By RNZ reporter Serena Solomon

It all started around a summer campfire on the West Coast of New Zealand.

A bunch of Kiwi blokes were throwing around ideas for a coffee table book. It wasn't a completely random conversation because award-winning photographer Derek Morrison was in the group and he had already produced some top-selling photography books, including Surf Dreams and New Zealand Surf Culture.

Someone suggested a book on pies.

"We all laughed and we didn't all take it seriously until the next day and then we thought 'Actually, that's a really good idea,'" Morrison told RNZ's Nine to Noon.

Listen on Nine to Noon here: Celebrating Aotearoa's Gourmet Pies

Over the next few years, that fireside group expanded and fanned out around the country finding and tasting potential subjects for Morrison's latest coffee table New Zealand's Best Gourmet Pies. It was published last month.

"I had about 80 people sending me photos of pies that should be in the book and the concept just took on a life of its own. I knew that there was something really good there."

Photographer Derek Morrison and his coffee table book New Zealand's Best Gourmet Pie. Photo: Taya Morrison

New Zealand's Best Gourmet Pies isn't just food porn where the 38 selected pies are the celebrated focal point. The coffee table book peels back the story behind each pie and its place of origin in photos and words.

For the ultimate pie enthusiast, a companion tea towel is available providing a road trip map with all 38 pie locations around New Zealand.

The pies are a few steps beyond your grisly mince offering at whatever petrol station. One of the standout inclusions for Morrison is the beef rendang pie from the Lunch Bar in Port Chalmers, near Dunedin.

The beef rendang pie from the Lunch Bar. Photo: Derek Morrison

The pie came about when a baker hired someone who came from Malaysia and they collaborated on the flavour.

"I had one in 2012. I will never forget it. I drove away thinking I'm going to get another one."

Unfortunately for Morrison, the bakery made a limited number each day and every time he stopped by it was sold out. It would be five years before he got his hands on another one. The third time he had the pie, he was photographing it for the book.

"I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Port Chalmers down there and the Lunch Bar."

One love-it-or-hate-it inclusion in the book is the pāua pie. Most people are used to eating the New Zealand shellfish via oceanside barbecue, but in this instance, it's creamy paua mince wrapped in pastry.

"It is probably way more delicious than you think it might be if you are not a pāua fan and if you are a pāua fan, then it's like heaven."

Pies are known for their portability - pull over in a car, grab a pie and eat while driving. A key to that is the integrity of the pastry.

"A bit of hot mince on the inner thigh is not good."

Nada Bakery in Wellington has been a family business for almost 50 years. Photo: Derek Morrison

Morrison met many "pastry whisperers" on his travels, including the baker behind Fat Bastard Pies in Invercargill. He built himself a climate-controlled bakery to perfect his pastry.

"He is so passionate about the science of pastry. For him, it is a no-brainer."

Pastry "crumb fall," as the fireside group called it, became one of the measures for a pie's inclusion in the book.

"How much crumb fall you had on your t-shirt was a good sign."

An eggs benedict inspired pie from Salut Pies in Wellington. Photo: Derek Morrison

Morrison spent time with legendary New Zealand pie maker Patrick Lam in Tauranga who works almost around the clock on his craft.

In Wellington, he visited Salut Pies where Joe and Carey Player have clocked up more than 1,600 flavours with new creations almost daily.

The one that appears in the book is a pie inspired by eggs benedict with salmon, spinach, eggs and hollandaise sauce.

"I don't really know how he does it. When you cut it, [the sauce] just pours out. It's theatre." - RNZ