Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Maren Morris is a country music superstar. She's a Grammy Award Winner and a five time winner at the Country Music Awards, breaking records and writing songs for iconic artists like Kelly Clarkson and Tim McGraw. And now she's entering a new era in her life and career with her latest album ‘Dreamsicle'. She'll be heading to New Zealand next year to ride the country music wave that's sweeping the country, performing shows in Auckland and Christchurch. Morris joined Jack Tame to discuss this next phase in her career, the meaning behind Dreamsicle, and next year's tour. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The release coming as a surprise to his fans, Swag is the seventh studio album of Justin Bieber – his first release in four years. With a range of guest appearances, the album returns to Bieber's favoured R&B sounds after his backslide into generic pop with 2021's Justice. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the new album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Steeped in Roman heritage and swooned over as Britain's premier spa destination, Bath's architectural flourishes and all-encompassing grandeur underpins my love affair with the city. I recently reacquainted myself with its atmospheric charm in a whistle-stop romp around Blighty with Trafalgar's Real Britain tour. Adeptly helmed by travel director Selene, this is Trafalgar's fastest-paced UK tour, delivering a whistle-stop experience with some of Britain's most desirable destinations. If you're short on time but want to tick-off a swag of top-billing icons, it's a cracking option." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell He's the perfect man. It's a perfect lie. Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband's unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina's adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick's past. What she finds is more than unsettling… Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can't share the feeling that something isn't right. Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don't let him in. But the past won't stay buried forever. The Phoenix Pencil Company by Alison King Monica Tsai spends most days on her computer, journaling the details of her ordinary life and coding for a program that seeks to connect strangers online. A self-proclaimed recluse, she's always struggled to make friends and, as a college freshman, finds herself escaping into a digital world, counting the days until she can return home to her beloved grandparents. They are now in their nineties, and Monica worries about them constantly—especially her grandmother, Yun, who survived two wars in China before coming to the States, and whose memory has begun to fade. Though Yun rarely speaks of her past, Monica is determined to find the long-lost cousin she was separated from years ago. One day, the very program Monica is helping to build connects her to a young woman, whose gift of a single pencil holds a surprising clue. Monica's discovery of a hidden family history is exquisitely braided with Yun's own memories as she writes of her years in Shanghai, working at the Phoenix Pencil Company. As WWII rages outside their door, Yun and her cousin, Meng, learn of a special power the women in their family possess: the ability to Reforge a pencil's words. But when the government uncovers their secret, they are forced into a life of espionage, betraying other people's stories to survive. Combining the cross-generational family saga and epistolary form of A Tale for the Time Being with the uplifting, emotional magic of The Midnight Library, Allison King's stunning debut novel asks: who owns and inherits our stories? The answers and secrets that surface on the page may have the unerasable power to reconnect a family and restore a legacy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Globally, around 460 million metric tons of plastic is produced every year, and it's estimated that 20 million metric tons of plastic litter ends up in the environment. To try and mitigate some of the damage, Plastic Free July was launched in 2011. It's a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation, which aims to work towards a world free of plastic waste. Founder and Executive Director of Plastic Free July, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz joined Jack Tame to discuss the initiative and challenge people to get involved. Find more details here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology has improved in leaps and bounds over the years – going from landlines to brick phones to smartphones in relatively quick succession. However, as technology has improved, it's also become increasingly difficult to repair for one reason or another. Gone are the days when you can pop your battery out of your phone and put a new one in. Kevin Milne recently tried to buy a new battery for his iPhone, and ran into an annoying problem when trying to get the real deal. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winter dormancy is the best time to shift a tree or a shrub (or plant a new one), especially when they originate from a “temperate climate” (the kind that shed their leaves and hail from UK, Europe, North America, etc). When considering shifting a sub-tropical/semi tropical one, wait a little to just before spring sets in (mid-end September). These sub-tropicals do not really like to be dumped into a wet and cold soil for many weeks of deepest winter – it could kill them! Besides, as discussed last week, with these cold and wet soils all kinds of Root Rots (Phytophthora, Armillaria, Pithium, etc) might terminally affect your trees. Here are some ideas to make it work as well as possible: 1) Consider the size of the tree – smaller ones are much easier to (trans)plant than big ones. 2) Get a “trenching spade”. These long, narrow, sturdy blades are much more efficient at digging into cold, wet clay soils than the ordinary, wider spades. 