produces over 25 different ales and lagers.

• Pegasus Bay Winery, an entirely family owned and operated winery supplying pinot noir for Taste at The Cloud.

• Black Estate, a family owned vineyard located on the Omihi slopes of Waipara Valley and supplying pinot noir for the event.

• Mt Beautiful, which is pioneering an exciting new winegrowing region and supplying sauvignon blanc for Taste at The Cloud.

• Waipara Hills, whose wines epitomise the South Island's unique personality and is supplying its Southern Cuvee to the event.

• Greystone Wines, which is situated in the Waipara Valley and is supplying riesling for Taste at The Cloud.

• Waipara Springs, a boutique vineyard and winery which is supplying chardonnay for the event.

Taste at the Cloud is a unique chance for international visitors and Kiwis to sample premium and innovative New Zealand food and beverages. It features four menus that represent a journey through rural, seaside, urban, and winery-orchard cuisines.

There are 16 items on offer featuring more than 135 New Zealand ingredients. Seventy New Zealand wines have been chosen to match the menus, and there are also non-alcoholic New Zealand beverages and beers available.

Entry to The Cloud is free and once inside visitors can also wander through the Taste at The Cloud site. To sample the food and beverages visitors need to buy a ticket from inside The Cloud. Ticket prices start at $17.

Taste at The Cloud is open every day until the end of the Rugby World Cup and is part of the REAL New Zealand Festival. More information is available at www.tasteatthecloud.com

ENDS

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