Two weeks ago I wrote about New Zealand and did not have enough space to write about the other area of my culinary adventure, which was on the south island. The feeling I get from the whole trip to New Zealand was one of amazement. Nothing had prepared me for all these treats, both for my palate and my eyes.. I had known through reading many articles on New Zealand about its natural beauty and how her people were very ecologically conscious. No wonder when I arrived at both Hawkes Bay and Marlborough, I was struck by the care everyone took to see that the ecology is not affected or altered by their businesses.

       I arrived in Marlborough and was whisked off to see how green shell mussels were raised. We took a boat out into the lakes, it was clean and beautiful. It was like being in the fiords in Europe. My guide told me about how the mussels are raised and how rain run off from the mountain affect the harvesting of these mussels. How tests of the water had to be performed constantly to ensure hygiene and the quality of the mussels. I ate raw mussels from the water.

       It was a little bitter from the salt water but if you added a little of Thai seafood dipping sauce to it, that's heaven! I was assured that my stomach would not get upset. Yes, they take great care in raising their mussels by taking care of the environment. We Thais should well learn from them. This part of the reason I went to New Zealand.

       For seafood or any food business to survive the ever growing and competitive market in the long run. Your product has to be of superior quality and the maintenance of a healthy ecological balance will ensure a steady and constant supply in the long run. We Thais should think more in the long term than the short term profits gains.

       This care for the final product and the ecology is taken seriously in all area of food production. The salmon farm that I went to see was another example. In the same waterways, they raised mussels. The water temperature here is ideal for salmon. The water is clean and although Norwegian salmon is easier to raise, they raised Pacific salmon which I know they can get a better price for it.

       One of the largest salmon farm and factory in New Zealand is King Salmon company. I was taken to see how these salmons were raised from a small fish until harvest time. How they are fed by computer control and how they are harvested as humanely
as possible without bruising the flesh of they salmon. How quality control is done at every stage to farming. To maintain freshness and ensure that the salmon flesh is not bruised during harvesting, the salmon is put into a coma by adding a mixture of carbondioxide and clove into the water, which puts the fish to sleep. The fish is not jumping out of the basket as it is hauled over to the processing tray before it goes into the ice bin.

       In this area of Marlborough, there are many eateries and great restaurants. I stayed at a converted bank building turned hotel called the Hotel D'Urville. They have a very fine young chef the produces wonderful food. He uses all the local delicacies. Fresh salmon is smoked locally and served hot. The outer flesh is slightly brittle but the flesh inside is soft and succulent. The aroma of the smoked fish is delicate and reminded me of my early years in England when I had kippers for breakfast but this was certainly better that kippers! There are many fine wineries in Marlborough.

       I sampled many whites and reds in the area. At Cloudy Bay they produce wonderful whites, Sauvignon Blanc that is quite crisp and yet fruity. Because the area produces great seafood the wines in this region tends to be white wines and naturally there would be other apperitives produced in Marlborough.

       Eau de vie and fortified wines abound, from Pear Williams to Butterscotch liquor I tried them all. I enjoyed myself immensely during my trip to New Zealand. I have many thoughts about my own country, about our food and liquor business in Thailand. I asked myself why we have not developped our food and our food culture further for export? Why do we not think of other food products to sell to the world?

       Why do we think that the rest of the world has to only eat just Thai food and it really has to be traditional Thai food? We want to be the food basket of Asia and the world but all we can offer the rest of the world is Thai food. Not everyone can eat Thai food no matter how popular Thai food is at the moment. We can transform raw materials in Thailand and make it into a main food item for world market such as mayonnaise which has Thai character. Would it not be great if McDonald had a burger using Thai style mayonnaise produced and created by Thais?