Chefs' love of food is an open cookbook

Maketu MasterChef 2014 winners Kasey and Karena Bird sign a copy of For The Love Of ... as Dianne Black from Taupo looks on at the Farmers Market in Hastings yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

MasterChef winners Karena and Kasey Bird are in their element.

At the Hawke's Bay Farmers Market in Hastings yesterday to promote their new book with a cooking demonstration, the girls were positively beaming about our region.

Their delightful hot pink offering For The Love Of ... had been a hit with local fans, who gathered around to have their copy signed by this down-to-earth duo.

"It's been really good, everyone is really lovely and people are really loving our book which is awesome," Karena said.

Kasey enjoyed visiting so much she wouldn't mind calling Hawke's Bay home - that is if ties with Bay of Plenty were not so important to her.

Both girls seek refuge from the limelight in their respective homes just down the road from one another in Maketu, a small coastal settlement.

"I love it here, I always say if I didn't live in BOP, I would be here and I don't say that in every town - everyone is so cool," she raved.

The vibrant, stylish book is filled with more than 20 of their favourite recipes and offers insight into their story as well as giving a snapshot of home.

They had a clear vision for the debut cookbook - it had to be inspiring not intimidating, achievable and approachable, using everyday ingredients in a new way. Being totally self published it was difficult to put their "baby" out to be scrutinised - thankfully the response had been overwhelmingly positive.

That is something they get to see first hand as they tick off towns and cities on their promotional tour of New Zealand.

"We were pretty nervous because we did everything, we didn't know what the reaction would be," Karena said.

Before they got back on the road yesterday there was time for a quick round of the market stalls to pick up some of their favourite Hawke's Bay produce.

"What I love about this place is everything is grown and sourced here," Kasey said.

"Last time I was here a man spent 20 minutes talking to me about apple varieties - I found out my favourite apples are jazz.

"It's good to get to know the producers."