Originally from Cyprus, halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened cheese traditionally made from sheep or goat's cheese or a mixture of both and is now often made from cow's milk too. It is firm with a rubbery/squeaky texture and has a salty, slightly tangy flavour. It has a high melting point so is excellent for cooking and can also be eaten raw.

Halloumi is a traditional cheese in Cyprus and was relied on by farmers as a source of protein. It was originally made from sheep and goat's milk because there weren't many cows on the island until the 20th century. However, due to high demand halloumi is now produced using cow's milk too because it is easier and cheaper to buy. Cypriots traditionally eat halloumi for breakfast, as part of a light meal or a side dish. They would often eat halloumi with watermelon in summer.

It is very high in protein and calcium and contains zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin A and many of the B vitamins. It is also quite high in fat and salt.

Sometimes halloumi is packed with mint because it is believed that mint helps it to stay fresh and flavourful.

Halloumi can be eaten sliced or cubed then grilled, fried, baked or barbecued. It can also be sliced or grated and eaten raw.

Ways to eat halloumi:

• cubed or sliced, grilled or fried and added to a curry
• cubed, put on a skewer for kebabs and then grilled or barbecued
• sliced and used as a pizza topping
• sliced, grilled and added to salads
• sliced, grilled and put into a sandwich or burger
• sliced and added to a tomato and vegetable bake
• grated and added to fritter mixture
• cut into sticks and deep fried
• sliced, grilled or fried and eaten as a side to meals as a meat alternative

Moore Wilson's stock halloumi from Food Snob, Whitestone Cheese, Zany Zeus and more.

Mozzarella originates from Italy where it was first made using buffalo milk using the pasta filata method. It is a stretched curd cheese that can be eaten raw and cooked.

The name mozzarella comes from the Italian verb 'mozzare' which means to separate. This refers to the way the curd is hand stretched in strips and then cut and shaped into balls.

Mozzarella is a semi-soft fresh curd cheese stored in brine. It has has a smooth, shiny surface, a very thin skin and is white in colour. It is mild with a milky flavour and a tender, soft, creamy texture. It is typically eaten within hours to a few days of production.

Originally made with buffalo milk, it is now more commonly made with cows milk and is sometimes made with sheep and goats milk too. Because buffalo produce less milk than cows and less buffalo are farmed than cows, cows milk mozzarella is easier to produce in large quantities and can keep up with the high demand.

Mozzarella is also available in blocks and can also come pre-grated. This type is low-moisture, containing part skim milk and is often used in the food service industry for cooking and melting properties.

Ways to use mozzarella:

• Sliced and eaten with fresh tomatoes and basil in a caprese salad
• Sliced and served on toast with tomatoes and pesto
• Torn and mixed through pasta
• Torn and added to pizza toppings
• Torn and scattered over bakes - pasta, vegetables, meatballs, parmigiana
• Sliced and melted over toast toppings - mushrooms, tomatoes, sliced deli meats
• Sliced and put into a sandwich with salad leaves, sliced tomatoes, olives and roasted capsicum
• Torn and scattered over frittata and quiche

Moore Wilson's stock mozzarella from Massimo's, Alpine and more.

Buffalo milk has been consumed for centuries. India, Pakistan, China and Italy produce the majority of the worlds buffalo milk and it is used to produce dairy products, including cheese, yoghurt, butter and ice cream.

Buffalo milk cheeses are often used in Italian and Asian cuisine, including mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella in Italy, paneer and khoa in India, dali ni horbo and dangke in Indonesia and nguri in China.

Buffalo milk is higher in calcium, protein and phosphate, and is lower in cholesterol than cows milk. It is high in vitamin A and is A2. Some people find it easier to digest than cows milk and can be a good alternative. It also has a higher fat content than cows milk so it is very creamy in texture and flavourful with a sweeter and cleaner taste than cows milk.

Some cheese makers have delved into making other cheeses with buffalo milk that traditionally use cows, sheeps and goats milk, such as gouda, feta and ricotta.

New Zealand has two main buffalo milk producers making cheese, Clevedon Buffalo and Wairiri Buffalo. Moore Wilson's stock a wide range from Clevedon Buffalo, including their milk, mozzarella, bocconcini, marinated cheese, ricotta, oaxa, tartinade and yoghurt.

You can use these buffalo cheeses to make delicious meals such as salads, toast toppings, on pizza, in pasta and in dips.

Bone broth is nourishing and flavoursome. It is packed full of vitamins, minerals, collagen and keratin, which are beneficial for skin, bone and gut health.

Bone broth is used in nourishing traditions all over the world to help heal and restore. It is also used in many different cuisines, including Vietnamese pho, Japanese ramen, Jewish chicken soup,  Polish rosol, Russian borscht, and many Chinese soups.

It is made by slow cooking bones and connective tissue in water. Broth needs to be cooked for 12 to 24 hours to extract all the health benefits.

Although bone broth and meat/vegetable/fish stock are often used interchangeably, there are differences between them. Stock isn’t cooked for as long as bone broth and sometimes contains other ingredients such as preservatives. Stock is made for flavour purposes and can be vegetarian, whereas bone broth always contains bones.

Bone broth can be used in any cooking or baking that requires a liquid component. You can use broth as you would a stock. It is a perfect base for soups, stews and casseroles and you can make dips and dressings with it.

As the weather cools down now is the perfect time to make some comforting meals. Moore Wilson’s Fresh stores have a great range of bone broth available for a delicious addition to any meal.

We stock frozen broth from The Essential Broth Co., chilled  broth from Little Bone Broth Company, chilled and powdered broth from Best Bones Broth and powdered broth from Nutra Organics.

