Jervois Steak House’s Taupō scotch fillet.

My Nourish Kitchen is back — bringing your favourite restaurant meals straight to your doorstep

With the updates to the Ministry of Health’s ‘locations of interest’, the supermarket is not at the top of our (very short) list of places to go at the moment. Thankfully, My Nourish Kitchen is here to lighten the shopping load, and the mood too. 

You can now order an Express Box for two to be delivered directly to your home on Wednesday and Friday. The first, very limited run includes Andiamo’s macaroni, made glorious with fontina, cheddar, parmesan, truffle, bacon and chilli. For something to sink your teeth into, the main course is Jervois Steak House’s Taupō scotch fillet, which will come with a perfectly paired potato rosti, creamed spinach and peppercorn sauce.

Andiamo’s famous macaroni cheese.

Designed by Executive Head Chef Gareth Stewart and his team, the new offering draws on the same winning formula of My Nourish Kitchen’s other popular boxes — where recipes from Jervois Steak House and Andiamo are carefully curated, and fresh ingredients are expertly prepared by chefs, portioned and paired with easy-to-follow instructions. All the hard work has been done for you, bringing the very best meals from your favourite restaurants to your home — right when you crave them the most.

With such a delicious meal practically handed to you on a plate, these meal kits are in high demand. We recommend keeping a close eye on My Nourish Kitchen’s new website for weekly updates.

Orders for My Nourish Kitchen Express Box ($125) must be received by 12pm the day before delivery. Available for Auckland delivery only.

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed
Liv Glazebrook's Better-For-You Snickers Bar Recipe

This better-for-you Snickers bar recipe is the treat you need right now

Tough times call for sweet treats. Luckily Liv Glazebrook from Kitchen of Treats has cooked up a clever spin on a classic with this not-so-naughty Snickers bar recipe. Using ingredients such as oats, maple syrup and Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana Chocolate, these no-bake bars are sure to be snapped up quickly.

Better-for-you Snickers bars recipe
Makes 8

Ingredients:
Base
170g whole-grain oats
75g pure maple syrup
35g coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Peanut layer
140g smooth peanut butter
80g pure maple syrup
45g coconut oil
90g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
¼ tsp flaky sea salt

Chocolate coating
250g Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana Chocolate
1tsp coconut oil

Method:
For the base:
1. Line a 20cm x 10cm baking tin with baking paper.
2. Blitz oats in a food processor until a fine flour forms.
3. Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla and salt and pulse until
combined.
4. Press evenly into the baking tin.
5. Place in freezer.
For the peanut layer:
6. Combine peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil in a pan and bring to a boil.
7. When it reaches a boil, remove from heat and pour over the base.
8. Sprinkle with roasted peanuts and flaky sea salt. Place in fridge to set.
For the chocolate coating:
9. Melt chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave (in short increments to avoid burning).
10. Once chocolate is melted, remove the slice from the freezer and cut it into 8 bars.
11. Dip each bar in chocolate & place them on a cooling rack (this allows any excess chocolate to drip through.)
12. Once set, serve.

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed

Enhance your at-home dining experience with this floral-inspired feast by celebrated chef Nic Watt

When preparing a special dinner for family or friends (in your bubble), inspiration can be found anywhere. This is especially the case for celebrated chef Nic Watt, who has taken a cue from beautiful bouquets to create a bespoke at-home dinner menu that has as much charm as cymbidiums.

A feast of floral matching, the recipes reflect the most beguiling qualities of Watt’s favourite blooms. Cratfed in collaboration with the Feel Good With Flowers, it reminds us how flowers can improve a dining experience by their mere presence.

To begin, an entrée of Salmon Gravlax is inspired by the erica and viburnum flowers, known for their wild yet intricate textures and appearance. “The combination reminds me of the top of the Gravlax, with its pink peppercorns, fennel seeds and the delicious aromas,” says Watt.

Nic Watt.

The main event, the Roasted Lamb Backstrap with Garden Herbs and Agria and Sweet Potato Presse, evokes childhood memories of protea red venus, paired with one of the chef’s favourite (and most impressionable) meals made by his mother.

