We introduce the finalists in the Cuisine Artisan Awards category at the New Zealand Food Awards 2022. Our winner this year is Poaka Chorizo. Here we take a look at what makes this so special.

POAKA CHORIZO – WHOLE
WINNER

If ever there was a lucky pig, then surely it must be any member of the porcine Berkshire family that lives on the Poaka site in Aylesbury, just out of Christchurch.

They are grown larger and longer than standard-issue commodity pigs. They feast on a diet of acorns and chestnuts for their final three months. And they truly range free to their dying day. The benefits of those indulgences are apparent in Poaka products, in this case the chorizo which has taken out the Cuisine Artisan Award at the New Zealand Food Awards 2022.

This slow-grow movement is the stuff that brings Catalonia to Canterbury. It also brings two Cuisine faves to the fore once more. We can thank former Cuisine Chef of the Year Giulio Sturla (his restaurants have scored two and three Cuisine hats in recent years) for the inspiration. After Poaka won the Cuisine Artisan Award for its sweet-tasting and nutty-flavoured coppa in 2019, Guilio said it was the closest thing to Spanish ham he had found here. High praise indeed. So, bolstered by that benediction, the chorizo challenge began.

Says Doug Hill of Poaka, “You could say our Catalan take on chorizo is our Ground Zero moment.”

It was Doug who planted 10ha of chestnuts on the 40ha farm three decades ago. Son Josh saw a nutty feeding solution when he returned home and switched from beef and sheep to pigs in 2016 (poaka is the Māori word for pig). Poaka chorizo has a subtle, smoky flavour, punctuated with a hint of hot pimentón. “Combined with our unique silky, nutty fat, it is a genuine artefact of this ancient Catalan tradition,” explains Doug.

In keeping with that tradition, Poaka only uses natural casings. It’s not possible to make an authentic chorizo using synthetic casings, says Doug. And while natural casings are harder to work with, cost more and deliver products of all shapes and sizes, it’s worth it. “The natural casing allows us to deliver what we think is perfect maturing.” It truly is a labour of love, with winning results.

Poaka’s chorizo is fermented for several days, before being air-dried for more than three months. It can be safely stored for extended ageing. poaka.co.nz GERALDINE JOHNS

AORAKI
PŌHUTUKAWA HOT SMOKED SALMON
A classic Kiwi-style hot smoked salmon blending the flavours of blackstrap molasses and pōhutukawa-wood smoke (using wood chips harvested from windblown trees). aorakisalmon.co.nz

AUGUSTINES OF CENTRAL
BLACK DORIS PLUMS IN PINOT NOIR
Preserved the traditional way, Black Doris plums from Cromwell’s Moorpark & Mulberry Orchard are beautifully paired with sweet, fruity syrup made from Penkridge Farm Wines pinot noir grapes. augustinesofcentral.com

BEARD BROTHERS
BEEF & BLUE CHEESE SAUSAGES
Little chunks of Puhoi Valley blue cheese boldly combine with grass-fed free-farmed beef to give a rich and creamy craft banger – another cracking product from last year’s winner. beardbrothers.co.nz

BELLEFIELD BUTTER CO
NATIVE BUSH CULTURED BUTTER
Bellefield’s award-winning tangy cultured butter is blended with indigenous horopito and kawakawa, then infused with flavour over the delicate smoke of pōhutukawa chips. bellefield.co.nz

FELIZ WHOLEFOODS
VUTTER
A plant-based butter alternative that has the texture, taste and usability of premium dairy-based butters. It’s minimally processed – not heated or made from hydrogenated ‘vegetable’ oils – contains no palm oil, no GMO ingredients or preservatives. felizwholefoods.co.nz

HONEY BY THE SEA
COLD MĀNUKA-SMOKED HONEYCOMB
The world’s first smoked honeycomb, Honey by the Sea premium honeycomb is harvested and cold smoked over mānuka for 10 hours to produce a delicate smoky yet sweet flavour. honeybythesea.co.nz

LITTLE BIRD ORGANICS
GOOD COOKIE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE
A cookie that’s actually good for you! It contains organic whole food ingredients, including activated brazil nuts, buckwheat, chewy oats and tasty coconut, and Little Bird Organics even makes the chocolate itself from raw organic cacao. littlebirdorganics.co.nz

MIXED ROOTS
NICE SPICE BLEND
Inspired by Chettinad curries from the backwaters of Kerala in India, this fragrant and savoury spice blend is the base not only for curries but can be used as a dry rub, in marinades and dips or to sprinkle like dukkah. mixedroots.co.nz

THE TAIPA SALT PIG
NATURAL SEA SALT
Sea water is collected from the pristine beaches of the Far North, placed in pans and left to sit in the hot northern sun. When the water evaporates, you have beautiful white salt crystals. Simple as that. thetaipasaltpig.com

THE WILD FERMENTARY
KEFIR SODA – BEET & BERRY
All the goodness of a triple ferment – beet kraut juice, beetroot kvass and berry water kefir – with delicate beetroot and berry notes in a living soda that is low sugar and naturally fermented. thewildfermentary.co.nz

WILD DELICIOUS
MATAKANA KIMCHI
Smoky Korean chilli combines with fresh garlic, ginger and fresh veges to create a live-cultured wild fermented pickle. Wild fermentation – rather than lab cultures – gives this kimchi a more complex flavour and a broader range of probiotics. wilddelicious.co.nz