The Pinot Palate - A Celebration of Pinot Noir. Pinot & Food pairing at Creation, Hemel en Aarde

The Hemel and Aarde Valley holds a weekend celebration of Pinot Noir each year and we were invited to attend Creation's part of it. They booked John to take photographs for them and we had a marvellous morning tasting some older Creation Pinot Noirs, matched with some same age Burgundies. Each matched pair had its own food pairing. It was delightful and Creation really showed how good their Pinots are; they held up their heads so well when matched with the Burgundies

Guests arriving at Creation

Lynne in deep discussion with Eben Bezuidenhoud, sommelier at Grootbos and Dieter Odendaal, Marketing Manager at Creation

Slices of fresh strawberry to pair with the MCC
JC Martin degorging his first MCC bubble especially for this celebration. It was the welcome drink. It is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. He still wants to add a dosage, but both Carolyn Martin and Lynne think it is perfect as it is. It has a brioche nose, nice depth and fullness, elegance and good clean flavours

Lots of fizz in each bottle

Getting ready to degorge another bottle

Carolyn Martin welcoming guests

Lots of familiar faces having a great time

We agree ...

.. and yes

Time to move into the tasting room/restaurant

Waiting for the tasting to start

All the glasses lined up. Creation only use the correct Riedel glass for each wine

Sue and Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts, Kloof Street

Michele Guttler, Xenia and Deon Oliver and Professor Peter Roos examining the first wine

Carolyn Martin begins the tasting

JC Martin explains the wines we will taste. Four pairings of Pinot Noir, each paired with a matched dish created by chef Warwick Taylor. Lynne spoke to Warwick later and he said that he specifically did not want to present conventional pairings and did something different using the nuances he found in the wines

The Menu

It was a large audience, and getting feedback later, it appears it was one of the best tastings on offer to the Pinot Noir enthusiasts that weekend. They pay R1 800 per person to come for the weekend (Friday and Saturday) and then book for the tastings which attract them. It is organised by the Hemel and Aarde Winegrowers Association. Each winery involved holds one event over the weekend. There is also a group dinner with a speaker and good wines on Friday night. Accommodation and transport is for your own expense. Only 60 tickets are available each year

JC Martin runs us through the procedure

The first dish begins to arrive and the tasting begins

On the table were bread spirals and fresh butter to cleanse the palate

2012 Creation Reserve Pinot Noir and the 2011 Creation Reserve Pinot Noir. These wines had both aged extremely well and both show potential. Lynne liked the 2010 just one point more than the herbal, savoury 2011, with notes of buchu on the nose. The 2010 has perfume and raspberries, is smooth soft and elegant and still shows a nice balance of alcohol and fruit

The pairing of pork fillet in a masala, caramel and sage sauce was both savoury and sweet, with richness from the mushrooms, but we found the spinach a little metallic for the Pinot

The pairing for the next course was sumac spiced lamb with an oyster foam on a shiitake risotto, topped with cranberries. The rich creamy risotto and the foam went so well with Pinot Noir and the cranberries were inspired, as we also picked up their flavour on the wines. This was paired with the 2012 Creation Reserve Pinot Noir - Lynne found perfume, pure red fruit, a long aftertaste; it is very good. In fact, she scored it one point more than the Burgundy, which was the 2012 Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts which, in Burgundy context, is still very young, which showed in its forward acidity and tannins but it is very elegant, perfumed and will last a long time

Burgundy authority Remington Norman, a retired wine merchant and Master of Wine, who co-authored The Great Domaines of Burgundy: A Guide to the Finest Wine Producers of the Cote D'or with Charles Taylor MW, (Kyle Cathie 2010) talked us through the wines, with special emphasis on the French ones, as many people are not that experienced tasting good Burgundies due to their high costs and limited availability in South Africa. He cautioned us that the Burgundies we were tasting can age for many, many years and may not show well this young. This gave us great hope for the South African Pinots’ future

