Talofa … or should i say Kia Ora as New Zealand and our All Blacks wake up today as the official World Champions of the World. Growing up for the first 19 years of my life in NZ makes me a very proud kiwi for many reasons but there’s nothing that reminds me more of my love for home as watching the mighty All Blacks play (even if i was almost physically sick with anxiety). I, along with my fellow whanau were at the Beach Hotel last night where it felt like we were hanging on for our lives to a bobbing life raft amongst a choppy sea of Frenchies both in there and on the field. It was definitely more of a relief than a celebration when the final whistle blew – phew !!! Go the mighty All Blacks !!!

I had spent the last week leading up to the game thinking not only about the world cup final but also what in the heck i was going to present on belly this week. Some shows are organised weeks before with guest lined up and interviews completed but all week i kept coming up blank. Every time i tried to make an effort to plan something i just gave up because nothing was really grabbing me.

Finally on Thursday evening i went into Woolies (not to buy food i might add) but to browse through their library of magazines to try and find some inspiration in the food features. Low and behold in the back of a white covered lip glossy Donna Hay’s ’10th Birthday collector’s edition’ mag (not usually something i’d look at) i discovered a whole section on exotic and mouthwatering drinks and coolers but what i really took to were the jewel-like glittering jugs of punch … HA !! i thought, could this be it ? Punch is commonly made with fruits … and fruit is food … and these particularly stunning and original punches had foody ingredients like fennel, cucumber, basil along with rhubarb, blueberries and apple as their imaginative ingredients which made me think of foods with fluids … and finally FLUID FOOD.

Relieved and relaxed i left the store having purchased my first ever shiny food magazine and came home to re-read it. The punch section was by far the best although the photograph of the lemon meringue chocolate cake on page 181 nearly had me licking the page. Great and tasty concoctions these punch recipes were but how i thought am i going to create a whole show about punch ? Maybe i could throw in a bit of the history of punch, Punch and Judy, the nutritional values of the more healthy ingredients in punch, but i still didn’t feel it would be interesting enough to fill in an hour long show.

After sleeping on it for a few nights i decided to get up early Sunday morning and head off to the Bangalow markets, armed with my recorder and the determination to find fascinatingly full and fluid filled people to discuss this tantalising topic with. Somehow though it didn’t happen as i wandered open mindedly, happily looking and listening for some thread of interest while collecting a frozen banana sundae and piece of raw beetroot cake along the way.

Parking myself beneath the trees in the filtered morning sun at the back of the food caravans, dreamily listening to the band warm up with a respectful tribute to the indigenous Arakwal people of this area, i surrendered to three things – the frozen banana sundae, the raw beetroot cake and the conclusion that i wasn’t going to find an interview for belly here today … but i still had tonight !

It may be the Samoan in me but i have a way of believing that things don’t happen unless they are meant to and that you just can’t push anything or force things to occur unnaturally. Accompanying this is my ability to not worry and to know that some how it will always work out if you are truthfully following the garden path you are meant to be waddling along on. Belly is something i absolutely LOVE being a part of and if it means that at 5pm on a Sunday evening I’m getting dressed from head to toe in black, heading to the Beach Hotel and getting ridiculously excited about the rugby world cup final without a single stitch of preparation for the show at 11am the following morning, then so be it. I shall have to leave it to the belly brigade of Byron Bay to help me in my hour of need.

Along with my 7 inch long black and white feather earing worn in support of my team, i carry on me another important accessory – my recorder – and when i arrive unknowingly 1 hour early for the game, i ruthlessly abandon my friends, their beer and the smell of hot chips and take to the streets of Byron to obtain the necessary content for my morning show.

Unbelievably (of course) and directly across the road from the Beach Hotel in a small, echoey and blissfully buzzing arcade, i stumble across a hole-in-the-wall type place called “Cane Bar”. Having lived in Byron now for almost 3 years i find it hard to believe that i have not been here already (partly in my attempt to save certain arcades, alleyways and random back streets until such time as i am in need of something new and exciting in this terrific but tiny town and to save myself from the monotony that can sometimes occur when you have been down every street there is).

As soon as i read the words CANE BAR i know i’m in. This is why i didn’t find anyone at the markets to talk to today. This is what i have been waiting for all week. I go with the flow and it leads me to my story … you can’t get any more fluid than this !!   

As i approach i recognize one of the owners from the cane juice stall at the markets who has his mouth open so wide it resembles the size of his shop. It’s a worthy yawn as he’s been on his feet for almost 11 hours blending, whizzing, frothing and pouring out bucket loads of healthy concoctions either readily available on the menu or plucked from the imagination of customers who treat this place as though it’s their own personal wellbeing centre.

