Main Ingredient's list of Valentine's Day events 2010

Valentine’s Day events. February 2010

Main Ingredient and its owners endeavour to make this list as accurate as current information allows. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the list
Click on the blue bits to open the links to websites
Spoil your Valentine at The House of J.C. Le Roux
Sparkling wine and romance have always been a perfect match. Celebrate your love at The House of J.C. Le Roux on Valentine’s Day with a romantic food and sparkling wine affair in picturesque Devon Valley outside Stellenbosch.
Spoil your loved one with one of the special Valentine’s menus Seasons Restaurant has to offer. From a Mediterranean mezze, kingklip, char grilled sirloin with black mushrooms, to the sweetest delights such as hazelnut and white chocolate parfait, créme brûlée OR divine cheese cake – more reason to fall in love all over again!
The menus are priced from R79.00 – R235.00 per person, and include a glass of sparkling, chocolate hearts and a beautiful cupcake on arrival. If you want to reserve your table, contact The House of J.C le Roux on 021 865 8200 OR visit http://www.jcleroux.co.za/ for more information.


Meloncino Restaurant Valentine's Day menu: Price: R225.00 per person (excluding Service Charge of 10%)
Aperitivo: A complimentary Italian aperitif will be served on arrival – Antipasti: Carpaccio di carne con salsa di miele e mostarda servita con marmellata di cipolle dolci con rucola e scaglie di Parmigiano. (Beef carpaccio with a honey and mustard dressing, served with a sweet red onion confete and topped with fresh rocket and shavings of Parmesan) OR Insalata di calamari marinati alla grigla serviti su un letto di rucola e peperoni marinati guarniti con coriander fresco, menta e limone. (Marinated grilled calamari salad served on a bed of rocket and marinated pepper, topped with a fresh coriander, mint and lemon dressing) *** Secondi Piatti: Petto di anatra con salsa alla crema di mandarino e vodka, accompagnata da una salsa di chutney servita su letto di polenta soffice. (Breast of duck topped with a creamy mandarin vodka sauce, accompanied by a home-made gooseberry chutney. Served on a bed of soft polenta) OR Filetto di kingklip fresco, fritto con il pangrattato e salsa di pomodori pachino con basilico fresco servito in un letto di pure’ di patate leggero. (Freshly filleted Kingklip, sautéed with garlic infused cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Served on a bed of light potato puree) OR Risotto con salsa ai quattro tipi di funghi e asparaghi croccanti, con spruzzata di parmigiano fresco (Risotto infused with a varietal of four mushrooms and crisp asparagus, then finished off with a sprinkling of Italian Parmesan)  *** Dolce: Panforte fatto in casa al cioccolato e noci, alla salsa di amaretti e spuma di noci. (Amaretti infused panforte with chocolate and nuts. Served with a hazelnut foam) OR Millefoglie con crema pasticcera e frutti di bosco con salsa di cioccolato caldo. (Layers of puff pastry filled with pastry cream, fresh blueberries and drizzled with a hot chocolate sauce).
Book now. Shop 259, Upper Level, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001 Tel: +27 (0)21 419 5558 Fax: +27 (0)21 419 5559 Email: info@meloncino.co.za


Vanilla Restaurant, Cape Quarter

Shop 017, The Square Cape Quarter Extension, De Waterkant.  Website: http://www.vanillarestaurant.co.za/  Phone: 021 421 1391 VALENTINE’S DAY ROSÉ MENU

Amuse Bouche: Steak tartare on a brioche crostini, Served with Riebeek Cellars Pinotage Rosé ***** Quail: Pan-fried deboned half quail served with a beetroot and cumin purée, fondant potatoes and ginger caramel. Served with Dornier Cocoa Hills Rosé ***** Norwegian Salmon: Cured and seared fresh Norwegian salmon served on citrus and vanilla risotto with a shaved baby fennel salad. Served with Kleine Zalze Gamay Noir Rosé ***** Tasting of Vanilla: Summer berry and Champagne jelly with ice-cream Swiss roll and a free-standing crème brûlée. Served with Kloovenburg White from Red Brut ***** Coffee and truffles.  R350.00 per person. Ala carte menu also available

LOVE IS… Spending VALENTINE’S week-end on the WEST COAST
GROOTVLEI GUEST FARM, 6kms from the seaside village of Lambert’s Bay offers a special Valentine’s package in one of our unique guesthouses GROOTVLEI LUXURY GUEST HOUSE B&B and GROOTVLEI GUEST HOUSE OF THE DUNES B&B. Spend ONE night with your Valentine and get one night FREE on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 June
Contact Jaconette at 027 432 2716 for more information


Valentine’s Day at Kingsriver Estate: 14 February 2010
In addition to an aphrodisiac infused menu, this Valentine’s Day visitors to the Kingsriver Estate will be serenaded by John Hargreaves who will be performing on a host of different instruments, including the saxophone and piano, whilst singing his self penned love songs.
Tickets cost R150 per person and include a three course meal. If you are planning a romantic weekend away for two, accommodation is also available at our Kingsriver Guest House. To make a reservation (booking is essential), please contact Madie Maans on 023 625 1040 OR visit http://www.kingsriver-estate.com/ for more information.


Prue Leith Chefs Academy
262 Rhino Street, Hennopspark, Ext2, Centurion. ph +27 (0) 12 654-5203 newsletter@pausebreak.co.za
Valentine’s Day Menu, 13 February @ R300 p/p
Complimentary glass of MCC on arrival *** Bread basket: Sun-dried tomato bread *** Amuse-Bouche *** Miniature brioche a tête, foie gras terrine, cassis jelly *** Entrée: Home made feta and watermelon salad, Avocado marble, mint and pomegranate dressing *** Soup: Gazpacho consommé, Pink and black pepper grissini *** Main Course: Oak smoked Cradle trout, Roasted artichoke ravioli, prawn popcorn, tomato salsa, saffron vinaigrette and beurre blanc OR Marinated duck breast, Caramelized peaches, grilled asparagus, pommes fondant, Chianti jus *** Dessert: Berries and cream, Strawberry shortcake, blueberry cheesecake ice cream and almond crumble, champagne and berry jelly, black forest mousse cake, rose croquembouche Friandise: Hand made chocolates, Hazelnut praline


