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By PatR, August 22, 2010 5:02 pm

Click here for more images of Solms-Delta wine farm.

Slow Food Snail Trail No 81, August 2010     Solms-Delta Wine Farm visit Saturday, 11th September at 11h00 A walk through the Dik Delta Fynbos Culinary Gardens and then lunch at the Fyndraai Restaurant on the Solms-Delta  farm Solms-Delta farm is a wine estate located 15km outside the village of Franschhoek. In addition to producing fine wines on the farm, the owners and farm workers have established a working culinary  veldkos garden. The lives of the Cape’s first settlers, the Khoi, revolved around some 400 plant species that nourished them and cured their ailments. Most are now under threat of extinction. When Fyndraai Restaurant opened on the estate, its brief was to draw from the Cape’s food traditions. Afrikaner boerekos (18th Century Old Cape fare influenced by Dutch, French, German and Slave practices), was mixed with ingredients first used by the Khoi nomads who settled in the Franschhoek valley 2000 years ago. The need to preserve this veldkos was the genesis for the Veldfood Garden. The 2-hectare garden is a small but productive land parcel that, over the past 320 years, has been used for grazing, fruit production, and most recently, as a dumping ground. It is now planted with many of the edible veldkos plants. We will be taken on a walk through the garden, and will be able to smell and taste the indigenous plants and herbs, and see the fat-tailed sheep and Sanga cattle, animals that Khoi people would have herded. The well-known food writer and Slow Food member, Renata Coetzee, was part of the planning team for the garden, and a team of Solms-Delta gardeners is responsible for the garden’s design and maintenance . Renata will be with the Solms -Delta team to take us on our walk through the garden.   The walk will take about an hour and 30 mins. It’s a level walk, and there are benches for those who would like to rest along the way. The Museum van de Caab, which documents the archaeological history of the farm is also worth a visit. For more details on the farm’s activities go to www.solms-delta.co.za Menu Main course Cape line-fish, pan-fried local salami and veldkoolslaai (a salad made of greens from the garden ) on raaptol en witwortelpap ( turnip and parsnip puree), accompanied by a citrus boegoe (buchu) butter sauce or Rich ostrich pie, sweet potato roast, broccoli and waterblommetjie tart and a cider emulsion or Wild mushroom and truffle risotto, creamed cheese and parmesan Seasonal vegetables will be served with all main course dishes Desserts Caramelised baked custard with traditional koeksister and vanilla ice cream or Cape brandy pudding served with nutty ice cream and creamy brandy sauce   There is a special children’s menu available (attached to this message for you to see), and bookings are not needed. Orders will be taken on the day, and the cost will be for members’ own accounts. The cost of the walk and lunch will be R230 each for members and R250 for guests. There is no charge for children for the walk. Coffee and wine will be for members’ own accounts. PLEASE NOTE: Book with  Adrian Rademeyer, e-mail: adrad@mweb.co.za Tel: 021 6741417 (NB. Lorna will be away and will not be taking bookings for this visit, and she will not have access to her messages). To book your places, please  make cheque deposit  or EFT (electronic fund transfer) payments into the Cape Town Slow Food account at FNB, Grassy Park, code 203109, account number 62023929378.  When making payment please put your name as a reference on the deposit slip or EFT payment. Payment will confirm your booking. Please do not deposit cash as this costs us R17.50 per deposit, but if you must deposit cash, add R17.50 to the amount to be deposited Please let Adrian know the number of members and guests attending the lunch by Monday September 6th.    Slow Wine Dates for your Diary

3 Lutgens Road, Rondebosch, 7700  |  Tel: 021 685 1197  |  Fax: 021 685 1577 Email: vbesouw@iafrica.com |  Website: www.slowfoodcapetown.co.za

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By PatR, July 4, 2010 5:31 pm

