Thursday, March 22, 2018

On the MENU this week. Spanish Seafood Rice


A winemaker friend recently told Lynne how much he looks forward to her weekly recipes because it helps him sort out Sunday lunch! Very flattering. He wants us to put together a cook book from our past recipes, which we have been publishing weekly since 2003. It is something we have had in mind for many years, but the time involved has just slipped away. Maybe this winter


As it is Harvest time and winemakers are very busy, this week's recipe needed to be simple and quick. Which set her thinking of a delicious one pan dish for a late summer Sunday lunch. This is not a paella, just a good seafood and rice dish, quick to prepare. If you don't eat seafood, you could use a firm fish like kingklip or monk fish cut into cubes. If you can't find dry sherry, you could use a semi sweet sherry (but not full cream!) or 100 ml dry white wine


1 T olive oil - 1 large onion, finely chopped - 2 cloves of garlic, crushed - 1 large red pepper, deseeded and sliced – 100 ml dry sherry - 400 ml tomato passata - 1 bay leaf - 
1 t sweet smoked Spanish paprika - 1 cup of rice - a 500g packet marinara mix - salt and freshly ground black pepper - 1 T flaked almonds - 1 T chopped flat leaf parsley - 1 hard boiled egg, sliced

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil till just transparent, then add the pepper and fry until it starts to take on some colour. Pour in the sherry and boil rapidly till reduced by half then add the tomato passata, the bay leaf, paprika and the rice. Allow to simmer, covered, until the rice is just cooked, stirring a couple of times and adding more water if it seems dry. Then add the marinara mix, season, cover with a lid and steam for 3 to 4 minutes till it is cooked. Sprinkle with the almonds, parsley and egg slices and serve.

1 T = 1 Tablespoon 1t = 1 teaspoon
Posted by MENU at 10:54 pm 0 comments

MENU's Wine of the Week. Saronsberg Full Circle 2013

A blend of 89% Syrah with some Grenache, a little Mourvèdre and a splash of Viognier. We had this with a rich, deep-flavoured cassoulet when we had friends to dinner last night. It was a perfect match. The confit duck in the cassoulet (from Woolworths) was quite spicy, which added a rich spice note to the dish. The wine matched it beautifully. 
Plum fruit developing to a rich, dark cherry flavour at the end with the Viognier giving a lightly peachy overtone. Very complex and intense flavours. A very satisfying wine. Treat yourself and buy it to put away for a few years. The current 2015 will drink well now but will certainly improve. The 2013 still has years of life ahead if we can resist drinking the remaining bottles. It is expensive at around R400 to R450, but the quality justifies the price. Platter gives it 4½ stars, #Winemag Rating: 91/100


Posted by MENU at 10:18 pm 0 comments

Off to Noordhoek for the day with a visit to Cape Point Vineyards and lunch at the Food Barn Deli

