This magnificent
visitor to our southern countryside, a sable antelope bull with his young
companions, in a Boschendal field
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.
PR Blurbs We are sent
a large number of public relations bulletins which ask us to tell you about a
new wine, winery, restaurant – essentially asking us to regurgitate a PR blurb
about something we have not experienced and possibly never will. We find this
somewhat disrespectful, to us and to you, especially when the agency involved
never invites us to their events in case we might be too critical. When we
write about something, it is to inform and, hopefully, entertain you and to
encourage you to try something which we have experienced and give you a
pictorial insight. We will never pass on stuff we have not experienced.
Jordan Harvest Report We spent a
lovely day on Jordan wine estate, tasting the new just picked juices of several grapes,
the newly fermenting wine and listening to the undisputable facts of the effect
on global warming, El Nino and drought on wine farming. It is not all gloom and
doom and Gary Jordan has plans in hand to stay in business planting grapes that
will adapt to the rise in temperature and the lack of water. We followed this
with a delicious lunch on the deck at The Bakery. Read on
For those of you in the wine industry Gary has
forwarded the link to this article. The
impact of climate change on the global wine industry: Challenges &
Solutions http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212977414000222
We find a new local restaurant, Marc's Table We don't often find a place that is completely
new to us and which has been open for a while. Marc's restaurant is in a hotel
that, quite frankly, when it was painted a lurid pink and given the name of
Sugar, we concluded (wrongly!) that is might be slightly disreputable. It is
now painted white, still called Sugar (why?) is perfectly respectable and on
the corner of Boundary Road and Main Road in Green Point. The menu has
interesting choices, the prices are reasonable for fine dining and the food was
good. Both the hotel and restaurant are owned by chef Marc van Rooyen. Read On
Revving Up Rosé Festival at Rickety Bridge on Saturday Some
festivals are just smarter (in both senses of the word) than others and this
one outshone many others. Held in the grounds of Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek,
there were plenty of tables, chairs and umbrellas, an intelligent limited lunch
menu and some great and interesting, mostly Franschhoek, Rosé wines and MCCs.
We took our foreign visitors and had a wonderfully relaxed day. Well done,
Darielle. Read On
Food Fact: Burnt food is not good for you. The black burned
bits are pure carbon and this is a known carcinogen. So cut the black bits off
or put the food in the bin.
This week's recipe is something we had never tasted before. It was
served at a lunch party friends gave at the new home of their daughter and son
in law who have just returned from working in the USA. We absolutely loved this
easy to make bread and apologise to all of you who are Banting for subverting
you. You need to use yellow corn meal and we did find it in the health section
of Dischem. You could use polenta, but you will get a smoother, less chunky
bread. As it is made with baking powder, it doesn't keep very long. You could
portion leftovers (if there are any remaining), wrap in foil and freeze. You
can leave out the spicy jalapenos, if you must.
½ cup plain flour - 1½ cups yellow
cornmeal (not fine texture) - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 Tablespoon sugar - 2
teaspoons baking powder - 1½ cups grated strong cheddar cheese and a little
more for the top - 410g can creamed corn - ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt - 4 eggs,
lightly beaten - ¾ cup melted butter - (optional) ½ cup sliced jalapenos,
drained
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Lightly grease a heavy bottom round skillet or frying
pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir well.
then stir in the cheese, corn, jalapeños, yoghurt and eggs, just enough to
blend, and finally add the melted butter. Sprinkle the top with some grated
cheese.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35
minutes, or until the cornbread is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out
clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan 15 minutes then
cool on wire rack.
Our Wine of the Week: Morgenhof 2002 Cabernet
Sauvignon This has been nestling in our cellar for a
few years and we wanted something classic to accompany some good rump steak
dowsed with truffle oil. This classic Cabernet is full of cassis and other red
berry flavours, still has some chalky tannins and is soft, juicy and still has
a few years left in it. One of those wines that shows what we can do and that
we should age our good reds.
Here is a list of coming events up to the end of February. There may be
more, but we will add them as we receive them. We
will be at the Stellenbosch Festival on Friday and at Franschhoek Summer wines
on Saturday and we hope to see many of you.
