Sunday at the Franschhoek Bastille Festival

The Festival was at the top of the main road and next to the Huguenot monument. The layout was very impressive this year. The marquees were much wider and there seemed to be so much more space. Finding a seat, however, is still as difficult as people reserve empty seats for ages while their friends do the rounds tasting, leaving others standing around. There was lots of food from the top restaurants, pulled pork seemed to be the dish of the day from many. And the wines from Franschhoek can be very impressive

An avenue of Tricolor flags

We hear Saturday was full, they sold 4000 tickets. Sunday is always more relaxed, more of a family day. And lovely in the warm sunshine

The tents were buzzing too

And if you had not got the message that everyone is supposed to dress up in Red White and Blue there was this stand to sell you the appropriate merchandise

Straight to the busy Cabrière stand

where we met up with Achim von Arnim, Patriarch of Cabrière, for a chat and a glass of their Belle Rose MCC

Achim, with Carina Bouwer, enjoying life in his starred and striped red white and blue waistcoat

Lynne with suitable attire and a moustachioed wineglass

If you could toss a “quoit" (actually a roll of gaffer tape) well enough, Linda Coltart gave you a prize. Some families did rather too well at this and nearly cleared them out of soft toys. The proceeds went to a local charity. Nice action shot John!

She did but he didn't want his photo taken

Chef Neil Jewell of Bread and Wine restaurant manfully slicing his excellent charcuterie for their platters. He does this nonstop for the entire festival as the platters are very popular

L’Ormarins poured us a taste of their MCC

The belles dames, Kathy van Niekerk and Marguerite Nel, on the Boschendal stand with their chilled wines

And at Black Elephant's stand, partners Kevin Swart (Black in Afrikaans) and Raymond Ndlovu (elephant in Nguni) were having fun

We liked their wines and their charming labels: Timothy White (a Viognier) and Nicolas Red (a blend) are self explanatory. Named after Kevin's two sons, Timothy is the hare and Nicolas the Tortoise

Partner and winemaker Jacques Wentzel, also enjoying the day

It is always a very happy, well organised festival

Children are welcome and there is lots for them to play on

Nice use for used corks

Chilling with some wine as the afternoon wears on

And a familiar face, Jacques Roux of Douglas Green Bellingham

There was a band and lots of dancing

Two chefs comparing notes on how the day went: Chris Erasmus of Foliage and Neil Jewell of Bread and Wine

Fun and fame in the sun

Vogue poses!

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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Bastille Day lunch at Dutch East, Franschhoek

Franschhoek celebrates Bastille Day every year on the weekend closest to the 14th of July. This year we were all a little subdued by the dreadful news of the attack in Nice on Bastille Day, but determined not to be deterred by terrorism and to continue our involvement in honour of the people who died so cruelly. We had been invited to lunch at Dutch East restaurant in the middle of Franschhoek before we attended the festival

Pasch du Plooy has changed direction at Dutch East. The coffee roastery has gone and he puts more focus on providing fine food for customers. They do still provide excellent coffee! They had reserved a table for us under the tent. Franschhoek and the staff were all dressed in the Tricolour colours and it was a lovely sunny winter’s day

Our table at the back. On Sundays, they do not take bookings and there is lots of opportunity to get some good food for lunch in a town that is usually booked solid. There were a lot of walk in customers while we were there.

The guys at the bar pour John a good Darling brew

The front of the special Bastille Menu. At present they have a winter special set menu of 2 courses for R240 and 3 for R300 which is very good value. The menus can change daily. Check out these menus on line at http://www.dutcheast.co.za/menus/

Freshly baked rolls and butter

Lynne's generous starter of Duck liver Parfait with Cognac and Port came with a small micro green salad, guavas cooked in vanilla, poached strawberries, a balsamic reduction and a spiced corn chip crumb. The fruit was rather sweet for Lynne. It was a portion that would have satisfied two. It also came with two shards of crisp bread. Some wines are available by the glass. She had a glass of Graham Beck Brut which went very well with both this course and her main

John ordered the French onion and ale soup, well caramelised and topped with a slice of toast with cheese. He found it very satisfying

The main courses and desserts on the menu

John, in French mood, ordered the Cassoulet and says it was one of the best he has ever eaten, so we hope it stays on the menu for you to experience