Another jaunt to the winelands to show our visitors yet another stunning view, taste some wine and eat a light lunch. The view over the vineyards from Cape Point Vineyards is spectacular – Noordhoek’s Long Beach is one of the longest beaches in the country. Here you can visit the Thursday evening market where we used to work, have a meal in the restaurant or order a picnic and have it on the lawns. We stopped to admire the view and then told two young men in the small shop we were going off to the winery to do a wine tasting ......
We went to the cellar, a kilometre or so up the road, where we have often enjoyed tastings, only to find that the tasting is actually back at the main farm which we had just left. And it has been for a while. We were a bit put out that the two young men had not stopped us going to the cellar, as they are the people who do the wine tastings next to the restaurant! There is no sign above their door saying “Wine Tastings Here”. Nor does there seem to be a proper wine tasting centre. Strange for a wine farm
Luckily, John bumped into the winemaker Riandri Visser, whom we know and, although she was rushing to get her grapes into the tanks, she took the time to chat to us and said we were welcome to go down to see the cellar. They are making wine in good French oak barrels, but also amphora and concrete eggs. It was a hive of activity and we didn't stay for more than a few minutes. She offered us a tasting of the fresh juice, but we didn't want to take up any more of her time; she was flying to ProWine in Germany the next day to spend two days there and then rush back to finish the harvest
 Hunger had now set in, so we found ourselves a table at the Food Barn Deli. The menu is on the blackboard and breakfast is served all day. In the evening, they have a Tapas menu that looks interesting. Second hand books for sale too and, in the shop, lots of local jams jellies, sauces, spice mixes and, of course, the bakery
Caught checking our phones! something you won't see often!
An Eggs Benny with smoked salmon
Enormous hamburgers topped with bacon and cheese, with sauté potatoes R125
An Eggs Benny with mushrooms and spinach
An enormous ciabatta filled with not much smoked salmon, and a garden sized helping of watercress. The dill cream was spread on the top slice with the rather strong capers. And it came with a huge salad, well dressed. R125
The Village Green
We then decided to go back to Cape Point Vineyards for a wine tasting. As they have no tasting room, we had to sit out on the terrace in a chilly, howling Southerly wind that cut through us like a knife. They really need to put up some sort of screen and surely no one is going to sit outside to taste wine in the coming winter?
We were the only people there, other than a large party on the lawn below
This is the "tasting room". No seating and no sign. We thought it was a shop, as it is packed with branded Cape Point Vineyards merchandise and a few bottles and a till
Wines available for purchase and tasting. Three of us tasted the five wines and paid for three tastings. Nicolette bought some wine. They charged us R80 per person tasting, with no refund if one makes a purchase. Hmmm. Well at least they took pity on us and we tasted the last two in the shelter of the 'tasting room' but had to stand, as there is no seating. We really think this is not working and must put a lot of people off. Or people simply miss tasting the wine because its hidden or difficult? We came to the conclusion that they sell most of their wine to people eating in the restaurant. So different from the tasting experiences in the many other wine farms we visit in the Cape. The descriptions by the young man pouring the wines we were given were a little wanting. Never should a wine be described as "harsh" or "high in acid" if you are trying to sell it and his reasons for the development of the characteristics of the wines were quite creative
RETURN TO MENU
Posted by MENU at 9:57 pm 0 comments

Villiera Trade wine tasting

On the Town with Villiera
Some wine farms, intelligently, showcase their wines at a town venue so that the trade can taste quickly and efficiently without having to drive out to the farm. If you are restaurateur, sommelier or wine retailer, taking time out is not easy, and using your day off to visit farms is nice, but people have lives to sort out. Villiera held their trade tasting last week at the Cartel Rooftop Bar in Waterkant Street and we had a very warm welcome from Cellarmaster and co-owner Jeff Grier, CWM
Of course we started with the MCC bubblies. Starlight is lower in alcohol at 9.5%. Crisp, with a good zingy edge. The Rosé has a bready nose, an unexpected enjoyable savouriness of marmite, then a pinch of salt and fruit. It has some Pinotage in the blend. The Brut Natural which is a 100% spontaneously fermented Chardonnay has brioche on the nose, and a nice prickle on the palate. The 2011 Monro is the top of their range, a classic rendition, which has spent 5 years on the lees, with 60% Chardonnay, 31% Pinot Noir, 9% Pinot Meunieur and it shows. Beautiful on the leesy nose, long flavours and shows all its components, with some savouriness followed by lots of red berry fruit, then lemon and grapefruit on the crisp end
Tradition is a great name for an MCC and celebrations; it has been around for quite a while and is very popular. A blend of 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 16% Pinotage, 4% Pinot Meunier, this Non Vintage MCC has brioche and fruit on the nose, is lively and refreshing on the palate with apples and strawberries, a summer celebration
It was a very good spacious venue on a terrace overlooking the city
Time to taste the white wines
The Unwooded Chenin has always been one of Villiera's star wines; it has a classic Chenin nose and is deep and full on the palate with lovely fruit. The Barrel Fermented Chenin 2017 jumps out as a food wine immediately; it is rich on the nose and on the palate it begins slowly then blossoms out and grows in stature. Golden fruit, some soft toast notes, this wine is so quaffable and classy. We predict many more wine awards; it has already won two. The Sauvignon Blanc is full of green pepper and figs both on the nose and palate, our style of Sauvignon Blanc, with a few tropical hints at the end. The Bush Vine Blanc Fumé had gentle smoke on the nose, full on the palate and more wood on the end which will soften with a bit of age
There were plenty of rather good canapés, which kept on coming. Green Catering and Events are one to watch; we were impressed. www.greencatering.co.za. These were crisp cheese filled filo cigars
Huge oysters on ice, some plain, some with a spicy salsa
Huge juicy prawns with a rather warm salsa which some of us removed, as it does get in the way of tasting wine
They don't look very appetising, but they were lovely potato latkes, flame grilled and topped with avo and cheese
Good Paté
Tiny hot meatballs
The 2017 Jasmine, a blend of 50% Moscato Ottonel, 27% Riesling, 23% Gewurztraminer is perfect for spicy food. Lovely scents of rose and jasmine on the nose, complex on the palate with a residual sugar of just 15gm, it ends with spicy floral notes
What shall I try next?
The Grier family has had a farm in Southern France since 2006, when they acquired a 22-hectare vineyard and cellar. Domaine Grier is in the Roussillon region near the town of St Paul de Fenouillet. The wines were available for tasting. 
We really like the labels. Alba is a blend of Grenache Gris, and Blanc and they get low yields on the stony vineyard. Whole bunch natural ferment has produced a nose with vanilla wood notes, with spicy fruit. Silky smooth on the palate it opens up to delight one. Ripeness and nice warmth on the end, a wine from the South. Shown here by French intern Bérénice de Gouville
The Rosé from Syrah and Carignan is pretty and floral and very typical of Mediterranean Rosés, light and slightly spritzy, gentle fruit with nice fruit acidity. Close your eyes and you are on holiday in the South of France. The Grenache Noir is perfumed with mulberries, a powerful, intense food wine extraordinaire, fruity and silky, with some smoky wood. Savoury on the end with nice chalky tannins and a dark toast end. Odyssey, a blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache, has smoky spice and nice oak notes, with salty licorice, minerality, lovely fruit, dark mulberries, and milk chocolate on the end. Olympus is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache from 80 year old vines, so low yielding, spends two years in barrels, but only 20% new oak. It is dark, almost black in colour, spicy fresh fruit and incense wood. On the palate salty licorice, delicious dark berry fruit, minerality and chalky tannins, another food wine
The lonely muso who kept the atmosphere alive but was never intrusive
Villiera’s Red wines, all very drinkable, but the prize for us was the 2007 Cabernet which showed how the current 2015 should develop. Ripe cassis fruit with a touch of mulberry; full-bodied with serious barrel aging giving a subtle cedar note. One to buy and keep for a few years. The Pinotage was a surprise as it was the first we had tasted from Villiera. Ripe plum fruit and no trace of metallic flavour which so often spoils this varietal. Delicious. The Down to Earth range is perfect for every day use. Easy drinking with no faults at an affordable price

