The Fresh Loaf

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New Zealanders, please help

JeremyCherfas's picture
JeremyCherfas

New Zealanders, please help

Or anyone, really. I'm preparing an episode of my podcast about a baker in Christchurch, who mentioned as an aside the reweena starters that Maori people make, based on either potato (rewa) or sweet potato (kumara). I looked around online and here for anything that might be considered an authoritative guide, as this would make a useful additional resource to point people to, and was unable to find anything.

So, do you know of something? Could you please share a link? Better yet, if you have experiences to share, that would be great.

Thanks.

Jeremy

bottleny's picture
bottleny

Rewena bread, not reweena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rewena_bread

You should be able to find many recipes online.

E.g. How to make the best Maori bread in town - NZ Herald

JeremyCherfas's picture
JeremyCherfas

I had found those two posts, and a couple of others, and was hoping for something a bit more in-depth. No worries, I'll get by.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

and yeast cakes are not new.  Not to start a discussion on " who dunnit first" but you will find potato yeast directions in old North American cookbooks.  White Potatoes were brought into NZ, it wouldn't surprise me if the yeast starter came by way a ship or famous Maori navigators picking up a trick or two from a ship's cook.  Or if the Rev. Samuel Marsden (who had a history of Irish farming) had something to do with introducing potatoes and potato yeast in the early 1800's.   Might want to search in that direction.  Also a friendship with Maori chief Ruatara who also spent time residing with Marsden in Australia.  Check out the 4 paragraph in this link:  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruatara_(chief)

JeremyCherfas's picture
JeremyCherfas

I'm less interested in learning the "true" history than I am in just finding out more about the bread itself. I will certainly follow up on that link Mini. Many thanks.