# Left my home town of Huntly... # Jools and I are country-singing cowgirls from Huntly and spent our childhood helping Dad on the farm and eating Mum's amazing home cooking. The Topp Twins have been around the world making people laugh, but it's always good to get home to NZ and a good old cheese and Marmite sandwich. and a good old cheese and Marmite sandwich. Or one of Mum's gingernuts. This country is overflowing with incredible produce and amazing home cooks. We're hungry for a new adventure, so we're hitting the road in search for the true food heroes of NZ. Yeehah! # I'm just a local farmhand # working the land. # This week, we meet a southern couple making the best steak pies you can eat. No tomato sauce required for these ones. Then we hit the city streets and get lucky with Otis and Sarah Frizzel on The Lucky Taco Mexican food truck. But first, we're in one of the most spectacular places on the planet ` the beautiful Banks Peninsula. And more precisely, Pigeon Bay, where David Hay and his wife, Belinda, run their Wakanui Angus-beef farm. The land has been in David's family since 1830. That's damn near 200 years of farming. Hey, I hear you can get a pretty good, uh, bit of beef around here. Hey, I hear you can get a pretty good, uh, bit of beef around here. Well, yes, you might be in luck. Yes, you could well be. Yes, you could well be. Nice-looking cattle. Yes, you could well be. Nice-looking cattle. Angus cattle. Nothing but the best. Nice, and what are you doing with them? These are heifers, and we're just taking out the white-faced ones. These are heifers, and we're just taking out the white-faced ones. What's wrong with them? They're not black-faced. They're not black-faced. ALL CHUCKLE David likes his cattle black in one mob, white-faced in another. Anal, I think they call it. Anal, I think they call it. ALL CHUCKLE Yes, very much. Yes, very much. ALL CHUCKLE Hey, which is tastier? Heifers or steers? Heifer, and, like, we're having a barbecue with roast beef. It's heifer. It's much nicer. Always tender. I like a good steak. I like a good steak. Do you? > I like a good steak. Do you? > Yep. Beef's my favourite, I think. Good. > Good. > We'll be there. I was just gonna say, 'Would you like to join us?' You beat me to it. We're coming whether you like it or not. I'm going up the hill to get another mob, so you can help me. I wasn't expecting to work for my dinner, but I'm not averse to that. You might have to do quite a bit. You might have to do quite a bit. I'm game for a bit of work. You might have to do quite a bit. I'm game for a bit of work. Good. > You got dogs for that, buddy? You got dogs for that, buddy? Yes. You got dogs for that, buddy? Yes. Good on you. EASY-GOING MUSIC This mob's all right. We'll get out. This mob's all right. We'll get out. Yep. She looks keen, that one, buddy. She looks keen, that one, buddy. Come on. Go, dogs. Oh, too keen. Mad dog. Hey, Meg. Hey, Meg. Sometimes she drives me insane. Won't do what I tell her. You wouldn't be the first farmer that got driven insane by a dog. You wouldn't be the first farmer that got driven insane by a dog. You'd be quite right. (WHISTLES) DOGS BARK DOGS BARK < Meg! Meg! Get out! Meg, behave yourself! Come on, girls! Come on! Come on, girls! Come on! Come on, Joe. Not you, Meg. Here you go, girls. Come on, girls! Come on, baby. Come on. They're just beautiful to be around, aren't they? They're just beautiful to be around, aren't they? They're lovely. Why do they taste so good, buddy? Why do they taste so good, buddy? Oh, it's the grass that we put in them. Yep. Yep. And it's the way I talk to them. Yep. And it's the way I talk to them. It's a real personal thing, is it? Oh, I think so. I love it. Um, they come and talk to you. Uh, sheep run the other way, but cattle are lovely. They listen to you. And this land here, it's pretty important to you, isn't it? Yes, it is. It's been in our family for about 180 years. We got here in about 1840, give or take a few years. Um, so that is a long time. Does that make you feel pretty proud? Does that make you feel pretty proud? Yes, it does. Yes, it does. Yeah. My uncle ran this farm. I was brought up next door. And when did you take over the farm? And when did you take over the