Delia Colborne-Hagen, owner of Outsource Marketing and Cathy Grier CWM, who handles the Sales and Marketing. This was a very impressive tasting
Posted by MENU at 9:48 pm 0 comments

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Breakfast at Shift coffee bar, Green Point

We have not been out for breakfast for ages and wanted to get together with good friends we haven't seen for a while. The original plan was to go to Jason's in Green Point but when we got there we discovered he closes on Sunday (Memo to self - always check the web site first). We wandered along Main Road, knowing we would find something open in this area and the sign above the Shift Coffee door on the ground floor of the Cape Royal Hotel building told us that this was possibly the place for us. It read "Death Before Decaff!" and we agree
Some cyclists leaving after having their breakfast. They told us that the coffee is very good
A small enclosed courtyard and lots more room inside
Lots of shade under the umbrellas and usually lots of free parking in the area, however the Cape Carnival had been held in Main Road the day before and they were breaking down the stands and the Big Walk was ending. We all found nearby parking, eventually
Things to buy to take home at the counter, croissants and filled rolls
Run by Italians, we knew the coffee would be good. Americanos were R19, a Cappuccino R20
Lynne ordered The Breakfast Croissant with bacon and scrambled egg. Good croissants, very crisp and layered. R40. The eggs were cooked dry and needed to be more buttery and soft. Bacon was good
Scrambled egg and sliced avocado with health bread, and a small salad for a vegetarian. R36
A filled omelette with mushrooms and cheese and cooked baby tomatoes with rocket; John’s had bacon in it instead of the mushrooms
Some of those tempting filled rolls. The prices are reasonable too
Posted by MENU at 6:07 pm 0 comments

