Mimosa Lodge, Montagu

Off to Montagu with the wine lovers

Once a year Lynne organises a trip to some part of our rich Cape winelands for members of our wine club the Oenophiles. Last year we stayed at Laborie’s in Paarl, the previous year we were in Wellington at Dunston and this year we ventured to Montagu to stay at Mimosa Lodge. Montagu has lots of good accommodation but, nowadays, not so much wine, so the weekend featured some trips through the pass to Robertson and Bonnievale. Montagu is a lovely old country town filled with beautifully restored houses and lots of pub restaurants

We travelled down during the day and made a couple of stop along the way, other members did the same, and others came after work and arrived on Friday evening. Mimosa Lodge is well known and is owned by much awarded chef Bernard Hess and his wife Fida. They were overseas this month, but we were well taken care of by their enthusiastic staff

The original part of the hotel has the service parts of the hotel on the ground floor and several rooms off the top balcony

We booked an ordinary room but were given this rather dark garden room instead

It is a very long room, with a cavernous tiled bathroom, rather retro

With this small seating area on the side. The weather during the day was lovely and sunny but the nights were very, very cold

We did sit out in the garden on arrival and enjoyed the late afternoon light. Montagu was in the grip of a day-long power cut but, luckily, it came back on at about 7.30pm and we were not troubled again during the weekend

Late afternoon in the garden

The swimming pool, but not at all tempting in the middle of winter

An owl carving

One of the other garden cottages

Lynne was entranced by this very tame olive thrush

Warming ourselves in the bar in front of the roaring fire, so appreciated

Gathering for the welcome Muscadel cocktail ,we moved on to some bottles of De Wetshof Bon Vallon, their crisp and delicious unwooded chardonnay

Soft early morning light on Church Street, from one end ...

... to the hotel ...

.... to church at the other end

Some of the newer garden rooms

Another part of the garden

An aloe garden, very suitable in the Karoo

Another of the garden cottages

has its own plunge pool and hammock

Dietes grandiflora, our local indigenous iris

First down to breakfast. There were 15 members of the club, so we had our own long table

Besides a cooked breakfast, there were lots of the usual options

All the art is for sale

With the omelette came a really good venison sausage

Lynne had one on her conventional bacon and eggs

On Saturday night we all opted for the four course menu paired with the Mimosa House wines. It costs R450 pp

The first course was a puree of peas with a parmesan crisp, small tomatoes and balsamic reduction

Then a hot spicy and sharp tomato soup with rather a lot of fenugreek

Small duck breasts in a very savoury gravy with pommes puree and some vegetables

Dessert was a whipped mousse on macerated and fresh strawberries

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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Lunch at Melissa's, Du ToitsKloof winery; Ye Olde Tavern, Montagu

The trip to Montagu takes about 2 to 2½ hours and we wanted to stop along the way at Du Toitskloof winery near Rawsonville to buy some of their Nebbiolo, an Italian grape that produces wildness and richness in this cherry and spice supple red wine. It was also a chance to stop for some lunch

Next door to the winery is a branch of Melissa's

There was a staff lunch taking place

We spotted this (new to us) craft beer on the menu and decided to order it for lunch. Its hoppy and robust, rather similar to a good English Bitter and we enjoyed it. Very good value, too, at R25 for 440ml

If you are a fan of Melissa's you will find a familiar menu and most of the normal Melissa products, with a few others which are produced locally. We sat at the table in front of the fire

Lynne opted for the smoked salmon and cream cheese open sandwich on toasted rye, which came rather swamped with a tomato and raw onion salsa. A crime in her eyes was the raw onion, as it completely overtakes the delicate salmon, and it can make one burp for hours afterwards. The avocado was an optional addition

John ordered a pizza with caramelised onion, avocado, rocket and crispy bacon. Our bill was R200 with service.