To complete the sensory meal, the Vanilla Bean and Brown Sugar Scorched Ruby Grapefruit Custard Tart is a sumptuous allusion to the layers of texture and colour of the vibrant cymbidium orchid. “What better way to finish a delicious meal layered with caramels, citrus, vanilla and custard, than with a stunning orchid?” says Watt.

While the dishes are showpieces in their own right, a vase of the appropriate petals makes the ultimate finishing touch for an evocative table setting.

Follow Nic Watt’s florally-inspired recipes below:

Salmon Gravlax with Rye Waffle and Horseradish Cream.

Entrée: Salmon Gravlax with Rye Waffle and Horseradish Cream Recipe

Ingredients
600g salmon fillet, skinned and boned
120g sea salt
80g castor sugar
2tbsp pink peppercorns, toasted
2tbsp fennel seeds, toasted
100g cooked and peeled beetroot
1 cup fresh fennel herb, coarsely sliced

Method
1. Combine the sea salt, castor sugar, pink pepper, fennel seeds and beetroot in a food processor. Blitz quickly to incorporate and create your pink rub. Add in sliced fennel herbs.
2. Rub across your salmon fillet, evenly on all sides. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Rye Waffle
65 rye flour
75ml milk
50g unsalted butter
1 egg
2g baking powder
1 pinch sea salt

Method
1. Combine rye flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Mix milk and egg together. Combine and whisk together with rye flour to form batter.
3. When ready, cook in waffle maker to serve.

Horseradish Cream
60g horseradish puree
100g fresh cream lightly whipped

Lemon Fennel
1 fennel bulb
Iced lemon water

Method
1. Combine horseradish puree and whipped cream.
2. Slice fennel bulb thinly into iced lemon water. Drain when ready to serve.
3. Rub off excess salt cure and thinly slice salmon.
4. Serve with waffle, a side dish of the horseradish cream and side dish of lemon fennel.

Roasted Lamb Backstrap with Garden Herbs and Agria and Sweet Potato Presse.

Main: Roasted Lamb Backstrap with Garden Herbs and Agria and Sweet Potato Presse Recipe

Ingredients
2 lamb backstraps
1 cup garden herbs — we have used flat-leaf parsley and mint, coarsely sliced.
½ cup toasted panko bread crumbs
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1 thyme sprig
Knob of butter
Olive oil to seal and cook
3 medium sized agria potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
2 medium sized golden kumara, peeled and sliced thinly
100ml olive oil
1 tbsp picked fresh thyme

Confit Garlic
8 garlic cloves in their paper
½ cup olive oil

Pan Juice
1 cup beef stock
½ cup red wine

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°c.
2. Line a small baking dish with grease proof paper. Layer up the sliced agria and sweet potato. Adding thyme and sea salt as you layer.
3. Cover again with grease proof paper and place a weighted pan on the top.
4. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, until the potato is soft and tender with the tip of a knife.
5. For confit garlic, warm olive oil and whole garlic cloves together in a small pot. Repeat with heating and cooling about four times, until garlic resembles and feels like roast garlic.
6. In a medium pan, sear off the seasoned lamb fillets and brown on both sides. Add the sprig of thyme and butter, bast in the pan for 3 minutes. Set aside to rest ready for serving. Pour in the red wine and reduce to a sticky syrup, add in beef stock and reduce by half.
7. Take out the potato and brown it under the oven grill.

To serve:
Slice the lamb, place on the potato, season with fresh garden herbs and toasted bread crumbs, pour around the pan juices, add two warm garlic confits in the paper and a drizzle of the garlic oil to the plate.

Vanilla Bean and Brown Sugar Scorched Ruby Grapefruit Custard Tart.

Dessert: Vanilla Bean and Brown Sugar Scorched Ruby Grapefruit Custard Tart Recipe

Ingredients
180g unsalted butter softened
80g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
25ml cold water
250g plain flour
1 egg for wash

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 160°c.
2. Use a mixer with the paddle attachment. Work butter until smooth.
3. Add in icing sugar and mix until smooth.
4. Combine eggs and water in a side bowl. Add to butter to just incorporate.
5. Add flour and work slowly so it binds and crumbles.
6. Dust the benchtop and hand knead the dough until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
7. Dust bench and roll out pastry to about 3mm thick.
8. Spray the tart liner with non-stick and carefully line the tart. Press down the sides and trim.
9. Egg wash, line with grease proof paper and baking beans.
10. Bake in oven for 20 minutes to seal off tart case.
11. Remove and allow to cool.

