News: Box of Organic Produce for Xmas!

A BIG thank you to Rocketseed for a really well thought out year end gift! Today, I received a box of Organic Produce from one of our 3rd party suppliers... I am so chuffed. Wow! This truly is in line with my blog - Fresh, organic produce - what more could you ask for?

Rocketseed is the company responsible for Coronation's email branding & auto-signatures. They also manage our bulk email distribution. Over the years, we have built up a very good relationship but never in my wildest dreams did I expect this...

The box comprises carrots, brocolli, asparagus, potatoes, corgettes (baby marrow), spinach, squash, oranges, apricots, plums! AND all organic.

Tonight, I cook up a storm! Thanks Rocketseed! I love the gift...

BTW: Boys Night is not happening tonight (for my avid blog readers)

Another BTW: I will try to find out where this was sourced and post details soonest - for those of you that are interested.

Reportback: Gourmet Evening at Cape Town Hotel School

I am subscribed to a brilliant weekly newletter that fills me in on the happenings in and around Cape Town. In Edition 108, dated 20 Nov, they referred to a Gourmet Evening at the Cape Town Hotel School. My interest was piqued: 5 Course meal, wine with every course for R185 per person. I booked for 4 (Chef Sam, her mum, my wife & I) and waited in anticipation for the evening to arrive...



The evening was centred around Buitenverwachting's wine offerings where each course was accompanied by a certain wine selection, perfectly paired. The owner of the farm introduced the wine selection for each course. He explained some of the history of the wine and gave us many interesting facts.



For the life of me, I cannot remember his name (how bad is that for a blog writer? Oops)! In saying that, I was truly impressed that the owner of a prestigious Cape Town wine farm would take time out to come and introduce his wine to a small group of people at an Hotel School. I take my hat off to him!


The Amuse Bouche, spicy chilled gazpacho with goats cheese and basil straws, was served with Blanc de Noir 2008. To be honest, I had no idea what an Amuse Bouche was so I did some homework: In short, it offers a glimpse into the chef's approach to cooking and is not an appetizer. The term is French, literally translated to "mouth amuser" [for bouche = mouth; amuser = to amuse, to please]. It did just that. Very tasty. And, Buitenverwachting's Blanc de Noir is fabulous! It is not as sweet as a Rosé and has much more of a punch.

The following course was a Salmon avocado and shrimp parcel, wild rocket and cucumber salad & lemon chive dressing. This was accompanied by a well chilled Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I really enjoyed this course...

This was followed by what the menu referred to as a sorbet, a Strawberry Shot. This was most definitely not a sorbet, in no sense of the word. Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water, flavoured with iced fruit (typically juice or puree), chocolate, wine, and/or liqueur. I think that this was simply an oversight but the menu did create an expectation that was not met.

The main course was then served. This was a Kingklip incased with Kelp and smoked salmon, served with stuffed baby marrows, thyme in infused tomato fondue. The wine served was a Chardonnay 2007 and / or a Meifort 2005.

I truthfully would preferred a meat dish as the main course as the starter was fish. I personally would not have used salmon in both the starter and the main (just my opinion). The portion could have been a little larger as well and Chef Sam mentioned she could not get the flavour of the Kingklip. I tend to agree. Don't get me wrong: The food was amazing! Hot, tasty and well presented! I full into the ABC category, according to the owner of Buitenverwacht (once more, the name!!). Anything But Chardonnay! The Meifort was quite the treat though. Some advice that was given: For best drinking, decant the Meifort and let it stand for 1, 2 or 3 days. Who would have thought?

Dessert was a frozen Peach Melba parfait with lemon grass truffle and a vanilla macaroon. The wine was a Buitenverwachting Dessert 1769. The dessert was great but I must make special mention of the lemon grass truffle.... Mmmmmm! The wine too was lovely. As presented, it would be better suited to a more salty dish but it pretty much goes with any dessert.

Overall, our experience was a good one. Yes! We will most definitely frequent this establishment again. The service was impeccable, the food was devine and the atmosphere was social.

Contact details and bookings:

Heidi Janse van Rensburg
Restaurant Supervisor
Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant
GRANGER BAY
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
t: 021 440 5736

http://www.cput.ac.za/cthsrestaurant/

Reportback: Coronation Year End Function

On 29 November 2008, I attended my first Coronation Year End Function as a direct member of staff. I must say that it feels good to be included... The venue was the Vineyard Terrace at Constantia Uitsig (thank goodness for the GPS!). What a great venue. My wife and I pulled up, parked and were shuttled to the huge marquee tent - best described as a bedouin tent.

We were met with drinks, either alcoholic or non. Groups had gathered and were chatting, all very social... What a great atmosphere. Waitrons were circling with platters of mustard seared tuna, spring rolls with chilli dip and bree, tomato and olive tartlets while others cleared glasses, etc. All the waitrons were professional and well groomed.

There was a bar off to the bottom of the tent that proved to be quite the social gathering point, more for some than others (no names mentioned for fear of retribution - but you know who you are!). The evening kicked off with a speech by our CEO, Hugo Nelson. Hugo happens to look just like Lionel Richie so there were some photo opportunities for those who wanted pics with the star!

