Small, sweet, and mighty

18 Dec 25/in Free Online, Health and Food, Magazine Articles

Nourishing new potatoes

Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp enthuses about the nutrition and flavour of the humble potato when in its seasonal ‘new’ incarnation, and shares a delicious potato salad recipe.

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There’s something joyful about the arrival of new potatoes. Their appearance marks the shift into early summer — that moment when gardens start to speed up, days stretch out, and meals feel lighter, fresher, and closer to the earth. In New Zealand, new potatoes sit in a special place in our food culture: early‐season, delicate, full of flavour, and a perfect fit for our festive tables.

From an organic perspective, they’re a beautiful example of how nutrient density, flavour, and sustainable farming intersect. Grown without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides, organic new potatoes offer us a clean, wholesome staple that supports soil health, biodiversity, and local growers, while delivering exceptional nutrition on the plate.

What makes a potato new?

‘New’ potatoes are planted and harvested earlier than main-crop potatoes, usually from late October through to early January, depending on region and soil warmth.

Rather than being cured like storage potatoes, they come straight to market with paper-thin skins and a moisture-rich interior. This is why they cook quickly, hold their shape well in salads, and have that signature creamy, subtly sweet flavour.

Their fragile skins are more than just a culinary bonus; they retain more vitamins and minerals compared with older, stored potatoes. Their freshness window is short, so in season matters.

New potatoes are more than an ingredient, in my opinion, they’re a story of soil, sustainability, and nourishment.

As we move into the festive season and the height of our growing year, they invite us to slow down, eat seasonally, and reconnect with the land beneath our food.

Photo: Potato foliage, by Anik Hasan, Pexels

Growing new potatoes in early summer

Across the Bay of Plenty, Pukekohe, Northland, Hawke’s Bay, North Otago and other temperate climates, new potatoes thrive in warm soils with good drainage and plenty of organic matter.

Planting happens from late winter through mid-spring. Early varieties mature quickly, often ready within 60 to 90 days. Some of the common varieties are Jersey Benne, Cliffs Kidney, Rocket and Swift.

Mulching, companion planting, and natural pest management are key in organic systems. Many organic growers use biological controls, beneficial insects, and proper spacing to reduce disease and improve airflow. The result is a nutrient-dense crop produced in a way that enhances, rather than extracts from, the land.

Why organic matters for potatoes

Potatoes are among the crops most commonly treated with fungicides, herbicides, and sprout inhibitors in conventional systems.

Choosing organic means you’re supporting growers who prioritise soil structure, microbial health, and ecosystem balance, and it reduces your exposure to these chemicals. Organic potatoes come from systems where soil nutrition is built naturally through compost, cover crops, and crop rotation. This richer soil profile contributes to higher micronutrient content and superior flavour.

Photo: sbj04769 | Pixabay

Higher in nutrition

While potatoes are often lumped into the ‘carb’ category, new potatoes offer considerably more. Because they’re so fresh, they retain a higher proportion of:

Vitamin C – supports immunity, skin repair, and iron absorption. (Vitamin C degrades with heat but, depending on cooking time and method, new potatoes are likely to retain more than stored potatoes.)
Potassium – crucial for heart function, nerve signalling, and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
B vitamins – especially B6, essential for hormonal balance, mood regulation, and metabolism.
Dietary fibre (especially when the skin is left on) – helps with digestion, blood sugar steadiness, and gut microbiome resilience.

New potatoes naturally contain resistant starch, a type of fibre that feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports metabolic health. Interestingly, resistant starch levels increase when potatoes are cooked and cooled — making new potatoes ideal for summer salads and picnic dishes.

In the kitchen: versatile, quick, and festive

With New Zealand’s cherry season lasting only a few weeks, from mid-December into early January, savouring them New potatoes shine when their skins are left on. A simple steam or boil is often enough. Toss with herbs, lemon, good olive oil, or cultured cream for an instant seasonal dish.

They’re also ideal for festive cooking, Christmas tables, barbecues, shared platters, and light summer lunches. Their ability to hold shape without becoming floury makes them perfect for salads.

