Afternoons for Wednesday 18 December 2024

1:15 Eat like an ancient Greek

When you think of Greek food, what comes to mind? A tomato-heavy salad, souvlaki, or olive oil-soaked break with a side of figs?

Well you'd only be partially correct - not all of those things were staples of the ancient Greek diet.

Here to set the record straight is Massey University Associate Professor Gina Salapata who was born and raised in Greece.

1:25 What to do with a broken tooth this holiday

Dentists are sounding a warning about the perils of pork crackling this Christmas - and other teeth-cracking treats...

1:35 Stephen takes on the verge

This year verges have been in the news. There've been stories about whether you can plant them out or not, and, in Levin, the Horowhenua District Council decided it would no longer mow berms in residential areas - outraging locals who didn't want the job. 

Meet a man who willingly mows verges - including one that's enormous and a few kilometres from his home.

Stephen Black is so concerned about the impression people get as they approach the city; he's taken to mowing a verge on what used to be State Highway 1 but is now a less busy route into Hamilton.

1:45 Heading Off: Auckland Regional Parks

With the great New Zealand shut-down less than a week away - most of us are looking at heading off during the break - even if it's just for a day.

Turns out getting away from it all in New Zealand's biggest city, is much easier than you think.

Joining Jesse to talk about where you can go - and where every visitor, no matter where they are from, is welcome, is Auckland Regional Parks manager Scott de Silva.

2.12 Music Critic: Te Kaahu and RipShip

Rachel Ashby reviews and plays some new local music. I Roto I Te Po, I Roto I Te Ao by Te Kaahu and New Mexico by RipShip. 

2:20 Easy Eats: Seaweed, sesame and chilli salt AND honey and berry shrub

Kelly Gibney brings a Christmas miracle and offers two recipes for the last Easy Eats of 2024! Seaweed, sesame and chilli salt and honey and berry shrub. Get the recipes at the links. 

2:30 Bookmarks with Bill Hastings 

Bill has been a judge since 2010, but Bill has had a number of interesting jobs over the years. 

For just over a decade, he was our Chief Censor. He's also chaired the Immigration and Protection Tribunal and the Broadcasting Standards Authority. 

He's taught at a long list of universities and colleges since 1985 and is now an Honorary Fellow of Victoria University. 

3:10 Feature interview: New Zealand Christmas Songs 

It's hard to dream about a white Christmas on this side of the equator.  75 years ago, New Zealand musicians started composing our own Christmas carols and making Christmas dreams come true for some of the singers tapped to record them. Marion Nelson Swainson was a 14 year old Gisborne schoolgirl when she sang about  Sticky Beak the Kiwi' in1962. Nearly twenty years later,  9 year old Roslyn Mahe  was chosen to record Telephone Mister Santa Claus. They join us to share memories about these Kiwi Christmas classics.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

On her recent trip in Antarctica, Claire Concannon caught up with a team of NIWA researchers who are discovering new methane seeps.  

These are areas where methane gas or fluid escapes from below the seafloor through cracks or fissures.   

The first active seep in Antarctica was found in 2012 at a place called Cinder Cones.  

NIWA microbial ecologist Dr Sarah Seabrook visited the site in 2016 as part of her PhD research. Now she’s returning to investigate further. 

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Tom Riste-Smith join Jesse to preview tonight's episode of The Panel.