3) Destination site – select the site where the tree has to go and dig a rather huge hole – you can't really dig big enough, as no matter what the root ball will be, a lot of extra drainage is always going to be beneficial. Drainage away from the root ball to be planted helps to avoid Root Rots. Mix in some pumice or compost in the loose soil material, so that it will become friable and nutritious with organic material; the tree will appreciate this new site as it has plenty of drainage and food. 4) Original site: with the trenching spade dig a circular shape around the tree's root-zone – remember that the wider you go, the heavier the root ball will be, you might need a bit of neighbourly help to lift the bugger out! Approx. 30 to 40 cm radius from the tree's stem is pretty good Try to get as many roots across as possible as the tree will re-establish better. 5) Levering with the trenching spade, remove the tree and its root ball out of its original site and transport it on a wheelbarrow to the destination site. If the soil starts to fall off the roots, use a hessian sack to wrap it all up before moving. 6) Plant the tree at destination site as soon as possible to prevent drying out. The level of the tree's soil should be the same at the new site – don't plant it deeper than it was before! In the unlikely event of destination site being too dry, fill the planting hole with water before the shift. 7) Stake the new tree to anchor it. Provide it with a bit of wind-shelter (windbreak) for the first year or so, firm the soil around the roots. Top-dress in spring with some slow-release fertilizer. If you've lost a lot of roots in the shift, prune the tops of the tree to restore the root/foliage balance. 8) I prefer to add some 3-4 inches of mulch over the root zone to keep moisture in and keep roots cool in summer. Keep the mulch away from the stem of the tree to avoid collar rots. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for 12 July 2025, country music superstar Maren Morris joins Jack to discuss bringing her Dreamsicle tour to New Zealand, and just what a dreamsicle is... The latest Superman has hit big screens, and Francesca Rudkin shares her thoughts on this iteration of the classic. Nici Wickes shares a recipe for the perfect pie and makes a special announcement. Plus, Justin Bieber dropped a surprise album overnight: "Swag". Music reviewer Estelle Clifford had her ears on it immediately and shares her thoughts on what Bieber has delivered. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wine: Thomas Barton Reserve Saint-Emillion 2023 RRP $36.99 This is a classic wine option targeted at red wine drinkers who like a wine with some firmness yet plenty of fruit and lots of style. A bouquet and palate of Doris plums and blackberry, baking spices suggesting clove and vanilla, a lick of smoky oak (with a hint of bacon), then clay earth suggestions. The tannins have some grip, and the acid line adds freshness, offering an overall classic right bank flavour profile and texture. Core fruits also include a fleshy softness from the Merlot and dried herb with chalk-like tannins from the Cabernet Franc. The Food: I have enjoyed this wine in New Zealand, and also recently in France, with the best matches being pork belly with apple sauce with smashed potato, and Shepherd's pie. For vegetarians, a vegetable lasagne with lots of spinach in a rich cheesy bechamel works a treat. The season: 2023 in France was a challenge for many and not for others, it just depends where your vineyards are located. Dry and sunny in July with hot spells through August. A generally lower crop harvest. This also meant some stressed vines, but an overall decent harvest. The proof is in the wine. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Secretary of State was impersonated using AI Concerning news this week as it was revealed that at least three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress all received outreach from the fake Rubio, according to a State Department cable. The impersonator reached out to people using Signal, an app that allows you to choose any username you want – the impersonator used a fake state department email address to make it look legit. At least one of the targets was sent a text message, but at least two were sent Signal voice messages. We're at a point now, or will reach it very soon, where we're going to need to figure out how to verify if the person you're chatting or talking to is who you think they are. Nvidia becomes the first $4 trillion company Apple was the first US company to hit $1 trillion in 2018, first to hit $2 trillion in 2020, and the first to hit $3 trillion in 2022, so by that math, it should have hit $4 trillion in 2024, but Nvidia beat them. Nvidia only became a $1 trillion company in 2023 - two years ago! For context, $4 trillion would be like giving all 5.3 million New Zealanders USD $750,000 (NZD $1.2 million). Samsung is exploring new wearables The electronics maker, who is known for leading with tech advancements, says they're exploring how people may want to interact with AI. Their current thinking is that the device shouldn't be carried, so are looking at glasses, earrings, watches, rings, a necklace, and would be a companion to a phone. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Too Much Jessica, a New York workaholic is reeling from a broken relationship. She takes a job in London, where she plans to live like a Bronte sister. When she meets Felix, a walking series of red flags, their unusual connection is impossible to ignore (Netflix). Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story Interviews, outtakes and never-before-seen footage provide insight into the chaos and creativity behind the making of Steven Spielberg's legendary blockbuster “Jaws” (Disney+). Outrageous Fortune It's 20 years this week since the classic New Zealand comedy-drama stormed onto our screens - and the series remains as entertaining as ever. The Wests are a one-family crime wave with a proud tradition in thievery, larceny and petty crime, until now... When patriarch Wolf is sent to jail, his wife Cheryl decides it's time for the family to go straight (TVNZ+, YouTube). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Superman When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman's four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it's too late? Heads of State U.S. President Will Derringer and British Prime Minister Sam Clarke have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry. However, when Air Force One gets shot down over enemy territory, they find themselves on the run and working together to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've been eating too many of the Daily Bread lamb pies lately as our local coffee hut here at the beach has started stocking them. They are too good, but they'll send me broke, so I've worked on recreating one at home and it's sensational! Meltingly tender lamb and a mix of spices that just hum with flavour. Makes 4-6 single serve pies Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced 800g-1kg diced lamb, I used 2 rumps 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 heaped tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp each coriander powder, ground cumin, paprika ½ tsp ground ginger 1 tsp sea salt & ¼ tsp white pepper 400g tinned crushed tomatoes Water 300g flaky puff pastry Egg wash Sesame or cumin seeds for pie tops Method Heat the oil and sauté the onions until softened. Add in diced lamb and brown. Add spices and cook for 2-3 minutes until your kitchen smells glorious. Add in crushed tomatoes and enough water to just cover the meat. Cover tightly with a lid and cook for 1 hour until lamb is very soft. Shred some of the lamb with two forks, leaving some pieces whole. Cool. Make the pies: Preheat oven to 190 C and place a tray in to heat. Use half the pastry to line the pie tins (see note). Brush the pastry edges with water or egg wash. Fill with cooled filling. Roll and stretch remaining pastry until it is very thin, and use for the lids of the pies. Seal the edges well. Use a sharp knife to slash the tops of the pies with a few times – this let's the air escape. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or cumin seeds. Bake on the preheated tray for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes, for ease of eating. Nici's Note: Use a 6-hole Texan muffin tin instead of individual tins. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last month we set a new household record. Blame the baby, the extra washing, the old house, the cold weather, the dehumidifier, and whatever else. But despite booking in hours of free electricity across the month, between the gas heating and electricity, our family energy bill for June 2025 was the highest it's ever been: $540. I know we're very comfortable relative to so many families, but even so, that has gotta change. But while of course there are things we as a family can improve upon, I'm very aware that there are only so many gains to be won from policing light switches and shower times. I'm seriously wondering about solar. I read an amazing set of stats in the New Yorker magazine this week about the scale and development of solar energy around the world. This is all big picture stuff... mainly the huge industrial solar farms, rather than household solar, but a couple of these numbers absolutely blew me away. First of all, solar power is now growing faster than any power source in history. Globally, a gigawatt's worth of solar panels is being installed every fifteen hours on average, which means if you set a stopwatch running right now, new solar panels equal to the entire electricity generation capacity of New Zealand will be installed and running by midnight on Thursday night. Next week? The same. And the week after that. And the week after that. Another fact. It took 68 years from the invention of solar panels for the world to install the first terawatt of solar generation. That was 2022. It took just two years to install the second terawatt of generation. And it's gonna take a year to 18 months to install the third. By next year, the International Energy Agency says solar energy will generate more electricity than all the world's nuclear power plants combined. By 2029, more than hydro dams. By 2031 more than gas and by 2032, more than coal. Globally, we are generating a third more energy through wind and solar than this time last year. The Chinese are miles ahead of anyone else on this, but even gas-guzzling America is changing fast. Why? Are we doing it because it's the right thing? The moral thing? The climate-conscious thing? No. The huge surge in solar is being driven by economics. Put simply, solar power is way, way, way cheaper than other forms of electricity generation. Between batteries and solar panels, the technology is only getting better and only getting cheaper. Ten years from now, as reported in that article, the International Energy Agency says solar power will become the world's main source of all energy... not just electricity, but all energy. I'm not naïve about solar's limitations. Few of us need reminding —especially given the last couple of weeks— that there are times when the sun doesn't shine. And right now, in the depths of winter, when our family's energy bill is the highest, is the time of year when solar panels on our rooftop would likely be generating the least electricity. But if I take a step back and think about solar in the context of the whole year, it makes increasing economic sense to me. In summer I reckon I could wipe off a massive chunk from our energy bill. And whatever savings I make then can contribute to offsetting the bills in the middle of winter. All I knew when I looked at my energy bill this week is the status quo isn't gonna be sustainable for our family. Rather than debating if we'll go to solar, the only question for us now, is when. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley travels a lot. He's the resident traveller on Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, always trying something or some place new. As a result, he's tried out many of the apps available for travellers, and has a few he would call his favourites. Read his full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new twist on a classic tale. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is an iconic tale of star-crossed lovers, and in just a few weeks, it will be brought to life once more by Auckland Theatre Company. Although if you're expecting a classic performance, you're in for a shock – instead you'll witness a fast-passed thriller set in 1960's Milan, complete with Kiwi accents. The titular characters are played by Theo David and Phoebe McKellar and the two joined Jack Tame to delve into the development of the show and what it's like to bring this new variation to life. Performances are running from the 15th of July through to the 9th of August at ASB Waterfront Theatre – tickets are available here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Her first album released as an independent artist, Period is Kesha's sixth studio album. With her taste for experimental pop on full display, the album is a return to Kesha's wilder, hedonistic, “hot mess” era, filled with brash and unfiltered music. The popstar says her goal was for it to create a safe space for people to feel fully embodied and liberated, unfiltered, and fearless. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne is encouraging people to spend a little more time outside this weekend. The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey ends this weekend, which aks people to record the number of birds they see in their garden over the span of an hour. Last weekend saw Kevin take part in the Whale Count, but he thinks most people will have better luck with the birds. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The White Crow by Michael Robotham As the daughter of a London crime boss, Police Constable Philomena McCarthy walks a thin blue line keeping the two sides of her complicated life apart. On patrol one night she discovers a child in pyjamas, wandering alone. Taking Daisy home, Phil uncovers the aftermath of a deadly home invasion, as three miles away a prominent jeweller is found strapped to an explosive in his ransacked store. The crimes are linked, and all the evidence points to Phil's father as the mastermind. Phil's two worlds are colliding, trapping her in the middle of a vicious gang war that will threaten her career and everyone she loves. Who can she trust – the badge or her own blood? This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen Widow Mimi lives on idyllic Mackinac Island where cars are not allowed and a Gibson with three onions at the witching hour is compulsory. Her granddaughter, Addie, is getting over the heartbreak of her fiancé, Brian, dumping her and cutting her out of the deal for the brilliantly successful video game, Murderscape, they invented together (with Addie doing most of the heavy lifting). When Mimi gets an invitation from local socialite Jane Ireland--a seventysomething narcissist who is having an affair with her son-in-law--to a charity auction, it is the perfect excuse to get Addie to join her for the weekend. What Mimi isn't telling Addie is that a blackmail threat from Jane looms over the party's invitation. In case the scene wasn't already set for a turbulent weekend, a big storm rolls in, trapping everyone in the mansion. And then, Jane's body is found. Soon Mimi and Addie are caught in a dangerous game, relying on their skills (Mimi loves a crossword puzzle, and Addie is a brilliant game designer, after all) to narrow down the suspects. When another body turns up, the sleuthing pair realize someone else is playing a deadly game, and they might not survive the night. . . . LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the cold and wet winter months, people often spend a lot less time in the great outdoors. This can be a bit of a problem, as recent research reveals that spending time outside can have quite a few psychological benefits. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to delve into the findings. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investing isn't always easy, and while you may think you can afford to buy a new house or investment property, can you really? Ed McKnight recommends that before you take on those payments, try living with the decreased income before taking on that debt. He joined Jack Tame to delve deeper into the ‘Can I Invest' Test. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So far, this winter of ours has been pretty wet. Yes, complaining might not help at all, but it pays to do something about the soaked soil. Inundation is a health hazard for plants: constant wetness causes a range of diseases, many of which will be fatal. Drowning roots stuff the oxygen balance, causing severe stress, discoloration of leaves, blisters on stems and leaves, leaf-fall, and die-back of branches. Often the plant, shrub of small tree will become infected by one of the root-rot species. The name Phytophthora comes to mind as it is quite violent in the way it attacks whole rows of plants. Once a tree is infected there is very little you can do to “save its life”. If you are quick to diagnose this root rot fungus, you can try some Plant Health Buxus Blight Buster – follow label instructions and spray the affected trees/shrubs regularly. I reckon that a prevention of stagnant water is the best way to save you a heap of trouble: dig some narrow ditches that will take the water away to lower levels. It pays to have a garden with a decent amount of “fall”, allowing the water to move off the premises. Then there are plants we keep in large outdoor pots. And like our indoor plants, the most common cause of death is overwatering of those plants. Our winter deluges outside can be lethal. Ensure that your large outdoor pots have plenty of drainage holes in the bottom Check that those holes are not clogged – check them every now and then Remove the trays or saucers (which are handy to keep moisture around the roots in summer but not in wet old winter). Our climate disruption is becoming worse every year, and I don't see it turning around any day soon. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 5th of July 2025, Theo David and Phoebe McKellar join Jack as stars of ATC's fast-paced 60s twist on the original tale of star-crossed lovers, Romeo & Juliet. Jack considers his French sporting viewing picks for this weekend. Mike Yardley shares his favourite apps for anything you may need while travelling. And how does the latest Jurassic franchise instalment rate? Francesca Rudkin dishes on the latest on the big screen. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open AI's talent is being poached for eye-watering numbers Being paid $100 million to join a team sounds like something from the NFL or NBA, but it's happening in Silicon Valley too. OpenAI's talent is being poached by other tech giants, with Meta reportedly offered signing bonuses that large to steal talent and offering salaries in the millions. Could website and content owners cash in on AI? Cloudflare wants to help. When newspapers, magazines, and other content creators started putting their content online it was largely free, and even if it wasn't, they still allowed Google to crawl it since having your website be discovered was worth it. That math shifted over the years, and now with AI those same content creators are debating if they should do something different this time around. Cloudflare —a content delivery network— has a new feature aimed to help websites if they want to start charging for AI bots and agents to scrape their sites and use their service. They're offering an auction system or a flat fee, and Cloudflare will be the broker for the transaction. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This City is Ours A long-time member of organised crime falls in love with Diana, prompting him to reevaluate his life and contemplate a future beyond his criminal activities (ThreeNow). Hospice Heroes A new documentary series that introduces us to the staff and volunteers of one of New Zealand's largest hospice facilities as they help terminally ill patients (ThreeNow). Quick round-up of the return of three blockbuster shows: Tour de France: Unchained (Netflix) The Bear (Disney+) Squid Game (Netflix) LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jurassic World Rebirth Zora Bennett leads a team of skilled operatives to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park. Their mission is to secure genetic material from dinosaurs whose DNA can provide life-saving benefits to mankind. As the top-secret expedition becomes more and more risky, they soon make a sinister, shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades. The Great Lilian Hall Broadway actress Lillian Hall pours her heart and soul into preparing for her next big role but finds herself blindsided by confusion and forgetfulness. She strives to make it to opening night while holding on to her fading memories and identity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If I was to enter Mousse Masters, the competition currently underway to find New Zealand's top chocolate mousse, this would be my entry – simple, classic and utterly delicious. It's as much about the mouthfeel as it is about ensuring the distinct flavour of using a quality chocolate comes through. Mousse Masters is a one-of-a-kind competition for pro chefs and promising young chefs. It's designed to captivate the food service industry, showcase the magic of Weave Cacao's couverture chocolate drops, and celebrate the artistry of New Zealand's chefs and bakers. Serves 2-4 Ingredients ½ cup cream 2 small egg yolks 1 tablespoon caster sugar 70g very dark good-quality chocolate, chopped (check out the Weave Cacao website) ½ cup cream, whipped with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or rum or orange zest or espresso) grated chocolate to serve Method Bring the first measure of cream to the boil. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, then slowly pour over the hot cream whilst continuing to whisk so the eggs don't curdle. Add the chopped chocolate and let stand, covered, to allow the chocolate to melt. Allow to cool. Fold the whipped cream gently into the cooled chocolate mixture. Pour into four cups or glasses or ramekins and refrigerate until set -at least 3-4 hours. Have patience! To serve, grate over some more chocolate because, well, why not?! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's be honest, so far as All Blacks tests go, this is a bit of a funny one. If you were just weighing the odds on paper, I suppose there's good reason why you might favour Les Bleus. I hadn't realised it until this week, but we're coming off a three-game losing streak against the French, and you'll remember last year's first All Blacks test in Dunedin was a nail-biting one-point victory. The All Blacks didn't scream cohesion. Add to that the fact I still don't think we have an emphatic answer for who should start at ten, and Tupou Vai'i, surely one of the World's best locks, is playing blindside flanker! And yet the French are playing eight debutants and have left a slab of their elite stars back home. If it were any other test nation, I think New Zealand Rugby would have the right to kick up a bit of a fuss about the whole situation. But given the French and their history of spirited unpredictability on the rugby football pitch, it probably makes sense to secure a dominant victory before moaning about the standard of the opposition. You can just imagine it, can't you? No sooner would we lodge a formal complaint than a French rugby team with a prop at first five or a winger throwing the line outs would intercept an errant pass in the 84th minute or accidentally charge down the match-ending clearance kick with their replacement fullback's face in a freak moment of sporting brilliance to pip the All Blacks for yet another famous victory. An All Blacks test is an All Blacks test and the first of the season always gets me fizzing, but truthfully I realised I'd