Writing about food is Catherine Milford’s bread and butter and she was quick to sink her teeth into a nationwide search served up by a loved Kiwi bread brand and arguably New Zealand’s best chef and restaurateur since sliced bread.
The Great Kiwi Sandwich Search by Freya’s and Al Brown is an opportunity to raise a toast to the country’s greatest homemade sandwiches using Freya’s bread.
Five regional finalists will be selected by Al from entries received before 20 September.
New Zealanders will then vote for the nation's ultimate sandwich. The winning maker will receive $5000, Freya's bread for a year, and a month-long spot on the menu at Al's New York-inspired Auckland restaurant, Federal Delicatessen (Fed Deli).
The competition follows The Freya's Sandwich Census, a nationwide survey that found that while many Kiwis consider Aotearoa a "sandwich nation", seven in 10 regularly prepare the same sandwich.
The census also revealed some unique Nelson preferences.
Whitebait fritters topped the list as the region's classic sandwich, while Nelson was the region most likely to define a toastie as a sandwich.
Based in Atawhai, Catherine edits Bidfood New Zealand seasonal digital publication for hospitality professionals, and writes for New Zealand Woman’s Weekly.
She says her entry, titled the South Island Sunshine Deli Sando, was made to champion local ingredients.
"Nelson has some of the best produce in New Zealand and the world by a long way, so it was a perfect opportunity to showcase some of it and make a really delicious sandwich," she says.
"I tend to do it for people whenever they turn up, so I'll certainly do it for $5000 and a spot at Fed Deli, which would be amazing."
The sandwich layers cacciatore from The Sausage Press Deli Co, Valhal Natural fresh soft goat cheese, a crunchy salad made from homegrown greens, locally grown avocado and Catherine's own kohlrabi pickle between slices of Freya's Mixed Grain Bread.
Al Brown not only has a hunger for the wild, but also good sandwiches, and tells me he has affinity for Nelson to the point he considered settling here.
The former Masterchef New Zealand judge reckons a seafood butty represents the region between two slices of bread and hopes Nelson’s entries showcase a smorgasbord of local produce.
"A lot of amazing produce comes out of the top of the South Island… there's going to be some great sandwiches being made in and around that region, and two words that should never be in the same sentence are secret and recipe," he says.
"What we're trying to do is get people to reimagine what a sandwich can be, and it doesn't take much to elevate something, and obviously Nelson has great fruit so there'd be lots of relishes and chutneys that I would think would be being made with the glut of fruit at the end of the season.
"A cherry relish would be a wonderful addition to say a ham and cheese sandwich, so we think there's lots of potential out there.
"If Nelson becomes the winner, what a wonderful thing and how proud the region can be of showcasing their sandwich ability."
Entries can be submitted at www.freyas.co.nz. Al's regional finalists will be announced on 28 September before New Zealanders vote to crown the winning sandwich.
