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Tartan Sari

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Let's go on a voyage. From Goa, an Indian paradise, to new beginnings in the heat of Kenya. From a chance meeting in Scotland to the hustle and bustle of London Town. Across the seas to the tranquility of Dunedin and this is where OUR story begins. Well-travelled secret family recipes adapted and perfected along the way. An irresistible treat. One taste and you're hooked.

 

Tartan Sari is a second-generation family business that creates hand-made, small-batch, authentic, spicy, vegan Goan pickles and curry pastes. Our products are made from secret recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and have travelled the world to get to you.

 

London-born foodie Danielle Culling has grown up surrounded by the flavours and cultures of both Goan and Scottish parentage. From childhood, Ron and Louisa schooled Danielle well in the process of re-creating the family’s secret recipes and now she has followed in their footsteps by making these recipes for all to enjoy.

 

Tartan Sari is passionate about using quality, seasonal produce and only uses NZ-grown fruit and vegetables – locally sourced where possible.

 

Our flavours include: Apple, Carrot, Tomato, Zucchini, Orange & Lemon Pickles and Goan Curry Paste.

 

Danielle Culling’s enterprising spirit & her love of family traditions is evident - she has had to adapt to her local environment & in a sustainable way.  Danielle is the second generation to be in the ‘pickle business’ as her parents would say growing up.  Secret family pickle recipes were passed down from her grandparents who moved to Kenya, East Africa from Goa in the 1940’s.  (Danielle’s great aunt put her grandparents’ recipes onto paper).  Danielle’s parents met in Scotland & moved to London where they sold the family pickles into retail, summer fairs & Goan festivals in the UK. They continued this for many years. Danielle met her Dunedin husband over there and she has lived in New Zealand for the last 16 years with a career in teaching and other small businesses. Her love of making the family pickles for friends & colleagues helped create a new business as they urged her to sell them.  Lucky us!

 

Tartan Sari pickles are steeped in tradition from her Goan heritage.  As a migrant Danielle is savvy in adapting to her local natural environment. She makes do with what we have here in New Zealand & uses Ceres organic spices, etc. She utilizes produce from the Otago Farmers Market & supplements chillies and zucchini from her new hot house at Tomahawk Beach, Ocean Grove here in Ōtepoti.  Always looking to use local product, the original aubergine pickle recipe became her award-winning zucchini pickle (recently getting silver at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards).  The range continues to expand with popular products like the tomato, carrot, orange & lemon, lime a fresh green coconut coriander chutney (seasonal), curry paste and apple (made with granny smith apples from Rosedale Orchard).  They are all made as small batch and are handcrafted - once tried you will have your favourites.  As part of Danielle’s sustainability ethos, everything is packaged in her own attractive reusable jars where customers are encouraged to return jars back for a discount on next purchase (she says her customers are pretty good at returning these back).  All her branding includes an easy to see chilli level rating & her social media is always engaging & active.  All products are vegan & she has expanded into some speciality retail spaces.  Recipes are kept as consistent as possible around seasonal produce (she has suggested curry recipe handouts as well for her customers for inspiration).  Her stall always looks clean, attractive & contemporary.  Danielle always fronts up each week with that wide smile & encourages you to taste her range which are great on crackers & also added to your cooking to add depth of flavour & varying heat.

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