farm? When I was about 21. My uncle wanted me to buy it. It was a huge mortgage. But love it. It's really nice. It has been very enjoyable, with my two boys, Jason, of course, and Belinda. It's lovely. Nice family unit. Jason, of course, and Belinda. It's lovely. Nice family unit. (BARKS) Leave it, Meg. Meg! The Hays have always been in Pigeon Bay. They came from Scotland originally. This is a pretty neat old house. This is a pretty neat old house. They built this one in 1913. So it's 100 years old this year. That's the Hay clock. Doesn't go. That's the Hay clock. Doesn't go. Doesn't go? That's the Hay clock. Doesn't go. Doesn't go? It sits there, and it looks good. Time has stood still? Time has stood still? Time has stood still. It has. Look at those. Look at those. That's an Argentinean longhorn. It was with the farm years ago. They came across with the Hays. On a boat? On a boat? You know, that's how everything came out. That thing came on a boat? That thing came on a boat? They probably... That would have been small. It would have been little. Would have got a pretty good steak off that one, eh? Not as good as the one we're having tonight. That one is gonna be much nicer. Yeah. Tonight, Lynda, we'll have the striploin, so it's a porterhouse, and smoked garlic. That's my standard meal. Oil it, both sides. When we have town friends here, it's always beef. It never changes. This is smoked garlic and spices. So, if you can take that out to Nicholas, and it's gotta be at 310. 310? 310? 300 or 310. Not over. 310? 300 or 310. Not over. Righty-oh. (CHUCKLES) Gidday, you must Nick? Gidday, you must Nick? That's correct. Yeah. We've got strict instructions from your mother. We've got strict instructions from your mother. Let's not get her angry. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) You do all the cooking out on the barbecue? Yeah. (CHUCKLES) You do all the cooking out on the barbecue? No, I'm just the smoker. Is that cooking or other kind of smoking? Oh no. That's cooking. Definitely cooking. Strictly cooking here. Oh no. That's cooking. Definitely cooking. Strictly cooking here. Oh, that's good, buddy. (CHUCKLES) What a nice young man you've got. What a nice young man you've got. Two boys, so I'm lucky. They're good to their mother. That's why you would want boys. That's why you would want boys. Oh, that's good. Yeah, they're good. Yeah, they're good. Do they work on the farm? Yeah, they're good. Do they work on the farm? They do a bit, but not all the time. It's really good having the boys help, yeah, and it makes it much nicer for David. So Dave's pretty good with cattle? So Dave's pretty good with cattle? He's really good. He likes cattle. He enjoys them. Talks to them. He's got passionate about it, has he? He's got passionate about it, has he? Yeah, yeah. We have to be. Is he a passionate man? Is he a passionate man? Oh, Lynda, you have to find out. Just ask him. Goodness, I'm never gonna find out. Goodness, I'm never gonna find out. No, you won't. OK, I'll tell you. He's pretty good in every way. (CHUCKLES) When you're on these hills, how do you feel, buddy? Oh, I love it. You feel for the land. It's been in our family for that long now that, uh, i-it's a big part of me. Part of my blood. Seems to be. That's, uh... And will it...? You think it will carry on in the family? I would like to think it can, but with.... I'm not too sure yet. Uh, oh, I hope so, but it's difficult in this day and age. (SIGHS) It's a big ask to... to change it. Yeah, it is. Yeah, seven generations of people here. Seven generations? Do you think your boys will take over? We would like them to, but we will just have to see. < (BARKS) < (BARKS) Leave it, Meg. < (BARKS) Leave it, Meg. MEG BARKS, CATTLE MOO < Meg! Settle down! Settle down, Meg! We're short of a few cattle now, I feel. We're short of a few cattle now, I feel. BOTH CHUCKLE I suppose that we should really get on with it. It's a pretty stink view you've got (!) Not bad, is it? Not bad, is it? I think I'd quite like to live here too. Meg! We're smoking the garlic. We're smoking the garlic. Drop the garlic down. There's enough water in there already. Spot on. Beautiful. So, this is your home-made one? That's right. Yep. Yep. That's right. Yep. Yep. (CHUCKLES) Righty-oh. (TAPS) 20 minutes. 