A flurry of
Antarctic terns
Food
Fact: Americano coffee
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And so begins the Gin Revolution
There
is suddenly a huge renaissance for gin in South Africa. Not only are gin bars
springing up everywhere, but new gins are appearing some from large alcohol
producers and from small artisanal producers. Respected wine farms are also
producing their own interesting gins. We have been involved a little bit in
sourcing botanicals and aromatics for some of the producers and we love good
gin. So we were very excited to be invited to taste three new gins last week,
produced on Blaauwklippen Estate. The gins were presented at the annual
Zinfandel lunch, held this year at La Mouette Restaurant, where a superb lunch
was paired with Blaauwklippen Zinfandel wines and the gins. Read on.....
Keermont Open Day
This
was a great chance to taste Keermont wines, some older vintages and some just
being released. The farm is high up in the hills above Stellenbosch and they
have vineyards on both sides of the valley between the Stellenbosch and
Helderberg mountains, facing each other. Read on.....
Waterford wines are worth tasting
On
the way back down the mountain from Keermont and De Trafford, you come to Waterford and, as we had a friend
from Australia with us, we went in for their superb tasting. Read on.....
Heading away for a
short break We took our Dutch visitors to Hemel and Aarde
for a short break from Sunday to Tuesday and have lots to report. We started
with a lovely lunch at the Pool Room on Oak Valley wine farm, visited a new
farm for us Restless River which was right behind where we were staying, had
lunch on the rocks at Bientang’s Cave in Hermanus, braaied, and then, on the
way back visited one of their favourites, Creation, and another new farm
(although the wines are well known to us) Domaine des Dieux. Here are some stories
with words and pictures:
We return to the Pool Room for lunch.
We stopped off for a proper lunch at the Pool Room on Oak Valley Estate this time, on our way to a stay in the Hemel en Aarde Valley. It certainly was worthwhile Read on.....
Restless River
We love
staying in the Hemel and Aarde Valley and on this visit we decided to try out some
new farms. Restless River is right behind where we normally stay - in fact we
could walk there, so it was a great find. Read on.....
To Bientang’s Cave for lunch and a view of the Ocean
This is where you want to lunch in Whale season; they will swim almost up to the rocks in front. We didn’t see any in Hermanus this time, although there are lots on the Atlantic seaboard at the moment as they return from the Antarctic with their newly born calves and head north Read on.....
Another visit to Creation to buy some wine.
Our Dutch friends love Creation's wines, so we took them for another visit to replenish their cellar Read on.....
Domaine des Dieux (the Land of the Gods)
has marvellous MCC
wines and some others to sample at their tasting room in the Hemel and Aarde
which we know from tasting outside the valley at festivals, award ceremonies
and restaurants. We went exploring to find another as yet undiscovered venue. Read on.....
We are doing our best for the economy We
have had or are still to have no less than 9 different friends: families or
singles visiting us from overseas this year and we are not only working, but
taking them around our wonderful Cape to as many good restaurants,wine festivals
and farms as we can while they are here. Sometimes the organisation is hectic,
but they are loving it and so are we. A case in point is yesterday when we took
1 Australian, 2 Dutch and 2 UK friends for a short Peninsula tour starting with
a tasting and cellar tour at Buitenverwachting, a marvellous lunch at The Food
Barn in Noordhoek, a quick trip to the penguins at Boulders, a long stay in an
horrendous traffic jam in Fish Hoek and then, having dropped most of them off
at the Vineyard Hotel, were joined by another friend for the 20/20 cricket at
Newlands. Such a pity SA lost, but it was close. So was getting to the Cricket
with the awful traffic. Whew. We will show you pictures of the marvellous lunch
at the Food Barn next week, as time has run out for John to process them
FOOD FACT: An Americano coffee is a double espresso topped up
with hot water. IT DOES NOT COME WITH MILK. That is a Latté, South Africa. Pleeeze
- get the message. We are tired of being asked if we want milk with our
Americanos. We don't. That is why we are ordering them
Wine of the Week: It is a white wine this week and it is the Restless
River chardonnay, which earned a 4½ Star rating in the 2016 Platter. It has
lovely citrus elegance with an undertone of nuts and subtle vanilla and a
mineral backbone. Quite delicious. It is made in limited quantities, but you
may find it at Wine Concepts
Recipe of the Week is Greek Meatballs or keftedes. These make an ideal meze or,
if rolled into small 2 cm balls, an easy canapé
¼ cup breadcrumbs - ¼ cup milk - 500g beef
mince - ½ T extra virgin Olive oil - 2 T grated onion - 1 T chopped fresh mint
- ½ T chopped fresh oregano - 2 good pinches of cinnamon - ½ t cumin - 1 finely
chopped garlic clove - 1 egg - salt - freshly ground black pepper - 1 round of
feta cheese, broken up into small crumbs - a good squeeze of lemon juice
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk and allow to soften, then
drain off the milk and squeeze them dry. Put mince, oil, softened breadcrumbs,
onion, oregano, mint, cinnamon, garlic, egg, salt and pepper, feta cheese and
lemon juice. Mix well together. Fry a small piece to check the seasoning,
adjust if necessary. Roll into small meatballs and fry gently in some cooking
oil. Serve with Tzatziki on Pita bread or as a meze snack
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. Muratie on Saturday and Stellenbosch Vineyards on Sunday
for the Stellenbosch Pizza and Wine Festival. Oh, and at the Starlight Concert at
Vergelegen on Saturday evening. We hope to see many of you. Another busy but
fun weekend....
Until Sunday,
13th March Woordfees Picnic Concerts 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.
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).
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.
10th March 2016
PS If a word or name is in bold type and underlined,
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Phones: +27 21 439 3169 / 083 229 1172 / 083 656
4169
Postal address: 60 Arthurs Rd, Sea Point 8005
Our Adamastor
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