St Luke’s Hospice Valentine Sunset Picnic at Buitenverwachting
St Luke’s Hospice turns 30 years old this year, and what better way to show your support than to join us for our romantic sunset Valentine Picnic?
Enjoy a delicious picnic with an exciting menu from the Picnic Company, whilst listening to the music of Dead Cat bounce on the beautiful lawns of Buitenverwachting Farm. A complimentary bottle of Buitenverwachting wine is included in the picnic.
The event starts at 16h00 until 20h00 and will take place at Buitenverwachting Farm, Klein Constantia Road, Constantia. Early booking is advisable as space is limited and tickets sell fast! Contact Pam Bosman on 021 797 5335 OR email fundraising@stlukes.co.za to make your booking. Visit http://www.stlukes.co.za/ Funds raised through this event will go towards the care of our over 650 terminally ill patients.
Menu is as follows: Biltong slices (OR Spicy crackle mix – for vegetarians only) *** Mini mielie meal loaf with smoked snoek terrine (OR smoked vegetarian terrine for vegetarians only) *** Refreshing cous cous salad *** Kitka roll filled with smoked beef, mozzarella, mustard & rocket (OR fresh Mediterranean wrap of grilled haloumi cheese, roasted red peppers & rocket – for vegetarians only) *** Camembert skewer with grape preserve *** Savoury biscuits *** Apple crumble tartlet with vanilla cream
You will also receive a complimentary bottle of Buitenverwachting wine. Teas, coffees & cool drinks will also be on sale.


Pepper Club on the Beach, Camps Bay's latest fine dining restaurant and cocktail bar, invites you and your loved one to celebrate this year's Valentine's Day in style. Watch the sun set as you sip champagne and sample the latest in fresh summer flavours. Setting a romantic tone for the evening, renowned South African musician Chris Swanepoel will also be singing a selection of the greatest love songs.
Receive a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival. Limited seats available, so book now! For bookings contact: 021 438 3174, onthebeach@pepperclub.co.za
Pepper Club on the Beach is the official beach club of the R400 million luxury hotel and spa, Pepper Club.


Cuvée at Simonsig. Valentine’s Day at Cuvée
13 February 2010, Saturday dinner, 5 courses
Upon arrival, a glass of brut rose *** amuse bouche *** fresh oysters poached in Belgian white chocolate and brut rosewith beluga caviar *** pink Scottish salmon tartare with pickled ginger and crisp pink lady apple wafers *** terrine of foie grass with fresh Karoo fig carpaccio and toasted coconut and vanilla cake *** fresh Mooiberge strawberry and Johan Malan grappa sorbet *** loin of Karoo lamb rubbed with truffle salt, butternut mousseline and baby vine tomato butter *** fresh black cherry soup with double Belgian couverture chocolate semi-freddo and crushed almond tuile *** coffee and friandes


Lunch, Sunday, 14th February 2010
3 course: upon arrival: glass of brut rose *** cucumber with crème fraiche, dill and pickled ginger *** seared pink Scottish salmon with raw shaved beetroot, dried cranberry and pink apple cream OR coconut dusted fried baby calamari with mesclun of watercress, parmesan and truffle mayonnaise *** flame grilled fillet of beef with roasted hillcrest blue berries and wild mushroom and gorgonzola cream OR grilled fresh white fish with cauliflower and oak smoked apple puree and almond and brandy cream *** macadamia nut meringue and dark Belgian chocolate terrine with white Belgian chocolate crème anglaise OR slow sugar roasted Mooiberge strawberries with hazelnut praline sabayon
Phone: 021 888 4932 or email simonsig@winebusiness.co.za

SATURDAY 13 FEB IS VALENTINE'S DINNER AT
SOCIETI BISTRO!

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!
http://www.societi.co.za/8Feb10.html

Olivello Restaurant. Join us for a romantic candellit dinner on Saturday 13th February
Marianne Wine Farm, Valley Road on the R44, Klapmuts, Stellenbosch. [road map] Telephone: +27(0)21-8755443. Fax: +27(0)21 8755483 ...www.olivello.co.za/ e-mail to restaurant@olivello.co.za
Sundowner Classic Kir Royale made with L’Avenir Brut Rose Cap Classique 2008 **** Contemporary Caesar Salad. Franschhoek smoked salmon and green asparagus on crispy cos lettuce pecorino shavings and garlic croutes **** Deliciously Sticky Citrus Free Range Roast Duck, scented with star anise, chilli and fresh ginger, served with steamed green beans almondine and crispy roast potatoes OR  Classic Lamb Shank Balsamico, slow-braised with Marianne Estate Shiraz and fresh rosemary served with steamed green beans almondine and crispy roast potatoes OR Spicy Seafood Coconut Curry with prawns, crayfish, mussels and fresh mango, served with steamed jasmine rice and sambals **** Death by Chocolate and Rum Fudge with vanilla ice cream OR Classic Crème Brulee made with organic vanilla pod
R245 per person, plus 10% service charge. Lucky Draw and Special Sunday Mediterranean Table Discount Vouchers. Join us from 6.30pm on Saturday Night, 13th February. Vegetarian Options available only on pre-order

The Dornier Bodega Restaurant and Wine Lounge is open daily for lunch and wine tasting, and from Thursday to Saturday for Dinner.

Valentine's Dinner, Saturday 13 February
Chef Naas Pienaar will spoil you and your partner with a memorable dinner and fine wines. More

Main Ingredient's MENU - Emperor salad, 15 on Orange, February events

http://www.mainingredient.co.za/

A hadeda ibis on the roof - evening in Sea Point

Emperors Chicken Salad

OK, Lynne started with a Caesar Salad recipe and then adapted and tweaked and added, so we don’t think it can be called a classic Caesar. Quantities are for a two person meal-sized substantial salad. She is experimenting with some of our new products. This one used Pink peppercorns and Pistachio oil, both very aromatic. You could use seared tuna, salmon or other seafood to advantage, instead of chicken.

Cooked chicken (1 breast and one leg cut into bite sized pieces) - 1 small Cos lettuce broken up - 2 Roma tomatoes, quartered - 1 stick of chopped celery - 1 raw carrot, julienned - half a red or yellow pepper, cut in strips - 6cm piece of cucumber, peeled and cut into julienne strips – 2 T croutons or broken bagel chips

Dressing: 1 t pink peppercorns, ground in a pestle and mortar - 1 lightly poached egg - 1 T grated parmesan cheese - juice of half a lemon - 1 or 2 anchovies - 2 T olive or avocado oil - seasoning.

Put all into a small liquidiser, blitz, adding more oil if you need to, adjust the seasoning and pour over the salad and mix well, so everything is coated. It should be quite a thick dressing. If you have any, add a drizzle of Pistachio Oil and a shake of Cayenne pepper. Toss in the croutons and serve.

Tastings and other events       The Kromboom Rotary Club is helping to organise the annual Rabbie Burns celebration, which takes place at Kelvin Grove on February 6th. In addition to being a fun evening, it also helps raise money for the Nonceba Trust, which takes care of abused women and children.