The next food pairing had both dishes on the same plate. On the left is the beetroot cured salmon, on the right the barrel smoked duck breast. We found the pairing of beetroot cured gravadlax salmon with black cherries quite inspired. The sweet earthiness of the salmon complimented the wine so well and vice versa. The cherries added that extra fillip. The wines were 2013 Creation Reserve Pinot Noir, at first restrained then, with a swirl, full on with herbal notes, perfumed raspberries and strawberries; you get a full mouth of fruit with long flavours. The 2013 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin was full of intense fruit with hints of oak on the nose and dry chalky tannins, which is what one would expect from one so young, then ripening cranberries and raspberries. One to buy (supposing you can afford it) and put in a cellar for years; such potential

The final pairing of wines was the 2013 Creation Art of Pinot Noir, full of violets, fruit and wood on the nose, lovely young fruit with a kick of potential for the future. This will be an excellent wine. The 2013 Henri Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets really excited the crowd. What a nose, full of spicy fruit which keeps on giving. Ripe young fruit, crisp chalky tannins, it sang its future. It is from 78 year old vines. The barrel smoked duck breast echoed the wood in the wines and matched in richness

Creation's Art of Creation presentation box of six premium wines

One last treat, from a decanter as it is still in barrel, poured by Daniela. We tasted the 2015 Art of Pinot Noir. Notes of smoky bacon and lots of very young fruit, it needs maturation in barrel and bottle for a few years more

JC is very proud of this new vintage

With his fans, Michele Guttler and Xenia Oliver

Chef Warwick Taylor

He brought Lynne something off their normal menu to sample. A warm, crisp deep fried ball of goats cheese covered in beetroot powder on a sweet raspberry gel - another good match with Pinot Noir

Geraldine and Remington Norman with Carolyn Martin

On the lawn at midday with scents of the heady fynbos garden all around

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

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This week's MENU - VinPro, Hartenberg Riesling Rocks, French Connection supper, Kitty Petousis, Chicken provolone

We heard a very noisy commotion and saw this Hadeda ibis love affair taking place on our neighbours’ roof

In this week’s MENU:

 Nedbank VinPro Information Day

 Lounging about at the Riesling and Rarities Festival at Hartenberg

 Supper at French Connection

 Kitty Petousis

 This week's recipe: Chicken Provolone  

 January & February events

To get the whole story with photographs, please click on the paragraph title, which will lead you there. At the end of each story, click on RETURN TO MENU to come back to MENU.

Well, at least, the heat wave has broken for a while, but we don't know what our hottest months of the year, yet to come, will have on offer. The recent shower of rain was refreshing and lovely and, with our stringent water restrictions, very welcome indeed.

Car troubles and solutions     We have had our car in for an automatic transmission rebuild over the last two weeks and have been quite impressed with the MyCiti bus service, which has been our main mode of transport, getting to and from the places we have needed to visit. Yes, it does require some planning and it can take longer than expected, but it works. We hope that you have tried it out, if it is working in your area; we know that it has made a huge difference to the life of our housekeeper, who comes to us on Thursdays. The route that works the best for us is the airport bus, so quick and strangely relaxing when you need to catch a flight, but we have used it to reach the supermarket, the city centre and the V&A Waterfront on several occasions and the bus has been quite quick and has run pretty close to its schedule.

Nedbank VinPro Information Day - Turning grapes and wine into profit.     VinPro is the service organisation for 3 600 South African wine producer and cellar members, striving towards their commercial sustainability, as well as the broader producer industry and its strategic role-players. See more at: http://vinpro.co.za/about-us#sthash.giZ6rMib.dpuf.

We attended the annual conference last week and were much more impressed and buoyed up by this year's content and speakers, apart from the financial reporting module, which was a bit less optimistic, but realistic given the current world financial situation and our currency devaluation, which can also be seen as a huge positive for those exporting wine. We were particularly impressed by Prof David Venter's talk on land reform and transformation. He spoke in metaphors but very cogent and recognisable ones to make the industry sit up and listen and try to work together with everyone from the bottom up in the industry. Our story, with photos, here....

Lounging about at the Riesling and Rarities Festival at Hartenberg     South African Rieslings have always been a challenge for Lynne, who grew up drinking, first, terrible (when she was young and poor in London in the swinging 60's, when you took a bottle of really cheap, commercial Riesling to parties) and then really excellent examples of this grape from Germany, Austria and Alsace and loving them. When she came back to South Africa from Britain in 1992, she discovered that SA likes to taste terpenes in their Riesling (a petrol note, for those of you who don't recognise the term) and she doesn't, not at all.. You don't often find them in European Rieslings, unless they are positively ancient. The good news is that this seems to be changing.... so she hasn't given up trying them and buying those with no trace of terpenes, but with the quality and freshness, and the great fruit, sugar and acid balance she is looking for.

