You knew you could cook with Angostura Bitters, didn’t you? Well, now you do! In fact, there’s a whole Angostura app to download for culinary inspo – click here Angostura App
As you’re enjoying the last few weeks of summer sunshine and hunger strikes, these quick and easy bittered snacks will save the day⊠and tickle your taste buds!
Sweet-Salty-Bitters Glazed Nuts (makes about 3 cups)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Angostura aromatic bitters
6 tablespoons sugar
1 œ teaspoons kitchen salt œ teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups raw nuts-pecan/walnut halves/whole almonds or cashews
Method:
Preheat oven to 150 C. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven, melt butter with bitters in a 13 cm deep bowl in the microwave or in a 16 cm deep pan on the stovetop. Stir well. Add sugar, salt and cinnamon, stir well to mix. Add nuts to bowl/pan and stir until well coated. If needed, warm up mixture a little. Line a large, rimmed sheet tray with baking/cooking paper. Spread nuts out evenly on paper, separating them as much as possible. Roast 13-16 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven. Let cool 10-15 minutes, then use your fingers to break clusters. When completely cooled â transfer nuts to serving bowl or store in airtight container.
Fiesta Meatballs (makes about 40 meatballs)
Ingredients:
±500g lean ground beef
Œ cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chilli powde
œ teaspoon ground cumin
œ teaspoon oregano
œ teaspoon salt
œ cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Angostura aromatic bitters
Method:
Preheat oven to 200° Celsius. Place ground beef in a medium bowl. In a small bowl stir together breadcrumbs, chilli powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Stir in onion and garlic. Sprinkle over meat in two batches, cutting into meat with the side of a large spoon. Whisk together egg and chosen Angostura bitters. Drizzle over meat, cutting in lightly with a spoon or fork. Form into balls and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Bake 16-18 minutes. Serve with toothpicks and your preferred dipping sauce.
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Prawns (makes about 8 skewers)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
Grated peel of one large lemon
Œ cup lemon juice
Œ cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Angostura aromatic bitters
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
œ teaspoon hot sauce
1kg prawns
8 skewers
Method:
Combine all ingredients except prawns and skewers to make marinade. Peel and devein prawns, leaving tails on. Add to marinade and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1œ hours. Drain prawns and thread on skewers. Grill 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Serve and enjoy with plenty of crusty bread!
Angostura, Black Tea, and Thyme Ice Cubes (to flavour your summer drink)
Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 black tea bags
20 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
5-6 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
Method:
Bring water to the boil, turn off the heat, add tea and bitters. Allow to cool and then add thyme leaves. Cool to room temperature. Remove tea bags and pour into ice trays to freeze.
For more information on the Angostura Bitters range and other delicious cocktail recipes, please visit www.angosturabitters.com.
Itâs Almost Time for Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival!
Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival is back and better than ever before on 27 & 28 April 2019.
A mere 75 minute’s drive from Cape Town, Elgin Valley offers city-dwellers and visitors to the Mother City, the perfect countryside escape.
For wine lovers and those in need of a revitalising day or two, the festival offers a chance to indulge in South Africaâs best cool climate wines accompanied by some delicious food offerings, as well as a host of live music and entertainment options set amongst the natural beauty of the Elgin Valley.
As has become a tradition over the years, the participating wineries are pulling out all the stops in order to offer a unique programme. This allows you to tailor-make your experience according to your personal preferences.
Entertainment includes performances by live bands, art exhibitions, nature walks, vertical tastings and cellar tours. Each venue will offer different dishes, along with their signature wines, to tantalise your taste buds and keep those bellies filled. These include a la carte menus, farm style picnics, food trucks and much more.
Your kids and pets are not forgotten either. Plenty of the wine farms will have child-friendly activities on offer to keep your tots and tweens safe and entertained. Children under the age of 18, and accompanied by an adult, enter for free and many of the farms are also dog-friendly!
Tickets are available for purchase on Quicket â weekend passes are only R200 per person, while day passes are R150 per person.
Wristbands, festival maps and your special edition 2019 #ElginCoolFest glass can be collected from the Elgin Railway Market,from there you have the option of using our complimentary shuttles out to the wineries or self-driving for your own tailor-made experience. The market is also the destination for Ceres Railâs weekend steam train trips from Cape Town so, if you choose to, you can arrive by train.
Of course, we want to encourage you to experience Elgin responsibly and we do not condone any form of drinking and driving â especially when you have your family in the car – so, please make use of the shuttle services or elect a designated driver. To show our support for designated drivers, each driver will receive a special wristband giving them access to a complimentary soft drink at each winery.