It is understandable when he declines my offer to talk about the sugar sweet services they provide here for the purpose of putting a radio show together but as miracles happen, his liquid lady of loveliness Ljudan has just come in for 1 hour to give him a break and is totally up for a chat. I alert her to the fact that i only have a limited amount of time before the All Blacks kick-off across the road and suggest i may have to come back later if she is too busy but instead she suggests we sit right down and do it NOW. Aaaahhhh YES … i smile for it seems at this precise moment sweeter words have never been heard and sweeter liquids have never been sipped by my lips as Ljudan offers me a “Bom Bom” (cane juice and milk frothed warmly with a shot of expresso poured through the middle). I slurp on this healthy take on an Argentinian delight as we take a pew on one of the many casual seats near the counter to talk about … Fluid Food.

HERE i just tried to upload my MP3 version of the interview which i have just spent about an hour editing (licensing laws mean we are not allowed to play the beautiful NZ reggae tunes that graced the show in true kiwifruit style in honor of the All Blacks win) but it says the file is too large. I’m sure there are ways around this and i shall have to consult with sister T before going any further … but keep your ears out for it as it’s full of fun and juicy information on what they whizz up in here. The interview is a smooth blend of informative story telling with a pinch of giggles and a dash or two of laughter. We wade gently through the sugarcane fields where tasty tales rise to the surface about the worldly past and present inventors of such wizardry wonders as ‘sun flower power’ and ‘mood shifter’. With all of this comes the grounding health benefits of cane juice and the many other super foods (including LOVE) they splash out into the community. You’ll hear the bussle of the magicians mall and the buzz of Byron as it sways on the brink of a balmy sunset … and an ALL BLACKS WORLD CUP VICTORY !!

Other information covered on the show today was why … WHY do we need to hydrate ourselves ? Here’s a bit of info i found on the net along with my own additional imput that we may learn something from.

Why Beverages are Important

All beverages are mostly water (apart from the ones usually found in pubs and other such establishments) which is a nutrient that is essential to life. Every body function depends on water and you can live only a few days without it. Your total body weight is 55-75% water. Water makes up about 83% of blood, 73% of muscles, 25 % of body fat, and 22% of bones.

Eighty percent of your total fluid intake comes from beverages of all kinds, and the other 20% comes from foods. Fruits and vegetables – fresh, frozen and canned – contain lots of water. For example, watermelons (funny that), tomatoes, lettuce and celery contain more than 90% water, and oranges are 87% water. Milk, soymilk, juice and soup all supply water to the body and contain other nutrients.

Benefits of Drinking Water

Choose clean water as your primary beverage. It is usually inexpensive and readily available. Water is also thirst quenching, contains no calories, fat, cholesterol, or caffeine, and is low in sodium. Water’s other benefits include:

• Prevents dehydration
• Regulates body temperature
• Gives the feeling of fullness if you’re trying to loose weight
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells
• Provides moisture to skin and other tissues
• Helps prevent constipation
• Cushions joints
• Helps strengthen muscles
• Feels reeeaaal good to swim in

Tap water, especially from large municipal water systems that may be fluorinated is debatable whether or not it’s just as safe as bottled water but it’s definitely less expensive. If bottled water gets a person to drink more water then the added expense may be worthwhile. Be aware, however, that some bottled water is actually reprocessed tap water, and others have added sugar and sodium. There is currently NO GOVERNING BODY to monitor the quality of bottled water !!!

On an average day, a healthy adult needs 8 to12 cups of water to replace the amount lost through perspiration, breathing, urination, and bowel movements. These fluids must be replaced to avoid dehydration and to keep the body working normally. When eating a high fiber diet, extra water is needed to process the additional roughage.

The exact amount of water needed depends on: age, gender, weight, health, level of physical activity, foods eaten, medications taken and the weather.

Thirst is one sign that you need fluids. Your current fluid intake is probably adequate if you drink enough water to quench your thirst, you feel well and you produce a normal amount of urine that is colorless or only slightly yellow. However, do not wait until you feel thirsty before drinking something. Sometimes the brain doesn’t get the thirst signal. Older adults often lose the ability to sense thirst (and don’t like getting up to wee in the night) so often become dehydrated.

What Determines Water Needs?

Execise: When involed in an active sport that makes you sweat. make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, not just during the activity, Sweat or perspiration is the body’s natural way of cooling down especially on a hot day or when your body gets a real physical workout. Without fluids your body overheats. To replace fluid loss drink plenty of water and juice before, during, and after physical activity. These fluids prevent dehydration and the tiredness that accompanies it.

To avoid cramps and dehydration during activity, drink fluids at regular intervals and continue to replenish with water after you’ve finished. A good rule of thumb is to drink a cup of fluid every 15 minutes during and immediately after exercise.