This annual festival always seems to fall at just the right time of the year. The weather was perfect, You can lounge about on the Hartenberg lawns on cushions and blankets or sit at outside tables in the shade of the huge trees or umbrellas and then get up to taste some really wonderful wines. There were excellent Rieslings and each farm was also allowed to bring any unusual varietal wines they produce. There was good food on offer and great wines were tasted and bought for enjoyment at the festival or at home. See the story....

Supper at French Connection     Off after the festival at Hartenberg to Franschhoek, where our group of Irish friends was staying. We had to say goodbye to Liam Murphy, with whom John used to have fun with rally Volvos when he was young and fancy free. Many years ago. We managed to secure an outside table at French Connection, the 'crack' (conversation in Irish) was very good, as was the food and we had a lovely farewell evening. Read On .....

Kitty Petousis was a phenomenon. We have only known her for a few of her 92 years, but she was a driving force behind The Vineyard Hotel for many years. She was an amazing person. In many ways reminiscent of John’s mother, full of energy and wisdom, quite eccentric in a special way, not scared to take on the world & challenges and totally involved in the affairs of The Vineyard to the end. We were very fond of her and loved meeting her and enjoying her conversation at picking, pruning and other activities in the little vineyard. She leaves a huge gap. Our deepest sympathy goes to the Petousis family and to the team at The Vineyard

Kitty Petousis at the bottling of the second vintage of wine from the little vineyard next to the Liesbeek River

This week's recipe is another classic. Chicken Provolone. The prep is a bit messy; you get to beat the hell out of some chicken breasts - very good if you are in a bad mood - and the result is impressive and not really very difficult. The tomato sauce is ready in about five to ten minutes and makes a very quick pasta sauce. (You could add some cream to enrich it and pour over pasta). Provolone cheese is available here, but buy the best one you can afford. It will pay off. You can add grated cheese and dried herbs to your breadcrumbs

Chicken Provolone

The sauce:    2 cups of tomato passata - 1 cup of good chicken stock - 1 t fresh thyme leaves - 1 T olive oil - 4 large cloves of garlic, thickly sliced - ¼ cup of finely chopped shallots or onion - ½ t chilli flakes (or more according to your taste) - 2 T fresh basil, torn

Liquidise the passata, with the chicken stock and thyme, with your hand blender. In a frying pan on a medium heat, add the olive oil and, when hot, add the sliced garlic, the chilli flakes and then the onion. Fry for a minute or two until softening, but not browning. Add the torn basil leaves and then pour on the sauce and simmer while you prepare the chicken. Taste and season before using.

4 chicken breasts - 2 eggs - 2 T whipping cream - 3 cups breadcrumbs - canola oil for frying - 300 g Provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Wrap each chicken breast in cling film and, using a mallet, bash them till they spread into scaloppini. Do not overbeat and don't use the studded side of your mallet. If the breasts are very large, slice them open as if you were making a pocket and then cut them in two equal pieces

Put the breadcrumbs into a wide flat dish. Whip the eggs with the cream and put into a matching dish.

Using tongs, dip each side of the scaloppini into the egg and cream mixture, then put it into the breadcrumbs. Using a spoon, cover the surface with the breadcrumbs, turn and make sure each side is well covered. (You can use your hands but you will make them very messy). Heat some oil in a large frying pan and fry for only 2 minutes on each side until browning and cooked. Remove and keep warm. Turn on your grill.

To serve, you need a pan or dish which will go under the hot grill. Put a good tablespoonful of the sauce onto the top of each scaloppine and then cover with a layer of the cheese. When all four are done, pop each under the grill until the top is melted and browning. You can do one at a time or all together. Put a good 2 spoonfuls of the sauce on each (warmed) plate, place a scaloppine on each and top with some dressed rocket and serve.

Out and about     We will be off to Creation in the Hemel en Aarde Valley on Saturday, for their Pinot Celebration, and then on to Stanford to stay at White Water Farm to see what our friends Rob and Alex are up to in their rural haven, offering cottages, rooms, and meals in their restaurant. Good scores on Bookings.com and TripAdvisor. You can read about it next week. Then, later in the week, we will be at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival and Franschhoek Summer Wines.  We hope to see lots of you then.