Donât miss out on the Capeâs coolest wine festival! Get your tickets now on Quicket.co.za.and book accommodation for the festival if you want to make the most of the weekend.
The Plettenberg Hotel’s signature dish is a thing of glory, perfect for when you want to wow your guests. The combination of fish and fragrant spices make it a most impressive starter â or even the star of the show! Taste it in the beautiful surroundings of SeaFood at The Plettenberg, then try the recipe at home to impress your dinner guests. It may seem a bit laborious to make but oh! the rewards! Rouille is a spicy, garlicky mayo, traditionally served spread on lightly toasted croutons to float in the soup.
Seafood Soup with Rouille and Croutons Recipe from The Plettenberg Hotel
Ingredients (Serves 6)
For the soup you need:
1 Kg whole fish, such as hake, gurnard etc cut into pieces, (do not use an oily fish like mackerel, trout or salmon)
90 ml olive oil
80 g of each â onion, celery, leek and fennel, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves sliced
Zest of one whole orange
Juice of one whole orange
200 g tinned tomatoes blended
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
A pinch of saffron
œ tsp cayenne pepper
2 litres very strong fish stock (see recipe below)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the fish stock recipe you need:
Makes 2 litres
1 kg fish bones
1 onion chopped
1 fennel bulb chopped
100g sliced celery
100g sliced carrots
100g chopped leeks
250 g sliced button mushrooms
1 sprig thyme
3 litres water
For the croutons you need:
1 small baguette
Olive oil for frying
1 garlic clove
For the rouille you need:
25 g sliced day-old crustless white bread
A little water
2 Tbsp harissa
3 fat peeled garlic cloves, crushed
1 egg yolk
Œ tsp salt
250 ml olive oil
Method
To make the stock
Put all the stock ingredients into a large pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
Strain through a muslin-lined fine sieve, and use as required. If not using immediately, leave to cool, then chill and refrigerate or freeze.
To make the soup
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the vegetables and garlic and cook gently for 20 minutes until soft but not coloured.
Add the orange zest, tomatoes, red pepper, bay leaf, thyme, saffron, cayene pepper, and the fish pieces.
Cook briskly for 2 â 3 minutes, then add the strained stock and orange juice, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes.
Liquidise the soup, then pass through a sieve into a clean pot, pressing as much liquid as possible with the back of a ladle.
Return the soup to the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
For the croutons
Thinly slice the baguette on the diagonal and fry the slices in the olive oil until crisp and golden.
Drain on kitchen paper and rub one side of each piece with the garlic clove.
To make the rouille
Cover the slice of bread with the water and leave to soften.
Squeeze out the excess liquid and put the bread into a food processor with the harissa, garlic, egg yolk and salt. Blend until smooth.
With the machine still running, gradually add the oil until you have a smooth, thick, mayonnaise-like mixture.
Keeps in the fridge for at least a week.
About The Plettenberg
The Plettenberg, part of The Liz McGrath Collection, is situated on a rocky headland in one of South Africa’s most spectacular beach towns. Tucked neatly into the Garden Route, Plettenberg Bay boasts a year-round temperate climate, pristine beaches and dense green forests, making it the ultimate South African seaside escape. The Plettenberg is a five-star property that has direct beach access and showcases some of the most breathtaking vistas in Southern Africa, with views of the ocean, mountains and endless stretches of golden sand. The hotel features 37 beautifully appointed guest rooms, including 12 Suites and two spectacular Villas.
Spoil yourself with luxe Easter treats at Steenberg! This farm in the Constantia wine is serving a hearty Sunday lunch for the whole family, delicious treats and fun-fun-fun for the children. INSERT CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN ALERT HERE.
For the entire weekend from 19-22 April 2019, visitors to the Steenberg Wine Tasting Room will be welcomed with a decadent Easter Marshmallow before enjoying their wine tasting.
At Catharinaâs Restaurant, Steenberg Executive Chef Kerry Kilpin will delight young and old with her fabulous Easter Sunday lunch menu, complete with a dessert table of all her signature sweet temptations. Children will be treated to a fun-filled Easter egg hunt followed by a special menu which Chef Kerry, who is also a mom, knows they will tuck into with glee. The soft serve ice cream and chocolate fountain on the Easter dessert table will be another sure winner â not just for the little ones.
Adults can look forward to an extensive choice of flavourful starters and mains for all tastes. From herbed chevin tortellini, artichoke salad, croquettes, tempura prawns and Cajun calamari, to risotto, pork belly and a variety of grilled cuts, Chef Kerry has it covered.
