Posts In: Food Stories
How to choose a good taro [with video guide]

How to choose a good taro [with video guide]

So I only learned this skill recently….and I’m old. My excuse is that, for a Samoan girl, I’ve never reeeeaally been a fan of taro. But apparently, as us Samoans start to age, our primal instincts rise more to the surface and we begin to crave the food of our elders...

Big Fish Eatery in Penrose, Auckland

Big Fish Eatery in Penrose, Auckland

I spent several days looking online for a local seafood restaurant that had good food (ie. great reviews) but in a reasonable price range because... well... the budget. It was a bit of a mission, and I almost resorted to dipping into my savings to satisfy my seafood...

Sua alaisa – Samoa’s sweet, coconut cream rice soup

Sua alaisa – Samoa’s sweet, coconut cream rice soup

Taro, green banana and breadfruit are some 'official' staples in the Pacific, but we love our rice, too! Samoans have several rice-based favourites, including koko alaisa and alaisa fa’apopo, but sua alaisa is probably the simplest to make. Alaisa (or araisa) is the...

Koko. Koko Samoa.

In my culinary fantasies, I can walk into any café and ask for a fresh brew of sweet, black koko Samoa. That world is not reality just yet (at least not in New Zealand) but I know connoisseurs of this 'black gold from Samoa' have been talking about it for years, and...

The call of the musubi – SPAM musubi!

Every now and then, the stomach craves the foods of my childhood. Among the many – Spam musubi is ranked in the top three. This Hawaiian snack (with Japanese origins) is made in a variety of ways depending on the salivating taste buds of the consumer. Spam was a main...

Alaisa fa’apopo – Samoan coconut rice

Lots of Asian countries do a coconut and rice dish, but they don't do it like Samoans do. (As far as I know.) Alaisa fa'apopo literally means rice that's been coconut'ed, which of course means that we've done something very coconut-y to the rice. (I'm cracking myself...

How to make simple Cook Island style ‘Ika Mata

If you're curious about what is 'ika mata' and what it taste like... then why not try out this simple, quick and easy recipe. But first let me tell you a bit about 'ika mata'. What is 'ika mata' and where does it come from? 'Ika mata' means 'Raw fish' in Rarotongan...

Mother’s cooking – everyone has a favourite dish

Mother’s cooking – everyone has a favourite dish

Family Time Is Sacred Time During the past 5 months, I’ve spoken with many close friends who have lost a parent. As someone whose parents are both living, I cannot begin to fathom what that must be like. My heart goes out to them. As a result of these conversations,...