OG chef George JardineFine food, great wine, happy people = best lunch at Bottelary HillsSexy starters by chef George Jardine for Bottelary Hills Winemakers LunchVino! Bottelary Hills Winemakers Lunch
Bottelary Hills Winemakers Lunch, George JardineMain course by George Jardine, Bottelary Hills Winemakers LunchCrazylicious pudding by George Jardine for Bottelary Hills Winemakers Lunch
Bottelary Hills end the year with a bang and a Pop-Up Lunch!
Last in the series of Winemakers Lunches by chef George Jardine, this one’s held at Mooiplaas on Sunday 19 November. (Tickets sell like hot cakes, so you’d better get a move on.)
A local affair dreamed up by winemakers of the Bottelary Hills region, these wildly popular events showcase their champion regional wines with Scottish-born Jardine’s gutsy cooking. Hint: it’s a highlight for your dining diary.
Venue: Mooiplaas Wine Estate and Private Nature Reserve on Sunday, 19 November.
This is the last of 2017’s Winemakers Lunch series. (More next year, so watch the presses!)
The menu is simple heritage country cooking – expect traditional accents with modern twists and superb local, regional and seasonal ingredients.
A meal, in short, not to be missed. I went to the first one earlier this year and still recall every perfect mouthful!
Chef George promises a bit of an ‘early Christmas surprise’ on the menu, celebrating the history, roots and abundance of the region.
Each dish is paired with slow-crafted wines unique to the area. Added bonus is winemakers or owners in attendance on the day, to share their love and passion for their craft.
Mooiplaas is very mooi; its dreamy scenery equal to the elegance of its wines. Here is a farm built on heritage and centuries’ of nurturing the land.
Mooiplaas wines are joined by Kaapzicht, Hartenberg, Hazendal and Villiera on the day, to show off and share their finest cellar gems. All will be available for purchase too.
“Bottelary Hills, one of five sub-routes of South Africa’s famous wine capital, is home to some of the oldest wine farms in the country and many of them have been nurtured over generations by the same families. As a result, they have an incomparable understanding of the terroir, which shows in the wines the region produces,” adds Elmarie Rabie of Stellenbosch Wine Routes.
Tickets to the Bottelary Hills Pop-Up Lunch are R550 pp. This includes a pre-lunch wine tasting, the three-course feast and generous pours of estate wines paired with each course.
Each guest also gets a bottle Bottelary Hills wine to enjoy at home too.
Booking is essential as seating is limited. To make a reservation www.wineroute.co.za or contact (021) 886 8275.
I can think of few finer ways to spend a day than a lazy picnic in the Winelands. Can you? Sweeping views, a rug to lie on, some special treats in a rustic hamper.
Peel me a grape, Beulah.
Better still, book a picnic at Grande Provence, and loll about under the majestic oaks at this Heritage Wine Estate.
Picnics are prepared by new Executive Chef Guy Bennett, and baskets are filled to the brim with crispy baguettes, local Brie, saucisson (that’s French for sausage, sussie), Franschhoek trout, homemade preserves and butter, rosemary & sea salt crisps with whole grain mustard aioli, garden salad and decadent chocolate brownies.
Wash it all down with a bottle of Angels Tears wine and some still or sparkling water.
Go full gourmet picnic by adding some rabbit-liver parfait, seasonal fruit, chunky Waldorf salad, boerenkaas and sweet delights of rose and white macaroons.
These extra luxuries are priced individually and can be added to your basket upon request.
The Grande Provence picnic menu is available at R325 per person sharing, or R345 for a single basket.
To book, call The Restaurant at Grande Provence a day in advance on Tel: (021) 876 8600 or email at restaurant@grandeprovence.co.za.
Summer picnics at Grande Provence are available until 30 April 2018, weather dependent of course. Limited baskets are available per day, so book early to avoid disappointment.
More about Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate
Located in Franschhoek, the heartland of South African wine country, Grande Provence embraces true South African wine heritage, excellent food at The Restaurant and luxury accommodation at The Owner’s Cottage and La Provençale Villa in the Vineyards. Part of The Huka Retreats, other facilities Grande Provence offers guests are The Winery, The Jonkershuis, The Gallery, The Sculpture Garden and The Shop. For more information visit www.grandeprovence.co.za, Facebook.com or Twitter @grande_provence
Guy Bennett, New Executive Chef at Grande Provence
Gabriëlskloof, wine and olive jewel of the Overberg, dons a festive halo for this season.
