Hartlaub’s gulls
on a roof In Hout Bay harbour
This week’s recipe is: Chilled soba noodle salad
with salmon trout
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This has been a VERY busy week, filled with things you
can go and experience yourself
Hidden Valley re-launch Dave
Hidden sold Hidden Valley Wines last year to Riaan Stassen, the now-retired CEO
of Capitec Bank. We were invited to meet him and his partner this week to find
out what changes they are making to the farm, to drink the newly released wines
and to eat Bertus Basson's lovely food. Read on.....
Durbanville Feast of the Grape brunch at Diemersdal - Twelve Characters working together
towards a goal. This was the media
launch of the Feast of the Grape festival which will be held this weekend, 27th
& 28th February, (we will be there with friends on Sunday). We were invited
to come and have brunch and taste the Durbanville 12, a wine made by using one
ton of grapes from each ofthe 12 farms in Durbanville. Our expectation of brunch
is not high and we were very pleasantly surprised; we had a slap-up lunch
produced by talented chef Martin de Kock of the Diemersdal Farm Eatery and the
company of many of the winemakers of the area, for which we are very grateful. It
is the busiest time of the year for them and they had to make time for us in
their busy day. Read on.....
Champagne Ruinart at the Cape Art Fair Champagne
Ruinart is re-launching in South Africa and we were invited to taste it in the
VIP lounge at the Cape Art Fair held last week at the CTICC. They were one of
the sponsors and very kindly gave us tickets to the Art Fair. Read on.....
Picking grapes (and falling on face) at The Vineyard It was time to harvest the grapes from our vine and some others at The
Vineyard Hotel on Friday and we had to get up bright and early to get there by
07h30. Despite the strange el Nino weather this year, the vineyard produced
some lovely grapes and it will be very interesting to see how good the wine is
in future years. It will be vinified by Waterford this year. Read on.....
Grande Provence opens its doors to a day of harvest fun
for the family An early start again
last Saturday to get to Franschhoek in time for the 'OFF' for a tractor ride
into the vineyard to pick some grapes with the other families. Then you could
stomp some and make your own juice, which they will turn into wine. We arrived
in time for a good coffee and rather healthy muffin and then picked a row and a
half of Cabernet on our own, getting to be good at this. Then the day just got
better and better. Read on.....
Full Moon dinner at the On19 Restaurant at the Westin
Grand From sunset to the fabulous full moon this
week. The Westin Hotel has a restaurant on the 19th floor called On19 with
spectacular views over the Waterfront and looking at the mountain. They invited
members of the media to join them and celebrate the full moon, have our astral
charts plotted by Astrologer Dianne Garven and enjoy a really impressive
dinner. All this was accompanied by wines from Avondale, which owner Johnathan
Grieve presented. Read on.....
FOOD FACT: " Did you know? Kale has more vitamin C than
oranges, more calcium than milk and provides of 100% of a person's daily
vitamin A and K requirements." Quote from Checkers. (Pity it isn't more
palatable, Lynne).
Our wine of the week is Incipio 2014, a blend of Shiraz and Chenin Blanc,
made by Martin Lamprecht of Doran Vineyards in the Voor Paardeberg. We tasted
it at Christian Eedes' Winemag Wine Label Design Awards 2016 on Tuesday. An
unusual blend of one white and one red Swartland standard. The chenin softens
the shiraz in a marvellous way, it is silky and intensely fruity, with hints of
expensive oak on the nose with pepper, spice and vanilla. It has flavours of
ripe black plums with ginger and cinnamon and a little salty liquorice, a
tongue tingling surprise.
This week’s recipe is: Chilled soba noodle salad with roasted sesame, fresh
asparagus, lightly smoked salmon trout Chinese and Japanese friends have
always told us that when their weather gets hot, they eat a comforting salad
made with soba noodles. Lynne decided to try making one and this is the recipe
she came up with. She bought the Salmon Trout at Woolworths, who always stock
it. Soba noodles contain buckwheat, which is gluten free. If you are gluten
intolerant, check that the packet you buy is 100% buckwheat. It is a great
lunch dish.
