Martinborough beef and cheese snarler named NZ champion

Beef and triple cheese: top of the beef sausage pops.

Double bangers make it double gold for Pain & Kershaw’s butchery team – named winner of the Gourmet Beef category of the nation’s Great New Zealand Sausage Competition – beating out 108  other entries for the category’s top spot.

It’s the second year in a row the team has taken out a Gold Medal with its shop-made sausages.

But this year was a step higher: Four Square (P & K) Martinborough’s Beef & Triple Cheese was classified “Category Champion” of the Gourmet Beef group. 

Ingredients: beef and three – mozzarella, parmesan and tasty. Best in the country.

The team, butcher Trudy Tannant and apprentice Ben Matthews, worked on the recipe during the year ahead of the competition, store manager Kane Mullen told The Star.

The three-cheese combination came “from Ben. It was a flippant idea thrown out there by him – ‘how about a beef and triple cheese sausage?’ – and from there Trudy and Ben perfected the recipe. So we ended up here! They nailed it. It’s awesome.”

The competition promotes itself as The Dunninghams Great New Zealand Sausage Competition _ the “premier event for New Zealand smallgoods producers,” and the annual search “for the best sausage in the country.” … Continue Reading

New wine festival moves in to replace old

Taste replaces Toast. But it’s still all about the palate.

A wine festival merry-go-round in Wairarapa will see a brand new weekend festival arise where once Toast Martinborough was the only show in town for 30 years.

With Toast having moved ownership (to Foley Wines) location (to Te Kairanga) and timing (to the provincial holiday weekend in January) Taste of Wairarapa has moved into the vacated time slot – a mid-November weekend.

The new festival is planned for November 15-17 with events at multiple locations across Martinborough, Gladstone and Masterton, involving many of the wider Wairarapa wine region’s producers.

Taste organisers said that the third weekend in November has held a special place on many a wine lover’s calendar for more than 20 years and Taste is setting out to continue that spring tradition. 

One difference will be a wider array of wines, foods, activities and live music running from Friday through Sunday. Already, 24 events are listed on the festival website, along with 28 cellar doors – six from outside Martinborough. Organisers note there’s more to come.

Free and ticketed events include an Escarpment winemaker’s dinner at Nara, a family-avec-dog-friendly vineyard picnic at Gladstone Vineyard, and Ata Rangi’s Uncorked party.

Craggy Range is offering a Burgundy Long Lunch, there will be an e-bike tour to Johner and Urlar in Gladstone, and Hunting Giants II, a wine and wild food event featuring Huntress Wines and the launch of Martinborough’s newest cult wine brand.

Organisers said many of the wine and food producers participating are small, family-owned enterprises without cellar doors or public premises. This meant collaborative events and partnerships would provide rare opportunities to sample their wares, along with special menus created just for the festival weekend.

The event programme will be available online at wairarapawine.co.nz (still building).

Rotary’s local heroes are ‘heart and soul’

Local heroes with their South Wairarapa Rotary awards for community services.

By Julie Small

Community spirit was celebrated mid-October when the Rotary Club of South Wairarapa hosted the 2024 Community Service and Pride of Workmanship Awards at Greytown Town Hall. 

This biennial event recognises individuals and groups whose contributions have had a lasting impact on local communities, whether through work or volunteer efforts.

Among those awarded was John Argue, who has led environmental conservation efforts as coordinator of the Friends of Pāpāwai Mangarara Stream Catchment Group. 

Long-time volunteers Judy Drake and Carole Fisher were recognized for their dedication to multiple community organisations, while Chris Hume received acclaim for her leadership in preserving local heritage and supporting the arts.

Organisations which play a crucial role in their communities were highlighted, including “Kitchener’s Café” in Martinborough, known as a local hub for community connection, and Bevan Morland of “The Offering” café in Greytown who actively supports numerous local charitable initiatives. 

The work of Carol McNaught, who took on the challenge of revitalising the Greytown Toy Library, was similarly celebrated with an award.

Among Greytown stalwarts honoured were Ted Ward and Lois Pitt, the driving forces behind the Greytown Country Markets and the Mid-Winter Christmas Markets, in which 100% of the profits are donated to the Greytown Rail Trust, and Craig Thorburn, for his work on the beautification of Greytown and preservation of the town’s unique character.

Rotary Club President Ian Grigor commended the awardees, emphasising their contributions as the “heart and soul” of South Wairarapa. 

The event served as a memorable reminder of the vital role individual and collective efforts play in ensuring a thriving community.

29 years of community patrol service ends

Claire Fleming, coordinator of Martinborough Community Patrol, welcomes Dylan Romanos, farewells Pat Dette.

By Lyle Griffiths

Pat Dette has been a valued member of the Martinborough Community Patrol since 1995. That’s 29 years of community service.

Martinborough Community Patrol began after a public meeting was held, where residents expressed concerns over the levels of crime in Martinborough and the lack of a police constable in town.

Initially patrollers used their own cars, and patrols took place only at night. Equipment was minimal. Night vision glasses and a pager were provided for the patrollers.

Records were kept of the night’s patrol and any incidents were reported back to NZ Police. Guidelines for patrolling were provided by the Police.

In 2003 the Community Patrol formed its first committee, and the Martinborough Community Patrol is now one of 150 affiliated Community Patrol Groups throughout Aotearoa.

Pat has taken on numerous roles. From 2013 she held the position of treasurer, and in 2016 took on responsibility for health and safety requirements, and training. She has held those positions until her retirement.

When asked why she had worked voluntarily for so many years, Pat replied that she has always felt that people should be able to live in a town that is safe.

“People should be able to feel safe in their own homes and their property should be respected. They should be able to walk home at night after going to the cinema or going to a restaurant – without incident.” … Continue Reading