Fair Trade spices in Oxfam
My local Oxfam Fair Trade shop here in Christchurch has started stocking Fair Trade spices, including ground ginger, cinnamon – ground and sticks, whole cloves, whole and ground black peppercorns and chilli powder, all from Sri Lanka. I’ve only bought the black peppercorns so far – they’re really pungent, after they spent a night in my handbag it all smells of pepper! Each little package comes with a little flyer giving information on the origins of the spice and some ideas of how to make the most of it in cooking.
The Oxfam Fair Trade shop also stocks many other Fair Trade products including Thai jasmine rice – not my beloved basmati, alas – tea, chocolate, coffee (beans and ground as well as, I was interested to see, an instant version), hot chocolate and a huge variety of handicrafts. All prices are very reasonable, my peppercorns were only $2.95, for instance – a small price to pay for a clear conscience.
Find out more about Fair Trade here.
Oxfam Ireland have their website, including information on where your local shop is situated, here.
If only we had fair trade spices in LA! Then I’d really have an incentive to cook more. For now, I’m just trying to get fair trade coffee in more places. How’s the FT movement in New Zealand?
I miss the Fair Trade shop that was in Takapuna. I will make the trip over to Ponsonby to check out the spices.
Hi Green LA Girl – I had a peep at your website and it looks like you’re on a serious quest! Good luck with your demands for Fair Trade coffee – hope you’re managing to get through to some people. As for the FT movement over here, perhaps Barbara would be better placed to answer that one, seeing as I’ve only been here since last December.
Sorry I can’t answer that. It is not something I’ve actually looked into. I don’t even think I saw any representation at the Food Show.
I know that my local coffee shop, the lovely Underground Café, sells award-winning Fair Trade organic coffee but that’s the only place I’ve noticed it. I’ll have to do as Green LA Girl does and start demanding it everywhere I go! I was thrilled to discover that I could get Fair Trade instant coffee, though – we don’t have a coffee machine or cafetiere so I have to get most of my caffeine hits in the simplest (and cheapest!) way possible.
Just did a quick Google and found this list of places in NZ that stock Fair Trade products. There’s a good few addresses for you in Auckland, Barbara…but not so many for Christchurch.
Interesting list Caroline. Only 1 on the North Shore which really says a lot about this area!
Barbara: And there I was thinking you had it all at your fingertips in Auckland!
Green LA Girl: I was just walking past Starbucks in town last night (Starbucks – everywhere!) when I noticed that this week’s special coffee is a Fair Trade blend. But, seeing as I don’t like going into Starbucks – there’s four branches in Christchurch city centre alone – that option is out. Still, I don’t mind walking to Underground Café – especially when it’s the home of the Chocolate and Chilli biscotti!