This is the last of a 6 part blog on a trip to New Zealand. Parts 1-5 are here, here, here, here and here.
It's a gorgeous country with plenty to do but what fun is a trip without eating, trying and buying local delights? This post has details of food and shopping experiences we had and some recommendations based on those.
Whittakers chocolate: Eat all you can, and bring us back some. We tried many, many flavors, the milk chocolate was by far and away our favorite. It's worth the hype, people. Yes, it's possible to source this locally in the US, but somehow it just doesn't taste the same. The taste of the holidays in paradise? Possibly.
Marmite: This was something the locals urged us to try. It's evidently made from yeast extract and is used as a spread/side for everything from toast to crackers and all baked goods. We tried it, and....um, let's just say it's likely an acquired taste? Not a fan.
L&P: This local favorite was one of my kids' favorite addictions. Sweetened soda - need I say more?
Hokey Pokey!: If the kids get to have a favorite, so does mom! This is basically honeycomb flavored ice cream, don't ask me why it's called that, but do eat it!
Kapiti ice cream: I cannot, cannot do a fair job of explaining this. Nothing, I repeat, nothing I say can do this justice. We ate at least 2-3 bars everyday, and sometimes started our day with this for breakfast (some of the flavors had orange or raspberries in them, so we figured that was healthy, ok?). Yim!
Jaffas: Sweet candy. They just seemed like sugar coated chocolate balls to me, but they clearly have a cult following locally, so much so that there's an annual "Jaffa-race" in Dunedin! Worth the hype or not, was fun to try.
To bring back home:
Honey: Honey, glorious honey! NZ has some amazing varieties of honey, the most famous of which, of course, is the Manuka honey. I looked and looked and looked at every variety/brand/store of Manuka honey (heck, we even visited a honey harvesting farm), but man, the prices are steep. I finally gave in and bought us a tiny bottle of UMF 15 Manuka honey out of curiosity for all its purported health benefits, only to find that our local Costco(!!) has the exact same brand, certification and price. If you do feel like indulging in Manuka, do check the certification before you splurge.
Separately, I also picked up a few other bottles of flavored honey - ginger honey was our favorite!
Lanolin: This I do recommend: really rich, softening cream made from sheep's wool, excellent moisturizer for the winter. This is especially recommended for breastfeeding moms as nipple cream, but is wonderful for general skin care as well.
Mud packs: Rotorua mud seems to be a very popular thing for all skincare products from face washes to body soaps to cleansers. Makes for a good gift!
Merino wool: Sigh. Gorgeous, lightweight, super warm wool for a whole slew of woolen products. Completely un-itchy too. Why do I sigh? Price, people, price. If you can afford it, do splurge!
Jade jewelry: Every nook and cranny in NZ boasts of local Jade, apparently it's not the easiest to find authentic, high quality jade. Also, the locals believe that jade's medicinal/healing properties (mystic charm?) work their best when the product is gifted, rather than purchased for self. I bought a few for my niece and sister in law, and some small presents for friends. Again, the good stuff is quite expensive.
Paua jewelry: If jade is what you'd wear to the snooty cousin's upper west side wedding, Paua is what you'd wear to brunch with your girl gang. Light, wearable and inexpensive in versatile, vibrant colors - what's not to love?
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