Inspired by their wildly successful Heritage Braai Day, Gabriëlskloof are hosting a Celebration Braai on Sunday, 17 December. Yep, it’s the Braai to end all braais. And it’s a must-book affair, so get on it! (Booking details further down below.)
This fabulous family braai feast is an ace excuse to avoid crazy shopping malls and that end-of-year mayhem, spoiling yourself instead with a carefree day of bliss ‘n’ braaiing in the countryside.
The scenic setting, atop a hillside near Bot River, promises to pull out all the stops on the day. Meaty mains from the braai, sides to swoon for, impeccable wines to sip and savour and those endless, lush green lawns to ease back and relax on.
Wine lovers, take note: 17 December will also be the first chance to taste the all-new Gabriëlskloof Chenin Blanc. The latest addition to the estate’s range, it’ll be unveiled at the event. Your top choice of tipple to toast sunny days and happier times ahead, so take a case or two home for the holidays.
‘Our Celebration Braai, or as we like to call it, Chenin-bration Braai, is a day for making merry with friends old and new. We’re super chuffed with our new Chenin blanc, so come, let me pour you some!’ laughs winemaker Donovan Ackermann. Along with cellarmaster Peter-Allan Finlayson, he’ll be rolling out some barrels for a bit of farm-style fun.
‘This day really is a golden opportunity to stock up on our award-winning wines for the December holidays. Trust me, your Christmas guests will thank you.’
The two wine maestros will be lending a helping braai tong or two, while chef Frans Groenewald flexes his braai-ceps for a fire-‘n-smoke inspired buffet lunch to celebrate the communal spirit of the season.
Frans delights in serving up fresh takes on family favourites such as Sunday roast, snoek, mussels, spicy chicken, roosterkoek and pap-en-sous.
The grand finale? A dessert table groaning underneath a lavish array of South-African all-stars like melktert spring rolls, malva pud and munchmunch more.
‘Based on the success of our recent Heritage Braai Day feast, our patrons basically begged us to light another fire. No-one wants to be stuck indoors in the middle of summer anyway, so come and join us for a lekkerkuier-on-the-koppie,’ says Frans.
Add a jumping castle, some face painting, plenty of space for little ones to frolic about and a live show by local muso Gian Groen on the day – what more could you possibly ask for?
But wait! There’s more!
Wine Tasting Platters at Gabriëlskloof
During the month of December, casual passers-by can pull in for a trio of winning Wine Tasting Platters. Lekker nibbles for those not-so-hungry, but feeling-rather-peckish summer days.
The platters are served in the estate’s Tasting Lounge, and include samples of five Estate Range wines.
Mzanzi Platter: pickled fish taco, bobotie jalapeno poppers, snoek-and-patat croquettes, red wine biltong, biltong dukkah, vetkoek and roosterkoek a light lunch for two at R250.
Meat & Cheese Platters are R200 per platter.
The Deli Platter costs R400 and is a shared meal on its own. Loaded with all kinds of deliciousness from Gabriëlskloof’s Deli, like rillettes (patè), focaccia, marinated olives, labneh, pickled mushrooms, frikkadelle plus fig-and-cheese crackers.
During the month of December, Gabriëlskloof’s Tasting Lounge and country-style Restaurant serve breakfast and lunch daily, 7 days a week. Closed on 24 and 25 December. Restaurant bookings are essential to avoid disappointment.
The details:
The Gabrielskloof Celebration Braai: The cost is R350 per adult and R100 per child. Book your spot via the website www.gabrielskloof.co.za or call 028 284 9865.
It’s not known if Karoline Kristen can part the ocean, but she sure has special powers when it comes to creating vegan cuisine extraordinaire.
First, feast your eyes on the photos below, sent to me by the fine folk at Eatsplorer. Then, read about Karoline’s exceptional plant food workshops and book, baby, book! Only R600 a pop for an unforgettable experience.
You’ve never seen vegan food like this. And that’s a guarantee.
Photos by Claudia Goedke, Louis Hiemstra, Lana Kenney and Karoline Kristen.