Creamy new potato salad

with edamame, herbs & lemon

Ingredients

1 kg new potatoes
1 cup shelled edamame beans (frozen)
3 spring onions, finely sliced
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped

Dressing

½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise (or vegan mayo)
2 Tbsp Greek or coconut yoghurt
zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Method

Boil potatoes whole until just tender. Drain and cool slightly.
In a bowl, add frozen edamame beans, cover with boiling water, cover with a lid for approximately 3 minutes.
Slice cooled potatoes into halves or quarters (keep the skin on).
In a large bowl, add potatoes, edamame, spring onions, dill, and parsley.
Whisk dressing ingredients together. Pour over salad and gently fold to combine.
Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

AUTHOR BIO

Paula Sharp is a nutritional therapist supporting women’s health, digestion, hormones, skin, sleep, and energy through one-to-one consultations via Zoom. She’s also a local guest speaker in the Bay of Plenty and regular writer for Organic NZ.

Join Paula’s free newsletter – Sharp Bite – for weekly nutrition tips, seasonal recipes, and mindset inspiration.

Photo at top of article: Alexei_other | Pixabay

Sopa de Tortilla – Tortilla Soup

28 Nov 25/in Free Online, Health and Food

by Daniella Guevara Muñoz

Sopa de tortilla is also known as sopa azteca or Aztec soup. It is a simple but delicious soup and, as the name hints, is full of tortillas. This soup has been on La Popular’s menu for years. Whenever we take it off, we get complaints. So it stays on.

Images and text from Provecho: Real Mexican Food at Home by Daniella Guevara Muñoz, photography by Simon Bajada. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99. (Tortilla soup p.54-55)

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What makes this soup so delicious are the different textures – crispy tortilla strips, soft avocado, chewy cheese and a dollop of cream.

The soup is made in two stages. First is the soup base (which you can pre-make and keep in the freezer) and the second is the assembly. This recipe is traditionally made with chicken stock, but if you are vegetarian you can use vegetable stock instead.

Serves 2 litres (8 cups) / 6

2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock (see page 221 for homemade) or vegetable stock

Soup base

8 guajillo chillies, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
1½ brown onions, cut into chunks
700 g (1 lb 9 oz) ripe tomatoes
½ bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 corn tortillas (shop-bought or see page 253 for homemade), cut into quarters
20 g (¾ oz) salt

To garnish

1 guajillo chilli, to garnish
6 stale corn tortillas (shop-bought or see below, or page 253, for homemade), to garnish
200 ml (7 fl oz) vegetable oil
1 avocado
200 g (7 oz) cheese (queso panela if you can get it, but mozzarella works, too)
100 g (3½ oz) chicharrón or pork crackling (omit for vegetarian)
100 ml (3½ fl oz) thickened (heavy) cream

For the soup base, soak the guajillo chillies in boiling water until soft, about 5 minutes.

Once soft, drain them and put them in a blender or food processor with the rest of the soup base ingredients. Blend on high until you have a soft paste – it shouldn’t have any grittiness. Pass the base through a fine-mesh strainer.

For the soup, bring the stock to a slow boil in a stockpot, then add the soup base. Simmer until the soup thickens, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnishes. Using scissors, carefully cut the guajillo chilli into thin rings and cut the stale tortillas into 5 mm (1⁄4 inch) wide strips.

Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat to about 180°C (350°F). I use a thermometer to test the oil, but if a piece of bread dropped in the oil browns in about 15 seconds, the oil is at the correct temperature.

Fry the chilli until crispy – don’t let the chilli burn, this happens in about 5–10 seconds – then place on paper towel to drain.

In the same oil, fry the tortilla strips until crispy, about 3 minutes – these won’t burn as easily. Place the strips on paper towel.

Halve the avocado, remove the seed and cut into slices. Put all the garnishes in separate bowls on the table.

Serve the soup in a large bowl. Each person can add whichever garnishes they want. I recommend: a handful of tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, chicharrón, a drizzle of cream, then the fried chilli. Keep adding more as you eat.

Corn tortillas

p.253

650 (1 lb 7 oz) Masa (page 250)

280 g (10 oz) masa harina (nixtamalised maize flour)
¼ teaspoon table salt (optional)
about 375 ml (1½ cups) warm water

In a mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt (if using). Gradually add the warm water while stirring with your hands. Continue to add water until the dough comes together and becomes soft and pliable.

