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Nelson Street Hop

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Nelson Street HopThanks to our Guest Blogger and beer aficionado… In this week’s article Denis “the man” Cooper writes about the first Uniquely Nelson Street Hop.

The first Uniquely Nelson Street Hop will be held this Sunday 28th October. This event is not about Royce da 5’9″, the rapper’s rapper, or his fourth album “Street Hop” (2009). But rather it’s about raising awareness and funds for the Nelson Hospice project. The event will take place in Hardy Street, Collingwood Street, Trafalgar Street area. There will be classic cars, live bands, dancing groups and roller skaters, with free popcorn and loads of family entertainment.

Also featuring at the Nelson Street Hop, on Collingwood Street, is Fresh Choice… With a different spin on the hop theme. Instead of street hop, they’ve got beer hop, and why not? It is Hoptober after all!

The Fresh Choice Nelson beer hop features two new hoppy brews, and one of the biggest hop rockets ever invented.

The first new hoppy brew is Hoppy trails from 8 Wired Brewing, and in keeping with the fund-raising theme, 8 Wired are donating $1 per litre sold to Trail Fund NZ. A non-profit organisation who support the development and maintenance of public mountain bike tracks in NZ. The beer is also a jolly good drop to boot, exuding big tropical fruit and citrus notes and finishing crisp and clean. A thirst-quenching hoppy pale ale and at 5% ABV this is a ripper all-day IPA.

The next hoppy brew from the Fresh Choice fridge is Hoptical Illusion by Liberty Brewing. This is serious, hop-forward Double IPA with the illusion of looking like a mild lager. The 8% ABV is also deceptive, as it’s sooo easy to drink you’d think the alcohol to be way less. Whatever, the mystery, she’s sheer indulgent hopulence.

The biggest of all hopsters and one of the first Double IPAs that ever roamed the craft beer streets is Epic’s Hop Zombie. It oozes and bleeds massive amounts of oily passionfruit and mango flavours, without any over-the-top bitterness. Very hopilicious but be careful, this monster is 8.5 % and could bite.

When you’re done hoppin’ the Nelson Street Hop, hop on down to Fresh Choice Nelson and rap some fresh, choice, hop-forward beersies down ya!

Local Products at Fresh Choice Nelson

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local products nelsonIt’s time to welcome back our Guest Blogger, Maddy Bellcroft. In this article Maddy writes about cooking with local products that can be found at Fresh Choice Nelson, and includes a bonus recipe for Tofu Scramble, a filling breakfast or easy supper… Take it away Maddy…

This week I’m focusing, once again, on some of the fantastic local products that are available in store at Fresh Choice Nelson.

I want to share with you a savoury recipe that’s perfect for a filling breakfast. I’m including local products from The Soy Works, who use non-GMO NZ grown soy beans, Village Green and Urban Hippie. This scramble is great on toast. If you’re short on time in the evening, it also goes really well with fresh local greens and quinoa for dinner.

Tofu Scramble

Serves 2, preparation time 5 minutes, cooking time 10 minutes.

  • One packet of The Soy Works tofu (300 gms)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Half a red onion
  • One clove garlic
  • 1.5 Tbsp Village Green Manuka Honey Mustard
  • 1.5 Tsp Urban Hippie Miso Paste
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice the onion, and place it in a small frying pan with the oil. Saute until soft. Add the minced garlic and saute for a further minute. Finely crumble the tofu and add it to the pan, along with the turmeric, mustard and miso. Saute the mixture for five to ten minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated and the tofu starts to brown. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve on Dovedale turmeric toast with a side of sauteed spinach.

Next time you are at Fresh Choice Nelson, make sure you keep an eye out for all the other wonderful local products on the shelves. Just look for the yellow 200km sign to discover a whole world of fantastic flavour, from right here in our own backyard.

