Powhiri - The Maori Welcoming Ceremony

Te Whare Ra Uta

Wow - now this was a cultural experience.  The initial ceremony felt so intense that I felt a little overwhelmed at times. No photos were allowed inside so I'm going to have to do my best by using "word pictures".
 
Lucas and I arrived early and waited just outside the gates with the other new doctor and her husband, Diane and Mark, and our representative.  When the ceremony began, a woman came out of the house and greeted us with a song and our representative replied back in song. As we walked into the building, the other members of the community continued the song and made these arm motions and loud grunts (almost like they were pulling a heavy rope or rowing, maybe to symbolize that they were pulling us into the group?).  This was all very overwhelming and I have never experienced anything like it before and might not again. It felt altogether welcoming, foreign, and confusing.
 
Next we all took our seats, the head men from the community sat in chairs across from the new people (us) and our representatives, who spoke for us in Maori.  Both sides took turns saying speeches in Maori, and a song in Moari was sung after each speech. It was impressive how much Maori even the non Maori staff have picked up either during their time at the clinic or just from living near Maori communities.  During this period I had no idea what was being said.
 
After the speeches, we went around and greeted each person.  For the most part, women traditionally kiss on the cheek but men take part in a hongi - where you shake hands and press your noses and foreheads together.

Hongi

Once everyone had been officially greeted, everyone formally introduced themselves to the group.  Many people spoke mostly in Maori and made a few statements in English.  In your introduction you paid respects to the leaders of the group, (present and past), told your mountain, your river, your waka (canoe or how you traveled to the house), and iwi (the village where your ancestors come from).

 

Me:

Mountain: Mount Wilson

River: Los Angeles River

Waka: Air New Zealand (this got a nice laugh from the crowd)

Iwi: Los Angeles, California

 



The ceremony closed with a prayer and song and finally, the sharing of food - aka lunch!

Here is a link to a youtube video that gives an idea of the songs sung and how the beginning of the ceremony progressed.  Everyone present was in modern work attire (so no costumes or weapons were displayed) and no dancing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k1FL-vn7hs

self photo before heading to the ceremony

I poached an egg for breakfast and besides over cooking it, I did a pretty good job and was very proud

McDonald's: The Starbucks of New Zealand

Hands down this is the nicest McDonalds I have ever been to.  It seems that McDonald's on a whole are pretty fancy places in New Zealand.  I imagine that its similar to Pizza Huts in China. Our closest McDonalds even comes with a  separate McCafe section complete with a decent espresso machine.  Rounding out this McDonalds, free wifi and comfy booths.  Looking around, I realized that maybe McDonald's is similar to Starbucks back in the US.  Scattered about were families eating dinner, people on laptops, students studying, and business men have a quick meeting.

On this trip I didn't have my first official meal but instead, Lucas and I enjoyed (for the most part) a honeycomb McFlurry.  The ice-cream was more of a custard instead of a soft serve, making it overly rich for more that a couple bites.

Very impressed by the McMacaron

And you may ask you’re self…how did I get here?

Oh right…Air New Zealand.

Wow – we did it! We’re really in New Zealand! Although it doesn’t feel as foreign as I thought it would.  I feel a little off with the time change but not much. It feels more normal to be here than I thought it would.  Not that this is a bad thing, just different than I imagined.  We’ve spent the first couple days settling in to our hotel room and doing some small walks around Porirua and Wellington.  The hardest part for me, our hotel room is a mess.  There are space-saver bags filled with clothes that I can barely identity, I don't know which suitcase certain items are in, and when I can’t find stuff, I panic thinking I’ve miss packed it in box and left it in Jon and Sara’s garage in California.

Last night we went to the community pool that’s a couple blocks from our hotel room and it was the most amazing and awesome community pool I’ve ever been to.  Picture doesn't do it justice.  If you look closely, you can see the killer whale hanging from the ceiling above the wave pool.

1.     Standard lap pool - awesome

2.     Multiple hot tubs

3.     Wave pool!!!!! This was AWESOME! Lights flashed, a siren went off, and everyone in the pool ran towards the wave section – just like at Raging Waters.

4.     Saunas

5.     Popcorn vending machine! Because you know, after swimming and playing in a wave pool..you’re going to want fresh popcorn that’s popped from a popcorn vending machine!

 

Side note: our hotel bed has a heating blanket and it is 100% amazing.

There is a McDonald’s, KFC, and Subway in walking distance which, strangely enough, feels a little comforting.  Who knew that somewhere deep inside (a deep dark place) I was so attached to these brands?  Actually, going to McDonald’s in other countries is one of my favorite things.  Granted, the menus are always similar but there are always hints of what the local population enjoys. Needless to say, I am looking forward to 1: going to McDonald’s and 2: reading someone’s dissertation: “McDonalds: International Variance in Fast Food Consumer Offerings”.

 Some differences that I’ve noticed:

1.     Stuff can be really expensive here.  Whether it is a $14 sunblock or a $5 cucumber, anything seasonal or shipped from overseas is priced accordingly.  I really like the concept (yea – as an American it feels like a concept) that I’m forced shift my buying habits based on availability or seasonal conditions.  I mean I always knew that was a healthier/earth friendly way to shop but it was never enforced so I only did it when I remembered to. Even if it had to be flown in from Chile, I was going to have a mango anytime of the year for less than 2 bucks.  Now it’s a slap in the face…you want to enjoy that out of season avocado with your sandwich…that will be $8.

2.     The letter “Z” is pronounced “zed”

3.     People dress more stylish here than I was lead to believe.  I stepped off the plane thinking that I would finally be the hippest cat in town but with in mins of walking around Wellington, I realized that this would not be the case.  If I want to be stylish, I'm going to have try a lot harder. 