Vanilla Bean Custard
Zest of 3 lemons
150ml lemon juice
160g castor sugar
330ml cream
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean split

Method
1. Set oven to 110°c.
2. Combine the lemon juice and sugar, heat to dissolve sugar. Add zest, infuse and pass.
3. Heat cream with vanilla beans.
4. Whisk eggs and yolks together, add over lemon sugar and then vanilla cream. Thoroughly mix.
5. Pour into cooled pastry tart case and bake at 110°c for about 45 minutes. It should be set on the edges but still wobbly in the centre.
6. Allow to cool on the bench. Refrigerate ready to use.

Ruby Grapefruit Brown Sugar to Decorate
2 ruby grapefruit
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water

Method
1. Slice the grapefruit into segments.
2. Combine the brown sugar and water and warm to dissolve.
3. Line tart top with grapefruit. Brush lightly with dissolved sugar and caramelise with blow torch.
4. Slice and serve.

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed

Editors Picks: Discover all the beauty products the Denizen team is loving right now

Branching out and trying a new beauty product is no small thing — it comes at a cost, and it’s important to know that what you’re about to dab on your face, slather on your skin or massage into your hair is worth the effort. Getting recommendations from a trusted source is key, and that is why we at Denizen have decided to share our current favourite beauty picks.

It turns out there are quite a few (what can we say, we’re beauty buffs), but what better time than alert level 4 lockdown to start implementing an improved routine? You can always keep your camera off for that Zoom if you’re too busy sheet-masking and, hey, even if you’re living in loungewear, at least your skin and hair will be glowing.

Claire Sullivan-Kraus, Editor-in-chief:
Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
I use this product day and night. I definitely notice an immediate plumpness in my skin and minimising of fine lines upon applying it. The trick to using hyaluronic serums is to always follow with a really good moisturiser so that the hyaluronic can draw moisture from the additional layer of moisturiser rather than drawing it from your skin. 

Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
I’ve been a Bader convert since it first launched in 2018 having secured a highly coveted bottle of The Rich Cream on an overseas trip. Thankfully I can now get it from Spring Spa, who are New Zealand’s exclusive stockists. It’s not as heavy as some creams I’ve used, but it definitely leaves me feeling intensely moisturised, and after all the fuss about facial products being just as important on the rest of your body, I’ve happily jumped on the bandwagon with The Body Cream too — and have never looked back.

111Skin Rose Gold Masks
Anyone who knows me, will be familiar with my propensity for a sheet mask. An absolute essential before any night out, the 111Skin range (in particular, the Rose Gold one) will immediately erase any signs of wear and tear that life throws over my face, leaving my skin silky smooth and ready for makeup application. The dedicated eye masks are a lifesaver… and are a permanent resident in my handbag for quick fixes when time doesn’t allow for a full mask.

Aspect Skincare Hydrating Mask
A girlfriend recently put me onto this in Queenstown, where the colder weather can wreak havoc drying out the skin. I’ve taken to slathering this on my face at night and sleeping in it. The results the next morning are impressive.

Brianna Kirkham, Content Manager:
Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo
The shampoo and conditioner in this set are nourishing but doesn’t weigh down my super fine hair. It’s also great for those with unruly curls.

Go-to The Removalist Clay Mask
This clarifying clay mask is not your typical clay mask — it leaves my skin feeling bouncy and fresh, rather than tight and dry which can be associated with some clay masks!

Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask
While the name might be ‘sleeping mask’ I use this super moisturising lip product all day and it doesn’t dry my lips out in between applications like some lip balms can.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
I’m obsessed with this and use it once a week. Super hydrating, it helps with hair breakage and controls frizz.

Rosie Herdman, Deputy Editor:
Revitalash Advanced Lash Serum
I was always sceptical of this serum’s efficacy, but after using it for a month religiously, I’m blown away by the results and now have people asking me unprompted if my eyelashes are real. My tips are to make sure you use it every day, and I used it in the morning, after all my face creams/base makeup, and before eyeliner or mascara. I let the serum sit on my lashes for a good amount of time before going in with another product too, to really make sure it’s doing its job.

