Sailing in the
sunset on a calm Table Bay
Food
Fact: Potato chips
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Hout Bay sunset We have friends here from Holland and, on a recent Sunday afternoon, we
took them for a trip to Hout Bay and ended up at Dunes for some good beer and
food. We do try to get out and enjoy our wonderful city with friends. Read on…..
A scenic sunset cruise and a journey
back to Greek Cuisine We receive many invitations to do great
things in our own city and we waited for the perfect day to take this sunset
Cruise. We were bidden to arrive at the Waterfront Charters office at 6 and we
sailed on the Serenity One at 6.15, on a calm sea with little wind and a lovely
sunset. This was followed on our return to the Waterfront at 8 pm by a lovely
Meze dinner at The Greek Fisherman. And all of the flavours of Greece were in
those mezes. The Cruise and Dine package with Waterfront Charters costs R570
per person for the cruise and dinner.
https://waterfrontcharters.co.za/shop24/special-cruises. Read on…..
2016 Wine Label Design Awards
Held this year at the AA Gallery in Church Street we had a chance to see
all the 20 labels that got to the final, see the awards and then taste the
winning label wines. Read on…..
SASSI fish and fine wines at
Camissa restaurant at The Table Bay Hotel Executive
Chef Jocelyn Myers-Adams is a committed sustainable fish chef and she produced
a superb lunch showing how beautifully our local fish on the SASSI Green list
can be prepared. This was served with an outstanding selection of some of South
Africa's really great wines. We were indeed indulged, cosseted and fulfilled. Read on…..
Sushi at Dynasty
We have often written about Dynasty, our favourite local Chinese
restaurant. They have moved from Nedbank Centre (above our old shop) into new
premises on Main Road in Sea Point. Mr Chan was there previously. You may not
know that Chef Alex Xu is a sushi master and we go there to enjoy his wonderful
sushi as often as our girth allows us. Now temptation is even stronger as, at
lunch times, the sushi is half price. Read on…..
Feast of the Grape in
Durbanville This was held last weekend and was an
example of how to do a family wine festival. Not only were there lots and lots
of good Durbanville Sauvignons and other red and white wines to taste on all
the Durbanville wine farm stands but lots of great entertainment had been
provided. You could stomp grapes, you could do guided tastings, one farm,
Nitida had a four course fine dining lunch table next to their stand that you
could book and they had some lovely old fashioned fairground entertainment for
children, which was a delight to watch. Food trucks provided the food and there
were tables and chairs, umbrellas and marquees to shelter under. Read on…..
Alexandra MCC On Monday
afternoon, we were summoned to Societi Bistro for the launch of Alexandra MCC
by Matthew Krone. This wine has been on the lees for five years, only 3000
bottles have been made and the next vintage will only be released in four years
time and thereafter every four years. Read on.....
Food Fact: Potato chips are supposed to be cooked
until crisp on the outside. We cannot understand why half of SA likes half
cooked 'slap' chips where they ingest far too much oil. Experiment and see how
good crisp chips can be, you might never look back. If you travel it's the
normal way people serve them from the US to Europe. Why are we so slap? (col.
lazy)
Recipe: Trinchado South Africa has a small but influential
Portuguese population and several very good Portuguese restaurants. It is
thought that this dish was introduced by Portuguese from neighbouring
Mozambique and Angola. It is a rich spicy dish of steak cubes in a red wine,
beef stock, chilli sauce with lots of
garlic. Serve with crispy chips and rolls to soak up the juices. Accompany with
a salad.
15 ml butter - 15 ml olive oil - 1kg beef
rump or fillet, cut into 3 cm cubes - Freshly ground black pepper - 2 large
onions, finely chopped - 3 sliced hot red chillies - 8 cloves of garlic,
roughly chopped - 2 tspns corn flour, mixed to a paste with a little cold water
- 1 t paprika - 2 sprigs of rosemary - 1 fresh bay leaf - 250 ml rich beef
stock - 375 ml red wine - 1/4 cup of brandy - 125 ml cream - salt and freshly
ground pepper to taste - optional: 25 to 30 black olives - grated zest of one
lemon
Heat the butter with the oil in a heavy bottomed pot.
Fry off the steak cubes to your satisfaction, medium rare is good. Set aside to
rest. Add the onions and chilli to the pot and fry them gently till soft and
beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and fry gently for one minute. Add the
corn flour and fry for a minute or two. Add the paprika, the herbs and then
pour on the stock, the wine and the brandy. Stir till you have a good thick
sauce. Add the cream, the optional black olives and then the beef. Taste and
adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with a
grating of lemon zest. Serves 4. A good wine to go with it would be Axe Hill’s
Distinta, made from Souzao and Tinta Barocca or De Krans Touriga Naçional.
