Thursday, December 06, 2012

Diemersdal's new restaurant

The Werf at Diemersdal with some of the farm buildings
The menu for the event
One of the farm workers showing us their Argentine miniature horse, 
and Big Boy the Percheron horse
People gathering for the event outside the new farm eatery in the converted stables.  It was a hot day and we needed the shade of the umbrellas
What lovely pets for children these miniature horses make.
We ate at a long table in the narrow building 
but there was plenty of space for serving the food.
They have kept it very true to the original
The chef, Nic van Wyk
A happy gathering of food and wine media
Thys Louw, the current winemaker, tells us how the restaurant came about
The first course of tapas on a wine barrel board, enough for two to share consisted of (from the left): A wild rocket salad with pickled green beans and artichokes, pulled lamb shoulder with white bean and truffle cream, sticky pork belly and prawn skewers with a trinchado sauce, Brandade of salt fish with aioli. Everything was excellent
Amazing bread baked in the kitchen to go with the food
The wines we drank with lunch
Tienie Louw, the current owner of the farm
Discussing the food and wine with Graham Howe. You might spot another of the last Masterchef contestants across the table, Lungile Nhlanhla. She was one of Lynne's favourites and we were told she is now working for Drum magazine
The main course of Basque flavoured hake, asparagus green and white with a potato salad
Chef Nic van Wyk with Anja Smit  the front-of-house-manager
There was a small morsel of the excellent bread in these paper packets that we got to take home Translation is: Stay calm and drink more wine
Words and photographs © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2012

Franschhoek's Magic of Bubbles


Our first stop was to taste the Genevieve MCC and say hello to Melissa Genevieve Nelsen, who makes it. She was giving away cameo badges - her logo
New we met the boys who are GM and Ahrens, Gerrit Maritz and Albert Ahrens.
They only make 700 bottles each year and they say this crisp and lean bubbly 
which sells at a premium price sells out each vintage.
Their “French” look for the festival
The festival is held next to the Huguenot monument, where they have planted wonderful roses and unusual striped pansies in profusion. Lynne covets them for her garden.
Veuve Clicquot seemed popular and so were the fresh oysters
Their stand, with no bottles but very beautiful assistants
A nice way to chill on a Sunday afternoon, especially as it was nice and cool this year.
Fridges filled with Graham Beck bubbly
Lynne and Alan Mullins getting into the spirit of things. 
Alan's wife Theresa is behind Lynne
Oliver Cattermole chef at Le Franschhoek serves John a pork pie for lunch
Johan Kruger of Sterhuis - one of our favourite people - and his Blanc de Blanc. 
Both were in sparkling form
Sally Gower of Ross Gower wines from Elgin was next to him 
and we had a good chat and a taste
Father and Son Nigel and Craig McNaught of Stony Brook with their bubbly and their fantastic antique champagne bucket, probably the nicest one we saw that day. 
They both went to John’s old school, St Andrews.
Sue and Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts with their daughter, all having fun
Pierre Jourdan’s range of bubblies with their new livery.  We like the new labels very much and think they will stand out well in any wine shop  - as the wine does
Lynne with Takuan and Christiane Von Arnim of Pierre Jourdan
They called this marvellous concoction of smoked salmon and fresh raw salmon with fresh beetroot, pickled ginger and a good avocado sauce a ‘salmon kebab’.  It so deserved a better name and was delicious.  Those worms are actually puffed wheat which added nice texture and the black addition is an unusual Nori crisp
Rickety Bridge stand was next and we heard about the new restaurant, 
which we will visit shortly
Karen Loubser presents her husband John’s Silverthorn Bubbly, also one of our favourites
Melanie van der Merwe from Tanzanite and her husband
Melanie has a cuddle with Alan Mullins. 
He is deservedly spoilt at events like this, where he is known and respected by everyone
Nigel Cattermole of Siris Vintners tucking in to his son’s sushi from the Le Franschhoek hotel stand..
...and has fun with his family
On the Woolworth’s stand with wine selector Ivan Oertle, we tried all their bubblies
Comtesse Alexis Brut Rose French Champagne from Woolworths 
with the local Ladybird Brut Rosé MCC from Laibach
Cute romper! The theme of the day was black & white and he was suitably dressed, 
even if he does support the wrong Team!
German winemaker Mareike Jensen, whom we met last week at the Savvy Celebration with Wesley from Oded’s Kitchen and his girlfriend
Some people were extremely happy and lining up the bottles for later
JP Colmant and Janine from Colmant.
Their Franschhoek bubbly is a Ford family favourite
Hennie Coetzee And Maggie Mostert of Batonage, 
whom we meet often at these functions, having fun and a bite to eat
More faces from last week at Savvy Celebration.  Anton Smal of Bramon wines near Plettenberg  Bay was showing us his bubbly made from Sauvignon Blanc
Caelli Pentz the Tasting Gallery Manager of Avondale with their Brut
Good dance music and people having a great deal of fun.
On the way home.  These chic chaps certainly like their French Champagne as well as lots of the local bruts.
Pictures and text © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus cc 2012