Late February will bring a rash of events worth visiting, so making the right choice becomes a bit of a challenge: De Krans Wine Cellar, in Calitzdorp, alongside the well known Route 62, will offer visitors to the area the opportunity to pick delicious, sweet Hanepoot grapes. This fun-filled picking experience will take place daily (except Sundays) from 10th to 27th February, between 08h00 and 16h00.

The Robertson Wine Valley will host its second Hands on Harvest Festival from 26th to 28th February, giving you a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day - without having to quit your day job! Groups are small and intimate, so you are sure to have a hands-on experience you’ll never forget. Many of the activities are 'kiddie-friendly' and, on Sunday, the Harvest Market promises to be a true family affair. Other activities include grape picking, grape stomping, vineyard tractor trips, grape vs wine tasting, and loads more.

For the Love of Sauvignon Blanc Constantia Fresh Festival will happen on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th February. There is an exciting programme of events. Click here to check it out.

Darling Cellars will host their annual Crush Day on Saturday 27th February. The day begins with breakfast at 08h00, after which you can pick and crush your grapes (your wine, with your own label follows 10 months later), participate in a label design competition and enjoy a traditional West Coast lunch. The price is R190 per person. Contact Cornel Loubser on phone 022 492 2276 or tasting@darlingcellars.co.za

A date for the future you should try not to miss is the Taste of Cape Town 2010 between 24th and 28th March at the Granger Bay Extension – V&A Waterfront

We’ve visited two new 5 star hotels in Cape Town recently. African Pride, the premium arm of the Protea Hospitality group, has opened Crystal Towers in Century City and 15 on Orange which is in central Cape Town, next to the South African Museum. Each hotel displays a fair amount of bling, uniquely styled, with very modern furnishings and enough chandeliers to light and decorate all the mansions in Clifton with change. They are both extremely luxurious. Each is in an area which is a hub of business activity, with 15 on Orange also being very well situated for visitors to Parliament. Our focus, naturally, was on the food. At 15 on Orange, the chef hails from Mauritius, but has been in Cape Town for several years and has spent 7 years as chef on The World, the ultra luxurious floating apartment block. Our meal began with an amuse which was delicious: a fairly generous portion of tuna tartare. Lynne’s starter was a crab cake, which was not exciting. Crab is not a local delicacy and this may have been tinned crab. John had a superb dish: a plate of thinly sliced Parma ham, with two fresh figs which had been filled with Gorgonzola and warmed just enough to soften the cheese. Something to try again as soon as possible. Our host had a steak tartare, which was excellent. Lynne’s main was a very mild, tender duck curry in coconut milk, made for delicate palates unused to the South-East Asian heat we like. John’s seared fillet of tuna in a fruity sauce was beautifully crisp outside, perfectly soft inside. Our host ordered a sirloin, which was delivered medium, although he had ordered it rare. The last two dishes were accompanied by very good chips which had been dressed with grated parmesan and a sprinkling of truffle salt. Fleur du Cap unfiltered chardonnay was a good match for all the dishes. Service was discreet and very competent. We were guests, so did not see the bill. Our host’s room was really comfortable, large and beautifully designed and equipped.

The next evening, after the Wine Magazine sauvignon tasting, we joined friends at Table Thirteen round the corner from the Victoria Junction in Green Point. They focus on lunch and only open for evening trade on Thursdays. Our vegetarian friends enjoyed a soft leek, feta & dill pie with avocado and asparagus salad and a huge salmon salad, both of which were delicious. We opted for the evening’s two R99 specials with a glass of wine: delicious and very tender grilled chicken with roasted fennel and asparagus on butternut mash and slow roasted pork in red wine with cannellini and wilted spinach. The pork was a little dry, but the flavour was excellent. We all spoiled ourselves with something from the dessert table: American pecan pie, huge chocolate brownies and excellent butternut and lemon polenta cakes. Service was friendly and efficient and the atmosphere warm and very comfortable. Prices fit comfortably in our R100 per person target.

Restaurants and picnics Please let us have more feedback about the restaurants in our list of specials. Your input is very valuable to all our readers.

We’ve enjoyed picnics at Buitenverwachting and Allée Bleue and we look forward to trying Rickety Bridge and the new picnic at Warwick. We are so lucky to live in a beautiful environment, where we can enjoy wonderful wines and food in such lovely places.

Click on the highlighted hyperlinks in the attached list to book for these events or to learn more about them.

Weekend market: Susan and Jane will be on our pavement as usual this Saturday with their delicious country goodies. Come and buy fresh farm eggs, fruit and vegetables, preserves and home baked breads, cakes and pastries from them and then come and visit us! We will be tasting wines, so do come in and have a chat and a taste and buy something great to cook with this weekend and a good wine to go with it. Wine and food are inseparable partners.

Your invitation to Main Ingredient’s Free Saturday morning Wine Tastings

every Saturday from about 10am in the shop

30th January – Wolvendrift sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabernet merlot and muscadel

28th January 2010

Remember - if you can’t find something, we’ll do our best to get it for you, and, if you’re not in Cape Town, we can send it to you! Check our product list for details and prices.

PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined, click on it for more information

Visit us at Shop 5, Nedbank Centre, 15 Kloof Rd, Sea Point 8005, Cape Town, South Africa

Phone: +27 21 439 5169 / 083 229 1172

We are the only shop in Cape Town which offers hard to find gourmet foods matched with well-chosen wines

Our Adamastor & Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take small groups (up to 6) to wine producers who are not usually open to the public. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made! Tours can be conducted in English, German, Norwegian or Dutch flavoured Afrikaans.

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 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.

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Main Ingredient's MENU - rosé tasting new date, more restaurant news

www.mainingredient.co.za

Evening view from Clifton past Oudekraal

ALL CHANGE PLEASE FOR ROSÉS Due to completely unforeseen circumstances (Lynne says it's all her fault, but we both had a hand in it – we missed the clash with the WINE magazine sauvignon blanc tasting at the Mount Nelson tomorrow) we have had to reschedule our Rosé tasting to next Tuesday, January 26th at 6 pm. (Thank you to all those with bookings who helped us to make the date change). So if you couldn’t come this week, we do hope you can come next week. We have a really interesting selection of dry Rosé wines, some with good low alcohols and some with really low prices. Bookings must be paid in advance please. Call us at 021 439 5169 to book. A good selection of snacks will be provided and it costs R100 per person. We will give a discount of R50 for your first case of six wines purchased - sorry no mixed cases - and there will be a Landskroon Hamper awarded to the person who spends the most on wine. Wines will include Buitenverwachting Blanc de Noir, Circumstance, Morgenhof Fantail, Landskroon Bushcamp, Newton Johnson Felicité, Vergenoegd and Zandvliet My Best Friend.

