The Squashed Tomato

Truffled Pork and White Bean Meatballs with Porcini and Truffle Sauce

2012-01-25T18:07:00.001+02:00

After our monthly bloggers' group, The Five Star Makeover Cooking Group, took a much-needed two month break over the holidays, we're back and raring to make 2012 the tastiest year yet. Our challenge theme for January is meatballs and we've been tasked with turning this classic comfort food into something gourmet. Before you think "Oh, that's easy enough", let me assure you that it isn't. To start with, meatballs aren't exactly the most photogenic of food subjects (well, that's until my fellow foodies of the Five Star Makeover group get their hands on them - just wait and see what they come up with!). As a rule, meatballs always look delicious, but most don't really ooze fine-dining flair. Coming up with a way of giving them said flair proved a very tricky task indeed, as it seemed as though every possible recipe and combination of flavours had already been tried. In the end, I decided to build my perfect meatball from the gourmet flavours and ingredients that I absolutely love at the moment - porcini mushrooms, white beans, truffle and rosemary. After looking at that list, it was clear that only one protein would do this line-up justice, and so my Truffled Pork and White Bean Meatballs with Porcini and Truffle Sauce were born.

Alas, whilst these meatballs suffer the same fate of any meatball - namely that they're just not attractive to photograph - they absolutely delivered on rich flavour and texture. I'd recently invested in a small bottle of Morgenster White Truffle Olive Oil, which I treat with as much tender and care as Charlie did his slab of chocolate in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. With its heady, savoury aromas of mushroomy-earthiness and flavour that's just too delicious to describe, this is one ingredient that makes me weak at the knees (apart from working wonders with this recipe, it's also sublime when stirred through buttered mashed potatoes). I decided to make a white bean and truffle paste, two ingredients that simply belong together, to add to the pork mince for extra texture and flavour. I also added some breadcrumbs to the mix, as these give the meatballs a moreish crunch when baked. For the sauce, it was all about letting the rich flavour of the porcini mushrooms shine through - and, of course, complementing their earthiness with even more truffle oil! The end result is a rich, satisfying dish that would make the perfect entree (served in little bowls with plenty of porcini sauce for dipping), or serve over your favourite pasta.

You will need:

Meatballs

500g pork mince (if you can't find pork mince, then buy 500g pork sausages and remove the meat from the casings)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tblspn fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tblspn olive oil
1 large egg
1 tin cannellini beans, drained
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tblspn white truffle olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Porcini Mushroom Sauce

1 packet dried porcini mushrooms (approx. 25g when dried)
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tblspn butter, softened
2 tblspns white truffle oil
2 tblspn olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced

For the meatballs:

Blend the drained beans, 1 clove of roughly chopped garlic and white truffle oil in a food processor or with a stick blender until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the diced onion. Sauté until translucent and remove from heat to cool. Add the pork mince, crushed garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, rosemary and cooled onions to a mixing bowl. Add the white bean paste and mix well with your hands until all ingredients are incorporated. Form meatballs to your desired size and place on a plate or chopping board. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Bake meatballs uncovered for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

For the sauce:

Rehydrate mushrooms by soaking in 1 1/2 cups of warm water (don't use boiling water, as this will cause the mushrooms to be chewy) for 25 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid. Cut mushrooms into small pieces (the easiest is just to cut them in the bowl using kitchen scissors).

Mix the flour and softened butter in a cup or small bowl, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and truffle oil in a pan. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat, until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute. Add the reserve mushroom liquid and bring to the boil. When boiling, whisk the flour-butter mixture into the sauce until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat. I added a final glug of truffle oil at this stage before pouring into ramekins to accompany my meatballs. Serve both immediately whilst hot and delicious!

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

Luck and Fortune for Chinese New Year

2012-01-22T17:05:00.000+02:00

When Ming of Butterfingers invited me to take part in her round-up of what South African bloggers make for Chinese New Year (23 January 2012), I was a little nervous. I love Chinese cuisine, don't get me wrong, but the closest I've got to actually making it is a higgledy-piggledy stir-fry with sweet and sour sauce. After learning more about Chinese New Year cuisine and the unique symbolism of each dish, and finding out that 2012 is the year of the dragon, I just had to take part. The year of the dragon is about good luck, fortune and the colour red (for more of the history, culture and tradition of Chinese New Year, please visit Ming's blog on 23 January). This year I will be celebrating the first birthday of my own business, so a mixture of good luck and fortune for year two wouldn't go unappreciated! I therefore decided to create two dishes (doubling my chances!) for my humble celebration of the most important festivity on the Chinese calendar: Coins and Greens to start, and homemade "Year of the Dragon" Red Fortune Cookies (complete with fortunes) to finish, with red paper Chinese lanterns and gold place-mat covers for decoration.

Coins and Greens
Stir-fried lettuce with shiitake mushrooms

I loved the sound of this dish the minute I came across the recipe for it during my search for unique Chinese New Year dishes. According to the recipe author, the Chinese pronunciation for "lettuce" sounds similar to that of "good fortune", making this dish a popular choice at many New Year's celebrations. I've also never eaten lettuce as anything other than raw, so I was very interested to see what it tasted like when stir-fried. This dish is incredibly simple to make and it filled my kitchen with absolutely mouthwatering aromas whilst cooking. It's fresh and light, with the lettuce giving a delicious crunch and the saucy mushrooms a flavour and texture sensation, and would make the perfect side dish along with some chicken and prawn egg-fried rice, or even as a main for vegetarians.

I adapted the recipe slightly by adding a whole packet of shiitake mushrooms and a little more fresh ginger, and I stir-fried the lettuce separately and topped with sauce on serving, but otherwise (as a novice when it comes to Asian cooking) I followed the recipe step for step.

"Year of the Dragon" Fortune Cookies

I absolutely love fortune cookies, but I didn't realise just how easy they are to make until I decided to include them in my Chinese New Year menu! There are many sites dedicated to the making of this all-seeing, all-knowing and often cryptic cookie, from videos to step-by-step guides to fortune sheets that you can print out and use. I followed the advice of the aptly-named MakeFortuneCookies.com, and I printed some funny fortunes found through my searches. I really wanted to incorporate the red colour theme, so I added some red food colouring to my cookie batter once it was ready. Sadly, it came out more pink instead of red (and became an even deeper pink when I added a few extra drops), but it's the thought that counts!

While the batter is an absolute cinch to make, I found a lot of conflicting advice when it came to how long to bake the cookies for. Some recipes said 6 minutes, some said 15 - that's quite a gap! They all agreed on an oven temperature of 150 degrees, so I played around with timing per batch. Whilst the cookies were easier to seal and close if they only had 6-8 minutes in the oven, they were chewy and didn't give that satisfying crack when bent in half. The cookies that were in for 11 minutes seemed to work the best, even though the edges were a little dry and therefore didn't seal as well. The mixture makes around 16-20 cookies, so play around and see what works for you. My only word of caution is to use gloves - they're piping hot when you fold them and it wreaks havoc on bare palms and fingertips!

Happy New Year! Xin nian yu kuai!

Pretoria Dining: The Farm Inn

2012-01-16T18:33:00.002+02:00

It seems Pretoria gets a bad rap amongst Capetonians. After chatting with people about it, I think there are generally three black marks that are automatically struck against the city's name. The first is that everyone assumes, due to the lack of mountain or ocean, that there is nothing to do. Secondly, all restaurants are assumed to be situated in shopping malls. Thirdly, restaurants are considered to be of a lesser quality than those found in the Cape. Thankfully, my trip to Pretoria over the festive season proved all three of these assumptions to be faulty. Before you protest, allow me to explain: While it's true that there is neither mountain nor ocean, there are still plenty of activities to enjoy. You just need to think outside the ~~Cape~~ box. While many, many restaurants are indeed located in shopping malls, there are also many that are not. The eateries that we visited more than proved that Pretoria can compete with Cape Town on every level, from the rustic to the refined. The Farm Inn Country Hotel, situated on the outskirts of the city, delighted us with a beautiful setting, lots to do and some delicious teatime treats.

The Farm Inn Country Hotel (graded 4 stars) is situated on a 108 hectare private game sanctuary, boasting 23 indigenous wildlife species including lion, cheetah and leopard. It felt very much like driving into a private camp at the Kruger National Park as we made our way up the long dirt road to the main buildings. If, for some reason, you were to change your mind about visiting while you're walking from the car to reception, you'll soon think twice when you see what's waiting for you near the entrance - lion and tiger cubs! Housed in a beautiful little "cub garden", the cubs are the products of The Farm Inn's wildlife breeding program. We were greeted by two sleepy lion cubs and one absolutely beautiful white tiger cub, lazing in his kennel. The cubs are available for playtime with visitors daily, but we sadly arrived too early - it was all I could do not to try and force my way through the padlocked gate to cuddle them! Visitors to The Farm Inn can also go on scenic game drives through the sanctuary and may even have professional photo sessions with some of the lions and cubs.

The interior of The Farm Inn is distinctly African, with a decidedly quirky feel - the stone walls and thatched roof give it the perfect African game farm appeal. The stuffed animals might not be everyone's cup of tea (certainly not mine), but the Father Christmas hats on the giraffes managed to get a giggle out of me nonetheless. We moved through the main building and out into the huge garden, where we walked down the path (in between the hotel buildings, dining rooms and conference facilities) to find The Farm Inn's own domestic farmyard. The Bulls Fan knows that he cannot take me within a few kilometres of a farmyard without having to pull over and let me spend some time pouring over every single animal, from goat to chicken to goose. This farmyard had a huge variety of ducks and chickens, all busily going about their business with their tiny, fluffy babies in tow. There were also a number of turkeys and their young, as well as a few goats, tortoises of all sizes, and a very dusty, woolly llama. Despite my best efforts to attract the llama with handfuls of grass plucked from the field, he was far more interested in his lunch of sweet hay. That'll teach me not to drive around with a bag of carrots in the car!

After wandering around the grounds a bit more, we decided to stay for a drink and something to nibble. The expansive lawns are dotted with thatched gazebos, offering the perfect escape from the hot sun. Whilst the African feel might be a bit much for locals, the service and food are well worth the visit. Our waiter was absolutely faultless and made our experience all the more enjoyable. He immediately brought us a large jug of ice water to cool off, before hurrying back to the kitchen to fetch our drinks. My order of iced coffee was creamy and delicious. The Bulls Fan's brother, feeling festive, ordered a Pina Colada, which came complete with fruit skewer and umbrella - who needs the beach when you've got a cocktail like that? The boys weren't up for eating, but I couldn't resist the sound of their freshly baked scones with jam, cheese AND cream. Let me take this opportunity to say how pleased I am that cheese and cream were both included - usually you have to choose between the two, but I enjoy both (not necessarily together, but at least one half each). My scones arrived fresh from the oven, piping hot and accompanied by a massive dollop of proper clotted cream, thick jam and a generous helping of grated cheese. At R20 for two scones, clotted cream, jam and cheese, this was an absolute winner - especially when I compare this to the R45 I pay for the same at a few places in Cape Town.

If you're going to be in Pretoria, I highly recommend a trip and visit to The Farm Inn - you feel a million miles away from the moment you turn onto their dirt road and there is so much on offer at this family-owned estate. I will definitely be going back next time, if not just for those scones!

Pretoria Dining: De Kloof

2012-01-04T17:05:00.001+02:00

De Kloof Restaurant (image courtesy of De Kloof)

Happy New Year! If your holiday season was anything like mine, then you've probably got a few extra kilos hanging around your middle to remember it by - but, as I'm sure you'll agree, it was all worth it! The Bulls Fan and I spent an absolutely glorious two weeks in his home town of Pretoria, way up north in South Africa's Gauteng Province. While many looked at me with a mixture of horror and pity when hearing about our chosen holiday destination, I couldn't have been more excited. Not only is Pretoria quiet in December (a welcome change from the extreme madness that descends upon Cape Town), but it's also beautifully green and lush, thanks to their summer rainfall climate. Perfect for sleeping, reading, relaxing, tanning and, yes, eating! We enjoyed many a meal out and about in Pretoria, ranging from fine-dining with white tablecloths to rustic pizzas with no tablecloths. Our first culinary stop was at the beautiful De Kloof Restaurant, situated in the Waterkloof Golf Estate.