Paula’s Choice Clinical Niacinamide 20% Treatment
I highly recommend this to anyone who’s looking to improve the texture of their skin and address bumpiness and marks. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I do, but when I apply it regularly after washing my face and before serums or moisturising, I notice a huge difference.

Emma Lewisham Skin Shield Take On The Day Crème with SPF 30
I’m yet to find a daily sunscreen that I love more than this product by local brand Emma Lewisham. I apply it as the last step over my moisturiser, and it gives a lovely glow and hydration to my skin as well as being made with 100 percent natural ingredients.

Weleda Skin Food Light
Continuing on the natural buzz, I’ve been using Weleda’s Skin Food Light daily as, this winter, for the first time I’ve had patches of rough, dry skin. While the original Skin Food is much too heavy and greasy for me, the Light formulation is more spreadable and wearable, and is the only thing I’ve found that completely erases those dry patches.

Cara Allan, Account Manager:
Rosalique 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula
This product range is specifically formulated for sensitive skin that has a red undertone and makes the perfect base for a “no makeup” makeup look. Applying a little extra concealer where and when necessary, most days I need little else. Not to mention it is SPF 50.

Alpha-H Vitamin
This serum is a recent addition to my regime and I love it. It’s lightweight, hydrating and helps with achieving a natural glow, whilst working to protect my skin barrier.

Mecca Cosmetica Bright Eyed Eye Mask
Extra hydration is key in winter and I find using these masks before applying makeup for a night out or a special event, plumps my undereye and helps with fine lines.

Biorderma Sensibio H20
An easy but super effective way to wipe away the day (whether it be makeup or just SPF). I love Sensibo H20, it clears your skin quickly, whilst being really gentle. I use this as part one of my two-step cleanse routine (usually followed by Aspect Mild Clean).

Fliss Grennell, Advertising Manager:
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream SPF 50
I’m currently battling some delightful pregnancy dermatitis, so I love that this has been created for sensitive skin types with skin-loving ingredients and doesn’t feel like you are doing harm to your skin when wanting to cover up. It also feels nice to apply and gives good coverage.

Codage Paris Moisturising Mask
This mask is an absolute treat, it makes your skin glow and feel so nourished. I apply after the Joanna Vargas Exfoliating Mask, and it makes you feel like you’ve really done something kind for your skin especially while we can’t currently go and get a facial.

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator
I like to keep this in the fridge for a refreshing face spritz, it makes my skin feel juicy and plump.

Niod Multi Molecular Hyaluronic Complex
I often get quite dry skin in winter, so this feels like a big old drink for my skin before applying the Doctor Rogers Restore Moisturising Face Lotion.

Fran King, Art Director:
Sunday Riley Juno Antioxidant + Superfood Face Oil
This face oil is full of antioxidants, omegas and vitamins, leaving my skin feeling hydrated and replenished. It gives the skin a healthy glow and I like that it doesn’t become greasy or sticky after use.

Kosas Brow Pop Dual-Action Pencil and Air Brow Clear Lifting Treatment Gel
I love that this brow pencil is dual-ended so I don’t need a separate spoolie brush and the triangle tip is really easy to use. The Kosas brow gel is the perfect addition to set your brows in place all day long.

VERSO Day Cream
This cream is super nourishing which is perfect through winter. It absorbs really quickly and gives my skin a healthy glow. Formulated with active ingredients like retinol 8, niacinamide and turmeric it’s no wonder that it has quickly become one of my favourite day creams.

EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
This oil-free, lightweight formula doesn’t feel like it’s clogging my skin which is always a plus for me. It also has a bonus of skin-improving ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and lactic acid.

Jessica-Belle Greer, Features Editor:
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Inspired by the feel of charmeuse silk, Giorgio Armani’s cult-followed Luminous Silk Foundation offers smooth, soft coverage with a light glow. I keep a pretty pared-back makeup routine and love how effortless and elegant this product is. It lives up to the hype.

