The Press, Christchurch: No-fuss comfort food

With all that’s happening in my former home of Christchurch, New Zealand at the moment – victims of the earthquake still being named, constant aftershocks some up to 4.1 in magnitude, work continuing on restoring electricity, drinking water and sanitation systems, damaged buildings having to be demolished – our thoughts are constantly with friends and family who are having to cope with the aftermath.

Fortunately the Husband’s parents live in Nelson so, after the earthquake struck on 22 February, three of his sisters, two brothers-in-law and one baby nephew hit the road north immediately for some well-needed R&R. They weren’t the only ones: my Sister, currently working in Nelson’s Morrison Street Cafe has said that they’re run off their feet with the influx of Christchurch migrants and, according to the Husband’s mother, schools in Nelson are also seeing a rise in enrolments as people try to figure out if and when they want to return to Christchurch.

While I lived there, I wrote a piece for The Press about Irish Soda Bread and I’m honoured to see it re-appearing in an article on post-earthquake comfort food by Kate Fraser for that publication. It’s also good to see that the Christchurch craft breweries that we knew and loved – and got inspiration from – are persevering and that the fantastic farmers‘ markets continue to offer fresh food to the beleaguered inhabitants of the city. A big thank you to the Husband’s sister for letting me know about this.

The Press, Christchurch: No-fuss comfort food