Broken barrels     We are planning to use wine barrel staves as the covering of a pergola, If any of our wine farmer readers have old barrels which have outlived other uses, we’d love to have them. Please let us know.

Here is a list of coming events up to and including Valentine’s Day

Thursday, 28th January  Summer Sounds at Haute Cabrière, featuring Morne Meyer, from Wellington, who has recently worked in Dubai as an entertainer for Regal Plaza Hotel with guitar, vocal and live music. He is talented in multiple genres including Jazz, Blues, Funk and Pop. 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

Sunday, 31st January      Concert in a Convent Garden, Springfield Convent, Wynberg. Regulars may notice the subtle name change from “Opera” to ”Concert” in a Convent Garden. This updated programme will now include a more balanced selection of both classical and lighter music to appeal to a wider audience, while not disappointing our many loyal friends.  This will be the 12th performance and the event has now been firmly established on the Cape Town Music Calendar as a “must go to” for all music lovers. Bring your picnic and enjoy the evening on the lawns in the magnificent surrounds of the Springfield Convent Garden, to relax and be enchanted by the beautiful music and voices accompanied by the Stellenbosch Camerata, directed by the well-known Albert Combrink. True Magic and a wonderful way to start off the New Year! Food and drinks will be available from the “The Concert Café”.  Adults R150, Scholars R30, Children under 10 Free. Bookings (Office hours): 021 797 9637 ext. 210 or 082 781 1708 Email: concertinaconventgarden@gmaiI.com

Sunday, 31st January      Jordan Bakery, Jordan Wine Estate, Stellenbosch: An evening of folk and instrumental creations with legendary musicians Mr Cat & The Jackal.  Please click on the link to purchase your tickets from Quicket. http://www.quicket.co.za/events/13523-mr-cat-the-jackal-at-jordan/#/ The tickets cost R190 per person.  This includes George’s Gourmet Burgers, which will be served before the concert to be enjoyed on the beautiful Jordan lawns. A cash bar is available and sweet treats and ice creams will be on sale too. Gates open at 5pm and the concert starts between 5:45 and 6pm. (Gates close at 8:30) You are welcome to bring your own blankets and chairs (limited amounts available at the venue)

Thursday, 4th February   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

Friday, 5th to Sunday, 7th February   Stellenbosch Wine Festival – A Feast for the Senses. Celebrate the harvest season in style at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival, presented by Pick n Pay. Taking place at the Coetzenburg Sports Grounds in Stellenbosch, visitors can look forward to sampling even more delicious wines than before, with an incredible 77 wine farms and 10 boutique wineries participating in the festival. If you’re keen on sampling some of the “rarer gems” from smaller producers, then make sure you visit the festival on Sunday 7 February, when boutique wineries are scheduled to make a special appearance. This year the line-up includes: Audacia Wines, Bartinney Private Cellar, Deux Frères Wines, Keermont Vineyards, Kings Kloof Vineyards, Mostertsdrift Noble Wines, Post House Vineyards, Rudera  Wines, The High Road and Usana Wines. The Gourmet Lane will once again offer signature treats from wineries and restaurants responsible for the region’s culinary reputation, including Beyerskloof, Eaglevlei Wines, Vagabond Kitchen, Big Steve Charcuterie, Wild Peacock Food Emporium and Bistro 13. And no South African festival would be complete without biltong – fresh and delicious, it will be available from Pick n Pay’s biltong stand. Celebrity chef Tiaan Langenegger will team up with winemakers to explore the magic of food-and-wine pairing during daily sessions in The Tasting Room. Langenegger will pair delicious canapés with wines from Blaauwklippen, Ernie Els Wines, Kaapzicht, Kleine Zalze, L'Avenir, Mooiplaas, Spier, Villiera, Waterford Estate and Waterkloof. Sessions last half an hour and are limited to 40 guests. Booking is essential and tickets can be bought on the day at the festival for R25. Those in possession of a Smart Shopper card can enter free of charge. Daily festival tickets cost R180 for adults and include a tasting glass. Tickets are now available online from www.webtickets.co.za.  Children under 18 enter free. Festival opening times:  Friday from 15h00-21h00, Saturday from 10h00-18h00 and Sunday from 10h00-18h00. Tastings finish an hour before closing time. Visit the festival website www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za for a full event schedule. Follow the Stellenbosch Wine Festival on Twitter @StellWineFest, Instagram @Stellenboschwinefest or sign up for regular updates on Facebook at StellenboschWineFestival.  

