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Alpine plants and award winning bacon

By Helen Jackson and Tony Murrell

Coming up on the show this Saturday Tony thought it could be fun to explore and discuss the amazing flora that is “Alpine Plants”. Rockeries and pebble gardens were definitely the style de jour during the 1970s and it didn’t matter where you went in New Zealand, you could always find an homage to the rocky outcrops of many locations around our beautiful country. We’ll catch up with the growers and discuss the best ways of achieving a beautiful alpine style garden at your place.

Helen is talking to the NZ Bacon Awards winning butcher about his bacon and what makes it so fabulous! We will also be talking bacon recipes along with bacon styles. What is your favourite? Do you buy streaky, middle or shoulder for different uses or are you a creature of habit and do you buy the same one every time? Are bacon and eggs as popular as they used to be – is it a weekend treat in your house?

Magnolia’s are the staple of many a bouquet and a real favourite for garden designers. Tony has arranged to catch up with Abbie Jury from The Jury Garden in Tikorangi, North of New Plymouth and we are going to talk about the most colourful Magnolias in the World.

Have you ever considered a career in the hospitality industry working as a creative chef with fantastic New Zealand ingredients? Tony recently had lunch at “Piko” restaurant at AUT in Auckland, it just so happens that author and chef Robert Oliver was there guiding new chefs through some amazing South Pacific fare! Just amazing food and the level of production left him feeling very proud of the team behind the glass wall putting it all together. We catch up with David Green, Restaurant operations manager at AUT to find out more about making and serving food as a career.

Microgreens need little space and little time but they are bursting with energy and now Fionna Hill has published a book on them – we will be talking to Fionna and finding out just how easy it is to grow these nutritious power packs.

Looking forward to your company first thing Saturday.

Cheers,
Helen and Tony

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432654

By Phillipa Durkin

Hi Tony…

I have started listening to the radio while I’m in the studio and discovered Karen, Andrew and you.
Before I bought my house there was an incident involving a digger and a water pipe from the garden above (Wellington) and this not only “washed” my house off its piles but all my top soil down the road. Apparently the whole of Island Bay came to watch. This does now explain why I have such nasty, heavy, waterlogged clay soil in the form of two banks and two flat areas. I’m trying to fill it with natives and make it low maintenance by using anything that fills the bank like Renga Renga, Aggies and any type of fern that will survive. Punga seem to like it under the stairs and I have managed to transplant a few. I’d describe it as extreme gardening as you need a ladder or crampons to prevent falling and taking out any plantings. If I could add compost and gypsum I would but it all seems to wash away – roll away even.
Any suggestions/design ideas greatly appreciated.

Did Andrew do his circumnavigation in stages, Islands or did he just do it all in one go as I’m very impressed. I have a gaff that is 101 and would love to go around NZ, but I don’t think I have the courage!!

Regards Phillipa.

By Helen Jackson

Winner of the nz bacon competition is Brian Jennings from Redcliffs Butchery
– ph 03 3841361

By Pam Cooper

Could you please email name and phone number of award winning bacon butcher at Redcliffs in CHCH you interviewd on Saturdays show Many thanks

By Helen

walnut and ginger cookies

120g butter
1tbsp golden syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 180 C. Melt butter and golden syrup and allow to cool. Mix all ingredients together and place small spoonfuls on a greased cold tray. Bake for 15 min or unti golden

By Judy

broccoli bacon and beans

1 head broccoli
4 rashers bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1-2 red onions - little sugar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups broad beans
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp veingar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tbsp water

Lightly steam broad beans and broccoli.
Cook onion in oil until tender and then add sugar and allow to caramelise. Add vinegar and soy sauce, vegetables and water. Boil for a minute or so, sprinkle with bacon and serve.

By Helen

125g butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp golden syrup
250g dark chocolate, melted
1 tbsp cocoa
1 pkt sweet biscuits, crushed
2 cups chocolate cake crumbs
2 tbsp rum
1 cup dried cranberries

Gently melt butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk.
mix together with remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Press into a slice pan and refrigerate until set. Cut into small pieces.

By Marion

The family's favourite recipe, handed down from my Mum now to granchildren.
Nan's Biscuitty.
Break 1 pkt. round wine biscuits.
Melt in pot: 160gr butter, 160 gr sugar, large TBSP cocoa. Remove from heat and beat in 1 egg.Bring back to boil, stirring.
Take off stove, add biscuits and 1tsp. vanilla ess. (Sultanas and choc. chips if wanted).Press into slice pan and cover with coconut. Chill and enjoy.
It may be iced but is too sweet for us. Leave in fridge sliced and sneak a piece every time you walk past!

Question: Why are wine biscuits so called?