1 piece of lightly smoked salmon trout,
approx 250g - 3 or 4 thin slices of
lemon - 2 teaspoons of butter - 2 T of sesame seeds - 9 or 10 fresh asparagus
spears - 150 g dried soba noodles - ⅓ cup light soy
sauce - 2 tbsp rice vinegar -
1 tbsp sesame oil - 1 tsp sugar - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger - some
green salad leaves
Lay the salmon trout fillet on a piece of foil more
than twice its size. Place three or four thin slices of lemon on top of it and
three small knobs of butter then wrap into a loose but sealed parcel. Bake in a
180⁰C oven for no more than 10 minutes, remove and allow to cool. Tear into
large flakes, leaving the skin behind and set aside. Cook the soba noodles in
well salted boiling water till al dente, about 5 minutes, refresh in cold
water, drain and allow to cool. In a very small heavy bottomed pan, lightly
toast the sesame seeds until they change colour [Lynne Ross Jarché] but do not
burn. Remove any hard ends of the asparagus by snapping them off and steam for
only one and a half minutes. You can also cook them on a ridged pan till just
al dente. They do need to be a little crisp, not overcooked and mushy.
Mix up the Soy, rice vinegar and sesame oil, half the
toasted sesame seeds , ginger and sugar in a small jar and shake well. Taste
and adjust to your own taste. Pour over the soba noodles and allow to permeate.
Time to assemble: On a wide salad serving dish, place
the washed and drained salad leaves. Pile the soba noodles and dressing in the
centre, put on the asparagus spears and the flaked salmon trout. Sprinkle over
the rest of the sesame seeds and serve.
We enjoyed it with a Rivergold Chenin blanc 2010 from
Robertson
Here is a list of coming events up to the end of the first week in March.
There may be more, but we will add them as we receive them. We will be at the Durbanville Feast of the Grape on Sunday
and we hope to see many of you.
Saturday, 27th
February, 7pm A beautiful evening of food and music: A
buffet including dishes such as Chicken tagine, platters of Roast beef, honey
roasted sweet potatoes and delicious salads and side dishes. And you can look
forward to arias from the great Operas- Carmen and Samson and Delilah as well
as some beautiful lieder by Brahms and Strauss. And Monika Voysey will be
performing two show-stopper songs from the Musicals Evita and Oliver. Venue:
Parish Hall, Campground Hall, Rondebosch. Price: R240pp. Drinks: Cash bar. To
book please e-mail tickets@philchoir.co.za
Saturday, 27th
February Constantia Fresh Fine Wine and Food Festival. Local
produce, gourmet canapés and over 200 wines are ripe for the picking at this
popular annual event. The fresh green lawns of Buitenverwachting Wine Estate are
where you’ll find foodies and wine enthusiasts for the seventh annual
Constantia Fresh Fine Wine & Food Festival. Over 200 wines will be
available for you to swirl, sip and savour, while you nibble on gourmet canapés
prepared by some of Constantia’s most talented chefs (Peter Tempelhoff,
Christian Harbeck, Brad Ball, Edgar Osojnik, Annemarie Steenkamp and Garth
Almazan, among others). Your ticket includes a festival glass, tasting of over
200 wines, as well as the gastronomic extravaganza on offer. Live music will be
part of the afternoon’s entertainment. The event runs from 15:00 to 19:00. Tickets
cost R495 each, and available from www.quicket.co.za or participating wineries. For more
information, visit www.constantiafresh.com, e-mail info@finewineevents.co.za or phone 083 265 2405
Saturday, 27th
February at 15h00 Muratie presents Robin Auld in an evening of
music, wine and plenty of fun! R100
per ticket. Please book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. For further
information contact Jean-Mari Strauss at Muratie on 021 865 2330 or taste@muratie.co.za.
Saturday, 27th & Sunday, 28th
February Durbanville Wine Valley’s Feast of the Grape. Kick
off your shoes for some squishing and splatting at this year’s Durbanville Wine
Valley’s Feast of the Grape, a weekend of harvest fun hosted by 12 wine farms
in the Valley. The festival will take place at D’Aria Wine Farm with an
abundance of seasonal wines and entertainment to enjoy. The 12 farms coming
together from the Durbanville Wine Valley to take part in the grape festivities
are: Altydgedacht, Bloemendal, D’Aria, De Grendel, Diemersdal, Durbanville
Hills, Groot Phesantekraal, Hillcrest, Klein Roosboom, Meerendal, Nitida and
Signal Gun. Tickets costs R120 and include entrance to the festival, a wine
glass and tasting coupons. Tickets will be available via www.webtickets.co.za. For more details and the festival
programme visit www.durbanvillewine.co.za
Sunday, 28th
February The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series continues
with a performance by Blues Broers. Come and enjoy your Sunday afternoon by
relaxing on the lawns with a glass of wine whilst listening to some great SA
music. Tickets are R120 from www.webtickets.co.za and R150 at the gate. Students pay R60 and
there is no charge for children under the age of 12. Delicious food and snack
boxes will be available on the day. Snack boxes can be pre-ordered at restaurant@backsberg.co.za at a cost of R160 for two persons. Gates
to Backsberg Estate Cellars open at 15h00.
