With a 1st place in Jam, and a 3rd in Chutney in 2024, the crew at Recreate NZ surely know how to make delicious preserves*. So what’s their secret? We asked the team what inspires them, firstly to preserve and then also, to enter the Contest?
What inspired us
Preserve making is something we have done at Recreate NZ to show our produce journey from farm to table. Our wonderful participants with intellectual disabilities and/or who are neurodivergent have thrived in the kitchen, turning produce into jams and chutneys, then being able to see the product go to market and be sold directly to the buyer. Our young people have formed friendships and relationships through this programme and with the community at Avebury [House]. Some of which have donated produce to us, assisting in our product journey. We hope everyone enjoys the end product and can feel they have in some way contributed to the learning and development of our young people.
Tips for new entrants
Just cook with love and passion, this will become evident in what you produce and the journey of producing it should be where the joy comes from, buyers will see this and take so much more warmth and love in eating it!
What the competition meant for us
Recreate participants are often sidelined and not given an opportunity to showcase their strengths in today’s society. The community and comradery that this competition offers is worth so much more than the result to our people. It gives them the opportunity to participate in something meaningful and have a feeling of accomplishment that they so often are not given. They love coming and seeing their product be eaten and tested by the community members and judges!
2024
- Jam category: 1st place – Plum jam
- Chutney category: 3rd place – Apricot chutney
2023
- Jam category: 3rd place – Strawberry jam
- Chutney category: 3rd place – Spicy Moroccan peach chutney
With so much obvious flair and expertise in the preserving department, let’s hope we get to taste more of Recreate NZ’s preserves in 2025 contest… be sure to look out for them in this year’s contest!