A showcase of the stranger things being shown off at this years Auckland Food Show.
By Liana Thaggard
The Auckland Food Show is known for it's weird and wonderful food offerings and this year is no different with vendors getting more creative than ever.
The rise of clean eating and paleo diets has seen chefs recreating well known products with healthy, natural alternatives such as flour made from insects and a coconut alternative to beef jerky.
Those wanting to indulge their wild side can "enjoy" a taste of durian, the world's smelliest fruit, or maybe even dabble in some fresh bird embryo.
Here are some of the strangest things to look out for at this year's Food Show:
Almond, turmeric and cricket paleo bread by Home St.
Bugs and insects are said to be the way of the future. Not only as a great source of protein but also environmentally, helping us to cut down our meat intake by munching on creepy crawlies instead.
Dave Harris, co-founder of Home St. bread by Bakeworks, has cashed in on this forward thinking by creating a bread using cricket flour. He says it's "an incredibly nutritious, high protein and sustainable ingredient to work with, so quite frankly - why wouldn't we use it in our bread?"
You can taste the protein packed flour yourself at the Bakeworks stall or buy your own cricket flour to add to your baking, from Primal Future.
Durian's distinctive scent has been likened to sewage and decomposing animal. Photo / Getty Images
Durian may have been compared to the smell of rotting flesh, but it is also said to be highly nutritious and hard to come by in New Zealand.
For those brave enough to consume what has been compared to sewage, the prickly fruit will be available to taste test at a Philippines food stall.
3: BIRD EMBRYOS
A fertilized chicken or duck egg is considered an Asian delicacy. Photo / Getty Images
The Philippines Tourism stall will also showcase a delicacy called balut, which consists of a developing bird embryo that is boiled and can be eaten directly from the shell.
The embryo is apparently a much-loved street food in the Philippines and a great source of protein, calcium and other nutrients.
For those less adventurous, but still wanting a bit of a kick, opt for the chilli ice cream instead.
4: BEER JELLIES
Beer Belly Jellies. Photo / Instagram
Love beer? Love jelly? Ever thought of combining the two? Probably not! But Kiwi company Beer Belly Jellies has.
They've collaborated with Wellington craft beer company Parrot Dog to create four beer-flavoured jellies as well as port and scotch jellies.
The jellies can be eaten as an accompaniment to any type of cheese, a glaze on meats, fish or poultry and work well in casseroles and gravies.
And if you want to add a little zing to your dessert, try the jelly with a little ice cream or panna cotta.
5: COCONUT JERKY
Tavulomo's raw coconut jerky snack.
You've probably tried coconut flakes, coconut oil and coconut water but have you ever tried coconut jerky?
Head to the Tavulomo stall to try their signature jerky made from freshly picked coconuts from the small village of Tavulomo on the island of Vanua Levu in Fiji.
While you're there ask about their virgin coconut oil and handmade coconut soaps.
The Food Show Auckland is on from 27 - 30 July 2017. Online tickets start at $26 adults, $14 for under 12s, while under 5s are free. More info and tickets from www.foodshow.co.nz
