The water lilies in our fish pond are thriving, fed by
the fertiliser provided by the fish
2017 has been a very hectic and busy year, full of great
events and experiences. some superb wine and food as well as an interesting and
fun north European road trip, most of which we have enjoyed very much. Not all
has been roses, but everything we do teaches us something more. Next week’s MENU
will be the last of the year and will probably be a compact edition with a
recipe and another wine suggestion. And then we will close for a holiday until
mid January.....
Overture is on Hidden Valley wine estate, high up in the
Helderberg mountains in Stellenbosch. You turn up the Annandale Road and follow
the signs after Peter Falke Wines. The views of the Cape are sensational. The
restaurant has a large terrace with see-through screens if the wind is blowing
or the weather is inclement. In the winter you can eat inside. It is run by
renowned award winning top 10 chef Bertus Basson, who is very talented
Starters for Christmas dinner Usually the main course at Christmas is
big, like a turkey or a roast and is accompanied by many vegetables, stuffing,
gravy and roast potatoes. Even if you are being South African and doing it on
the braai, you can expect to be super full after the main event as most people
do 'go to town'. So starters need to be something light and luxurious and
delicious.
These recipes are two of our all time summer favourites and would be
perfect for a hot summer day.
Ajo Blanco - White Gazpacho
225g whole blanched almonds - 750 ml iced water - 75g stale white
bread, crusts removed, soak in cold water - 3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
with 1 level teaspoon of sea salt - 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - 3
Tablespoons dry sherry vinegar - 200g white seedless grapes, preferable
muscatel, cut in half - sea salt and white pepper - Balsamic reduction
If you can only find raw almonds with their skins on, start with
250g and soak them in boiling water until the water is cold. Then sip off the
shells and use the skinned nuts. In a food processor grind the almonds as fine
as you can, they should stick to the wall of the machine. Turn off the machine
and loosen the nuts, then add 5 Tablespoons of iced water and blitz until the
almond paste is fluid enough to turn back on itself. Squeeze the water out of
the bread and add it to the almonds, along with the garlic, combine till
smooth. Add the olive oil and then the rest of the iced water until you have the
consistency of single cream. Add the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. You
need a nice balance of almond, garlic and sherry. Chill for at least an hour or
longer. Just before serving, check the seasoning again. Ladle into bowls and
distribute the grapes evenly. Dot with a little olive oil and the balsamic
reduction.
If you are doing a non-traditional Christmas, how about another
refreshing cold soup as a starter? Tomatoes and peppers are in season and
really good at the moment
Tomato and yellow pepper cold soup
500g very ripe tomatoes, core removed – 1 sliced yellow pepper,
seeds removed - half a red chilli, seeds removed – 1 peeled clove of garlic –
juice of one large orange - 1 t sherry vinegar – 1 sesame hamburger bun – sea salt
– freshly ground black pepper
Put everything in your liquidiser and blend till smooth. Put in
the fridge till the next day then adjust the seasoning. Add just a little sugar
if it is too tart. Serve chilled with sliced peppadews, black olives, torn basil
leaves and a few toasted flaked almonds. You can add crushed ice at the last
minute as well if you want it colder and less thick. Serves 4
Our wine pairing suggestion for the starter is some of the best
and most interesting rosé wines of the week which we have recommended this year
Buitenverwachting Blanc de Noir - Summer has arrived with this wine.
Well, if you are not convinced, all you have to do is open a bottle and you
will feel the sun on your face. It is so reminiscent of the rosés of Southern
France. A Merlot led blend of noble varieties, it is full to bursting with
strawberries, raspberries, a good bite of juicy white peach and sunshine. So
good with food. If you tasted this blind you might think it was a serious red,
but its light, fruity floral nose and beautiful lipstick pink will convince you
otherwise. Makro is advertising it at R49, a real bargain
L'Avenir
Glen Rosé - This sophisticated Pinotage rosé really impressed us. From the
first mouthful, you get perfumed raspberries and mulberries. It is seductively
silky on the palate, the soft juiciness has a background of structural chalky
tannin to support it and the wine develops in layers on the tongue. It took us
right to the South of France, imagining what it might be like with a Salade
Niçoise or a rich fish soup. A food wine of note. We also have to mention the special
bottle which has the punt carved out to look like a protea and a glass Vinolok
stopper. At the luxury end, R200 from the farm, but they also have entry level Rosé
de Pinotage at R65
Bartho
Eksteen Wijnskool Blom Rosé –This palest of pale rosé wines is made from Grenache,
Mourvedre, Syrah and a dash of Viognier. Bartho took a risk. He says the grapes
were producing such beautiful juice this year that he blended the juice first
and then made the wine. It's a risk, and very hard to repeat. The wine was so
pale that he had to add a dash of red to give it some colour and it still very
pale. It has produced a delicate wine, with a floral perfume of rose geranium
on the nose and the palate. If you close your eyes, it smells and tastes like a
gentle Rhône red wine, but it is so pale. Pure gorgeousness, how all rosé's
should be. We cannot wait for summer holiday lunches on the deck. R98 a bottle
from the farm
Newton Johnson Felicité Rosé – We’re always looking for something
easy to drink with our lunch choices, which are always varied. What better than
Newton Johnson's Felicité Rosé, made from Shiraz? Fresh pomegranate and cherry
aromas with a touch of spice. Crunchy palate, delightful fruit sweetness, and
juicy acidity to finish, such a good wine to share over a Sunday lunch. Expect
to pay about R65
14th December 2017
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2017
Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656 4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005
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. Our restaurant reviews are usually unsolicited. We prefer to pay for our meals and not be paid in any way by anyone. Whether we are invited or go independently, we don’t feel bad if we say we didn’t like it. Honesty is indeed our best policy. While every effort is made to avoid mistakes, we are human and they do creep in occasionally, for which we apologise. This electronic journal has been sent to you because you have personally subscribed to it or because someone you know has asked us to send it to you or forwarded it to you themselves. Addresses given to us will not be divulged to any person or organisation. We collect them only for our own promotional purposes. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please click here to send us a message and if you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please click here to send us a message.
No comments:
Post a Comment