Friday, November 24, 2017

This Week’s MENU. White Blends, Platter 5 star brandies, “Finer Things in Life” Champagne Affair, Bientang’s Cave, Wine & Recipe of the week

This has been a rather interesting week with some quite different functions to attend. We had a short but welcome break at the weekend at De Kelders and have now re-entered the week running. Welcome rain over the last two days and nights has filled our 'water tank' almost to the rim and the fish are very happy indeed


And to our many American friends and readers, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving celebration

WineMag Cape White Blends Report      
This is the second time WineMag.co.za has held this competition. Wines entered need to contain some Chenin Blanc (more than 15% and less than 85%). Why do they insist on a Chenin Blanc blend? The panel of judges feel that "If we were to make Chenin Blanc non-compulsory, then producers forfeit a significant point of difference relative to wines from elsewhere in the world. With approximately 18 000ha of Chenin in the ground, it's our most planted variety and we should find ways to celebrate it". Chenin is what we do best, it is a wine with a unique character, identifiable but also able to appear in many different guises and it always adds something unique. Still there is no sponsor for this very important wine blend; it really does showcase the very best of what South Africa can make in the white wine field. South Africans need to be encouraged to drink these delicious blends too, they don't know what they are missing
Tasting Distell’s Platter Five Star brandies     
What a great invitation and they promised that a special canapé menu had been created to pair with the four award winning potstill brandies, while Van Ryn’s Master Distiller, Marlene Bester, would be on hand to guide us through the tasting.
Wine Concepts “Finer Things in Life” Champagne & Sparkling Wine Affair 
We love this annual celebration of Champagne as it is a real opportunity to taste the top Marques of French champagne and not pay a fortune for a tiny taster. This year there were also lots of Cavas and Proseccos and a Lambrusco or two as well. It is the 16th year this event has been held at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands.
Lunch at Bientang’s Cave     We stopped off in Hermanus to do our Christmas dinner shopping at Woolworths; they have good gammons and then could not resist a walk along the front to see if we could spot any whales, but they were absent all weekend. As we finished our walk, we realised we were a bit peckish, so we went down the (new and no longer so steep!) stairs to Bientang’s cave, one of our favourite places in Hermanus for a quick seafood meal and a sensational view. We were given a table so close to the water, it was marvellous, but still no whales.
What’s on the MENU this week: Asparagus Quiche
Lynne made this to take with us on our break in De Kelders with vegetarian friends and it was very well received. The rich cheese pastry is a doddle to make in a food processor. We used very large asparagus spears and didn't cut them up. You might wish to. We also put them in raw; you could steam them for a minute or two or even use a large tin of asparagus if you want to make this out of season. It does make a very large quiche. Be careful with your pastry when you line your tin, so there are no cracks or leaks (it has happened to Lynne.)  As a precaution, wrap it in aluminium foil. Or just use a large ceramic quiche dish.
Pastry: 140g plain flour - 85g cold butter, cubed - 85g good mature cheddar cheese - (optional) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - ice water
For the filling: 6 eggs - 225 ml cream - salt and white pepper to season - 100g cheddar - 300g fresh asparagus spears, washed and dried
Put the flour in a bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheddar and cayenne and mix. You can do this quickly in a food processor. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 10 minutes while you prepare the asparagus.
Snap the hard bottoms off the asparagus spears - you can freeze the bottom pieces to make asparagus soup later
Heat oven to 160ºC. Butter a 20cm x 5cm deep loose-bottomed tart tin, or a 35 x 12cm rectangular tart tin. Dusting your surface with some flour, carefully roll out the pastry and line the tin. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes, then blind bake the pastry case, first lining with baking paper, and filling with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and return the pastry case to the oven for more 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
In a jug, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the cream. Season. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over the pastry case, then add the asparagus and egg mix. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese (if using a rectangular tin, you may not need all the mixture, so add it gradually). Bake in the lower half of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it is just set. We had this with a butternut, beetroot and creamed goats cheese salad and a bottle of Vondeling Chenin blanc
MENU's Wine of the Week. Olifantsberg Blanc 2016

A blend of Chenin, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. This is an appealing dusty, grassy warm land wine. A lovely rich and full blend of golden fruit, apples, gooseberries, ripe cling peaches and more, on both the nose and palate. Showing so well with more of everything than most of the other wines in the competition; it went very well with food too.
Price: R165. It scored 93 points in the recent WineMag.co.za Cape White Blends Report

