Ancient whole grains are in fashion, especially the exotic ones, like quinoa from the Andes, farro, an ancient form of wheat cooked whole in Italy, wild rice from the Americas, and even humble oats and rye.
The texture, or ''mouthfeel'', of a wine contributes to the wine's character and complexity. Alcohol, tannins, polysaccharides and other compounds in wine influence the texture, the tactile sense of the wine on the mouth, tongue and throat.
Making things up might be called telling lies, but if you write it down you are being an author, according to Leonie Agnew. Charmian Smith talks to the College of Education children's writer in residence.
Some producers are hard to beat. Waipara-based Pegasus Bay is one of them.
If you are looking for unusual cakes, you'll find them in The Caker by Jordan Rondel (Random House).
Many of us are looking for ways to save money and live more sustainably, although it can seem difficult in a world where there are products for everything. Charmian Smith talks to a busy woman who slashed her grocery bill drastically and says it's all about having the right attitude.
Ancient grains are one of the newest food trends, and a healthy one at that. Charmian Smith reports.
Whole grains are nutritionally beneficial in many ways, but be wary of believing all the health and nutrient claims, says Dr Bernard Venn, of the department of human nutrition at the University of Otago.
Grains come in many forms, from whole hulled berries to groats that have been chopped a little, flakes like rolled oats, puffed grains for putting in muesli or for baking with and coarse and finely ground flours for making bread and other baking.
Murder, drunkenness, theft and bigamy are just some of the bad behaviour exhibited by characters in Jane Austen's early writing, and she behaves badly too, on occasion. Charmian Smith talks to Jocelyn Harris and Terry MacTavish about ''Women Behaving Badly'', their Austen readings.
Many things can affect your experience of wine - the company you drink it with of course, but also the temperature of the wine. While some lighter reds are best chilled, for most this emphasises the acidity, tannins and any herbaceousness. Too warm and the alcohol starts to evaporate and the flavours are muddied, but around 18-20degC the wine is likely to be at its best.
When Jules Clancy's 5 ingredients 10 minutes (Penguin) arrived on my desk I thought at first it would be like the 4-ingredients books, worthy but fairly pedestrian.
For the adventurous, weeds and other wild plants offer an unusual resource, not only for cooking, but also for making cosmetics and remedies and dyeing. Charmian Smith talks to Johanna Knox, the author of The Forager's Treasury.
New Zealand Music Month is upon us. Charmian Smith talks to composer Gareth Farr and conductor Brett Kelly about the Southern Sinfonia's upcoming concert.
Samples of Dole's Real fruit bites (with yoghurt and whole-grain oats) arrived on my desk recently. At first glance, they look relatively healthy snacks.
Because it is still relatively untrendy, riesling is great value. Without exception, all the wines in this tasting developed over two or three days, indicating their potential for cellaring. Although they are all exciting now, if you are patient, you'll find a more delicious, integrated wine two to five years after you buy it.
Feeling at the intersection of two races, three cultures and two genders, Shigeyuki Kihara brings an unusual perspective to her art. Charmian Smith talks to the New Zealand artist about her survey exhibition.
Sauvignon blanc released this time of year, while they are picking the next vintage, is alwaysinteresting and often more complex than younger wine. Sometimes it's just the effect of a year's age, but often it'sbecause of winemaking practices such as barrel fermentation, or lees ageing. For those who findmany ordinary sauvignon blancs boring, these wines are worth trying.
One of the food trends for 2013, apparently, is the emergence of good bread to be the centrepiece of a meal rather than just a side. BBC chef Paul Hollwood's Bread: How to make great breads into even greater meals (Bloomsbury) is about just that.
Over a lifetime you come across many different types and styles of food, and when you have a passionate and professional interest in food, your experiences can be even more varied.