The dough should hold together but not be overly sticky. If it feels too dry, add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add a bit more masa harina. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes to get the best result. It should be smooth and well combined. It must have a Play-Doh– like consistency, quite soft and a little bit sticky.

A good test is to make a tortilla in a press between two sheets of thin sandwich-bag plastic (see page 253). If the edge of the tortilla has deep cracks, the masa is too dry. A rough edge is normal.

You can keep masa for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you want to use it, take it out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to use it. Knead thoroughly with your hand and add some water if necessary.

Divide the masa into small balls (about 30 g/1 oz), slightly smaller than a golf ball. You can make them larger or smaller depending on your preference.

Preheat a comal, hotplate or non-stick frying pan over medium– high heat. Place a ball of masa between two sheets of sandwich-bag plastic in the tortilla press (see the photographs on the following pages).

Press down firmly to flatten it into a round tortilla shape. Rotate the flattened tortilla with the plastic sheets 180 degrees, then press again gently. The tortilla should be approximately 1–2 mm (1⁄16 inch) thick.

Carefully peel off one of the plastic sheets, then place the raw tortilla (with the plastic) on the palm of your hand. The tortilla should be half on your hand, half hanging freely. Peel off the second sheet of plastic.

Lay the tortilla on the preheated hotplate or in the pan by placing the freely hanging tortilla on the hotplate first, then letting the rest of the tortilla roll off your hands.

You should come in with your hand, palm facing up, at an angle of about 45 degrees. Once the tortilla has hit the hotplate, rotate your hands about 90 degrees, rotating your palm towards the hotplate, pulling away from the tortilla.

This movement, if done smoothly, should release the tortilla from your palm without the tortilla falling on itself. This is a tricky movement, and I suggest practising this on the bench first (no heat).

Cook for about 30–60 seconds until the edge curls up slightly. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for about 60 seconds, then flip again – if all goes well, it will puff up on the last flip.

(Tip: Don’t try to fix a wrongly placed fresh tortilla; it will get worse.)

Remove the cooked tortilla from the hotplate and stack it with the others in a clean tea (dish) towel in a chiquihuite. The stacking is important, as it will keep cooking the tortilla. Serve the freshly made corn tortillas warm to make your tacos.

Homegrown Fruit: Pests and disease-reducing strategies

28 Nov 25/in Free Online, Gardening, Magazine Articles

By Kath Irvine and Jason Ross

Homegrown Fruit: A practical guide is an accessible and comprehensive guide to growing fruit trees, bushes, vines and brambles in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The authors have a wealth of experience between them, and guide readers through everything from planning a home orchard, to specific types of fruit and their requirements, to care and pruning, pest, disease and weed control, and much more.

The following is a section on strategies to reduce pests and disease, extracted with permission from Homegrown Fruit: A practical guide, by Kath Irvine and Jason Ross (K+J Books, 2025) $58 RRP

ABOVE: Cover image of Homegrown Fruit, and Jason Ross and Kath Irvine (Mickey Ross Photography)

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We’re big fans of sidestepping pests and disease – that’s why we’re so keen on well-suited varieties, and on staying in touch with our trees and keeping health humming along. Even so, pests and disease do happen! Little bits here and there are no worries, but more than that and it’s a good idea to ponder why. It’ll be a stress of some sorts – weak vigour, overfeeding, extreme weather, or because the tree isn’t planted in its happy place.

If a tree continues to get hammered every year in spite of all your love, feel free to chop it down, mulch it up, and try another variety. That in itself is an excellent pest- or disease-reducing strategy – to only grow trees that thrive easily. The younger your orchard is, the more important it is to act on the first signs of pest or disease. The more established, diverse, and healthy your orchard, the more important it is to watch and let things take their natural course. If at any point tree health starts to be compromised, step in with our solutions below.

Pest-reducing strategies

Before you rush in to squash or spray, find out about the bugs you see on your fruit trees and make sure they are foe. You will find most are orchard friends. It’s really useful to understand what the different phases of bug life cycles look like – both for pests and predators. The juveniles can look radically different to the adults.

5 spray-free strategies

Our goal is to manage all pest problems without sprays, to lean into the wondrous network of unseen support that’s constantly in motion in our orchards.