Posted by MENU at 9:24 am 0 comments

Thursday, November 23, 2017

What’s on the MENU this week: Asparagus Quiche

Lynne made this to take with us on our break in De Kelders with vegetarian friends and it was very well received. The rich cheese pastry is a doddle to make in a food processor. We used very large asparagus spears and didn't cut them up. You might wish to. We also put them in raw; you could steam them for a minute or two or even use a large tin of asparagus if you want to make this out of season. It does make a very large quiche. Be careful with your pastry when you line your tin, so there are no cracks or leaks (it has happened to Lynne.)  As a precaution, wrap it in aluminium foil. Or just use a large ceramic quiche dish
Pastry: 140g plain flour - 85g cold butter, cubed - 85g good mature cheddar cheese - (optional) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - ice water
For the filling: 6 eggs - 225 ml cream - salt and white pepper to season - 100g cheddar - 300g fresh asparagus spears, washed and dried
Put the flour in a bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheddar and cayenne and mix. You can do this quickly in a food processor. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 10 minutes while you prepare the asparagus.
Snap the hard bottoms off the asparagus spears - you can freeze the bottom pieces to make asparagus soup later
Heat oven to 160ºC. Butter a 20cm x 5cm deep loose-bottomed tart tin, or a 35 x 12cm rectangular tart tin. Dusting your surface with some flour, carefully roll out the pastry and line the tin. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes, then blind bake the pastry case, first lining with baking paper, and filling with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and return the pastry case to the oven for more 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
In a jug, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the cream. Season. Sprinkle half the grated cheese over the pastry case, then add the asparagus and egg mix. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese (if using a rectangular tin, you may not need all the mixture, so add it gradually). Bake in the lower half of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it is just set. We had this with a butternut, beetroot and creamed goats cheese salad and a bottle of Vondeling Chenin blanc
Posted by MENU at 9:43 pm 0 comments

MENU's Wine of the Week. Olifantsberg Blanc 2016

A blend of Chenin, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. This is an appealing dusty, grassy warm land wine. A lovely rich and full blend of golden fruit, apples, gooseberries, ripe cling peaches and more, on both the nose and palate. Showing so well with more of everything than most of the other wines in the competition; it went very well with food too.

Price: R165. It scored 93 points in the recent WineMag.co.za Cape White Blends Report
Posted by MENU at 9:39 pm 0 comments

Lunch at Bientang's Cave, Hermanus

We stopped off in Hermanus to do our Christmas dinner shopping at Woolworths
They have good gammons and then we could not resist a walk along the front to see if we could spot any whales,
but they were absent all weekend
As we finished our walk, we realised we were a bit peckish,
so we went down the (new and no longer so steep!) stairs to Bientang’s cave,
one of our favourite places in Hermanus for a quick seafood meal and a sensational view
We were given a table so close to the water, it was marvellous, but still no whales

It was a lovely sunny but not too hot day and just right for a long walk along the sea front

There are two ways down to the restaurant; one has fewer steps than the other
 You will find it on the extreme right of the restaurant, when you look down from the road

Initially, we thought we wouldn't get a table on such a lovely day but not only did we,
but it was on the lowest level of the restaurant right on the rocks with the sea crashing below us

No, we didn't get wet, despite a turning tide
Had there been any whales in Walker Bay, we would have had a ringside seat

Lovely views of the mountains going up the coast
and you can see all the way to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa

Lynne ordered the calamari and chips; there was so much, she took half of this home for supper

John had a hamburger with barbecue sauce and chips. But he didn't eat the bun, he rarely does
We each had a pint of Birkenhead draught lager. Our bill came to R330 with service

Those waiters must get very fit going up and down the stairs

Gulls lining the roof tops told us bad weather might be on its way
and this week we have had lovely, welcome rain


All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

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Posted by MENU at 5:58 pm 0 comments

Wine Concepts “Finer Things in Life” International Champagne & Sparkling Wine Affair at The Vineyard Hotel

We love this annual celebration of Champagne as it is a real opportunity to taste the top Marques of French champagne and not pay a fortune for a tiny taster. This year there were also Cavas and Proseccos and a Lambrusco or two as well. It is the 16th year this event has been held at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands
The girls who organise: Karen Glanfield Pawley and Renette Muir from Wine Concepts manned the front desk and dealt with the tickets, glasses and wine orders - all the bubblies for tasting could be ordered and were at a discount for the evening
There is always a good jazz band playing. And Porsche has come on board as a sponsor this year and showcased a couple of their 911 sports cars at the event
Sue Proudfoot of Wine Concepts in Kloof Street enjoying a tasting of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, it is nice and dry, very much to our taste
Tarryn Vincent of Reciprocal Wine Trading Co had some interesting bubblies for tasting. This Champagne was made by Gratiot et Cie from 15% Chardonnay and 85% Pinot Meunier from Charly-sur-Marne, in the Aisne Department in France called Almanach No.1
Terrance van der Walt of Siris Vintners had the Valdo range of Proseccos from Italy. The one with the very pretty floral bottle is made for Milan Fashion Week.
Sarah Revell and Dax Bailey of Vinimark were showing the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagnes from Epernay
Tracy James-Elphick of Vinimark, seen here talking to Neil Proudfoot of Wine Concepts in Kloof Street, had one of our favourites of the evening, the Bollinger. "Definitely the Special Cuvée Dahling... definitely good Bolly."
Journalist Fiona MacDonald was having fun
Nice to see Allan Mullins, CWM with his wife Therèse and his carer Richard. Allan did his Cape Wine Master thesis on Champagne and really knows his stuff
Michael Bampfield Duggan, owner of Wine Concepts in Newlands, doing the lucky draw for the evening. There were some very good prizes
CocoAfair had lots of their chocolates for sale and some generous tasting portions
The theme this year was International Relations and people did dress accordingly. Here is the ever glamorous Tshepang Molisana dressed for the occasion in her French beret
The Australians were there too, showing their rather commercial bubblies from Hardys and Nottage Hill
On the Drappier stand, there was the Brut of the evening for Lynne, the Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2013 from the English Gusbourne Estate in Appledore, Kent, which dates back to 1410. Andrew Weber took over the estate in 2004 "with the goal of making English sparkling wines that would stand up alongside the very finest offering from across the globe". If this is the future of the British bubbly, we are very excited. Made from 55% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Meunier, 18% Chardonnay, it is crisp, lean and dry, with a warm brioche nose and lots of class.
Many people were flocking to the stand to try it
GM of the Vineyard hotel Roy Davis with two of our favourite sommeliers, Mercy Mwai from Nobu at the One and Only hotel and Greg Mutambe of the Twelve Apostles hotel. Greg is Zimbabwean and has probably been celebrating this week with some good Champagne.
Trying some Mumm Brut, which has a lovely prickle and some nice leesy age notes
Allan Mullins trying the Gusbourne with Maryna Calow of WOSA
Maryna and Tshepang. Two happy girls enjoying their Champagne. It was a great evening
Posted by MENU at 5:43 pm 0 comments

