Savory Pies, Fine Wines, and Ginger Beer
While not widely recognized for its cuisine, New Zealand has very good food – especially for cyclists. Our meals were generally hardy which we appreciated after cycling 4-5 hours each day. They were also tasty and healthy, with excellent meats and seafood and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.Â
Breakfasts were included in our accommodations and generally included hot and cold cereal, breads, fruit, juice, and coffee or tea. There was plenty and it was all good. A special treat was Marmite, which is a thick, earthy spread for toast that is particular to New Zealand and can only be fully appreciated by the locals. Â
New Zealand is known for its savory pies, which are single-portion sized entrees with top and bottom crusts filled with combinations of vegetables and/or meats. We began to look forward to them each day as we pedaled along the rail trail and planned and debated which type of pie we would order.Â
Evening meals generally offered a variety of appetizers and entrees with excellent lamb, beef, venison, fresh seafood, vegetables, and salads. Our meals were fresh, nicely-presented, inexpensive, and the servings were ample. Â
Central Otago is one of the world’s southern most popular wine producing regions. The summers are hot and dry and the winters crisp and snowy and some of New Zealand’s best Pinot Noir wines are produced in this region.  New Zealand wines are plentiful, inexpensive, and good; among our favorite varieties were Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.   Â
An excellent alternative to wine is New Zealand’s wide selection of ginger beers. These refreshing non-alcoholic drinks have a nice zing that perked me us, and I found myself ordering them at afternoon rest stops and dinners.