Local Nelson milk and lots more to choose from…

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Local Nelson MilkIn this week’s post, local chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker talks about local Nelson milk, other milk varieties we stock and finishes off with a recipe for an Italian milk style dessert… Yum! Take it away, Grant…

There have been a lot of stories in the news of late regarding flavoured milk. It would seem there is now a Rolls Royce on the sweet chilled drinks front!

Milk overall has been getting a bit of a facelift of late.

When I was a wee Nelson college boy, I delivered milk around the streets of Stoke. I still remember the day Meadow fresh turned up. Before then, milk came either from your local store, or your milkman. It was all from the local Nelson milk treatment station, and it all came in glass bottles, silver, green or blue top.

Looking at the chiller at Fresh Choice these days, I can see local Nelson milk, Wangapeka. As well as Puhoi Valley Organic, Anchor, Meadow Fresh, Eco organic, and more, there is quite a selection. The taste is quite broad between the products. Puhoi and Wangapeka have a rich, creamy taste, and are nice for drinking or adding to the finest teas and coffees. The familiar varieties are excellent for baking and cooking. Meadow Fresh has recently removed permeate from their milk, which is commendable.

So I guess what I’m saying is that we are very fortunate to be able to shop at Fresh Choice Nelson, where there is a milk for every occasion and budget.

This recipe is for an Italian style milk dessert, Pannacotta, cooked milk and cream. The limoncello can be replaced with any liquor or flavouring, serve with warm cookies and sorbet.

Limoncello Pannacotta

  • 2 Gelatine leaves (pre-soaked in cold water)
  • 250 ml Fresh cream
  • 250 ml Local Nelson milk
  • 100 gm Sugar
  • 15 ml Limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur)
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest

Heat the cream, milk, sugar and Limoncello to an absolute boil, then allow to simmer for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat, skim any skin that forms and add the gelatine leaves. Gently mix until you reach a silky smooth consistency. Cool the mixture in an ice bath for about 20 minutes before transferring into individual moulds. Allow them to set in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

 

Brightwater Vineyards Nelson

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Brightwater Vineyards NelsonThe annual grape harvest from mid-March to mid-May is the time of year winemakers get very little sleep, in fact many grab little bits of sleep on the floor, or a couch in the staff room at the winery when they can, and that’s the case for winemakers, Gary and Valley Neale, from Brightwater Vineyards in Nelson.

Brightwater Vineyards is a winery going from strength-to-strength as a premium Nelson producer based on making a range of excellent wines, wines produced without compromise in everything they do, from vineyard management right through to bottling and labelling quality is paramount to this couple.

The result of the efforts Gary and Valley along with their viticulturist Dale and winemaker Tony are stunningly good wines at very affordable prices.

If you need proof of quality before you buy know that they have won trophies at various shows for most varieties they produce including a champion Wine of Show trophy for the Brightwater Vineyards Lord Rutherford Barrique Fermented Chardonnay and the hotly contested Pinot Noir Trophy at the Air New Zealand Wine awards in 2015.

The quality needed to win these trophies carries through to every wine they produce, no compromise on the small details ensures great quality in the finished product.

Brightwater Vineyards is also one of the premium local wineries the Grocer at Fresh Choice Nelson has an excellent relationship with, the quality of Brightwater Vineyards wines means he can buy them with confidence to put on the shelf knowing you, the customer, won’t be let down when you choose a bottle.

Brightwater Vineyards wines are beautifully hand-crafted and are packed with pure, delicious varietal flavours meaning you can choose them with the same confidence the Grocer has.

Big thanks to our wine expert and guest Blogger, Neil Hodgson, for this blog article.

Nelson Beaches – How to enjoy with food…

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Nelson BeachesThe summer holidays are here, and we wouldn’t mind betting that you’ll be visiting one of our fantastic Nelson beaches sometime soon.

There’s no doubt that a few hours of swimming, sandcastle building and fun shenanigans will get you in the moods for snacking, so here are our top ten foods to pack for a fun day at Nelson beaches.