 

WATERKLOOF A foodie friend had heard reports of this winery restaurant, so five of us ventured forth last Saturday night in our car. Turn off from the N2 and drive through Somerset West and follow signs to the Vergelegen Medi Clinic and continue from there along the M9 Sir Lowry’s Pass Rd, which runs parallel to the N2, until you see the Waterkloof sign on the left. Turn off onto a dirt road and meander up the hill past a sleepy sentry box. The road suddenly turns into state of the art tarmac with regular passing places. Up and up you wind until suddenly, atop the hill, you see a massive, not very attractive, concrete bunker-like building. The South Easter was pumping as we dodged past the spray from the fountain at the entrance - to be suddenly entranced by the amazing views from the interior which is all chic double volume steel, glass and brick and sits over the wine cellar. A circular fire was burning in the middle of the bar area! The sun was setting and the view over False Bay and Sir Lowry's Pass were magnificent. Owned by a British wine merchant, Paul Boutinot, Waterkloof have three ranges of wine: Peacock Ridge, Circumstance and Waterkloof. All were available by the glass except the Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc which is R245 a bottle but the waitress did a very good up-sell by telling us she just happened to have a bottle open if we wanted to try it - so we had four glasses! Their glasses are hugely generous so only three were poured from the first bottle which arrived open but full. All the food is matched to their wines but you are free to choose others. Lynne really enjoyed the Circumstance Merlot but not the Shiraz which John had and did like. They are definitely catering to the local wealthy, mostly German, market and the Chef is French/Polish. The venue is great for large functions. The portions are small and prices are definitely in the Fine Dining category. The bill for two of us, two courses each, with a glass of wine with each course, coffee and service was R624. John had a very good if slightly chewy asparagus risotto to start, but it is just a taster portion. Lynne had a light and silky goats cheese mousse served with two feathers of ciabatta bread and a tiny smear of beetroot & balsamic reduction - not enough to taste. Luckily she still had some of her bread roll left. Mains do not come with any starches nor are there any to order. John had a square of delicious yellowtail on top of a mound of green lentils served, unusually, with a lamb jus. Lynne had a circle of slow cooked belly of pork with superb flavour and soft yielding texture. Sadly it was also half very soft fat which hadn't been cooked away. This came on a butternut sauce. Other dishes enjoyed were a very good layered vegetable tart, Kingklip with Ratatouille, a Poached Peach dessert and a Mango Parfait - looked more like a mango sorbet and wasn’t served in a Parfait glass. The Dessert menu is not very inspiring and there is no chocolate option - at present. Coffee came in a huge Cafétiere which only cost R30 and gave us all a cup or two.

The wine prices by the glass are inexpensive, especially considering the large servings. Prices for the Circumstance wines we ordered were R26 for the viognier, R30 for the sauvignon blanc, R38 for the merlot and R40 for the shiraz. Each dish on the menu comes with a recommendation for the most suitable wine.

GRAVAD LAX

One of the presents we received for Christmas was a whole side of fresh salmon. As our Christmas menus were planned, Lynne decided to make Gravad Lax for our New Year party. She cut the side into two pieces, spread on the marinade and put it into a plastic ice-cream container, covered it with Clingfilm then put another container on top and filled this with heavy jars to weigh it down. Obviously the tail end didn’t completely cover the other end but it doesn’t matter. You need to turn it daily and keep refrigerated. This sat in the fridge maturing till New Years Eve when she confessed she was too nervous to serve it! Our friends insisted and it was a huge success. It is really not very complicated to make but you have to be brave. If you don’t have Aquavit you can use plain Vodka.

One side of fresh salmon - 3 T rough salt - 1 t ground white peppercorns - 1 t ground allspice - 2 T pale brown sugar - 2 T finely chopped fresh dill - 50 ml Aquavit/gin/vodka.

Double the quantities for 2 sides

Mix well, spread on all sides of the salmon and proceed as above. Marinate for between 3 and 6 days. When ready remove from the marinade and thinly slice.

Tastings and other events Join WINE magazine for an informative seated tasting of the Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 wines. The tastings will be presented by leading winemaker Charles Hopkins of De Grendel. The Cape Town tasting will be tomorrow evening, 21st January, starting 18h30 at the Mount Nelson Hotel, and the Johannesburg tasting on 28th January starting 18h30 at Crowne Plaza The Rosebank. Tickets cost R150 per person. To book, E-mail subs@ramsaymedia.co.za call 0860 100 205, fax 0866 704 101, or to book online, CLICK HERE. For more information, please contact Jane Eedes on 021 530 3308.

The Robertson Wine Valley will host its second Hands on Harvest Festival from 26th to 28th February, giving you a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day - without having to quit your day job! Groups are small and intimate, so you are sure to have a hands-on experience you’ll never forget. Many of the activities are 'kiddie-friendly' and on Sunday, the Harvest Market promises to be a true family affair. Other activities include grape picking, grape stomping, vineyard tractor trips, grape vs wine tasting, and loads more.

The Kromboom Rotary Club is helping to organise the annual Rabbie Burns celebration, which takes place at Kelvin Grove on February 6th. In addition to being a fun evening, it also helps raise money for the Nonceba Trust, which takes care of abused women and children.

A date for the future you should try not to miss is the Taste of Cape Town 2010 between 24th and 28th March at the Granger Bay Extension – V&A Waterfront

EAT FOR UNDER R100 We’ve had several contributions telling us about restaurants which have given readers and ourselves affordable meals which fit within the R100 per head parameter. Thanks very much to everyone who has contributed. We’ve added the list to our regular specials list, which is attached. We know that there are many more. We hope to try some soon, especially some of the opportunities in Sea Point. We know that it is possible to eat well at some of the Asian restaurants in our neighbourhood and have enjoyed the food at our neighbour Dynasty and at the deceptively unsophisticated Jing Jing further down Main Road within the budget limit. Another possible is Kabab Mahal, one of the best Indian restaurants we know. Table Thirteen, round the corner from the Victoria Junction Hotel in Somerset Road is offering an evening opening meal tomorrow evening, with a special offer for our readers. Take with you the attached voucher to enjoy a meal with a glass of wine for R90. Please tell us about any similar deals you have enjoyed.

Restaurants and picnics Please let us have your feedback about the restaurants in our list of specials. We have made adjustments following information we have received. Things must be improving, because several special offers have been discontinued. We don’t have the time, or the money, to visit them all frequently, and they don’t all keep us up to date with their offers, or respond to our requests for information, so your input is very valuable to all our readers.

We’ve enjoyed picnics at Buitenverwachting and Allée Bleue and we look forward to trying Rickety Bridge and the new picnic at Warwick.

