Northland trail blazers

6 March, 2006

FOOD AND BEVERAGE: MEDIA RELEASES 2006

Northland's food and wine trail, which starts in April, will offer kumara farm tours complete with a DVD presentation, steamboat rides that serve dessert that showcases Northland produce and winery dining among its 40-plus stops.

Final touches are being put to the trail map that will be widely distributed throughout the region and beyond. Organised by Enterprise Northland, the trail includes a broad selection of growers, artisan producers, specialty food stores, excursions and activities, winery listings as well as cafes and restaurants throughout the region.

Head of Food and Wine Development, Lyn Barnes , says the initial categories and criteria have been amended slightly to suit Northland.

“We have introduced a specialty food retailers' section. Also, we've had to be more flexible with opening hours, particularly for artisan producers, such as olive growers who make their own oil and often work single-handedly. So some are only open a few days of the week or by appointment. But we've made that information clear on the map,” she said.

“Restaurants have been divided into two sections as well, those that showcase Northland produce, and restaurants and cafes which are well on their way!” said Lyn.

“The first section includes restaurants that list at least three dishes on their menus that highlight regional flavours. That means the main component of those dishes is Northland raised, grown or made. Northland wine must also be a feature. Then we have restaurants and cafés that incorporate Northland produce into many of their dishes or which are trying to source as many Northland growers/suppliers as possible.

“Hopefully at the end of the year when we revise the trail map for 2007 we'll see more Northland food and wine on menus in the region. That's certainly what we want to see happen. Research shows visitors want to ‘taste” the region, literally.”

Participants on the trail have been urged to attend a special food and wine tourism seminar next week, led by the former head of Hawke's Bay Tourism Hamish Lowry, and Craig Wilson, who has had several roles with Tourism Auckland.

“Although we are down to the tweaking phase it's not too late if there is someone out there doing something special with Northland food and wine tourism that feels they should be on the trail,” said Lyn.