Emma Lewisham Supernatural Collagen Boosting 72-Hour Hydration Crème Riche
Emma Lewisham has slowly been taking over my skincare regime but the product I apply the most is the Supernatural Collagen Boosting Crème Riche. It’s decadent to the touch and smoothes over my skin. Most importantly, its green tech ingredients deliver radiant results. I’ve had so many compliments on my complexion since I’ve started using it.

Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm
I don’t know how Aesop does it, but its hand and body creams often smell like there is a whole world bottled within them. Now that our hands are needing more care and attention as a pandemic precaution, I can’t put down the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm — a blend of fragrant botanicals and skin-softening emollients for rich hydration.

Sothys Gourmand Lip Scrub & Balm Duo
The one beauty tip my mother taught me was to always look after your lips, so I love this lip scrub and balm duo from Sothys. The scrub smells beautiful and buffs away any dead skin, while the balm melts right in to nourish and protect. When I’m going out, it ensures my lipstick goes on that much smoother, too.

Wellbeing

We sit down with Lucy Caldwell and Bella Ireland, founders of the new self-tan-meets-skincare brand making waves
Mānuka Phuel is a new natural energy source primed to fuel a new era of culture, creativity, and connection
Elevate your beauty routine with the season’s simplest but most impactful trend — bold eyeliner
Beyoncé and Jay-Z for Tiffany & Co, photographed by Mason Poole.

Tiffany & Co.’s groundbreaking campaign stars Beyoncé and Jay-Z in some of the world’s most famous jewellery pieces

Marking not just one but several historic firsts, the stars of Tiffany & Co.’s new campaign are none other than two cultural icons who form one of the most powerful couples on the planet: Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Celebrating modern love, the ‘About Love’ campaign marks the first time the duo has appeared in a campaign together, and is the latest evolution in the heritage brand’s new creative direction.

The seminal occasion required some of the house’s most spectacular jewels. Beyoncé looks incredible in her form-fitting black gown, a perfect backdrop to the iconic 128-carat, 82-faceted Tiffany diamond. In another seminal moment, she is the first Black woman to wear the piece. The famous stone was unearthed in South Africa in 1877 and has been worn by only three other people — Mary Whitehouse, Audrey Hepburn and Lady Gaga.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z appear in front of a never-before-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Jay-Z also cuts a polished figure in his black tuxedo; the rapper is wearing one-of-a-kind cufflinks, refashioned from lauded 20th-century jeweller Jean Schlumberger’s A Bird on a Rock brooch. He also wears the eye-catching Apollo brooch in platinum, yellow gold and diamonds, one of Tiffany’s new engagement rings for men, and a host of other incredible pieces.

The campaign was lensed by Mason Poole, and (in yet another groundbreaking moment) a never-before-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat named ‘Equals Pi’ is featured throughout. The remarkable 1982 painting has been in a private collection from its creation until now, and is coincidentally the perfect shade of Tiffany blue, another reason for its suitability.

Styled by June Ambrose and Marni Senofonte, there is also an accompanying video directed by Emmanuel Adjei, who directed Beyoncé’s visionary 2020 film Black is King. The film will be released on the 15th of September, and features a musical performance of the ‘Moon River’ — made famous in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, it has been covered by Beyoncé and captured by Jay-Z on Super 8 Camera.

The final facet of the house’s partnership with the Carters is a pledge from Tiffany & Co. of USD$2 million towards scholarship and internship programmes for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“Beyoncé and Jay-Z are the epitome of the modern love story,” Alexandre Arnault, executive vice president of product and communications, said in a release. “As a brand that has always stood for love, strength, and self-expression, we could not think of a more iconic couple that better represents Tiffany’s values. We are honoured to have the Carters as a part of the Tiffany family.”

Coveted

Watch the Gucci’s Cruise 2026 fashion show via livestream, as the House heads back to its roots
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This viral pasta recipe creates a ridiculously simple (and totally delicious) dish that you need to try

Chances are if you’re on TikTok (or frequent any form of social media), this trending baked feta pasta recipe will have popped up on your feed over the past year. Ridiculously simple and insanely delicious, this recipe uses everyday ingredients, creates minimal dishes and takes just a few easy steps, which even novice cooks can nail. We agree this viral sensation is definitely worth the hype, so why not take the time during lockdown to try it and decide for yourself?

