Thursday, September 07, 2017

Dave Hughes Benefit dinner and auction at Neethlingshof, Stellenbosch

We attended the second dinner and wine auction last week which was held at Neetlingshof Wine Farm. Why two? There were so many people wanting to pay tribute to Dave Hughes, they had to have two. Neetlongshof donated the venue, the food and the wines served were also donated, the chefs gave their time for free and all of the wine in the auction was also donated. He is much loved and respected in the industry
The Neethlingshof Manor house
Some canapés were served. A glass of gazpacho and some sliced duck paté rolls
Some glasses of bubbly to welcome everyone
Neetlingshof is a national monument
Now that is a celebratory dinner jacket!
Jeanette Bruwer of Springfield and Jacques Roux of Douglas Green Bellingham and their other halves enjoy a glass of bubbly on the stoep
Beautiful early evening light on the cellar
Dave Hughes comes from a Scottish family so, as a surprise, the evening started with a Pipe Band dressed, we were told, in MacDonald tartan. He was surprised and delighted.
We all stood on the terrace while they played some lovely tunes on the Pipes and Drums. Lynne’s mother was a Scot and John played the pipes in his school band, so we both find the music very moving; it must be in the blood
Some of the wines in the auction. The industry and private individuals had been very generous with their donations
We had donated the Bergsig 1997 Cape LBV and the Groot Constantia 1972 Shiraz from our cellar
The room was full; both benefit dinners have been sold out
Sue Wardrop, Director at Meridian Wine Merchants, started proceedings and related some memories of Dave Hughes
The menu
Pea soup with sierings (sorrel leaves), smoked feta cheese, gremolata was prepared by Chef David MacDonald who works at Bertus Basson's Spice Route restaurant. The soup was beautifully light and fresh, such a good way to serve young peas. The heavily smoked creamed feta in the centre was a huge contrast. We had some Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc and some De Wetshof Bon Vallon Chardonnay with this course, both very good matches
Duimpie Bayly is an old mate and colleague of Dave Hughes and had some lovely memories to share
And so did Bennie Howard of Meerendal who made us all laugh at his recollections. Duimpie, Bennie and Dave were three of the first Cape Wine Masters
Dave Hughes made a gracious and typically humorous reply to the words of his friends. Seated with him were his wife, Lorna, and Walter Finlayson
The next course was a Mexican-inspired deep fried fish taco, with coleslaw, a citrus salsa and guacamole on a soft tortilla with a char grilled lemon wedge. It was prepared by Chef Lulu Oosthuizen of Neethlingshof
The organiser of both the events, Celia Gilloway gets the auction underway. Celia has done a magnificent job as the function organiser and is available to do one for you should you need her
The main course was some of the best cooked loin of impala we have ever eaten. The meat had been properly but not overly hung, was tender but not pappy and nicely pink in the middle and was perfectly seasoned. It came with a simple but beautifully flavoured meat jus. The fresh veggies were al dente, the blue maize meal was strange and the very spicy chakalaka might have suited the taco better, as it could overwhelm the meat. The perfect meat was cooked by Chef Archie MacLean of Catharina's restaurant at Steenberg
Our auctioneer was journalist and wine judge Fiona MacDonald. She did it so well we think she has an assured future new career as an auctioneer! Narry a stumble was made, she spotted all the bidders and the money and was in full control of the crowd. A grand sum of R237??? was raised this evening, and together with the R?? raised on the first auction a very nice sum for Dave Hughes who has faced very large medical bills lately
In action! R9,500 going once, twice, fair warning, SOLD! to the gentleman in Blue.
Time for dessert. A spiced marigold and dark chocolate delight with frozen yogurt ice cream, a chocolate soil and some cinnamon and rose infused honeycomb, which we loved
The chefs and kitchen staff line up to loud applause and thanks
And yet more delights. More of that fantastic honeycomb, and some Indian sweets: cardamom Burfee, chickpea Channa, and sweet and syrupy Gulab Jamon to be served with coffee
And some good 12 year old Van Ryn brandy, putting a perfect end to a great evening for those not driving
Posted by MENU at 4:13 pm 0 comments

