Foods that you have to try if you are in New Zealand: Part III

Onion dip – this was something everyone ate in the 60's.  Just 2 ingredients, a small can of reduced cream and a packet of powdered onion soup.  Mix it together and eat with crackers or vegetable sticks.

  

Pavlova – This one's controversial because it is claimed by both New Zealand and Australia.  It is a dessert named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova and it is a Kiwi favourite still now.  Usually shortened to 'pav'.  Traditionally it's a meringue with lashings of cream on top and strawberries. 

Sausage sizzle – if you go to a school gala or to a hardware store you are likely to find a sausage sizzle on the go with the proceeds going to charity.  It's not gourmet – a barbecued sausage wrapped in buttered white bread and squirted with tomato sauce (our name for ketchup).  Nowadays some sizzles offer onions and mustard.

Wattie's Tomato Sauce – I'm mentioning a brand name here, which is unusual.  But Wattie's Tomato Sauce is so ubiquitous in New Zealand.  It is what we use for ketchup although at home I now use the 50% less sugar version which actually tastes just the same.

Whitebait fritters – this is a New Zealand delicacy that I haven't tried myself – whitebait are tiny little fish that are eaten whole in the fritter – and ever since childhood I haven't been able to make myself eat something with eyes.  Aficionados – almost everyone except me – have a variety of fritter techniques – the best ones are said to be almost all whitebait with just a little beaten egg and salt  & pepper.  Some add a little flour.