20 minutes. See you then, buddy. 20 minutes. See you then, buddy. Very good. WHISPERS: Looks good. Come on, girls! Come on, girls! < Walk it out. Come on, guys. Walk it out. Good girls. Look at that, huh? They're well-behaved. Look at that, huh? They're well-behaved. < Beautiful bit of farming, buddy. Now you've turned them into pets, Dave. (CHUCKLES) Now you've turned them into pets, Dave. (CHUCKLES) DOGS BARK You reckon I could get a job here? You reckon I could get a job here? I reckon I'd keep you on. You're not too bad, actually. Come on, girls. Come on, girls. You'd make a a good huntaway. Come on! Come on! There. There, Megs. Come on! There. There, Megs. (BARKS) That's your side, Jools. Get out, Meg. Get out, Meg. (WHISTLES) Is the meat good because of your farm? The best meat you can ever get because it's grass-fed, and they're not stressed. So they need good tucker, and they need a bit of love? So they need good tucker, and they need a bit of love? Yes, bit of love. (BARKS) (BARKS) Good dog, Meg. (BARKS) Good dog, Meg. You are a good dog, aren't you? I think a beer would be good, buddy. Lucky for me, one of the sons makes a damn good boutique brew. Hey, James. Your dad says I can get a good beer here. Hey, James. Your dad says I can get a good beer here. OK, well... Did you make it? You're gonna be a brewer? You're not gonna do the cattle, eh? Oh, I'd like to be able to do both. Unique beer from Banks Peninsula, made by you. It is. It is. With love, was it? It is. With love, was it? Brewed with love. That's correct. Oh... Oh... What do you think? Oh... What do you think? Beautiful. Now, we just got to have Angus meat to go with that, and we'll be bloody right. Well done, buddy. It's been a very difficult day moving all the cattle, Toppy, but we did it. It's been very difficult for us too, moving that beef around the kitchen. It's been very difficult for us too, moving that beef around the kitchen. ALL CHUCKLE They've done a pretty good job, Lynda, right? Righty-oh. Righty-oh. Not bad, eh? They looked good out in the paddock, but they're better on the plate. They looked good out in the paddock, but they're better on the plate. ALL CHUCKLE Absolutely beautiful. WHIMSICAL MUSIC Hello, NZ. This week, we're making a mushroom and peppercorn sauce. Camp Leader, gallop out to the fields and get me fresh mushrooms. Camp Leader, gallop out to the fields and get me fresh mushrooms. (NEIGHS) Ha ha. < Don't start without me, Camp Mother! Hello, gastronomes. Welcome to Camp Mother's Cooking Show. This week, I'm doing a specialty sauce. In my pot, I have Bordeaux Cab Sav Merlot, home-made beef stock and some good old fresh NZ cream. I'm going to add to that my lovely earthy fungus. Portobellos, I've got, and I'm going to add some creamy Dijon into my aromatic reduction. And, finally, hand-picked peppercorns from the coast of India. Mmm. So odoriferous. My Angus has been resting for five minutes, grass-fed, grain-finished on a bed of wilted spinach. Here you are, Camp Mother. Oh, Camp Leader, all of those are poisonous. We can't use any. Put them aside, please. You're just in time for my steak and mushrooms and spinach. What about one of those on there? What about one of those on there? Perfect. SERENE MUSIC The famous Hororata pie put the small mid-Canterbury village of Hororata on the map. Made and sold from the pub since the 1950s, the legend came to an end when the heritage pub was damaged in the Christchurch quakes. The community was lucky that a local couple bought the secret recipe from the Hororata pub auction. At the Hororata Cafe, Jason and Jania are one of the many people working with the recipe owners to bring the pie back as a culinary icon. Mrs Hutton started the legend back in the '50s, '60s. She made it at her home first in her old coal range. > Her sons would take mates back, and the pie became more and more popular. > So they brought it down to the local pub to sell in the pub. You talk to a lot of the older men, they remember as kids going to her house, or going to the pub with Dad after a rugby game on a Saturday and having a pie. Some of them would go, 'Oh, the pie's back.' And it's, like, 'Yes, it is.' It's just a lovely thing to be part of. Memories. You're part of a memory. It's actually a story of love in a community, isn't it? Absolutely. The pie lives on because of the Hororata Community Trust. Everything in the pub had to be auctioned off. They bought the pie recipe off the pub at the auction to keep it in the community. They then gave it to us, and, you know, highly confidential. And it was, like, a bucketful of this and a handful of this, and Jason's going, 'How do I do this?' So, like, 'The best thing is just to get the locals down and go by their memory.' You had the old boys going, 'I remember having gravy on my chin, and I remember having peas.' 