It seems that many South Africans regard eating rabbit
as taboo because of the “cute fluffy bunny“ association. If you have lived in Europe
or Australia, where the species is a huge pest that decimates crops and
grazing, you might not have those scruples. Rabbit is a delicious and nutrious
protein, and it is very quick and cheap to produce. Neil Pendock invited us to
this wine and food pairing at Camissa Restaurant at the Table Bay Hotel on
Sunday
We gather in
the lounge outside the restaurant
Neil Pendock
introduces us to the Executive chef of Camissa, Jocelyn Myers-Adams, and the rabbit
supplier, chef Jason Whitehead
The first
round of Rieslings arrives: Paul Cluver Ferricrete 2013 (or Woolworths) -
Rosacker 2012, from Alsace - De Wetshof 2013. They were all quite light in
flavour with brioche, lime and perfume and, thank heavens, light in terpenes.
There was a thread of similarity. All were elegant, crisp and clean and all
went well with the food
The first
three food pairings: A rabbit rillette, a rather dense rabbit croquette and rabbit
in a rather sharp Cape Malay curry sauce. There was a delicious truffle cream
on the tile, which shone with the rabbit
The first
round of bottles
A rabbit bunny
chow, a loin of rabbit wrapped in ham and fried till crisp (a bit dry), and a
Kentucky fried rabbit leg – the best dish of the day
These were
served with Paul Cluver’s Close Encounters Riesling 2013 - crisp and yet full
of honey and lime, Sommerberg Grande Cru - Shy with honey on the nose, fresh
with bone dry elegance and a lime end and Kastelberg - bone dry and crisp with
surprising chalky tannins, long and elegant. Both from Alsace
Dessert was
red jelly and custard! with strawberries in season, a chocolate wafer and some small, single
unfilled macaroons
The view
across the harbour from the hotel terrace, if you want to dine outside. It will be superb once summer is truly here
The Mercy Ship
Africa is docked in Cape Town for a week
Our beautiful, local blue
Felicia daisy in the manicured gardens
and enjoy a
glass of Neil Pendock’s Rosé
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014
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