Throughout Otago, people with a love of food and fresh produce are turning out amazing products. For some its just a hobby, for others it has turned into their livelihood. Rebecca Fox reports.
Out of a passion for baking, Dave Mills has discovered an entirely new interest - honey bees.
What started out as an interest to provide himself with honey for his baking and kitchen table has become a practically a part-time job that he juggles with his full-time position in retailing.
It all began when he lived in Madison, Wisconsin, in the US and became involved in a Community Supported Agriculture project, which involved people taking a shares in a farm and then being supplied with produce every week.
''They had hives there and they taught me.''
So when he moved back to New Zealand he got himself a few hives, but says his understanding of the science behind bees, as well as ''intuition'', were important.
''They're gently fuzzy little creatures.''
Although admits to making a few mistakes in his early days dealing with bees once ending up in hospital after they got under his hood and stung his neck.
Now he has 100 hives scattered around Blueskin Bay on a variety of properties, hence the name of his product, Blueskin Bay Honey.
''It's a natural product. It's not creamed, as I believe it takes it away from its natural state.''
He produces two types of honey, wildflower and manuka, as well as a special eco-plus kanuka honey he sells at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, from his hives there.
It is bottled in Mosgiel.
Honey had a lot of benefits and could be used in a variety of ways.
He used it a lot with vinegar in cooking, to add a depth of flavour to dishes from stir fry vegetables to pasta sauces, he said.
''Some use it as a health tonic in the winter-time, especially the manuka and then, of course, there is the toast thing,'' Mr Mills said.
He hoped to soon to increase production and open a retail outlet in Port Chalmers.
Blueskin Bay Honey Creamy Clam Pasta
Take a trip to Doctors Point, Warrington or Purakaunui beach to collect clams to fill your biggest stock pot.
Obviously low tide is best and it takes a while to find the good spots. (Southern Clams are available at supermarkets). Bear in mind clam per person quota.
Stop by Taste Nature on the way home to get some durum or white stone ground flour and Blueskin Bay Wild Flower Honey.
Ingredients
Pasta (this recipe needs to be multiplied by the number of adults you are serving. For children, multiply by 0.5)
100g flour. Durum is best, as it is strong. Standard white is fine. Stone ground white is tasty
1 egg (add another yolk if you want a richer pasta)
Dribble of oil
Dribble of water
Pasta sauce
50g butter
One large onion, finely chopped
4 crushed garlic cloves
2 to 3 celery sticks finely chopped
One red pepper, finely chopped
One extra large stock pot full or clams
300-500 grams of seafood (marinara mix or fish or shellfish)
2-3 table spoons white vinegar (any vinegar is fine at a pinch or white wine)
2 table spoons Blueskin Bay Honey
Optional handful of baby spinach leaves and white grapes cut in half if you are feeling adventurous)
300ml cream
Clam broth ½ cup-plus
Wine: A very cold sav or riesling or sparkling wine
Pasta
You don't need a pasta maker to make pasta. You do, however, need a rolling pin, at least.
Combine in a bowl or food processor flour, oil, water and egg. Turn out and press into a dough ball.
Wrap tightly with a plastic bag for 10min at least, before cutting into manageable pieces. Roll flat as you can and cut into strips of desired length and width with a knife.
Dust with flour if needed. If using a pasta machine, use setting 1 to start. Fold piece over on itself once it has been flattened once and put through again.
Run sheets through again on 5, 6 or 7 for tagliatali, 4 or 5 for angel hair spaghetti. Boil immediately 5-10 mins. Use a big pot with lots of water. Do not over boil and make a mush.
Strain and toss in colander and splash a bit of oil over and toss to keep pasta separate.
Pasta sauce
Steam clams in an extra large stock pot, or 2 large pots, until open. Do not use unopened ones. Reserve 1 cup broth, you may not need it all. Shuck clams. Keep the meat, crush shells for chicken fodder.
Take a paper or plastic bag and put in
cup flour, salt and pepper and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Add marinara mix or any fish/shellfish and the clams and shake.
Melt butter on medium high heat and add celery, onions, garlic, red peppers, (white grapes, baby spinach leaves optional).
Crank up the heat and add floured fish/shell fish/clam meat. Cook for 5-10 mins. Drizzle honey over ingredients and let caramelise for 2-5 minutes.
Add vinegar and let simmer/steam for 2-5min. Add cup reserved clam broth and let reduce on high for 5min.
Add cream and let bubble and reduce on simmer for 5-10min. By the time you turn off the heat you should have reduced the total liquid content by about 25%.
You can add the pasta to the pan, or put sauce on pasta on a plate or on pasta in an oven proof baking dish and bake at 180 deg C for 20min. Sprinkle with fresh broad-leaf parsley to serve.