4.     Honey is big here, either as a dessert and health food item.

5.     It is not easy to tell which way the water swirls when the toilet flushes.  It more just dumps out the bottom of the bowl.  I have only been to a handful of toilets but as far I can tell it’s not as obvious as Bart Simpson would have led me to believe

6.     “Calories” are called “Energy”. Doesn’t that make more sense? A donut is giving me 320 units of energy not 320 calories.



SFO Airport



Very Stylish Yogurt Containers

First Dinner in Our Hotel

Artistic Pear Photo

Wellington Train Station

The "Beehive" - Parliament Buildings

Double your Mussels!

Wellington Alley

Frank Kitts Park

View of a Sea Bridge

Sea Bridge



Sea Bridge

 

Oh snaps....we're moving!

Right now a majority of our belongings are spread all over our apartment, we've been forcing our left-over spices, oils, and various lightly used food items on friends, and with less than 12 hours to take off, we have a lot left to do. 

Moving to Zealand is starting to finally feel real.  I've come to terms that I won't have a smart phone (aka magic rectangle), be able to watch Hulu and Netflix, call or see my friends and family when ever I want,  access to a plethora of acupuncture supplies, and eat at my favorite breakfast place the Buttery for awhile.  Geez, first world problems.  I've traded all this stuff in for the chance at a year adventure with a pretty amazing guy filled with new foods, exploring, different culture, new people, new ice-cream places, and different video streaming websites.

I'm hoping to update this blog bi-monthly with pictures and stories of shopping carts and other related matters.

Great Friends and Family

So lucky to have had the time to meet up with friends and family before the move.

Wild Mushroom, Spinach, and Chicken Lasagna

I got in this funk when a couple patients canceled and the AIDS community clinic that I started volunteering at canceled 5 mins before I was due to arrive. The only thing that could pull me out of this funk was cheese...and spinach...and mushrooms...and more cheese.  What made this recipe so enjoyable was how time consuming and detail oriented it was and since I had plenty of time, the day just kinda flew by.  In the end, I pulled this amazing lasagna out of the oven and all was right with the world.

This is like making 3 small meals at once since everything has to be done in steps.  There are ways to short cut.  You can buy frozen spinach and a alfredo sauce in a can but its really worth it to just go all out.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

5 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed (I only used about 3lbs)

3-5 cloves garlic, finely sliced

3/4 lb chicken

1 pound ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2-3 pounds wild mushrooms, (chanterelles, oyster, crimmini or shiitake), trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup Madeira wine (or white wine - I used sav blanc)

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

1 one-pound package fresh spinach lasagna sheets

Directions

1. Wash spinach leaves well in three changes of cold water; shake dry. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pan over medium heat. Add half the garlic; sauté until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add half the spinach leaves, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a colander. Repeat with another tablespoon butter and remaining garlic and spinach. When spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to rid it of liquid. Roughly chop spinach; place in medium bowl. Add ricotta, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a third of the mushrooms; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute until mushrooms are softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet by pouring 1/4 cup Madeira into hot skillet with mushrooms and using a wooden spoon to loosen bits cooked onto skillet. Cook mushrooms until liquid has almost evaporated. Transfer cooked mushrooms to medium bowl. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons of butter, another third of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup Madeira. (Reserve the final third of mushrooms and Madiera for topping.) Add two-thirds of the chopped parsley to bowl with cooked mushrooms; stir.
3. In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 4 cups milk. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Slowly add warmed milk; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/2 cup grated cheese.
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 1/2 cup sauce. Assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place layer of lasagna sheets in pan, trimming to fit; spread 1 cup spinach mixture, 1 cup mushroom mixture, and 1/2 cup sauce on top of lasagna sheets. Repeat layers several times. For last layer, place a layer of lasagna sheets on top; spread 1/2 cup sauce over lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheese. Bake lasagna until top is golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
5. Just before serving, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add remaining third of the uncooked mushrooms; season with the remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet, with mushrooms in it, with the remaining 1/4 cup Madeira. Stir in the remaining third of fresh parsley.
6. In a small saucepan, combine reserved 1/2 cup sauce with remaining 1/2 cup milk. Over medium heat, whisk until warm and smooth. Spoon cooked mushrooms over each serving, or serve on the side. Serve lasagna with warmed sauce

 

Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Yum yum yum! I not only realized that anyone can make tzatziki sauce but that I love paneer cheese as well.  I searched the specialty stores in Santa Cruz for the Paneer cheese but after a long search, I ended up finding it at New Leaf Market a block from out apartment.  This was a simple to make that tasted great, getting the green light for a repeat appearance.

This meals is great for left overs - the tzatziki sauce keeps for a 5-6 days in the fridge too.

Ingredients

For the tzatziki sauce:
• 2 1/2oz plain yogurt (I used Fage)
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

For the chicken and paneer:
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped mint
• 2 tbsp chopped dill
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 lb paneer, cubed
• 1 lb chicken breast, thinly pounded - cubed or sliced into strips

Toppings

• diced tomato
• grilled onions and zucchini (I had leftovers in the fridge)

 

Directions

 

Marinade

1. Thourghly mix all the ingredients together in a shallow baking dish.  Place chicken and paneer in marinade for at least 15 mins or a few hours in the fridge.  I let the chicken and paneer rest in the marinade for about 90mins
2. You can grill over a bbq or in a skillet.  About 4-5 mins to cook

Tzatziki Sauce

1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise and spoon out seeds.  Dice.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together onion, cucumber, mint, dill, and garlic.
3. Add lemon juice, yogurt, 1/2 tsp of salt, and pepper to taste.

Warm pita on the stove or in the oven, layer and serve.

*cucumbers start to release water as soon as they are mixed with salt.  You can prep the sauce in advanced but don't add the salt until ready to serve.

adapted from sprouted kitchen