FRESH FROM THE BLOG
From the Kitchen
Preparing food in my home has been my foremost passion. I thrive on reading and researching what is fresh, locally produced and delicious, designing a menu, preparing it and serving it in the most beautiful and appetizing way possible. The joy that I have in sharing beautiful and delicious food with our friends and family cannot always be expressed in words….. but, I will try to do so!
I will include what is new and on trend in both ingredients and equipment, and of course who is influencing and tantalizing my palate via books, blogs or restaurants. There is so much to share and write about.
Dining In & Out
Enjoying food prepared by others is part of our pleasurable indulgences! We are privileged to be surrounded by some of the best restaurants in South Africa, but we don’t only dine out at so-called fine dining establishments. I am always seeking the best we can find, be it a burger, fish and chips or a hearty curry. I am not an enthusiastic baker, but a cozy coffee shop with unusual pastries and delicious cakes attracts my attention.
This is not a forum for reviewing occasions or restaurants, but it is one for sharing new experiences, flavours, textures and environments that inspire.
Travel & Adventure
The joy of retirement is that we are able to often slip away to local places of interest for a few days. At least once a year we try to get away to an interesting international location. Gourmet tourism fascinates us. Our trips are carefully planned to explore the food and wine of the area. We also enjoy the environment and cultural experiences, and of course these factors often impact on the local cuisine.
I usually bring my travel taste experiences back home and they often impact on my cooking style.
Wine & Accessories
My husband Mark, and I share an interest in wine. We both have independently completed various Certificates and Diplomas in Wine and only recently reduced our wine book library to about 1600 books!
We belong to a number of wine tasting groups, where we have the opportunity to formally taste and explore many wines and styles. We regularly spend a few informal hours tasting what is new in the magnificent Cape Winelands. In addition to this, we always taste and study the wines wherever we travel. We even found a rather delicious Chenin Blanc in Thailand!
Here I will share some of these vineous adventures with you.
From the Garden
My inspiration in the kitchen often comes from the garden. I am motivated to start cooking when I harvest a bowl of freshly picked tomatoes or a handful of crisp spinach, herb or kale leaves, but more about that as the seasons progress.
The flower garden also impacts on our meals as I always stroll around the garden to see what is available before I plan my table setting. Other than on the roses, I do not use insecticides, so edible flowers are used.
I love visiting gardens on my travels. The formal gardens of Europe and the exotic Asian gardens fascinate me.
LATEST FROM THE BLOG
Pork Goulash
A hearty stew for winter! With winter weather in full swing and not being at all partial to stews and casseroles I sometimes have to dig deep to find suitable recipes. The complex, deep flavours [...]
Apple Cake with Blueberries and Thyme
Nostalgia...... Apple tarts, cakes and tarts are close to my heart. When I stood peeling these apples I went on a memory trip to my childhood. I was very young when I sat on the [...]
Osso Bucco with Orange, Shallots and Sage
Osso Bucco is an Italian dish usually made from veal shanks that are braised in wine and vegetables. As we cannot easily buy veal in South Africa, I usually make mine using beef shin. Oranges [...]
Mushroom Miso Soup
As the days are becoming cooler my appetite for hearty soups increases. Soups can easily be a source of hidden calories in the form of rib sticking carbs or lashings of cream so I’m always [...]
Biscotti with Pecans and Chai Spices
It’s a complete fluke that I took to baking on Sunday 17th May 2020…. World Baking Day! Biscotti, another memory from Italy. These crisp biscuits originated in Tuscany where they are traditionally dipped in a [...]
Grilled Tuna Steak with Sauce Vierge
Light, fresh and healthy! I feel that oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, yellowtail or tuna all deserve a fresh light sauce. As you know my choice of flavour usually veers towards [...]
It’s time to harvest your olives!
In April / May we harvest olives in the Southern Hemisphere! When I designed my Mediterranean style garden 20 years ago I enthusiastically planted 3 olive trees. They do look beautiful and with the pencil [...]
LATEST RECIPES
Pork Goulash
For 4 generous portions you need 500g cubed pork should, leg or neck 50ml seasoned flour (flour, salt, pepper) 30ml canola oil 3-4 shallots, in 3mm slices, 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 can chopped tomatoes 10ml tomato paste 10ml piquant paprika 10ml dolche (sweet paprika) 10ml smoked paprika 200ml pork [...]
Moroccan Chicken Soup with Golden Vegetables
This Chicken Soup recipe can easily double up as a casserole by simply adjusting the chicken quantities For 8 generous servings you need 2 chicken thighs, bone in skin on (for casserole use 4 thighs) 2 chicken breasts, bone in skin on (for casserole use 4 breasts) 1 x 1kg vegetable soup mix (or 250ml [...]