We then sat down for starters. The starter was smoked salmon salad on blini with rocket and sour cream dressing. For our table, we opened a bottle of Springfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc. This really complimented the salmon.

The main course was then brought out. This was a beef fillet topped with bordelaise sauce, potato disks and caramalized butternut & fresh asparagus. It was yummy! All compliments to the chef on this. It is really a task and a half cooking for around 120 people (my guess) - bringing the food out hot and all at once. One day, I may undertake something like this but I think, for now, I will leave this to the professionals! I accompanied my steak with a bottle of Neethlingshof Shiraz 2003.

Dessert followed the main course, as it normally does. This was a fresh plum and almond tart with armagnac & creme fraiche. I was not impressed with this at all. The only positive thing I can say is that the pastry was great (Sorry Chef!).

For the remainder of the evening, we boogied away to the sounds of the South African Hit Band Goldfish! My wife and I absolutely love their music.

My buddy Mark Chipps, the owner of Goosebump Productions filmed one of their promo video clips. Check out the video of Goldfish at Ignite in Camps Bay: Video. Great editing job on this one, Mark! Check Mark's slogan: "Envoking that privitive emotion-linked reflex of goosebumps through my video productions".

In a nutshell (Oi, I'm in a nutshell), the evening was a huge success. A BIG thank you to the Coronation Marketing Dept.

Keep them coming...

Reportback: Turning on of the Adderley Street Lights

I must say: What a Party!!! Usually, I don't do crowds but this was not too bad. People (besides the odd few) respected your personal space (this could also be due to my size and displeased look on my face when people came too close).

We arrived a little late and managed to find a good spot, just as Bongo Maffin finished off. Shortly after we arrived, Mayor Helen Zille arrived, dutifully escorted by her SAPS bodyguards. The MC announced her arrival and the crowds went wild! Truly, she has many local supporters!

We found a great spot, almost right in front of the massive stage, next to the Adderley Street Fountain. As we got settled, Jody Williams from Idols came on. Hot numbers! ... and her voice isn't half bad either. LOL! Celine (my daughter) was in her element! Dancing and singing along with her. The crowds again raised the roof ... ok! ok! It was out in the open and there was no roof. There were even people standing on the roofs of the adjacent buildings, watching the show.

I must comment on how well the show was organized! With the amount of people present - I am told in excess of 50 000, I don't believe that there were any incidents. This could be due to the fact that the entire SAPS and Metro Services were there! I am wondering if the crime picked up in the other areas???

Then, the crowds settled for a tribute to the late Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa. She suffered a heart attack after singing her hit song "Pata Pata" at a concert in Italy. She passed away on 10 November 2008. The tribute was really beautiful. To be honest, I am not really familiar with her music but the tribute was really moving.

Then it was Luyiso's turn. He drove the crowd wild. He is truly a very very good entertainer. Luyiso has a great stage presence - energetic, with a really good voice! The women all seemed to swoon over him... I also applaude Luyiso for giving thanks to our Saviour, Jesus Christ!

5 year old drummer, Daniel Petersen, took the stage. The 'Little Drummer Boy' doesn't come close to what this kid can do on a drum kit - just 5 years old and he Wow'ed a crowd of 50 000! Impressive.

At around 8:30pm, the Mayor led the countdown to the turning on of the lights (after the MC made an Eskom Load Shedding wisecrack!). The lights came on without a hitch and are truly stunning. We decided to leave and come back another night, to drive down Adderley Street.

I am busy uploading a video clip of the countdown. It will be available soon by clicking here: Video

As we left, the parade kicked off...

Right, so, where does the food come in to all of this? Well, to be honest, I expected loads of stalls selling boeries, hotdogs, candy floss, etc. To my dismay, nothing! Sorry guys! This event was a prequil to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. I hope they have some food stalls there...

EVENT: Switching on the Lights in Adderley Street, CPT

Ok, I have been truly sleg! Truth be told: I have been really really busy over the past 3 weeks... Between the Exchange Server crashing, having a tummy bug, crayfishing and playing BattleField 2 online... I haven't had time to update the blog. With the Festive Season fast approaching, I will see what I can do about posting some Christmas-y stuff.

Sunday is the official switching on of the Adderley Street lights... I found this great article online:

Festive Lights on Adderley Street One of Cape Town’s largest public open-air events is the official switch on of the festive lights in Adderley Street. This year boasts 12 brand new light installations offering a kaleidoscope of colour with a strong emphasis on the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It is the 42nd year that this switch-on event is taking place. Some 50 000 people are expected to gather to watch the colourful extravaganza of light and sound.

Over the past two years, the City has reduced the electricity consumption of its festive light displays by more than 50%, using energy efficient rope lighting. Roughly nine kilometres were used to create this year’s displays. A special team designed the new light crossings to incorporate a strong emphasis on 2010 soccer themes. Some of the more traditional elements will be retained, but the huge Christmas tree at the top end of Adderley Street will be replaced with an indigenous aloe plant.