crossed a curious little Rubicon of sorts this week when I noted in myself an even greater sense of excitement about a completely different Gallic endeavour which happens to coincide with tonight's game. The Tour de France kicks off tonight. And I dunno what it is, but over the last few years it has become appointment viewing for me on the international sporting calendar. I think the romance and agony of it all is just so alluring. The way that riders slowly decay over the three weeks and more than 3000km. The way teams have to work to secure individual victories. The spectators lining the road, running with the leaders, often getting far, far closer than would ever be allowed in any other sport. The psychology of it! It's madness. Imagine cycling for hundreds of kilometres in intense heat or over a mountain range, only to get back to your bus and know you have to do it again the next day. And the next day. And the day after that. I honestly thought after the Lance Armstrong saga that I was done with the Tour de France. But whether it's the Netflix treatment or the incredible, generation-defining rivalry of the World's two best riders, I'm very much back in the saddle. So there's my pick. I reckon the All Blacks are well-placed to blast the French in Dunedin. But if you haven't watched it in a while, and you want guaranteed sporting drama... hang around a few more hours tonight for stage one of Le Tour. You will not be disappointed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Muchamore is behind some of the best novels available to young readers. His CHERUB series is credited with shaking up young adult literature, with realistic language, unconventionally sophisticated themes, and portrayals of heroes that challenge tradition. His latest series tackles concepts like corruption, protection rackets, and late-stage capitalist failure, with a twist on the tale of Robin Hood. The ninth book in the series, Robin Hood: Fury, Fire and Frost, was released earlier this month. Muchamore told Jack Tame he's always been fascinated by the tale of Robin Hood – this very old story that has been passed on and reimagined over and over again. “It's this kind of legend that's been around for so long, and everyone gets to interpret it in their own way.” His version of the story is a more modern take, set in a contemporary world with a 12/13-year-old Robin Hood that's very similar to most modern children. That similarity can be something of a challenge though, as Muchamore explains that over his twenty years of writing for children, it's becoming a bit harder to stay in touch with kids. “You really do have to be humble and talk to kids, and listen to what they say.” “Kids are quite ruthless,” Muchamore explained. “They're always quite ruthless if you get something wrong or you use a phrase that isn't hip anymore or something like that.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lorde has described her fourth album as her rebirth. ‘Virgin' is her attempt to make a document that reflected her femininity, which she described as “raw, primal, innocent, elegant, openhearted, spiritual, masc”. It deals with themes of gender identity, body image, and mental health, a more introspective album than its predecessor ‘Solar Power'. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple in China by Patrick McGee After struggling to build its products on three continents, Apple was lured by China's seemingly inexhaustible supply of cheap labor. Soon it was sending thousands of engineers across the Pacific, training millions of workers, and spending hundreds of billions of dollars to create the world's most sophisticated supply chain. These capabilities enabled Apple to build the 21st century's most iconic products—in staggering volume and for enormous profit. Without explicitly intending to, Apple built an advanced electronics industry within China, only to discover that its massive investments in technology upgrades had inadvertently given Beijing a power that could be weaponized. In Apple in China, journalist Patrick McGee draws on more than two hundred interviews with former executives and engineers, supplementing their stories with unreported meetings held by Steve Jobs, emails between top executives, and internal memos regarding threats from Chinese competition. The book highlights the unknown characters who were instrumental in Apple's ascent and who tried to forge a different path, including the Mormon missionary who established the Apple Store in China; the “Gang of Eight” executives tasked with placating Beijing; and an idealistic veteran whose hopes of improving the lives of factory workers were crushed by both Cupertino's operational demands and Xi Jinping's war on civil society. Apple in China is the sometimes disturbing and always revelatory story of how an outspoken, proud company that once praised “rebels” and “troublemakers”—the company that encouraged us all to “Think Different”—devolved into passively cooperating with a belligerent regime that increasingly controls its fate. The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney Gordon and Sarah Rutherford are normal, happy people with successful fulfilling lives. A son they adore, a house on the beach, a safe, friendly and honest community in a picture-postcard town on the Ayrshire coast. Until one day Bonnie the lab comes in from the beach alone. Their son Rory has just gone - the only trace left is a single black Adidas slider. Their lives don't fall apart immediately - while there's still hope (and no body) they can dig deep and try to carry on. Rather it's a process of abrasion, a wearing away of that happiness and normality; a slow degradation, a gradual breakdown - until they'll never be the people they were before. This sort of tragedy impacts a whole town - does the community still feel the same after? What are folk saying about you? Who are your friends? Who can you trust? When the worst thing has happened and you've lost everything, you either go under or you rebuild, start again. What could be worse than your child disappearing? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parkinson's is one of the most common neurological conditions for those over the age of 60 - Michael J Fox very famously has early onset Parkinson's, and is now a champion for awareness of the disease. So what is Parkinson's? A degenerative disease of the nervous system causing movement problems. Affects 1:100 over the age of 60. Occasionally it's early onset like with Michael J Fox. Nerve cells in the brain break down, we lose a chemical messenger called dopamine. There's no simple test to diagnose, diagnosis comes from symptoms. How do you recognise it? It's often very slow to develop and initially can be difficult to diagnose. Everyone's journey with Parkinson's is different. It's common to notice tremors at rest, often on one side. You may notice it gets better when moving or doing something – it can fluctuate. Over time: Slow movements become difficult, stiff muscles, loss of balance. Can be associated with depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and lack of motivation. Loss of smell, difficulty with speech, fatigue, cramping muscles. What causes it? We don't know the cause. However, risk factors include age, family history, and it's more common in men. Other factors: Traumatic brain injuries, exposure to toxins, certain pesticides, and some illegal drugs. Can we treat it? It can't be cured and does tend to be progressive. However, there are a range of medications that can help: medication that either replaces dopamine, or stops the breakdown of dopamine in brain can alleviate symptoms. Lifestyle: exercise to improve muscle strength, preventing falls; not rushing, use of walking aids, massage. Occupational therapists to teach how to help with daily activities Support organisations such as Parkinson's New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dead Cow Gully Backyard Marathon in Queensland is not for the faint of heart. Billed as a race with no finish line, the Backyard Ultra format has no predefined length or time, but requires runners to complete a 6.7km loop every hour. Kevin Milne was following the race, and thinks it's a good thing he didn't manage to get his entry in on time. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Don't downplay Quito as merely a stepping stone to the rainforest or the Galapagos. It is a superlative destination in its own right. The crowning jewel is Quito's 17th-century Old Town, a heaving historical quarter so impeccably preserved that it was the first city in the world to be accorded UNESCO World Heritage Status." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although it's convenient, cloud storage and email inboxes have a bigger carbon footprint than one might think. To combat this, Kate Hall has been unsubscribing, deleting, and cleaning up her digital clutter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 28th June 2025, young adult author Robert Muchamore talks to Jack about his new series - Robin Hood: Fury, Fire and Frost - a twist on the classic Robin Hood tales. Jack reflects on the Venice extravaganza that is the Jeff Bezos wedding. Francesca Rudkin has two great movie recommendations if you're looking for something to do over the school holidays. And Estelle Clifford gives us her thoughts on the much-anticipated Lorde album, Virgin: "Raw, angsty, growing as an artist. 10/10" Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm quite happy to touch on this little trouble inside the house: what is a good spot to grow certain plants? Julie and I have been struggling to get a few Orchids growing inside. One of them is Phalaenopsis —the Moth Orchid— and another one is Oncidium, especially the “Kandy Dancer” I fell in love with when working in Sri Lanka. Both are a real pain to get going: tried a north-facing window, an eastern aspect, west, and nothing worked to get these plants growing, let alone flowering!! The Irony is that our daughter just chucked them in a south facing bay windowsill and simply couldn't stop them flowering! They get a few seconds of morning sun, are covered in steam (it's a kitchen bay window), and often get warm ovens heating the site. Guess what! We tried it too: south bay window in kitchen, etc, etc. Fertilised them with Orchid Food, spoke to them, read stories at night, etc, ect... NOTHING! Yes, we read the books and reduced the moisture regime, got solid fertiliser, liquid fertiliser, extra Potash, no potash, more Nitrogen, less Nitrogen, saw their root zones and decided that Phosphate might be the answer... NADA! Our south side bay window is filled with thriving plants, everything grows brilliantly here, except the bloody Orchids! We finally did get a little bit of hope from an Oncidium cutting (no comment on the origin of that cutting, by the way). Our next attempt: west window, afternoon sun every day, etc, etc. It's tiny, but it's alive! The point is that sometimes these things happen when you try to grow certain specimens, they don't always follow the suggestions in the book. The fertiliser regime is quite often hyped-up and the commonest method of killing your plants is by simply over-watering the plants and their roots. So… try some neglect. Water them when you realise you've forgotten to do so for months! And when your daughter asks, “what is fertiliser?” try not to get shitty, just learn from that and embrace another tactic. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Texas can force users of porn websites to verify their age The law was challenged right up to the Supreme Court as they claimed it violated the free-speech rules of the First Amendment. Their argument was that adult viewers might be worried their private information or viewing history could be exposed, which is a deterrent from accessing the material. The Supreme Court ruled in favour of the law, saying it's working to protect children, and the government has the authority to do that. The Texas Governor, Ken Paxton, calls the widespread access among children to hardcore pornography a public health crisis. Texas is one of 24 states that have passed age verification laws for online porn, forcing Pornhub to close down in the state. Salesforce's CEO claims 30-50% of the internal work is now done by AI That's a staggering statistic from CEO Mark Benioff. Unsure how that's measured, but he says AI is being widely used at the company for software engineering and customer service. He says the tech has allowed the company to hire fewer humans. Microsoft and Alphabet have claimed similar stats saying AI is creating about 30% of the new code on some projects. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light Thomas Cromwell navigates the Tudor court in the aftermath of the execution of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Based on the final book in Hilary Mantel's commanding trilogy (Neon). Smoke When an arson investigator begrudgingly teams up with a police detective, their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions (Apple TV+). Here We Go In this hilariously unfiltered portrait of family life, the Jessops are the subject of their son Sam's amateur documentary, as they go about their mundane but chaotic lives (TVNZ+). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karate Kid: Legends After moving to New York City with his mother, kung fu prodigy Li Fong struggles to let go of the past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition -- but his skills alone aren't enough. With help from Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, he soon learns to merge two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown. F1: The Movie In the 1990s, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1's most promising driver until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, the owner of a struggling Formula 1 team convinces Sonny to return to racing and become the best in the world. Driving alongside the team's hotshot rookie, Sonny soon learns that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I love these little biscuits; they really brighten up even the most dreary day, and kids love making them so it's a good school holiday activity. I've added sesame seeds to mine for texture and taste and I recommend you do too, or use poppy seeds. Makes 15-18 Ingredients 100g butter, soft 2/3 cup (about 100g) icing sugar 1 cup plain flour 1 heaped tbsp cornflour 3 tbsps. sesame or poppy seeds (optional) Jam and/or marmalade Method Preheat oven to 170 C. Line a tray with baking paper. Beat butter and icing sugar until pale - I do this for about 5 minutes. Add flours and seeds (if using) and mix well. Roll mixture into balls and place on a tray, making a deep thumb indent into each one. Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven. Spoon a teaspoon of jam or marmalade into the hollows and return to the oven for 8-10 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack. Why are these worth making? They're quick and easy to make and cook. Great way to use up marmalades or jams. The addition of seeds gives them great texture and flavour. Sensible for portion control – no giant cookies here! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

$82 million. As we go to air this morning, that's a rough estimate for the amount of cash going up in smoke as Jeff Bezos marries his bride at a star-studded Venetian affair. Eighty-two million. And I thought my wedding was an expensive affair! Everything's relative, of course. $82 million represents just a fraction of the total wealth of the world's third-richest man. To try and appreciate the true magnitude of his $300 billion estimated wealth, I put his finances into a scale that I can better understand. If every Jeff Bezos dollar was one second —so that one minute was $60, and one hour was $3600— depleting Jeff Bezos' wealth would take more than 11,000 years. You're gonna think I have a particular thing for Jeff Bezos. I honestly don't. I was one of those bagging his fiancée's space flight a few weeks ago, but I swear it's nothing personal. I would just be so embarrassed to be spending that much money to get married in a place where it would appear a reasonable number of locals don't want me. I've spent enough time in media to know it's hard to properly gauge these things from the outside. Protestors say Bezos has bought half the city and that his bash is an obscene example of money trumping every other concern. But the local mayor says that anyone blocking up the canals in protest or hanging out with banners and signs represents a tiny minority of Venetians, and actually the vast majority of Venetians are happy to welcome Bezos, his big bucks, and his blockbuster mates. Consumption in these European hotspots is clearly becoming a greater sore point. The backlash to the Bezos wedding recalls the protestors in Barcelona who've been going around and squirting visitors with water guns to protest the impact of overtourism on housing and infrastructure in the city. Whether it's Italy, Spain, or Portugal, qualities that made coastal European cities so romantic and alluring in the first place are swiftly destroying them in the Airbnb, cheap flights, and mass-tourism age. Would you still go? I can confess to having visited both Venice and Barcelona during backpacking trips fifteen odd years ago, but I'm not sure I'd return anytime soon. Increasingly as I travel, I'm a little repulsed by the crowds at the absolute hottest spots. And I'm aware that like a driver complaining about a traffic jam, I'm part of the problem. The Mayor of Venice who has so staunchly defended the Jeff Bezos wedding says he's embarrassed by the protests. The wedding is a great source of much-needed revenue for the city, he said. Italy's tourism Ministry put out a report suggesting it could provide the city a tourism boost of more than $1 billion dollars. It's a great way to put Venice on the map. I dunno. I'm not sure Venice needs to be put on the map! Maybe I'm wired differently but watching the scenes in Venice has, if anything, made me less likely to go back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.