Preserving

Preserving is a great way to enjoy the season’s best flavours at any time of the year. Pick what’s in ample supply (e.g. berries and stonefruit in Summer, pears in Winter) and preserve to enjoy year round.

The aim of preserving is to slow down the activity of microorganisms and enzymes or destroy them altogether. Here’s a few common methods of preserving:

Freezing - the colder the food, the slower the rate of deterioration. Freezing only slows down enzyme activity so vegetables must be blanched in boiling water first.

Heat - boiling or blanching at high temperatures destroys enzyme activity and almost all microorganisms. Boiled preserves must be sealed in airless conditions to prolong their shelf life.

Strong Concentrations - alcohol, acid, salt and sugar in high concentrations either prevent or destroy microorganisms. The method used will depend on what you’re preserving.

Essential Equipment
- Small ladle for potting all types of preserves.
- Slotted spoon for poaching and skimming
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Tongs for removing items when heat processing
- Jam/sugar thermometer for accurate temperature taking
- Hydrometer - useful for brewing to measure the alcohol content
- Wide mouth funnel for potting up preserves
- Long spouted funnel for bottling drinks and sauces
- Cheesecloth for filtering and straining liquids
- Jelly bag for straining fruit pulp
- Muslin cloth for straining, wrapping meats or making spice bags
- Food processor to save time and effort when mixing, blitzing, mashing or pulping
- Large plastic container with drip tray for brining and curing meats
- Stainless steel preserving pan— a specialist, non-reactive, heavy based pan for rapid boiling.

Containers
The right container can make all the difference when preserving. Containers must always be in good condition and steralised before use.

- Clear glass bottle - used with an airtight cork these are perfect for wine, cider and cordials
(alternatively use a swing stopper bottle)
- Ice cube box for freezing small portions of herbs
- Plastic freezer containers for freezing jams, fruit, vegetables, purees and sauces.
- Jam jars for storing jams, chutneys, jellies etc. A new lid or waxed disc is essential every time.
- Corks for stopping home brews.
- Ramekin dish for potting up meat and fish or butter, cheese and jellies.
- Specialist preserving jars - heat resistant, with non-corrosive lids and replaceable seals.

Ingredients
- Salt - draws out the moisture in food. Can be used for preserving vegetables, meat and fish.
- Sugar - just as effective as salt when used in high concentrations (60% +). Mostly used to preserve fruit or used with vinegar to preserve fruit and vegetable mixes such as chutneys.
- Fats - not a preserving agent but used to protect some preserved foods by forming a protective seal.
- Vinegars - prevents the growth of microorganisms. Mostly used to preserve vegetables as pickles, relishes and sauces.
- Lemons - used when making jams. Adding lemon draws out the pectin, helping the mixture set.
- Spices and flavourings - enhances flavour of preserves and can even actively help the preserving process.

Check out our selection of preserving books, tools and equipment available online for delivery nationwide or visit our Variety Departments for the full range.

Featured image: Apricot Tangelo Marmalata from Rowan Bishop 'With Relish'. Photograph by Carolyn Robertson.

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Aperol Spritz

This month we're taking you to Italy in summer with a classic Aperol Spritz! Aperol aromatic aperitif has a unique flavour and colour achieved through a subtle blend of bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and an array of herbs and roots - an unchanged secret recipe since 1919.

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Sweet Vanilla Kitchen's Ginger Custard Creams

Recipe shared by Cheryl McIvor for Moore Wilson's 2020 Calendar.

Sweet Vanilla Kitchen
49 Pretoria Street
Lower Hutt

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Pandoro's Tiramisu Cake

Recipe shared by Tony Beazley for Moore Wilson's 2020 Calendar.

Pandoro Panetteria
3 Wellington locations: Allen St, Woodward St, and Willis St. A range of Pandoro bread, cakes, and baked goods available from Moore Wilson's Fresh.
pandoro.co.nz

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Wedding Essentials

Wedding Gifts and Exchanges

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and in our Kitchen & Homeware Departments you’ll find premium cookware, small appliances, crockery, glassware, cutlery, kitchenware, cookbooks, and more. We’ve also got a great range of manchester, bathroom accessories, luggage and giftware.

Our philosophy is to stock quality brands and products and offer them to our customers at everyday low prices. This means you and your guests can be sure you’re getting the very best value.

Cheese Wedding Cakes

Cheese Cakes (cakes made with rounds of cheese) have become extremely popular and the cheese experts in our Tory Street Fresh Market can help you plan a beautiful cake using rounds of quality New Zealand and imported cheese. Cheese cakes can be an alternative to the classic wedding cake or enjoyed after the meal – either way they make a unique feature for your celebration!

Wine, Beer & Spirits

For all those toasts on and around your special day! Our Tory Street, Porirua and Masterton Wine, Beer & Spirits Departments stock a wide range from Champagnes to great value wines and beers to suit any budget. Our staff will also be happy to help with recommendations and advise on what quantities you'd need for your special event. You can also ask our staff about our sale or return policy for functions.

To find out more about any of the above services please visit us in-store.

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Zenkuro New Zealand Sake

Zenkuro

New Zealand’s first and only sake brewery, Zenkuro Sake is based in Queenstown. They produce a ginjo and junmai style of sake using only the finest polished sake rice and water sourced from the Southern Alps. The purity of their ingredients creates a fine sake, best enjoyed chilled as an accompaniment to any meal. The Kiwi brand has gone global, you can now get your Zenkuro fix in New Zealand, London and Japan. The character 全 (zen) means ‘entirely’ or ‘completely’ and 黒 (kuro) means ‘black’ - or as we like to think of it ALL BLACK (the perfect reason to enjoy a glass of sake while watching the Japanese World Cup!)