Tasting Distell’s Platter Five Star brandies

What a great invitation and they promised that a special canapé menu had been created to pair with the four award winning potstill brandies, while Van Ryn’s Master Distiller, Marlene Bester, would be on hand to guide us through the tasting
The tasting was held at The Bar Keeper Liquor Store at the top of Strand Street, so of course we took the bus, no driving after sampling five brandies. This was always a liquor store and has been recently refurbished when The Bar Keeper took over the premises. In fact, it was originally the place where Johan Van Ryn sold his brandy in the 19th Century, so the wheel has turned full circle. His name is still above the door.
These are the four potstill brandies we were there to taste. Van Ryn's, 12, 15 and 20 year old and the Oude Meester Souverein 18 year. All won 5 stars in this year’s John Platter Guide
The table laid out with the four tasting glasses with the canapés in the centre which would be paired with the brandy
We began with something our parents used to drink in the 1950s, Brandy and Ginger Ale. Rather too sweet for us, it was enjoyed by others
Brandy Ambassador and Account Director at Corporate Image, Dayne Stern got us started on the tasting
Then it was the turn of Marlene Bester, Master Distiller at Van Ryn. She told us that the first brandy produced in South Africa was made from local grapes in 1672, but on a ship in the harbour. Van Ryn’s distillery was built in Stellenbosch in 1905. They win many international awards each year, but they do not compete in these competitions with Cognac. South African brandy is different from French, as we have the sun and good weather. They also do not concentrate on wood maturation. The brandy must speak from the glass. There are strict regulations for making brandy. Brandy must be made from grapes in South Africa, in other parts of the world it is made with other things like fruit, maize and corn, even potatoes! All our brandies are matured for a minimum of three years in oak barrels. Good brandy needs a long time to mature well
Some beef rolls
We began with the Van Ryn 12 year old, retailing at R699 to R800. Coffee, cocoa and herbs on the nose, with some apricots and vanilla on the palate, and a coffee toffee aftertaste. World’s Best Brandy in the IOC and IWC competitions. This was paired with onion and cheese tarts, where the onion overwhelmed, and tarts with mushrooms and rocket, which we found added a musty taste to the brandy. On the right hand side are some beetroot rostis. We find that tasting food with brandy is a very subjective thing

Some spicy chicken topped with Salsa was paired with the Van Ryn 20 year old, which has vanilla, floral notes, Christmas fruit and prunes. Soft as silk on the palate, with some spice, R1500 to R1800
Then to taste the Van Ryn 15 year old, R1100. It has the best nose, full of chocolate, toffee, nuts apricots and ripe peaches. Lovely spicy flavours, warmth too, caramel and nuts. This was paired with sushi, a nori wrapped tuna maki and this glass of seared tuna in a 5 spice soy
Then with this selection of dessert items it was time to taste the Oude Meester 18 year Old. R1300 to R1500. It has a nose of Vanilla ice cream with toffee, how pretty. Hot on the palate, herbal buchu and walnuts, and not as smooth and forthcoming as the Van Ryn’s. The pairing of the Almond butter slice was inspired, the macaron went well
The Richelieu 10 year old was used in the brandy and ginger ale at the start of the tasting. The sticky chocolate cake topped with pomegranate rather overwhelmed some guests
Lots of tweets, Facebook entries and photos from the attending bloggers. Winnie Bowman and Mel Minnaar enjoying the brandy, as did we, very much
Posted by MENU at 2:25 pm 0 comments
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