Presenting itself as a "fine dine and wine" establishment, De Kloof did not disappoint. We'd intended on enjoying only a glass of wine on their balcony, but couldn't resist the impressive wine list and lunch menus. I must say that, as someone living in Cape Town, we're thoroughly spoilt for choice when it comes to wine - but, sadly, this choice is often not reflected on the wine lists of the Cape's eateries. I was blown away by the selection at De Kloof - and at the variety of ways in which to enjoy your wine. "A good wine list should not be a huge encyclopaedia. It is a perfectly formed selection of wines handpicked and tested by us," says their website, explaining the small, yet comprehensive list. With nearly half of their wines available by the glass, they also offer four options: tasting portion (a clever and useful way to see if the bottle you'd like to purchase is actually to your palate's liking), small glass (125ml), large glass (215ml) or a bottle (750ml). Their selection is nothing short of brilliant - apart from offering some rarer varieties (such as Semillon and Riesling), along with French Champagne, and French, Italian, Argentinian and Spanish wines, their South African offering represents arguably some of the best wines around: Saronsberg Wooded Chardonnay 2010 (last vintage produced of this award-winning favourite), Boekenhoutskloof Semillon 2006, Weltevrede Poet's Prayer Chardonnay 2006... and that's just the white wines! In addition to the wine list, a chalkboard also advertises rare and special wines (both local and international) in limited supply.

Although cloudy outside, it was lovely and hot, so we settled on a bottle of Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc 2011. De Kloof rate it as one of their favourite South African Sauvignon Blancs, and I'm in full agreement. Each wine is stored using the latest wine-preservation technology at its own ultimate serving temperature, and our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about all of the wines on the menu. He explained that the wines on the list are there for a reason, as De Kloof's chef and management team believe that each wine pairs well with one or more dishes on their menus - such a refreshing change from having wines on a list, just for the sake of it! After our first glass of perfectly chilled, gorgeously crisp and mineral Sauvignon Blanc, we decided to each order a starter to nibble on.

The menu, which changes regularly based on seasonality and availability, quickly quashed any previous notions that I may have had about Pretoria's ability to compete with the Cape's finest eateries. In short, it's game on! With starter options of Deep-fried Goat's Chevin with Beetroot Carpaccion and Confit of Citrus, or Salad of Smoked Duck Breast with Fresh Fig, Strawberry and Pistachio Nut Dressing, there was a tricky decision to be made. In the end, I chose the Tempura of Salt and Pepper Squid, with a Grapefruit and Chilli Vinaigrette, and The Bulls Fan opted for the Brioche Toast with Pan-fried Fresh Porcini Mushrooms, Sautéed Onion Marmalade, Rocket and Boursin. Both dishes were absolutely mouthwatering! I love how each dish throughout the menu, including dessert, recommends a wine pairing from the wine list.

The rest of the menu continues to tease and tempt with scrumptious dishes - for a light lunch option, the Wild Mushroom Souffle Omelette, with Crispy Chorizo, Rocket and Camembert sounds addictive. For mains, I would love to try the Trio of Pork, with Asian-inspired Pig Cheek, Parma-wrapped Pork Loin, and Beer-braised Pork Belly, or the Seafood Platter for Two, with Pan-grilled Chilli and Lime Langoustines, Squid Tempura, Ginger and Chilli Tiger Prawns, and Soya and Honey Glazed Linefish. Don't even get me started on the dessert menu... which, by the way, features top dessert wine pairings such as the Buitenverwachting 1746, Klein Constantia Vin de Constance and De Krans Vintage Port. The menu is also very reasonably priced, with the most expensive dish, being the seafood platter for two, only R350 (you'd be hard-pressed to find a seafood platter for two in Cape Town, including langoustines, for less than R800). The average starter is R60, the average main is R130 and dessert around R45.

My only regret is that we didn't have the time to stay and enjoy a full meal. We've already added a dinner at De Kloof to our itinerary for our next Pretoria trip and I, for one, cannot wait. With its beautiful setting, fantastic wine list, delicious food and great service, De Kloof has rocketed into my list of top South African eateries. Pretoria, I'm a believer!

Season's Greetings

2011-12-13T13:34:00.002+02:00

It's that time of year again, and holidays are on my mind! I'll be taking a break from blogging until the new year - there's far too much fun to be had to keep me from sitting in front of the computer! However you're celebrating this holiday season, I'm sending you warm wishes of happiness. Enjoy, have fun, and I'll see you all again in 2012!

Breakfast at Societi Brasserie

2011-12-08T07:58:00.001+02:00

If you're talking about restaurants in Cape Town, someone is bound to ask "Don't you just love Societi Bistro in the city?" When I avert my gaze and whisper something as quietly as I can about never actually having been there, it's usually met with wide-eyed disbelief and mutterings of "And you call yourself a foodie?". I have no excuses, I've just never been. I'm well aware that I am missing out hugely, judging from the passion with which people - both friends and total strangers - describe the food, the venue and the ambience. A visit to Societi Bistro is therefore firmly atop my list of New Year's Resolutions for 2012 (I only resolve to do things I'll actually be motivated to do). Luckily, I received a breakfast invite to try out their brand new restaurant in Tokai, Societi Brasserie, which launched over the weekend.

On arrival, I was warmly welcomed by Chris, co-owner of the Brasserie, who gave me a tour of this shiny new addition to the Societi family. The large interior is decidedly rustic (as fellow breakfast buddy Chef Neill Anthony instantly described it), with bare brick walls, wooden tables, quirky, vintage furniture (many of their pieces were discovered at auctions), and the use of natural, uncomplicated elements. Chris explained that they purposefully keep some tables "bare", whilst others are dressed with table linen, maintaining a casual look and feel. A large wine bar runs along one side of the restaurant, with dark wood, low-back bar stools and a huge variety of wines to choose from. Beautifully intricate beaded lamp shades hang over the bar, creating a distinctly French "casual chic" feel (well, for someone who's never been to France, but assumes that's what a French brasserie would include). In the corner, a diverse selection of juicy charcuterie hangs patiently, waiting to be sliced and served atop thick wooden boards. The open-plan kitchen is positioned at the back of the restaurant, with an unassuming Chef's Table set up along the counter - giving guests the front-row opportunity of watching the Chef in action, and interacting with him throughout their meal.

It was time to eat. Although this was my first experience of eating at Societi, their reputation for commitment to using local, sustainably sourced and seasonal produce is one which I know well. Head Chef Garth Morton and Executive Chef Stéfan Marais have created menus that maintain this ethos, with free-range chicken and eggs, free-range pork, sustainable fish, and locally sourced, organic (where possible) veggies. The impressive breakfast menu offers a host of choices to suit every palate, including lighter options (toasts, granola and Bircher muesli), traditional breakfasts, and classics, such as Eggs Benedict, Croquet Monsieur et Madame, and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. A firm fan of Eggs Benedict done right, I just had to order them. The portion was really generous, with two toasted English muffins topped with a hearty serving of the tastiest spinach I've had in a while, rashers of thick-cut back bacon, fluffy poached eggs and a delicious (not too acidic, with just the right amount of lemon for freshness) Hollandaise sauce. It's a big portion and could easily be shared between two. My breakfast buddies, Matt Allison and Neill Anthony, tried the Bacon and Egg Ciabatta, with Homemade Chutney, and traditional breakfast of Eggs, Sausage and Bacon, and declared both to be very tasty.

With attention to detail, quality produce and delicious meals like this, it's no wonder that Societi Brasserie has been fully booked every evening since opening. I foresee their wine bar becoming the place to meet for after-work drinks and eats, and I look forward to going back on a busy evening for the ultimate Brasserie atmosphere. Thanks so much to Chris, Peter, Garth and Stéfan for hosting me yesterday - I cannot wait to see how this new venture develops and grows!

The ultimate dog biscuit

2011-12-05T11:32:00.001+02:00

Bobtail's brand new "Iced Biscuits" (image courtesy of Bobtail South Africa)

Everyone who reads this blog knows that I have two distinct interests. Food and wine (that counts as one), and dogs. My posts, therefore, are either food and wine related (these make up the majority of my blog content), or dog related, in some way or another. Today's post is a little different - it's about food AND dogs. In fact, it's about food for dogs that looks good enough to eat yourself. Allow me to be less cryptic. I was recently approached by Bobtail, a leading South African dog food brand, to sample their brand new range of doggie treats, Iced Biscuits. My immediate thought when seeing the promotional images was that these biscuits are like zoo biscuits for dogs - how could I ever deny my canine pack the pleasure of a zoo biscuit? Within the wag of a tail, the courier dropped off a Bobtail goodie bag for our six dogs to enjoy.

The Bobtail goodie bag

The "dog friendly" stamp of approval on these handmade treats!

I was delighted to find that Bobtail had given us two packs of these new biscuits to try (treats don't go very far when you're dealing with six hungry dogs), as well as a classy leather collar. Bonny, our 10 year old German Shepherd, pulled rank on the pack and hastily claimed this Ferrari-red collar as her own. Thankfully, I had lots of delicious iced biscuits on hand to appease the rest of them! These new biscuits are peanut-butter flavoured, which means they're guaranteed to be delicious for dogs of any breed (if our hodgepodge pack is anything to go by). The hard icing, which is beautifully decorated with little bones and paw shapes, looks just like milk and white chocolate - but isn't! As you probably know, chocolate is poisonous and dangerous for dogs, but Bobtail have managed to create an "iced" topping that's 100% safe for canine enjoyment (non-lauric, non-sucrose). These handmade biscuits include natural, nutritious ingredients such as wheat flour, peanut butter and plant fats, ensuring that Fido doesn't pack on the pounds when he's enjoying his new favourite treat!

Such beautiful patterns and a generous iced topping on each biscuit

Lining up for official taste testing purposes

The moment of truth arrived when I opened the biscuit box. These biscuits really do look delicious, so I couldn't resist doing a "taste test" myself. The icing is actually really delicious, and the biscuit itself did have a peanut butter flavour. By this stage, our six were lined up and ready to try them out. Usually when we dish out treats, they all gobble them down before even tasting them - the old "swallow now, chew later" technique. This time, our dogs did something I've never seen before. They each took their iced biscuit and went off to find "the perfect spot", where they then slowly ate their way through this new treat - almost as though they were savouring them! The minute they were finished, and had licked up every crumb, they were back begging for more. A true sign of a winning treat!

Toby loving his biscuit

Milo enjoying his new treat in a shady spot

There are 16 biscuits in a pack, and the packs retail for between R19.99 and R22.99 at all major stores, such as Pick 'n Pay, Checkers, Spar and Makro. Whilst a whole biscuit was provided per dog, for official tasting and photography purposes, they're delicious enough to be given as halves or even quarters - and that makes them last longer, too. I think they're the perfect Christmas gift for any four-legged friend, and are just too cute to resist - our six will definitely be finding a few of these in their festive stockings this month!

The spice of life at Fairview

2011-11-27T18:39:00.001+02:00

I've always maintained that a visit to Fairview is never the same as the last - whether they're releasing a new range of wines, renovating their tasting centre, or if you're just in the mood for gluttony of the cheese kind, it's always a brilliant experience. When The Bulls Fan and I headed off in Fairview's direction yesterday, we had a new goal in mind. Instead of turning into their gates, we made an early turn into the neighbouring farm - Charles Back of Fairview recently purchased Seidelberg, the farm next door, and has transformed it into the Spice Route. In addition to offering their wine range of the same name exclusively at this new farm (these wines are Swartland region origin), they've also opened a brand-new winelands restaurant (opened about three weeks ago). It was this restaurant that The Bulls Fan and I had come to try out.

One of the best features of the old farm that Spice Route has inherited is the location - the restaurant and cellar are set high up against the hill, with uninterrupted views for miles. Sadly, we'd arrived on the day when Cape Town was being subjected to an incredibly unpleasant gale-force wind, so we opted to sit inside instead of at a table on the otherwise-very-inviting lawns. In contrast to Fairview's signature restaurant, The Goatshed, which is rustic and casual, the Spice Route restaurant is beautifully light and airy, with wooden tables, white chairs and white table linen. It's also relaxed and informal, however, which we liked - you don't have to put on your Sunday best to visit! We hadn't made a reservation and were lucky enough to be seated at the last unreserved table, right at the window overlooking the valley. I ordered a glass of Spice Route Chenin Blanc and opened the menu (full menu at the end of this post). Whilst I had been expecting a country-style restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the Spice Route restaurant is taking things a few steps further - the menu offers a delightful mix of contemporary and classic dishes, but each with a decidedly modern flair.