We are so lucky to live in a place which is so beautiful and where we can enjoy the wonderful wines and food in such lovely places.

Click on the highlighted hyperlinks in the attached list to book for these events or to learn more about them.

Weekend market: Susan and Jane will be on our pavement as usual this Saturday with their delicious country goodies. Come and buy fresh farm eggs, fruit and vegetables, preserves and home baked breads, cakes and pastries from them and then come and visit us! We will be tasting wines, so do come in and have a chat and a taste and buy something great to cook with this weekend and a good wine to go with it. Wine and food are inseparable partners.

Your invitation to Main Ingredient’s Free Saturday morning Wine Tastings

every Saturday from about 10am in the shop

22nd January – Joostenberg and MAN Vintners

20th January 2010

Remember - if you can’t find something, we’ll do our best to get it for you, and, if you’re not in Cape Town, we can send it to you!

PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined, click on it for more information

Visit us at Shop 5, Nedbank Centre, 15 Kloof Rd, Sea Point 8005, Cape Town, South Africa

Phone: +27 21 439 5169

We are, we believe, the only shop in Cape Town which offers a specialised service, combining gourmet foods with well-chosen wines on one floor

 

Our Adamastor & Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take small groups (up to 6) to wine producers who are not usually open to the public. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made! Tours can be conducted in English, German, Norwegian or Dutch flavoured Afrikaans.

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 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 Computer Associates® Anti-Virus software is updated at least daily and our system is scanned continually for viruses.

If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please send us a message, inserting "remove" in the subject line

The magical play of light on water and fish

We have some fantastic new products in stock, most of them from France - and we have tasters of nearly all of them. The most extraordinary is Pistachio oil - intensely nutty and full flavoured it can be poured over fresh grilled salmon, asparagus, goats cheese, on sticky pastries with honey and used in salad dressings. The following recipe is very Mediterranean in character, but simple to prepare and the ingredients are currently available. We have pomegranate molasses.

Chicken in Pomegranate with Pistachio Cous Cous

1 T oil - 4 to 6 chicken pieces - salt and pepper - 1 finely chopped onion - 2 cloves garlic - 2 T Pomegranate molasses - 250 ml chicken stock - 2 T chopped flat parsley - 2 T chopped coriander - 1 t cumin

Rub salt and pepper into the chicken pieces, then put the oil into a sauté pan and on a high heat, brown the chicken on all sides, Remove from the pan and set aside. Fry the onion till soft and translucent then add the garlic and sauté for two more minutes. Add all the other ingredients and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes.


Cous Cous
500g cous cous - 2 T pistachio oil - 2 T chopped pistachio nuts - 2T fresh pomegranate kernels (or dried cranberries) - salt and pepper

Season the dried cous cous, add the oil and stir. Then cook according to the instructions on the packet. Fork in the pistachio nuts and pomegranate and serve immediately with the chicken.

Tastings and other events Join WINE magazine for an informative seated tasting of the Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 wines. The tastings will be presented by leading winemaker Charles Hopkins of De Grendel. The Cape Town tasting will be on 21st January starting 18h30 at the Mount Nelson Hotel, and the Johannesburg tasting on 28th January starting 18h30 at the Crowne Plaza The Rosebank. Tickets cost R150 per person. To book, E-mail subs@ramsaymedia.co.za call 0860 100 205, fax 0866 704 101, or to book online, CLICK HERE. For more information, please contact Jane Eedes on 021 530 3308.

The Robertson Wine Valley will host its second Hands on Harvest Festival from 26th to 28th February, giving you a chance to experience the magic of harvest for a day - without having to quit your day job! Groups are small and intimate, so you are sure to have a hands-on experience you’ll never forget. Many of the activities are 'kiddie-friendly' and on Sunday, the Harvest Market promises to be a true family affair. Other activities include grape picking, grape stomping, vineyard tractor trips, grape vs wine tasting, and loads more.

The Kromboom Rotary Club is helping to organise the annual Rabbie Burns celebration, which takes place at Kelvin Grove on February 6th. In addition to being a fun evening, it also helps raise money for the Nonceba Trust, which takes care of abused women and children.

A date for the future you should try not to miss is the Taste of Cape Town 2010 between 24th and 28th March at the Granger Bay Extension – V&A Waterfront

TIME FOR ROSÉS    With the hot weather here at full blast, we often find ourselves reaching for a cold bottle of light rosé wine and we think its time for our annual Rosé tasting. We will be holding this on Thursday 21st of January and there will be food to accompany the wines we have selected. The cost of this tasting will be R100 per person and must be booked and paid for in advance as numbers will be limited to 20. Each person who buys a case of wine (6) - sorry no mixed boxes - will be reimburse R50 on that first case. Wines so far booked for the Tasting are Morgenhof Fantail, Buitenverwachting Blanc de Noir, Landskroon Bushcamp, Zandvliet My Best Friend; Newton Johnson Felicité and some new ones to be announced.

Winchester Mansions Sunday Jazz Brunch We were delighted to be invited to this by friends who had given it to Lynne as a birthday present - belated because we are all so busy! What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday. We don’t usually go out for Brunch because, on our only day off in the week, we usually stay home and relax with a good breakfast (croissants, scrambled eggs with truffle salt, fresh orange juice and good coffee) and the Sunday papers. This time, we started later - at 11 and could have lunch as well - it goes on to 2pm. What a spread they serve. We agree with Anthony Bourdain that buffets can be the worst way to sample hotel food, as they are often a repository of left-overs. Absolutely NOT at the Winchester. You can start breakfast in the conventional way with cereals, yogurt and a huge selection of fresh fruit. Follow this with croissants, preserves, pastries and good coffee or tea. Move on to a full cooked breakfast with a chef to make you eggs any way you want plus all the additions and then move on to sushi, mussels, carpaccios and a wonderful selection of salads. Then comes the hot table: this week they had perfectly cooked sirloin of beef, roast pork with apple and many other hot dishes - Lynne didn’t have any but saw cauliflower cheese and roasted vegetables and roast potatoes! Not satisfied enough? On the balcony a chef was braaiing lamb chops, chicken stuffed with pear and brie and kebabs! And when you think you have seen it all, there is an amazing table groaning with puddings, cheesecakes, brownies, scones and beautiful patisserie. And all this for only R195 pp including a glass of sparking wine and a Sunday Times. Obviously you have to book. 021 434 You sit in the courtyard under umbrellas listening to superb jazz - we had Maurice Gavronsky's group - or the tinkling water fountain. Only down side, people were smoking.

