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Archives for August 2017

How to survive election night in Nelson.

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election night nelsonElection night is coming and our guest blogger, beer aficionado Denis the main man Cooper, has some election selections to help you through the event!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the light hearted views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Fresh Choice Nelson management or staff, BUT we do stand behind the beer selection!

With the upcoming election you’ll need some stimulating beers to get you through the BS and unsubstantial promises made by the election hopefuls. I’m all for a young, pretty, inexperienced politician who came into power by default following the resignation of their leader, so maybe Bill will continue to lead our country for another term.

But all is not doom and gloom… Well maybe it is! These dark thoughts call for the darkest of beers, to help you through election night (and the lead up) in Nelson.

To help you into your happly place try the best rated beer in NZ. iStout from 8 Wired. The label says it’s big, but it’s bigger than that. Ratebeer.com gives the behemoth the maximum 100 point rating, which means everybody who tried it, liked it! And who wouldn’t? It’s like a decadent, creamy vanilla chocolate dessert with 10% of alcoholic heat to cut back the sweetness!

How about a cream stout from Good George called Blackberry, Sage & Honey? Sounds like something you’d stuff in a raw chicken, however, these flavoursare very subtle and combine to provide a rich taste experience that belies its meagre 5% ABV. It starts off tart but the finish is like Ribena with a delicate honey sweetness and probably more vitamin C! Who knows? If drunk cold it’s a thirst-satisfying beer, and if imbibed at a warmer temperature it produces creamy cola-erymalts. Actually this beer does go rather well with a roast chicken!

And in the style of Winnie Peters, here are the last words: Try a Royal Oak Stout from Liberty. Sippeth this black bad boy for something pretty special. It is velvety smooth from the royal oats it contains, and at 10% ABV it is richer than an American lottery winner. Full of dark chocolatey malts and aged wood and bourbon notes, this will lift your taste buds and raise your eyebrows.

So whether politicians are people you want to drink with or people who make you drink, get your election night brews from Fresh Choice Nelson, the obvious vote!

Denis (always DC, but not always PC) Cooper signing off!

Bulk Bin Buying @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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bulk bin buying nelsonIt’s time to welcome back our Guest Blogger, Maddy Bellcroft. This week Maddy talks about bulk bin buying; and there’s a bonus recipe! – Find Maddy on Facebook.

I love bulk bin buying, it’s more cost effective and I can get as much (or as little) as I want. Now that Fresh Choice Nelson has set up its organic bulk bins, it’s a one stop shop!

Over the next few months I’ll be sharing some of my favourite items from bulk bin buying; along with a few recipes to try.

This week I’ve been making delicious fruit compote for breakfast, it’s easily adaptable so you can use your favourite dried fruits. When bulk bin buying, you’ll notice a lot of the fruit is darker in colour. This is because sulphites aren’t used to preserve them, so they have a more natural dried fruit colour.

This compote is wonderful over waffles, pancakes and porridge or spooned over cereal. It will keep in your fridge for up to 5 days. If you want more, just double the recipe or add extra of your favourite fruits.

Dried Fruit Compote

Serves 2-3 sides. Prep time 5 mins, soak time overnight. All ingredients from the organic bulk bins.

  • 4 dried pineapple rings
  • 1 tbsp goji berries
  • 4 dried apricots
  • 4 dried figs
  • 1 tbsp sultanas
  1. Place all the ingredients into a small bowl, cover with water until the fruit is just covered.
  2. Place in the fridge for at least ten hours, or overnight. The fruit will soak up lots of the liquid and leave a nice sweet syrup as well.
  3. Spoon over your breakfast and top with coconut chips.

Blended Red Wines @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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blended red wines nelsonIt’s time for another blog from our wine expert, Neil Hodgson, this week he’s talking blended red wines.

Often the combination of two things is greater than the individual parts and in the case of some red wines this is certainly the case.

I am not sure I would like a blend of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, it would just be wrong; but, if you combine Cabernet Sauvignon with, say, Merlot, the results can be astounding.

Blending wine varieties to make a finished product has been done for centuries. Bordeaux wines, for example, are blended wines; the grape varieties producers can grow and use is strictly controlled, but they are blended wines. Rather than producing individual varietal wines, they produce a regional wine style, called Bordeaux.