I decided to order two starters instead of a main, whilst The Bulls Fan - who was still ravenous from his 200km cycle race the day before - chose to go for a main. Every dish on the starters menu had me positively drooling, but I ended up choosing the Ceviche, with cubes of cured linefish marinated in citrus and served with a Szechuan pepper and wasabi mousse, and the Pork Belly with Dark Chocolate Lentils, consisting of slow-roasted five spice infused pork belly, served atop a Madagascar DV chocolate lentil salad. The Bulls Fan opted for the Coffee Butter Chicken, a traditional fragrant Indian butter chicken curry served with rice pilaf, fresh roti and an espresso foam.

The presentation of each dish was outstanding - I could not get over how beautifully my starters were plated, or how absolutely inviting and delicious The Bulls Fan's curry looked, when everything arrived. We were also both very impressed with the generosity of the portions. Any expectations that were set by the presentation were more than exceeded by the flavour combinations - I, for one, would never have thought of combining chocolate and lentils, but the taste and texture were addictive. The pork belly was drop-dead-delicious, crispy-crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. The ceviche, with its tangy, zesty flavours, was wonderfully refreshing and light. The Bulls Fan's curry looked, smelled and tasted incredible. The chicken was really tender, slow-cooked in the butter sauce on the bone. The flavours were spot on, but we were both amazed at how the espresso foam changed the flavour profile in an indescribable - but delicious - way. Suffice to say, there wasn't much conversation taking place at our table while we were eating! We didn't get around to having dessert, but I have my eye on the White Chocolate and Rose Water Mousse, served with a goat's Chevin and honey tartlet, and fresh peach coulis, when we next visit.

The entire experience was such a pleasure - the service was fast and efficient, the food was mouthwatering and the setting is perfect for a long, lazy lunch. With prices in the mid-to-upper range (well, for us anyway!) it's not somewhere we'd be able to eat on a regular basis, but we would definitely pick the Spice Route for special celebrations and get-togethers. This is an example, in my opinion, of a restaurant that's getting it right - and, judging by the fully-booked house, I'd say I'm not the only one who thinks so! Do yourself a favour and book a table - it's an experience to remember.

A chocolate affair

2011-11-23T08:07:00.001+02:00

Pure chocolate spoons

I've walked an interesting road with chocolate, much as I have with wine. My relationship with chocolate began with the cheap-and-cheerful brands, and I just couldn't get enough. I tried anything I could get my sticky fingers on, but my palate remained underdeveloped as a result of the brands I was choosing. The moment I realised that there was a world of chocolate out there that I was missing out on was when a family member brought a selection of chocolates back from Europe. Since then, I still enjoy my cheap-and-cheerful cocoa fix, but nothing can beat the texture, flavour and feelings of happiness that are wrapped up in premium, proper chocolate - it's a passionate love affair. This week, I had the opportunity to indulge in my guilty pleasure when I was invited for a tour of CocoáFair, Africa’s only organic bean-to-bar chocolate factory.

Assorted chocolate hearts

Situated at The Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, CocoáFair is open to the public six days a week. As I stepped into the factory, I was wrapped in the sensual aromas of gorgeous chocolate and roasting cocoa beans - I almost expected to see an Oompa Loompa rushing past, or to spy Mr Wonka in the background. Whilst I didn't see Mr Wonka, I did meet owners Antonino Allegra (head chocolatier) and Thor Thoroe (Danish entrepreneur and business partner), the masterminds that saw a need for "better chocolate at affordable prices" in South Africa. They're committed to being socially innovative throughout every aspect of the business, from responsibly sourcing the best organic beans to supporting programs that create educational and economic opportunities. It's not just about making chocolate - it's about making a difference. There's never been a better reason to eat more chocolate!

Roasting machine

Roasted beans

The operational area of the factory is behind glass panels, allowing visitors to see exactly what takes place in the chocolate-making, process whilst browsing the huge array of decadent chocolate products on offer. Meghan Werner, Head of Communications and Social Enterprise, took me behind-the-scenes for a custom tour. They begin with roasting their cocoa beans, a process which takes place in a large machine that resembles a huge coffee roaster. Once roasted, the shells are removed - called winnowing - to reveal the nibs (the beans inside). At this stage, the hard nibs need to be turned into a smooth, rich liquid. This is done with a process known as conching, where the nibs are rolled and kneaded into this consistency. The next process is one which I am sure all Masterchef Australia fans are familiar with - tempering! Many of the contestants found tempering to be their shortfall on the show and I can understand why, what with having to bring the chocolate up to a precise temperature and then down again. Thankfully, CocoáFair have special machines to do this for them - chocolate that will be used for dipping or coating must be tempered, which also makes it beautifully glossy and streak-free. After that, it's up to CocoáFair's artisan chocolatiers to decide what to make with the delicious white, milk and dark chocolate - truffles, moulded chocolates, slabs... there's no end to their creativity.

Beautiful, glossy tempered chocolate

Forget about gold bars... how about these chocolate bars!

As I'm sure you can imagine, my favourite part of the tour was the tasting. Meghan put out a spread for me to try, including a selection of raw nibs, truffles, moulded hearts, slabs of every flavour you can imagine (the Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt was absolutely addictive, as was the Dark Chocolate and Chilli) and more. Whilst I gorged myself, Meghan explained their pricing structures to me - I was amazed at how well-priced their products are! A slab of artisan, 100% organic chocolate sells for R20. Compare that to what we pay for mass-produced (albeit good quality) Lindt, for example, at about R40 a slab! Their truffles, which truly do come in any flavour your heart desires, are just as reasonable, with the most expensive one at only R4 per truffle! Their factory shop is a chocolate-addict's dream, with the most beautiful ideas for Christmas presents - white and milk chocolate spoons (perfect for stirring into hot chocolate or serving with dessert!), packets of dainty chocolate hearts, organic sugar, raw nibs, organic cocoa powder and even chocolate flakes (I can imagine making an artistic chocolate collar for a cake with these).

My idea of a tasting plate!

Nibs (top left), cocoa beans (bottom left), moulded chocolate (bottom right), fruit-and-nut slice (top right)

CocoáFair offer daily factory tours for visitors (including tastings), and they also offer an exciting training class called "Bean to Bar Chocolate Intro Course". You'll make your own chocolate from scratch in this interactive and educational course, with your own pile of freshly roasted cocoa beans. Apart from the fun you'll have in learning to make and temper chocolate, as well as creating your own truffles and other treats, you'll also learn about the environmental and social aspects of the chocolate business. At the end of the evening, you'll receive a certificate, an exclusive CocoáFair apron, and you'll get to take home a goodie bag of delicious products. Even better, there's a courtesy bar available throughout the evening, as we all know that chocolate and wine are a match made in heaven! It sounds like a brilliant way to spend an evening with friends, and would make a great birthday or bachelorette event! If you have little ones, they're a very popular venue for kiddie's parties, and I don't think you need me to explain why!

Chocolate flakes

Just when I thought that it couldn't get any better, Meghan handed me a tub of Chocolate Body Polish. After chatting with her, it's clear that her passion lies in sustainability. As such, she wanted to explore a way to use the by-product of the chocolate making process, namely the roasted organic cocoa bean shells. She simply mixes these shells with rice bran oil, known for its soothing and moisturising properties, and pure Epsom salt, which draws toxins out of the body, relaxes muscles and soothes the nervous system. The rice bran oil is not sticky, and does not leave your skin feeling clogged or coated with a film. The result? An utterly decadent shower scrub experience, with the rich smell of chocolate and the gorgeous feel of soft, smooth skin. She describes it as "eco-friendly indulgence" and that's absolutely spot on. I've used it twice already and am totally addicted. Meghan is making under her own brand name, Theonista - she explained that Theobroma is the official name of the cocoa tree, meaning "food of the goods". Theonista is her "chocolate revolution" for socially and environmentally conscious chocolate products! If you'd like to get your own tub, please check out Meghan's website.

Showertime just got a whole lot more fun!

Thanks so much to Meghan and the rest of the CocoáFair team for inviting me for such a wonderful experience. I'll be heading back there next week to stock up on chocolates for Christmas, as well as a slab or three for my personal stash. I couldn't think of a better place to get my chocolate fix - guilt free!

Gourmet Picnic at Warwick

2011-11-16T18:16:00.001+02:00

Warwick "The Black Lady" Syrah

Summer is about getting outside and enjoying the warm sunshine on your skin, the soft grass at your bare feet, and a glass of chilled wine in your hand. Of course, it's compulsory to have a picnic basket within reach, packed full of deliciously tasty snacks - creamy cheeses, rich pates, crusty bread, slices of cold meats, fresh salads and more. I've always struggled to achieve the perfect picnic balance, though - I either completely over-cater (the picture I've painted is not so idyllic when you add the moans and groans of over-indulgence, or the hardly-romantic loosening of one's trousers, trust me), or I end up with a bag of chips, dip and a slab of chocolate. With the arrival of summer comes the familiar yearning for a picnic, coupled with the little voice that accuses me of always getting it wrong. When I received an email from Warwick Wine Estate, inviting me to come and enjoy their brand new Gourmet Picnic, it was as though the picnic angels had finally decided to smile upon me.

Warwick's restaurant

The picnic menu

Sadly, however, the weather angels didn't feel that too much should go my way. After having to reschedule my first visit due to rain, cold and wind, I was less than impressed when, on the day we awoke to head through to the estate, it was not only raining, windy and cold, but also hailing and snowing in the Western Cape... in November...in spring! Not willing to let Mother Nature get in the way, The Bulls Fan and I bundled into the car and headed for Warwick. The warm greeting we received upon arrival more than made up for the 9 degree display blinking on my car's temperature gauge. Whilst we wouldn't be able to go on the Big Five Wine Safari tour of the farm (complete with genuine safari vehicle), due to the nasty weather, we were instead treated to a private cellar tour (and tank tasting of the beautiful 2011 Sauvignon Blanc) with the wonderful Sheree. Afterwards, Sheree took us through an enjoyable wine tasting in the tasting lounge - we managed to nab a place by the fire (cannot believe I'm saying that in November!) and worked our way through the wines.

Our comfy spot beside the fire

Had we gone on the Big Five Wine Safari (this must be a wonderful experience), we would have learnt that Sauvignon Blanc is the Rhino, as the nose stands out first on this wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is the Lion, as it forms the strong backbone of any Bordeaux blend. Cabernet Franc is the Elephant, with it's thick-skinned fruit. Merlot is the Leopard, as it takes on the characteristics (camouflage) of other varieties in a blend. Finally, Pinotage is the Buffalo, as it can be a fierce variety. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these comparisons and love that the Warwick team have taken the safari concept and mixed it with wine. Apart from the standard tasting of Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, The First Lady Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Bush Vines Pinotage, Three Cape Ladies (a Cape blend of Pinotage, Merlot, Mourvedre and Shiraz), and Trilogy (flagship blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot), we were also treated to a taste of beautifully spicy and smooth The Black Lady Syrah (not usually for tasting).

The Warwick Marriage Cup

The Bulls Fan and I testing out the Marriage Cup (not sure what I am doing with my hand...)

We also tried out the Warwick Marriage Cup (everyone relax, it's a customary thing to do at Warwick!), which has such a great story behind it. There was once a king, who had a very beautiful daughter. She didn't want to marry any of the suitors he presented to her - instead, she had fallen in love with a penniless, yet brilliant, silversmith. Her father denied her wish and she, in defiance, stopped eating. Over time, her father saw how ill she was getting from not eating and called the silversmith to him. The king told the silversmith that if he could create a cup, so that two people can drink from it at the same time - and without the lady ever having to use her hands - then he would be allowed to marry the daughter. Well, the silversmith created such a cup and they were happily married. Today, the Warwick Marriage Cup is available for purchase and would make the most gorgeous and meaningful wedding gift, in my opinion! We successfully drank from it (without me having to use my hands) and Sheree says that symbolises that we'll have a long and happy relationship.