Tasting at Simonsig, lunch at Glenelly

Spoiled wonderfully at Simonsig followed by a Birthday lunch at Glenelly
We mentioned to Johan Malan last week that we planned to bring our Dutch friends to Simonsig this week, on our way to attend our friend Peter's Birthday lunch at Glenelly. And they really pushed the boat out for us at Simonsig and made it such a special day for us and especially for Peter
Itumeleng in the tasting room saw Peter looking at the Sabrage sword and then taught Peter how to do it on a bottle of Kaapse Vonkel Rosé. He was thrilled
 Peter removed the top of the bottle perfectly and John managed to catch the cork flying through the air - you can see it at the top of the glass door.
Now he knows how to do it, we expect to drink even more MCCs and Champagnes. As he is a retired Dutch Naval Commander, we think he may have his own sword 
Then we began tasting with the three most popular MCCs that Simonsig produce, the Brut, the Rosé and the Cuvée Royale. They are all excellent and, apparently, these wines are sold in Holland, but only in restaurants
Because lunch was booked for 12.30 and we were meeting others there, we went straight to the Red wines, as these are what Peter likes to drink. We began with the 2013 Tiara, a Cabernet driven Bordeaux blend full of spicy wood and black berries which still needs time to gather its skirts together; the 2015 Redhill Pinotage which begins shy then boom! opens up.  A powerful wine with spicy wood, lots of fruit and licorice and elegance. Next the really impressive 2015 Frans Malan, which is a Cape blend of Pinotage, Cabernet and Merlot. It is still youthful, with cassis on the nose with richness and hints of vanilla, full of spicy cassis and plums and future
Then something very special from the Vinoteque: the 2004 Merindol Syrah has balsam on the nose and soft sweet integrated fruit on the palate, still has time to go. And then to contrast,the 2014 Merindol Syrah, which Itumeleng decanted through an aerator. You can see the relationship. The wine is soft, silky and sweet, with spiced black current jub jub berries, chalky tannins, and dark wood on the long finish. What a treat to compare two vintages, ten years apart
The top wine, The Garland Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, is herbal, with sweet cassis and violets on the nose.  On the palate, the wine had cherry notes, perfume and complexity, so soft and full, it is silky with soft chalky tannins and warmth. Built to last, the wine has such quality and length. We felt very privileged to taste these special wines
Wine Advisor Itumeleng Mohale and Peter with a magnum of Kaapse Vonkel
On to lunch at Glenelly and the menu had to be studied well, as there were so many temptations
This was the menu of the day
The pepper crusted oh-so-tender springbok fillet, served with fresh spanspek melon, a horseradish sauce, pickled vegetables and baby leaves. Lots of flavour.
A very popular starter was the Prawn and Langoustine Bisque with chive cream, which got great applause
The lightly cured hake and mussel marinière, with grilled baby courgette, Mediterranean potatoes and glazed carrots. The hake was pronounced especially well cooked and delicious
Peter ordered the Pork cheeks Grande Mere and was rather envied by a couple of us. It is a beautiful dish, with melting pig cheeks and a very rich jus with lots of vegetables, beluga lentils, and glazed onions and cabbage. This was the perfect dish for the Glenelly Glass Collection Syrah
The Bouillabaisse was generous. It had four pieces of fish - silvers and panga, calamari, lots of mussels, and a gigantic prawn. It also correctly came with a dish of rouille, the spicy sauce you top those tiny croutons with and float in the bisque. Almost too big a portion for one, some had to be left and the bisque could have been a little deeper in flavour. Went with a carafe of Glenelly Glass Collection unwooded Chardonnay
John chose the Beef Rib eye Steak with potato wedges, root vegetables and a mustard sauce, drenched in a wonderfully aromatic and flavourful gravy. He relished the dish
Yes we did have room for dessert. This was the much enjoyed warm melting dark chocolate "biscuit" served with poached figs, and a Chantilly yoghurt
Lynne had to have the Canelé from Bordeaux; she knows Chef Christophe is a master at them. Hard to describe its between a baked pancake and a stiff panna cotta, set and caramelised on the outside, gooey and creamy inside. Once you have had a good Canelé you are hooked for life. Served with sharp caramelised pineapple, a good foil for the sweetness of the dish, and a rooibos and honey ice cream. A very good ice cream if you are a fan of rooibos tea. Lynne is not and it did completely take over the dish, hiding even the honey. Without it the dish was good for her. You may love it
The Rum Baba, a soft pudding cake soaked in rum and topped with preserved sour plums and a Chantilly cream and a plum coulis. Pronounced delicious by the Birthday celebrant
The beautiful views from Glenelly
Vines after harvest
Our waitress taking photos for the group.
Cattle in the far fields
The Hottentots Holland mountains through the vine pergola
We had been to see the glass collection before and made sure the group went downstairs to look at it. Such an interesting end to a lovely day in Stellenbosch
Posted by MENU at 4:52 pm 0 comments
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