Wednesday, 2nd
March Join Tintswalo Atlantic for 'The Rise of the Phoenix'
dinner in aid of charity. After the devastating Cape fires of March
2015, which engulfed almost the entire lodge, the luxury lodge reopened in
November 2015 and is better than ever. Being such a pertinent factor in
assisting with immediate access to the site’s surrounds after the fire,
Tintswalo have decided to donate all proceeds from tickets sold for the night
to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). Tintswalo CEO, Lisa Goosen, says
of the NSRI, “They are selfless and truly heroic in all that they do. They gave
us great hope in humanity when we were faced with our loss, and we hope to give
a little back to them by holding this event in their honour.” Tickets for the
dinner cost R3000 per couple and R9500 per suite for the night (including
dinner and breakfast). Further to an opulent evening of great cuisine,
exquisite views and wonderful entertainment, sensational prizes will also be
auctioned off. Join the Tintswalo Atlantic team and guests for what promises to
be an unforgettable evening. Tickets can be bought directly from Tintswalo
Atlantic via phone on 021 201 0025
or via email at reservations@atlantic.tintswalo.com or gmops@atlantic.tintswalo.com
Thursday, 3rd
and Friday, 4th March
17h00 to 21h00 FNB Eastern Cape Wine Show – East London
at Hemingways, cnr Western Avenue and Two Rivers Drive, East London. Ticket
Price is R160 per night which includes unlimited tastings, wine tasting glass
and wine show guide. Light meals will be available for sale at Hemingways.
Queries to 011 482 5936/5/4 or www.easterncapewineshow-el.co.za Tickets can be purchased at one of the
following options from 1st February: Online www.computicket.com, Money Market counters in Shoprite
Checkers stores or at the door
Thursday, 3rd
March Summer Sounds at Haute Cabrière, featuring Nuka, a singer-song writer from
Stellenbosch. She is a creative song writer and a free spirit. Her sound can be
described as a fusion of folk, old blues and Jazz. This is the perfect way to enjoy a delicious light
meal paired with great wines. The breathtaking views and sunsets provide a
splendid setting for the entertainment on the Terrace area at Haute Cabrière with
seating on the Terrace and the lawns which overlook the magnificent Franschhoek
Valley. Booking is essential as each event has a maximum capacity of 60 people. Please note
only the Terrace menu is available at these events and no cover charge applies.
For
reservations and enquiries e-mail restaurant@cabriere.co.za or call 021 876 3688
Saturday, 5th
March to Sunday, 13th March Woordfees Picnic Concert at Neethlingshof Wine Estate.
Bring picnic blankets and chairs to laze on the lawns of the historic
Neethlingshof grounds, whilst enjoying an exciting line-up of top vocal talent.
Gates will open an hour before each event and the music will start at 18h30.
All sales will be cashless, only debit, credit or the Woordfees cash card may
be used. As Neethlingshof wines will be on sale, guests are not permitted to
bring their own alcohol. Tickets can be purchased through www.computicket.co.za
or at any Computicket outlet. Tickets are also available for purchase at the
Erfurthuis, Ryneveld Street, 37 – Monday to Friday 9:00 – 17:00. Alternatively
tickets will be available from the farm on the evening.
25th February 2016
PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined,
click on it for more information
Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656
4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005
Our Adamastor
& Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take
small groups (up to 6) to specialist wine producers who make the best of South
Africa’s wines. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made!
Tours can be conducted in English, German, Norwegian and standard or Dutch-flavoured
Afrikaans.
If you like the photographs you see in our publications,
please look at our Adamastor
Photo website for our
rate card and samples from our portfolio
Recommendations of products and outside events are not
solicited or charged for, and are made at the
authors’ pleasure. All photographs,
recipes and text used in these newsletters and our
blogs are © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus.
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