'No, it didn't have peas in it.' 'Yes, it had peas in it.' 'No, it didn't have peas in it.' 'Yes, it had peas in it.' BOTH CHUCKLE Jace then had to go through this whole, 'OK, we'll do a bit of this and a bit of that.' He is an absolute perfectionist at what he does. That's why the pies, I think, are so good. Mr Perfectionist. He's had a lot of the bakers come in and say, 'I used to bake it.' And, finally, he got a... yep, he has created a pretty awesome pie. Old Jace, he's a bit of a hunk, isn't he? (CHUCKLES) Yeah. Yeah, a bit of a hunk. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. Yeah, a bit of a hunk. ALL CHUCKLE He's a hunk. He's my hunk. He's a hunk. He's my hunk. ALL CHUCKLE How'd you get into making pies, buddy? My wife pushed me into it. My wife pushed me into it. ALL CHUCKLE Well, she's probably done a good thing, hasn't she? Well, she's probably done a good thing, hasn't she? Oh, fantastic. Yep. I love making the pie. > I love making the pie. > So, you're a butcher by trade. So you'd know all about the meat. Butcher of the Year once upon... once upon a time. Crikey. Now you'd be pie maker of the year, do you think? Crikey. Now you'd be pie maker of the year, do you think? This year, guaranteed. < Oh yeah? < Oh yeah? I've got the best pie. < Oh yeah? I've got the best pie. < Yeah. Has Jania ever made the pies? She has done. Yeah, when I've got shitty. It was just once, though. She has done. Yeah, when I've got shitty. It was just once, though. (CHUCKLES) How did that turn out? Not very good. So she's not allowed to make them any more. Not very good. So she's not allowed to make them any more. ALL CHUCKLE Jania makes shit pies. Jania makes shit pies. ALL CHUCKLE Jania makes shit pies. ALL CHUCKLE She's banned. She's a bit of a groover, isn't she? She's a bit of a groover, isn't she? She is a groover. She is awesome. You love her too? You love her too? Always. We've been together for 28 years. 28 years? You must have got married when you were 2 or something, were you? You must have got married when you were 2 or something, were you? ALL CHUCKLE I saw her at school, and I said, 'Yeah, I wanna marry that girl.' Yeah? Yeah? Yeah, I said that to her mate as soon as I saw her. How old were you? How old were you? I was, uh, 14. How old were you? I was, uh, 14. 14? Yep. And I don't know. Just yo-you know how you`? You feel it? Yeah, you feel it. Yeah, you feel it. Yeah, you feel it, and it was love at first sight. I don't think she loved me, though, wh-when she first saw me. She's warmed to you, though, over the years. She's warmed to you, though, over the years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. > Not many people get to marry their first sweetheart and stay together for how many years, did you say? 28 years. 28 years. 28 years? That's not a marriage. It's a miracle. ALL CHUCKLE OK. There we go. If you'd like to put some in? Yep. OK, what sort of meat's in there, Jace? Chuck steak. A pie needs big, hunky, chunky bits of steak. What's the most pies you've made in a day? Uh, close to 700. Uh, close to 700. 