THE MYSTERY OF THE SOUTHERN CHEESE ROLL.

Its MSG!.

We watched TV in awe as last night the secret Southland cheese roll recipe was revealed. It's sharp bitey cheddar, evaporated milk, mustard, nestles onion soup., a bit of chopped up onion and boiled it up till it thickens and spread it on thin white bread.

There is a cheese onion and pineapple version that includes tinned pineapple in syrup.

The MSG is in the soup mix. It's reason why the onion dip for chips is sooo bloody addictive.

For the record we love the ones from Zookeepers Cafe in Invercargill - no MSG.

Its one of those foods that is soooo good because it is sooo baad...

EAT EM UP

While the focus is on the demotion of Jones Carter and Ririnui we can report that a former Labour politician is carving out a new career in the real world. Mark Peck was a good constituent MP for Southland and latterly was the Director of the Smokefree Coalition.

However, he is now the proprietor of a new cafe ( well an old cafe with a new name ) called Little Peckish.

Now Mark is - errr vertically challenged so the name is a delightful pisstake. Food looks good too. We are wondering after serving Southland for so long if he he will offer up Southland's favourite morning tea filler - the cheese roll.

He was a unionist for quite some time and we expect that being an employer and a capitalist will be an interesting progression on his way to be a better man.

SOUTHLAND SECRETS

Jasons travel publishers have issues up a challenge to all Southlanders - share your secrets. Seems that today's travellers look for the uniqueness in destinations. Couldn't agree more. A recent tour to the outbacks took us to some pretty cool places but it was the intrinsic uniqueness of specific towns that people really looked for.

So here's ten things that we know about Southland we think are cool.

There are the remains of an old whaling base in Paterson Inlet on Stewart Island.















The sun always shines on the old neck beach in Paterson Inlet.

There is a smugglers cove in Pegasus Inlet that you can only find if you know where to look.

There is a shag breeding colony in a roadside swamp between Riverton and Orepuki.

The reservoir at Bluff has the biggest fresh water crayfish ( koura) aka crawlies you ever did see.

The best cheese rolls ( and coffee ) in Southland are at Zookeepers.



















The mouth of the Eglington on Lake Te Anau as the sun goes down is so breathtaking it will make you cry.
















Ruapuke mutton is the best in the world because the sheep sometimes graze on salt loving plants.


The Dunsdale Picnic ground inthe Hokonuis is one of the best in the world.


and the 10th?















Smallcraft inlet next to Port Pegasus where the Sealions play in the old forest...