Journal

King of zing — these pickled green tomatoes contain all the nutritional and digestive benefits of a traditional ferment, but without using any sugar.

Rich in antioxidants and vitamin B + C, tomatoes contain an alkaloid called tomatine that is said to fight cancer cells, prevent premature aging, and protect the immune system. The folklore of fermentation dates back centuries, varying in spice, depending on local ingredients.

These pickled toms feature traditional Georgian flavours — located on the Black Sea coast, on the border between Eastern Europe and Western Asia — our twist is in the combination of herbs: sacred bay leaves and a generous pop of dill. Serve with cheeses, rye, or eat them straight out of the jar!

A fresh take on the classic, our Aloe Gin + Tonic is refreshing & cooling with a delicious, bitter kick.

With the festive season on the horizon, now is the time to focus on strengthening digestion and promoting nutrient assimilation. A daily glass of home brewed kombucha makes this easy-peasy. The quenching, effervescent drink is loaded with natural health benefits, working to restore and replenish deep gut health.

For this recipe, we've combined the pleasantly champagne-like taste of kombucha with the healing properties of Aotearoa's native Mānuka and Kānuka. 

It could be tricky to separate author Fanny Singer from her mother, renowned chef Alice Waters, founder of restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. But the two have found a way to exist symbiotically; one ready to make, and one there to observe. 

So, what does one absorb when they are guided through their years by Alice Waters? When it comes to cooking, Fanny echoes her mother’s values, reminding us that when you’re working with vibrant, organic produce, you don’t need to do much. 

Inside her book <em>Always Home</em>, a memoir about her experiences around Waters’ pioneering eating establishment, Fanny dedicates an entire chapter to her love of salad – a direct effect of her family’s own eating habits. Her recipe below Summer Salad puts the creator in charge, giving ideas over facts, suggestions over absolutes, because, as Fanny says, salad is such a forgiving vehicle that can morph and adapt depending on one’s preferences to flavour and bite.

Included in the international Ark of Taste catalogue — maintained by the global Slow Food movement, preserving foods that are sustainably produced, unique in taste, and part of a distinct ecoregion — sweet and punchy Persimmon Vinegar, or gam-sikcho (감식초), is a kitchen staple in Korean cuisine. 

Reducing liver cholesterol and preventing metabolic disorders (especially post-alcohol), one tablespoon of Persimmon Vinegar per day can support heart, digestive and liver function. Naturally charged with high doses of vitamin c, this radiant fruit vinegar will have your insides warmed and your skin glowing.

We asked Palisa Anderson, second-generation restaurateur of Chat Thai, if there were any family dishes that still linger on her mind: triggered by aroma or ingredient and nurtured by the preparation. Her answer was Stuffed Bitter Melon in Chicken Broth.

It is said that we take over 20,000 breaths each day. Whether we are breathing for deep rest or for an endorphin hit, if the past few years have taught us anything, it is to look after our lungs.

This restorative tonic, loaded with greens, helps to soothe swollen or tight breathing passages and lubricate the lungs for ultimate cardiovascular health. 

An unlikely ingredient: turnip, is added to this recipe for its high volume of vitamin A, and lemons for vitamin C, both also full of antioxidants. Garlic, a natural antibiotic, adds antiviral and antibacterial properties to keep your system clean and robust. Our Breathe Easy Juice is a combination of powerful foods, each humming with flavour and working to heal your body from within.

We’ve created a punchy tonic, full of flavour, and packed with major healing properties. Use as an alternative to apple cider to balance flavours in dressings and curries, or take as a quick shot in the morning.

Paired with sweet pineapple — a champion at reducing inflammation and assisting in healthy liver function, this vinegar is also excellent for soothing dermatitis (throw ¼ cup of vinegar into your bath). Ultimately, vinegar is the tool to give a kick to the palette and balance the body’s pH levels, both inside and out.

Pineapple Fire Vinegar is an easy-to-make dynamic and holistic concoction; a spicy combination we can’t get enough of.

Traditionally consumed by women after giving birth, Miyeok-guk [Korean Seaweed Soup] is full of nutrients, such as calcium and iodine, that the Korean culture believe are integral for pregnant or nursing mothers, to purify blood, help to shrink the uterus and increase breast milk supply.

In Korea, Miyeok-guk is eaten for birthday breakfast, as a celebration of one’s mother. This sentimental dish was brought to our attention by our friend Jiho Yun, who has been nourishing herself with her family’s recipe for Miyeok-guk since the arrival of her daughter.

The perfect cocktail for the weekend ahead: the Super-Tonic Bloody Mary. Our twist on the breakfast-time favourite includes refreshing celery and cucumber, along with an energising kick of cayenne pepper. While we opt for a neutral vodka in ours, feel free to substitute with gin, tequila or whatever is left in your ‘boos’ cabinet.

Inspired by recipes that women in her lineage used to cook from, Akiko Kurematsu has created her own cookbook titled The Mother Tongue, in which she adapts each heirloom recipe to better suit how our current generation prefers to eat – more local, sustainable, and aware. Below, Akiko guides us through the preparation of Kenchinjiru: a warming, nourishing winter soup that is at the heart of Japanese home cooking.

Plants make themselves abundant when our bodies need them most. Most gardens, at this point in the year, will have lush nasturtiums tumbling around, so why not utilize them. Both the leaves and the petals are packed with high levels of vitamin C, which wildly improves immunity. 
 
But forget pesto and salad garnish, we've blended this everyday herb into a warming ancient Greek oxymel. The bewitching word oxymel comes from the Latin word oxy, meaning acid, and mel, meaning honey. Both apple cider vinegar and raw honey are common kitchen allies, and when combined with nasturtium, which carries complementary benefits, this oxymel offers potent support against a compromised immune system.

Plus, the taste is so good. Sweet and sour pushed to the extremes, with a savory herbal flavour that lingers on the tongue. A swig of Nasturtium Oxymel each day will keep your body humming.