Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Launch of Plaisirs de France at Leopard's Leap, Franschhoek

Franschhoek bubblies for everyone
Matthew Gordon and Jason Ratner, The French Connection
Chef Florent Boivin from Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon
Margot Janse of Le Quartier Français
French Consul Antoine Michon
Work stops in the kitchen while the chefs listen to the speeches
Rebecca Hurst, Principal of the Chefs' Academy
Margot Janse speaks for the Valley
Ryan Shell, Haute Cabrière
Jenny Prinsloo, Franschhoek Valley Association
Takuan von Arnim kicks proceedings off with Sabrage
and then opens another bottle with Hanlie Rupert Koegelenberg
Hennie Coetzee, Batonage blogger
Sweet potato infused with black truffle, coated with black bread crumbs, prepared by Florent Boivin
Butternut in aspic on a parmesan cracker
also prepared by Florent Boivin
Trainee chefs from the TCA handed round the delicacies
Irene Waller (La Bri) and Cynthia Barnard (L'Ermitage Chateaux & Villas)
Darren Badenhorst, Executive chef, Grande Provence 
prepares his Textures of chocolate
Margot Janse at full stretch
Assiette du porc by Neil Jewell, Bread & Wine
Crispy lamb soutribbetjie, parsnip purée, lacto mushrooms, rosemary flowers 
by Chris Erasmus of La Motte
Winnie Bowman tastes, Mel Minnaar looks concerned
Simoné Rossouw of Babylonstoren shows her fresh tomatillo & black velvet duck to Siegfried Schafer, Franschhoek Tatler and Cynthia Barnard
Neil Jewell tastes the black truffle croquettes and wants more seasoning
Salmon roulade on a salmon cracker with cream cheese and rocket flowers 
by Maki of Mange Tout at Mont Rochelle
Vegetable tea flavoured with herbs and chilli, coss and summer vegetable roll 
by Mauritz from Reuben's
Smoked Saldanha bay oyster, artichoke and broad bean salad, Moroccan mint vinaigrette by Ryan Shell of Haute Cabrière
More croquettes from Florent Boivin
Textures of chocolate by Darren Badenhorst of Grande Provence
Ryan Shell with his oysters
Pepper-crusted aged rib eye with red onion compote, oven dried tomato and foie gras mayonnaise by Matthew Gordon, The French Connection
Chocolate mousse wonton with strawberry coypus
and topped with a fresh strawberry slice - a great match for an MCC
Time for a chat in the kitchen
Anel Grobler, Lynne and Kalinka Lombard
Anel Grobler, Maryna Strachan and Kalinka Lombard - girls having fun
All the chefs and the French Consul
Christiane and Takuan von Arnim, Haute Cabrière
Oliver Cattermole and Chad Inder, Dish at Le Franschhoek
Eleonore Vial, Institut Paul Bocuse and Rebecca Hurst
Photographs © John Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2012

Lunch for three at La Bohème, Sea Point


The Menu, which changes daily, written on blackboards
Our starter:
Chicken liver parfait with toast & red onion marmalade
Beef & raisin samoosas, tzatziki & chutney
Beef schnitzel with creamy wedges, rocket & parmesan jus, R85
 Sesame crusted fish cakes with crispy potato wedges, aioli & side salad, R75
Steak tartare
Light Sicilian red blend, described as Sicily’s answer to Burgundy, R200
A chocolate dessert selection, assembled by the chef
Chef Rozanne Scholtz
Photographs © John Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2012