Pukeko can be tasty

Press, 17 April 1980, Page 20

Pukeko can be tasty

Wellington reporter Although the South Island duck season begins on April 19, each year duck hunters complain the bird they most often see is the pukeko. The pukeko can be hunted, but most sportsman have left them alone because they say the birds are too skinny, too tough, or too bland-tasting.

The Wildlife Service has published a recipe. for pukeko saying they are much too good to waste or ignore. Stewing or casseroling are ■ the best methods. Cut off the breast meat or sever the rib cage and leave the meat on the breastbone, cutting the leg meat off also. Marinate the meat in red wine, a leaf, and black pepper for 12 to 24 hours. When satisfied that the marinade has done its job, remove the meat and fry lightly until sealed. Place in a stewing pan or casserole and cover with the marinade or salted water. Cook gently until tender, about two hours. After about one hour and 50 minutes, when the meat is nearly cooked, add diced onions and mushrooms with larger pieces of carrots and onions, and cook for another 20 minutes or longer. When cooked, the mix* ture can be' thickened and flavoured to taste. The taste is supposed to be hard to distinguish from duck.

This month our shopping basket has risen by $4.14, quite a jump compared with last month’s 73c. The biggest leaps have been made by .the food most basic to the diet. Increases in the price of butter, flour, sugar, bread, eggs, and meat account for $4.07 of the rise. Sugar and bread increase the price of. our basket this month by 60c each, and butter follows closely with a 56c contribution. Bread rose between 1c and 3c a loaf on December 23, between 1c and 2c on March 23, and rose lc on April 14—three price rises in less than four months. The increase in the cost of basic commodities, along with increasing freight charges and labour costs, can only mean a ripple of rising prices in all directions. Griffin’s biscuits rose on April 9, and Aulsebrook’s rose five days later. Hudson’s have not yet annoUnced.’ a price increase, but.are. likely to after the increased cost of butter and sugar. No doubt the other' brands will follow suit. The manager of Ernest Adams’ bakery in Christchurch (Mr H. A. Adams) sees no escape from a rise in the price of his company’s products. There had also been an increase of about 20 per cent in the price of Australian dried fruit, he said. Increases would be between-about 8 per cent and 12.5" per centbut would not come in . for three or four weeks, after existing stocks had been used and a new costing finished. The general manager of Hutt Milk Corporation (Mr R. Roberts) and the manager of. Christchurch’s Metropolitan Milk Treat-

ment Station (Mr -A. W. Mahony) both said .there would be no immediate increases in the. cost of yoghurst as a result of higher sugar prices. . Wattie’s Canned fruit would not increase in price immediately, as fruit for this season had been packed with sugar at the old price, said the general manager at Hastings (Mr 8.. Helm). However, some lines of winter vegetables might be affected and it was possible an application fora price increase would be made to the Department of Trade and Industry, though he was- not sure when. The last price rise in Wattie’s canned fruit was on March 31, when the maximum retail price of the 425 g can of peaches rose from 71c to 76c. This month, stocks at the “wholesale price” of 57c were still available. Sanitarium cereals are expected to rise in price by about 7 per cent next week, ,6r as soon as old stocks are bought. Tea is fairly stable and there seem to be no signs of a price rise yet. However, coffee prices have been reduced, in some . stores, forcing others to join in competition. As the reduction may be temporary and is not . widespread, it has not been shown in our shopping basket this month. Two products not included in our basket, but which rose in price at the beginning of the month, are honey and Maggi soup packets. Most honey has risen by about 6.5 per cent, and the maximum retail price of the popular 500 g Airborne pots has risen from $1.16 to $1.24. Maggi spuos rose by 3c from 28c to 31c each.

Price Units a Total month 250g tea .. 90c o $1.80 500g butter .. 79c (65c) 4 $3.16 IQOg coffee $2.29 2 $4.58 1.5kg flour 67c (64c) 2 $1.34 1.5kg sugar .. $1.10 (85c) 2 $2.20 500g margarine 750g thick and thin $1.06 4 $4.24 sliced loaf .. 49c (47c) 30 $14.70 425g tin peaches 57c $1.14 440g tin baked beans .. ■ 60c 4 S2.40 1.1kg soap powder $1.15 ($1.13) 4 $4.60 900ml detergent $1.20 ($1.19) 1 SI.20 150g toilet soap 29c (28c) 4 ' $1.16 4 roll pack toilet paper $1.39 9 $2:78 150g toothpaste ' 92c 3 $2.76 300g cornflakes 59c 4 $2.36 900g cheese $2.40 6 $4.80 No. 6 eggs, .. $1.23 ($1.20) 5 $6.15 250g plain biscuits 5lc (49c) 4 $2.04 425g pet food .. 59c 8 $4.72 375g strawberry jam .. 84c 4 $3.36 500g frozen peas 79c 4 $3.16 450g beef sausages -. $1.01 8 $8.08 250g bacon .. ... $1.70 2 $3.40 1.19kg chicken .. $2.29 4 $11.96 500g steak mince $1.58 (SI.00) 4 $6.32 500g stewing steak .. $1.85 (SI. 50). . 4 $7.40 750g lamb leg chops .. $2.46 ($3.27) 2 $4.92 Total for month: $116.73 Last month’s total: $112.59