Who is Karoline Kristen?
She specialises in creating ‘uplifting cuisine’ with a whole-food, plant-based and natural focus. Made using high-quality ingredients that are locally sourced, seasonal and often foraged, her vegan creations have a whimsical, playful side to them. The goal is not only encouraging folks to be more adventurous in their approach to eating and cooking, but also to inspire them to be more aware of their food choices.
Using food as her creative medium, she hopes to bring a little more magic into people’s lives with her pop-up events, cooking courses and workshops, catering and private dinners in Cape Town and Berlin.
Enough with the lentils and tofu, already! Vegan chef Karoline Kristen is about to blow your mind with her genius gourmet plant-based tapas creations.
We’re talking mushroom ‘faux gras’ with caramelised onions and porcini powder, watermelon poke with rice paper crisps and sriracha aoli, zucchini and hibiscus blossoms filled with nut ‘feta’ and vanilla and gooseberry preserve…the type of food that’s not only full-on in flavour but easy on the eye and environment, too. The best part? She’s raring to show you how it’s done.
Highlights of Karoline’s Wokshops:
Intimate gathering in a beautiful location.
Gaining a better appreciation of plant-based cuisine.
Learn special culinary techniques and presentation tips.
Feast on a beautiful spread of whimsical dishes.
Includes coffee and tea, lunch, bubbly, and recipes.
Duration
3 – 4 hours (15h00 – sundown)
Scheduled dates:
16 December 2017
13 January 2018
27 January 2018
Price:
R600 p.p. (that’s a bargain for such brilliance)
Min booking of 4 people (max 10)
To book a private experience for any date please send us a booking request (min of 4 people)
Did you know you can make creamy, tangy mayonnaise with chickpea liquid? Or that a handful of nuts can be transformed into the most delicious yoghurt and cheese?
Chef Karoline Kristen is here to prove that eating a vegan diet is anything but boring or restrictive if you know how to maximise the amazing flavours and textures of plant-based ingredients.
Karoline, who lives in contempo food capital Berlin, hosts pop-ups, workshops and private dinners focused on vegan cuisine, and comes to Cape Town once a year to share the love. Her popular tapas experience gives new meaning to thinking (and cooking) out of the veggie box. A flavour magician of note, Karoline will show you exactly how to abracadabra the most basic ingredient into haute cuisine.
Think carrots baked in a rooibos-salt crust and marinated until meaty in texture, then served on blinis with mayo and beetroot and gin caviar. And king oyster mushrooms, slivered paper-thin and slow-dried in the oven with cumin and coriander until it becomes the best veggie biltong you never knew you needed in your life.
You can also look forward to ravioli with almond feta and a pesto of foraged greens, finished off with some edible soil, a sprinkling of pistachio salt and some edible flowers.
While you help Karoline prepare a spread of super-delicious plant-based bites, she’ll share her tips for hosting the best tapas party ever – the kind of shindig where your guests won’t know whether to eat or Instagram their tapas. Once the tapas are all done, you’ll gather around the table with your fellow foodies and tuck in, chat and sip on bubbly or kombucha ‘champagne’ till it’s time to go.
Blissed out on the great food and even better vibes, you’ll leave with some beautiful sweet treats and a set of recipes to create your own meat-free magic back home.
Did 2017 do you in or do you proud? In case a grand bash is what you plan to bid the year farewell, Grande Provence is laying on the 5-star stuf for Christmas and New Year.
A jewel of the Franschhoek Valley, The Restaurant at Grande Provence will host lavish festive menus for year-end lunch and dinner. To welcome 2018 in style, a no holds barred New Year’s Eve buffet will get you swinging right up and into the magic midnight hour.
4-course lunch and dinner feasts will be offered at The Restaurant from Christmas Eve right through till 26 December.
Christmas Festive Menu:
Starters are a choice of Angus beef carpaccio or lightly cured Franschhoek trout. For mains, choose between prawn-stuffed tortellini or masala-roasted butternut risotto. Meat lovers can savour rich, 14-hour slow-cooked free-range pork belly or oven-baked farmed cob.
Deluxe desserts include ‘Ode to Chocolate’ – degrees of cocoa content served salted, tempered, aerated and frozen, with wild summer berries. Alternatively, plump for the tempting Honey Tasting Plate.
