Ray,
You'd have to ask Annie about New Zealand cuisine. I have no idea.
The cold temperatures are not real fun, but with the right clothing and respect for sub zero temps it is all bearable. The hard part of winter here is not so much the intensity as it is the duration. First snow is usually around the 8th of October and last is in early to mid May. Ice forms on the lakes in early November and by this time of year you can drive a truck on it. Ice out is usually in early May, but sometimes is late. Swimming in early June is breathtaking! Summer is short, but a glory. Mid eighties is considered hot and ninety is keel over and die weather. Some people have air conditioning, but a lot don't. When it is hot you cool off in a lake and with over 12,500 of them in Minnesota there are lots of choices. Southern Minnesota is farm country like Iowa. Northern Minnesota is glacial forest like Canada. I'm about 30 miles from Canada and love my part of the world in spite of the long cold dark of winter. If you ever get up this way, let's go for a bike ride!
SB