Always in Season

Where is home for you? I've lived in Wellington off and on for nearly thirty years, but my tūrangawaewae is the South Waikato. I grew up on a sheep farm in Ātiamuri, a tiny place tucked between Taupō and Tokoroa. My parents moved there in the early seventies after previously living in Hong Kong. I often think about what a massive culture shock it must have been for my mother, moving from apartment life in a bustling city to farm life, where you could faintly see lights from far-off neighbours' houses.

What were meals like growing up? I was really lucky to grow up in a household where there was always plenty to eat (even if it seemed Mum was always baking for shearers and there were tins of enticing things we were never allowed to open). All our meat came from the farm and because we lived a good thirty-five minutes (mostly on unsealed roads) from the nearest supermarket in Rotorua, there was no "just popping to the shops" or getting takeaways. My parents had travelled a lot, so we ate more exciting things than just meat and three veg. I didn't realise how lucky I was until I went to boarding school at thirteen.

Do you remember the first meal you cooked by yourself? My first solo culinary experience was definitely memorable. When I was about ten, I made Lois Daish's Firehouse Chilli Beans to get my Cook badge for Brownies. I diligently soaked the kidney beans and faithfully followed the recipe to the letter, but I misread the amount of cayenne pepper required and added two teaspoons instead of half a teaspoon. I can still remember my father and brother gulping down water frantically as they ate. It was a good lesson!

What would you say is the hallmark of New Zealand cuisine? Aotearoa is a young country, shaped by people with different histories and cultures. Just as the land beneath our feet is always on the move, so is what we eat. At its essence, New Zealand cuisine represents this constant change. I hope it will always show off the amazing produce we grow and nurture.

What do you love about cooking with seasonal ingredients? Eating seasonally makes sense for so many reasons. Essentially, food tastes best when it's eaten as fresh and as close to its source as possible. That's why a Hawke's Bay or Otago nectarine will be juicier and more flavoursome in January than an imported one will be in August. Food in season is also a lot cheaper and has fewer air miles attached to it.

Tell us about your moniker, The KitchenMaid. In 2010, I was living in Hamilton with a new baby and I was utterly miserable. We'd unexpectedly left our life in London - note to self, never make a major life decision while sleep-deprived - and I was struggling to find my place in the world. A wonderful woman named Joan Browning, my dear friend Ann's mother-in-law, took me under her wing and encouraged me to start a food blog. I can't actually remember what inspired me to call it The KitchenMaid, but the name stuck. I think I was being tongue-in-cheek about being at home, but in truth I sort of found myself again through cooking and writing about it. There's a Vermeer painting called The Kitchen Maid that captures the contemplative mindfulness I find in cooking. I don't necessarily feel very Zen at 6pm when I can't think what to cook for dinner, but it does happen sometimes!

What's your go-to weeknight wonder recipe? We eat a lot of pasta when I can't think what to cook, or the cupboards seem bare. I'm a big fan of very simple sauces - it's amazing what you can do with a splash of cream or some garlic-infused olive oil and a handful of herbs. Another sure-fire solution is what we call a "Nibbly Tea" - also courtesy of Joan. It's a kind of fridge-foraged dinner - a few condiments, some sort of green component, cheese or boiled eggs, and some bread. It's a good way to use up things that might have been lurking in the fridge.

Any "cooking shortcuts" you can't live without? I would be lost without things in tins, especially tomatoes, chickpeas, Black Doris plums and condensed milk. Best Foods Real Mayonnaise is a total must-have.

How should less-confident home cooks approach the kitchen? Start slowly. I think gaining confidence in the kitchen is like riding a bike or running. You don't learn to ride down your street and then enter the Tour de France, or go for one run and consider yourself ready for a marathon. Cooking is all about starting small and building up your skills as you go. It's often easier to start doing it with a friend who can show you a few tricks and encourage you along the way. Rest assured, plenty of experienced cooks have a few disasters now and then. It's how you recover from them that counts. If you really don't like cooking, then the next best thing is to encourage the people you live with to get good at it. Being an enthusiastic eater is an important life skill, too.

Glossary. Tūrangawaewae, a place to stand and belonging.