EAT FOR UNDER R100 Where can you have a meal with a glass of wine or beer and include service for under R100 a person? We await your suggestions and will put a list on to Menu. We have discovered two so far. The Bar at the Winchester Mansions has a really nice simple and reasonable menu: Example: Chicken ginger wrap for R57 plus a 250 ml carafe of Morgenhof Fantail White or Rosé for R30 with 10% service charge. La Bohème (021 434 8797) is still doing their 2 course special for R90 and three courses for R110, but you can have a spicy beef tagine for R70 with a glass of Simonsig Chenin for R20 or a Vegetarian special for R65 also with a glass of wine for R20 and still have 10% for service. Please tell us about any similar deals you have enjoyed.

Product News We mentioned Pistachio oil above, but we also have French champagne and Tarragon vinegars, dried green and pink peppercorns and a new range of delicious French mustards. You’ll find them highlighted in red in our product list.

Restaurants and picnics    We remind you to let us have your feedback about the restaurants in our list of specials. We don’t have the time, or the money, to visit them all frequently, and they don’t all keep us up to date with their offers, or respond to our requests for information. Buitenverwachting, Allée Bleue and Rickety Bridge and we look forward to trying the new picnic at Warwick.

Click on the highlighted hyperlinks to book for these events or to learn more about them.


Weekend market: Susan and Jane will be on our pavement as usual this Saturday with their delicious country goodies. Come and buy fresh farm eggs, fruit and vegetables, preserves and home baked breads, cakes and pastries from them and then come and visit us! We will be tasting wines, so do come in and have a chat and a taste and buy something great to cook with this weekend and a good wine to go with it. Wine and food are inseparable partners.


Your invitation to Main Ingredient’s Free Saturday morning Wine Tastings

every Saturday from about 10am in the shop


16th January – Morgenhof Fantail White, Red and Rosé, Chardonnay and Brut

13th January 2010

Remember - if you can’t find something, we’ll do our best to get it for you, and, if you’re not in Cape Town, we can send it to you!

PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined, click on it for more information

Visit us at Shop 5, Nedbank Centre, 15 Kloof Rd, Sea Point 8005, Cape Town, South Africa

Phone: +27 21 439 5169

We are, we believe, the only shop in Cape Town which offers a specialised service, combining gourmet foods with well-chosen wines on one floor

Our Adamastor & Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take small groups (up to 6) to wine producers who are not usually open to the public. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made! Tours can be conducted in English, German, Norwegian or Dutch flavoured Afrikaans.

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 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.

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Main Ingredient
Gourmet Ingredients & Fine Wines
Shop 5, Nedbank Centre, 15 Kloof Rd, Sea Point 8005, Cape Town, South Africa
Phone: +27 21 439 5169 Fax: +27 21 439 5169

Morgenhof, as we have probably said before, is one of our favourite lunch stops when we do wine tours. Excellent food, at very reasonable prices, in a beautiful atmosphere. The farm’s Cape Dutch buildings have been restored very authentically, and the French owner has added some French provincial character in the tasting venue and cellar. The wines are very good, too.

Lynne promised a Puy lentil recipe for last week’s newsletter, then forgot to deliver. Apologies. We served this (low GI) dish with roast lamb on Heritage Day. The Puy lentils are delicious and the only reason they are cooked separately from the ratatouille is that they colour it the most alarming shade of khaki green if you cook them together.

FENNEL RATATOUILLE WITH PUY LENTILS

1 small aubergine – salt - 1 onion – 1 T olive oil - 1 fennel bulb - 3 courgettes – 3 tomatoes - 3 cloves garlic – small bunch of thyme, chopped – 50 ml white wine – 100g Puy lentils - sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook in a stove top casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Chop the aubergine into 3 cm chunks, salt and leave for 20 minutes to get rid of any bitter juices. Rinse well. Chop the onion into 2cm chunks and fry in the oil till it just begins to take colour. Chop the rest of the vegetables into rough chunks, then add to the casserole. Crush the garlic and add it too, along with the thyme. Season, cover and allow to simmer gently in their own juices for 20 minutes until the vegetables are softening, stirring once or twice. At the same time, cover the lentils with water, add the wine (don’t salt) and simmer until soft then drain and add to the fennel stew. Adjust the seasoning and serve.]

ROBERTSON FARMERS MARKET

This regular event in our lives has become deservedly popular and brings crowds to our pavement, and, thankfully, into the shop on the last Saturday of every month (except October, when they will be very busy with the Robertson Wine on the River festival - http://www.wineonriver.com/). They will be back this Saturday, the 30th, from about 09h30. They have a drive of about 2 hours from Robertson to Cape Town, so it is quite remarkable that they are able to be with us at opening time, remembering that they have to pack their goods before they start out, and the fresh stuff is really fresh. We believe that their super vegetables will be on the table again this month. We expect to have fresh farm asparagus, strawberries, Kohlrabi and other delicious things like fresh bread and fresh farm eggs. Their produce disappears fast, so we recommend getting here as close as you can to 09h30.

Lynne made a Crème Brulée last weekend, using the Robertson farm eggs; it was golden like the sun. They are the most marvellous eggs, fresh, with real flavour. When we fry them, they don’t spread out all over the pan, but sit in a neat little circle, quite unlike supermarket eggs.

Saturday wine tasting

Huibre Hoff is a charming young lady, who handles the marketing for the Weltevrede wine estate in Bonnievale, near Robertson. She will be with us this Saturday to show off the Weltevrede wines. Their Poet’s Prayer chardonnay has just been awarded a Michelangelo gold medal. As only a tiny quantity of this is made, I don’t expect her to bring it, but she will have other wines from their excellent range, including one of our favourites, the Travelling Stone sauvignon blanc.

New in stock

Tom Yum soup mix, Miso with seaweed (in small individual sachets) and Thai shrimp paste, so you can make your own green and red curry pastes. Old Smokey’s Liquid Smoke is back in stock, with 250ml bottles in addition to the 125ml bottles we have had before. We have more Almond Crunch, in all three sizes, ditto their Chilli Almond Crunch. We have four flavours of Turkish Delight (Kosher, so it can be part of the celebration for those who will break their Fast next week).

Another new attraction is two really hot chilli sauces from Elephant Pepper – a nice development project. African Rural Farmers found that if they surround their crops with chilli plants, the elephants stay away. These sauces are then made using those chillies. Called Zambezi Red and Baobab Gold they are not for sissies. The Baobab Gold uses the fruit of the Baobab tree, so it has a nice sour element to the flavour. We have tasters open on the counter.

Ziggurat is another new label in our wine range. Made on Babylonstoren farm, near Paarl, they have an excellent sauvignon blanc, and we have also received their cabernet merlot and a delicious light, dry rosé.

