Another Hard Day at the Beach

Another Hard Day at the Beach

After another enjoyable day at the beach, with sand, boogie boards and large waves, the need to replenish the stomach was high on the agenda. A pre dinner appetiser of a post beach ice cream helped settle the stomach, as dinner was prepared. My wife made a barbecued egg plant smash, a recipe by Annabel Crabb. This dish required the whole egg plant to the roasted on the barbeque on high heat. When it was soft and charred it was removed, chopped roughly, and garlic, spring onions, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper were added. Also served were a chick pea, capsicum, feta, cucumber and celery salad, and some of last night’s coleslaw.

Days at the beach with great weather just call out for a barbecue with salads. This is simple wholesome fresh food and great eating. Of course from my perspective the sausages make the meal. Tonight we had kabonosy from Park Avenue Quality Meats, and a cracked pepper and merlot sausage from Top Cut in Raglan. The smoky kabonosy are a firm family favourite. Here is a link to the very first review I wrote on my blog - it was kabonosy.

 

The cracked pepper and merlot sausages are finely ground. This is a beef sausage, with the flavour of the pepper completed by the merlot. Although the family went for a kabonosy initially they did comment positively about the cracked pepper and merlot snarlers. I would buy these again.

Cost of cracked pepper and merlot snarlers: $15.50 per kilo.

It is not all beer and sausages - Part Twelve

It is not all beer and sausages – Part Twelve

 

Lap one runners begin the steep descent to Governors Bay in Lyttleton Harbour

 

For the third consecutive year the NZ Road Relay championships were held over the Christchurch to Akaroa road course. This 74km, eight lap race is fantastic on a fine spring day, and yesterday was one of those days. The M50s from Scottish Harriers were light in numbers this year so we raced in the M40 grade with a wide array of ages in our team. I ran a flat leg of 9.4km in glorious running conditions, if anything it was too hot. I started off too fast and slowed towards the end kilometres, although I was pleased that I maintained an even pace over the last few kms. I was afraid that I might just run slower and slower, but I managed the last kilometre a tad quicker than the previous pace I had set. Although I had wanted to run faster I was satisfied with my time. I even managed to pass a couple of runners, while the speedy athletic juniors who ran a shorter course steamed past me at a great rate of knots.

Speedy John hands the baton over to me.

As I have identified in previous posts about this event some people turn up hoping for a medal - we turn up to have an enjoyable time. There were 14 teams in our grade and we were a minute off achieving a top ten placing. In relays you compete against teams that are running a comparable race to you. We were particularly keen to beat our club’s Senior Women’s team. Although the lead seesawed as the event progressed we were able to prevail, and arrive before they did at the Akaroa Recreation Ground.

 

Although we did not figure at the sharp end of the event, I have no doubt that we had the best selection of beer and sausages in our van. The sausages were the perennial favourite of kabanosy and a Polish kranksy from Park Avenue Quality Meats. The beer selection in the van was Epic Pale Ale, Founders Pale Ale and Speights. We were able to soak in the sun, enjoy the heat on our backs and even witnessed rams becoming a eunuchs in one the paddocks as we passed. It was a very enjoyable day of camaraderie and bonhomie.

 

 

The kabonosy sausage were very well received - they have a meaty taste and moderate level of smokiness which seem to have universal appeal among sausage eaters. Everyone in the van preferred the kabonosy, which is what I expected. The Polish kranksy with an initial mild garlic taste on the palate, is followed by a hint of pepper. The Epic Pale Ale was refreshing with a mild taste of hops.

It is only on driving back to Christchurch that the distance you have covered is really evident - it is a long way. Next year’s event is in Rotorua and we will look forward to running over a new seven lap course in 2016.  

For other parts of this series, see this index.

The view down to the finish and Akaroa Harbour.

 

"The best sausages she has ever tasted"

"The best sausages she has ever tasted"

The daughter went back to her flat and cooked some kabonosy with pearl barley and tomato.
Her flatmate said, "These are the best sausages I have ever tasted."

Kabonosy are a sausage that are loved by all, smoky, medium ground pork that taste great. I am pleased that my daughter has the potential to be a great ambassador for the consumption and enjoyment of quality sausages. 

The right way to raise children

The right way to raise children

Our daughter recently left home and went flatting. She has been back for a few meals. She came home for a meal during the week. She said to me, "Dad, I am missing eating sausages." She then added, "You don’t have any that you could give me do you?" I went to freezer and found some kabonosy.