Friday, 5th to Sunday, 7th February   Fleur du Cap wines paired with tasty morsels enriched with artisanal salts at the Stellenbosch Wine Festival at Coetzenburg Sports Grounds. Fleur du Cap wines can be purchased at the festival at cellar door prices. Friday from 15h00-21h00, Saturday from 10h00-18h00 and Sunday from 10h00-18h00. Tastings finish an hour before closing time. For more information on Fleur du Cap visit www.fleurducap.co.za, join the Fleur du Cap community on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @FleurduCapWines

Saturday, 6th February   Franschhoek Summer Wines at Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards. Come and taste the Franschhoek Vigneron’s choice for summer. White, rosé or Méthode Cap Classique – all will be revealed on the day! Tickets are available from www.webtickets.co.za at R150 per person.  This includes a wine glass and a tasting of all the wines on show between 12pm and 5pm.

Thursday, 11th February          Summer Sounds at Haute Cabrière, featuring Morne Meyer, from Wellington, who has recently worked in Dubai as an entertainer for Regal Plaza Hotel with guitar, vocal and live music. He is talented in multiple genres including Jazz, Blues, Funk and Pop. 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, 13th February  Nederburg welcomes The Galileo Open Air Cinema. Begin the afternoon with a relaxed stroll through Nederburg’s manor house and the winery’s lush gardens. Then share an evening underneath the stars with a loved one, or a friend, to a screening of Shakespeare in Love. Pre-order a picnic basket for R500 per couple from The Red Table. It includes delicious fresh salads, cured meats, artisanal cheeses, crackers and bread, grilled tiger prawns, asparagus spears wrapped with Parma ham, tartlets, and finally, decadent chocolate brownies with strawberries, a bottle of Nederburg Première Cuvée Brut as well as still mineral water. Pre-ordered picnic baskets must be pre-paid in full. On the night there will also be stalls offering food, mineral water, soft drinks as well as coffee and tea. Booking is essential. To book tickets for the screening of Shakespeare in Love, starting just after dark on Saturday, 13th February, please contact The Galileo on 071 471 8728 or hello@thegalileo.co.za. Go to www.thegalileo.co.za for more information, or to view ticket options and pricing. Visit www.nederburg.co.za for more on the brand.

Saturday, 13th February at 18h30 for 19h00   Plaisir de Merle Winemaker’s Table. A culinary feast prepared by well-known chef and restaurateur, Dawid Kriel, paired with wines selected by Cellar Master, Niel Bester, will be served in the cellar. Tickets are available at R595 per person, five course dinner and wine included. Limited spaces are available so call 021 874 1071 or email info@plaisirdemerle.co.za to be part of this exclusive event.

Saturday 13th February from 10am until 6pm          Rosé Festival at Rickety Bridge Estate. FLOW OF THE DAY: 8.30 until 10am: The day will start at 8.30am with The Rosé Run (5km, 10km or 20km) and The Rosé MTB Ride (20km, 40km or 60km). Entry to these events will include a Festival ticket. Showers will be provided as well as a Rosé Breakfast of Salmon and Egg Bagels. 10am until 4pm: Wine tasting, Rosé-friendly food stalls, pre-booked picnics, Paulina’s Restaurant will be open 4pm until 6pm: Wine tasting closes, wine sales continue, cocktail bar and Paulina’s Restaurant stay open. Guests will be able to enjoy tapas and live music and watch the sunset. Entry costs R120 per ticket for a glass and tastings. From www.webtickets.co.za and at the door. Food will be available from Rosé-friendly food stalls. R150 per person for a pre-booked picnic. Paulina’s Restaurant will be open all day. Wine sales: By the glass and by the bottle. Music:  There will be live music throughout the day. For more information please visit www.ricketybridge.com and www.dnaevents.co.za. To enter please visit www.webtickets.co.za or get your tickets on arrival