Our delicious picnic

Green pea, feta and cranberry salad (front), Carrot, coriander and chickpea salad (back)

After our tasting, we went to enjoy our picnic - again, thanks to Mother Nature clearly having an off-day, we weren't able to eat outside on the lawns, but were encouraged to imagine the sunshine, the sounds of children playing and the fresh air around us! With the picnic spread presented to us, that wasn't hard to do - our lovely waitress explained each dish to us, opened our wine and left us to enjoy our feast. The Bulls Fan, using his trickery of widening his baby blue eyes and stroking my knee, tried to get me to agree to a "split" of the picnic fare - given that he doesn't eat seafood or tomatoes, he thought that entitled him to everything else. In between mouthfuls, I laughed and said "Not my fault you are so picky!" In the end, I did allow him a larger serving of the non-seafood and non-tomato dishes, but only after I'd had a few tastes myself!

Norma's Dried Fruit Chutney, charcuterie and cheeses

Norwegian smoked salmon with dill-buttermilk

The picnic includes freshly baked ciabatta loaves, a selection of fresh salads, charcuterie, two artisan cheeses, Norwegian smoked salmon (this was so incredible and I didn't have to share!), biltong and brandy pate (possibly the tastiest pate I've ever tried), smoked snoek pate, sundried tomato pesto (deliciously tangy), and Norma's Dried Fruit Chutney - I will go back just for this chutney, it was absolutely addictive. To finish, we enjoyed the decadent luxury chocolate brownies, topped with white chocolate and pistachio, and a packet of wine gums which The Bulls Fan cleverly kept for the drive home. At R299 for two people (excluding wine), this is a seriously delicious and filling picnic - and would taste even better when enjoyed outside in the sunshine, over a few hours. A big thank you to Jani for inviting us, and to the Warwick team for treating us like royalty on the day - and giving me a reason to look forward to summer picnics again!
If you'd like to book your own Gourmet Picnic at Warwick, please on the button below.

365 Days of Freedom

2011-11-14T19:08:00.001+02:00

There I was last evening, cooking our chicken curry and sipping on a glass of the gorgeously elegant Badsberg Badslese, when it hit me - on November 15th, it will be exactly one year since I said adios to my salary, my job and my predictable future and stepped off the ledge into the unknown. Yes, 365 days ago today, I "went to work" for the last time. I remember it as though it were yesterday - the excitement of finally entering the industry for which I had such passion, the trepidation of what lay before me and the intoxicating rush of being able to do what makes me happy. I had no idea that I'd be starting my own successful business in only a few short months. I didn't even know what area of the industry I'd end up in. All I knew was that I was ready for it - and dove in head first.

There really isn't much more to say, except this: I remember sitting with a close friend on 31 December 2010, having a cup of tea as we planned the evening's festivities. We were discussing the year ahead and she asked me what my resolutions were going to be. "I don't want to restrict myself to resolutions that will only end up disappointing me," I replied. "Instead, I'm going to predict what the year will bring - in one word. I think 2011 is going to be a defining year." And it most certainly has been! I think I'll pop open some bubbles this evening, sit back and toast to the freedom that I am so blessed to have found. I wish each and everyone of you the happiness you're looking for... and I promise that the next post will be far less emotional and cheesy. Cheers!

Finding a Gem at The Old Gaol

2011-11-10T09:19:00.000+02:00

This weekend, The Bulls Fan and I packed up the car and set off for a weekend away at the sleepy little seaside town of Vleesbaai, about 4 hours from Cape Town. Wanting to take it slow, we decided to stop for an early lunch in the farm village of Swellendam. Growing up, my grandparents owed a house near Malgas along the Breede River, about an hour's drive on the other side of Swellendam, and so we would visit the little town every time we travelled to and from the river - and once a week while we stayed with them, as they'd go through to do their weekly shopping. As a result, Swellendam holds a very special place in my heart and, even though it's much bigger now and more tourist-focused, it's still a wonderfully beautiful town to visit.

These days, we usually stop for lunch or coffee at one specific coffee shop, bypassing all of the other eateries that have sprung up over the past ten years or so. On Friday, however, I thought it would be nice to try something new. Driving past the new little shopping centre, our attention was caught by The Old Gaol on Church Square - with its quaint veggie garden out front, and delicious-sounding specials chalked on a blackboard, we just had to try it. I can wholeheartedly say that we found a true gem! To begin with, the service was faultless - we were warmly greeted at the door and shown to a lovely table overlooking the garden. Our friendly waitress was incredibly efficient and I was positively drooling when she finished explaining the specials. A little notice on the table informed us that the eatery now serves a selection of artisan coffees, but that they still offer coffees made in the traditional method on request. My cappuccino, made the "modern way", was the perfect start to a wonderfully memorable lunch.

Keeping this traditional is actually a big focus of this little eatery, which is renowned amongst locals and visitors alike for their absolutely delicious melktert (milktart) baked in a copper pan, just like in the days of yore, and roosterkoek, bread baked over hot coals and served with a variety of sumptuous fillings. Their menu also boasts seasonal South African favourites such as chicken pie, bredies (traditional stews), lamb shanks, oxtail and bobotie. Given that we'd arrived in spring, we didn't get to enjoy the likes of their Moroccan Lamb Shank or curries (will have to return in winter for those!), but we were absolutely delighted with our respective choices from the Specials Menu.

The Bulls Fan made his mind up in two seconds flat - Beef Burger with Homemade Mushroom Sauce and Crispy Potato Wedges (R60). I deliberated, as I do, between a few items until finally decided on the Leek Tart, served with a fresh Greek Salad (R48). The burger was enormous - easily the size of two standard burgers - and was served on a deliciously fresh ciabatta bun, with juicy slices of tomato and a thick, creamy mushroom sauce. The patty is homemade and The Bulls Fan declared it to be the best he'd ever tried. That was the last I heard from him, as he disappeared into his happy place of tomato sauce, sticky fingers and big, satisfying bites. My leek tart had literally been taken out of the oven as we ordered, as it was being baked for the lunch service which started about 20 minutes after we arrived. A huge, piping-hot slice, it was stuffed to the brim with deliciously soft, buttery leeks, and had a tasty, thick homemade crust - real comfort food. The salad, which was generously sized, was crispy-crunchy fresh, with a variety of lettuces, plump olives, chunks of feta, onions, roasted peppers and even a dollop or two of basil pesto. I'm pretty sure that the salad leaves are harvested from their gorgeous veggie gardens that circle the building outside.

It's not often that I eat at a place that's quite far away and start planning another trip just to be able to go back. That's exactly what I'm doing at the moment, so that we can once again enjoy a delicious lunch at The Old Gaol on Church Square... only this time, I'll make sure that we have a few hours to spare!

Fine Bites at Buitenverwachting

2011-11-07T09:30:00.000+02:00

Goats Feta and Vegetable Terrine

The Bulls Fan and I were recently invited to try out Chef Edgar Osojnik's brand new Fine Bites tasting menu at Buitenverwachting. Regular readers might remember a few months ago when I attended the launch of this menu, and it's wonderful to have been invited back to try Edgar's seasonal upgrades! It was also refreshing to find that the level of service was of the exact same high standards that I enjoyed at the launch - from the glass of bubbly and warm welcome on arrival, to the impeccable table settings and efficient, attentive waiters. Once again, Chef Edgar impressed and delighted our table with course after course of absolutely delicious "bites", each showcasing his signature flair and precision.

Mielie (corn) and bacon soup, served with a bite-sized, roasted lamb "roll"

Roasted Quail Galantine

Edgar's Fine Bites Degustation Menu adapts with the seasons, meaning that you can enjoy the menu more than once and experience new flavours, textures and pairings each time. The current menu will run until the end of November, but don't be surprised if Edgar adds a decadent spring twist here and there to take advantage of produce that comes into season later this month. At R250 for 4 courses (add an additional R75 for wine pairing), or R365 for seven (add an additional R125 for wine pairing), this fine dining menu offers incredible value.

Pan-fried Lamb, with Podded Vegetables

NOVEMBER FINE BITES DEGUSTATION MENU

Goats Feta-Vegetable Terrine

Rucola, Olive Tapenade and Balsamico Sorbet

Prawn Salad

Citrus Dressing, Prawn Mousse

Grille Kabeljou with Basil Foam

Tomato Risotto

White Asparagus

Olive Oil and Lime Vinaigrette, Parma Ham

Mielie-Bacon Soup

Roasted Quail Galantine

Pan-fried Loin of Lamb

Crispy Dauphinoise, Podded Vegetables

Saffron Ice Cream

Macaroons, Dark Chocolate, Rhubarb, Blood-Orange Compote

Saffron Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate, Macaroons, Rhubarb and Blood-Orange Compote

Zandvliet Kalkveld Shiraz

2011-11-03T08:44:00.000+02:00

You might remember that The Bulls Fan and I recently spent a dreamy weekend in the sleepy town of Montagu - and were thoroughly spoilt at Zandvliet Wines when we were given unreleased bottles of their Chardonnay 2011 and flagship Kalkveld Shiraz 2007. We wasted no time in enjoying the Chardonnay, but I was quite hesitant to open the Shiraz. Before you reach through your screen and slap me, let me explain! I've tasted previous Kalkveld vintages before and they're absolutely beautiful - bold, smoky, spicy, smooth, fruity... everything a Shiraz should be! I cradled the 2007 in my arms and made it a silent promise that I would allow it to sleep in my cellar until it was ready. I swore not to disturb it for at least 3 to 5 years. Well, that promise only lasted about two weeks, when The Bulls Fan insisted that I "stop being ridiculous" and enjoy the beautiful wine we'd been given. I'm so glad I did.

It was a beautiful, calm Friday evening when we grabbed the Kalkveld and took the short walk to our favourite pizzeria, Da Vinci's, in Harfield Village. We were lucky enough to get one of only two outside tables, overlooking the gloriously busy street - I've never been to the likes of Italy and France, with their culture of bustling pavement eateries, but I felt as though I could be anywhere in Europe.

Given that we were drinking Shiraz, I needed to order a pizza that would stand up to it - strong, bold, earthy and spicy flavours. Apart from serving consistently high quality pizzas, Da Vinci's offer yet another hook for a foodie like me - you can order half-and-half pizzas. That's right, if you manage to narrow the choice down to two, and you still cannot choose, you can have half of each on the same pizza! It's a brilliant option and I've always taken advantage of it. Looking at the menu, it was clear what I would be ordering - one half Spicy Chorizo, Black Mushrooms and Fresh Tomato and Onion Salsa, and the other Bacon, Roquefort and Fig. I couldn't have picked a better pairing! Juicy fruits simply jumped off the nose of the Kalkveld, with an enticing mocha and chocolate background. After it had a chance to breathe, the palate was rich and full, with delicious spice, going especially well with the chorizo and mushrooms. It's a serious Shiraz, drinking beautifully at the moment (and most especially when enjoyed with food), but would obviously also only benefit from a few year's cellaring. The service and food were excellent, and the wine was definitely the luscious cherry on top of a wonderful evening!

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms with Gnocchi

2011-10-31T11:31:00.002+02:00

It's no secret that buying seasonal produce is healthier, tastier, more sustainable and far more exciting (your meal plans depend on what you can find at the markets or at the greengrocers) than buying the same fruits and veg the whole year through. There's another added bonus for me... the price! As a young professional running one's own business, one needs to be smart about these things. The beauty of seasonal produce is in its strict adherence to the laws of economics - by virtue of the produce being readily available, as the supply increases the price drops! This satisfies both my taste buds and my budget - isn't that a treat?

Recently, when walking down the aisles of my local Fruit and Veg City, I came across a brilliant special on fresh, garden-green asparagus that was just too good to resist. My luck continued in the same aisle, where I also found a great special on brown mushrooms. A few bulbs of garlic, some chillis, a couple of red sweet potatoes and some other delicious items later, my shopping for the week was done. Back at home, I surveyed my purchases and tried to decide on a fitting dish with which to showcase my asparagus and mushrooms. I really wanted to use both, and I was craving a touch of cream. I didn't want to do the usual grilled asparagus with Hollandaise, and creamy garlic mushrooms on toast just wasn't cutting it. Pasta was a natural choice, and I had some fresh gnocchi that I was really looking forward to using. I decided to roast the asparagus and mushrooms, which gives great texture to the pasta and intensifies the unique flavours. A dash of cream, a splash of white wine, a good crack of black pepper and supper is served!