Lynne is a very instinctive eater and must have been needing iron because she ordered the Pan fried liver and bacon dish. This came with confit onions, lovely smoky bacon bits, slivers of cooked and raw garlic, small potatoes and a creamy mash, topped with fried leeks and a was in a rich sauce. It also had some cherries but we didn't understand why they were there. The mains are served in large bowls. Lynne had six large pieces of liver, absolutely perfectly cooked and well flavoured but just too generous. They do give exceptional value

After this gargantuan meal, we had not an inch to spare for dessert even though there were some temptations. Double espressos for both of us were a good finish And the coffee is excellent

Owner and chef Pasch du Plooy, chef, meat eater, butcher, sausage and charcuterie maker and general bon vivant. Thanks Pasch, we had a lovely time

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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This Week’s MENU. Melissa's, Du Toitskloof winery; Ye Olde Tavern, Montagu; Mimosa Lodge, Montagu; De Wetshof and Arendsig tastings; A bubble at Graham Beck; lunch at Nuy on the Hill; Winter menu at Haute Cabrière

A tanker in one of the wonderful sunsets we see in winter

In this week’s MENU:

 Mimosa Lodge, Montagu

 Lunch at Melissa's, Du Toitskloof winery; supper at Ye Olde Tavern, Montagu

 Tasting the wines of De Wetshof and Arendsig

 A bubble or two at Graham Beck, then lunch at Nuy on the Hill    

 Lunch from the winter menu at Haute Cabrière, Franschhoek

 Recipe of the week - Clam chowder

 MENU's Wine of the Week, Arendsig Blok A9 Cabernet Sauvignon

 Coming events

Midwinter brings a touch of peace to the hectic life we usually lead. We went to one of our favourite wine-producing areas, Midwinter brings a touch of peace to the hectic life we usually lead. We went to one of our favourite wine-producing areas, Robertson and its near neighbours Montagu and Bonnievale, with members of our wine club and had an enjoyable weekend visiting some of our favourite farms with good friends – and spent some time doing some essential sorting at home. But, a luta continua, as some say, and the pace is hotting up again, more of which next week, with members of our wine club and had an enjoyable weekend visiting some of our favourite farms with good friends – and spent some time doing some essential sorting at home. But, a luta continua, as some say, and the pace is hotting up again, more of which next week  

Mimosa Lodge, Montagu      Once a year Lynne organises a trip to some part of our rich Cape winelands for members of our wine club the Oenophiles. Last year we stayed at Laborie’s in Paarl, the previous year we were in Wellington at Dunston and this year we ventured to Montagu to stay at Mimosa Lodge. Montagu has lots of good accommodation but, nowadays, not so much wine, so the weekend featured some trips through the pass to Robertson and Bonnievale. Montagu is a lovely old country town filled with beautifully restored houses and lots of pub restaurants

Lunch at Melissa's, Du Toitskloof winery; supper at Ye Olde Tavern, Montagu         The trip to Montagu takes about 2 to 2½ hours and we wanted to stop along the way at Du Toitskloof winery near Rawsonville to buy some of their Nebbiolo, an Italian grape that produces wildness and richness in this cherry and spice supple red wine. It was also a chance to stop for some lunch

Tasting the wines of De Wetshof and Arendsig     Saturday morning in Montagu dawned fair but chilly and we set off for our first appointment for a splendid tasting at De Wetshof in Robertson. There are major road works on the road through the Montagu pass which will last up to 3 years as they are remaking the road, which was washed away in floods in recent years and they are also widening it, so blasting takes place twice a week, when the road is closed for a few hours. There is a stop and go procedure but we only ever had to wait about 2 minutes at the stop this weekend. SO if you plan to travel in that direction, do check out the situation so that it doesn't delay you

A bubble or two at Graham Beck, then lunch at Nuy on the Hill     Sunday morning in Montagu was warm and sunny at last and, after breakfast and checking out, we all wanted to explore the town a little. The Breyten Breytenbach festival was on and we headed for the art exhibition at the gallery in the KWV premises in town. Lynne was also on a crusade to find some fresh country eggs. There was some interesting art in the centre and there was a session going on in a back hall with a writer so we had to shush. There were some breathtaking quilts on display upstairs. Then we were off to Graham Beck winery to taste some of their MCC bubblies

Lunch from the winter menu at Haute Cabrière, Franschhoek     Last Tuesday, we headed off to Franschhoek and it was the first of three visits we will be making in the next two weeks. We had been invited to come and sample the winter menu of the new(ish) chef Dennis Strydom, who took over at the beginning of the year. It was another glorious Cape winter day

Recipe of the week - Clam chowder      This is an old winter favourite and we usually make it with tinned clams found in the supermarket. But this time Lynne found some raw frozen clams at a seafood wholesaler and wanted to try it using them.  If you want to make this super rich, you can add a cup of cream. We find this to be rich enough.