After we had checked in at Mimosa House, the group moved just across the road to the local Pub restaurant, Ye Olde Tavern

We had reserved a table for 15 and even though they had a power cut all day long, they were ready for us with a very wide menu

They had a special of the day which was this beef pie with chips, and creamed spinach for R89. If you gave up the chips and spinach you could have a plate of soup and follow that with Malva pudding. Most people including John, just went for the pie, with the chips and spinach. Others had lamb shanks and we drank some local, inexpensive red wines, not all of which were great. Everyone enjoyed the food and the ambience and the staff were amazing sorting out our complicated bills at the end for which we are very grateful. It was a very busy evening for them. We got the feeling it usually is as this place is popular

Lynne chose the sticky pork spare ribs which were a bit mixed. Some of the ribs were succulent, others dried out and sadly overcooked. Perhaps the power cut was to blame? The sauce was very good. This came with onion rings which she donated to others at the table, and creamed spinach

And then we walked back across the road, lit by the street lights, to bed

 It was indeed a very cold moonlight night. We slept like logs

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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This Week’s MENU. Vietnamese village, Hanoi, Leaving Vietnam, Anatoli, Cecilia Forest walk, Den Anker, De Wetshof Limestone Hill at Charango

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A kelp gull in a Sea Point winter storm

In this week’s MENU:

 @MyVoiceMap Elfin Trail in the Cecilia Forest with TravelMassive

 Turkish meze and atmosphere at Anatoli, Cape Town

 Lunch with the Winter Specials menu at Den Anker, V&A Waterfront    

 De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay with lunch at Charango Bar & Grill, Cape Town    

 MENU goes East - Leaving Ha Long Bay, a visit to a Vietnamese village    

 MENU goes East – A Vietnamese village; a visit to a home and supper with a family

 MENU goes East - and comes South West. Last day in Hanoi and home to Cape Town

 Recipe of the week - Jalapeno and Peppadew Dip

 Wine of the week. De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay

 Coming events

Another exceptionally cold week, but with cloudy days and not enough rain to make a significant difference to our water supply. This weekend, we’ll be in Montagu and Robertson with our wine club friends. It will be very cold but we are looking forward to the warmth of companionship and Robertson hospitality  

@MyVoiceMap Elfin Trail in the Cecilia Forest with TravelMassive     A walk with the fairies and elves and one was dwarfed. We are members of Travel Massive an international travel networking organisation and were asked if we would like to go on a walk through Cecilia Forest one Saturday afternoon. We don't often do walks these day, we have both done a fair amount in the past and love them but time and work has taken its toll.

You take your phone on the walks and download the software from VoiceMap. There is a charge, which can see on their website. Then on the walk GPS triggers a commentary that tells you about your surroundings and gives directions. You need an iPhone or an Android phone. We have Windows phones, so an Android phone was provided to us for the walk. It was very interesting. And for Lynne, a bit challenging. VoiceMap walks can be done all over South Africa and internationally too. Some are in the country or seaside, others are city walks. Check out their website on https://voicemap.me/

Turkish meze and atmosphere at Anatoli, Cape Town      We have been meaning to go back to Anatoli for literally years. This Turkish restaurant in Napier Street in Green Point has been open since 1984 which goes to show if you have a good formula and do excellent food, you can survive that long, which not many Cape Town restaurants can say. We had been yearning for some Turkish food and had a great time with our friends.

Lunch with the Winter Specials menu at Den Anker, V&A Waterfront      We had to postpone Father's Day this year because daughter Claire had flu and this meant we were able to take her with us to Den Anker the following Sunday where they had invited us to come and sample their winter menu. This is another great and worthy restaurant having been in the V & Waterfront for 21 years. They have one of the best locations there too and a great international menu as well as local specialities.