Baked feta pasta recipe 

Ingredients
500g cherry tomatoes
4-5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
A block of feta
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano
350g (approx) pasta of choice such as rigatoni, macaroni, fusilli or orecchiette
Fresh basil, sliced or torn

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 

2. In a baking dish, add the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves. Nestle the block of feta into the middle of the baking dish. Pour over olive oil and season with salt, pepper and oregano. 

3. Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are bursting and the garlic is soft.

4. While the feta and tomatoes are cooking, cook your pasta of choice in a pot of salted boiling water. Once cooked, drain and reserve.

5. Once the feta and tomatoes are cooked, remove from oven. Fish out the garlic cloves, peel and mash them back into the mixture. Add the fresh basil. Stir to combine all ingredients together into a sauce. 

6. Add your pasta. Stir to combine and coat the pasta in the sauce. Enjoy. 

This dish is easily adaptable and can be tweaked to suit your preferences — you can add chilli flakes, lemon zest or extra herbs such as parsley to the end result. 

@cookingwithayeh

Baked Feta Pasta is def worth all the hype!! Inspired by the lovely @feelgoodfoodie ? #fyp #foodtiktok #bakedfeta #pasta #foryou #foryoupage

♬ Taste It – Ikson

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed

Satisfy your fried chicken cravings with this delicious burger recipe

Now is the time for comfort food and guilty pleasures. Fried chicken burgers are the modern day chicken soup, fixing problems you didn’t even know you had. This golden goodness comes from Polly Markus, so you know it’s a fabulous take on this fast food staple.

Widely admired for her exceptional culinary prowess among friends and family, Markus shares her gastronomic delights via Miss Polly’s Kitchen for us all to enjoy at home.

Polly’s fried chicken burger recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Chicken marinade
800g chicken thighs — boneless and cut in half 
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp salt 
¼ tsp smoked paprika 
1 tsp paprika 
½ tsp cayenne pepper 
½ tsp garlic powder

Seasoned flour 
1 tsp pepper 
1 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp paprika 
1 tsp salt 
1½ cups flour 
4 tbsp buttermilk (you can use the milk from the marinade) 
1½ tbsp baking powder 

Buns and preferred burger ingredients (sliced tomato, pickles etc.)

Method:
1. Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the salt and spices, stir into the chicken, then add buttermilk.
2. Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight is best.
3. Once the chicken has been marinating for your desired time, start heating a pot of oil on a medium-high heat, I used 500ml of light olive oil.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, then add the buttermilk, stir it together with a fork until the clumps are even. (This is not meant to be a batter, just a lumpy flour mix.)
5. Have a tray ready next to your pot. Using one hand grab a piece of chicken and cover it in the flour mix, ensure it is thoroughly covered (clumps and all) and place on the tray.
6. Have another tray ready with paper towels for the cooked chicken.
7. Carefully place the chicken into the oil (I did four pieces at a time, be sure not to overcrowd the pot).
8. Cook on one side for 3 minutes and turn then cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and place on the paper towel and repeat until finished.
Note: If the chicken starts to go brown too quickly, turn the heat down slightly. 

To serve:
Eat on its own or serve between your preferred style of buns with your favourite fillings.

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed
Liv Glazebrook's caramel brownie recipe

This caramel brownie recipe is the definition of decadence

Brownie lovers rejoice: this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for. Rich, dark and decadent, this brownie from Liv Glazebrook of Kitchen of Treats is simply too good to resist. Packed with gooey Whittaker’s Creamy Caramel Chocolate, it’s dangerously easy to make (and devour).

Caramel brownie recipe
Makes 24

Ingredients
300g butter
¾ cup dark cocoa
2 ½ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups flour
250g Block Whittaker’s Creamy Caramel Chocolate

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan bake.
2. Grease and a line a baking tin (this recipe used a 20cm x 30cm tin)
3. Melt the butter and cocoa. Once melted, add the brown sugar.
4. Quickly beat in the eggs one at a time.
5. Mix in the flour and pour into the tin.
6. Chop up the Creamy Caramel block carefully in to individual squares (as to ensure the caramel remains encased in each square). Push each square into the brownie, so that the brownie batter covers each.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm around the edges.
8. When cool, cut into squares.

