Savour Some Heritage Deliciousness – For A Limited Time

Two of New Zealand’s oldest historic places have drawn from their deep heritage to produce a range of cullinary delights as part of this year’s Savour Northland food festival (currently taking place until the end of October).

The Honey House at Kerikeri Mission Station and the French Coffee House at Pompallier Mission in Russell – both historic places cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and also Tohu Whenua – are offering a range of heritage-inspired delectables throughout the duration of the festival.

At Pompallier Mission – once the headquarters of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier and his French Marist missionaries – the French Coffee House located onsite is taking inspiration from the heritage of French baking to offer a selection of baked sweet treats using ingredients and flavours that arrived aboard merchant ships in 19th Century Kororāreka.

The result is a carinval of French-inspired delicacies that provide the perfect pairing for tea and coffee on the cafe’s verandah with its stunning view of the Bay.

One offering is the Tarte au Citron.

“This is a bright and bold citrust tarte which incorporates fresh lemons supplied by our sister site Te Waimate Mission Station,” says Pompallier Mission Property Lead Alex Bell.

“We’ve combined Te Waimate’s heritage lemons with French baking to produce an authentically delicious Savour celebration.”

The response has been so good Alex is looking at the possibility of keepng the Tarte au Citron on the menu as a regular feature, subject to availability of lemons.

Meanwhile on the other side of the Bay, the Kerikeri Mission Station is offering three dishes on its menu celebrating an almost holy connection with food that goes back over 200 years.

Golden Honey biscuits – freshly baked using ‘Bee Happy Honey’ from Kerikeri and topped off with delicate edible flowers from the Kemp House gardens – are the perfect accompaniment to a freshly brewed cup of tea. The Honey House Cafe itself is a nod to the original honey shed built by the missionaries that once occupied the same site.

For visitors looking for something a little more substantial, the fresh Peruperu and Pea Springtime Garden Salad – with optional local bacon from Kerikeri butcher Churchill’s – is an absolute cracker.

Peas and pea shoots harvested from the Kemp House garden are paired with Kaurpaera and Matariki riwai (potatoes) – all perfectly seasoned with smoky salt from the Taipa Salt Pig and a splash of lemon from Rangioua’s orioginal 200+year old lemon tree, and finished with a drizzle of ‘Evergreen Olive Oil’ from Taheke. This salad is a true celebration of local produce and is complemented by a smooth spinach purée and adorned with edible flowers from our garden – a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

Diners can wash it down with a refeshing Grapefruit Soda – a delightful, non-alcoholic fizz created from syrup derived from juicy grapefruits growing in the Kemp House orchard.

The menu is the brainchild of Kerikeri Mission Station Property Lead Liz Bigwood, Visitor Services Coordinator Kellee Rei-Harris and Honey House Cafe Lead Ali Sutton.

“Kerikeri Mission Station has a heritage of food production and manaakitanga that goes back more than two centuries,” says Liz.

“We’re delighted to be part of that rich heritage – a tradition that we proudly continue all year long at the Honey House Cafe – and we’re particularly proud to be able to offer these beautiful and delicious dishes to our visitors during the Savour Northland festival.”

For those wanting to taste the best of local food with more than a taste of pure authenticity, the Kerikeri Mission Station and Pompallier Mission will be open throughout Labour Weekend.

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