New Year’s Eve Luxury Buffet:
A lavish spread of home-baked breads with infused butter and delicious toppings, or the ultimate tuna tartare with harissa paste for starters.
Salads: cured and fermented root vegetables, I salts Caprese, Cajun roasted butternut, Salad Niçoise, or the famous Grande Provence Coronation Chicken salad.
A Seafood Bar offers a selection of fresh sustainable seafood, with your own choice of accompaniments.
Meaty mains are: Karoo Lamb Rogan Josh with traditional sambals, 24-hour slow-roast Angus beef cheek or confit duck. Sides include lamb-fat roasted hasselback potatoes and king oyster mushrooms with rosemary.
Vegetarians rejoice: ample choice from charred corn with red cabbage; black rice pilaf with cranberries, leeks and coconut, or sweet potato and pumpkin dauphinoise.
A quirky Ice Cream Polar Station is promised with spectacular sweet treats: popcorn-infused double cream mousse with lightly salted caramel, or Key lime & lemon curd pie with hazelnut meringue.
A classic old school cheese trolley will be laden with French and local artisanal cheeses. The petits four served with coffee are pure bliss: truffles of Grande Provence Shiraz, red velvet and rose; hazelnut-crusted chocolate nougat: strawberries and cream tartlets, and white chocolate ganache spheres.
A feast fit for royalty, and all yours at R1 195 pp for lunch. Dinner has a few additional festive surprises, at R1 650 pp. Both meals include a gift and a complimentary glass of Grande Provence wine on arrival.
A choir will set the Christmas spirit at lunch on the 25th and 26th, with an accordionist playing Christmas classics during dinner.
The New Year’s Eve luxury buffet is R2 250 per person, with a complimentary glass of Grande Provence Brut and West Coast oysters served on arrival. A string trio kick off the night’s musical entertainment, followed by diversions and merriment in the guise of traditional African face painting, a magician with a bag of tricks, a caricaturist to capture your likeness, plus a DJ to get those toes tapping right into the wee hours of 2018.
Booking is essential, phone The Restaurant on 021 876 8600 or e-mail reservations@grandeprovence.co.za. For accommodation enquiries for The Owner’s Cottage and La Provençale Villa in the Vineyards, e-mail ownerscottage@grandeprovence.co.za.
Vegans, avert your eyes – Italian chef supremo Giorgio Nava is building an epicurean empire, mostly based on meat. Oh yes, baby: juicy, tender, bloody, tasty, succulent meat.
All the meat that’s fit to eat, in fact, and you’ll find prime cuts at any one of his many topflight restaurants.
The good news is that carnivores and lovers of fine food can now find outlets of Giorgio’s particular passion for Northern Italian cooking all through the Peninsula, with his signature 95 series (95 Keerom, 95 at Parks) recently branching out to 95 at Morgenster, the wine estate outside Stellenbosch.
Featuring the usual winners like his peerless chocolate fondant, Caprese with burrata, sensational seafood, slow-braised lamb ravioli, pasta galore and top tartares, meat still reigns supreme on most of his menus.
First up, news about 95 at Morgenster:
Expect the very best modern Italian cooking in the Cape Winelands this summer, with 95 At Morgenster reopening for the season from 3 November.
Known for uncompromising quality and perfectly prepared dishes with the utmost respect for quality ingredients, Nava’s native Milanese flair is evident on every plate. It’s delicious, honest food that lets all the ingredients speak for themselves, in true Italian minimalist fashion. Think: classic caprese with creamy burrata mozzarella, hand-cut salmon or steak tartare, carpaccio, hand-made pasta, fresh line fish, and of course a fine selection of prime meat cuts. The legendary chocolate lava fondant and home-made ice creams are popular puds. 95 At Morgenster’s mixologist has refreshing new summer cocktail surprises from the bar.
While authenticity remains the bedrock of all the dishes at 95 At Morgenster, Nava’s modern Italian touch is evident in the beautiful plating and wide variety of lighter dishes visitors can enjoy in this tranquil setting.
Whether you choose the minimalist interiors adorned with contemporary art, the sun-filled conservatory or dining alfresco overlooking the farm dam, you’ll enjoy one of the finest food and wine experiences in the Cape Winelands.
