Jools and I are two 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 ginger-nuts. 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're celebrating our family. We get to saddle up at my place with all the cowgirls. Lynda gets to share her love of hunting and fishing, cos there's nothing like putting food on the table that you've caught yourself. But first up we visit Mum and Dad in Morrinsville. Dad's absolutely in love with his Jag, and Mum's garden is her pride and joy. Well, apart from us, of course. Pretty fancy getting milk in the Jag, Dad. Yeah, I think the girl down at the dairy we go to, she either fancies the car or me ` I'm not quite sure. BOTH LAUGH BOTH LAUGH Paper. Hey, Mama! Hello there. Hello there. Is that enough milk? Hello there. what I've got in the fridge. Yes. That'll be enough with what I've got in the fridge. OK. OK. Garden looks good, Mum. Yes. OK. Yes. Yes. Keep working on it, you'll finish it by midday. > Yes. Right from the day that Jools and I were born, you know, it was a beautiful life. We grew up on a farm and had a beautiful freedom, a charmed life in some ways when I look back at it. Mum and Dad were always there for us. And Dad, you know, has given us this beautiful understanding of horses and animals. And our mum is just the best, you know, cook in the world. Dad used to say ` you know, like most men when they're married ` 'Oh, my mum used to do this,' and 'My mum used to do that.' and 'My mum used to do that.' (CHUCKLES) So, he said, 'Would you have a go at making some ginger-nuts?' I said, 'Oh, yeah, I'll give it a go.' So I went up and asked Nana to give me the recipe. And she said, 'Oh, there's nothing to it.' Anyway, never baked them before, and I thought, 'Oh, here we go. Newly married.' And she came and stayed with us. 'Oh,' she said, 'I'll have to taste those for texture.' BOTH CHUCKLE BOTH CHUCKLE Oh, I got 100%. It was so good. BOTH CHUCKLE been making them now, Mum? 100%? And how long have you been making them now, Mum? 59 years. 59 years. 59 years? Whoo! 59 years. 59 years? Whoo! Yeah. How many do you reckon Dad's eaten? 59 years? Whoo! How many do you reckon Dad's eaten? How many do you reckon Dad's eaten? Oh, it's a wonder he doesn't look like a ginger-nut,... BOTH LAUGH BOTH LAUGH ...his hair hasn't gone ginger. > BOTH LAUGH ...his hair hasn't gone ginger. > (LAUGHS) Righto. There's butter, sugar, and now we're going to put in our golden syrup. This is the ingredient you have to get exactly right. You've gotta be careful. You have to be careful cos when you eat these, you're gonna go into a diabetic coma ` sugar and sugar. BOTH LAUGH Why haven't we ever made these? Cos we're not biscuit makers, Jools. Let's face it. Cos we're not biscuit makers, Jools. Let's face it. Cos we come here for them. Cos you always took ginger-nuts to school. You see, I spoilt them when they were young, of course. Kids used to steal our lunches. Yeah. Mum used to make ginger-nuts, peanut brownies, shortbread, Anzac biscuits ` you name it. Kids used to try and nick it cos they were so good. Kids used to try and nick it cos they were so good. (CHUCKLES) It's a beautiful thing. it cos they were so good. It's a beautiful thing. It's a beautiful thing. Righto. Now we sift the flour, baking soda and ginger. I've used it so much that it's got a big bend in the handle, you know, with the pressure I've had to put on it. Yeah, I bent it to hold it like that. See? BOTH CHUCKLE BOTH CHUCKLE < Do you like baking, Mum? Oh, I enjoy it so much. It just brings such joy and feeding everybody. And everybody enjoying it is the nicest part about it. Yeah. Did you ever learn baking from your mum? Yes. She used to bake on the coal range. She made everything. Everything. I remember some relations calling unexpectedly, and she said, 'Oh! I've got nothing.' So she whipped up a batch of scones and a sponge. We never saw her do it. They were in the oven and came out with a roast meal, and they had no electric beaters. I would have been in my 20s when she died. Yeah, she died of a heart attack and was taken from us. So we have nice memories of her, yeah. > And then, of course, Mum Topp came along and... She was like your new mum, was she? She was like your new mum, was she? Yes. She just took Mum's place. She was a great lady. Oh, I loved her. She was just like my mum would have treated me. It was a great thing for me. There you go, then. There you go, then. Such a sweet, sweet lady. Sweet lady. Now, you gently flatten them out. All round at the edges. Righto. That's it. You've made that one square, you idiot. Doesn't matter. It's all handmade. Doesn't matter. It's all handmade. BOTH LAUGH Doesn't matter. It's all handmade. BOTH LAUGH