You will need:
Serves 4

Fresh gnocchi
Fresh asparagus (6-8 spears per person), washed and woody ends trimmed
2 punnets black mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
Olive oil, for roasting
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
250ml (1 cup) good quality dry white wine (optional)
250ml cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place the asparagus spears and mushrooms in a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

10 minutes before veggies are ready to come out of the oven, add a knob of butter to a saucepan and heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent. Pour in the wine and continue to cook for a few minutes, until the wine has reduced. Lower the heat, and add the cream, stirring over a low heat until the sauce reduces. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted, boiling water - as soon as they float, remove them. Place the gnocchi in a bowl, and top with the roasted asparagus and mushrooms. Finish with a good helping of the creamy sauce.

Jordan's Summer Festival 2011

2011-10-27T08:36:00.001+02:00

You don't really need an excuse to visit Jordan, do you? Whether you enjoy their beautiful location and grounds, their impressive range of wines, their award-winning restaurant, or even a combination of all three, it's just a lovely place to be. Readers might remember that I attended a launch of two new wines at the estate in March, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience from the moment I arrived until I left. Jordan, however, also holds a very special place in my heart for yet another reason.

It's one of the last places where I spent time with Romeo, my little rescue puppy. After the launch, my parents had brought Romeo to visit me at the estate. He was welcomed with open arms, cuddles and hugs from many at the launch, including owner Gary Jordan who picked him up and gave him the best tummy rub! Afterwards, Romeo and I enjoyed a glorious game of fetch with a lovely Border Collie, for well over an hour, on the green lawns just below the restaurant. When Romeo died just a few weeks later, Jordan was the first company to donate prizes (a selection of their wines, including a magnum) for Romeo's Wish, a fundraiser established in his memory that raised over R11,000 for the Bellville Animal Anti-Cruelty League.

This summer, Jordan is gearing up for their Summer Festival 2011, and I want to shout it from the rooftops, upfront, that all profits from the day will be donated to Stellenbosch Animal Welfare! On Saturday 19 November, those very same lawns where I played with my beautiful Romeo will come alive with families and friends enjoying the summer sunshine and all of the entertainment on offer. Live music, wine tastings, cellar tours, barrel tastings, vineyard tractor tours, boules, Cape Winemakers Guild tastings, red wine blending competitions, pony rides, jumping castles and more will be on offer to keep all ages thoroughly entertained! When the hunger pangs strike - and they will - you can either book a table at the restaurant, where Chef George Jardine will simply astound your senses with his creations, or bring a picnic basket and purchase a selection of delicious and tasty items on offer at George Jardine's Willow Tree Market - pork belly pies, steak sandwiches, pastries, oysters, quiches, cheese and cold meat platters, wood-fired oven breads, barrel-smoked salmon, American fudge and panna cotta are just SOME of the mouthwatering dishes on offer!

Tickets to the festival are only R50 per person, and children enter free! Bring as many friends as you can, and let's all get together to support an incredibly good cause - and enjoy one of the finest days out this summer!

Cape Winelands Cuisine

2011-10-23T18:07:00.001+02:00

Organic is quite the buzzword lately. So are sustainable, free-range and local. Cape Winelands Cuisine, a brand new cookery book, adds another dimension by focusing on including history and heritage in the kitchen. The brainchild of the La Motte team, Cape Winelands Cuisine is a unique publication that showcases the very best that the Cape Winelands region has to offer, offering a blend of history and local Cape heritage in a useful and beautiful cookbook. I recently attended the launch of the cookbook at the gorgeous La Motte estate in the Franschhoek Valley. "This is not a La Motte concept," explained Hein Koegelenberg, La Motte's CEO, "It's a South African concept. We want to do something for the country. Using this book, we want to be able to market the uniqueness of the Cape Winelands region all around the world."

I arrived at the La Motte estate on a grey and misty morning, with rain falling ever-so-softly on the wet earth. A walk through the estate's beautiful rose garden brought me to the venue, where guests were greeted with tea, fresh coffee and an array of delicious bites from the cookbook. I enjoyed a glass of refreshing Ginger Beer with Rose Geranium - a herb that I used to spend hours trying to convert into perfume as a small child, patiently steeping bruised leaves in water, as I so loved its scent - and read through the welcoming nibbles on offer.

Each dish was explained in our programmes, including a rich history of their individual origins and development. Indeed, that is the beauty of the Cape Winelands Cuisine cookbook, in that every recipe offers a journey back in time to understand where the recipe began, how it evolved, and how it has been translated with a modern twist to suit today's palates and tastes. I particularly enjoyed the Oyster and Marrow Pies. According to the book, marrow was a popular replacement for butter, fat or oil during Jan van Riebeek's time at the Cape - and oysters were very popular then as well! History tells of oysters being served to Lady Anne Barnard on an inland trip to Heidelberg (very far from the coast!), and even offers up recipes for oyster fillings (to be used for chicken or fish) and oyster omelettes. The Mini Ouma's Loaf, a traditional bread, topped with goat's cheese and thinly sliced biltong, was also a treat. Not wanting to fill up before the grand lunch that awaited us, I managed to somehow avoid the gorgeous Kolwyntjies, Dutch cupcakes brought to the Cape during the 17th century, and Mosbeskuit, a wonderful rusk - best served with lashings of thick, sticky jam - that I remember fondly from my childhood.

After our welcome tea, we took our seats for a discussion of the history and development of cuisine in the Cape Winelands. The La Motte team explained their interest in the origins of traditional Cape cuisine, and their dedication to research the development of food since Jan van Riebeek first set foot in the Cape back in the 17th century. This, explained Hetta van Deventer, La Motte's Culinary Manager, was no easy task! Hetta had to first delve beyond the likes of bobotie and yellow rice, waterblommetjie bredie, and chicken pie - the only traditional dishes that most South Africans know about - in order to discover genuinely old recipes that have been passed down for generations. Next, along with La Motte's Executive Chef Chris Erasmus, Hetta had to go over each recipe with a fine-tooth comb, and then re-work them into something that fits today's modern lifestyles and tastes. Mariette Craffod, renowned South African journalist and chef, and MC of the discussion, asked Hetta why she went to all of the effort to re-work these historic recipes. "If you want people to cook something, you cannot have it too salty, too cured and so on," explained Hetta, "That would just be a history book. We want people to be able to reproduce these recipes today - and to enjoy them!"

After the discussion, we headed to Pierneef a la Motte, the estate's award-winning restaurant, where we were treated to a Cape feast of dishes from the book, paired with La Motte's elegant wines. The interior of the restaurant echoes the farm's celebration of heritage, with Cape Dutch influences all around. My favourite was the ornate crockery chandeliers, inspired by the cookware and crockery used in Jan van Riebeek's time. To start, each table was presented with a generous platter of Cape Bokkom Salad (bokkoms are small, dried fish, and are marinated for this salad), Pickled Fish with Capers, Mini Cape Meatballs, Offal Brawn, Pickled Tongue, and Rolpens (traditionally a sheep's stomach, stuffed with meat, fat and offal). The salad, created by Chef Erasmus for the restaurant's opening in 2010, has already become a signature dish. I have never tried offal before, and was eager to see what it was like. It really is true that, if cooked properly, offal can taste delicious - as these dishes certainly did.

For mains, we were presented with hearty servings of Pan-Fried Franschhoek Trout, and Sweet-and-Sour Pumpkin and Lamb Stew. The trout was served on a sweetcorn fritter, with a rich red wine sauce and lovely turnip dauphinoise. Cape Dutch cookbooks show that red wine sauces were a popular choice for fish dishes, something which is rare to find on menus today, and this modern pairing was absolutely perfect. The stew was wonderfully rich, and perfect for the cooler weather outside. Fascinatingly, the dish has its origins in the fourteenth century - and began as an Arabian recipe.

Dessert was a buffet of delights, beginning with Sweet Soup with Fruit Sorbet and Fresh Berries. According to the history books, the Dutch loved sweet soups, often made with a mixed fruit base! To finish, we feasted on huge Macaroons (yes, a traditional Cape recipe exists!), Cheese Tart and Preserves, Cape Fruit Tartlets, Biscuits, Apple Marmalade (originally a term used for a fruit sweet, made by boiling fruit with sugar until smooth, then allowing to set and cutting into small pieces), Kwartiertertjies (triangular sweet samoosas), and Oblietjies (small waffles).

The Cape Winelands Cuisine cookbook is about celebrating your location and surroundings. It's about learning about the heritage of the Cape, and being able to enjoy the delicious recipes that have come out of this beautiful region. It's a cookbook that appeals to locals and tourists alike, which makes it wonderfully unique - as a local, we can learn more about our roots, and understand where our tastes and influences come from. As a visitor to the Cape, it provides a beautiful keepsake of your visit (the photography is breathtaking), and also gives you a wealth of recipes to make for guests back home. Personally, I cannot think of a better way of celebrating our heritage than through the food we cook - food is what brings us together, after all. I'd like to thank the wonderful La Motte team for inviting me to such an eye-opening and inspirational event, and I look forward to the release of Cape Winelands Cuisine in the next few weeks!

Plea for The World of Birds

2011-10-17T13:52:00.000+02:00

This post is not about food. It's not about a fundraiser. It's simply a plea for help, on behalf of an incredibly deserving organisation. The World of Birds, Africa's largest bird park, needs our help. For 38 years, this Hout Bay landmark has cared for and provided a place of safety to over 400 species of birds and animals, and offered an unparalleled educational experience for all ages, from babies to the elderly. As an animal activist, and a supporter of animal charities that truly go the extra mile to making a difference, I would be devastated if The World of Birds were to be forced to close. They need our help. This is how YOU can make a difference.

The Bulls Fan and I, on a whim, visited The World of Birds on Saturday afternoon. From the moment we set foot into the first walk-through aviary, I was simply blown away. The park is home to over 100 of these aviaries, each one beautifully landscaped - and perfectly maintained - to mimic the natural environment of the birds and animals that call it home. Most of the birds and animals in The World of Birds came to the park as injured or abused, either dropped off by concerned members of the public, or brought to the sanctuary from other zoos and parks. Looking at birds through a cage is one thing - being able to walk amongst them, as they fly overhead, sit on branches at eye-level, or walk at your feet, is an entirely rare and exceedingly special experience. Whilst many of these birds are obviously not in their natural habitats, a great number of them are on the brink of extinction - and it is highly unlikely that we'll ever be lucky enough to view them where nature intended. I don't know about you, but being able to enjoy seeing these birds in real life, up close and personal, is light years ahead of looking at a photograph.

In addition to housing some of the most beautiful, rarest and intriguing birds in the world, the park is also home to a number of small animals. They have some of the most incredible monkeys that I have ever seen, from Capuchins (the same breed of monkey that terrorised Ben Stiller's character in Night at the Museum) to tiny Marmosets. One of the Marmoset breeding pairs gave birth to two miniature babies at the beginning of October, and the proud mother - herself only the size of my hand - brought her babies right up to the glass for us to admire. Each baby is about the size of your little finger, and they were clinging onto her back with the tiniest of hands. Meanwhile, the father was busy throwing his dinner around all over the floor in the back - typical! We also got right up close to my favourite animal, the baboon, and watched a baby baboon carefully going through his dinner plate, tossing whatever didn't appeal to him over his shoulder!

We saw turkeys, toucans, penguins, bat-eared foxes, meerkats, owls of every shape, size and hoot (including the Giant Eagle Owl whose hoot sounds exactly like a large warthog's snort), guinea pigs, peacocks, emus, storks, black eagles, hawks, ducks, parrots, flamingos, cockatiels, pelicans, cassowaries, jackals, ibises, herons, tortoises, buck, kites, pheasants, vultures, lovebirds, hornbills, geese, quails, and spoonbills - and a hundred more. It's fascinating to enter an aviary of a specific species, and then to see many different birds or animals within that species. We were there for the afternoon feeding, and it was a wonderful treat to watch how each animal eats - whether it's an owl clasping its food in its claw, a stork tossing its prey around in the air to get it in the right direction for swallowing, or a monkey carefully sorting through its fruit to find his favourite piece.

We spent just over 3 hours at the park, unable to tear ourselves away until we had seen every aviary or cage, and spotted every bird or animal in each. The signboards provide fantastic information about what you'll see in each section, and it was great fun to look for some of the more camouflaged or shy species. Although home to hundreds of different birds, the park was wonderfully peaceful, and we thoroughly enjoyed wandering around on an exploratory journey. We even made a pit stop at the cafeteria, for a cooldrink, before heading out again. I cannot remember the last time that I was so enthralled about something - continuously - for three straight hours.

