The Zest of New Zealand
Auckland is home to great wine (try Villa Maria), great restaurants (go to Dine by Peter Gordon), and great foodies. The city of only 400,000 even has a bookstore dedicated entirely to cookbooks. I walked into Cook the Books about a week ago, eager to peruse the shelves. New Zealand was the final leg of a frenetic round-the-world journey, and I arrived with little extra space in my oversized luggage and little extra cash in my pocket–still, I felt that I should leave with a souvenir from the Kiwi cookbook store. I explained my predicament to proprietor Jonathan Rees, and he placed a slim paperback in my hand: Zarbo Zest by Mark McDonough.
Groundbreakingly gourmet, the Zarbo food store in Auckland (owned by McDonough) is beloved by locals for its imported chocolates, pastas, and exotic spices. For foreigners who might just as easily find those items at home, the epicurean establishment stands out for its cafe and deli offerings (such as pancakes with almonds and mascarpone, and chargrilled tofu and kimchi skewers). Zarbo Zest, the third in a line of McDonough-produced volumes, emphasizes fusion cuisine and fresh, local ingredients (including antipodal veggies like Kumara). Recipes range from prawn and chicken orzo paella to Mexican chickpea salad with flamed capsicums (otherwise known as bell peppers). The first meal I made once I returned home to Australia was Zarbo’s chickpea and pumpkin soup, a wholesome, naturally-creamy, and perfectly-spiced concoction.
The book is saturated with magazine-style glossy photos of each recipe, brilliantly shining light on the South Pacific variations on familiar Western dishes. However, had I not passed through New Zealand, Zarbo Zest might not have retained my interest. McDonough is economical with his words, and his book lacks the kind of contextually creative writing that would help his recipes to appeal to an audience larger than his local clientele (like The Silver Palate Cookbook, for example).
Zarbo Zest can be purchased from various retailers in New Zealand. The book is also sold on Zarbo’s website, which advertises overseas shipping. A US merchant sells the book through abebooks.com, and the hefty price tag is balanced out by free shipping.
