New Zealand Associations

Pohutukawa- Mainland Pohutukawa (M. excelsa) is found all over New Zealand, but has a natural growing range is north from an invisible line stretching from New Plymouth to Gisborne. It has bigger, more elongated leaves, the fuzzy underside of its leaves and by its larger flowers than a similar tree called, Rata. It has become a symbol for Christmas as it flowers around that time of year and its bright red flowers remind all of summer ahead. 

Sheep- representing the rural sector again, the sheep and the wool from its back have 
symbolised the rural nature of New Zealand. Some people in overseas countries think Aoteraroa is all green grass when they learn that there are 50 million sheep and only 4 million people

Hokey pokey got to Kiwiana status more than fifty years ago. New Zealanders pack away about two million litres of hokey pokey a year. New Zealanders started munching this flavour back in the 1940s when the range of ice creams was more limited than what we have today. Hokey-pokey is made by adding toffee to vanilla ice cream. It used to have larger chunks when the hokey was smashed by machines but now it is regular, smooth "pebbles" of candy. The problems for the makers is to not make it too crunchy or too chewy as different people like the different textures in their mouths! The top three ice cream flavours in the world are vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. In New Zealand it's vanilla, hokey-pokey, chocolate and strawberry. "Ecce pocce", is Italian for "Get it here, it's cold", and it is thought that it became the name given to ice cream vendors as they called out to passerbys. Hokey-pokey actually referred to cheap ice cream or ice milk. 

This desert was named after the great Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Anna Pavlova (1881 - 1931) was the most famous classical ballerina of her era. She toured the world until 1925, including a visit to New Zealand where it is thought that a chef first prepared the dessert for her to honour her with a food as light and airy as her movements. Australians also claim to have crated the pav through a chef from Adelaide. Here are some quotes from Anna: "To follow without halt, one aim; there is the secret of success. And success? What is it? I do not find it in the applause of the theatre. It lies rather in the satisfaction of accomplishment." "Master technique and then forget about it and be natural." "What exactly is success? For me it is to be found not in applause, but in the satisfaction of feeling that one is realising one's ideal." "As is the case in all branches of art, success depends in a very large measure upon individual initiative and exertion, and cannot be achieved except by dint of hard work. " The ingredients of the pavlova are basically egg whites and sugar topped with whipped cream and kiwifruit (or strawberries). It can be a real challenge to make one with a crisp outside, chewy centre and that hasn't fallen in the middle!