Taking Manuka Honey to New Heights

New Zealand is blessed with a rich variety of foods found in both its land and sea. Many are unique to the country. One product that most people readily associate with New Zealand is manuka honey.

This liquid gold is made by bees that pollinate the flowers of the manuka tree. Maori have long used manuka leaves, as well as manuka honey for traditional remedies. With the help of modern science, we now know that manuka's healing power lies in natural anti-bacterial properties that have been shown to be effective against skin conditions and infections.

Besides its therapeutic uses, manuka honey has some spectacular applications in the kitchen and the bar. 178 Degrees was proud to be involved in the Television New Zealand series, Gate to the Globe, which explains how Kiwi products are being used around the world.

Watch the clip from the show and take a ride 490 metres above sea level to the Ritz's Ozone. There you'll see the magic that Executive Chef Peter Find and his colleagues created with Kai Ora manuka honey.

In keeping with the New Zealand theme, Peter presents a dish that pairs Mount Cook king salmon with a honey-based glaze. Then barman Lewis Tsang introduces the Kai Ora cocktail, which was inspired by the stunning landscape of the Southern Alps.