Afternoons for Friday 5 July 2024

Good news for Christchurch book lovers! We're going to be having a reading party in your city very soon. As part of the WORD Festival launch we'll be hosting a night in with a good  book at Grater Goods. If you'd like to join us on Monday July 22nd, tickets are available here.

1:15 Crunching the rugby numbers, a fun fact filled new book

The first big All Blacks match of the season is on tomorrow night with old foes England here for two tests.

It's also the first game for the All Blacks under new coach Scott Robertson - who's got some impressive statistics behind him as the Crusaders head coach.

It's those kind of rugby statistics that's prompted self confessed data fanatic Chris Carter to write a book looking at the numbers which revolutionise the game itself. His book is called Rugbynomics

1:25 NZ pizza runner up at World Pizza Championships 

Pizziolo Enis Bacova has just returned from Naples, Italy where he won a silver medal at the Capulto Cup.

The Capulto cup is the worlds largest and most prestigious pizza competition.

For context it celebrated it's 100th anniversary this year, and in Enis' category Neo Neapolitan there were 700 competitors.

This isn't the first time his Pizza prowess has been acknowledged either, in 2023 he came third, and his restaurant Dantes is ranked in the top 50 pizza restaurants world wide. Enis speaks to Jesse.

1:35 AI helping with proof of wine provenance

Traceability is becoming increasingly important for consumers in the food and wine sector.

Now a new project aims to use artificial intelligence to prove the origins of New Zealand wine without opening the bottle.

University of Otago food science senior lecturer Dr Biniam Kebede has received funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Education's China Strategic Alliance to develop the technique. Dr Kebede speaks to Jesse.

1:45 Freaky Friday

Each week our listeners share their stories of eerie coincidences, surreal encounters or simply things that can't be easily explained.

This week we hear from Dave who's talking about a sunny house in Marlborough with a dark presence. We also hear from Jenny who's got a spine chilling story about exam results.

If you have a spooky tale or similar to share with us, please email jesse@rnz.co.nz or text 2101. One of our producers will be in touch.

2:10 Film Review with Dom Corry

Today Dom talks to Jesse about Beverly Hill Cop: Axel F, The Bikeriders and A Quiet Place: Day One

2:20 NZ Live: Wiri Donna

For NZ Live today we have the multi-talented Bianca Bailey in with her latest project Wiri Donna.

Bianca is an event producer, musician and songwriter based in Wellington.

Over the past 6 years, she has been involved in Wellington's thriving independent music scene through her both her own projects and working for arts organisations Eyegum Music Collective, Creative Capital Arts Trust & Performance Arcade.

The new Wiri Donna EP In My Chambers will be released later this year and promises a darker, heavier era for the band, and we're very lucky today to get to hear some of these new songs performed live.

3:08 Weeknight Baked Chicken Curry

For this week's Friday food chat chef, author, teacher and  restaurateur Julie Le Clerc is with us to talk through a great winter warmer meal, baked chicken curry.

Julie explains the key to making this an easy weeknight meal is that all the cooking is done in the oven, minimising time needed for the cook in the kitchen.

You can find out how to make this tasty meal at home here.

3:16 Music 101: Charlotte Ryan

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

3:25 New roses release

Winter is rose planting time and there's been a whole lot of new ones released locally that NZ Gardner editor Jo McCarroll has been looking at.

She joins Jesse to talk about the new flowers and how to plant them. This weekend Jo's also going to be at a fundraising event in Waihi if you're around there and would like to hear her speaking there.

3:35 Critter of the Week: the grey side-gilled sea slug

The grey side-gilled sea slug (Pleurobranchaea maculata) might look unassuming, but it holds the title of Aotearoa’s New Zealand’s most toxic creature.

The slug contains tetrodotoxin (TTX), the same deadly toxin found in pufferfish, and its skin has the same pH as that of a car battery.

If you see a grey gelatinous blob washed up on the beach in your area, give it a wide berth and inform your local council.

3:45 The pre-Panel