We are two days away from arriving in Fiji. Fiji biosecurity is top of mind. After cleaning the fridge and cold box, I can report that this morning’s inventory of fresh produce includes:
3 Tbs honey, half a butternut squash, 4 kg carrots, 50 g dried mushrooms, 23 eggs, 4 slices of ham, 500g fresh ginger, 1 small container of candied ginger (it was an experiment), several heads of garlic, 1 brick of recently thawed ‘fresh’ cheese from Panama, 12 onions of various sizes, 1 bunch of celery, 45 red apples and 1 wrinkled beet.
All of the items listed above would be considered contraband.
The trouble is not whether we will run out of food. But, rather, how do we consume our fresh produce before we arrive?
Fiji biosecurity restrictions explained
Fiji biosecurity is clear what they permit us to bring.
Before we set sail , I contacted the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji to clarify quantities and and to determine allowable items.
Fiji seems generous as to what we can bring as long as it’s for our personal use, and not for resale. However, Fiji does not permit any fresh produce, eggs, honey or pork.
A few weeks ago in Aukland, New Zealand, I visited PAK’nSAVE and bought six months of staples, including almond milk, powdered milk, canned produce, coffee, sugar, flour and as much beef and chicken as our freezer would hold.
Our purchase was so large that a cashier was assigned to our order. Another customer asked us if we were “stocking up for the village?”
You will notice in the pictures that there is a clear absence of fresh produce. All of the shopping carts in the photo were ours.
I bought a small amount of fresh produce just before we left.
Determining the quantities we we needed, was a bit like buying supplies for a two-week camping trip. It is not an exact science.
I have paced myself. Since the start of this passage, I have been conscious to use our fresh produce.
I have meal prepped, cut carrots, and offered carrot sticks. If not carrots, how about an apple? Limited quantities and small sizes have greater appeal to my family.
Some of our apples are unappetizing as they are the size of a cat’s head. I ordered online.
I am on a mission to use as much of our produce as possible over the next few days.
Lentil stews are over. I’m pulling out the stops.
Today, at 4am, I made cinnamon buns with lemon and coconut icing, and substituted apples for raisins. At lunch, we had a ham quiche and I used 10 grated carrots.
Tonight, Betty is making a pasta sauce and has a clear inventory of veggies at her disposal (from the Fiji biosecurity contraband list).
On my shift tonight, if the weather agrees, I will be making apple sauce, and possibly some ginger cookies.
So we are not going to go hungry. But, I am going to be busy, especially while the weather is favorable.
The sea state is calm and the temperature is rising.
At 20° latitude, 177° longitude, the sea temperature measures 32.1°C.
The fate of the beet is uncertain.
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👍 Hide your sad, sorry and wrinkled beet in any tomato dish,; shred it in spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, etc. even in its present mood it contains potassium, iron, and vitamin C, it also is known to lower blood pressure, something that might come in handy at the Fujian border.
Such an amazing adventure!
I’ve had roasted, thinly sliced beets in salads, yummy.