Saturday, 13th February  Celebrate the Weekend of Love in style at the Lanzerac Hotel & Spa with an intimate and romantic dinner for two at R420 per person. Included in your special evening is a complimentary welcome drink. Gorgeous views, gourmet food and superb estate wines. The perfect gift for that someone special. Adding extra romance to your evening the Lady Anne Courtyard, reminiscent of a Spanish sidewalk, will be transformed into a Tango Fiesta for the evening, as the sensual Dance of Love captivates you. This passionate walking-embrace symbolizes a close and sensuous connection between partners, and promises to be the highlight of what can only be described as the ultimate romantic evening. Let us treat you to an enchanting evening of delicious Spanish inspired food paired with superb wine, amidst an elegant and relaxing setting. For bookings contact Denise Bezuidenhoudt on banqueting@lanzerac.co.za

Saturday, 13th February  Valentine’s Dinner at Benguela on Main, 206 Main Road, Somerset West R600 per person. For details, contact http://www.bengueladining.com/capetown or email  onmain@benguelacove.co.za  Phone: 087 357 0637

Saturday, 13th February at 15h00        Muratie presents The Swingsetters, an evening of music, wine and plenty of fun!  R150 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.

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine’s Day inspired picnic and movie night or brunch at the Anthonij Rupert Wyne Estate. Whether it’s a candlelight dinner or a sunset picnic, Valentine’s Day is known for these two things. It’s about spending time with that someone special whilst enjoying a glass of chilled MCC. With the dominant colour being red, the L‘Ormarins Brut Rosé 2013 is perfect with its delicate salmon colour. Completing the picture would be spoiling your loved one to a Valentine’s Day inspired picnic and movie night or brunch at the Anthonij Rupert Wyne Estate. What better way to enjoy this superb MCC from one of SA’s leading producers. For details contact 021 874 9041 or tasting@rupertwines.com.

Sunday, 14th February    The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series kicks-off on with a performance by The Plastics. 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.

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine’s Day Lunch at Benguela on Main, 206 Main Road, Somerset West R600 per person. For details, contact http://www.bengueladining.com/capetown or email  onmain@benguelacove.co.za  Phone: 087 357 0637

Sunday, 14th February    Celebrate the day of love at Boschendal with live music by romantic duo Palm Strings, who will entertain picnic visitors at the serviced Rhone Classic Picnic area from 12h00 - 15h00. Executive Chef, Christiaan Campbell and his team will add a romantic twist to the picnic baskets, while the full range of Boschendal MCC bubbly will be available to add that extra bit of “l’amour” to your day. Cost: R520 per basket to share. Includes 10% service fee, but excludes beverages. Enjoy a Valentine’s celebration with a difference by joining Food Garden Manager, Megan McCarthy for a Valentine’s themed Food Garden Tour from 10h00-11h30 and stock up on our bio-friendly veggies and herbs for a romantic dining occasion. Cost: R150 per person (Includes water, tour, veggie gift pack and glass of Boschendal MCC). Alternatively you can book a leisurely afternoon at our Werf picnics, The Werf Restaurant for an innovative farm-to-table menu, The Deli and Farm stall for a casual meal or Rhone Homestead for a lavish Cape Buffet. Bookings for the Picnic and Food Garden Tour are essential at reservations@boschendal.co.za or +27 21 870 4274. The restaurants’ bookings can be made on-line at www.boschendal.co.za.

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine's Day Lunch at Dornier Bodega Restaurant. Head Chef Lee-Anne du Plessis has created a beautiful four course menu for Valentine's Day lunch this February. Three of the dishes featured on the Valentine's Day menu include an array of Oysters served with Lime Salsa, Bloody Mary and Pesto Parmesan, Watermelon Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese salad, and Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna served on a bed of Marinated Angel Hair and Julienne Vegetables. Seating is limited, please ensure to make your booking as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Bookings can be made by contacting Bodega Restaurant at 021 880 0557 or bodega@dornier.co.za

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine’s Day picnic at Durbanville Hills Wines, only 20 minutes from Cape Town’s city centre. The first one is for you to stretch out under the olive trees on lush green lawns with a glass of wine and enjoy the contents of a delectable picnic basket for two. The picnic basket, which includes a bottle of Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé, is available at R350. The baskets will be available between 11h00 and 15h00. Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting the cellar on 021 558 1300 or by sending an email to info@durbanvillehills.co.za