 RECIPE

Cauliflower & Blue Cheese Soup, courtesy of The Essential Broth Co.

Ingredients

1 cauliflower, cut into florets

1L Organic chicken broth

1 brown onion, diced

15g butter

2tbsp olive oil

125g blue cheese

150ml fresh cream

1/2tsp paprika (optional)

Fresh chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Place olive olive oil, butter, onion and cauliflower in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes..
2. Add bone broth and paprika. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Take off heat and blend until smooth.
4. Place back on heat and add cream and 100g of the blue cheese. Cook, stirring continuously until heated through.
5. Serve and garnish with chives and crumble over the remainder of the blue cheese

Yuzu are a type of citrus fruit originally from China and then bought to Japan where it was grown for culinary, bathing  and medicinal purposes.

In New Zealand the fruit is harvested from mid May to July and has limited availability. Yuzu are a hybrid between satsuma and Ichang papeda and are large and bumpy and look like mandarins or lemons. They are very fragrant and smell similar to a combination of grapefruit, mandarin and lemon. They are made up of a thick skin, juice and some pulp and seeds and very little flesh.

In Japan, yuzu is used for both sweet and savoury dishes. The thick, oily skin can be grated or shredded and goes well in dishes such as noodles, salads, soups, hot and cold drinks, fish and meat dishes and baking. The juice is also highly fragrant and used to marinate fish and meat and to flavour sauces, such as Ponzu sauce.

Traditionally, hot baths with yuzu skin are taken on winter solstice to ward off any illness and it is also thought to increase good fortune.

Yuzu are also very nutritious and include high amounts of vitamin C, as well as vitamins A, B6 and thiamine. In Japan hot drinks are often consumed to alleviate cold, aches and flu symptoms. The seeds are also used to treat skin irritations and can be found in natural cosmetics.

Moore Wilson’s stock fresh yuzu from NZ Yuzu, as well as a number of yuzu products including, All Natural yuzu extract, Lot Eight yuzu cold pressed olive oil and Obento ponzu sauce.

Recipe Ideas:

• Marmalade
• Salad dressings
• Cold and hot drinks
• Dipping sauces
• Marinades and meat rubs
• Condiments such as mayonnaise
• In place of other citrus in baked goods

Recipes

Yuzu Kosho, courtesy of NZ Yuzu

Ingredients

Chillies, preferably green as they are more tender than red but use either

Salt, 25% of the weight of chillies

Yuzu skin, same weight or a little less as the chillies

Method

1. Put the chillies and salt into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped or turned into a paste (depends on personal preference). Put into mixture into a jar.
2. Chop up the yuzu skin in a food processor until fine. Alternatively you can grate the zest. Add to the jar with chillies and salt.
3. Leave for at least three months and up to a year in the fridge before using.

Add to soups, dipping sauces and as a rub or marinade

Yuzu, honey and ginger drink

Ingredients

Yuzu, skin and juice

Honey, to taste

Fresh grated ginger, to taste

Boiled water

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

Originally from South America, the tamarillo has thrived in New Zealand and we’ve almost adopted it as our own, even to the point of renaming it. The peak of availability in New Zealand is in July and August. Tamarillos are a relative of the potato, tomato and eggplant and are still called “tree tomatoes” in some other countries.

In NZ, tamarillos come in three varieties, red (the most common), amber and gold. Red tamarillos are great to eat raw, cooked or for decorating other food for your table - they look striking when sliced or cut in half. The amber and gold varieties are sweeter. Amber tamarillos are great as dessert  toppings, while gold tamarillos make tasty chutneys and pickles.

Tamarillos rate very highly as a source of
vitamins, minerals and  antioxidants when compared with other common fruits and vegetables. They are low in fat, high in potassium and are a source of Vitamin A, B6 and C.

Look for fruit with full colouration. A slight yellowing of the stalk and softness of the fruit are signs of ripeness. Tamarillos will keep in the fridge for about two weeks, or one week in your fruit bowl - they can also be easily frozen. The full exotic flavour of the traditional fruit makes a great drink, snack, main course or dessert.

Uses for Tamarillos:

• Use as an ingredient in a stuffing for roast lamb
• Combine with apple in a variety of desserts such as crumble
• Serve on crackers with a sprinkling of salt
• Make a salsa with avocado, chilli and onion
• Add to casserole as you would tomatoes
• Halve tamarillos, top with garlic butter and grill
• Slice raw, peeled tamarillos and decorate flans, cakes, cheesecakes
• Pureed tamarillo makes an excellent marinade, adding flavour and tenderising meat
• Add to smoothies for a sweet and tangy breakfast or snack

RECIPES

Ginger Pork with Tamarillos and Kumara, courtesy of Lucy Corry

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 4cm piece of ginger, finely grated
• 500g diced pork
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 large kumara
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tamarillos
• 3 handfuls of spinach leaves, roughly chopped

1. Heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot. Add the onions, garlic and ginger, along with a pinch of salt, and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until soft but not browned.
2. Remove from the pot, add a drizzle more oil and raise the heat. Add the pork and brown on all sides.
3. Return the onions to the pot, along with the wine. Let it bubble up, then add the kumara and water. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. While you're waiting, put the tamarillos in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for two minutes, then drain and peel off the skins. Slice thickly.
5. When the pork has cooked for 30 minutes, add the tamarillos and spinach. Stir well and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

Tamarillo Dressing, courtesy of Nadia Lim

The tamarillos give that fruity tartness, like lemon, that all good dressings need. This dressing goes well with lots of different salads.

• 2 tamarillos, peeled and flesh diced
• 1/2 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp runny honey
• 1 1/2tbs extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients into a small jar, screw on the lid and shake well to mix all ingredients together.