2 tins of clams - 4 rashers of fatty bacon, cut into small lardons - 1 T olive oil - 20 g butter - 1 large onion, finely chopped  - 1 stick of celery, finely chopped - sea salt - 2 or 3 large potatoes, cut into 1 cm dice - 1.5 Tblspns flour - 1 cup of clam juice - 1.5 cups full cream milk - 1 T fresh thyme leaves - 1 fresh bay leaf -  Tabasco sauce - Worcester sauce - freshly ground black pepper - 1 cup water - dry sherry

Drain the clams but KEEP the liquid aside.  Mince the clams if they are large. Fry the bacon in the oil until it is brown and crisp. Add the butter and the onions to the pot and season with some salt. Fry for five minutes until the onions are transparent. Add the celery and fry for  another five minutes. Add the potato and fry together for 5 minutes. Then add the flour and stir well to incorporate it. Add the clam juice and then quickly stir in the milk. Make sure there are no lumps and everything is incorporated. It will start to thicken. Add the thyme, the bay leaf and a good grinding of black pepper. Add more milk or any remaining clam juice if it gets too thick or the water if it is too creamy. Cook until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the clams. Season with salt and more pepper if necessary and add a dash of Tabasco and Worcester sauce to your taste.  Serve with crisp bread rolls. You can also add a dash of sherry to the pot just before serving. Add a sprinkling of chopped parsley for some colour. Should serve 4

If you can get fresh or frozen clams you will need 1 kilo or 900g of them. Put into a deep pan with a cup of water, 2 T dry white wine and bring quickly to the boil, covered. Steam for  7 to 8 minutes then remove any that have opened properly and set aside. Put the lid on and give the rest another 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Keep the liquid from the pot and strain it well to remove sand and any shell fragments. A coffee filter works well. When the open clams have cooled, remove them from their shells and mince them. Then use them and the liquid as instructed above.

MENU's Wine of the Week, Arendsig Blok A9 Cabernet Sauvignon      This lovely juicy red wine is exactly what Cabernet Sauvignon should taste like; you could use it in a classroom to showcase it. 

But it also has so much more. Lots of cassis (blackcurrant) fruit, great minerality, good wooding that doesn't overtake the wine, soft chalky tannins from the chalky soil it is grown on.  A food wine and a wine with good aging potential. Available from the farm at a very reasonable price. You are getting quality that could cost three times as much, and often does.  Go and try it for yourself. Also available from fine wine merchants. Arendsig means Eagle View. R115 from the farm

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7th July 2016

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MENU's Recipe of the week - Clam chowder

This is an old winter favourite and we usually make it with tinned clams found in the supermarket. But this time Lynne found some raw frozen clams at a seafood wholesaler and wanted to try it using them.  If you want to make this super rich, you can add a cup of cream. We find this to be rich enough.

2 tins of clams - 4 rashers of fatty bacon, cut into small lardons - 1 T olive oil - 20 g butter - 1 large onion, finely chopped  - 1 stick of celery, finely chopped - sea salt - 2 or 3 large potatoes, cut into 1 cm dice - 1.5 Tblspns flour - 1 cup of clam juice - 1.5 cups full cream milk - 1 T fresh thyme leaves - 1 fresh bay leaf -  Tabasco sauce - Worcester sauce - freshly ground black pepper - 1 cup water - dry sherry

Drain the clams but KEEP the liquid aside.  Mince the clams if they are large. Fry the bacon in the oil until it is brown and crisp. Add the butter and the onions to the pot and season with some salt. Fry for five minutes until the onions are transparent. Add the celery and fry for  another five minutes. Add the potato and fry together for 5 minutes. Then add the flour and stir well to incorporate it. Add the clam juice and then quickly stir in the milk. Make sure there are no lumps and everything is incorporated. It will start to thicken. Add the thyme, the bay leaf and  a good grinding of black pepper. Add more milk or any remaining clam juice if it gets too thick or the water if it is too creamy. Cook until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the clams. Season with salt and more pepper if necessary and add a dash of Tabasco and Worcester sauce to your taste.  Serve with crisp bread rolls. You can also add a dash of sherry to the pot just before serving. Should serve 4

If you can get fresh or frozen clams you will need 1 kilo or 900g of them. Put into a deep pan with a cup of water, 2 T dry white wine and bring quickly to the boil, covered. Steam for  7 to 8 minutes then remove any that have opened properly and set aside. Put the lid on and give the rest another 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Keep the liquid from the pot and strain it well to remove sand and any shell fragments. A coffee filter works well. When the open clams have cooled, remove them from their shells and mince them. Then use them and the liquid as instructed above

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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MENU's Wine of the Week, Arendsig Blok A9 Cabernet Sauvignon

This lovely juicy red wine is exactly what Cabernet Sauvignon should taste like; you could use it in a classroom to showcase it.  