When a child leaves home you wonder whether the values that you try to instil in them through your great parenting skills will transfer into the big wide world. It is reassuring that the pleasure from life you get by eating high quality snarlers is present in my daughter.

I wonder if I should write a book on parenting skills?

It is not all beer and sausages - Part Five

It is not all beer and sausages – Part Five

Yesterday I ran in the Jumbo-Holdsworth race. This is a 23km mountain run with a nice run along a river valley, some serious climbing as you head from Atiwhakatu Hut to the peak at Jumbo, along the ridge from Jumbo to Mt Holdsworth and then downhill to the finish. I knew my legs were tired and not is great shape so I took it easy along the valley. I felt alright as I climbed 900 vertical metres to the summit of Jumbo. I even passed a few people on the ascent. Between Jumbo and Holdsworth there are three climbs and it was only on the second climb along the ridge that my legs started to say, "Hey mate, we feel stuffed." However, being able to see the trig that marks Mt Holdsworth, you tell your legs to keep on going and soon you arrive. I arrived at the end with a slower time than when I last completed the race, but my second quickest time for the seven times I have run the event. I was happy to have finished.

Below is an old photo of the ridge between Jumbo and Mt Holdsworth. I took this when I was tramping with my sons quite a few years ago. The Mt Holdsworth trig is indicated by the arrow.

 

 

So when you reach the finish, what is the reward? The answer is the same as the last time: beer and sausages. There is a BBQ put on for all contestants and I brought two lots of sausages to share with friends. The old faithful Park Ave Quality Meats, kabanosy, see link, and a new sausage I had purchased from the Kelburn shop of Cameron Harrison Butchers, the Black Rock pork sausage. The butcher in the shop told me it was made by Cameron Harrison using a recipe from an Auckland butcher. This sausage had won awards, he told me. When I asked what they were, he did not know. Sadly this was a continuation of previous conversations I have had with the staff who work for Cameron Harrison. They have poor product knowledge, and Cameron Harrison really needs to do something about it if they want their staff to do justice to the quality sausages and other meats they sell.

 

The finish chute

 

The Black Rock pork sausage is pure pork. It tastes good, and when I cooked (and sampled) them the night before, the sweetness of the pork was the paramount flavour. It is a medium grind and tastes good between the teeth - you know you are eating a quality pork sausage. I will buy this sausage again.

 

Black Rock pork sausages

 

The runners who ate the sausages thought the kabonosy was the best, they liked the smokiness. This flavour remains when the sausages are cold. The Black Rock pork sausages were also appreciated. The flavour of the pork is not as marked when cold so these sausages are best eaten while warm. You can see I left the fine china and silver cutlery at home. A plastic bag and fingers make for great eating.

 

Kabonosy

 

I talked with the winner of the race, he runs for the same club as I do.  They then announced the race was about to begin, line up! He headed for the front row, while I jostled with other runners for one of the back marker spots. I offered the winner a sausage at the end of the race and strangely he declined. He obviously does not appreciate the merits of the innovative and ground breaking sausages and running regime that I have been experimenting with. It really works and I would encourage all runners to come on board and see how much you can improve.

 

 

We also rehydrated with a Hancock’s & Co. Grand Pale Ale. This is a medium sweet beer with a full round flavour. It has nice well balanced after taste on the palate. An ideal rehydration drink, made more enjoyable by the pleasant picnic like surroundings.

 

 

So with a relaxing picnic on a glorious summer’s day we concluded the event. There was talk about the next event, the Tararua Mountain Race in six weeks’ time. By then the pain will have subsided, the legs will not be sore and the bruises will have healed. Like maniacs who go back for more, we will line up and spend our Saturday running through the bush again.

 

For links to other parts of this series.

Black Rock pork sausage; Cost per kilo $19.99

The Sausage Gods lurk in the Tararuas

The Sausage Gods lurk in the Tararuas

I spent an enjoyable time recently in the Tararuas. I enjoy getting away from it all, being the hills and contemplating sausages and life. Having found a couple of sausages left in Cone Hut a few weeks ago I wondered if the sausage gods of the hills would leave sausages for hungry trampers in the huts in which I intended to stay on this adventure.

My trip route went from the Holdsworth road end, over Mt Holdsworth, and then dropped to Mid Waiohine Hut, up the steep ascent to Aokaparangi and along the main ridge to Maungahuka. I them dropped down from the main ridge and went over Concertina Knob and a steep descent into Neill Forks which led, you guessed it, to a steep ascent onto Cone Ridge, and onto Totara Flats. Then it was back to the Holdsworth road end.