In New Zealand and Australia some of the greatest wines are made from a blend of different grape varieties, but why? It’s quite simple… Each variety has distinct flavours and characters, and when these are combined each variety adds something to the mix. Take a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, for example. Cabernet brings flavour and dry, astringent tannin texture to the party, while Merlot brings plush fruit flavours and soft tannins. Combined the result is a wine with gentle tannin structure, fresh, almost minty flavours, all wrapped around plush ripe fruit flavours from the Merlot.

Of course, there are many other blending options that are temendously successful and when winemakers get the balance between the flavours and structural component supplied by each variety just right, the results are delicious wines.

At Fresh Choice Nelson, you’ll find some excellent blended red wines to enjoy this winter, covering a whole price range. Try the $10 juicy Australian Grenache Shiraz or maybe the sophisticated Hawkes Bay Te Mata 2015 Awatea Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot for $36.99. There are plenty more blended red wines to choose from, for every taste and budget.

Celebration Cakes @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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celebration cakes nelsonThis week at Fresh Choice Nelson, we’re welcoming back Paula Saengthian-Ngam as our guest blogger (Find Paula on Facebook). If you have a celebration coming up, this recipe is for you… Paula is talking celebration cakes!

I’m not quite sure what it is with this time of year, but every other week I seem to be in need of celebration cakes… Family and friends birthdays, wedding anniversaries, etc.

I have another big celebration coming up soon, the birth of my baby which is due any day now.

Chocolate celebration cakes are a firm favourite, and this has been my go-to recipe of late, it is very versatile and never fails. It is moist, rich, easy and best of all can be made in one bowl!

You can dress it up to be quite spectacular or keep it simple with just a sprinkle of icing sugar and some fresh fruit.

I usually cook it in two baking pans an sandwich it together with some raspberry jam and chocolate cream cheese icing. Then I drizzle Ganache over the top. The flavour combinations are plentiful, coffee butter cream is another favourite of mine.

This cake can be made dairy free just by switching the milk to a non-dairy one and gluten free if you switch the flour to a gluten free brand.

Chocolate Celebration Cakes

  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 and 1/4 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 and 3/4 cups flour
  • 100 gms 70% dark chocolate (melted)

Mix all the ingredients in a cake mixer until combined. Pour into a lined cake tin or two if you want to sandwich the cake. Bake at 170 degrees until a skewer comes back clean and the cake springs back.

Decorate however your heart desires and enjoy!

Butchery @ Fresh Choice Nelson

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butchery nelsonIn this week’s post, local Nelson chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker has been down to the Fresh Choice Nelson Butchery. Now he’s sharing a recipe for a hearty beef stew! Take it away, Grant… Fresh Choice Nelson Butchery. Now he’s sharing a recipe for a hearty beef stew! Take it away, Grant…

This is a fantastic time of year to be out and about. Crisp mornings, the beginnings of warm afternoon sun, and cool evenings… The perfect time to stew. Stews have an undue reputation for being watery messes. They needn’t be, nor should they be seen as second-rate food. Using slow cooking techniques, you can make a reasonably priced cut of meat, from the butchery at Fresh Choice Nelson, into an impressive dish. Prepare it in the morning, go out on the great taste trail, enjoy the best part of the day, and return home to a delicious perfectly cooked stew. What could be better?

Here’s my recipe for the ultimate beef stew!

Ingredients:

  • A few splashes of olive oil
  • 1/2 kg diced beef rump from the Fresh Choice Nelson Butchery
  • 2 medium leeks
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 4 medium carrots
  • A few sprigs fresh thyme
  • A few sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 fresh bay leaves
  • 8-10 quartered new potatoes
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
  • 2 x 400 gm tins plum tomatoes
  • 275 ml dark beer or red wine
  • 1 litre organic beef stock, optional
  • Worcestershire sauce

Method:

  1. Lightly season the beef and dust with flour.
  2. In a hot frying pan, brown the diced beef in oil, in batches.
  3. Halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into 2cm chunks. Peel and chop your carrots. Add the veg to your slow cooker.
  4. Add the browned beef pieces, then add the wine/beer into the empty frying pan on the heat. Use it to steam all the roasted flavours from the bottom of the pan. Add this liquid to your slow cooker, with the potatoes.
  5. Add cloves, tomatoes and stir well.
  6. Cover with the beef stock, or just use cold water, and add a good dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
  7. Cook on slow in the slow cooker for up to eight hours, depending on power levels.
  8. Add another good dash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.

 

 

 

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