HILDA’S KITCHEN AT GROOTE POST LAUNCHES DELECTABLE WINTER MENU

Now open in July for the first time, in celebration of the Soccer World Cup
Hilda’s Kitchen, Groote Post’s well-loved restaurant, has created a captivating menu for the winter season. With the West Coast becoming an increasingly attractive tourist destination, the country hospitality of Hilda’s Kitchen, amidst the rustic charm of Groote Post, promises to entice wine aficionados, gastronomes and nature-lovers alike. Adeptly using local and seasonal produce and combining these with her culinary creativity, Debbie McLaughlin – Hilda’s Kitchen’s internationally-trained cordon bleu chef – has, in her eclectic and delicious winter menu, devised unique expressions of her famous dishes.
Groote Post is one of the few wine cellars, let alone wineries with restaurants, open on Sundays in the Darling district and surrounding wine routes. And for the first time, in celebration of the 2010 World Cup, Hilda’s Kitchen will be open during the month of July. The Groote Post tasting room, traditionally closed on Sundays in July, will now be open 7 days a week.
Visitors to Hilda’s Kitchen will be spoilt for choice with an array of epicurean delights, accompanied by Groote Post’s superb range of wines, charged at cellar door prices. Delicious new options on the Hilda’s Kitchen menu – with suggested wine pairings – comprise:
NEW WINTER MENU
STARTERS SUGGESTED WINE PAIRINGS
Line fish soup with mussels and chorizo Groote Post Chardonnay (Wooded)
Cauliflower and cumin fritters with lime yoghurt Groote Post Unwooded Chardonnay
Sweet potato turnovers with a green herb chutney Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc
MAIN COURSES
Braised beef with celery root mashed potato Groote Post Merlot
Lamb osso bucco with orange, lemons and capers Groote Post Shiraz
Chicken tagine with pumpkin and chickpeas Groote Post Weisser Riesling
DESSERTS
Orange polenta cake The Old Man’s Sparkle
White chocolate and macadamia nut brownies Groote Post Noble Late Harvest
Apple tarte tatin with homemade vanilla bean ice cream Groote Post Noble Late Harvest
In order to avoid disappointing regular patrons, Debbie includes as many ‘old favourites’ as possible, on a rotational basis.
The award-winning Hilda’s Kitchen – named after Hildagonda Duckitt, a grande dame of Cape cuisine, who once lived on the Groote Post farm – resides in what is now a national monument, a restored 18th-century manor house, and is managed by Shaun and Debbie McLaughlin, whose names have been synonymous with the hospitality industry for years, and who have established Hilda’s Kitchen as a rare West Coast gem. Hilda’s Kitchen has fast become a popular destination for tourists and ‘foodies’ alike. Judged by the 2010 Eat Out Guide as one of South Africa’s Top 10 Alfresco Restaurants, Hilda’s Kitchen is, without a doubt, a must for all visitors to the West Coast – it will undoubtedly tease your senses and taste buds.
Fun for the whole family at Groote Post
Situated in the Darling Hills, Groote Post is only one hour’s drive from Cape Town along the West Coast Road, the R27 (it is 11 kilometres from the West Coast Road, after turning off at the Darling Hills Road towards Darling). Owned by the Pentz family, Groote Post is a beautiful, historic farm with a rustic atmosphere, undulating hills and vast open spaces. In addition to wine-tasting and sales, and lunch at Hilda’s Kitchen, Groote Post offers a jungle gym and rolling lawns where children can play; nature walks; bird-watching, including a hide on the farm dam; and game drives in their 2 000-hectare game camp which is home to indigenous species such as kudu, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, bontebok, springbok, eland and gemsbok. The farm, which is part of the famous West Coast spring flower route, also holds much appeal for environmentalists.

New road – the Groote Post Highway

The long-awaited upgrade to the Darling Hills Road, from the R307 Darling/Mamre road to Groote Post, was recently completed. The result is a super smooth gravel surface which rides almost as smoothly as tar.

Opening Hours

Hilda’s Kitchen: Open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday (Booking essential)
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Wine-tasting and sales: Open Monday – Friday: 08h00 -17h00
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10h00 – 15h00

Groote Post closed: Easter Friday, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Game drives: Prior booking essential

Contact: Tel: 022 492 2825
Email: wine@grootepost.co.za
www.grootepost.com

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By PatR, June 16, 2010 5:42 pm

ROBERTSON SLOW – ENJOYING LIFE… SLOWLY
Slowly made… slowly enjoyed
6 TO 9 AUGUST 2010

Only 90 minutes drive from Cape Town (on the popular, scenic Route 62), why not take the time to head out to the country and enjoy the simple pleasures in life… slowly at the Robertson Wine Valley’s slow-living festival. At Robertson Slow, one can sample honest, old-fashioned, rural hospitality synonymous with the Robertson Wine Valley’s wine-making community. Relish the slow food and wine that will satiate your senses and revel in the relaxed pace that will replenish your soul.

This year’s Robertson Slow will be taking place, over the long weekend, from Friday 6 to Monday 9 August, and will, once again, allow you to indulge in the laid-back comfort of the Valley, at a leisurely pace, leaving you utterly refreshed.