David Joll, Zenkuro’s head brewer and a certified ‘Sake Professional’, first travelled to Japan as a 17-year old exchange student, many moons ago. He later studied Japanese at Auckland University, Shizuoka University, and completed a post-graduate course in Japanese Studies at Hitotsubashi University. He is also a black belt in Judo. After years of research drinking sake, he is now a master of the brewing process. His wife, Yasuko, is from Fukuoka.

Zenkuro Original Junmai New Zealand Sake is available from Moore Wilson's Wine, Beer & Spirits and online. For those who have not drunk sake before, or those who have, but drank too much too quickly, we suggest you try this smooth, light, easy drinking style. Zenkuro Original is a great alternative to either white or red wine with your meal, it is a great match with a wide range of Japanese, European or Kiwi dishes.

Supplier Profiles

A Taste of Japan

While sushi may be what initially comes to mind, there is a lot more to Japanese cuisine than this popular dish. Did you know, as of 2019 Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin star restaurants, with a total of 230 restaurants!

Traditional Japanese cooking, or washoku, is based on “rules of five,” which emphasizes variety and balance. This is achieved through the use of five colours (black, white, red, yellow, and green), five cooking techniques (raw food, grilling, steaming, boiling, and frying), and five flavours (sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter).

Along with all your sushi-making essentials, Moore Wilson’s Fresh is home to a great range of Japanese pantry basics so you can bring the wonderful flavours of Japan to life in your own home.

Kewpie Mayonnnaise: Regarded as the best mayonnaise in the world. Made from egg yolks only rather the whole eggs plus rice vinegar, soy based vegetable oil and a touch of the flavour enhancer MSG.

Bonito Fish Flakes: Bonito flakes, also known as katsuobushi, are little wisps of dried, fermented bonito, used in Japanese cooking to for their smoky, intensely savoury, slightly fishy flavour. The flavour is somewhere in between anchovies and bacon, but much more delicate than either one. Bonito flakes, along with kombu, are one of the primary ingredients in dashi - a savoury stock that is
ubiquitous in Japanese cooking - but they can be thrown in or on any dish that needs a boost in the savoury department.

Nori Sea Salt: Made by Wellington’s Asian Food Republic, this seasoning can be sprinkled over cooked chicken, pork or seafood as a vibrant garnish and extra flavour. Also great on cooked rice and Asian soups.

Soba, Ramen and Udon: Although not made in Japan, our range of Japaenese noodles are an essential base for many dishes including soups, salads, stir-fries and ramen broths.

Yuzu Extract: Yuzu is a sour Japanese citrus fruit, used both for its juice and its aromatic rind. The yuzu has an aroma and flavour that is distinct from any other citrus fruit, somewhat akin to a cross between grapefruit and lime. This rare fruit is used in authentic Japanese cooking, common in seasoning meat, seafood dishes, sweets and beverages.

Tamari Soy Sauce: A thicker, less salty, fermented soy sauce that contains less wheat than regular soy sauce (or look out for San-J Organic Tamari for a completely gluten-free option). Tamari adds a full, savoury, umami flavour to your dishes.

Miso: A traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soy beans. These are numerous types and textures available. Provides an intense almost meaty savoury flavour. As a general rule, the lighter the Miso colour the more mild the flavour. You’ll find a great range of imported miso as well as a New Zealand-made Miso from Nelson’s Urban Hippie. Urban Hippie have also produced a Misomite which can be enjoyed on toast or as part of a dip, dressing, or marinade.

Nanami Togarashi: Nanami literally means seven flavours’ in Japanese. This tasty spice blend is made up of chilli pepper, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, Japanese Pepper, Ginger and Seaweed. A NZ Togarashi is also available from Kaituna Farms which includes NZ horopito and kawakawa. Sprinkle or rub on meat, fish and vegetables or add to pasta and rice dishes.

Rice Wine Vinegar: Made by fermenting the sugars in rice first into alcohol, and then into acid. Compared to white distilled vinegar, rice vinegar is less acidic with a delicate, mild, and somewhat sweet flavour. A pale yellow colour it is used as sushi vinegar and in making pickles.

Wasabi: This Japanese horseradish tastes very peppery and pungent. Moore Wilson's stocks fresh wasabi, along with the more common paste and powdered form.

Sencha Japanese Green Tea: The most popular green tea in Japan, favoured for it’s smooth taste and refreshing finish. Available in a convenient box of teabags.

Matcha: T Leaf T’s Matcha is produced by grinding tea leaves into powder. Produced in Uji-shi Kyoto prefecture Japan, this matcha not only tastes delicious it is said to be high in antioxidants and vitamins.

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O'Sushi at Moore Wilson's Wellington and Porirua

Located at both Moore Wilson's Wellington and Porirua, the unique O'Sushi kiosks have been designed by Miramar's Human Dynamo Workshop. Human Dymano were also the creative force behind Moore Wilson's Tory Street Chook Wagon, a replica of the iconic 1947 Citroen H series light truck, and Porirua's nautical Wine, Beer & Spirits Store.

O'Sushi opened in 2013 in Tory Street and is housed in a bright red replica of an early 1900’s Te Aro villa, a nod to the rich history of the area. At Porirua, a painting of Mana Island provides a stunning façade for the hole-in-the-wall food kiosk, which was added to the store in November 2017.

O'Sushi is run by Miki Wee, owner of Newtown’s popular O’Sushi. Miki is an experienced sushi maker and uses only the best, freshest ingredients in her sushi, made onsite daily.

Some O'Sushi favourites include Japanese-Style Sashimi, Maki, Vegetarian Tempura, California Rolls, and Teriyaki Salmon over Rice. Miki also offers pork buns, dumplings, and miso soup.