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Thursday, October 09, 2014

Michael Broughton launches his new Terroir cookbook

Tuesday saw us all bussed to Terroir for the launch. We were warmly welcomed by Michael and Kleine Zalze owner Kobus Basson with some of their bubbly. The event was held on the terrace at informal tables and we could buy copies of the book. From about 1.30 we were given samples of some of the food in the book, served rather intermittently, as small tasting portions which came without any particular order. Lynne shared hers with Alan Mullins. John was rather busy taking photos. We are not sure that we tasted everything, some tables did seem to get more than others but what we got was very good and beautifully presented. Michael told us this is a distillation of his work at Terroire over the last 10 years. The recipes in the book are very precise and give several processes for each recipe but they seem easy to follow and look delicious. The pictures are superb. And Kleine Zalze Chenin and Shiraz flowed throughout the afternoon as the wine staff were very attentive

Have a glass of Kleine Zalze Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2010 MCC

The Terroir cookbook to browse through, with a beautiful table arrangement of fruit vegetables and flowers

Lose

A pile of books to buy

A close up of the cover

One of the beautiful table arrangements

Chef Michael Broughton with PRO Lise Manley, being photographed by Andrew Brown

The serving staff await the start of lunch

Maryke and Clifford Roberts with Kleine Zalze marketing manager Wynand van Schalkwyk

Chef’s children were at the launch

Lynne with Winnie Bowman

Chef tells us about the concept and the time it took him to write the book and choose and refine all the recipes which he has used over the years in the restaurant

It was a very large gathering of the great and the good in media terms

A string trio was a little drowned by the noise of the event

Our best wine waiter, Vision Moyo, who kept our glasses full

Johan Crafford points to his glass of Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc. Or is it the one John misplaced?

Wynand van Schalkwyk with Annareth Bolton of Stellenbosch Wine Route

Carmen Robinson Rabinowitz, Jane Broughton and Nikki Werner

Prawn and corn risotto

Chicken, mushrooms and peas

Venison loin with a great jus, Anna potatoes and a superb truffle hazelnut puree

Tiny fried gnocchi

Kobus Basson with Chef Michael Broughton and friends

Kobus with his daughter

Chef tells us about the tasting portions for lunch

Prawn corn risotto

Owner of Kleine Zalze, Kobus Basson

More tasting dishes

The cheese board after lunch

Kobus thanks Michael and all involved

A merry Alan Mullins

The loin of venison

Stuffed agnolotti with pea purée and belly of pork

Dupe lose

Michael with his gorgeous red headed daughter

The Broughton Family

Kobus Basson, Annareth Bolton and Jane Broughton

Desserts

Vision Moyo and Gerald Ndlovu, who kept everyones' glasses charged with Chenin and Shiraz

and the Terroir chefs, without whom nothing would happen

READ ON

Rabbit and Riesling lunch at Camissa, The Table Bay

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

READ ON

Wednesday, October 08, 2014

Veritas Wine Awards dinner at the CTICC

We had to rush home from the CWG Auction and change into our finery for this black tie event which was held on the same day. It was held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and we were all welcomed in the foyer with MCC bubbles and canapés before going upstairs to the Ballroom for the awards and dinner. There were over 760 people at what must be one of the largest Cape Town functions.

This year 1,767 wines and brandies were rated (1,792 in 2013) by an authoritative line-up of international judges joined by local wine specialists. 1345 medals were awarded (1422 in 2013). The awarding of 155 Gold (165 in 2013) and 51 Double Gold medals (68 in 2013) this year were down on the previous year, as judging has got more rigorous we were told.

Four industry people received 2014 Living Legends scrolls of honour: Danie de Wet; Diaan de Villiers; Professor Diko van Zyl and Jeff Wedgwood. You can see all the result by clicking on this link: www.veritas.co.za .The public tastings of some of these wines will be held on 15th October thCape Town and 25^th October in Johannesburg; Durban 5^th November, Port Elizabeth 11th November - see details on http://www.veritas.co.za/public-tasting/

We gather in the vestibule

then take our seats in the vast ballroom

Proceedings are opened by Charles Hopkins of De Grendel who is the current Chairperson of Veritas

We had a jolly table with Erica Obermeyer, cellarmaster of Graham Beck and Niel Germishuys, her partner

The menu for dinner. It was not a great display of culinary arts

A soufflé was prepared for 760 people. It was cold, as was the calamari

and rather hard to cut

Steak and potatoes for 760 people

The band was good and many people stayed to dance after the awards

Shante Hutton from wine.co.za looking extremely glamorous.

Elegant couple Mr and Mrs Johan de Wet of de Wetshof in Robertson. His father Danie de Wet was recognised as a Living Legend for his pioneer work with white wine cultivars in South Africa, particularly Chardonnay, amongst other things.

A delighted Erica with her two double gold medals : One for the 2014 Graham Beck Pheasants Run Sauvignon Blanc

The other for the Graham Beck 2012 Ridge Syrah

Frans Smit of Spier Wines and the Spier table celebrating their six double gold and several other medals. And this was after he had a very good day at the CWG auction. He was walking on air

JC Bekker of Boschendal and his team lso had reasons for celebration

Johan Malan of Simonsig with Simonsig winemaker Debbie Thompson

The cheese platter served with boiled apple and onion ‘relish’

Winnie Bowman juggling some of the winning brandies for her table

Celebration on the dance floor

Dawie Malan of Anthonie Rupert and friends

And finally... your carriage awaits

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