Matjiesfontein and The Lord Milner Hotel, continued

We awoke refreshed to see nice weather, much warmer than we thought it would be. We went down to breakfast to find that there are two options, or both combined
You can have just the buffet breakfast, or something cooked of the menu or both. We started with some juice, black coffee - real, from a dispenser, a little weaker than we like it - and a very good mini croissant from the buffet
John then chose Open Karoo Omelette
 Lynne ordered scrambled egg with smoked salmon
The dining room looks bright and fresh in the morning
We needed to do some work on MENU after breakfast and were shown to the lovely suite of Gold lounges in the hotel where we both found plugs and desks and set up on our computers. John was successful , Lynne was not as the WiFi was still very weak and wobbly
There are all the original features and more antiques
Beautiful tiled floors
And in the music room, a harp and a spinet
These are some of the cottages you can stay in
More rooms are available in them, with a self catering option
We then went off for a walk around town to explore
The village Post office is now a small gift shop
The local fire truck
And the famous red London bus. These were shipped out from England in the 1950s Lynne used to go to school and college on one each day from Sea Point. It was nice to see where this one has ended up. It is used here for the shortest tour in the country which takes place each evening at 6 pm (5.30 in winter)
More wagons outside the Museum at the railway station
Wonderful historic petrol pumps outside the Coffee House
The old Lodge is now a farm stall
Inside the Coffee Shop
The courtyard at the back of the Coffee House
Matjiesfontein nestling in its valley beneath the uplifted rolling mountains in late afternoon. We visited Sutherland in the afternoon. See here
Waiting for the train on the platform
And Rovos Rail Pride of Africa arrived on time. It is a luxury train filled with wealthy overseas tourists and some locals doing a trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg and Pretoria and sometimes to the Kruger Game Park
Tour Guide and Pub piano player Johnnie Theunissen was there to welcome them with a blast of his bugle and many got off the train for about an hour to see Matjiesfontein and join the bus tour
On we get!
Upstairs, of course
Still with original advertising?
Tour of the village over, Johnnie summons us for a tour of the Hotel which ended in the Laird’s Arms pub
The bus heads off, back to its parking spot, 50 metres away!
Olive Schreiners' Cottage. She lived her in the 1890's
Early evening sing song time in the Pub
This beautiful painting c.1900 graces the front reception area
It is by British painter Blanche Mathewes 1860-1914
Time for dinner. We both went for the same starter, a twice cooked cheese soufrée in a herb cream sauce
John has the steak with chips and salad
Lynne had the Beer Battered fish with chips.. tartar sauce and a small salsa. The batter was very golden and crisp
John went quite mad and had this icky gooey chocolate milkshake in a jug, called Brownie Freak Shake. Then off to bed with our books for an early night. It's this Karoo air.
We had another great night's sleep and then it was time for breakfast. This time we both had the David Rawdon special: A classic egg, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, baked bean and very good sausage, with coffee toast and marmalade hit the spot. And then it was time to pack up and leave the Lord Milner and Matjiesfontein. What an enjoyable way to spend two days. We do hope to come back one day
At last a sight of green. The very welcome rain clouds were gathering over the bud breaking vineyards and mountains at De Doorns. Those mountain ranges do look exactly like huge waves gathering to break on the shore
We stopped at De Wet on the outskirts of Worcester, you pass it as you come out of the mountains from De Doorns. We had never been here before
We did a lovely tasting of their wines, were suitable impressed and three cases of wine went into the car. The 2015 Chenin is on special at R30 a bottle and is very good indeed
Then onwards across the valley towards Goudini Cellars And du ToitsKloof cellars. We bought some 2015 wooded Chardonnay at Goudini and 12 bottles of our favourite Nebbiolo from du Toits Kloof winery. Serious rain was beginning to fall in the du ToitsKloof pass and also on Paarl and Stellenbosch as we drove home. . So welcome
Posted by MENU at 3:31 pm 0 comments
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