As of 3 November 2017, 95 At Morgenster is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays, and for Sunday lunch. Call 021-204 7048 or email info@95atmorgenster.com to reserve your table.
95 at Parks:
Giorgio Nava has spread his winning recipe and Milanese flair beyond the Central Business District, with the opening of 95 at Parks in Constantia.
If you desire authentic Italian food made from the best quality produce for an intimate dinner, a light lunch with friends, or a lazy Sunday family lunch, 95 at Parks wants your custom.
The third restaurant in his 95 Collection, 95 at Parks, offers the same classically prepared, northern Italian cooking as the original 95 Keerom which opened in 2003, with a few additional pastas, salads and meat options ideal for light lunches and more substantial dinners.
“We believe 95 at Parks fills a need for authentic Italian cuisine in Constantia and that our extended menu appeals both to our lunchtime clientele, as well as meat lovers, with our wide choice of prime cuts,” says Chef Giorgio. Ever the stylist, he has transformed this period homestead with his signature eclectic style.
Botanical elements from the garden frame the relaxed country house feel, with fresh greens and soft, light hues. Sleek Milanese accents show in uncluttered furnishings and giant 1930’s murals inspired by futurist Fortunato Depero. The bar and sunny conservatory is the ideal spot for pre-dinner Prosecco or Aperol spritz; or to end your meal with espresso and dessert. 95 at Parks also caters for small, intimate functions in the 10-seater private dining room, perfect for celebrating special occasions.
Dining alfresco under the pergola overlooking the beautiful baroque-style potager cottage garden is another 95 at Parks highlight on sunny, wind-free days.
Stand-out salads, unique to 95 at Parks, include ultra-crispy baby calamari; quinoa with pomegranate, avocado and garden-fresh kale; steamed lentils with fresh greens, and a deconstructed caprese with creamy burrata mozzarella. Or opt for steamed mussels in tomato and white wine, home-made pasta with rich ragout, and Asian- inspired grilled tuna rolled in toasted sesame seeds.
Carnivores have a field day choosing from classic Fiorentina T-Bone, fillet, sirloin, Karoo lamb, liver with caramelised onions and pork cutlets on the bone, or hearty slow-cooked beef shortrib and traditional Osso Buco.
The stars on the dessert menu are undoubtedly Chef Giorgio’s signature chocolate fondant with its molten lava of decadent dark chocolate, and a delicate meringue wrapped in luscious Marsala Zabaglione crème.
In addition to the à la carte menu, 95 at Parks offers a 6-course Italian Experience Tasting Menu of show-stopper dishes at R330 per person, as well as a daily chef’s choice of seasonal specialities. Constantia wines take pride of place amongst the fine selection of South African and Italian wines on the carefully curated wine list.
All meals are served with complimentary home-baked breads, olives and seasonal vegetable tempura. The wonderful selection of breads include focaccia, crunchy bread sticks, seeded flatbread and crusty ciabatta. The starter or “mother” dough for the ciabatta originates from a famous bakery in Milan dating back 150 years.
95 at Parks at 114 Constantia Main Road is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesdays to Saturdays and Sunday lunches. Secure parking available on the premises. For bookings call Tel: 021-7610247 or email parks@95keerom.com
Carne on Keerom and Carne on Kloof
Chef-proprietor Giorgio Nava pioneered a new approach to meat with the opening of his Carne SA in Cape Town in 2008. The original Carne still packs in the punters, and its offspring Carne on Kloof was a runaway success from the start.
A champion of letting the meat take pride of place on the plate, Nava is the master of specialist steaks, offering a wide variety of both familiar and more unusual cuts at both Carne branches. Unlike at most steak houses, there are no fancy marinades and sauces here, just the very best quality cuts, brushed with the finest olive oil and garnished simply with a sprig of rosemary and a sliver of garlic, in the true Italian minimalist tradition. Carne serves both grass- and grain-fed beef, sourced from selected farms.
“There is more to the cow than sirloin, rump and fillet,” says Nava. He enthusiastically encourages his patrons to get out of their comfort zones, to try some more adventurous cuts. Milanese to the core, Nava tries to use as much of the animal as he can, elevating lesser-known cuts to exceptional culinary experiences.