So, how can you help? The easiest - and most fun - way to help is to visit the park. Tickets cost R75 per adult, R40 per child, and R55 per pensioner/student. Consider the price of a movie ticket, popcorn and soft drink - it's cheaper to bring your family to The World of Birds, where you get to be outdoors in the fresh air, experiencing nature's wonders, and learn. Your children will also get the opportunity to see birds that might not exist in just a few years time. Or, you can do what I'm doing, and buy yourself an annual membership card - R275 gets you one year's single membership, including unlimited free entry for you AND a friend! Families can buy a family membership for only R350, allowing the entire family to visit as often as you like throughout the year. If you'd like to find out more about how you can help, please click here. If you live in Cape Town, or you plan to visit, please do yourself a favour, and visit The World of Birds - it's a gift, and it's right here on our doorstep.

Sunday Times 2011 Food Awards

2011-10-11T12:57:00.000+02:00

2011 Winners (from left, back row) Wynand van Rooyen, Darren O' Donovan, Delvin Reck
(from left, front row) Megan Meikle, Ashleigh Heeger [image courtesy of Ogilvy PR and Ruvan Boshoff]

Those who know me know that dresses and I do not get along. I'm the kind of girl who has nightmares about invitations that declare the dresscode to be "smart", "formal" or anything else equally as frightening. Jeans are to me like long hair was to Samson way back when... without them, I lose all my "powers" (namely confidence and ability to enjoy myself). The flutter of excitement that arrives with an invite to a glamorous event usually dissolves rapidly into fear, shakiness and the dreadful knowledge that I will, once again, need to buy tights. Not a pretty picture. When I received an invitation to the recent Sunday Times 2011 Food Awards, however, the "what to wear" panic was somewhat drowned out by the excitement - a room full of South Africa's best chefs, restaurant owners, food personalities, writers and bloggers? Heck, I'd wear a tutu and a tiara to be able to attend!

The evening's entertainment [image courtesy of Ogilvy PR and Ruvan Boshoff]

The REAL evening's entertainment! Nataniel [image courtesy of Ogilvy PR and Ruvan Boshoff]

This was the 5th year of the Sunday Times Food awards, and the venue - Foodcorp's Innovation Centre 7th Floor - was filled with the who's who of the South African food scene. Bubbly and oysters greeted me on arrival, as well as a selection of canapés - the dainty duck crepes were delicious, and the mini gazpacho soups, served in shot glasses and accompanied by Parmesan bites, were rather tasty. After mingling and ~~gawking at famous chefs~~ rubbing shoulders for a while, we were invited into one of the boardrooms for the formal presentation. I was delighted to see that Nataniel, a much-loved South African singer, comedian and food personality, was MC for the evening. He is wonderfully controversial, with an admirable ability to deliver every single joke as deadpan as possible, and had the crowd in stitches throughout the event.

Them that Twitter - some of the Twitterati at the event (from left) Myself, Maggie Mostert and Hennie Coetzee [image courtesy of Ishay from The Food and the Fabulous]

These respected and renowned awards are such an exciting way of encouraging chefs to achieve excellence in their craft. I love that there are four categories, from the coveted Chef of the Year to the Chef School Challenge (aimed at first-year students in cooking schools), allowing chefs from any stage of their career to compete. In that way, inspiration is fostered right at first-year level, and gives chefs - both young and old - something to aspire to. The prizes also ain't too shabby! The Chef of the Year wins an amazing R50,000, and there are cash prizes for winners in every category.

Nataniel, Wynand van Rooyen (Sunday Times Chef of the Year 2011), Mondli Makhanya (Editor-in-Chief, Avusa Media), and Justin Williamson (CEO, Foodcorp) [image courtesy of Ogilvy PR and Ruvan Boshoff]

The 2011 winners, judged according to their performance over a 3 day cook-off at Foodcorp's premises, are as follows:

Chef School Challenge: Megan Meikle and Darren O' Donovan (HTA School of Culinary Art, Randburg)Stalwart of the Kitchen: Delvin Reck (Scotty's Restaurant and Bar, Plettenberg Bay)
Young Chef of the Year: Ashleigh Heeger (The Test Kitchen by Luke-Dale Roberts, Cape Town)
Chef of the Year: Wynand van Rooyen (Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town)

It was a highly enjoyable evening, and an honour to have been amongst such influential and experienced personalities of the food industry. Do yourself a favour and watch this short video summary - it's sure to inspire you to want to rush into your own kitchen and get creative. Otherwise, if you're able to, just make a booking at each of the winning eateries and find out for yourself why their chefs took top honours!

Minted Lamb Meatballs with Dipping Sauce

2011-10-06T07:12:00.004+02:00

While racking my brain for something to make for today's blog post (I had wanted to review the Zandvliet 2007 Kalkveld Shiraz, but forgot that The Bulls Fan is away until next week, so had to delay that one by a few days), I took a walk around my mom's garden, where I am house-sitting for the week. I came across a massive mint bush, absolutely flourishing in an old wine barrel. I immediately began toying with recipes that would be able to do the herb justice, without being generic (yup, I'm talking about mint sauce, mint jelly, minted peas or Mojitos), or too overpowering. A great cooking lesson I have come to respect is "when in doubt, work with ingredients that marry well". What works better than lamb and mint?

Given that we're now firmly on our way towards summer (despite the chilly, confused Cape Town weather), my appetite - and therefore my cooking inspiration - changes. I look forward to lighter, healthier and more refreshing dishes, and say goodbye to rich, heavy meals. Minted lamb meatballs, packed with tasty spices and sautéed red onions, and served with a thick garlic, mint and yoghurt dip, fit the brief perfectly. These meatballs make a stylish canapé to serve with drinks (you could even stick a toothpick into them, facilitating easier eating at a drinks party), or enjoy a few of them with a summery coleslaw as a main meal.

Minted Lamb Meatballs with Garlic-Mint Yoghurt Dip

You will need:

500g free-range lamb mince
1 small red onion, finely diced and sautéed until soft
2 cloves garlic, crushed and halved into two portions
2 tblspns smoked paprika
1 tblspn ground coriander
1 tblspn cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh mint, diced
1 egg
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup thick, plain yoghurt
1/4 cup additional fresh mint, cut into thin strips

To make the meatballs: Mix the mince, sautéed onion, 1 clove crushed garlic, spices, mint and egg together. Form into small balls (depending on how many you'd like to make). If possible, place in the fridge for half an hour, as it helps the meatballs to maintain their shape when frying. Heat a little vegetable oil in a frypan, and cook the meatballs until done, turning regularly (takes about 10 minutes in total, depending on size).

To make the dipping sauce: Combine the yoghurt, mint and rest of the garlic, and stir well. Serve with the meatballs, and extra mint for garnish.

A perfect day for Chardonnay

2011-10-03T10:10:00.000+02:00

On a recent trip to the gorgeous little town of Montagu with The Bulls Fan, I was very spoilt when we popped in for a lazy Friday afternoon wine tasting at Zandvliet in Robertson. Regular readers might remember when I attended the pre-launch of Zandvliet's Wacky Wine festivities back in April, where we were treated to a splendid day of incredible food (I can still taste that fresh salmon, cooked over the coals), wine, laughter and leisure. With good memories like that, I just had to go back for another visit. And so, at 4pm on a gorgeously sunlit Friday afternoon, we found ourselves driving down Zandvliet's road, the gravel crunching under the wheels, and the sweet air smelling of blossoms, hay and horses.

We'd barely stepped into the tasting room, and we were made to feel incredibly welcome. The tasting room manager remembered me from the event in April and gave us such a genuinely warm welcome, which I felt was very impressive as Zandvliet host loads of events, and she sees so many faces on a daily basis! We'd just started our tasting - with a glass of Zandvliet Sauvignon Blanc - when Judi, the farm's Managing Director (and our wonderful host for the event in April), arrived. She'd noticed my car driving past, and said that she wanted to come and say hello. Again, if that's not great customer service, I don't know what is! As we chatted, Judi mentioned that they had just bottled and labelled their flagship Kalkveld Shiraz 2007, but that it hadn't yet been released. "Tell you what," she exclaimed, "Let's give you a bottle and you can let us know what you think!" Before I had a moment to remove my jaw from the floor, Judi turned to The Bulls Fan and said "Do you enjoy white wine? Let's get you a bottle of the 2011 wooded Chardonnay, also not yet released, and then you can also have something nice to try!" It's embarrassing to admit, but The Bulls Fan and I both reacted in the only way we knew how - like stuttering five-year olds on Christmas morning!

Before I get into the wines, I'd just like to say a massive thank you to Judi and the Zandvliet team. It's customer service like this - and I am not even referring to the complimentary bottles of wine - that truly goes a long way to creating a lasting relationship between the visitor and the brand. It's not just about having a super product - which, of course, they do. The mere fact that they remembered me, and welcomed me so warmly, made me feel so special, and made our visit all the more enjoyable. Will I recommend their farm? You betcha! Will I happily choose a bottle of Zandvliet when trawling through a winelist? Without a doubt. Again, I ask... isn't that the way all companies should operate?

Ok, now on to the wines! We decided to enjoy the Chardonnay a few evenings ago, when the conditions were just perfect for a chilled white wine (come back on Thursday for the Kalkveld review!). Instead of reviewing the wine strictly according to the nose, palate, cellaring and so forth (after all, these are rather subjective and I think it's best to leave these up to the experts), I'd like to take a different approach. I think the 2011 wooded Chardonnay is deliciously well-rounded and full, with a hint of oak that adds the classic creaminess of the varietal to the wine, but doesn't overpower the lovely fruit flavours that come through. Instead of pairing the wine with food, we decided to enjoy it by itself - and it didn't disappoint. In fact, we threw open the balcony doors and windows, poured a large glass each, and played card games at the coffee table. It's most certainly a friendship wine, and one that pairs really well with spending time with the one you love. That said, I can imagine that it would be simply delicious with a seafood risotto, or apple-glazed pork chops!

Champagne Jelly with Rosé Granita

2011-09-26T11:39:00.002+02:00

Recently, I was invited to join a fantastic international blogging community known as the Five Star Makeover Cooking Group. I've followed one of the co-hosts of the group, Lazaro Cooks, for quite some time, and have never failed to be fascinated with the level of detail and skill that he displays in his cooking. As such, it was a huge honour when Lazaro asked me to join the group, and I've really enjoyed getting to know the rest of the members and their blogs. Trust me, this is a group of some seriously talented cooks - in fact, it's tough not to feel intimidated when reading their posts! The group sets monthly challenges for members, each with its own theme (here's the round-up of last month's Pizza theme and you can also click on their button on the right-hand side of my blog). Each member then needs to come up with their own original recipe, and everyone posts their creations in the last week of the month. The themes are quite broad, which gives each member a lot of space in which to be creative! This is my first month as an official member, and thus this is my first contribution. The theme for September was one which grabbed my interest immediately: Cooking With Wine!

When I sat down to think about what I would make, I felt rather overwhelmed - there are simply millions of recipes using wine. In addition, I live in one of the world's most incredible wine-producing countries... how would I ever choose a wine to represent that? It was a rather daunting task indeed, and suddenly the excitement that I had been feeling turned to worry! I pulled out the cookbooks in search of inspiration and got lost in dishes such as Coq Au Vin, Mussels with White Wine, and Classic Bolognaise, as well as a multitude of wine sauces. These dishes all seemed perfect, but didn't have any ties to my home country. After giving it some more thought, I decided to focus on something that would highlight South Africa, and promote our phenomenal wines.

From there, the thought process was simple, and took but a matter of minutes! Firstly, South Africa produces some outstanding Methode Cap Classique (sparkling wine made by the traditional Champagne method) wines, and many a wine critic has deemed them to be some of the best in the world. My recipe would definitely have to include some MCC! Secondly, we're also a great producer of Rosé, but many locals actually don't know this, as they think that all rosé wines are sickly sweet. When the summer sun is baking down, and you're enjoying a smoked salmon salad next to the pool, there are few better pairings than a crisp, dry pale pink Rosé!

So, I had my wines lined up...now for the recipe. As of 1 September, South Africa officially welcomed Spring - I wanted my recipe to reflect the beauty and freshness of Spring, as well as the gorgeous perfume from the dozens of blossoms, that wafts delicately along the evening breeze. It was clear that I'd be creating a dessert, and decided to put my new-found confidence for jelly making to good use. And so my Champagne Jelly with Rosé Granita was born! It makes such a light and delicious dessert, and you can vary the levels of sweetness with the wines that you choose. It's near effortless to prepare, and is guaranteed to wow at your next dinner party or girl's night in!