700? Yes. Yes. A lot of pies. At the Highland Games. They were flying out. I couldn't keep up. That's too much, Lynda. That's too much, Lynda. Why? That's too much, Lynda. Why? I got to get the cheese in there. Jools` Jools is right. I'll just have to scoop a little bit out. She's been a pie maker for two seconds, and then she's an expert. Yes, I am. Yes, I am. ALL CHUCKLE What's their favourite pie? What's their favourite pie? Oh, steak and cheese. Has to be. Right, let's put this on top. Right, let's put this on top. There'll be another Topp on it in a minute. Me! You're on a roll here, buddy. You're on a roll here, buddy. I am. You're on a roll here, buddy. I am. Loving it. Only 650 to go, Lynda. Only 650 to go, Lynda. BOTH CHUCKLE There they are ` the legendary Hororata pie. Made by and soon-to-be award-winning pie maker Jace. Made by and soon-to-be award-winning pie maker Jace. BOTH CHUCKLE Well done, buddy. We better go and eat one. Well done, buddy. We better go and eat one. Brilliant. Mmm. You don't even need any tomato sauce on it. Oh, it's absolutely brilliant, buddy. That is an incredible pie. Big hunks of meat. Just enough gravy. It's a winner. The pie is still legendary. Mmm. UPBEAT MUSIC Hey, you wanna hear something Mexican? Auckland City's latest street sensation is The Lucky Taco food truck. The love child of Otis and Sarah Frizzel was conceived on their honeymoon in Los Angeles. flavour of street-food culture, the ex-copywriter and her artist hubby are now the proud full-time parents of a new baby, Lucky. In the States, there was a million food trucks just zipping around. It's so popular there. It's, like, why`? Why can't we do something like this in NZ? So now we've got our own gleaming, edible revolution on wheels. Where did you get the name from? Where did you get the name from? Well, we actually went through a whole lot of really stink ones. Taco Cat was one of them cos that's a` a palindrome. Spelled the same way backwards and forwards. But that's, uh, cat meat. Bad association with steak tacos. Nah. And... (CHUCKLES) we started looking at, um, sort of, tattoo branding. And, like, the lucky cherries and the lucky dice and Lady Luck, and Sarah had the idea for one of these,.... (TAPS) based on, um, an old game called... BOTH: ...Trouble. BOTH: ...Trouble. We're, like, 'If you get a double six, that is The Lucky Taco.' Oh, OK. Oh, OK. You get a free one. Oh, OK. You get a free one. Walk to the truck and get lucky. BOTH: That's right. BOTH: That's right. What a brilliant idea. BOTH: That's right. What a brilliant idea. You can get a taco as well. We're after a beef taco. Yep, tacos de aracherra. Yep, tacos de aracherra. Wow, that's pretty fancy, ain't it? What's it mean? Marinated skirt steak. Marinated skirt steak. ALL LAUGH Doesn't it sound more beautiful in Spanish? Doesn't it sound more beautiful in Spanish? ALL LAUGH One of our popular tacos on the menu, and we'll be doing the marinade for this. This is achiote paste, the nacho seeds ground with citrus, and they use it to give the meat that kind of orange-y, rich colour. So that's yummy. We've got soy and olive oil. Fresh lime juice. Lots of garlic. Chilli flakes. Cumin. White pepper and ground coriander. That's it. You put it all in the Blitzer. Pour it over the steak. Leave it overnight. Perfect tacos. Pour it over the steak. Leave it overnight. Perfect tacos. BLITZER WHIRS BLITZER STOPS BLITZER STOPS And we just pour it in. Never lets me down, this one. This all started on your honeymoon? This all started on your honeymoon? Yep. < CHUCKLES: Get stuck in. < CHUCKLES: Get stuck in. Don't you do other things on your honeymoon? We did both. We did both. BOTH LAUGH So, sort of, a baby was created. So, sort of, a baby was created. Not the one all of our family wanted. (LAUGHS) But, yeah, the seed was born. When we got back from LA, she was, like, 'I wanna do a food truck.' She didn't want to do her job any more. She grew up just outside of Liverpool, and to tell the truth, I don't think she'd ever eaten a single vegetable, you know? Always, sort of, spam and chips. But, um, she got here and discovered fresh produce and started to cook, and she just wanted to do something with food. And she's, like, you know, she's a happier person now cos she's doing something she really loves. So it's so nice to see that. Support the one you love, really, you know? Ha-Happy wife, happy life. OK, yeah. OK, yeah. BOTH CHUCKLE We did a food trip to Mexico. We did a food odyssey and ate street tacos everywhere. They were, like, 'Don't eat street tacos. You'll get the runs.' They were, like, 'Don't eat street tacos. You'll get the runs.' They were good ones? The best, man. You know, oh man. You take your life into your hands a little bit. We had lots of weird and wonderful tacos. We had