Gastronomy

Meet Normanby Fine Wine & Spirits — the new wine retail destination, bar, and café you need to know
SO/ Auckland and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up for the caviar event of the season
Helping us end any week on a high note, Bivacco’s Sunday Feast isn’t to be missed

Most Wanted: How to make Soul’s delicious cacio e pepe

Few dishes offer the same rich payoff from very little effort as cacio e pepe. Translating from Italian as literally ‘cheese and pepper’, there’s not much more that needs to go into this pasta to make it a creamy, flavourful dream. However, arguably the more simple the dish, the more vital impeccable execution becomes. Gavin Doyle, Executive Chef of Soul Bar & Bistro, certainly agrees, sharing his recipe for mouth-watering cacio e pepe — plus, some key tips for making it the best it can be.

“This simple pasta dish is the epitome of ‘the basics made brilliant’, offering a great reward from some humble ingredients. Always toast the peppercorns in a dry pan before crushing them — it awakens the aromas and will elevate your eating experience even further. The pasta water is what really brings cacio e pepe together and, while you wouldn’t expect to hear this from a chef, store-bought, dried pasta is absolutely fine for this dish.” 

Soul Bar & Bistro’s Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Serves 1

Ingredients
110g spaghetti (store-bought is fine)
70g butter
3g black peppercorns (freshly toasted and crushed) 
50g parmesan, grated
Pinch flaky sea salt
1 cup pasta water saved for sauce

Method 
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season heavily with salt. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions.

2. Put a medium pan on the heat. When hot, add half of the butter. As it starts to separate, it will turn brown and smell nutty. Add the peppercorns at this stage and take the pan off the heat momentarily.

3. When the spaghetti is cooked to al dente, drain it but make sure you save a cup of the cooking water. Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with about 100ml of pasta water.

4. Toss the pan immediately, and keep tossing — this action will create the sauce. Add 2 large tablespoons of parmesan and the rest of the butter. Keep tossing to desired consistency. The pasta water, cheese and butter will emulsify into a delicious sauce.

5. If the sauce looks too dry, add a bit more pasta water to loosen it up. The sauce should coat all the pasta.

6. Plate up in a nice pasta bowl and generously cover in parmesan. Season with a pinch of flaky salt and serve.

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Let there be light! Our Spring issue is here

While the current reality we find ourselves in is certainly more restrictive than we envisioned when we went to print with our Spring 2021 magazine just a week ago, the theme of this issue is that the future looks brighter for us all if we follow the science and get vaccinated. And, most importantly right now, stay at home. Lucky for you then, that our latest issue delivers inspiring content to get you through the days ahead.

Championing, as we have always done, the people, places, ideas and creations that make this little country of ours great, and highlighting the global trends and movements we think you need to know about, we provide ample material for you to welcome the warmer seasons with aplomb.

Glean life lessons, advice and inspiration from the incredible people we have profiled. Lauded New Zealand poet Sam Hunt, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Chelsea Winstanley and P.E Nation co-founder Pip Edwards share personal insights into their journeys, while Allbirds’ Head of Design Jamie McLellan delves into his design process in a comprehensive Masterclass, and restaurateur Tony Astle reflects on 48 years of his iconic former restaurant Antoine’s.

Elsewhere, find much to galvanize both your cooking and dining out repertoire, from recipes by three of Auckland’s top chefs to the best new openings, best burgers and best Japanese eateries. Should you be appraising your abode, we examine the latest design trends — including the whimsical appeal of the Neotenic aesthetic — and if a wardrobe update is in order, look no further than our substantial Coveted section for all the sartorial inspiration one could desire, including a stunning editorial shoot lensed by Mazen Abusrour in the United Arab Emirates.

Life-enhancing devices are given the Denizen endorsement in our Technology section, while over in Wellbeing we delve into the best beauty products and treatments to ensure you emerge from winter as radiant as can be. Our culture update includes all the best material to read, watch, listen to and book tickets for, and should you just want to get away from it all with your nearest and dearest (when national travel is safe again, of course), we introduce the most spectacular private lodges the country has to offer.

As we collectively hunker down in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19, it’s cheering to think that soon the spring flowers will be blossoming and the days will continue lengthening. If we all do our part, there is much to look forward to. We hope you enjoy the issue.

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