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine’s Day at Durbanville Hills Restaurant, The Best Restaurant in the Winelands according to the 2015 Restaurant Week South African Awards. Treat your partner to a four-course menu, each course paired with one of the wines in the Durbanville Hills range, for R425 per person. Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting the cellar on 021 558 1300 or by sending an email to info@durbanvillehills.co.za

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine’s Day at Lanzerac. The Governor’s Hall Restaurant will be clad with a touch of extra romantic finery on the day. Well-known for its Sunday lunches, the restaurant will be serving a Valentine’s inspired menu in celebration of the occasion. Pre-bookings are essential as seating is limited. For bookings contact Denise Bezuidenhoudt on banqueting@lanzerac.co.za.

Sunday, 14th February    The Red Table at Nederburg offers the ideal Valentine’s four-course menu, priced at R650 per couple and offered for lunch and dinner. Start with delicious salmon ceviche, watercress, radish and red onion salsa, followed by bacon-rolled chicken, goat’s cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach and toasted pine nuts.  Then enjoy the main dish of grilled beef fillet, baked parmesan baby potatoes, fine beans, young carrots and bone marrow jus. Seal the deal with caramel, dark and white chocolate tart, pistachio Turkish delight and fruit compote. A deposit of R150 per person is required to confirm your booking for lunch or dinner at The Red Table on 14 February. To book, please call 021 877 5155 or send an email to theredtable@nederburg.co.za.

Sunday, 14th February    Valentine's Dinner at Catharina's. This Valentine's Day, spoil your loved one with a special menu designed by Chef Garth Almazan for R895 per person. Begin with an Amuse Bouche of Balsamic and Beetroot Jelly with Rose and Beetroot Granite. Then journey through 4 courses of flavourful indulgence with Coffee & Friandise to conclude your evening. We have also designed a Vegetarian Menu for the evening as well as optional wine pairing. View the full menus here. For enquiries, please contact reservations@catharinasrestaurant.co.za or call 021 713 7178 

28th January 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

We apologise if MENU caused your phone to bleep in the early hours. To send to our huge list of subscribers takes a long time and many of them receive it in the middle of the night. Might we suggest that your phone should not be activated to receive messages from us or from other sources in the witching hours? If your boss needs to contact you at that time, (s)he’s intruding on your valuable personal time.

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. Our Avast! ^® Anti-Virus software is updated at least daily and our system is scanned continually for viruses.

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This week's MENU recipe: Chicken Provolone

This week's recipe is another classic. Chicken Provolone The prep is a bit messy; you get to beat the hell out of some chicken breasts - very good if you are in a bad mood - and the result is impressive and not really very difficult. The tomato sauce is ready in about five to ten minutes and makes a very quick pasta sauce. (You could add some cream to enrich it and pour over pasta). Provolone cheese is available here, but buy the best one you can afford. It will pay off. You can add grated cheese and dried herbs to your breadcrumbs

Chicken Provolone

The sauce:    2 cups of tomato passata - 1 cup of good chicken stock - 1 t fresh thyme leaves - 1 T olive oil - 4 large cloves of garlic, thickly sliced - ¼ cup of finely chopped shallots or onion - ½ t chilli flakes, or more according to your taste) - 2 T fresh basil, torn

Liquidise or blitz the passata, with the chicken stock and thyme, with your hand blender. In a frying pan on a medium heat, add the olive oil and, when hot, add the sliced garlic, the chilli flakes and then the onion. Fry for a minute or two until softening, but not browning. Add the torn basil leaves and then pour on the sauce and simmer while you prepare the chicken. Taste and season before using.

4 chicken breasts - 2 eggs - 2 T whipping cream - 3 cups breadcrumbs - canola oil for frying - 300 g Provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Wrap each chicken breast in cling film and, using a mallet, bash them till they spread into scaloppine. Do not overbeat and don't use the studded side of your mallet. If the breasts are very large, slice them open as if you were making a pocket and then cut them in two equal pieces

Put the breadcrumbs into a wide flat dish. Whip the eggs with the cream and put into a matching dish.

