Every February the Foodtown in downtown Auckland suddenly becomes overrun by American Exchange Students. The event is akin to the arrival of migrating birds at sudden watering holes in the middle of the Sahara. All of sudden, statements that sound like questions are echoing down the aisles: 'omigod look there's toiletpaper?' 'i totally miss fig newtons?'
Most of these kids are from the west coast of America where Mexican food, or more specifically, Mexican produce, is a constant staple. Coming to the South Pacific, even after that twelve hours plane ride, does not shake the inexorable faith these kids have in the constant supply of jalapeno peppers or Monterey Jack Cheese. And boyoboy, I get a sick, superior feeling thrill as I watch them go ballistic when all they can find, if they are lucky, is an old can of El Paso preserved japapenos. Girls who won't eat chicken skin and carry gallons of purex handiwipes, will pull hair out over a can probably teeming with botulism.
Forget that Mexico is almost 3000 miles away, travellin' Americans want nachos.
People in Auckland will tell you that we have nachos. Technically this is true. It became untrue the first time I pulled a carrot out of the cheddar cheese topped, dorito flavoured pile. It's just not the same thing. Maybe it's like the differences between Marmite and Vegemite. They look the same - if you squint and stand a good three, maybe four, meters away - but as we all know, they're not.
Anyhoodle, the desire for nachos abates after a few years. You move on. You find solace in Burger King. But that craving never goes away. Please don't ask me to say nice things about the Mexican restaurants in Auckland. I just...can't.
So imagine our surprise when we stumbled into the Hawke's Bay Farmer's Market in Hastings (a good 5 hours from Auckland) and found a CHILE PEPPER BONANZA!
Jalapenos! Poblanos! Funny long green ones! Short, smoky brown ones! Habaneros! Thai Fire Chiles. Mild! Hot! Super Hot! Eye Watering! THRILLED.
Like twitchy addicts we fell upon those peppers. We bought handfuls of peppers but we kept returning for more. Just another few poblanos, we said. Maybe three more jalapenos? They reminded us, we ship to Auckland. No no! We assured them, we're fine, we've kicked the habit, but maybe we'll take just a few more.
And so, when we returned home, we had a pile of peppers and if it was possible to roll around in that shit lke Ebenezer Scrooge and not burn our eyes out or ruin the peppers, we would have. Instead we just gazed upon on our collection and decided, oh yes it was good.
Most of these kids are from the west coast of America where Mexican food, or more specifically, Mexican produce, is a constant staple. Coming to the South Pacific, even after that twelve hours plane ride, does not shake the inexorable faith these kids have in the constant supply of jalapeno peppers or Monterey Jack Cheese. And boyoboy, I get a sick, superior feeling thrill as I watch them go ballistic when all they can find, if they are lucky, is an old can of El Paso preserved japapenos. Girls who won't eat chicken skin and carry gallons of purex handiwipes, will pull hair out over a can probably teeming with botulism.
Forget that Mexico is almost 3000 miles away, travellin' Americans want nachos.
People in Auckland will tell you that we have nachos. Technically this is true. It became untrue the first time I pulled a carrot out of the cheddar cheese topped, dorito flavoured pile. It's just not the same thing. Maybe it's like the differences between Marmite and Vegemite. They look the same - if you squint and stand a good three, maybe four, meters away - but as we all know, they're not.
Anyhoodle, the desire for nachos abates after a few years. You move on. You find solace in Burger King. But that craving never goes away. Please don't ask me to say nice things about the Mexican restaurants in Auckland. I just...can't.
So imagine our surprise when we stumbled into the Hawke's Bay Farmer's Market in Hastings (a good 5 hours from Auckland) and found a CHILE PEPPER BONANZA!
Jalapenos! Poblanos! Funny long green ones! Short, smoky brown ones! Habaneros! Thai Fire Chiles. Mild! Hot! Super Hot! Eye Watering! THRILLED.
Like twitchy addicts we fell upon those peppers. We bought handfuls of peppers but we kept returning for more. Just another few poblanos, we said. Maybe three more jalapenos? They reminded us, we ship to Auckland. No no! We assured them, we're fine, we've kicked the habit, but maybe we'll take just a few more.
And so, when we returned home, we had a pile of peppers and if it was possible to roll around in that shit lke Ebenezer Scrooge and not burn our eyes out or ruin the peppers, we would have. Instead we just gazed upon on our collection and decided, oh yes it was good.
and if you don't think that was something special. Look, tomatillos. I heart Hawkes Bay.