The Easter lunch menu is available on Sunday, 21 April at R550 per person for adults and R300 per child under the age of 12. Catharinaâs Restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For bookings contact +27 (0)21 7137178 or email reservations@catharinasrestaurant.co.za
Few things complement a decent steak as nicely as a proper pepper sauce, and The Hussar Grill’s Pepper Sauce is perfection. Easy to make, you can serve it on the side or ladled over your choice cut of grilled meat, such as Sirloin, Fillet, Rump or Ribeye.
HUSSAR GRILL PEPPER SAUCE FOR STEAK
INGREDIENTS
50 g Butter
10 ml Cracked black peppercorns (from above)
15 ml Treacle sugar (or dark brown sugar)
30 ml Brandy
65 ml Port or red wine
150 ml Stock (beef or vegetable)
160 ml Cream
A pinch of salt
METHOD
Melt the butter, add the treacle sugar, allow to brown lightly.
Remove from the heat until the flames have died down.
Add the port/red wine and reduce until almost evaporated away.
Add the stock and reduce by Ÿ.
Add the cream and reduce again until thickened.
Season with salt and set aside until the steak is cooked.
For more information on The Hussar Grill, please visit www.hussargrill.co.za. To book a table at The Hussar Grill – where every meal is a masterclass â please use the Dineplan App, available via the App Store and Google Play.
The Hussar Grill first opened its legendary brass doors in 1964 and today, after 54 years of excellence, it is regarded as one of South Africaâs premier grill rooms. Having garnered a loyal following over the years, the restaurant is known for its speciality steaks, award-winning wine selection, superb service and warm ambience.
I never in my wildest dreams imagined that specific red wines pair better with specific cuts of steak. Guess what?
They do. A media visit to the legendary Hussar Grill in Mouille point took us through a fascinating – and delicious – pairing of choice cuts of matured steaks HG serves, along with some seriously top flight reds. mind blown My personal favourite was the fillet and Pinot Noir, even though I’m not a fan of fillet per se. Rump and Merlot was a surprising success, too, though neither are favourites of mine: simply a dream combination. All in all, a truly eye-opening and mouth-watering experiment I can highly recommend you try yourself!
For your delectation, Hussar Grill’s Red Wine and Steak Pairing Guide:
A love affair of steak and red wine: The Hussar Grill shows you how to pair prime cuts and cultivars
It is common knowledge that red wine is a wonderful accompaniment to red meat. But certain cuts of steak pair better with certain cultivars. This is because various types of wine differ widely in taste as do different cuts of meat.
 While all grapes come from the common grape vine, Vitis vinifera, every grape variety (or cultivar) bears distinct leaves and grapes. So, the wine they make will release different aromas and flavours specific to that cultivar.
The same can be said for different types of steak. Each cut comes from a different part of the animal and offers different flavour profiles. Whatâs more, cuts from different breeds of cows offer different taste profiles.
Red wine is considered a better match for red meat than white wine because red wine has a high tannin content whose astringency helps cut through fat. A general rule is to match the intensity of the dish with the wine. However, The Hussar Grill is firmly of the view that you should enjoy meat and wine to your personal preference.
The softest, most delicate cut of meat is Fillet as it comes from a part of the cow where muscles are hardly used. Fillet is best served rare or medium rare as it is lean and will dry out if cooked too long. Rump steak is from the hind quarters, where the muscles are not too developed. It can be served medium-rare. Sirloin is a fattier cut that should be cooked to the medium stage. Rib Eye, which is marbled with fat, needs to be cooked medium or more, to help break down the fat content and caramelise the fat into flavour.
Leaner cuts of beef with lighter style wine
The leaner the red meat you are matching, the lighter the red wine you can use. A light-bodied wine should have slightly higher acidity that will cut through the texture of the lean meat. Also, the leaner the meat, the less it needs to be aged and therefore the less cooking time needed. Same goes for the lighter-styled wines, as they need to be aged less, too.
Fillet Steak paired with Pinot Noir
Weâve paired Fillet with one of the lightest red wines, Pinot Noir. The magic of this pairing is that the acidity of the light red wine cuts through the delicate texture of the rare steak without overpowering it.
Rump paired with Merlot
Weâve paired Rump with Merlot because Merlot is the ideal âin-betweenerâ, an easy-drinking, smooth option. This medium-bodied red wine matches the Rump as it is equally flavourful and soft.
Sirloin paired with Shiraz
Weâve paired Sirloin with Shiraz. This bold red wine complements the steak thanks to its high tannin count, which acts as a palate-cleansing astringent with this fattier cut of beef.