That one's perfect. Look. Righto. BOTH LAUGH Righto. Righto. Lovely. Righto. Lovely. It can go into the oven. Go and tell Dad that the biscuits are nearly ready. We'll have a cup of tea. Righty-oh. And how long have you and Dad been together? We've been together 59 years. It'll be our 60th next year. We've been together 59 years. It'll be our 60th next year. Big party then. (CHUCKLES) We've been together 59 years. It'll be our 60th next year. ELEGANT MUSIC Where did you first meet Mum, Dad? Where did you first meet Mum, Dad? At the local country dance at Wairanga on a Saturday night. Where did you first meet Mum, Dad? Just about Saturday night they had a dance. They dressed up then, didn't they? They dressed up then, didn't they? Old collar and tie. Yeah. They dressed up then, didn't they? Yeah. Yeah. All the girls wore evening dresses. Yeah. All the girls wore evening dresses. Did Mum look good in a dress? Yeah. All the girls wore evening dresses. Oh yes. Too right. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) Yeah. (LAUGHS) Yeah. BOTH LAUGH No question about that. I asked her for a supper dance. Now, that was a big thing. Yeah. Yeah. It was right from the word go. Couldn't miss, could she, eh? BOTH LAUGH ELEGANT MUSIC Hot ginger-nuts straight out of the oven ` childhood memories. Beautiful. You used to get a little bag and take these out on the farm with you for Dad. You'd pinch the ginger-nuts, and off you'd go. 'Here you go, Dad. We brought you some ginger-nuts.' But they brought them for themselves really. We thought Mum didn't know about that. Mothers know about everything, don't they? (CHUCKLES) Righto. You have to wait a little while, cos, you know, they're pretty hot. I know you like them, but... When Nana made these biscuits, she would have to cater for 10. And how she ever did it, I do not know. Six boys, two girls ` they eat a lot of ginger-nuts. Did you take ginger-nuts to school in your lunch box? We use to steal them, even. We use to steal them, even. BOTH LAUGH We're only allowed to take two each in our lunch. When nobody was looking, I'd put another four in my bag. When nobody was looking, I'd put another four in my bag. Yeah? (LAUGHS) My dear, lovely mother was just a wonderful cook. My dear, lovely mother was just a wonderful cook. Yeah. She was just the most beautiful mother that anybody could possibly have. You still remember her very fondly? You still remember her very fondly? Oh yes. No question about that. I really loved my mother. You still remember her very fondly? Yeah. I still even cry... (SIGHS) for my mum. for my mum. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) CONTEMPLATIVE PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES That'll tell you what a lovely lady she was. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You really loved your mum, didn't you, Dad? You really loved your mum, didn't you, Dad? She was just a lovely person. > What did Nana think of Mum when you first brought her home? They got on well together, just like that, straight away. Yeah? Yeah? Yeah. Yeah. Cos one or two other girlfriends I had that she didn't like. She made no bones about it, either. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) No, she and my mum got on like a house on fire. Must have been all right, cos she got the ginger-nut recipe. Must have been all right, cos she got the ginger-nut recipe. Yep. That's right. She didn't hand that out to everybody. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Ooh. You missed a little bit there. We've got cream sponge, banana cake, Anzac biscuits, peanut brownies, shortbread and ginger-nuts. Ginger-nuts. Yep. Ginger-nuts. Yep. Ginger-nut first. (LAUGHS) Ginger-nuts. Yep. Ginger-nut first. (LAUGHS) I'm having one of them too. ALL LAUGH ALL LAUGH I put everything else out but ginger-nuts, people say, 'Oh, where the ginger-nuts?' And I'll say, 'I'm sorry, there's none left.' And they go, 'Aw.' They'd be the most popular biscuit. I love your ginger-nuts, and I love you. I love your ginger-nuts, and I love you. Thank you. I love you too. Thanks, Mum. It always feels like we've come home when you have a cup of tea and a ginger-nut. Especially when you dunk them. That's the best bit. When you get false teeth, you have to dunk them. When you get false teeth, you have to dunk them. ALL LAUGH When you get false teeth, you have to dunk them. LAIDBACK MUSIC More tea, I think. You've been a really good mum, Mum. Thank you. 1 Hello, NZ. Today I'm making a groundbreaking sauce ` whipped coconut cream. You put your coconut cream in the freezer for about an hour. And we're also gonna add a little bit of vanilla essence` And we're also gonna add a little bit of vanilla