After the success of last year’s event, as well as being voted “the best wine route promotion for 2007″ and “one of two best wine events in 2008″ by acclaimed travel journalist, Graham Howe, on www.wine.co.za, Robertson Slow 2010 is definitely an event not to be missed!

The Robertson Wine Valley is looking to attract visitors yearning to experience the charm of country life in intimate settings characterised by each farm’s unique personal touch. While enjoying time-honoured activities, visitors will be afforded the opportunity to interact with wine-makers and wine-farmers, in an informal ambience, getting to know them and their respective families.

Here are just a few of the many activities that can be enjoyed at this year’s Robertson Slow:

“    Indulge in traditional cuisine, using local ingredients from the Valley;
“    Experience wine-tastings and dinners in the homes of the local wine-making families, savouring family recipes;
“    Revel in the beauty of biodiversity with fynbos walks guided by a gamekeeper;
“    Savour slow-roasted Karoo lamb at its most tender;
“    Learn how to make your own salami at the Pork Festival;
“    Make your very own barrel of wine (± 270 bottles of wine);
“    Master the art of pairing wine with food;
“    Sample the tastes of India in the splendour of a McGregor courtyard;
“    Try your hand at making pasta or baking vetkoek to perfection;
“    Treat yourself to a seven-course organic meal on an organic wine farm;
“    Browse and shop at leisure, on Sunday 9 August, at the Robertson Valley Regional Food Market, and choose from a colourful array of delectable fresh produce.

Robertson Slow may be focusing on the ’slow’ way of life, but don’t be ’slow’ to book your place at one (or more) of the events which best represents your interpretation of the essence of country living. To avoid disappointment, events must be booked before Sunday 1 August.

For more information on Robertson Slow, and a full program of events, as well as booking details: visit www.robertsonslow.com or contact the Robertson Wine Valley on: tel (023) 626 3167 or e-mail manager@robertsonwinevalley.com.

Issued on behalf of Robertson Wine Valley by:         Robertson Wine Valley:
Posy & Jeremy Hazell · PR & Wine Consultants            Tel 023 626 3167
Tel 021 851 1563 · Cell 082 859 7740            E-mail manager@robertsonwinevalley.com
E-mail: pippa@wine.co.za www.robertsonwinevalley.com

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By PatR, March 25, 2010 10:30 am

Annual SA Cheese Festival – Saturday, April 24 to Tuesday, April 27:

On Monday  morning April 26th there will be a presentation of Slow awards to selected artisanal cheese producers. More details at www.cheesefestival.co.za.

No tickets sold at the gate.  Bookings at Computicket or Checkers. R110 Saturday or Sunday,  R90 Monday or Tuesday or R70 for seniors any day.

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By PatR, March 25, 2010 9:40 am

The Chefs Warehouse and Cookery School will open in Cape Town in April 2010.

Slow Food member, Liam Tomlin, Chef and Owner of Chefs Warehouse and Cookery School, will present a course  of 20 classes  covering the essential principles of cooking:  “Basic Techniques & Methods of Cookery”.

Several  local celebrated chefs and presenters will participate in the first series of classes and the dates of their presentations  will be published shortly.

For more details go to the website www.chefswarehouse.co.za

Enquiries for the Cooking School: Call Liam or Rachel at the Cooking School on +27 (0)21 422 01 28 or email   info@chefswarehouse.co.za

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By PatR, March 25, 2010 4:53 am

Slow Food Mother City – Event News

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By PatR, March 25, 2010 4:50 am

Slow Food Snail Trail

Newsletter of the Cape Town Convivium

No 77 March 2010

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday, April 21 at 18h00

Silwood School of Cookery, Silwood Road Rondebosch

Plus a talk on bee keeping and honey production by David Donald

followed by a light supper with wine.

Our annual General Meeting this year will be preceded by a talk by David Donald, a Rondebosch resident, and experienced bee-keeper.

After the formalities we will adjourn for some tapas style snacks, bread and cheese and a convivial glass of wine or two. The tapas will be provided by Silwood, the cheese from The Real Cheese and the wine from our own stocks. There will be a charge of R80 per person to cover costs. As this is our AGM this will be a members only evening. If you wish to attend only the talk on honey and the AGM there will be no charge. However if you are staying on for supper, please let us know for catering purposes.

The existing five members of the Committee have all indicated that they are prepared to serve again and have signed nomination forms. Members are welcome to make nominations for the committee if they wish and for this purpose a nomination form is attached.  We would welcome nominations for enthusiastic new members to the committee.Please ensure that your nominee signs acceptance of your nomination and that it is forwarded to Lorna van Besouw by Monday 19 April. Also attached is the agenda. The annual report and the financial accounts will follow later.