You will need:

For the granita

750ml Rosé (you can choose either dry or semi-sweet, depending on how sweet you'd like the dessert to be)
125ml (1/2 cup) sugar
375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
2.5ml (1/2 tspn) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dash of rosewater (optional)

For the jelly

185ml (2/3 cup) water
185ml (2/3 cup) castor sugar
35ml (7 tspns) powdered gelatine
400ml pink sparkling wine (again, choose either Brut or semi-sweet to suit your tastes)
Fresh strawberries, for serving

The granita needs time to freeze, so I suggest making it at least five to six hours before you'll need it. The best is simply to make it the night before. Bring the water and sugar to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for a few minutes. Pour into a suitable container for freezing, and add the rosé, lemon juice and rosewater. Place in the freezer, and leave until completely frozen.

To make the jelly, bring the water and sugar to the boil. Reduce the heat, and add the gelatine, stirring well until totally dissolved. Remove from the heat, and add the champagne (pour it in slowly to reduce the amount of foam that will sit on top of the jelly). Slowly pour into desired moulds, and leave in the fridge to set - this takes about 3 to 4 hours.

To serve, remove the granita from the freezer. Using a fork, scrape the frozen liquid to create delicious "snow". Place a generous helping of this refreshing icy dessert on top of the jellies, and garnish with some fresh strawberries.

Much ado about La Mouette

2011-09-19T17:21:00.000+02:00

The La Mouette "Dream Team" - Chef Henry Vigar, Mari Vigar, Janine Hoggins and Gerrit Bruwer (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

As a social media strategist, I take my personal time quite seriously. In fact, I try to avoid any form of social media during my "down time". That means leaving my iPhone IN my bag when out at dinners or parties, instead of having it attached as-if-by-some-magic-force to my hand. After all, being on Facebook, Twitter and the like for 9 hours a day can take its toll, people! I'm especially against it when I am out for a romantic evening with The Bulls Fan, and often even turn my phone off to avoid any ~~temptation~~ distraction. That's why it's a rare occurrence for me to actually send off a tweet or post during a special meal - when it happens, it's because I simply have to share my excitement at that precise moment, as I am too overwhelmed not to. That's exactly what happened this weekend, when The Bulls Fan took me for dinner at La Mouette.

Truffle and Cheese Croquettes, with Smoked Tomato Aioli (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

La Mouette holds a special place in my heart, and not just because of their incredible food and flawless (if you don't believe me, check out many reviews on their site) reputation for service. As a recent addition to the already saturated Cape Town restaurant scene, La Mouette could have gone the way that so many eateries sadly do - down and out, purely due to a lack of awareness. Instead, headed by the bubbly and vivacious Mari Vigar (wife of Head Chef Henry), the team took their marketing to a new - and digital - level. Using the power of social media, La Mouette rose above the noise and firmly established themselves as one of the city's favourite restaurants. Of course, it's not only social media that has made this eatery such a success, but the service and quality that guests enjoy time and time again.

Sweetcorn and Mushroom Soup, with Pickled Mushroom and Sweetcorn Crostini (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

Friday night was my third visit to the restaurant, and we were there to try their monthly menu special. At R120 for a gourmet six course tasting menu, you really don't get better value anywhere else. I love how they have thought of everything with this menu - delicious dishes with fine-dining flair, perfect portions, enough variety to take you on a culinary journey, vegetarian options AND an optional wine pairing. After sitting down and ordering some sparkling water, Mari arrived at our table with two glasses of bubbly. When I asked her what this was, she exclaimed "Why, it's Friday of course!" That's an added special touch from the La Mouette book of service excellence - making your regular clients feel wonderfully welcome. We ordered a bottle of red wine, and sat back to enjoy the tasting menu experience.

Roasted Linefish with minted mushy peas, potato crisp and garlic foam (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

Braised lamb shoulder with sweet potato, aubergine purée and grilled baby marrow (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

Chef Henry's attention to detail cannot be faulted, and his Michelin training comes through with some seriously impressive touches here and there. The Truffle and Cheese Croquettes, a signature dish, blew me away - and paired brilliantly when dipped in the accompanying Smoked Tomato Aioli. The Sweetcorn and Mushroom Soup was creamy and comforting, and the little crostini, topped with sweetcorn, were delicious. The third course, Roasted Linefish, was served with Minted Mushy Peas (I have never eaten such tasty peas - truly!), a Potato Crisp and Garlic Foam. The Bulls Fan, averse to anything that spent its day under the water, enjoyed the vegetarian option for this course - Butternut Squash Ravioli, with Pecorino, Mushroom Purée and Sage Beurre Noisette, which he pronounced "awesome".

Rhubarb and Custard (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

For the fourth course, we had a choice between Beef Sirloin or Lamb. We both opted for the Braised Lamb Shoulder with Sweet Potato, Grilled Baby Marrow, Aubergine Purée and Goats Cheese. Incidentally, this course was a winning combination with our wine, a L'Ormarins Merlot. The fifth course is something of a pre-dessert and palate cleanser in one, served in double shot glasses - called Rhubarb and Custard, it was Custard Panacotta, topped with Rhubarb Foam and finished with a warm mini Doughnut. The sixth and final course was an individual Peanut Butter Macaroon, with Coconut Sorbet, Coriander Cress (an interesting and bang-on choice), Passion Fruit and Chilli. Whilst they already had me at "peanut butter", this dish was a masterpiece of flavours. The sorbet was perched on peanut crumbs, which gave it a delightful crunch. The macaroon was secured to the plate with a dollop of wonderfully salted peanut butter. The "passion fruit" resembled an egg yolk, but burst with a fresh fruity flavour - and that coriander, oh wow, it's a match made in heaven for passion fruit!

Peanut butter macaroon, coconut sorbet, passion fruit and coriander cress (photo courtesy of La Mouette)

The evening was magical from start to finish. The service is incredibly fast and efficient, without ever feeling overbearing. We left feeling deliciously full, happy and content - and yes, I woke up craving everything from a night before... my own marker for how good a meal actually is. I've already let the girls know that we'll be going there for our next Supper Club, and The Bulls Fan and I will be first in line for their October tasting menu special. Watch this space!

Spring Lunch Special at Buitenverwachting

2011-09-15T09:55:00.000+02:00

Dining with a serious view! (photo courtesy of Buitenverwachting)

Regular readers of The Squashed Tomato may remember when I was treated to a deliciously decadent evening of fine-dining at Buitenverwachting Restaurant a few months ago. To be honest, I still find myself craving those dishes on a regular basis, and long for the time when I'll be able to go back. Well, thanks to Chef Edgar's new Spring Lunch Special, which offers ~~ridiculous~~ incredible value for money, I'll be going back sooner than I thought!

Amouse Bouche

Soup of the Day

Chef's Choice Sorbet of the Day

Sirloin Steak
served with a fresh green salad, Pomme Frites and Sauce Béarnaise

Malva Pudding
served with Crème Anglaise

Filter Coffee and Friandise

This six course menu is available at lunch and is R150 per person...an unbelievable price from a five-star chef, in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Cape Town.

Gin, Tonic and The Sunday Times

2011-09-12T11:29:00.001+02:00

There's never a good way to start a Monday, is there? No matter how early you manage to rise, how many extra spoons of sugar you put in your coffee (for that added boost of energy), or even how great the weather is, the realisation that weekend is officially over is a sobering and dreary one indeed. Yes, there really isn't a good way to start a Monday...or so I thought, until I awoke last Monday to the delivery of a big box, wrapped in shiny red ribbon. The attached note indicated that it was a gift from Ogilvy Cape Town and The Sunday Times. It also mentioned the word "food" a few times. From the red ribbon, the weight of the box, and now this last and final clue, I knew that this was going to be a great Monday morning.

As a child, one of my favourite weekend activities was accompanying my father to the local supermarket on a Sunday. There, we would fill our basket with warm, fresh rolls, hotdogs, and a copy of The Sunday Times. Back at home, we'd all sit around our dining room table, feasting on hotdogs and jostling for "our" sections of the paper. Not surprisingly, there wasn't much demand for the sections I wanted to read - the Magazine (for the cartoons, of course) and the old Travel section, as I used to love to look at the pictures of faraway places. As I've grown up, my tastes have changed slightly - now, it's the Travel and Food section I grab, as there are always some really interesting recipes, chef interviews and restaurant reviews - but, unfortunately, the snippets come to an end far sooner than my hotdog (or whatever healthy alternative I am now forcing myself to eat), and I have been left wanting. The great news is that, as of 4 September, The Sunday Times has launched a new food-filled supplement, Food Weekly.

A stand-alone supplement (that means no jostling with whomever wants to read the Travel bits), Food Weekly offers recipes, food news, profiles, insights and so much more. In their recent press release, The Sunday Times explains "Offering news, profiles and features, Food Weekly will go beyond simply discovering new recipes, and will explore the seasonal and regional influences of SA". Hillary Biller, well-known food writer and The Sunday Times' food editor, is editor of this new publication, whilst entrepreneur, restauranteur and design guru Neil Roake (of Freedom Café and The Space fame) will provide creative direction. With a power team like this, Food Weekly is likely to become a favourite amongst South African foodies.

After enjoying my copy of Food Weekly, it was time to open my present. Ogilvy did a fantastic job of putting together a truly "foodie" gift - I felt very spoilt. I was the lucky recipient of a gorgeous Skinny laMinx tea towel (created by popular Cape Town designer, Heather Moore), a funky red JarKey jar opener (will be very handy when The Bulls Fan is not around to open the peanut butter or the gherkins), and all of the ingredients to make one of the featured recipes in the first Food Weekly - Gin and Tonic Jelly. I am so impressed with how The Sunday Times and Food Weekly brought across their goal of celebrating food and food enthusiasts with this gift - it's such a creative and unique idea! Armed with my beautiful new tea towel, jar opener, recipe card and ingredients, I headed for the kitchen. It was time to turn this inspiration into something delicious!

I loved how this refreshing jelly turned out. Having never made jelly myself (packet mixes just don't count), I was delighted at how easy it was - and the end result is a velvety texture, not the horrible rubbery types you get when making the aforementioned packet mix jellies. The zest floated to the top during setting, giving a fantastic sour kick alongside the sweetness of the first bite. I also loved how the tonic doesn't lose its fizz in the jelly, so you really do feel like you're having a Gin and Tonic! What's more, Food Weekly suggests setting the jelly in a shallow tray and then cutting into small squares (or even in an ice-tray, I would add), and then serving the mini jellies on spoons during a cocktail party. I think they'd even go well as a palate cleanser at a dinner party!

Gin and Tonic Jelly
Recipe from The Sunday Times Food Weekly (4 September 2011)

185ml (2/3 cup) water
185ml (2/3 cup) castor sugar
35ml (7 tspn) gelatine powder
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
125ml (1/2 cup) good quality gin
200ml tonic water
Lemon and lime wedges, for serving

Combine the water and sugar in a small pan, and heat through (on a medium heat, not boiling) until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce the heat, and add the gelatine powder. Stir thoroughly, over a low heat, until the gelatine has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and zest, and allow to cool slightly (to lukewarm). Add the gin and tonic, and mix well. Pour into moulds or serving glasses. Allow to set in the refrigerator (mine took about 3 hours to set), and decorate with lemon and lime wedges before serving.

Breedekloof Food and Wine 2011

2011-09-08T11:32:00.000+02:00

There's something quite magical about the Breedekloof Valley in the Western Cape. Of course, the views are quite stunning - you shoot out of the Huguenot Tunnel and are instantly surrounded by towering mountains. What I love most about the area, however, are the little towns that call this valley home. Slanghoek, Goudini and Rawsonville offer a hodge podge of ram-shamble farm buildings, country cottages, dirt roads, vineyards and orchards, and make me feel as though the city I've just come from doesn't exist. The air smells fresher, the plants look greener, and I swear that the food tastes better. In my opinion, this is country living at its best. Despite the petite size of the towns, the valley boasts 27 wineries, and produces almost every varietal you can think of (and perhaps even a few that you can't). Each year, the farms get together to enjoy the best of their production with a spectacular food and wine feast, and I had a place at the table for the 2011 celebrations.