essence` Camp Mother! There's bees! What? bit of vanilla essence` What? What? There's bees everywhere! What? There's bees everywhere! Camp Leader! Camp Leader! (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) And a little bit of honey. That's a ceramic bee, Camp Mother. It's very important that when you put your frozen coconut into the bowl, it's just solids, no liquids. A little bit like the long drop at the camping grounds. (LAUGHS) Right. We're gonna add a little bit of honey in there, Camp Leader. Right. We're gonna add a little bit of honey in there, Camp Leader. Yes. Nice. Right. We're gonna add a little bit of honey in there, Camp Leader. I have prepared one earlier. That's it. Lovely. Just pop that down now, Camp Leader, because I have prepared one earlier. And here it is. I'm going to add to that now my lovely meringues. A couple of those for the plate, and then we're just going to pop a nice one in here. KOOKY MUSIC I'm just gonna garnish with a little bit of orange and two lovely fat, plump cherries. I call it my French Polynesia fusion. I call it Poly-nusion. (LAUGHS) 'HOME ON THE RANGE' You know, they say home is where the heart is. And for Lynda and me, it's always down home on the farm. We both run horses and beef. Come on, babies. > I've got chooks. Lynda ain't. Hers blew away in a big nor'wester down the South Island one day. (LAUGHS) Chook, chook, chook, chook, chook, chook, chook. Hello, baby. Come on. Chook, chook, chook, chook, chook, chook, chook, chook. Chook, chook, chook, chook. Come on. Come on. Feeding time at the zoo, is it? What sort of breed are they, Jools? Feeding time at the zoo, is it? What sort of breed are they, Jools? Just normal old everyday red chooks. Feeding time at the zoo, is it? What sort of breed are they, Jools? BOTH CHUCKLE Let's go and see if there's some eggs. Let's go and see if there's some eggs. Righty-oh. Let's go and see if there's some eggs. Come on, Jake. Whoo-hoo! Beautiful. Look at that. Whoo-hoo! Beautiful. Look at that. Yeah. Are they good layers? Oh yeah. You don't need that many on a lifestyle block. That's the cool thing about it. You know, you have four or five chickens, then, you know, you're good to go. They lay an egg every day. That soon adds up. You've always got eggs in the cupboard. Nice. We'll be able to cook something up with them, buddy. Nice. We'll be able to cook something up with them, buddy. Come on, you guys! I love my chickens. They're very happy-go-lucky little chaps, you know. Lovely creatures to have around, and they're productive. Mum always said if you've got an egg in the house, you've got a meal. I've got one egg from my beautiful chookies, and I'm gonna put that in a bowl here just like so. I'm gonna make a really simple meal ` breakfast, lunch or dinner. Isn't that right, Lynda? BOTH LAUGH BOTH LAUGH And I'm gonna beat my egg ` cos it's been naughty. BOTH LAUGH How old is that, Jools? It came out of the ark. Yes, it has. Nothing wrong with cooking with old utensils. And then what I'm gonna add to that is my creamed sweetcorn. COUNTRY MUSIC Lovely jubbly. I'm gonna add a little salt in there. There's a little bit of pepper. And Lynda, put that on top of that. Look at that. Beautiful. Lovely. COUNTRY MUSIC CONTINUES Righty-oh. I'm gonna sift 3 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of baking powder. That seems like a lot of baking powder, but you want these little fritters to just sort of pop up. They're sort of like the pavlova of vegetable fritters. They're sort of like the pavlova of vegetable fritters. BOTH LAUGH They're sort of like the pavlova of vegetable fritters. BOTH: Righty-oh. Hold that over the top there. Hold that over the top there. That's come out of the ark too. Hold that over the top there. That's come out of the ark too. Yes, it has. Yes. CHUCKLING And while you're doing that, I am going to gently fold all that lovely mixture in so no flour is left. Could you put other vegetables in there? Could you put other vegetables in there? Well, you can. Could you put other vegetables in there? What about a carrot? You want carrot in it? What about a carrot? You want carrot in it? No. No. Give it to him. He'd like it. If people come, they're fun and quick and easy. You might think you haven't got anything to give anybody to eat, but if you've got some sweetcorn and an egg, you're away cooking. This is the best tucker on a nice rainy day. Just like today ` come inside, hang out by the fire, and it's nice and hot while you cook. Jools, look at the cat. He's gone comatose. Jools, look at the cat. He's gone comatose. BOTH LAUGH All the animals are happy. All the animals are happy. (WHISTLES) Looking good. All the animals are