Predatory insects

Keep a wide variety of pests in check with a wide variety of predatory and parasitic insects: parasitic wasps, hoverflies, ladybirds, praying mantis, spiders, dragonflies, damselflies, assassin bugs, lacewings, various beetles, frogs, and even earwigs – the more the merrier! Entice them in with a spray-free, wild haven, a year-round supply of nectar and pollen, and of course, some pests to eat!

Wild birds

Birds are a quid pro quo – while you may want to protect your ripening crop from them, the rest of the time birds like wax-eyes, starlings, chaffinches, and fantails are voracious gobblers of insects.

Digital control

Squashing grubs, caterpillars, or aphids is a quick and easy solution on a young tree, a dwarf or espaliered tree, or a reachable vine. Curled or folded leaves are a sign that a grub or caterpillar lurks within – open them up to see. Dimpled leaves indicate a sucking insect is at play – flip them over to check. Webbing is another sign – poke about and be nosy! You don’t need to squash every single pest: get the bulk of them, or the ones within reach – leave a few for the predators. Keep at it during your check-ins.

Fruit and spur thinning

Thinning reduces pest numbers by removing their habitat – the cosy home that’s created where fruits touch.

Chickens and ducks

Chickens scratch up and gobble overwintering grubs and larvae. Ducks love slugs and snails, and both forage on a broad range of pests, from aphids to grasshoppers.

Two safer sprays: Neem and Bt

While it’s our goal to be spray-free, there are times when we are both very grateful to have Neem and Bt in our toolkit. Both must be ingested to work, so the only insects that come to grief are the ones sucking or chewing the foliage or fruits. Bees and predatory or pollinating insects aren’t eating foliage or fruits, so they stay out of harm’s way. Many natural insecticides, like pyrethrum, garlic, or rhubarb spray, are contact killers – they nail everything they touch. We don’t recommend them.

The key to success with Neem and Bt is to completely cover the foliage when you spray, and to follow up with a couple of repeat sprays to catch the next gen of egg hatchings. Repeat sprays are essential! Use your observations to guide you as to how many repeats you need.

SPRAYING TIPS

Spray at dawn or dusk, in dry weather. Use a fresh mixture each time – make a small batch so that you use it all. Rinse out your sprayer afterwards, especially the nozzle, and leave it open and upside-down to air out and dry.

Neem

Use for all sucking insects: aphids, woolly aphids, scale, thrips, passionvine hoppers, green vegetable bug, and cherry/pear slug (sawfly larvae).

Passionvine hopper adults are impervious to spray – catch them at the juvenile ‘fluffy bum’ stage. Repeat at three-day intervals. By the third spray, the population will be greatly reduced. Continue in this way until there are none left.
Woolly aphids are a more intense pest because they suck on both roots and tops. If there are tell-tale cottony growths around the root crown, apply Neem granules to the soil at the base of the tree in tandem with using Neem sprays

Bt

Bt is short for Bacillus thuringiensis. It’s the active ingredient in many caterpillar-specific sprays. Use it for raspberry bud moth, leaf roller caterpillar, codling moth, and guava moth.

Codling moth and guava moth get a special mention because natural predators are in short supply in NZ, and they aren’t so much a reflection of stress as they are a reflection of a neighbourhood that’s heaving with them. Success comes from doing a range of things that target different stages of their life cycles.

Spray with Neem + Bt together, weekly from petal fall.
Check over young fruits for tiny entry holes where larvae have burrowed in. There may also be frass – tiny piles of sawdust-like excrement – at these sites. Remove fruits and feed them to your chooks or drown them in a barrel of water.
Immature fruits that fall often contain larvae – send your pigs in or pick them up; this stops the next generation of moths emerging.
In winter, let chooks in to hunt overwintering larvae – wax-eyes and ground beetles also help with this. Needless to say, clean up all windfalls in case they contain larvae.
Prevent guava moth by covering trees with insect mesh soon after pollination, when fruitlets start to develop.

Homegrown Fruit: A practical guide, by Kath Irvine and Jason Ross (K+J Books, 2025) $58 RRP

Cherries on top

28 Nov 25/in Free Online, Health and Food, Magazine Articles

A nutritional powerhouse wrapped in summer sweetness

There’s a moment each summer in New Zealand when the fruit bowls shift – apples and pears take a step back, and cherries step into the spotlight. Their glossy skins, deep ruby tones, and tart sweetness signal summer days. For growers, cherries are a labour of love. For eaters – especially those who value organic, seasonal produce – they’re a small but mighty gift from the orchard, and one of the most nutrient-dense fruits of the season.