Portuguese grapes for a Portuguese dish
Wine of the week So difficult this week, as we have had some
sensational wines and it is another red: Johan Meyer’s Pinot Noir 2011. What is
a winemaker from the Swartland Revolution doing making an elegant Pinot Noir?
Playing to his classical training and strengths. The grapes are from one of the
best farms in Elgin. A complex, layered Pinot with lots of cranberry and
raspberry fruit, hint of wood and some tannin structure, showing it has years
more to delight one. Sadly, it is not freely available; we bought it from him in
November 2012 and he only released 1002 bottles, but watch out for his newer
vintages. He is one of a brilliant generation of young South African
winemakers. His Chardonnay 2011 is also out of the same box, but from Walker
Bay grapes. No oxidised wines here.
Third best Pinot Noir in the World! On the
subject of Pinot Noir, drink a toast to Newton Johnson, whose Family Vineyards
Pinot Noir is on the front cover of the April issue of Decanter, possibly the
UK’s most authoritative wine journal and the world's most widely read. It is
rated in the magazine as one of the three best Pinots from the world outside
Burgundy. We congratulate them and are very happy to have a good selection of
Newton Johnson Pinots in our cellar. Story with photographs…..
Here is a list of coming events up to the end of the second week in March.
There may be more, but we will add them as we receive them. We will be at the Durbanville Feast of the Grape on Sunday
and we hope to see many of you.
Saturday, 5th
March to Sunday, 13th March Woordfees Picnic Concert at Neethlingshof Wine Estate.
Bring picnic blankets and chairs to laze on the lawns of the historic
Neethlingshof grounds, whilst enjoying an exciting line-up of top vocal talent.
Gates will open an hour before each event and the music will start at 18h30.
All sales will be cashless, only debit, credit or the Woordfees cash card may
be used. As Neethlingshof wines will be on sale, guests are not permitted to
bring their own alcohol. Tickets can be purchased through www.computicket.co.za
or at any Computicket outlet. Tickets are also available for purchase at the
Erfurthuis, Ryneveld Street, 37 – Monday to Friday 9:00 – 17:00. Alternatively
tickets will be available from the farm on the evening.
Saturday, 5th March 18:30 Blye galme Gospel Music| 120min | R60| R80 at the door
Sunday, 6th March 18:30 Chris Chameleon in Africana – (dis)seksie! 70min | R120 | R140
at the door.
Monday, 7th March 18:30 Valiant Swart – Mystic Nagte 120min (with interval) | R100| R120
at the door.
Tuesday, 8th March 18:30 Kitaarkonings with Albert Frost, Madala Kunene, Tony Cox and
James Grace 70min | R100 | R120 at the door.
Wednesday, 9th March 18:30 Francois van Coke 70min | R100 | R120 at the
door.
Thursday, 10th March 18:30 Laurie Levine en die Radio Kalahari Orkes 70min
| R100 | R120 at the door.
Friday, 11th March 18:30 Tamboerynman – Koos van der Merwe sing Bob Dylan 70min | R100 |
R120 at the door.
Saturday, 12th March 18:30 Die Heuwels Fantasties 70min | R100 | R120 at
the door.
Sunday, 13th March 18:30 Bra Tete, The US Jazz Band
100min | R100| R120 at the door.
Neethlingshof is part of Cape Legends, a collection of
award-winning wines from several boutique estates in and around the Cape
Winelands. For more information about
Neethlingshof and its wines, visit www.neethlingshof.co.za, call 021
883 8988 or make contact on www.facebook.com/neethlingshof (or via Twitter @NeethlingshofW).
Sunday, 6th
March Eikendal Weintaufe, a feast of family
fun.Tickets for the Eikendal Weintaufe Harvest Celebration will be available at
the gates on the day and cost R50 per person, which include a free glass and
tasting from the barrel. Under 18’s get in for FREE. The gates open at 10am and
make sure to claim your spot before the official christening and tasting of the
new Eikendal Chardonnay which will take place at 12h00. For more information on the Eikendal
Weintaufe Harvest Celebration contact the estate at 021 855 1422 or send an email to counter@eikendal.co.za
Sunday, 6th
March The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series continues
with a performance by Ryno Velvet Band. Come and enjoy your Sunday afternoon by
relaxing on the lawns with a glass of wine whilst listening to some great SA
music. Tickets are R120 from www.webtickets.co.za and R150 at the gate. Students pay R60 and
there is no charge for children under the age of 12. Delicious food and snack
boxes will be available on the day. Snack boxes can be pre-ordered at restaurant@backsberg.co.za at a cost of R160 for two persons. Gates
to Backsberg Estate Cellars open at 15h00.