happy. Jools? Is that part of it? (LAUGHS) Do you have to whistle, Jools? Is that part of it? Yes, you do have to do a bit of whistling. You can't be shy about making noises when you're in the kitchen. You can't be shy about making noises when you're in the kitchen. (CHUCKLES) I love this pan. It feels like a bit of a relic from the past, but I saw in an old second-hand store, and I just said I've gotta have that. You can hang it on a swinging thing if you're cooking outside. I think I'm a bit of a cowgirl from way back anyway. I think I was born in the wrong era, you know. < I think I would've been a bit of an Annie Oakley if I'd been born in cowboy time. Annie Oakley? Annie Oakley? BOTH LAUGH Yeah, I'm real lucky that I've got this place here. When I come home from singing songs, I've got this fabulous horse at home. And I love him and he loves me. When I'm not singing, that's what I'm doing ` I'm riding my horse. We've really started something. We have a beautiful system with our horses, and, um, Michaela and Theresa, who work on the ranch as well. We spend our time just looking after horses and training them. I met them both in America, and Michaela's a Kiwi girl. She was a NZ dressage champ for a while there when she was a youngster. So I said, 'Well, there's a place here at Liberty Circle Ranch for you,' and, uh, the rest is history. We studied this old traditional style called the vaquero style, and that's an old Spanish cowboy. So there's this great tradition, and it's all old stuff. It takes a fair while to learn it, and in my spare time I've been studying that for, like, forever, it feels like. It's about quieting horses and being gentle with them. You know, violence starts where knowledge ends in horsemanship. You start trying to make a horse do something, and really what you really wanna do is allow him to do what he can do the best himself. And you can easily do that when the horse is trusting you and wanting to be close, and that's quite magical, you know, when that happens. You want him to be with you. Anyway, they look pretty good, buddy. > I'll give you some, eh? So when I'm not singing, that's what I'm doing ` I'm either riding my horse or helping someone else. First of all, you know, I just set it up that I could ride my own horses. And then it felt like such a cool idea that other people could learn from it. We've set up this whole thing here called NZ Horse Help, and people come and they get safe with their horses and the horses get quiet and soft, and they're happy to do anything they want for you. Nice. Lovely, Jools. Nice. Lovely, Jools. Mmm. People learn how to ride in NZ by Grandpa putting them on a horse, and they slap it on the arse and say, 'Oh, hang on! He'll be all right!' You know? And I think that, you know, if you wanna learn to play tennis, you go and have a lesson, don't you? You know, I wanted to share it ` all that information, and this place ` with other people. You know, we've set this place up as a community to let other people in. You look like a posse heading into town. It's something quite magical going on here, and I think it's important that outside of your job, you have something you're passionate about. Hey! Get out of my fritters. And I sure as hell am passionate about horses. COUNTRY MUSIC COUNTRY MUSIC The first Saturday in May is always a big cross on the calendar. Nothing must be booked, cos that is the opening of duck shooting. Opening day is pretty special. So we're gonna put the decoys out and into the maimais ready for a 6.45 start. That's when you're legally allowed to shoot ducks in NZ. SPLASH! You've gotta get camo'd up when you're duck shooting. They can spot your little face in the maimai. They've got pretty good eyesight, the ducks. You've gotta be able to, uh, get up early in the morning, as well. You're gotta be an early bird to be a duck shooter. All ready. DUCK CALLER QUACKS (BLOWS DUCK CALLER) Now all we do is wait. GUNFIRE GUNFIRE GUNSHOT GUNFIRE GUNFIRE A hundred years ago if you wanted a good feed, you'd probably have to go out and hunt it yourself. Going for a hunt to get meat for the table, providing for your family, is a real, you know, achievement, it feels like. Good one, Moose. Good boy. It makes me feel really proud that I can do this. BIRDS CHIRP I live in a little place called Staveley, which is inland from Ashburton. We have horses, and we raise calves. Our Dad was a great animal man. We had 69 cows, and every cow had a name. He'd tell us about the personality of each cow. Those ways of looking after animals ` we learnt it from our Dad, basically. He's a really beautiful, you know, old farmer. Jools and I just... you know, we loved the farm. Yeah, we have the same