"First catch your weka" by David Veart.

"First catch your weka : a story of New Zealand cooking" by David Veart.

This is a highly entertaining and informative look through New Zealand history as demonstrated by the food we ate. Loosely arranged into chapters by decade, it explores New Zealand society and attitudes to a variety of things - the sexes, Maori, immigrants, alcohol, animal parts, self sufficiency, healthy living etc. My favourite description of New Zealanders is as a nation of 'carnivorous bakers'.
Near the end of the book Veart wonders why we have "never bridged the hemispherical gap and developed a southern winter festival." (pg 275) He suggests that Matariki would be the ideal time for an "...indigenous lunar festival, with pork, kumara, potatoes and a lot of fish." I think this is a great idea and will be trying it out next year.
I picked this book up because of the title but I kept reading for the writing. Highly recommended.

"Analyzing more than 150 years of recipes and cookbooks, this study chronicles the culinary history of New Zealand, looking at curious dishes such as boiled calf's head and stewed liver with macaroni, to the more traditional favorites such as homemade jams and chutneys. It explores what makes New Zealand cooking distinctive, and examines how the culture has changed, from the prevalence of whitebait and mussels in the 1920s, to the arrival of Asian influences in the 1950s, and finally to the modern emphasis on fresh ingredients and fusion cooking."