tripe, we had tongue and sheep scrotum. It's called machitos. It's called machitos. Is that served, like, little balls in the taco? Just the sack. Yeah, not the... Yeah, so it's the wrinkly... Oh, it's the wrinkly bits? OK, so it's not the actual... OK. It's not those, yeah. It's not those, yeah. You haven't got those in the truck? It's not those, yeah. You haven't got those in the truck? Not yet. (LAUGHS) But it was great. They were tasty. We met a famous Mexican chef lady called Ruth Alegria. She has a cooking course. She taught us all her secrets, and then we brought it back to NZ. It's kind of what we loved and what we learned, fused, and, yeah. So how did you meet Otis? So how did you meet Otis? I met Otis through his brother, Josh. Um, he set us up on a blind date. Never had a blind date before, and I'd highly recommend it. My brother and his wife, uh, had done a job with her, and I was, like, 'No way.' And his wife was, like, 'She's really cool.' And I was, like, 'Is she hot, though? 'Cool's not good enough.' < Everyone else wanted me to go more than I wanted to go and decided I wasn't gonna go, and then my friend made me go, and that was weird. I was actually a bit drunk. (CHUCKLES) So... That's how most English girls meet their husbands. (CHUCKLES) Begrudgingly, we both showed up, and it was, like,... it was, like, 'Mm. Mm, mm. Yeah, yeah.' Now, I have been invited on a blind date. I'm, like, 'Go for it, man.' Now, I have been invited on a blind date. I'm, like, 'Go for it, man.' BOTH CHUCKLE 'It'll be awesome.' The second date, it was my 26th birthday, and we had a big pirate party, and he brought a piece of his art and some flowers, an-and I thought, 'Wow, this guy is pretty... 'He's trying pretty hard.' And then I realised he was the one when h-he... I had really long hair at the time, and h-he curled my hair, so I was a pirate wench. And I thought, 'That's it. Any guy that curls my hair, he's the one.' You know? (LAUGHS) She has intangible things. She's creative. She's vivacious. She's just lovely. She's got ribbons in her hair, and she smells nice. You know, what can I say? She's... (LAUGHS) She's awesome. She's awesome. You're set up for life, then, buddy? She's awesome. You're set up for life, then, buddy? Well, I reckon she's a keeper. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, cos we can never split the truck down the middle. (LAUGHS) So, he's backing your dream? Oh, it's his dream now too. You know, I wanted to do it. I couldn't do it without him. We're doing it together, and it's great to able to do this with your partner. Lots of love in the truck and in the food. So, yeah, we're lucky. Real special, eh? Real special, eh? Yeah, it is. Real special, eh? Yeah, it is. Nice. (CHOPS) Uh, don't cry. (CHUCKLES) It's just the onions. (CHUCKLES) (CHOPS) Uh, don't cry. (CHUCKLES) It's just the onions. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Oh, I've got tears in my eyes. What a beautiful story. We don't know if this thing's gonna fly or not. It's a crazy idea. But the possibilities are endless. Start a clothing label called The Lucky Taco. Who doesn't want that for their little... for their little bubs? Cups, pencil cases, undies. You know, The Lucky Taco. That'll be a funny one. (LAUGHS) # There's a girl in every one horse town. She rules the roost... ALL CHEER ALL CHEER You can handle it. Cowgirls can handle hot sauce. We're in Mexico. Right in the heart of Ponsonby. Wow. It's absolutely amazing, buddy. Awesome. # There's a fire in my belly, and it's burning just for you. # I got no cash, and my bills are due. # I'm gonna keep on singing this song. Whoa! # And let the fire burn on. # And let the fire burn on. # And let the fire burn on. # Cows are matriarchal and as feminist as can be. Now, I've studied this at length, and the facts I've got have got a lot of strength. For a start, cows live together. Their communal spirit's high, and when they sleep and eat together, it brings a man tear to my eye. Now, dogs are man's best friend, so says the species man, but a cow can't be a man's best friend cos she'll kick him if she can. And in all the years I've known cows, as sure as sheep has wool,... (CHUCKLES) I've never met a cow that jumped a fence to see the bull.