Boere Barok Secret Dinner at De Krans - Port Festival, Calitzdorp

We were invited by Boets Nel of De Krans to one of the Secret Dinners, which was to be held to on his farm on Saturday night at the Port Festival. The secret? Well, that was “What is for Dinner and Who is cooking it?” Tickets were R300 a person. Ours was entitled mystifyingly “Boere Barok” and it was prepared by Francois Ferreira , Toinette du Toit (Kokkedoor finalist) and Eric Labuschagne of Yummi did dessert. Francois Ferreira, who has a Culinary Academy in George, had trained up some local young people to be our servers and they performed their duties quietly, efficiently and with great grace and attention and we had a lovely evening

The rather nervous serving staff get ready for the guests to arrive. This was a first time for them all.

A clever idea for table mats was to use old copies of Food and Home

The ‘barman ‘ – De Krans Sales Manager opens all the bottles we are going to have paired with the 5 course menu

Our welcome drink was the lovely full sweet De Krans 2013 White Muscadel – great to keep the chill out as Calitzdorp gets very cold on winter nights

The menu is revealed. The theme was less local Boerekos and had a much more Mediterranean slant

The chefs in the kitchen

Stokbrood (bread baked on a stick) with a very garlicky bean paste and a sliver of caramelised onion. So not on our diet but the humus-like paste was very delicious

Chef Francois Ferreira explains the dinner and tells us about the staff he has trained

Host Boets Nel, owner of De Krans, with Francois

Eric Labuschagne, Toinette du Toit, Francois Ferreira and Boets Nel

Served with the starter was De Krans Cape Pink port, redolent with strawberries and the Calitzdorp Cellars dry Rosé

Thick pea and ham soup topped with a cappuccino like foam, served with chopped chorizo sausage to sprinkle. Served with Axe Hill Cape Ruby and the De Krans Chenin Blanc

The chopped chorizo

Boets Nel tells us about the de Krans wines. That is his daughter in the background

Roasted Brisket of beef served with spiced chick peas. Served with DuSwaRoo Cape Vintage and De Krans Tritonia

Very hot twice baked cauliflower and cheese soufflé served with Peter Bayly Cape White and Boplaas Chardonnay

“Textures of chocolate: A brownie, a macaroon, chocolate soil and  Served with Boplaas Cape Tawny and De Krans Tinta Mocha red wine

The chefs and the serving staff

Boets Nel with his wife and daughter

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©John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014

Saturday morning at the 2014 Port Festival, Calitzdorp

Heading down the road to the ticket office. We were lucky and found parking quite close to the entrance

The queues were long but the service was quick

Resting vines on De Krans

All the fun of the fair and the sun is shining.  Lunchtime and everyone is heading to the food trucks to get something to eat

A scary monster!

Lots of choice. Pies or bruschetta?

Ostrich or enormous chicken burgers

We liked the look of these Kudu burgers

and they were pretty sensational

Very moist but cooked through. We ditched the doughy buns

Met lots of friends in the food queues

Mike Neebe, owner of Axe Hill, and Annemie Adriaanse, who distributes his wines, taking time off their serial pouring duties

Yes I do look like Swee' Pea! (who is that strange bearded man with the camera?)

Peter Bayly also had a very busy day as his port is very popular

Trying out wines from a farm which was new to us. TTT which stands for Things Take Time. It belongs to the Mason family - Ashley Mason worked with Tony Mossop before buying his own farm

Leon Coetzee who shared a table with Peter Bayly. Leon and Margaux Nel of Boplaas make their own Fledge range of wines

You could taste, get a chit and then go to the end of the hall and use it to buy port and wine to take home

Festival happy

A chance to taste Peter Bayly's and Fledge's ranges

Pouring wine on the Calitzdorp Cellars stand

There was also a vintage tractor exhibition for those in the business or just fascinated

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©John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014

KWV Fortified wines at Societi Bistro

Gathering at Societi Bistro in Orange Street, we were welcomed by a glass of KWV bubbly

Lots of familiar faces. Maryna Strachan of Wine Extra takes her seat next to Journalist Neil Pendock, who chats to another member of media

Our menu

Brand manager Charlene Engels tells us what we will be tasting

Richard Rowe tells us about the KWV fortified wine selection and how they are trying to market this more aggressively and get more South Africans drinking these really stunning wines, which are hidden treasures in our wine ranges

Winemaker Anneke du Plessis tells us how they make the dry sherry which we tasted first. It is wonderfully dry and nutty and makes a really good aperitif, a great match to pates and other rich starters and soups, and a superb summer drink when well chilled.

It was paired at this dinner with small coconut crusted salt fish balls on a pea purée and was a good contrast to the saltiness of this dish

Richard Rowe and a guest enjoying the tapas style food with the wines served by candlelight

Kalinka Lombard of Winestyle, listening intently

The next course was a twice baked Gorgonzola soufflé sprinkled with deep fried chorizo sausage

Wagyu bresaola

Chicken liver parfait on toasted brioche with blueberry & balsamic reduction

Chocolate ganache with smoked olives and crème fraiche

Anneke du Plessis, KWV winemaker

The chef tells us about the Salt baked Camembert fondue with croutes, to be served with the Tawny Port

Breaking off the salt crust

 to reveal the layer of pancake

and spinach

which concealed the delicious, rich creamy molten cheese

Sheer delight!

Good wines and food lead to good conversation

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©John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014