Nutritional therapist Paula Sharp shares her nutritional knowledge and two delicious recipes.

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The New Zealand cherry landscape

Cherries thrive where winters are cold, summers are dry, and the soil drains freely – in my mind making Central Otago the undisputed cherry heartland of New Zealand. The region’s sharp seasonal contrasts enhance flavour development, producing cherries that are firm, intensely sweet, and wonderfully aromatic.

Smaller organic orchards in Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Marlborough also contribute to the national harvest, though cherries remain one of the more climate-sensitive crops. A single late frost or a burst of heavy rain near harvesting can have consequences for the whole orchard. This vulnerability is part of what makes cherries precious – and why many organic growers invest heavily in soil health, biodiversity, and regenerative practices to increase resilience.

A nutritional deep dive

While they may be small, cherries offer a remarkably wide spectrum of nutrients and plant compounds. Their benefits go far beyond their sweetness:

1. Anthocyanins: Plant Power

The deep red-purple pigments in cherries come from anthocyanins – a group of antioxidants linked with reduced inflammation, improved circulation, and even enhanced brain health. These compounds help protect the fruit from UV stress and heat, and offer similar protective benefits in the human body.

Anthocyanins can also support cardiovascular health by improving blood vessel elasticity and lowering oxidative stress.

2. Natural melatonin for better sleep

Cherries, particularly tart varieties, contain natural melatonin – the hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. While New Zealand grows mostly sweet cherries, these still contain small but meaningful amounts of melatonin alongside tryptophan and serotonin precursors. For those who struggle with disrupted summer sleep, incorporating cherries into afternoon snacks or evening desserts can be delicious and supportive.

Photo: Hasmik Ghazaryan Olson, Unsplash

3. Joint and muscle support

Organic cherries contain polyphenols that may help reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness and support joint comfort. This is particularly relevant in summer when people are more active (and gardening intensely.)

4. Vitamin C and collagen support

A single cup of fresh cherries delivers a generous dose of vitamin C, which is essential for immune health and collagen production. This supports skin vitality, ideal in summer.

5. Gut health benefits

Cherries contain soluble and insoluble fibre, supporting healthy digestion and stable blood sugar levels. Their polyphenols also act as prebiotics, feeding beneficial gut bacteria. For those eating more meaty barbecues, fast food, or rich festive meals, this gentle fibre boost can be a digestively welcome.

The organic advantage

Organic cherry orchards often prioritise biodiversity, soil biology, compost-based nutrition, and minimal intervention. The result? Fruit that may contain slightly higher levels of certain antioxidants. Organic growing also avoids synthetic pesticides, reducing the chemical load on both the environment and humans; this is significant for cherries as they are eaten whole, skin-on, and often in generous handfuls.

Make the most of the short season

With New Zealand’s cherry season lasting only a few weeks, from mid-December into early January, savouring them becomes a practice in seasonal appreciation.

Buying: Look for taut skin, deep colour and bright stems.
Storing: Keep unwashed in the fridge to maximise freshness.
Eating: Enjoy fresh, bake into summer desserts, pit and freeze for smoothies, or simmer into compotes for yoghurt and porridge.

Cherries highlight how good nutrition isn’t just about nutrients, it’s also about flavour, freshness, and eating in step with the seasons.

Great varieties for home growers

If you’re planting your own cherry tree, especially in regions with few frosts or higher humidity, these varieties offer the best blend of productivity, flavour, and lower maintenance:

Stella: The classic home-garden choice. Self-fertile, productive, and forgiving. Good-sized fruit with excellent sweetness and a reliable crop most years.
Lapins: Great for gardeners who want larger fruit and strong disease resistance. Also self-fertile, which simplifies orchard planning. Handles variable weather better than many other cultivars.
Sweetheart: Perfect for those who want cherries later in the season. Upright growth makes it easier to manage in smaller gardens, and fruit holds well on the tree.
Compact or Dwarf Varieties: Increasingly available in New Zealand nurseries, and ideal for urban gardens or smaller spaces. Look for dwarf forms of Stella or Lapins where offered.

Seasonal cherry recipes

Here are two easy ways to enjoy fresh cherries in season.