Thursday, 10th
March Summer Sounds at Haute Cabrière, featuring Morne
Meyer, from Wellington, who has recently worked in Dubai as an entertainer for
Regal Plaza Hotel with guitar, vocal and live music. He is talented in multiple
genres including Jazz, Blues, Funk and Pop. This is the perfect way to enjoy a delicious light
meal paired with great wines. The breathtaking views and sunsets provide a
splendid setting for the entertainment on the Terrace area at Haute Cabrière with
seating on the Terrace and the lawns which overlook the magnificent Franschhoek
Valley. Booking is essential as each event has a maximum capacity of 60 people. Please note
only the Terrace menu is available at these events and no cover charge applies.
For
reservations and enquiries e-mail restaurant@cabriere.co.za or call 021 876 3688
Saturday,
12th March, 11h00
to 14h00 Wine Concepts Second exclusive Chenin Blanc
& Pinotage Celebration in the parking area at the Newlands Store.
This “Local is Lekker” festival gives wine lovers the opportunity to taste a
selection of dynamic latest release Chenin Blanc’s and prestigious current
vintage Pinotage’s from 20 of the country’s top producers. This year we hope to
include a bubbly and dessert wine or two to savour in the line-up as well. All
the showcased wines will be available for purchase at special prices from Wine
Concepts on the day. Cost: R50.00 per person – includes wine glass and tasting
of over 40 wines. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day. Telephone
Newlands at 021 671 9030. Email: admin@wineconcepts.co.za
Saturday, 12th
& Sunday, 13th March Stellenbosch Vineyards Pizza & Wine Festival.
Sunny days and balmy nights, delicious pizza and great wine - the perfect
combinations for a good time in the winelands. Enjoy a selection of superb
wines paired with mouth-watering pizzas and live music. Or take a break from
the pizza and wine, and indulge in the oyster and bubbly bar set under the
thatched area in the middle of the Welmoed pond. A first of its kind in the
Stellenbosch winelands, the festival will take place on the picturesque Welmoed Farm, home of Stellenbosch Vineyards,
offering fun-filled activities for the kids as well as a variety of
pizzas creatively prepared to tantalise your taste buds. Tickets cost R120 per
person which includes entry, a tasting glass, tasting coupons and the live
entertainment. Additional coupons can be purchased on the day. Book directly
via www.webtickets.co.za
Saturday, 12th
March Muratie Harvest Festival. The Melck family
will once again be hosting their Annual Harvest Festival at Muratie Estate in
Stellenbosch on 2016. The festival, which takes place under the ancient oaks
that guard this historic wine estate, is a celebratory family event featuring
good food, fine wine, great company, live music and lots of fun stomping the
newly harvested grapes. The day will begin at 11h30. Entrance will be R50.00
per person. A selection of delicious meals and cold drinks will be on sale and
Muratie’s full range of wines will be available for purchase, by the glass or
by the bottle. Rijk Melck will be giving a talk on the extraordinary characters
from the farm’s colourful past, after whom the Muratie wines are named. This
talk will take place at 12h00 and all are welcome. After lunch, guests will be
able to relax and enjoy a memorable afternoon of live music performed by the
popular Kitchen Jammin Blues Band. Festival-goers must please book their
tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. For further information contact
Jean-Mari Strauss at Muratie on 021 865
2330 or taste@muratie.co.za.
Sunday, 13th
March The Backsberg Centenary Picnic Concert Series continues
with a performance by Valiant Swart Band. Come and enjoy your Sunday afternoon
by relaxing on the lawns with a glass of wine whilst listening to some great SA
music. Tickets are R120 from www.webtickets.co.za and R150 at the gate. Students pay R60 and
there is no charge for children under the age of 12. Delicious food and snack
boxes will be available on the day. Snack boxes can be pre-ordered at restaurant@backsberg.co.za at a cost of R160 for two persons. Gates
to Backsberg Estate Cellars open at 15h00.
3rd March 2016
PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined,
click on it for more information
Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656
4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005
Our Adamastor
& Bacchus© tailor-made Wine, Food and Photo tours take
small groups (up to 6) to specialist wine producers who make the best of South
Africa’s wines. Have fun while you learn more about wine and how it is made!
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blogs are © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus.
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