  1. Trail Mix – Check out our bulk bin buys for great ingredients to mix your own. This power snack will top up the energy levels of even the busiest little fishes!
  2. Proper Crisps – Want some proper fun? Then pack the Proper Crisps! Full of the good stuff these award-winning local crisps are best sellers at Fresh Choice Nelson. If you haven’t tried them yet, you’re missing out! What are you waiting for?
  3. A sandwich – All great sandwiches start with great bread. Rodrigo Sourdough Bread range is a new in store and very welcome addition to our local supplier network. Gluten free, no problem… Dovedale bread is a market leader in the baking of gluten free organic breads with no added yeast.
  4. Pic’s peanut butter – Fill your sandwiches with this protein packed delight, or just throw a few Pic’s Peanut Butter Slugs in your beach bag for a tasty protein top up.
  5. Fresh fruit – Check out our produce aisle for the crispiest local apples, tastiest fair trade bananas and buckets of juicy local berries to make your heart sing!
  6. Fresh veggies – Slice up celery, carrots, cucumber and capsicum add a pot of hummus and you have yourself a savoury snack to share… No double dipping!
  7. Cheese – A great beach snack because it’s tasty and chock full of protein, perfect as a refuel food after sand-and-surf excitement. Love the local goodness? Wangapeka produce delicious, mouth-watering, Artisan Cheeses. Feta, Camembert, Brie, Blue, Mozzarella Cheeses and many more…
  8. Snacking bars and slabs – Our shelves are stacked with healthy snacking treats, or make your own… Check out this recipe from the blog archives… Maddy Bellcroft’s Sesame Honey Slice.
  9. Don’t forget the drinks – Pack plenty of water, but throw some Pete’s Natural Lemonade or Chia in your cooler for liquid refreshment!
  10. Sausages – Don’t forget that many of our Nelson beaches have barbecue facilities, so throw a few sozzies in your cooler for an end of day treat!

Don’t forget to stop by Fresh Choice Nelson on your way home, you’ll be exhausted from your fun filled day, so let us help you out with supper… Pick up an Inspire Meal Bag!

 

New Year’s Celebrations in Nelson

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New Year's Celebrations NelsonWith the presents unwrapped and the pav demolished, it’s time to think about New Year’s Celebrations in Nelson.

If you’re celebrating at home, we’ve got you covered… The weather looks promising so a barbecue could be the way to go. Here are our three tips for making your barbecue the bomb!

  1. OMG go organic! If you haven’t tried our fabulous Wash Creek organic meats you’re in for a treat… This meat tastes good, because it comes from happy fellas! These animals are fed more naturally and are free of hormones and chemicals that are often administered to animals raised in a non organic way. Free to roam on the Hurunui hills, these beauties eat well so you can too…
  2. Kick the kebabs into touch with an Inspire meal bag. Wow your guests with something more creative than a sausage. How about Lamb Kebabs on Creamy Butter Beans? Order HERE, and we’ll have your Meal Bag ready for pick up at a time that is convenient to you.
  3. Keep it local. We’ve got delicious fresh local greens for your barbecue salads, and berries for something sweet.

You’ll need some liquid refreshment too!

  • Check out the back articles on this blog for Neil’s wine choices. It wouldn’t be New Year’s Celebrations without fizz… In this article Neil shares his top tips for best bubbles.
  • If beer’s your baby, then Denis has kept this blog updated with his top picks throughout 2016, so scroll back through the articles for inspiration… Thanks Denis!
  • And don’t forget your sober drivers need imbibing too… We’ve got that covered with these awesome summer mocktails.

At Fresh Choice Nelson, we’re well known for our in store funky tunes… Here are our top three tips for your New Year’s Celebrations playlist…

  • Head back to the 80s to get the party started with Celebration by Kool & the Gang
  • Get in the mood for 2017 with Foo Fighters Next Year.
  • When things slow down say goodbye to December and celebrate the late, great George Michael with his December Song.