The Diemersfontein Pinotage has achieved cult status, with its distinctive mocha chocolate character. The new vintage arrived in the shop today, and we have already received orders for case lots. Another Diemersfontein wine which has become deservedly popular is the very affordable Maiden’s Prayer red blend, and our stock of that was replenished at the same time.

PASS IT FORWARD

Sadly, Lynne was conned royally this week by a “gentleman” who rushed in to the shop in a panic. “You know my wife, Sandy” he said, “we live around the corner. She’s one of your customers and she’s currently abroad.” “Could I please use your phone as I have locked all my keys - house, office and car - in my office and I have to get another set quickly.” First phone call didn’t answer, nor did the cell phone number. “Please, please could you lend me R100 to get a taxi to Hout Bay where I can get a set of keys.” He is very good, very convincing and the panic looks very genuine. Well, it’s happened to us and we were lucky enough to find someone who was kind enough to help us out when we had an emergency – and they got their money back. He looked very local and respectable so Lynne lent him the money. We even got a signed IOU! That has now been handed into the local police station along with a full description of Mr H Cohen of 14 Irwinton Road. This house is just up the street from our shop, and appears to be unoccupied. But please be aware: he is out there. It really dents your confidence and trust in humanity.

Lynne and John

28th September 2006

John has been busy with tours for most of the past week, and, as usual, this has taken him to a number of excellent wine producers. Among these, he visited Waterford, where he was introduced to a new wine, which he loved and ordered right away. More about that further down. One of the attractions at Waterford, which we recommend to anyone visiting the farm, is a wine and chocolate tasting. A shiraz, a cabernet and a dessert wine are paired with appropriate types of chocolate. You’ll be amazed at how good these combinations are.
DURBANVILLE DELIGHT
We had the privilege, last Friday, of being royally fêted, along with other members of the wine media, at the launch of the Durbanville Wine Valley Association’s Season of Sauvignon. Chairman Martin Moore led us entertainingly through a dinner of nine wines and nine (small) courses, all matched to the wines. Each wine was introduced by someone representing the producer, often the winemaker, who told us about the wine as each course was served. A tour de force, which showed just what Durbanville has to offer with its excellent Sauvignon Blancs this year. Some favourites were the lean and elegant Altydgedacht, the nicely balanced Durbanville Hills, new producer De Grendel and the blockbuster Nitida, probably one of the most complete and complex Sauvignons the Cape has produced this year.
TASTING MENUS
Eating lots of small courses matched to wine in a tasting menu is very much the vogue this year and many restaurants are doing it. It is also rather nice idea to do at home but it can be a lot of work, as it does require lots of preparation, so stick to simple food that compliments the wine rather than overpowering it.
Lynne has adapted one of the courses we had and the preparation of this one is simple. A lot of it can be done in advance and then simply assembled. It is a marriage of flavours made in heaven.

Melon, Mint and Goats Cheese

1 Chèvre type goats cheese – 1 tub of mascarpone cheese – black pepper – a ripe melon
tiny mixed herbs and salad leaves - mint leaves (spearmint and apple mint are both good)
raspberry vinegar

Mix the goats cheese with an equal quantity of mascarpone cheese, add a grinding of black pepper. Roll into a sausage shape and wrap in Clingfilm, refrigerate overnight so it firms up. Thinly slice the melon (1/2 cm thick) into moon shapes and remove the pips and peel. Arrange about 5 thin slices on each plate and put a round of cheese in the middle. Cover the cheese with a mix of the baby salad leaves and the mint, then dress with a spoonful of raspberry vinegar and serve. You can use either green or orange melon or a mix of both. Serve with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.
SMOKED TUNA WITH AVOCADO AND ADOBO PEPPERS
Another easy to assemble course would be smoked tuna with an avocado salsa. Roughly chop ripe avocado with a tomato, spring onions and some smoked adobo jalapeno peppers. Add salt and lime juice to taste. You can, of course, get the smoked tuna and the adobo peppers from us. Serve with a Crisp Chenin Blanc or a lightly wooded Chardonnay
We will experiment this long weekend with a couple more courses and we’ll put them in the newsletter next week.
New this week!
We continue to add exciting wines to our inventory. We still have a few bottles of the 2005 Steenberg Semillon and have added the 2006 to our list while they still have stock. Fryer's Cove Pinot Noir made a good impression on us at a recent trade show, and it is now in our rack.
At the affordable end of the market, we always need good but inexpensive rosés in summer, so we have added De Meye Shiraz Rosé sec to our range. The wine alluded to in the first paragraph is Waterford’s Pecan Stream Rose-Mary. This is a true blanc de noir, not a renamed rosé; made from cabernet sauvignon and a little shiraz, picked quite green to reduce the alcohol level, it is a very pale shade of pink – very close to white. Delightfully crisp and clean with a sauvignon character, it will be a brilliant summer lunch time wine, with only 10% alcohol. Well done, Kevin Arnold. Other new wines at the budget end of our range are Bredell's Vineyard Collection Red, Wildekrans Caresse Marine White and Wildekrans Sauvignon Blanc.
Diemersfontein Pinotage will be released next week and we have already placed an order. Let us know if you want to order a case lot of this wine, and we will increase our order accordingly.
Our Jewish friends will soon celebrate Rosh Hashanah, their New Year. We have wonderful Kosher Turkish Delight, which is selling very fast, We replenished our stock again today, and will be able to get more next week. It makes an ideal New Year treat, as well as making an excellent gift.
Saturday tasting
We have a few interesting wines for you this week. We will open the Pecan Stream Rose-Mary and the Bredell’s Vineyard Collection Red and will also show you two new Shirazes. The first is Tamboerskloof from Kleinood, near Stellenbosch. This wine was introduced to us by a customer who had it at a restaurant and fell in love. She has already bought 3 cases! Then we have Naughton’s Flight, a new release from Francis Naughton, who was with Distell but is now steering his own course. We don’t have stock (no-one does), but we’d value your opinion. Not yet released, but we have tasted it, is his excellent Viognier, and we look forward to having it in the shop and showing it to you. We put it into a blind tasting of French wines, alongside a Viognier from the Rhône, and it showed very well
Robertson Farmers Market
A reminder that the popular Robertson Farmers’ Market will be here outside our shop next Saturday, 30th September from about 9.15 am. They bring lots of interesting country produce to sell. The heavy rain kept them from harvesting fresh vegetables last month. We hope that they will have them this time. Come early, in case they run out. We will have a Robertson winery, Weltevrede, giving us a tasting of their wines at the same time, as well as a new range of chilli sauces. Taste the wines first!
The Nose Bar in De Waterkant has a five course dinner with matching wines each month, entitled “A Match Made in Heaven” This month they will feature Newton Johnson wines from the Hemel en Aarde Valley next Wednesday, the 27th. Call 021 425 2200 to book. At R225 per person, including all the wine, it is tremendous fun and very good value
We wish all our Jewish readers a very good New Year and well over the Fast.
Lynne and John

