New Zealand was one of the last places on earth to be reached by humans, and that makes our flora unique in special ways. Native trees and plants have been used for medicine, food, shelter, science and spirituality.
Museum collections manager Robert Vennell lives, breathes and even eats his way through the New Zealand forest in his new book, The Meaning of Trees.
Captain Cook’s Recipe for Rimu Beer
1. Boil small branches of rimu and mānuka in a large drum for three to four hours or until the bark can be stripped easily.
2. Take the branches out and add as much molasses as required, 10 litres of molasses will make around 60 litres of beer.
3. Pour the mixture into separate casks and add an equal quantity of cold water, according to your taste.
4. When the mixture is milk-warm, add anything that will cause fermentation such as yeast or beer grounds.
In a few days the beer will be fit to drink.
