6 May 2011

CATHEDRAL COVE MACADAMIAS

It's not quite harvest time for macadamias yet, but come July/August the Pilkington family will be gathering their nuts. I was keen to visit as I had met the family at the Saturday La Cigale French market in Auckland and knew that they had just attended Slow Food in Turin.

Coromandel has a Homegrown food trail, and one of the most inviting stops is a self guided meander through the Pilkington's macadamia orchard near the brilliant Cathedral Cove on Lees Rd, Hahei.

These creamy crisp nuts, which are actually native to Australia grow very well in the Coromandel climate and have a myriad of possibilities, as they're great in baking, wonderful roasted and served with drinks, and can be crushed to a crumb and used for coating fish or meats. For five years in a row the Pilkingtons have won the Whitianga Scallop Festival challenge with their lemon kelp macadamia sprinkle coated scallops.

The family property is on fertile slopes and I could see the guiding principles and philosophy of Slow Food were well practised here, as chickens, orchards and a large garden make for sustainable and a self sufficient living. So good to see a life style block put to such good use.

And if you can't get to the Coromandel you can order all their products on line at cathedralcovemacadamias.co.nz.