Wherever you’re celebrating the new year, we wish you safe and happy celebrations!

Visiting Nelson? Go local!

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visiting nelsonIf you’re visiting Nelson over the summer holidays, we’d love you to pop in and say hello!

You might be camping, tramping, baching or staying in a motel… But however you’re enjoying our beautiful region you’re still going to need your groceries. So we thought we’d put a call out to let you know why you should choose a local supermarket…

Here are five reasons to call into Fresh Choice on Collingwood Street if you’re visiting Nelson this summer! (Or anytime for that matter…)

  1. You can visit your big box supermarkets anywhere, but you’ll only get this chance to enjoy Fresh Choice Nelson. Any local will tell you we’re pretty unique. We’ve been around for over two decades; and in the words of Sly and the Family Stone, it’s always been a “Family Affair”. So come join the fam, our arms are wide open!
  2. Summer groove… You won’t get any annoying voice overs when you visit our store, just cool tunes on our summer playlist. One half of the Fresh Choice Nelson owner/operator team, Mark A’ Court was a DJ in a former life? Our sounds are loved by locals… Nobody stares if you let loose with the dance moves in the aisle, just join the party!
  3. Local fare – Experience the delights of the region’s bountiful food and drinks. We’re fortunate to be surrounded with hardworking locals who turn out beautiful food and beverage; we source products from over 250 local suppliers, resulting in thousands of local products on our shelves. Pic’s Peanut Butter and Proper Crisps were in this store before they hit any other supermarket; yep, we’ve got pretty discerning taste! So if you’re visiting Nelson, get a real taste of the region with us!
  4. We’ve got the basics too! We stock beautiful Artisan products, but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on the basics. No siree, we know the importance of offering value, that’s why there are also thousands of products at everyday low prices.
  5. We’re central! We don’t skirt around the city fringes. Man, we love this place, so you’ll find us right in the thick of it, on the corner of Bridge St and Collingwood St; just a few short steps from the Free House, and we know you’re visiting that Craft Brew heaven! Btw, if you love craft beer, that’s another reason to shop with us… We have one of the largest selections of national and international craft beers in the top of the South Island, with over 400 brews gracing our shelves.

 

Christmas food in Nelson – Ho ho ho!!! 🎅🏻

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Your Christmas food shopping just got a whole lot easier, thanks to Fresh Choice Nelson!

If you need to order your turkey, ham, duck and/or salmon, just fill out the online order form HERE.

You can choose from fresh or frozen turkey, free range duck, Pestells or Freedom Farms hams, and delicious Regal salmon.

You can also use the same form to order our Local Goodies Baskets, an ideal gift for clients and staff. Chock full of treats from our Nelson region to tempt the taste buds, you can elect whether you include liquor in the baskets when you order.

But it doesn’t stop there… If the thought of organising your Christmas Day menu sounds too much like hard work, we can help! We’ve teamed up with Paula, once again, to bring you a very special meal box filled with delicious Christmas food for you to share with your friends and family!

Each Christmas Meal Box, contains the main ingredients to serve up a three course festive feast. The boxes serve 6 – 8 people, and all the recipes included are easy to follow, making Christmas lunch or dinner a breeze!

You can order these very special meal boxes full of Christmas food exclusively online…

Order yours HERE.

Christmas Food Starter NelsonTo start

Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil.

This colourful starter has all the taste of summer, with the freshest, juiciest tomatoes, creamy Mozzarella and beaut basil!

Christmas Food Main Nelson

The Main Event

Decorated Ham and Stuffed Chicken, Garden Salad with Creamy French Dressing and Christmas Couscous.

Delight your guests in the traditional way with ham and stuffed chicken, we’ve added a nod to summer with some super salads for a fresh approach and this main event wouldn’t be complete without a side of potatoes!

Christmas Food Dessert Nelson

Divine Dessert

Chocolate, Ginger & Orange Log.