Friday, 19th
February Maison Ruinart Champagne Dinner at Benguela on Main,
206 Main Road, Somerset West R1400 per person. For details, contact http://www.bengueladining.com/capetown or email onmain@benguelacove.co.za Phone:
087 357 0637
Saturday, 20th
February 10am – 2pm Beaumont
Federweisser Day. Celebrating our Chenin harvest at Beaumont Family
Wines Werf. At the early stages of harvest, once our delicious Chenin juices
start fermenting, we celebrate this short but sweet period of feathery white,
aromatic wine – The Federweisser. Come and taste this unique stage of our
Chenin Blanc and compare this to the finished Chenin’s from last year. As
tradition demands it we will be pairing these lightly alcoholic nectars with
our home-made Flammkuchen, an Alsatian style flat bread with crème fraiche,
onions, bacon and chives. Tickets: R100 per adult / R50 per child. The day will
include a tasting of our Federweisser, tasting of our grapes, tasting of the
Beaumont Family Wines range as well as one Flammkuchen per person. Vegetarian
options are available so please let us know any dietaries when booking.
Activities for the kids include tasting of the juices, the opportunity to stomp
some grapes as well as the use of our farm play ground. Wine, produce and our
home-made ice creams will be available for sale on the day. To book please email us at nici@beaumont.co.za or phone the office on 028 284 9194
Saturday, 20th February Brooklyn
Bubbles. Summer’s in full swing and so are the bubbles at Brooklyn
Mall. Don’t miss out on the chance to sample over 15 of SA’s finest Méthode Cap
Classiques at this year’s Brooklyn Bubbles on Saturday, 20th February (11am to
4pm). Tickets cost R200 per person and include entry to the event, a
complimentary tasting glass as well as tasting coupons. Additional coupons can
be purchased. Pre-book directly via www.webtickets.co.za to avoid disappointment.
Saturday, 20th February Annual Grande
Provence Harvest Day, Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate,
Franschhoek. Celebrate the grape harvest with Grande Provence in the
Franschhoek valley, with barrels of fun the order of the day. The annual Grande
Provence Harvest Festival kicks off at 09h00 with coffee and muffins, before
embarking on a tractor ride, followed by grape picking, stomping, wine tasting
and a cellar tour. Live music and a lavish harvest feast prepared by Grande
Provence Executive Chef Darren Badenhorst will end off a day of festivities. Tickets
for this traditional Franschhoek harvest celebration are R650 for adults and
R350 for children under 12. Booking is essential, so be sure to contact Barbara
at 021 876 8600 or e-mail reservations@grandeprovence.co.za. For accommodation enquiries, phone 021 876 8600 or e-mail ownerscottage@grandeprovence.co.za.
Sunday, 21st
February The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series
kicks-off on with a performance by Gerald Clark & the Deadmen. 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.
Thursday, 25th
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, 27th
February Constantia Fresh Fine Wine and Food Festival. Local
produce, gourmet canapés and over 200 wines are ripe for the picking at this
popular annual event. The fresh green lawns of Buitenverwachting Wine Estate are
where you’ll find foodies and wine enthusiasts for the seventh annual
Constantia Fresh Fine Wine & Food Festival. Over 200 wines will be
available for you to swirl, sip and savour, while you nibble on gourmet canapés
prepared by some of Constantia’s most talented chefs (Peter Tempelhoff,
Christian Harbeck, Brad Ball, Edgar Osojnik, Annemarie Steenkamp and Garth
Almazan, among others). Your ticket includes a festival glass, tasting of over
200 wines, as well as the gastronomic extravaganza on offer. Live music will be
part of the afternoon’s entertainment. The event runs from 15:00 to 19:00. Tickets
cost R495 each, and available from www.quicket.co.za or participating wineries. For more
information, visit www.constantiafresh.com, e-mail info@finewineevents.co.za or phone 083 265 2405
Saturday, 27th
February at 15h00 Muratie presents Robin Auld in an evening of
music, wine and plenty of fun! R100
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.
Saturday, 27th & Sunday, 28th
February Durbanville Wine Valley’s Feast of the Grape. Kick
off your shoes for some squishing and splatting at this year’s Durbanville Wine
Valley’s Feast of the Grape, a weekend of harvest fun hosted by 12 wine farms
in the Valley. The festival will take place at D’Aria Wine Farm with an
abundance of seasonal wines and entertainment to enjoy. The 12 farms coming
together from the Durbanville Wine Valley to take part in the grape festivities
are: Altydgedacht, Bloemendal, D’Aria, De Grendel, Diemersdal, Durbanville
Hills, Groot Phesantekraal, Hillcrest, Klein Roosboom, Meerendal, Nitida and
Signal Gun. Tickets costs R120 and include entrance to the festival, a wine
glass and tasting coupons. Tickets will be available via www.webtickets.co.za. For more details and the festival
programme visit www.durbanvillewine.co.za
Sunday, 28th
February The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series continues
with a performance by Blues Broers. 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.
18th February 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
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
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