A Mexican product demonstration at Wild Peacock, Stellenbosch

Wild Peacock in Stellenbosch stocks the things chefs and good cooks want; all the luxuries like oysters, freshwater crayfish, imported and local cheeses, fresh fish, game, charcuterie and chocolate. They have a retail shop in town and a huge warehouse in the industrial area. Last week, we were invited to visit and see a demonstration of Mexican food products (made in the USA) which they import. www.wildpeacock.co.za/

Following the tasting, we went to their Emporium and Lynne bought two packets of dried smoked chillies, a packet of Ancho and a packet of Californian chillies

Gaby from Aztec foods did the demonstration, supported by her husband

Here she is making a chilli paste. The range does include masa harina the flour you need to make tortillas and tacos

Some of the products come in tins

Here are some of them opened for us to taste

Gaby using a smoked chilli bottled sauce

Ready-made Mole, Adobo and other sauces to use from the pot, and packets of dried chillies

Here she is explaining how to use some of the more unknown products like Nopales, which are pieces of cactus. We tasted them and they are definitely an acquired taste and texture. We found them rather slimy and completely tasteless in a cabbagy way. Perhaps you have to grow up eating them

Azteca is the brand - you can learn more on Facebook

Tortillas should always be heated in a dry pan and, did you know, they have two different layers? The thin one goes inside and the thick layer must be outside

Refried beans are not refried and Achiote is a blend of chilli and other spices including Annato, which colours the food red. Tins of whole and sliced Jalapeno chillies

The range of dried chillies

Dishes Gaby cooked. Pork in Salsa Verde with Nopales

Chicken in Mole Rojo

Nopales salad

Chicken in Mole Verde

Beef in Adobo sauce

Ross Baker has now taken over running the business from his mother Sue, who started it in 2000

Sue Baker

Andrew Baker took us for a tour of the cold storage rooms, each has its own purpose. These are tanks for fresh crayfish

Freshwater crayfish

Fresh oysters

Beautiful sea bass flown in from Reunion

Charcuterie from many different destinations has a room all on its own

Wheels of Edam young and old, in the cheese room

Lots of other slowly ripening cheese

The dried goods storage and dispatch

Valrhona chocolate to keep everyone happy

The Wild Peacock Emporium at 32 Piet Retief St, Stellenbosch, 7600. Phone 021 887 7585

The inside will remind our old customers of Main Ingredient, but they sell lots of fresh foods which we never did. You can also have lunch or coffee and cake and more. Lots of interesting things to buy

And a nice selection of wines and other beverages

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015

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Swartland Survivor wine launch at Overhex, Worcester

So here is the story of the label

A truck carrying 33 Nguni cows went past one of their wine farms and, as they are wont to do, one leapt off the back of the truck into the vineyards. The truck continued and the cow adapted itself to her new situation, was adopted by the farmer and was thereafter known as the Survivor. Overhex has produced a range of wines to celebrate this cow and we were invited to have a 5 course dinner at the winery in Worcester and sample them over dinner in their newly finished restaurant tasting room 

As Worcester is a bit far to drive back to Cape Town at night, Overhex generously put up the media in The Habit bed and breakfast in Worcester. And very comfortable it was too

The breakfast room

A good pool and a place for us to gather in the late afternoon

We arrived by transport at Overhex as the sun was setting. This amazing transformation has taken place over the last 9 weeks

Apparently the restaurant was finished just that morning

It will be a lovely spot to sit out in the summer

Tables set, canapé first course arranged and wine on chill in the buckets

The menu was paired with the four Survivor wines

The two on the left went with the crisp and slightly tropical Sauvignon blanc: Pea puree, onion jam with a piece of artichoke on a sliver of toast and a smoked salmon twirl with an asparagus tip on a cream cheese crostini

With the Pinotage: a deep fried chicken drumstick topped with crisp bacon and a mini vol á vent filled with some sliced beef

The media tweeting in unison!

Michael Fridjhon is acting as a consultant to Overhex and he made a speech

Reporting on Facebook is Brett Hutton

Rather soggy and oily butternut chips with melba toast ...

... to accompany the large rather under ripe brie in a filo platter, topped with caramel onion & walnuts

The chef, Jaco van der Westhuizen

Shante Hutton

Main course was two lamb chops on top of sticky rice, with a couple of vegetables and a parmesan tile

The last course was dessert - chocolate truffles with Oude Molen brandy

Willie Malan, Overhex Production Manager with his wife Natalie, Overseas Marketing Manager for Overhex

Breakfast the next morning at The Habit. The breakfast chef was very good and very quick

Gathering for breakfast was a little slow as some had stayed up late to party. We were too tired to join them after our hectic week

Lynne’s full English Breakfast with very fresh farm eggs and some really delicious boerewors sausage. We would love to know where to buy this, it was excellent. She also had black coffee and a little plain yoghurt with honey

John's cheese omelette with crisp bacon. He had fruit and muesli to start

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015

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