Rewena is a yummy bread that uses a potatoe bug in lieu of yeast. My mum gave me her bug when I was younger but I foolishly killed it by starving it to death. Usually, it take 3-5 days to grow the bug but I figured out a way to get it started and growing within 8 hours. Take a look and see how you go.
Making the bug and dough
Prepping dough/proofing and baking
We have been fortunate to be added onto the essential non-food business sector which means we need to change a few things.
We will still be operating at full capasity but we will only be shipping orders twice a week to relieve the stress on the courier services.
We have removed the pickup option until we come out of lockdown.
Please, Stay Home and Stay Safe. Kia haumaru te noho.
Roi and Kel
Boosting our immunity with candied ginger made with kumarahou and BlackBerry syrup. It’s a bit spicy but it gets the blood pumping and increases white blood cell activity. The recipe for this can be found on our insta highlights. It’s crazy easy. No need to go out and spend heaps of money when you can make it yourself.
We need a name change and want to get your thoughts on names. Take a look at the clip to see our bits and pieces we would like you guys to consider when flicking us your suggestions.
#update March 2020: We found a name and are in the process or rebranding.
Last night my mates dad drop us off some mussels, but these weren’t your ordinary mussels from the fish shop or pak’n’save, these were deep sea mussels bigger than my hand. Whilst everyone else was going crazy over the meat in the shell, I was concentrating on the shell itself. When I’m in the ngahere I always make sure I have a strong mussel shell with me so whilst I’m harvesting inner bark I know andcan be assured I wont go too deep to hurt the rakau.
I saw a photo of someone harvesting Raurekau bark with a knife and it just tore me to pieces because they didn’t just stop at the yellow bark they dug further into the white core (and they ring barked the tree). Using a mussel shell would have prevented them from cutting too deep, the shell also provides a scoop to catch the bark as you strip the tree. It’s important we take every opportunity possible to preserve our rakau when harvesting so our grandchildren can use the same tree when they need it in the future. Something as simple as a mussel shell is not only a beautiful way to harvest but also a way we can remember our Tipuna and their harvesting practices. This gift of mussels was so timely because I broke my last shell on my most recent ngahere trip, it had been with me for 7+ years so I was expecting it. Thank you Matua Hare, you rock! You didnt even realise it but you have blessed me for the next 20+years with these beautiful taonga.
In 2008 I harvested the inner bark of this rakau for a matua who needed it. I recently visited the rakau and saw that it was still scarred over a decade later. One of our strongest healing trees, finds it hard to heal itself. For the first time in my life this speaks true to me. Scars placed years ago with the loss of my māma and pāpa shine through in the loss of my brother. The beautiful thought I take away from this rakau is that it is healing, albeit slowly, but it’s no longer raw and exposed. One day, i’m not sure when, but I will heal also.
“Mum can you braid my hair?” My girls haven’t asked me to do this for years, I was secretly happy that she thinks I still have the skills to do it. Whilst running my fingers through her beautiful long dark hair, I asked her what shes been using in it, “just the shampoo bar” she tells me. No conditioner. “I dont need it” she says. That explains why the conditioner last ages! Both girls aren’t using it. #makomakoshampoo
Did you know that Tūpakihi was also used to ease sore muscles? I went to the gym yesterday (first time in months…..ok, so its been a year) and now my body is sore. So i broke a piece of #tupakihi soap off, melted in water and soaked in the water. Not only did the wai smell awesome but the Rakau in the soap did what it does best, soothe and heal. Next time you have a bath, break off a chunck of your soap and chuck it in the bath. Not so sore now. 😉
The perfect tooth ache cure. #kawakawa and #clove tincture. I have been popping ibuprofen all day with a dull ache still lurking in the background. I get home and run straight for my #rongoa knowing exactly what I need. Literally 2min after application, the ache dulls and feels much better (let’s hope that continues throughout the night). I have to wait until next Monday for the next available appointment with my dentist which means I will be sucking on the tincture for the remainder if the week, I might look a tad drunk at work tomorrow.
Mingimingi is one of my staples. When the kids were babies I used to put whole leaves into their bottle with hot water and allow it to steep. Once warm, I would give the bottle, leaves and all, to the baby to drink to help move any phlemn they had in their chests. It’s perfect for adults too, but dont get it confused with Manuka which is often what its mistaken for.
I pulled this one out to make a throat spray for my girls (the woes of kapahaka) combined with #kawakawa#kumarahou and #clove tinctures, it makes the best bacterial throat spray, it stings like hell but seconds later is relieved and ready to go.
Have a lovely weekend, it’s raining in Auckland so no harvesting for me.
