As visitors to a wine growing region, we all like to say that we drank the local wines at ate the local food as a way of experiencing the true nature of the locale. A group of seven North Canterbury wine producers have just posted a video of a special wine and food event they collaborated in earlier this year. The ‘North Canterbury Forage’ represented a full, interactive presentation and integration of wine and food produce and its representation of the growing district. In practical terms, the group organised a meal where all the food was made from ingredients and produce sourced locally by the diners foraging on the day, and served it with local wines.
The North Canterbury wine producers involved were Bellbird Spring, Black Estate, Greystone, Muddy Water, Pegasus Bay, Mountford and Tongue in Groove Wines. All wine and food lovers look for the special synergy when food and wine come from the same place, and the people behind each of these wineries, who “spend much of their time collecting and growing food in the region where they grow vines”, wanted to share what they know and experience, according to Angela Clifford, of Tongue in Groove, representing the group.
The wineries invited international and national media and involved chefs and hospitality industry people from Canterbury and beyond, to join them in collecting and foraging produce for the meal. They sourced shellfish, river fish, truffles, stonefruit, apples, elderberries, venison, wild herbs, honey, nuts and much more from North Canterbury estuaries, seashore, mountains, hills, rivers farms and orchards. Upon bringing the produce back to Black Estate, the chefs created within only a few hours a seven course meal that was truly local, and served the food with wines from the seven wineries. It was deemed a success and the organisers hope to hold the event regularly.
The ‘North Canterbury Forage’ was captured on a video produced by Dan Watson from Motion Design, of Canterbury, of course! It is delightful, and can be seen at https://vimeo.com/124989478
