Surprise treat at salmon and wine festival

Top Hut bistro owner Mike Darling hands out free smoked fish at the Mackenzie salmon and wine festival. Photo by David Bruce.

The fish was from a 9.3kg rainbow jack (male) trout caught by Southland angler Stan Hayward in the Ohau canal just by the Benmore salmon farm.

Mr Hayward, who has a holiday home in Twizel, gave the trout to The Top Hut bistro owner Mike Darling, who smoked the impressive catch and gave away pieces at his stall during the festival.

Under New Zealand angling regulations trout cannot be sold, so visitors to Mr Darling's stall, drawn by salmon, Mt Riley wines and Speight's beers, were given a bonus.

The annual festival, the fifth at the Twizel events centre, is a big event for the town and attracted about 2500 people.

Organiser Graeme Hughes said that was about 20% down on last year and he put that down to the sweltering day, with temperatures of 30degC.

"Some people disappeared to the lake or river - I can't blame them for that because it was so hot," he said.

Celebrity chef Simon Holst was the guest this year, and his three cooking demonstrations using salmon from the three farms in the area attracted full houses.

There were more than 30 stalls from as far away as Kakanui and Picton, inside the events centre and outside.

The event is a showcase for the region's food and wine, with a special emphasis on salmon produced in the Twizel area.

The six-hour festival includes entertainment, along with activities for children and has become a real family day out with "regulars" meeting up once a year for the event.