Everybody loves the sweet stuff… And chocolate with orange is a match made in heaven! This divine dessert is sure to impress your friends and family, so much so we’d pretty much guarantee that they offer to do the washing up!

Healthy treats – Helping you to explore Nelson

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healthy treats nelsonWelcome back to our Guest Blogger, Maddy Bellcroft; this week Maddy is talking about healthy treats to pack in your pack when you explore Nelson!  – Find Maddy on Facebook.

I am often looking for new healthy treats to take into the great outdoors with me, I love having tasty nutritious food to keep my legs moving or share as an after dinner treat in a hut. I always find that Fresh Choice Nelson has a whole range of products to fit the bill.

Some of my favourites include the Ceres Organic salted caramel cashew nuts, Pure Delish slabs and bars, and of course I can never go past Whittakers 72% dark Ghana chocolate. For a savoury treat I always enjoy Dovedale crackers with a thin scrape of Urban Hippies miso topped with avocado and sundried tomatoes.

For those of you who might want to get creative in the kitchen here is a quick and easy recipe to create your own trail bars.

Sesame Honey Slice

Makes 10 pieces, prep time 10 minutes, cook time 10 minutes.

  • 4 Tbsp honey (or liquid sweetener of choice)
  • 1/4 C peanut or almond butter
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 C powdered soy or coconut milk
  • 1/2 C desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 C dried dates or apricots, diced
  • 1/2 C sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. In a medium saucepan melt honey, peanut butter and coconut oil. Remove pot from heat, stir in all other ingredients and mix well. Press into a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for ten minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool in dish before turning out and cutting into slices. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

So now there’s no excuse, head to Fresh Choice Nelson and select some healthy snacks that will add power to your pack! Or step out and bake your own, you’ll be the most popular tramper on the trail!

Winter warming beer in Nelson.

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beer-in-nelsonDiscover winter warming beer in Nelson at Fresh Choice… Here’s Denis Cooper to give you the low down…

The days are shorter, and the temperature in the Fresh Choice meat department seems warmer. This can only mean one thing, winter’s here. Darker days call for darker beers, so you get some comforting warmth from dark malt-driven beers that pack slightly more alcoholic warmth.

Two of the nicest winter blanket beers I’ve had come from a couple of Danish brothers who call themselves To Øl. Pronounced “toe ool” (Danish for two beers), they started brewing in Denmark after they felt a need to taste modern beer styles instead of the centuries-old traditional beers with the same-old same-old. To Øl don’t push the boundaries of beer styles as their beer styles have no boundaries to push. They brew beers you do not forget (unless you’ve had too many). Since their conception in 2005, To Øl have risen to ninth most popular brewery on the 2015 Ratebeer rating.

Anywho, back to the winter blanket beers!

Goliat Imperial Stout at 10.1% is a goliath of a stout. Brewed with oats, it results in a buttery smoothness with the mouth feel of melted chocolate. Infused with fancy French coffee that enriches the layers of delicious malt flavours with no over-roasted acrid bitterness. It’s on the sweetish side and tastes a lot like you ain’t going to work tomorrow.

Liquid Confidence Imperial Stout. Even though it’s brewed with three different kinds of chillies it’s not a chilli stout but rather a stout brewed with chillies. She starts hot but simmers towards the end as the taste buds get numbed from the 12.2% ABV. And it’s not your mouth burning only smoke from the Chipotle chillies. It’s all good as these chillies counter the malt’s sweetness. The chilli kick will give you the backbone to tell the missus you’re not going to her mother’s 80th birthday.

And finally, for a taste of autumn there is Releaf Me Lime Leaf Blonde 5.8%. – lime, ruby grapefruit and tart rhubarb flavours make this brew the perfect accompaniment to any Asian food.

To Øl, for flavour as bold as Steven Adams’s moustache.

Denis “the shark is back with one in black” Cooper, signing off… Now head out and grab your beer in Nelson from Fresh Choice!

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