“In Italy we get more than 26 different cuts from an animal. Here in South Africa, it is usually not more than 12,” adds Nava. He’s pleased to see interest in new cuts of meat grow as people become more familiar with his offerings.
Nava is particularly fond of prime cuts on the bone as “the meat cooked next to the bone is fantastic.” In addition to the more popular steaks on his à la carte menu, the daily chef’s choice offer unusual and rare cuts.
At Carne, meat lovers will find those delicious cuts that very few other restaurants or steak houses offer – such as the gamey La Lombatella hanger steak (located near the kidneys), flatiron steak (on the shoulder), the legendary 1,2kg La Fiorentina T-bone, and a variety of prime cuts on the bone. These include a 600g Tomahawk sirloin, prime rib, rump and fillet, all cooked on the bone. Both Carne restaurants also offer a cracking 600g free range pork sirloin on the bone.
The Spider steak, considered by some the most succulent and flavourful cut of all, is available exclusively at Carne on Kloof. Also known as oyster steak, this cut originates from the animal’s hip socket and is shaped like a spider’s web. Fine striations of fat are the secret behind its exceptional texture and flavour. Carne on Kloof also offers other exclusive cuts such as the famous Picanha rump, or beef rump cap, considered the best steak of all by the Brazilians with its signature layer of flavourful fat.
Lamb features prominently on the menu, especially at Carne on Kloof where you’ll find lamb cutlet, lamb rib eye and lamb rump as chef’s choice cuts, subject to availability.
All the lamb cuts as well as the beef rump, rib eye and prime cuts on the bone are matured in Carne’s walk-in dry-ageing facility, thus ensuring meat served at its peak.
Besides his excellent meat selection, Nava’s signature dish is home-made ravioli stuffed with slow-braised Karoo lamb, drizzled with sage butter to finish. Richly indulgent roasted marrow bones tempt the true epicurean eater.
While Carne is unashamedly dedicated to meat lovers, the menu does include vegetarian antipasti and pasta dishes for non-meat eaters.
Carne SA in Keerom Street in the Cape Town CBD is open for dinner every evening from Mondays to Saturdays, whist Carne on Kloof is open for lunch and dinner. For bookings, call: 021-424 3460 (Carne SA) or 021-426 5566 (Carne on Kloof) or email: info@carne-sa.com.
The first sweet apricots and peaches are always a sign that summer is really here. When last did you pick your own, fresh from the tree? Well, get your sunhats and baskets ready: De Krans is opening its orchards to the public, for everyone to share in its seasonal bounty.
If you fancy a road trip in November or December, head Calitzdorp way. From 22 November to 3 December, the juicy Bulida Apricots will be available to pick at R6.50 per kg. If you prefer peaches, best you diarise 16 to 27 December when the Oom Sarel Cling Peaches will be ripe and ready at R8.00 per kg. Ending off the fruit picking season are Hanepoot Grapes, from 7 February to 4 March 2018 at R7.50 per kg. These dates are weather dependent, and may change slightly at short notice. To ensure you don’t miss out, it’s advisable to contact the farm prior to your planned visit, to confirm picking dates.
It’s a great day out for the whole family, so take the kids along!
Fruit picking at De Krans will be open seven days a week from 9am until 4pm, except on Christmas Day.
A day out in the orchards is guaranteed to work up an appetite. Feed your rumbling tummies at De Krans Deli and Bistro on the farm, with its menu of wholesome country cuisine. Guests can look forward to hearty, healthy, quality dishes, with a big choice of breakfast options, open deli sandwiches, light lunches, gourmet burgers and garden-fresh seasonal salads. The menu choices are perfectly suited for pairing with wines from the De Krans range, including some yummy desserts.
The deli stocks a wide selection of top food products sourced in and around Calitzdorp and the Klein Karoo. Look for local cheeses, olives, olive oil, canned and dried fruit and preserves. Don’t leave without some homemade rusks, Calitzdorp honey and other regional specialities!
Comfortable seating indoors or outside in the shade of the trellised Hanepoot vineyard invite you to linger at leisure with a view of the vineyards. A children’s playground gives the young ones plenty of exercise to ensure a peaceful drive back home!