Directions: Silwood School of Cookery is at the bottom (eastern end) of Silwood Road in Rondebosch. There is limited parking inside the gates and plenty of space in the surrounding roads.

The cost for the meal, including wine is R80 for members.

Book with Lorna van Besouw as usual (see below) and please indicate if you are

coming to the AGM, talk and meal or AGM and talk only. Bookings will close on

Monday April 19.

When booking please post your payment or deposit it to Cape Town Slow Food at FNB, Grassy Park, code 203109, account number 62023929378. Please do not deposit cash. When doing this please put your name as a reference on the deposit slip.  Payment will confirm your booking.

Dates for your diary:

Saturday, April 24 to Tuesday, April 27: Annual SA Cheese Festival. No tickets sold at the gate. Bookings at Computicket or Checkers; R110 Saturday or Sunday, R90 Monday or Tuesday or R70 for seniors any day. More details at www.cheesefestival.co.za On Saturday morning there will be a presentation of Slow awards to selected artisanal cheese producers.

Saturday, May 22: Visit to The Nice Company in Tokai for a talk and tasting on their delectable ice creams and frozen yogurts by owner Cherylle Cowley.

Cape Town Slow Food Convivium: Hon. Secretary/Treasurer Lorna van Besouw,

3 Lutgens Road, Rondebosch, 7700. Telephone 021 685 1197. Fax 021 685 1577.

E-mail: vbesouw@iafrica.com Website: www.slowfoodcapetown.co.za

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By PatR, March 4, 2010 2:22 pm

 ROBERTSON SLOW – ENJOYING LIFE… SLOWLY

Slowly made… slowly enjoyed

6 TO 9 AUGUST 2010

Only 90 minutes drive from Cape Town (on the popular, scenic Route 62), why not take the time to head out to the country and enjoy the simple pleasures in life… slowly at the Robertson Wine Valley’s slow-living festival. At Robertson Slow, one can sample honest, old-fashioned, rural hospitality synonymous with the Robertson Wine Valley’s wine-making community. Relish the slow food and wine that will satiate your senses and revel in the relaxed pace that will replenish your soul.

This year’s Robertson Slow will be taking place, over the long weekend, from Friday 6 to Monday 9 August, and will, once again, allow you to indulge in the laid-back comfort of the Valley, at a leisurely pace, leaving you utterly refreshed.

After the success of last year’s event, as well as being voted “the best wine route promotion for 2007” and “one of two best wine events in 2008” by acclaimed travel journalist, Graham Howe, on www.wine.co.za, Robertson Slow 2010 is definitely an event not to be missed!

The Robertson Wine Valley is looking to attract visitors yearning to experience the charm of country life in intimate settings characterised by each farm’s unique personal touch. While enjoying time-honoured activities, visitors will be afforded the opportunity to interact with wine-makers and wine-farmers, in an informal ambience, getting to know them and their respective families.

Here are just a few of the many activities that can be enjoyed at this year’s Robertson Slow:

• Indulge in traditional cuisine, using local ingredients from the Valley;
  • Experience wine-tastings and dinners in the homes of the local wine-making families, savouring family recipes;
• Revel in the beauty of biodiversity with fynbos walks guided by a gamekeeper;
  • Savour slow-roasted Karoo lamb at its most tender;
  • Learn how to make your own salami at the Pork Festival;
  • Make your very own barrel of wine (± 270 bottles of wine);
  • Master the art of pairing wine with food;
  • Sample the tastes of India in the splendour of a McGregor courtyard;
  • Try your hand at making pasta or baking vetkoek to perfection;
  • Treat yourself to a seven-course organic meal on an organic wine farm;
  • Browse and shop at leisure, on Sunday 9 August, at the Robertson Valley Regional Food Market, and choose from a colourful array of delectable fresh produce.

Robertson Slow may be focusing on the ‘slow’ way of life, but don’t be ‘slow’ to book your place at one (or more) of the events which best represents your interpretation of the essence of country living. To avoid disappointment, events must be booked before Sunday 1 August.

For more information on Robertson Slow, and a full program of events, as well as booking details: visit www.robertsonslow.com or contact the Robertson Wine Valley on: tel (023) 626 3167 or e-mail manager@robertsonwinevalley.com.

Issued on behalf of Robertson Wine Valley by:
Posy & Jeremy Hazell · PR & Wine Consultants
Tel 023 626 3167
E-mail:l manager@robertsonwinevalley.com
Web: www.robertsonwinevalley.com