De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay with lunch at Charango Peruvian Bar and Grill, Cape Town      This was the release of the 2016 vintage of Limestone Hill, De Wetshof's unwooded easy drinking Chardonnay from the De Wetshof stable of 6 different Chardonnays. Charango is in4 Bree Street so we took the bus and enjoyed the welcome Pisco sour. Then over lunch we discovered that Limestone Hill is the perfect wine to go with all sorts of different foods, heat levels and tastes. And great to quaff.

MENU goes East - Leaving Ha Long Bay, a visit to a Vietnamese village     On our way back to Hanoi, we were taken to a village to see the traditional Water Puppets. We also opted to take another tour to see how people of the village live and farm.  It's a small village, quite middle class and very clean, especially when compared with the streets of Hanoi. We finished the day with a meal which we helped to make. A lovely experience

MENU goes East – In a Vietnamese village; a visit to a home and supper with a family      Our Vietnamese Odyssey came to its close with a family meal in the country. We finished the day in the village, visiting an historic house and then enjoyed a delicious meal, which we helped to make. A lovely experience

MENU goes East - and comes South West. Last day in Hanoi and home to Cape Town     Then, our last day in hot and steamy Hanoi, where the Monsoon was heralding its arrival. We had our last taste of the street life and street food, the night market and a one in 90 million chance encounter. Then we began the arduous 37 hour trip back home

Recipe of the week - Jalapeno and Peppadew Dip      A new dip was needed for entertaining; we found we were becoming a bit staid. Lynne had a pot of Mascarpone cheese and a cupboard filled with pickles, relishes, chutneys and flavours. This is what she made. Use as many peppers as you like, according to your own and your guests’ taste preference or heat tolerance. The brand we used for both was Peppadew's bottled peppers, but there are others on the market

250g pot of Mascarpone cheese - 3 mild or spicy Jalapeno peppers - 1 or 2 mild or spicy Peppadew peppers - 1 t pickle juice from the Jalapeno jar - salt

Roughly chop the two kinds of pepper. Put all the ingredients into a liquidiser or a deep container and, if using your stick blender, blitz them all together. Do not do this for too long or the cheese will turn to butter. Use the juice from the Jalapenos and/or Peppadews to make it a little more liquid, but do not add too much. Taste and add more peppers if you think it needs it. Add salt as necessary too. It doesn't matter if you have bits of the peppers in the dip. Serve with Banting crackers, corn chips or hot Panini rolls. It goes nicely alongside some guacamole

Wine of the week. De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay This clean crisp unwooded Chardonnay, full of limes, apples, lemons and good minerality is a superb food wine. It goes with delicate dishes and those that are more robust, rich and spicy. The 2016, just released, sells for R97 from the farm

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7th July 2016

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MENU's Wine of the week. De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2016

This clean crisp unwooded Chardonnay, full of limes, apples, lemons and good minerality is a superb food wine. It goes with delicate dishes and those that are more robust, rich and spicy. The 2016, just released, sells for R97 from the farm

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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MENU's Recipe of the week - Jalapeno and Peppadew Dip

A new dip was needed for entertaining; we found we were becoming a bit staid. Lynne had a pot of Mascarpone cheese and a cupboard filled with pickles, relishes, chutneys and flavours. This is what she made. Use as many peppers as you like, according to your own and your guests’ taste preference or heat tolerance. The brand we used for both was Peppadew's bottled peppers, but there are others on the market

250g pot of Mascarpone cheese - 3 mild or spicy Jalapeno peppers - 1 or 2 mild or spicy Peppadew peppers - 1 t pickle juice from the Jalapeno jar - salt

Roughly chop the two kinds of pepper. Put all the ingredients into a liquidiser or a deep container and, if  using your stick blender, blitz them all together. Do not do this for too long or the cheese will turn to butter. Use the juice from the Jalapenos and/or Peppadews to make it a little more liquid, but do not add too much. Taste and add more peppers if you think it needs it. Add salt as necessary too. It doesn't matter if you have bits of the peppers in the dip. Serve with Banting crackers, corn chips or hot Panini rolls. It goes nicely alongside some guacamole

RETURN TO MENU

© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay with lunch at Charango Bar and Grill, Cape Town

This was the release of the 2016 vintage of Limestone Hill, De Wetshof's unwooded easy drinking Chardonnay from the De Wetshof stable of 6 different Chardonnays. Charango is in4 Bree Street so we took the bus and enjoyed the welcome Pisco sour. Then over lunch we discovered that Limestone Hill is the perfect wine to go with all sorts of different foods, heat levels and tastes. And great to quaff.

