Winter’s heartiest food and drink launches to devour now

If you add one book to your cookbook collection this winter, make it this one. Dubbed “The new way to stew”, it’s full of braises, soups, curries and stews to get excited about and warm the cockles of your heart. Lucy calls her Champagne hash pie the “epitome of lazy luxe”.

Everything from Hot honey-braised brie to Coq au vin blanc pie and French onion rigatoni is easy to make. With more than 90 recipes to work your way through, you won’t want winter to end.

The idea behind Odi Organic from the nutritionist founder was to create nutrient-dense food for families. We’ll leave the Baby Puree Pouches to those under one, but the new snacks, such as Organic Cherry Choc Chip Bar and Organic Cacao & Collagen Sprinkle Balls, both $12.95 each, are making their way into our lunch boxes.

Don’t forget, The Food Show is happening at the Auckland Showground, 23-26 July. Aside from checking out the latest food releases, the Cooking Theatre is featuring none other than My Kitchen Rules’ Colin Fassnidge and Manu Feildel.

Electrolux has just launched a range of steam ovens. They can do everything ordinary ovens do, but this steam function is pretty flash – and easy to use. Using steam means you can get perfect baking (bread is out of this world), a juicy roast without sacrificing crispy crackling, juicier meats, tender fish and vegetables.

Well-known Australian chef Matt Stone is a fan, saying the Electrolux combi-steam oven takes the guesswork out of cooking eggs, and is a genius way to cook everything from cinnamon buns to a ribeye roast.

Say hello to a welcome addition to the Shapes stable: Arnott’s Shapes Light & Crispy. The cute little snacks are available in four tasty flavours: Sour Cream & Chives, Balsamic Vinegar & Sea Salt, Honey Soy Chicken and Cheddar Cheese.

They have less than 120 calories per serve, a 3.5 Health Star Rating across the range, 50 percent less saturated fat and 25 percent less sodium than the Arnott’s Shapes Original.

There’s a new pear in the produce aisle: the PIQA Red. It is pear-shaped, ruby red and the promise is that it’s crisp and reliably ripe with a “surprisingly tropical flavour”. Available in supermarkets until September.

I’ll Cook by Sophie Godwin is subtitled “your go-to for having people round”. We’d love an invite to hers. This book is loaded with great and unpretentious ideas for whatever you’re doing, from having mates over after work, a sharing feast, a canape party, mezze plates or a carby dinner – it’s all here, plus tips on how to bring everything together. Make anything from this and it’ll cement your reputation as the host with the most.

Taylors Estate Syrah 2024, has landed. This is a lighter, more refined, elegant red wine (with flavours of raspberry, strawberry, cinnamon, cloves and creamy oak) to the Taylors Estate Shiraz, which is known for its “bold Aussie icon” style. You could even conduct your own wine tasting to taste the difference.

Just Another Fisherman, the crew that makes fashion for fisher types, both on and off the water, have turned their attention to knives. Teaming up with Victory Knives, the Bare Bones Knife Set is a beautifully packaged box set that includes a sashimi knife and a filleting knife as well as a set of cards with tips and tricks to make the most of your catch. The ideal gift for the fisherman in your life.

As collabs go, this is a bit left of field: scented candlemakers Ashley & Co and food oil producer The Good Oil have come up with a limited-edition Extra-Virgin Sunflower Oil. We’re not complaining, it’s mighty useful in the kitchen with the Ashley & Co squeezy bottle, and the cold-pressed oil from high oleic sunflower seeds grown in Canterbury is an everyday all-rounder. Bonus points for the cool bottle.

Wake up to coffee in this bold, coloured plunger. Guaranteed to make morning coffee a bit more enjoyable and the stainless steel body
is good for heat retention.

A sharp knife is every chef’s secret weapon. Horl, the cult German rolling knife sharpener, is a hot kitchen item and has now arrived in New Zealand. The system pairs a magnetic angle block to stabilise the blade with a rolling knife sharpener that tracks evenly along the blade for precise sharpness with angles of either 15 or 20 degrees. There are three versions starting with the Horl 3 Cruise.

French writer Marcel Proust’s beloved madeleines have had a posh makeover in the hands of two clever pastry chefs. With creations including Lemon meringue madeleines to Matcha red bean mochi, these are anything but simple. Imagine whipping up a batch for morning tea, though.

Matakana Superfoods is all about organic wholefoods. The latest addition to the range of superfood blends is for kids. There are three to choose from: Acai Blast with berries, fruit and superfoods; Choco-licious with cacao; and Green Monster with – you guessed it – greens. Mix with milk to blend into smoothies. $29.95 (each), matakanasuperfoods.com

Smashed avocado may be the perfect food for many, but elevate it with Cape Herb & Spice’s Smashed Avo Seasoning. The sprinkle contains garlic, onion, herbs and pink salt. Of course, you don’t have to restrict it to avocado – it’s also good with eggs.

New flavour alert by ALBA, the margarita peeps. Raspberry Sparkling Margarita in RTD form is a 5.9 percent alcohol beauty, made from premium tequila and raspberry, lime and agave.

“We soak pink Himalayan rock salt in organic Hawke’s Bay pinot noir so the crystals take on a softly fruity and tannic flavour, along with a deep dusk coloured hue,” say the good people of Apostle.

They then dehydrate it with rosemary, thyme, celery, dill, juniper and Black Doris plum. It sounds like a lot of work for them, but the result is worth it for us.