For most physically active people, water is the best fluid choice. Natural electrolyte filled drinks (such as coconuts water) are necessary more for endurance athletes and people who have exercised for an hour or more because they lose sodium and potassium through sweating.

Environment: In hot or humid weather, drink more water to replace what’s lost through sweating and to help lower body temperature. In winter more fluids are required due to loss of skin moisture from heated indoor air. High altitudes (greater than 2,500 meters or 8,200 feet) cause an increase in fluid needs and recirculated air on planes promotes dehydration too.

Health Conditions or Illnesses: Fever, vomiting and diarrhea cause the body to lose extra fluids that must be replaced with water or other solutions such as coconut water. Sometimes intravenous water and electrolytes may be necessary. Certain health conditions prevent the body from getting rid of water such as heart failure and diseases of the kidney, liver, adrenal and thyroid. People with urinary tract stones usually need to increase water intake.

Pregnant or Breast-Feeding: Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need more water. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink up to 10 cups of fluids a day and women who breast-feed should get about 13 cups of fluids daily.

Tips for Drinking More Water

• Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up each day
• Add slices of lemon, lime or orange to water for a hint of flavor
• Start your meal with soup occasionally
• Enjoy water breaks instead of coffee or tea breaks
• Take GLASS water bottles* with you to work and when running errands
• Keep a bottle of water on your desk to sip on as you work at the computer
• When passing a water fountain, stop and take a drink
• Instead of a soft drink, or soda, reach for bottled water in the convenience store, as well as from the vending machine
• At social gatherings substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks, or alternate them
• Drink water before, every 15 minutes during, and after physical activity

*Every time you drink, bacteria from your mouth contaminate water in the bottle. Keep your water bottle clean or replace it every now and again. Wash it in hot, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher. If you use a bottle repeatedly, make sure it is designed for reuse. Plastic leaches out into water. If you taste PLASTIC it’s because it’s in the water !!! GLASS IS BEST (unless like me you decide to ride your bike with no hands, fall off and smash your bottle all over the road).

NOW IT’S TIME TO TALK PUNCH – A DRINK THAT MAY WELL KNOCK YOU OUT !! 

Punch is the term for a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruit or at the very least, fruit juice. It was introduced from India to England in the early seventeenth century; from there its use spread to other countries. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as (funnily enough) punch bowls.

The word punch comes from the Hindi word panch and the drink was originally made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices.

The drink was brought back from India to England by the very merry sailors and employees of the British East India Company waaay back in the early seventeenth century and was very soon introduced into other European countries.

The term punch was first recorded in British documents in 1632. At the time, most punches were of the Wassail type made with a wine or brandy base. But around 1655, Jamaican rum came into use and the ‘modern’ punch was born (yaaaar maaaan).

There are several rum-based punches: Planter’s Punch, Bajan Rum Punch, Caribbean Rum Punch, and probably a few others that have never been named. The two most historical rum punches are the Planter’s Punch and Bajan Rum Punch.

Bajan (Barbadian) Rum Punch is one of the oldest rum punches and has a simple recipe enshrined in a national rhyme:

“One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.”

 That is: one part lime juice, two parts sweetener, three parts rum (preferably Barbados) and four parts water. It is served with a dash or two of Angostura bitters and maybe some nutmeg.

The recipe of Planter’s Punch varies, containing some combination of rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, grenadine, soda water, curaçao, Angostura bitters, and cayenne pepper.

 THANKYOU WIKIPEDIA for your wealth of information regarding PUNCH.

I will endeavour to add my favorite punch recipes from the glossy magazine article recipes only once they have been tried and tested by me of course.

Here’s a bitta belly humour for all of you punch party folk looking for some good tunes for your next shin dig –

Pop music: The Curry Charts :

Popadom Preach – Madonna                                                                                              Korma Chameleon – Culture Club 
Bhaji Trousers – Madness
King Prawn Massala Drinks Are Free – Wham
Dansak Queen – Abba 
Tikka Chance On Me – Abba  
You Can’t Curry Love – Diana Ross and the Supremes  
It’s Bhuna Hard Days Night – The Beatles
Brothers in Naans – Dire Straits
Pilau Talk – Doris Day
It’s My Chapati and I Cry If I Want To ? – Dave Stewart/Barbara Gaskin
Bhuna Round The World and I Can’t Find My Bhaji ? – Lisa Stansfield
I Don’t Want To Dansak – Eddie Grant
Dansak on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie
We Are Jalfrezi – Sister Sledge
Vindaloo – Abba
Rice Rice Baby – Vanilla Rice
Tandoori Deliver – Adam and the Ants
Love me Tandoor – Elvis Presley 
Bhuna to be Wild – Steppenwolf
Livin’ Dhal – Cliff Richard
Raita Here, Raita Now – Fatboy Slim

That’s all folks !!

xx sister R