The aim of the festive lights is to spread joy by lifting the spirits of local residents and welcoming tourists during the summer holidays. Cape Town is expecting an influx of over one million visitors and the municipality has devised a comprehensive festive season co-ordination plan to promote a safe, secure and clean holiday for residents and visitors.

The 2010 mascot, Zakumi, and other soccer icons will join Cape Town’s Executive Mayor Helen Zille in officially launching the City’s summer holiday season when the lights are switched on Sunday, 30th of November 2008 at 20h00.

The festivities will kick off at 16h00 with a star-studded stage concert at the Heerengracht Fountain; featuring local stars such as Loyiso, Idols winner Jody Williams, Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels, Dozi, Die Burger U-tune winner Alfredo Prins, Loading Zone, Maphello and Drum Café.

A 2 000 strong carnival parade which will move from the fountain up to Strand Street will include brass bands, a fire engine with Santa Claus, Cartoon Network characters, dancers, giant puppets, stilt walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, a horse and cart with Sasko Sam, Simba, Ronald Macdonald, Mr Pritt, as well as colourful floats, including a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ host city float. A special musical tribute to the late Miriam Makeba will be performed by the SA Youth Choir.

Two large LED screens will be strategically placed in Adderley Street to allow the expected 50 000 spectators to follow all the action on stage. The show will be complemented by a dazzling laser light display which will be bounced off mirrors and buildings along the street.

The Adderley Street lights will stay up until mid-January 2009.

Date: Sunday, 30th of November 2008.
Venue: Adderley Street, City Centre, Cape Town.

Source: http://cape.town.co.za

I hope to see you all there!

Mid-Week Dinner: Chicken a la King (ala Mike)

I really felt like cooking last night, don't ask me why! No idea. I had taken out a pack of chicken to defrost and got my cook on... Chicken a la King (a la Mike) served on a bed of rice with pumpkin and broccoli, drenched in a white sauce.
Sound good? Here's how simple it was making the chicken dish:

Ingredients:
1x Pack of Chicken (4x Thighs & 4x Drumsticks)
1x Packet Knorr Chicken ala King
1/2 Cup Wellington's Sweet Chilli (Hot)
2x Cups Milk (500ml)
1x Large Onion, diced
2t Garlic
1x Punnet of Mushrooms (sliced)

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, brown the Chicken, remove and set aside.
2. De-glaze the pan with white wine.
3. Add 2T Olive Oil and apply heat.
4. Add the Onions and fry until translucent, stirring ever so often.
5. Add the Garlic and Chilli Sauce, fry for a further minute or two, stirring
6. Add the Chicken, Mushrooms and Milk, bringing it up to a simmer.
7. Sprinkle the Knorr Chicken ala King spice into the pan, stir it well into the mixture.
8. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, until the Chicken is cooked.
NOTE: You will need to stir quite often as this mix tends to burn to the bottom of the pan. Add more milk if liquid gets to thick.

Serve the Chicken on a bed of Rice, with a side of Broccoli and Pumpkin. Finger licking good! A quick and really tasty meal, in around 45 minutes.

Other Interests: Fishing at Zandvlei & Kalk Bay

At 5:45am, Gary and I were on the way to Zandvlei, the Rutter Road Pond in Muizenberg to attempt catching some bass. The plan was to be there for sunrise, hoping to catch a bass or two hunting in the shallows. I quickly tied up a bottom rig with a free running sinker, using a plastic worm and got my line wet. I have heard that if a fish stikes a plastic worm and the angler fails to hook him, he will come back for a second try as he would not have been shocked by an 'unnatural hardness' of other lures.
The only thing I caught was lots of grass and weeds. There was nothing doing. I changed to a frog... nothing! Gary, in the meantime, was messing around with his newly acquired fly rod. Also, I am sorry to say, nothing! One of the locals came out and we chatted to him. He pointed out a good spot for bass where he regularly catches, but you can only get their by dinghey (which we clearly didn't have). That was it! We decided to go to Kalk Bay (we were in the area anyways). Back to the ocean... It seems that fishing was bad all over today. All the fishermen on the pier were complaining... Nothing was biting! Then, Gary pulls up a tiny little hottentot! And then a rock fish and shortly after, another tiny little specimen. One of the sea-hardened fishermen came over to check out the hottentot... that is how bad the fishing was!


At around 11:30am, we called it a day! I have been craving fish this past week and I bought bought 3 from the Fresh Fish Market in Kalk Bay, right near the pier where we were fishing. Dinner tonight is thus fresh fish... I just realised I don't know what these fish are called! Oh my word!

While were were waiting for the ladies to scale and gut the fish, we were entertained by the seals. One of the locals showed off his 'seal training skills' by making a seal perform for him, coaxing him on with pieces of fish. I uploaded a video clip on YouTube - take a look.

I also noticed a guy selling freshly smoked snoek. He had whole snoek for R25 & R30, depending on the size. He also had some smaller packages for R12. I bought a small pack to give it a try... Absolutely amazing. Then again, I have always been a sucker for sea food.

All in all, the day was good. It would have been better if I had managed to land a bass at Zandvlei or a Hottentot or Elf at Kalk Bay. Well, you can't always have your cake, and eat it... LOL!