21st September 2006

Hadeda Ibis
Having reorganised the garden down the side of our house, we have unearthed a lot of those big fat grubs, which become big yellow and black beetles later in their cycle. We put them in a bucket (no insecticide) and birds come to enjoy a treat. One of the visit to the suburban Main Ingredient has been this Hadeda, who has become quite tame, despite the attentions of James the giant cat.
Whose Best
You know you are on to a good thing when chefs, critics and other players in the food industry all tell you that the best food in town is at a restaurant in Bree Street called Jardine’s. We went last Thursday night with friends and no one had lied. Superb, well-cooked food from quite a small and straight forward menu which George Jardine, the chef, changes every fortnight. His sauces are so superb that we all asked our waiter for bread after the main course, so that we could polish the remaining sauces off our plates, so good were they. We had a very interesting starter of smoked salmon trout with chorizo and (raw) cauliflower surrounded by the most amazing “foam”. An unusual combination that really works. John had perfect Duck in which was served alongside a dense pear purée on a jus of duck leg confit, bacon and onion. Lynne had rare rump of the tenderest lamb with a red wine jus and something she is still raving about, real new potatoes. Sounds simple, it wasn’t. Our friends had oysters, a leek tart and beautifully sauced kingklip and they too were knocked out. We accompanied the meal with a Nitida Sauvignon blanc and a 1999 Beyerskloof Cabernet, which came from our own cellar (Corkage R35). Both wines were superb partners for the food. Jardine’s has a tasting menu for R220 which we will definitely be returning to try – several small courses married with wine. Our recommendation? Go. John sent a Belgian contact there for lunch this week, and he was suitably impressed.
New in stock this week
Something from your childhood! Real Italian Durum Wheat Alphabet pasta – used to encourage kids to eat soup and learn to spell at the same time. Lots of organic Bourbon Vanilla pods – 2 to a tube at R22.50. They make the shop smell wonderful. Squid ink in a new and improved package and Italian capers.

On the wine list, we have Jordan’s Chameleon Cabernet Merlot and Sauvignon Chardonnay blends, Chris Kelly’s delicious Hidden Agenda Chenin Blanc and Rietvallei’s John B Sauvignon/Colombard blend. Our tasting of Iona wines last weekend was most successful, and we sold almost all our stock of their delicious Sauvignon Blanc. More will arrive soon.
QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY - PLEASE
As many customers were talking about the new Willowbridge centre in Durbanville and exclaiming about the new Fruit and Veg there we decided we had to pay a visit on Saturday afternoon (precious time off doing research!). It’s a Fruit and Veg combined with a Pick n Pay with a large butchery and bakery section and a couple of nice products like reasonable Grana padano cheese and good Italian salami and Parma ham on the deli. However we were horrified to see piles of rotten, spoilt veg and fruit. Mange tout in packets that were yellow, moulding and moving!; courgettes with gouges, nail marks and brown rot, really nasty looking spoilt fruit well past its sell-by date. Why do we put up with this? Why do we let them foist bad food on us? Why don’t we complain? A new customer told me last week she is not allowed to complain as her kids tell her it embarrasses them. Huh? We will NEVER get the quality we deserve unless we demand it, folk. That is how it works in Europe and why their markets are so successful. They just refuse to buy bad spoilt food. We bought a lamb pack as it seemed reasonable at R29 a kilo instead of R59 for leg or chops. The amount of inedible make-weight bones and fat underneath the top layer of chops was completely unacceptable. Our dog has food for a week. We don’t. We will not be returning – it’s called voting with our feet.
For our wine club’s French Wine tasting on Wednesday, Lynne cooked a rough terrine which we thought you might like. It fed 15 people with a bit to spare.
COUNTRY TERRINE
2 bay leaves – 1 t black peppercorns – 6 to 8 juniper berries – 1 t salt - 1 t Szechuan pepper
½ t allspice berries – ½ t mace - 500g pork, belly - 200g pancetta or smoked bacon
500g chicken livers – 3 cloves – a sprig of rosemary – 1 t dried marjoram – 1 t dried thyme
50 ml dry white wine – 2 T brandy – 1 pkt smoked streaky bacon
Put all the spices into a pestle and mortar and pound to a paste. Blitz in your food processor or mince the meats with the spices, garlic and rosemary, the wine and the brandy. You want a fairly coarse mixture, not smooth, nor too salty. The pork should be fairly fatty. Leave to marinade in the fridge for 2 hours. Line a loaf tin/terrine mould with streaky bacon, which you stretch out a little with the back of a knife, then fill the mould with the pâté. Cover with more bacon. Roast in a low oven at 140ºC with the mould standing in a baking tin half filled with hot water (a bain marie) for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the pâté comes away from the sides of the tin. It should be slightly pink in the middle, not grey. Leave to cool, then cover with foil and weight it down with a board and some heavy tins or jars. Do this in the fridge. Serve slices with melba toast or crisp French bread and small cornichons (pickled gherkins). You could add sliced mushrooms in layers when you fill the tin.
GEORGE COUNTRY HOP FESTIVAL
For anyone venturing into the Garden Route, here is an attraction for you on Saturday 23rd September. The George Country Hop Festival takes place at the Redberry Farm, Geelhoutboom, George. There will be a Cross Country Fun Run through the Strawberry Fields and Dairy Countryside
5 km & 9km. You can also enjoy the Farm feel while you meander through the grounds of Redberry viewing all the interesting stalls, including fine foods, delightful Farm Cheeses made locally and other local treats. You will also be able to pick baskets of strawberries or relax and enjoy the surrounds with a bite to eat and a drink while you watch the local girls and children entertain you through the course of the day.
Durbanville Celebrations
The Durbanville Wine Valley’s second Season of Sauvignon Blanc starts this weekend; a celebration of Sauvignon Blanc. There will be a very full programme of events. Visit www.durbanvillewine.co.za for more information or contact the Durbanville Wine Valley Association on telephone 083 310 1228 or e-mail info@durbanvillewine.co.za
If there is still room, don’t miss De Grendel’s sushi and sauvignon lunches on Saturday and Sunday.
Lynne and John
14th September 2006

Remember, if you can’t find something, we’ll do our best to get it for you!
and, if you’re not in Cape Town, we can send it to you

Our Adamastor & Bacchus tailor made wine, food and photo tours take small groups to wine producers who are not usually open to the public. Tours can also be conducted in German or Norwegian.

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 are © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
While every effort is made to avoid mistakes, we are human and they do creep in occasionally, for which we apologise.
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