Something to keep you going

So, in about 13 hours I am leaving for New Zealand. Hurrah! I can't wait to get on the plane, and then into the campervan, to drive around the North Island for 9 days.

So, whilst I am soaking up the sights, sounds and smells (yes, Rotorua) of the place, here is a sight and a story for you to keep you going until next Saturday!

It was my breakfast yesterday: a little dish of baked eggs with lots of leftovers. Ham, baby spinach, potato, shallots, mushroom, and mozzarella cheese all mixed together with fresh thyme, nutmeg, and salt and pepper, then baked in the oven for 10 minutes, and finished under the grill for another 5.

The terracotta dish is one of six traditional tapas dishes that I was given for Christmas last year, along with the wonderful 1080 Recipes, a classic Spanish cookbook. The dishes came from the most fabulous Spanish "deli" in Melbourne: Casa Iberica. They have the most amazing and delicious selection of Spanish and South American foods, from the best chorizo ever to the delicious flavoured Jamaica and Tamarindo drinks (a favourite at our house - and don't say Jamaica, say humaika). If you are in the vicinity, it is a must: 25 Johnston St, Fitzroy.

Farewell! See you when I return next Saturday, with many more stories and sights from sunny NZ.