Food and drink

Food and Drink

We have resources to help cooks and food lovers - from cookbooks to food history and food dictionaries.

We have a great selection of cookbooks covering all dietary requirements from plant-based to gluten-free. Search for a particular cuisine, like Thai, Mexican or Vegetarian. If baking or brewing is more you we have books available.

We have a great collection of food and drink magazines both in libraries and online.

Read about chefs and the history of food, find out about health and wellbeing that food can provide.

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Don't toss out your tomatoes!

Every year New Zealanders throw away 157,398 tonnes of food. We have tips, books and resources on reducing food waste.

Redwood Reads February 2025

What the staff of Redwood have been reading and recommending this month.

Men and boys stringing up eels to dry: Picturing Canterbury

Stringing up eels to dry at Rāpaki for the 120th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1960. An image from Canterbury Stories.

Podcast – Community-based food initiatives

Episode of Speak up - Kōrerotia talking about food projects from kai rescue to food resilience to food sovereignty, with suggested reading.

Food and Cooking

Drinks

Kiwi cuisine

Books We Love - Edmonds Cookery Book

Terrisa shares another favourite - a true Kiwi classic the Edmonds Cookery Book. It is hardly unique in New Zealand to own a treasured…

History's kitchen: Jugged hare just like granny used to make

Joyce delves into the cookbook offerings of the gentlefolk of Papanui in 1903. Who were they (and why were their recipes so terrible)?

Canterbury Stories: Hāngī

Explore a selection of photographs from our collection that showcase the preparation of kai in our local communities.

WORD Christchurch 2020: Annabel Langbein 'Bella'

Helen reports back on an evening of foodie wisdom and colourful stories, with Annabel Langbein.

Traditional Māori kai

The Māori word for food is kai. Find out about traditional Māori food sources and food preservation practices.

Get the latest recipes

Food magazines full of recipes and inspiration, with everything from baking to vegan.

What's your tipple?

Read magazines on wine, beer, gin, whiskey, coffee...

Non-fiction - Food journeys

The rich history of what appears on our plate is celebrated in these books which celebrate food around the world - feast your eyes on these.
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