Rib Eye paired with Cabernet Sauvignon
The king of red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is often the number one choice for steak and wine pairings. It is a full-bodied wine with robust fruit tastes and powerful flavours that can stand up to the richness of a Rib Eye. The tannins derived from the red skin of the grape combine with a high alcohol level, and this helps cut through the marbled fattiness of the Rib Eye, making the wine taste smoother and less bitter and the steak more flavourful. The more marbling the meat has, the longer the cooking time. If served medium, the cooking process melts the fat and the caramelisation process turns what would otherwise be a tough steak into a juicy, tasty one.
Fillet on the Bone paired with a Red Blend
Bone adds additional flavour to meat due to its marrow content. This means that a Fillet on the Bone can pair with a more robust blend instead of a light red.
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Sirloin on the Bone paired with a Red Blend
Finally, Sirloin on the Bone can pair with a full-bodied Red Blend as the steak is more flavourful than Sirloin off the Bone, for the same reasons above.
More in common than you think!
Besides pairing well together, and each having a variety of flavour profiles, red wine and steak share interesting similarities in the way that they are aged and stored.
On Ageing If a wine is made to age (and remember, most wines arenât!), the ageing process helps to further develop flavours and textures we would otherwise never have experienced. With ageing, the tannins soften and flavours develop secondary and tertiary aromas.
Any wine lover will know that ageing wine can potentially help improve its quality. This distinguishes wine from most other consumable goods – except steak.
The Hussar Grill steaks are always aged. Ageing is a process of preparing beef for consumption by breaking down the connective tissue to make it more tender. In general, the older the meat, the darker and richer it becomes⊠just like a wine. The Hussar Grill wet ages its whole meat for a minimum of 28 days before portioning it for grilling. The Hussar Grill carefully sources its A-grade beef from the North West Province and its major supplier is a family-run business.
On Storage Wine needs to be stored very carefully in order to age well. Some basics include keeping wine in a dark space, with corked wine bottles on their sides, and with the temperature at a cool constant. The optimum temperature is 7-18 degrees Celsius. The most important things to remember are that your wine should never be exposed to oxygen (once it is, you need to drink it) and not too much light.
When it comes to steak, storage temperature is also vital. The Hussar Grill steaks are vacuum-sealed to avoid any oxygen and stored in a cool 5-degree Celsius fridge.
For more information on The Hussar Grill, please visit www.hussargrill.co.za. To book a table at The Hussar Grill – where every meal is a masterclass â please use the Dineplan App, available via the App Store and Google Play.
Real, proper and authentic Indian cooking is hard to find in Cape Town. If you’re a spice aficionado, vegetarian or vegan, Moksh is the mostest!
Owner Sunil Krishnan proudly shared the latest accomplishment of the Moksh Restaurant Group: winning âBest Indian Cuisineâ at the CTEX Restaurant Awards 2019!
Cape Townâs truly authentic Indian Restaurant, Moksh took first place as the Best Indian Cuisine at the Cape Town Experiences (CTEX) Awards 2019 for Restaurants & Dining.
Moksh Indian Restaurants are fine-dining Indian restaurants offering guests a truly traditional Indian experience, with exotic cuisine from the subcontinent, prepared with artful and exquisite combinations of spices.
The name âMokshâ has a double meaning â to attain the highest level of satisfaction, and âfreedomâ. Both of which you will certainly experience when dining at Moksh!
Cape Town Experiences Magazine (CTeX) Asst. Editor Kim Lopes said this award acknowledges a celebration of Indian Cuisine which is so loved and popular amongst food lovers in Cape Town.
âCTeX and our affiliates have had the privilege to be exposed to over 4000 great brands, businesses and individuals in the Cape that we have found were best of the best in Cape Town and greater Cape. These are brands which have made Cape Town the number one tourist destination in the world and deserve to be celebrated.â
âWhen our panel of judges returned names for possible nomination, we cross referenced and found that Moksh Indian Restaurantsâ name came up in every list.’
âFor this reason, it was a clear candidate for nomination in the Best Indian Cuisine category.â
The rest was up to points and votes. Judges separately scored the booking system, food and service delivery, which made up 60% of the final decision.
The remaining 40% of the decision was up to the public who voted on the CTeX website
Moksh was announced the official winner at Nomad Bistro. Accepting the award, Moksh Owner Operator Sunil Krishnansaid it was an honour to receive the accolade for the 9 yrs of hard work his team has put into the brand.