Using tongs, dip each side of the scaloppini into the egg and cream mixture, then put it into the breadcrumbs. Using a spoon, cover the surface with the breadcrumbs, turn and make sure each side is well covered. (You can use your hands but you will make them very messy). Heat some oil in a large frying pan and fry for only 2 minutes on each side until browning and cooked. Remove and keep warm. Turn on your grill.

To serve, you need a pan or dish which will go under the hot grill. Put a good tablespoonful of the sauce onto the top of each scaloppina and then cover with a layer of the cheese. When all four are done, pop each under the grill until the top is melted and browning. You can do one at a time or all together. Put a good 2 spoonfuls of the sauce on each (warmed) plate, place a scaloppina on each and top with some dressed rocket and serve.

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

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Hartenberg's Riesling & Rarities Rock - fun on a summer day

Lounging about at the Riesling and Rarer Varietals Festival at Hartenberg

South African Rieslings have always been a challenge for Lynne, who grew up drinking, first, terrible (when she was young and poor in London in the swinging 60's, when you took a bottle of really cheap, commercial Riesling to parties) and then really excellent examples of this grape from Germany, Austria and Alsace and loving them. When she came back to South Africa from Britain in 1992 she discovered that SA liked to taste terpenes in their Riesling (a petrol note, for those of you who don't recognise the term) and she doesn't, not at all.. You don't often find them in European Rieslings, unless they are positively ancient. The good news is that this seems to be changing.... so she hasn't given up trying them and buying those with no trace of terpenes, but with the quality and freshness, and the great fruit, sugar and acid balance she is looking for

This annual festival always seems to fall at just the right time of the year. The weather was perfect. You can lounge about on the Hartenberg lawns, on cushions and blankets, or sit at outside tables in the shade of the huge trees or umbrellas and then get up to taste some really wonderful wines. There were excellent Rieslings and each farm was also allowed to bring any unusual varietal wines they produce. There was good food on offer and great wines were tasted and bought for enjoyment at the festival or at home

All the wine stands were arranged on the bricked plinth in the centre of the gardens

Journalist and radio personality John Meinking with Nick Pentz of Groote Post

Their Riesling was Lynne's favourite of the day. The acid sugar balance is perfect, as is the alcohol at 12.5%, 17.9 gm/ltr Residual Sugar, pH: 3.12. It’s full of Lime/lemon and pineapple on the nose with ginger, citrus and honey on the palate. Sadly, the 2015 is already sold out, so we await the 2016 with anticipation

Lazy day on the lawn in the shade of the trees

This couple was selling really fantastic falafel, jam-packed into toasted pita bread. Or you could have a plate of mixed salads for R50 each. We both had falafel

Or Ghenwa Steingastner had her huge selection of Lebanese delights on offer. Seen here with Tita Stross

What would you like in your falafel?

The sales desk was busy selling bottles to drink or bottles to take home

This mini black mantis dropped suddenly onto our table. You can see why the Khoi regard them as gods, as they do look like small people. This was very tiny, newly hatched. The squares on the tablecloth are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide. A tiny miracle

The Cederberg wine was also much appreciated. Janine Steyn was showing their excellent Bukettraube, full of rose petals and spice

Jacus Marais at the Nitida stand had their Riesling and the elegant Semillon for tasting

Poetry, not much motion and lovely wines

Gareth Robertson, Marketing Manager for Anthonij Rupert Wyne with Martin Meinert.  We liked the Cape of Good Hope Laing Semillon and Martin's The German Job Riesling 2014

Lots of new fans for Riesling on the Jordan stand

Lots of discussion on our table under the trees in the late afternoon

A very interesting plant in the Hartenberg garden. A tender aloe vossii, an endangered and rare grass aloe from the Soutpansberg

On our way through to Franschhoek for dinner, we came through Jonkershoek, over the Helshoogte Pass, and were horrified to see the fire damage in the vineyards and in the wild areas on the mountainsides. So it was with great excitement that we spotted this Sable antelope (Hipotrachus niger) and his two younger friends, in a field next to the Boschendal manor house with his magnificent curved scimitar horns

He is interested in us, but still nibbling on the grass

They are not indigenous to this part of Southern Africa. The southernmost edge of their range is in Limpopo, in the north-east of our country

Feeding in front of the magnificent Drakenstein mountains

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus

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