Scrumptious and sustainable

INTAKE: A survey shows most New Zealand children are not getting enough fruit and vegetables.

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Food

It's crying time again Make lunchbox-packing child's play Chicken full of flavour Breathe fire into your food Early birds catch the fish Berry appealing Crimson power packs a punch Confiscating contraband to cooking Delighting in differences Relishing the taste of local garlic

Once in a while you find something really special, something that is just a little bit different but feels familiar. It has an aura that makes it stand out from the crowd in a good way.

In today's world, when you find this, you need to nurture it so it becomes successful enough to be sustainable – while retaining its core values and not becoming just another part of homogenised mainstream processes.

Heaven's Scent specialises in seasonal heirloom vegetables and fruit. It is Sharyn and Neville White's specialty, and organics are the principles they abide by on their property.

They produce vegetables with real flavour – tomatoes and chillis that taste like they should, and beetroot, lettuces, garlic and spring onions that you can tell have been grown with respect and passion for the land around them.

It has been exciting watching the Whites develop their product range over the years. It has grown with the confidence that comes with experience and customer demand. They very much believe in local, fresh, quality, tasty produce, and are the real proof that everybody can make a difference with local food production.

It's not really that difficult – it just depends on what path you wish to take. It's about the decision you make with your weekly shop – about having the choice between exceptionally good and flavourful or the same old same old.

SWEET AND SOUR BOTTLED BEETROOT

This is a great way to preserve beetroot for the coming months. Use medium-sized beetroot and scrub them well to remove dirt. Serve the finished product with sour cream and lots of freshly ground black pepper, or mix with grated apples and horseradish for a fresh dip.

3kg beetroot, well scrubbed

2 cups sugar

3 cups water

4 cups vinegar

Cook the whole beets in lots of salted water until tender. They should be soft enough to pierce with a skewer but still offer some resistance. Allow the beets to cool, then peel, remove stems and slice. Bring the rest of the ingredients to the boil, add the sliced beetroot and bring back to the boil.

Bottle in sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool, dry place.

- The Marlborough Express

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