âI would like to thank all of our customers who have supported us through the years at our 7 branches and found it worthy to vote for us. We feel truly blessed by the continued love! At Moksh, we are truly the most authentic Indian cuisine and believe in not competing but excelling, based on our amazing food.â
ABOUT MOKSH
Moksh has gained its popularity in Cape Town through great Indian food, professional service and attention to detail. Having established itself as one of the Mother Cityâs best restaurants for authentic North Indian cuisine, this restaurant group, proudly located in Durbanville, Paarl, Kenilworth, Somerset West, Welgelegen, Worcester and Langebaan, invites guests to an elegant experience in a calm Indian inspired environment.
Expect an expansive menu of dishes, made from from scratch, using honest Indian ingredients all skilfully prepared by pukka Indian chefs and served with a smile. Whether you like your curry mild, medium or hot, Moksh will fine tune the spicy notes to meet your palate, without compromising on the well rounded depth of flavour found in every dish.
Consider sharing a platter of snacks while enjoying a drink from the fully licensed bar, or try out one of the many exciting starters, ranging from Masala Papad (deep fried poppadums with tomato and onion) to crispy samoosas that out rank them
all.
Be sure to save room for mains, as curry portions are hearty and are best enjoyed with a range of sambals and sides!
Visit the beautiful website Moksh
If you’re looking for a top-notch family Easter Sunday experience, hop on over and celebrate Easter Sunday in the Franschhoek winelands at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate. Enjoy a family picnic complete with an Easter egg hunt for the little ones, live music, and a wide variety of delicious treats.
Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019, 12h00 â 16h00
Besides the traditional Easter egg hunt, children will be entertained with decorating a giant Easter egg, face painting, a jumping castle and a variety of lawn games. Adults can look forward to a laid back afternoon with fine Grande Provence wines and an Easter food basket filled to the brim.
The Grande Provence Easter Picnic starts at 12h00 and ends at 16h00. Entry is free, but bookings for the Easter Picnic Baskets at R800 per double, R400 per single and R300 for children under 10, need to be made ahead of time at Tel: (021) 876 8600 or email reservations@grandeprovence.co.za.
Did you know Eight Restaurant at Spier serves vegan-friendly food? Celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday 30 March at this wildly popular restaurant with dinner prepared without electricity!
Celebrate nature with Spier at Eight with a vegan-friendly feast inspired by local, seasonal ingredients, made without electricity. A fabulous feast awaits diners, such as Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, Chermoulah-grilled Cauliflower Steak, dessert of Char-grilled Pineapple with Vegan Caramel.
Join millions around the world to turn off the lights this Earth Hour, Saturday 30 March, from 20:30 â 21:30 to raise awareness about the important role of nature in our lives and the benefits it provides, from good food, clean air, fresh water, to so much more â benefits which, because of climate change, are under threat.
When: Saturday, 30 March 2019
Time: 19:30
Place: Eight Restaurant
Cost: R350 per person (plus R120 for a wine pairing).
By choosing Spier, you are supporting Spierâs Growing for Good learning initiatives that empower communities to create positive social and environmental change.
Celebrating harvest into the late night hours at Longridge Langtafel 2019
Guests danced late into the night at the recent Longridge Langtafel despite the cold weather. The annual event was held on Longridge Wine Estate for the third time in a row (sixth time overall) and cellar master Jasper Bruwer described the evening as a celebration of the harvest as well as good food, wine and friends. Nevermind if you missed it, you can visit Longridge for a wine tasting with lunch or dinner anytime! (Link and contact details below.)
Starter: cured trout, labneh and lemon pickle served with the Longridge Chenin Blanc 2015.
Main: Calvinia lamb neck with pastilla and a garden vegetable ragout with the acclaimed Bordeaux blend and Platterâs 5-star Ekliptika and Merlot 2017.
Cheese course: Cremelat gorgonzola and a rosemary and black olive madeleine paired with the 2016 Ou Steen Chenin Blanc.
Dessert: white chocolate ganache with beignets, honeycomb and homemade Edelgoud and sultana ice cream with the 2015 Edelgoud.
Petit fours with warm coffee completed the dinner while guests spent the rest of the evening on the dance floor with the excellent Glenn Robertson Jazz band.
âThe Longridge Langtafel was once again an enormous success, showing that not even bad weather can spoil a good party,â said Jasper Raats.
The Langtafel event is the social highlight of people from all over the world and give them the opportunity to enjoy some of the exclusive wines, limited in volume and availability, of Longridge Wine Estate.
Keep an eye on social media platforms and the website for news on the 2020 Langtafel-event that will once again be held on the estate.