story, Jools and me, because, you know, we grew up doing everything together from the time we were conceived. It's quite hard to explain, the twin thing. It's a special bond that you have with somebody, and it's right there from when you were born. There's always a connection there, and that will be there, you know, forever. Jools missed out on the hunting and the fishing gene. I think Dad's got a little gene there that he just gave to me. What sort of boots you got on? What sort of boots you got on? Just my cowboy boots. How are gonna get through the river? What sort of boots you got on? How are gonna get through the river? How are gonna get through the river? I'm not. You are. How are gonna get through the river? I'm not. You are. BOTH LAUGH This is a wild river, so if I'm gonna catch a trout, I always put it back. We don't eat them. < Oh, I'm hungry, though, mate. < Oh, I'm hungry, though, mate. (CHUCKLES) I'd like to have something that we can eat at the end of the programme. I'd like to have something that we can eat at the end of the programme. BOTH CHUCKLE I'd like to have something that we can eat at the end of the programme. LAIDBACK MUSIC Did you have a good season, buddy? Did you have a good season, buddy? Brilliant. First Saturday in May, you count the days down. Exciting. Did you have a good season, buddy? I'm just gonna put that marinade all over that duck ` some spicy plum sauce, soy, olive oil, bit of garlic. Nice. Nice. In she goes. Had a brilliant time with the dog. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. Moose is just a champion. I trained him in a special way too. Yeah. I invite him on to the couch, give him a pat, watch the TV with him and stuff, just spend a lot of time with him. You know, a lot of the boys keep their dogs sort of mean and lean, but you invite him in. It's a big part of your family. That's important. Right? And then when you go out to hunt, he lets you in to go hunting with him because that's what he does ` he's a hunting dog. Does it work? It's magic. It worked on Moose, anyway, cos he is just the best dog I've ever had in my life. What a champion dog! What a champion dog! Yeah? What a champion dog! Yeah? Brilliant. I'm gonna just shove a couple of little NZ oranges right up there. Cos they're only little bums. (CHUCKLES) What do you call that ` mandarin duck (?) (CHUCKLES) Yeah. Righty-oh. They're ready to go. Better go on. Mum and Dad and Bruce'll be here any minute. Righty-oh. Put my flowers in. Mum'll love that. Dunno about Dad. He might have a pink fit. (CHUCKLES) I think not probably many people know this, but actually we do have a big brother, one of the most beautiful, giving brothers you could ever have. Bruce really wanted to be a floral artist from an early age. He's probably got more artistic genes than Jools and me put together. I remember when you won my favourite arrangement at the hall when you were 7 years old. It was a long time ago. Now, the trick is with these, they should stand on their own. So you take it over there and stand it on the table, see if that's gonna do its job. Righty-oh. Right here? Righty-oh. Right here? Just there. Look at that! Righty-oh. Right here? Just there. Look at that! Ta-da! Whoo-hoo! Righty-oh. Right here? (LAUGHS) I wouldn't change my life for anything. I've got beautiful parents who're still with us. I've got a great sister, she's always been there with me; our gorgeous brother ` pretty magic. There's nothing to change, really. If it's good, don't change it. You know, we are so spread out, but, you know, it is a special time when we get together. And our family, it's really something that's special to us, you know. It's a good thing. It makes you smile. Can't get any better than that, eh? ALL: # And if somebody hurts you, # it's OK to cry. # Righty-oh. Righty-oh. Whoo-hoo! Tuck into your duck. (LAUGHS) Well done, team. That bit of duck tasted different. It was a slug in the salad. That bit of duck tasted different. It was a slug in the salad. ALL LAUGH Trust you, Dad, to say something like that. Trust you, Dad, to say something like that. ALL LAUGH Right. Who wants sponge? Right. Who wants sponge? Yes. Right. Who wants sponge? Yes. ALL CHUCKLE I remember my old grandma. When it was time for tea, she'd scoop me up and ruff my hair and put me on her knee. (CHORTLES) She smelt like fresh-picked roses, Ken. Her hair was always neat. And when it came to apple pies, hers were always sweet. I loved my Grandma's cooking. She'd pinch my little cheek and say, 'Don't forget to eat your greens and eat up all your meat.' Her cakes were full of chocolate, and her jam tarts were a treat. And I'd eat till I was all filled up, and then I'd fall fast asleep.