Charango Peruvian Bar and Grill has menu dedicated to Peruvian-Japanese fusion, or Nikkei cuisine supervised by Head Chef Kieran Whyte. They have a fairly small but very interesting menu

Both De Wet brothers Johann (viticulture and marketing) and Peter (winemaker) were there with PRO Emil Joubert to welcome us

The Pisco sour welcome drink. Pisco is a high alcohol grape brandy made in Peru. It is made with egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters and served on ice. It is wonderfully sour and packs a punch

The barman adding the necessary touch of bitters to the cocktail

Old friends Michael Olivier and Mike Bampfield Duggan and, behind them, Peter de Wet

Opening speeches by Emil Joubert and Johan de Wet

Johann tells us all about the Limestone Hill which takes its name from the terroir heavy clay with limestone on which it is grown in Robertson. It is full of lively limes, apple and lemons with good minerality and long after flavours. It aids and supports the food it is served with, making them more delicious. American wine critic Robert Parker has said about it: "Understated and less tropical than some of the better un-oaked Chardonnays, this wine possesses far better balance and sheer drinkability – not to mention more finesse – than 99% of the world’s Chardonnay I have experienced.” We loved it enough to make it our wine of the week

The wine

Head Chef Kieran Whyte tells us about the menu which will be served tapas size and style

Sending information on to Facebook and Twitter! Next to Lynne is Bennie Stipp Marketing Director for De Wetshof

The menu

The gentle seared Tuna Tataki came first bedecked with sesame seed , caviar and mayonnaise in a ponzu (soy with a citrus added) and miso sauce with preserved ginger. We love winter in the Cape when we get beautiful fresh tuna like this. It did need more dipping sauce as the ponzu was only a drizzle. Luckily , it came with the next course. The ginger sang with the wine. So great for sushi too

Prawn toasts. You often get these in Chinese restaurants. They are topped with minced prawn, sprinkled with sesame and then deep fried till crisp. They came with a good soy dipping sauce

Next: Dirt rubbed Tuna tacos. More of the fresh tuna, covered with a spicy earthy rub then cooked briefly before being enclosed by the soft tacos with crisp slaw, avocado and wasabi. Really good. The slaw came with lots of mayo and could have disguised the tuna but the wine cut through it to the fish

Allan Mullins of Woolworths chats to Jeanri-Tine van Zyl. Next to Allan is Michelle Coburn, Features Editor of Woolworths TASTE magazine

Then shredded pork tacos with apple, pickles and chipotle chillies. Completely different from the tuna, equally as good. These bite sized dishes were bursting with flavour and texture. The pork was a bit fatty, the wine swept the grease away

'Chicha' Pork Belly with sweet corn, and chorizo sausage. This seems to be a traditional Andean dish. The sweet corn sauce was lovely and the pork quite tender. The crackling however was a bit of a disappointment. It was melt in the mouth with little flavour. We prefer the other style with the crunch and the taste of pork fat.

Dessert: there were two. First a crisp wafer taco filled with a rich dark Peruvian chocolate mousse, popping candy and mini whispers - fun, messy and very moreish. The wine stood up the chocolate!

And then Picarones, the traditional warm sweet potato donuts served with dulché de leché (caramelised condensed milk). A great end to a good introduction to a lovely wine and some interesting food. We must go back and try some more, with a bottle of the Limestone Hill

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

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