On the first day the wind was up and the cloud was down. At Powell Hut I tried to go high when I first arrived. The wind was extremely strong and it would blow you over leaving you crawling along the ground if you wanted to proceed – not exactly optimal tramping weather. After more than three hours of waiting for the forecasted decline in the gale, an English tramper and I decided to attempt going over the summit of Mt Holdsworth. It was hard going and at one point we decided that if it got any worse we would turn back. However we persevered and were soon over the top of Holdsworth and onto the next peak Isabelle.

As we battled the conditions on the way down from Isabelle, the wind temporarily abated, the cloud cleared and you could see the rich verdant bush on the precipitous slopes of the upper Waiohine Gorge. The deep green contrasted to the opaque clouds. The silence that was present compared with the roar of the wind that had previously been there made for a magic moment. It is at times like this you feel fantastic and admire the grandeur of nature. Then the cloud rolled back in and the roar of the wind resumed.

The two of us arrived at the Mid Waiohine Hut near nightfall and we were pleased to find a couple of kabonosy were left at the hut. It was the second discovery of the day as I had also I sighted a Dutch braadworst at Powell Hut. It was clear that we were in the presence of the seldom sighted "sausage gods."

 

Powell Hut

 

Dutch braadworst at Powell

 

The kabonosy sausage is ideal for tramping, smoked and nicely flavoured. It went down well with all the people in the hut. By contrast the Dutch braadworst is a meaty sausage that appeals to those who prefer a straight meat taste, see link. For a review of kabonosy, see link.

Since August 2013 Mid Waiohine hut has only been stayed in for seven nights. It is a tired hut, but one that welcomes visitors. It but a bit off the beaten track and you have to keen to get into this part of the hills.

 

Mid Waiohine Hut

 

Kabonosy at Mid Waiohine

 

The Waiohine River

 

The climb up to Aokaparangi was steep, around 900m of vertical ascent. I was pleased to get the top. It was warm day and the sweat was pouring. I had a relatively small drink bottle of about 750ml of water and with a few hours more along the ridge including lots more climbing, the water had to be rationed and savoured. The English tramper and I talked about our desire for water, and there were more gnarly knolls and peaks to be climbed as we traversed south down the main ridge.

 

The view to Aokaparangi (marked with arrow) from Maungahuka

Fortunately the sausage gods had also visited Maungahuka Hut. The English tramper said he appreciated quality sausages as he headed off to Neill Forks, hoping to get there before night fell. He planned to add his sausages to his diet of pasta and sardines and was grateful for the sausages that would help to sustain him and offer variety to his diet.

 

Maungahuka Hut

 

Kabonosy and chorizo criollo at Maungahuka

The ridge south from Maungahuka

I spent the night alone in the solitude of Maungahika Hut. The moon shone through the windows and it was a very peaceful environment. It was easy to see why the sausage gods favoured this place as a hideaway. While in the hut there is no escaping the realisation that the weather in this area can be brutal and ferocious. The hut has steel guy ropes from each corner anchoring the hut into the ground. This added reinforcement supports the hut when the wind does blow.

 

Neill Forks Hut

 



Dutch braadworst and chorizo criollo

 

The Hector River just below Neill Forks

 

From Maungahuka it was down to Neill Forks Hut. Woo hoo! More cause for celebration. The sausage gods had left a chorizo criollo and half a Dutch braadworst, in Neill Forks hut to urge me forward to Totara Flats Hut for the night. When I arrived there were more chorizo criollo awaiting me.

 

Totara Flats Hut

 

Chorizo criollo at Totara Flats

Sadly, the chorizo criollo did not taste quite as I had expected. They lacked the complexity of flavour that I enjoy savouring which I usually partake in my favourite sausage. I did have high expectations but sadly these were not fulfilled on this occasion. This sausage is still a quality sausage, however my recommendation for best eating is to savour it hot, or from post cooking storage in a fridge. See link for a review.

Overnight the wind had risen again and was venting its force at Totara Flats. Roaring down the valley I got very little sleep as the sound of the wind buffeted the hut. However I was pleased I was not at Maungahuka hut where the wind would have been twice as strong on the tops.

As I headed to the road end I was walking down the Gentle Annie track close to my destination, I heard a voice behind me. It was a runner who wished to pass. He gave me a bit of fright. It was the first person I had seen in two days and I knew I was back close to society and away from the mysterious, but generous, sausage gods.

Thanks to the sausage gods for supplying sausages in each hut. A pleasant trip with some great sausages.