De Krans is famous for its range of superb wines and port-style wines, and you can’t possibly leave without sampling some of these award-winning tipples. Remember to try the Cape Vintage Reserve 2014, a Veritas Awards Double Gold medal winner in 2017, as well as the Tritonia Red 2015, which won the trophy for the Best Non-Bordeaux Red Blend at the 2017 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.
The Premium White Moscato Perlé 2017, as well as the recently released Premium Red Moscato Perlé 2017, are also available for tasting. The entire range of De Krans ports and wines can be purchased directly from the cellar during this time. Should you not be able to make the trip to Calitzdorp, the wines are available to order online at www.dekrans.co.za, or from many retail outlets nationwide.
Cram your basket with fresh farm produce at Windmeul Parskuip Farmers Market, Paarl
Fancy a country trip to eat and drink well? The new Farmers Market at Windmeul Kelder in Paarl has a wide selection of fresh, seasonal produce with loads of local delicacies. The marketplace resembles an old-fashioned pantry, just like Ouma’s, with jam-packed shelves and goodies galore. The Farmers Market is held on the first Saturday of each month, but the Windmeul Parskuip Neighbourhood Market runs during the week from Mondays until Saturdays.
It’s all proudly Paarl produce, from olives to creamy cheeses to homemade jams and preserves, and meat lovers will go mad for the charcuterie, prime cuts of meat, farm-raised poultry, traditional South African biltong and droëwors. Candy up with a selection of fudges and nougats. Cram your basket with specialist coffees, marinades, drizzles and dips, fresh grapes and even indigenous waterblommetjies in season!
Windmeul Farmers Market and Parskuip Neighbourhood Market are great for gift shopping too. Beautifully-crafted wooden toys, prettily packaged braai spices, hand-made purses and handbags, organic pamper products and obviously, the award-winning Windmeul wines are top choices here.
According to cellar master Danie Marais, Windmeul is committed to craftsmanship, not only with their wines, but also in the produce stocked at the market. ‘It is important for us to support local businesses that focus on sustainability, so most of our suppliers are located near Windmeul,’ he says.
The Parskuip Neighbourhood Market is open from Mondays to Fridays from 8 – 5pm and on Saturdays from 9 – 3. A special kiddies’ play area gives moms and dads time to kick back and hang loose.
On Saturdays the Kontreikombuis serves delicious breakfasts, pizzas and roosterkoek – a traditional scone-like bread baked on an open fire.
The wine tasting area is open during market hours – the perfect opportunity for visitors to taste Windmeul’s award-winning wines.
The cellar celebrates a highly successful year, with excellent performances at several prominent wine competitions, including the Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc Challenge and the ABSA Top 10 Pinotage, as well as a top five placement at the recent ABSA Perold Cape Blend competition.
Opening times:
PARSKUIP NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKETPLACE: Mon – Sat 09h00 – 15h00
KONTREIKOMBUIS: Sat 09h00 – 15h00
WINDMEUL FARMERS MARKET: 1st Saturday of each month
For more information, contact 0o21 869 8100 or visit www.windmeul.com. Follow @WindmeulKelder on social media for the latest news and updates
Meet #MeatBae: Andy Fenner has released his latest cookbook Meat Manifesto, and it’s a humdinger.
Long the champion of local carnivores, Mr Fenner takes pains to educate the public about the joys of unusual cuts, proper maturation and ethical consumption.
Besides all that, he sells damn fine meat at his FFMM stores. FFMM, wot dat? That’s Franky Fenner Meat Merchants to you and me, Joe.
What started out as a tiny converted garage store on Kloof Street has grown mightily and meatily into a nicely-sized hulk of a business. And so has Mr Fenner. (See photo below. Now wipe your chin and cleanse your thoughts.)
Delicious. Andy Fenner.
A friendly sort of chap, Andy is the originial aficionado and his own personal manifesto is, quite simply, Let Them Eat Meat.
It’s imperative, he feels, that meat lovers buy better and eat better. Are you a Conscious Carnivore? This book will make you one.
Meat Manifesto: Proper and Delicous by Andy Fenner. Photo: Craig Fraser. Published by Quivertree Publications
Ethical treatment of the animal that ends up on your plate is of paramount concern to Mr Fenner, and quality is non-negotiable as far as he’s concerned.