But it also has so much more.  Lots of cassis (blackcurrant) fruit, great minerality, good wooding that doesn't overtake the wine, soft chalky tannins from the chalky soil it is grown on.  A food wine and a wine with good aging potential. Available from the farm at a very reasonable price. You are getting quality that could cost three times as much, and often does.  Go and try it for yourself. Also available from fine wine merchants. Arendsig means Eagle View. R115 from the farm

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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Lunch from the winter menu at Haute Cabrière, Franschhoek

Last Tuesday, we headed off to Franschhoek and it was the first of three visits we will be making in the next two weeks. We had been invited to come and sample the winter menu of the new(ish) chef Dennis Strydom, who took over at the beginning of the year. It was another glorious Cape winter day

No, it’s not a Hobbit burrow with a view! Haute Cabrière Cellar and restaurant have been cleverly built into the hill, are almost completely invisible from outside, and are kept cool by the earth. You can sit outside on the terrace if you prefer. All the Franschhoek farms and restaurants are bedecked in the Tricolour of red, white and blue to get ready for Bastille Day and this coming weekend . We will be back on Sunday to celebrate with them all

The friendly staff are also all dressed for the occasion

We started with a lovely glass of the Pierre Jordan Belle Rose Brut Rosé

Two different breads, with butter and parsley butter

The Winter Two Course Special menu for two costs R395 and consists of a Soupe du Jour (of the day) and a grilled sirloin steak with chips, vegetables and a red wine jus for each of you. Both courses come with a glass of Cabrière wine. Dessert is an extra

The soup of the day was caramelised French Onion soup (so suitable for Bastille weekend!) It was rich and very good. It is topped with a slice of toasted bread covered with feta cheese

We had this with a glass of the Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2016 which is about to be released at the end of August. It is complex with perfume, apples and melons on the nose and long, long raspberry flavours and nice lees on the end. Great with the food

We were joined by Hildegard von Arnim and had a very jolly lunch swapping stories of our travels to Vietnam with hers

and then Takuan von Arnim also joined us and brought some more wines for us to taste

How special to have a glass of the Haute Cabrière 2013 Pinot Noir with our steak. Takuan is passionate about this wine. It is full of perfume and cherries on the nose and lovely pure fruit on the palate, so satisfying and suitable for a dish like this

Time for our medium rare grilled steaks to arrive. They come with long chips, steamed vegetables and a very savoury wine sauce. We also got to try the new Pinot Noir which will be released next January , the advantage of sitting with the Von Arnims! It has warm linen and raspberries on the nose, sweet raspberries and rhubarb on the palate with long flavours, light minerality and soft wood holding it. It is shyly waiting in the bottle to announce its own arrival but when it does it will be a cracker

We were then offered desserts and we cracked. We decided to order one of each and swop plates half way through

Executive chef Dennis Strydom came over to chat and tell us about his food

Dessert arrives. This is the Pistachio brioche with vanilla ice cream and a burnt apple espuma (foam). The savoury layers of brioche are interleaved with slices of partially cooked apple. Good creamy ice cream helps to moistens the dish.

Sunrise with a pecan tart! We really enjoyed the surprising butternut sorbet, a first for us. The plum purée was the painted rays of the sun and bit hard to taste

Hildegarde had a Berry filled pancake with maple syrup, berry sorbet and a seed streusel from their very interesting Vegan menu. Check out their website if you are interested: https://www.cabriere.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/VEGAN-Marriage-of-Food-and-Wine-4-May-2016.pdf

The restaurant was busy all through lunch, impressive for a Tuesday

In the Tasting room. Thank you von Arnim family for a lovely gemütliche lunch with you both. Good coffee too!

Yes, that is an elephant bone, one found on the route they used to take up the pass when elephant roamed the Cape, centuries ago now. Franschhoek was then known as Olifantshoek

A view from the Terrace. South Easter clouds covering the Franschhoek mountain. The weather forecast for Bastille weekend is looking mostly sunny and up to 16 degrees on Sunday. See you there? 

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