This year's event was held at Opstal Estate, only a few short minutes from the lovely little Bed and Breakfast where we spent the night. Although the estate itself dates back to 1847, the restaurant building is sleek and modern, whilst keeping its country appeal (they have some gorgeous images on their website, so do take a look). We hurried inside from the parking lot (the mountains enclosing the valley were sporting snowy caps, and so the temperatures were chilly indeed), and were greeted with a welcoming glass of Botha Chardonnay Brut 2011. We took our seats at the beautiful tables, which were covered in white cloth and each displayed a tall, silver candelabra. Vases of freshly cut Arum Lillies adorned the mantelpieces around the sizeable dining area. After a warm welcome from the organisers, it was time to begin the feast.

Chef Neill Anthony (image courtesy of Splash PR)

I must just point out that this was not to be any feast. The food for the evening's pairings was carefully created by none other than Neill Anthony, arguably one of the country's best private chefs. He has worked in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing and Alyn Williams, and has cooked for some incredibly famous names. In short, the man knows how to cook! Together with a panel of wine judges, which included a Cape Wine Master, Neill created a four-course menu to be paired with no less than fourteen wines. When I heard this, I felt very pleased to have worn a dress - less restriction from fussy waistbands and so forth, I am sure you understand.

Our first course was a Poached and Roasted Quail, served with a White Onion Purée, Baby Cabbage, and Grain Mustard. Before starting, the wines were introduced to us by a member of the judging panel - who would also attempt to translate the dish into Afrikaans. This was hugely entertaining, especially when it came to the French terminologies, and gave us all a good laugh before each course. The quail was deliciously tender, perfectly cooked and worked wonders with the purée. "I wish I could make cabbage taste this good," was a comment from one of the guests at our table. The dish was served with three wines, namely Goudini Chenin blanc 2011, Goudini Chardonnay 2011, and Merwida Merlot Rosé 2011. I found the Chardonnay to be a little sweet for my palate, but felt that the Chenin was the winning pair for this dish.

Second course consisted of Smoked Salmon Trout, Horse Radish Chantilly, and a White Bean Vinagrette. Neill commented that he wanted to shake things up a bit, and offer a hot first course, followed by a cold second. I think it worked really well, as the second course lightened everything up. The dish was paired with two wines this time, a Merwida Sauvignon blanc 2011 and Merwida Chardonnay 2011. I felt that the Sauvignon Blanc worked really well with the tart acidity of the horseradish, and that the Chardonnay complimented the creamy texture of the fish.

For mains, we enjoyed Braised Lamb Shoulder, with the meat cut off the bone and moulded into medallions, Aubergine Caviar, Fennel and Braised Chickpeas. The presentation was beautiful, and the lamb was oh-so-tender. I don't usually order lamb, as I find it very rich and it fills me up before I am even halfway through, but this portion size was perfect. The dish was paired with Seven Oaks "6+1" Pinotage 2009, Jason's Hill Shiraz 2009, Merwida Barbera 2009, and Padre Rednose Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from Seven Oaks. Before tasting the dish, I felt that the Shiraz and the blend were my standout favourites, but after enjoying the lamb, the Barbera took pole position. In fact, I was so impressed by the Barbera that I am going to order a few bottles for myself!

To end the amazing evening of feasting and fine wines, Neill presented us with a stunner of a dessert - Whipped Lemon Curd, Salted Caramel Peanut Brittle, and Ginger Espuma. I had never thought of pairing ginger and lemon, never mind the inclusion of salted caramel peanuts, but what a combination! It was light and delicious, and not overly sweet - in my mind, the ideal dessert. We enjoyed Badsberg Noble Late Harvest 2005, Slanghoek Creme de Chenin 2010, and Waboomsrivier Hanepoot 2008 alongside it.

Kerry (Splash PR), Neill, and Bianca (Splash PR) [image courtesy of Splash PR]

The evening was a great success and I left feeling as though I wouldn't need to eat for a week - not for being too full, but for knowing that whatever I'd eat next wouldn't come close to comparison! Huge thanks to Kerry, Doug and Bianca of Splash PR for inviting me, and for arranging such lovely accommodation so that we could enjoy the evening to the fullest.

Blaauwklippen Blending Competition

2011-09-05T07:32:00.000+02:00

In the Stellenbosch winelands, "BBC" is an abbreviation that has commanded respect for the past 28 years. No, it doesn't stand for "British Broadcasting Corporation" (you didn't really think it would be that, did you?) and it's not short for "Before Before Christ" (as in a seriously, seriously long time ago). No, "BBC" stands for something truly local and lekker - it stands for the Blaauwklippen Blending Competition, the only South African wine competition where amateur wine clubs from across the country can develop and enter their own blends to be judged by some of our best wine experts. On Friday 2 September, Blaauwklippen held a luncheon, where the winning team of the 28th annual BBC would be announced. With my camera and appetite both at the ready, I set off for the event.

Given that the winning wine blend would consist largely of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot, with the fourth component being that of Zinfandel, it would be perfectly suited to the day's weather - cold, wet and windy. Is it just me, or does red wine taste richer, and seem more alluring, the colder it is outside? Upon arrival at Blaauwklippen's restaurant, I immediately felt like a celebrity - cameras flashed left and right (why I did not attempt to smooth my now-frizzing-from-the-downpour-outside wet fringe, I'll never understand) and I was offered a choice of Chenin Blanc or Rosé as a welcome drink. I found a group of fellow foodies and winos in the lounge, where we chatted, drank and feasted on a selection of deliciously-moreish canapés - my favourites were the choux buns piped with a smoked snoek paté, tuna tartare with chilli, and little skewers of tomato, mozzarella and basil pesto, presented in tomato paste tins.

After taking our seats at the incredibly long table, Rolf Zeitvogel, Blaauwklippen's cellar master and convenor of the judging panel, introduced the various entrants to us and gave us some background to the event. This year, the participating wine clubs had to develop a blend using 2009 Petit Verdot (restricted to a maximum of 15%), 2010 Merlot, 2010 Malbec and 2010 Zinfandel (restricted to a maximum of 20%). Interestingly, over 50% of the clubs chose Merlot as their preferred varietal in the blend. 69 blends were entered, and the judging panel then faced the arduous task of selecting the best 4. According to Rolf, "The challenge to the clubs was to produce a complex, serious dry red blend with subtle tannin structure and good balance – a wine with finesse and freshness which can be enjoyed soon, but also allows potential for cellaring."

The number of entries indicates the growing popularity of this annual contest. What's great to know is that six of the 69 entries received were from overseas! We got to meet the wine clubs responsible for the 4 best entries at the lunch, namely The Plettenberg Bay Wine Guild (Plettenberg Bay), The Web Wine Society (Port Elizabeth), The Wino’s from Natal (Kwazulu Natal), and The Three Sheets To The Wind (Gauteng). Each club introduced themselves, and chatted about how they came about - it seems that each was established in order to be able to learn about and enjoy great wine with close friends, and I was inspired to begin a club of my own in the near future. The clubs meet once a month (or more regularly), and most host themed evenings - they'll invite a winemaker or wine expert to chat about the wines for the evening, and often enjoy an informal dinner thereafter. It sounds like a fabulous idea, and I am already thinking of who to put on my guest list.

In order to keep us in suspense, Rolf insisted that we first enjoy our starters, before revealing the winning team. The starter was Smoked Salmon on a Herb Blini, served with a crunchy Cucumber-Dill Salad and Saffron Creme Fraiche. The dish, which was lovely and light, was paired with Blaauwklippen's White Zinfandel. After starters, Rolf presented the Newcomer Award to The Web Wine Society, who seemed thrilled to receive it. With baited breath, we listened as Rolf painstakingly - and intentionally - read out the "recipe" for the winning blend, keeping the poor wine clubs in nervous suspense. Finally, The Three Sheets To The Wind were crowned the winners! Their winning blend? 10% Petit Verdot, 75% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 10% Zinfandel. We enjoyed their winning blend, which is a serious red wine indeed (I think it will taste even better after a few years of cellaring to smooth the tannins), with our main course of Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, served with Potato Gratin, Garlic Confit and Glazed Baby Vegetables. The winning blend is bottled under the Blaauwklippen Barouche label and sold commercially. The brilliant artwork on the bottle, which is sold as a Magnum by the way (all the more reason to buy it!), is created by Stellenbosch artist, Frans Groenewald.

After the celebrations, we tucked into a dessert of Dark Chocolate Tart, with an Orange and Strawberry Salad, and Almond and Caramel Ice Cream. The dessert was served with Blaauwklippen's newly released liqueur aperitif, Before & After, and their pot-stilled brandy. The bitterness of the dark chocolate worked a treat with the rich, creamy ice cream (filled with delicious chunks of crunchy caramel), and, even as a non-brandy drinker, I found the brandy to be a brilliant pairing.

Congratulations to The Three Sheets To The Wind - your win is well-deserved! A big thank you to Rolf and the Blaauwklippen team for hosting us, and huge thanks to Nicolette Waterford of Waterford Communications for the invitation. I cannot wait to open my bottle, and to enjoy it next to a roaring fire, in a few seasons time!

Blue Crane Restaurant

2011-09-01T08:05:00.000+02:00

The Bulls Fan's parents live in a very beautiful part of Pretoria in the Gauteng province. While this may seem a little paradoxical to anyone not living in Gauteng, myself included, I must admit that their immediate area is lovely. The houses and properties are enormous, and each boast a wide, neatly mowed green pavement, along with towering Jacaranda trees that burst into brilliant purple bloom in the Spring. What's more, they live just a short walk in the sun from the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary. We've often driven past the sanctuary, and I've craned (excuse the pun) my neck to spot the cute little resident buck that lives in the gardens, as well as the magnificent birds that call this part of Pretoria home. The park also offers its own restaurant, which overlooks one of the large lakes. On our recent trip to visit The Bulls Fan's parents, and to go to the Kruger National Park, I twisted his arm to take me for lunch at the Blue Crane Restaurant.

Before you actually visit the restaurant, I highly recommend a walk through the sanctuary. They have set up some lovely viewing points, where you can sit and watch the birds and other wildlife (including some rather friendly tortoises). We spotted two turtles having a sunbathe on the lake's little beach, and laughed at the crazy hairstyles that the cranes were sporting. It's very peaceful, and I would imagine that it would be wonderful to take some snacks and drinks along in the early evening and watch the birds settling in for the night.

After our stroll around, we arrived at the restaurant. It's clearly very popular, as all but three tables were reserved on this Thursday afternoon. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the water, overlooking the lake. The menu is rather extensive, and had quite an impressive variety of dishes, catering for breakfast, lunches and dinners. They even offer a formal dining menu. I did almost fall off of my chair when I glanced at prices, I must admit. Coming from Cape Town, one of Pretoria's biggest attractions is that general restaurant prices are really quite reasonable. I'm afraid the same cannot be said for the Blue Crane, where an Appletiser (my benchmark for the cooldrinks menu) is a whopping R21 (usually around R12 - R15 in similar eateries), and a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich will set you back R38 (I'm used to paying around R25-R30, in comparison)! Although, I guess that one is paying for the beauty of the setting, and I understand that - given that the majority of Pretoria's eateries are situated in shopping malls and centres, it's a luxury and a treat to be able to sit outside in the fresh air and to enjoy the beauty of nature.

The food, however, was very pleasant and I really did enjoy it. My toasted cheese and tomato sandwich was served with three salads - a pasta salad with corn and sweet peppers, a green salad, and a fresh, crispy coleslaw. The Bulls Fan opted for the plain beef burger, which looked delicious and was served with a good portion of chips. The birds are clearly used to being fed by the customers, as we were suddenly the centre of attention to about 40 pigeons, 15 starlings, a handful of ducks (that had spotted us sitting down and swam across the dam to loiter in the water below), and one fat Egyptian goose. Once the birds got the memo that today wouldn't be their day, and we could stop guarding our plates, we sat back and tucked into our lunch. Our waiter was faultless and very much on-the-ball, making it even more enjoyable. Will I go back? Absolutely - as I say, it's a luxury to be able to enjoy a great meal in an outdoor setting in Pretoria, and it's worth the premium to be able to do so. Next time, I'd like to go for a few cocktails at sunset, or a bottle of chilled white wine - I think it will be magical.

Angelfoods Fudgery

2011-08-22T14:50:00.001+02:00