Plus, the man knows his chops. Meat Manifesto is crammed with insanely delicious recipes and gorgeous photography. If there’s one book to give a vegan second thoughts, this is it.
With kind permission I’ll publish a recipe or two to whet your appetite in days to come.
In the meantime: feast your eyes!
Oh, and DO visit the brand new FFMM store in Cape Town’s Gardens Centre.
It’s a protein lover’s paradise.
Read all about Meat Manifesto here:
Proper and Delicious Eat Proper Meat offers a practical and considered guide on how to choose meat, how to butcher it and how to cook it.
ANDY SMOKES, GRILLS AND ROASTS HIS WAY THROUGH BEEF, PORK, LAMB, VENISON, POULTRY AND EVEN GOAT. FOR THE CONSCIOUS CARNIVORE Andy believes you can’t sell meat unless you know what to do with it and, in between personal food philosophies and agricultural insights, the book celebrates various cuts of meat, by introducing readers to them and offering delicious recipes best suited to each specific one. Andy smokes, grills and roasts his way through beef, pork, lamb, venison, poultry and even goat as recipes range from exotic (tongue, ears and offal) to basic (how to grill a pork chop). The book will explain how to make bacon at home but also why you should be eating grass-fed beef, as opposed to feedlot. It will show you how to butcher a chicken at home but also explain how to best cook it. It is meticulously researched but presented in an approachable way. The end goal is to walk people through various meat recipes, sure, but also to strengthen the reader’s relationship with their supply chain by asking them to consider if they really are happy with the status quo. SELLING POINTS • If you buy one meat book in your life time this should be it • Learn how to use all cooking techniques, from roasting, brining to smoking • Insider techniques and tips that butchers have used for generations. • Learn about unusual cuts of meat and what to do with them • Learn how to cook the perfect hamburger or steak • Understand farming and why it’s important to link meat to an animal ABOUT THE AUTHOR Previously voted as one of Mail&Guardian’s top 300 Young South Africans, Andy Fenner has been featured in – or contributed for – TASTE Magazine, Men’s Health, House&Leisure, GQ, Garden and Home, Sunday Times, Cape Times, Gourmet Traveller and the inflight titles for Kulula, Mango, SAA and British Airways. He has been a judge for Eat Out magazine for two consecutive years and has worked as a brand consultant for various wine farms, chefs and restaurants. As owner of Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants, he is featured regularly in media as an authoritative voice on meat. This is his second book.
Photo: Craig Fraser, from Meat Manifesto Andy Fenner
Photo: Craig Fraser, from Meat Manifesto by Andy FennerPhoto: Craig Fraser, Meat Manifesto by Andy Fenner
Love the sweet stuff? Have some Angels’ Tears Wine and Nougat at Grande Provence
This charming pairing is now offered daily at the Grande Provence Tasting Toom. Called quite aptly ‘A Taste of Heaven’ , it pairs 4 specially crafted nougats with each of the four wines in the range. Smooth to sip and bursting with fruit, Angels’ Tears wines are uncomplicated, quality quaffers. Easy on the palate and great value for money; ideal for everyday enjoyment.
They go down a treat with the sweet sensation of sublime nougat morsels. Made from the finest natural ingredients by a local nougat specialist, the final selection was chosen after some dedicated tastings of the right flavour combinations.
Lemon & thyme nougat hums in flawless harmony with the layers of tropical fruit and hints of green pepper of crisp Angels Tears’ Sauvignon Blanc.
Mango & macadamia nougat matches rich upfront honey, spices and tropical flavours in Angels Tears’ Muscato Chenin Blanc.
Cherry & raspberry nougat is pure temptation with hints of fresh strawberries in Angels Tears ‘Natural Sweet Rosé.
Cranberry & chocolate nougat merrily marry upfront red berries and silky smooth tannins of the fruity, easy drinking Angels Tears’ Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon.
Experience your own ‘A Taste of Heaven’ Wine and Nougat tasting at R70 per person when visiting Grande Provence. For more information call the tasting room at 021 876 8600 or email winetasting@grandeprovence.co.za.
The Angels’ Tears wines are available country-wide and sell from the Grande Provence cellar door at R40 per bottle. For added convenience, these wines can be purchased online from www.grandeprovence.co.za. Purchases of 24 bottles or more qualify for free delivery anywhere in South Africa.
