Loafing Around

Riccarton Rotary Market, Christchurch. March 2009. Ajr

I visited Riccarton Rotary Market last weekend and came upon a woman selling Rewena Paraoa, more commonly known as Maori bread. It is traditionally made by creating a ‘bug’ or starter’ from boiled potato, flour and sugar and leaving it to ferment for several days; part of the bug is then used to make the bread and a small portion saved and ‘fed’ until the next baking session. Rewena bread has a distinctive sweet/sour flavour and a firm texture. It can also be made using yeast.