Cheers - Sept/Oct 2014 (Vol. 14)

ary t n e m i l p m o c

Sep|Oct 2014|14 brought to you by

T

t www.topsatspar.co.za

win!

Wood & whisky

Sherry, Port or Bourbon casks

• Copies of Emma Dean’s A Homegrown Table

Low-alcohol wine – calorific & terrific?

• A Vrou Soek Boer DVD or The Fault In Our Stars CD

Ginger, more

than just a sushi partner

• A Highland Park whisky gift pack

weiss WHITE OR WHEAT –

the case for weissbier

TASTING PANEL: A rum review

Day by day,

one woman’s braai quest

OGILVY CAPE TOWN 62895/E

Who says a beer can’t be flavoured?

New flavoured beer.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

contents

12

34

4 EDITOR’S LETTER Words & meanings

6 NEWS

Magic brewing in Stellenbosch with new Alchemy wines; Glenfiddich release 26 year old single malt; more whisky, wine and world news.

20

12 TINUS TALKS

Raise your glass in a toast

15 LIGHT WINES

39

Kilojoules, calories and flavour

20 AFTER DINNER DRINKS Medicinal aid or a sweet treat?

26 BREWING TRADITION White or wheat explained

30 GINGER JOBS

26

Getting to this root

30

34 WHISKY AGEING Wood’s influential role

39 SPICY RUM

CHEERS tastes and rates a lineup

44 TOPS AT SPAR BIERFEST Sneak preview of October fun

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 1

contents cont...

68 NEXT ISSUE

What to expect from Issue 15

68 COMPETITION WINNERS

win

Who won what

48

48 THINGAMAJIGS

win

Whatnots, gizmos and gadgets

50 Stand a chance to win

a copy of the A Vrou Soek Boer DVD or The Fault In Our Stars CD!

69 A Highland Park whisky gift pack

62 BLOGSPOT

Teresa Ulyate’s tempting treats

64

64 A BRAAI A DAY...

Emile Joubert meets a BBQ fanatic

Advertising | Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Jess Nosworthy | jess@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions | Ashlee Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Photography | Jess Nosworthy and Thinkstock.com

71 GROCERY LIST

Stocking up made simple

72 LOOPDOP

Heimwee oor inryteaters

Contributors | Tinus van Niekerk , Teresa Ulyate Emile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Clifford Roberts.

Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701 Printing | Paarl Media Cape Published by | Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR

TOPS at SPAR | Jess Nicholson, Group Promotions & Advertising Manager - Liquor

Australian Masterchef, Emma Dean

Silwood Kitchen’s take on fresh fare

Editor | Fiona Mc Donald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director | Megan Knox megan@integratedmedia.co.za

52 BOOK GIVEAWAY 57 TOPS NOSH

Publisher | Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za

stockists:

SPAR Good Living items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets. www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za

win

KIN (kinshop.co.za), L’Emile et Son (000) 000 0000, Green Elephant Collective (000) 000 0000

pg52

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS

a copy of A Homegrown Table

Competition submissions should reach us no later than 10 October 2014. The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media, TOPS at SPAR, SPAR or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws. By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information.

Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to consumers who must be over 18 years of age and resident in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and TOPS at SPAR, SPAR and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw.

2 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Editorial Fiona McDonald

fiona

Articulation T

Articulation: n. 1. The action of articulating. Music – clarity in the production of successive notes. Phonetics – the formation of a speech sound by constriction of the air flow in the vocal organs. 2. The state of being jointed. he above description indicates

automatically creates a picture in one’s

oaky toast… I don’t know if those are

two things: firstly, how one word

mind. Oxford’s Concise Dictionary states

accepted rum tasting descriptions, but

can have several quite different

that it’s an adjective, “of, resembling, or

it’s what the spirit evoked for me.

meanings and, secondly, how I love

relating to twilight”. (And I sidetracked

And it reminded me that so much of

words! It’s not often that I’m at a loss

myself for a few minutes looking at the

what we experience when tasting – be

for them…

meanings of other words around

it beer, wine, whisky, gin, brandy or rum

‘crepuscular’. How about this one that

– is personal. What was banana and

attributed to me was: “Words are, of

caused an involuntary spasm and shiver

maple syrup to me might have been

course, the most powerful tool known to

to run up my spine: crepitus – ‘a grating

something entirely different to someone

mankind”. And in researching this

sound or sensation produced by friction

else. But the point is that the next time I

(because the yearbook was lost in one of

between bone and cartilage or the

get bananas and maple syrup, I’ll be

my many moves…) I see either they got

fractured parts of a bone’. Eeuw!)

reminded of one particular rum…

In my high school yearbook, the quote

the quote wrong or I suffered a memory

But back to my point – which is that

lapse, substituting a crucial word! This is

during Cheers magazine’s rum tasting I

one of author Rudyard Kipling’s most

was stumped to try and find the right

famous quotations – and should have

words. I do a lot of wine and whisky

read: “Words are, of course, the most

tasting – and I have my lexicon (‘the

powerful drug known to mankind”.

vocabulary of a person, language, or a

Kipling was addressing the Royal

for both. Tasting is not so much about

was likening the effect that words can

what you are experiencing but how

have on another person to that of a

you describe it – the words you use.

drug. He went on to say: “Not only do

And your brain is the organ that’s vital

words infect, egotise, narcotise and

to the process: it has to provide the

paralyse, but they enter into and colour

words for the association you’re

the minutest cells of the brain…”.

making with what your nose and

For me words have a physical

I found it frustrating casting about trying to find the right word to describe

search out new ones and try to find how

my experience. There was a sense of

they can be used in the correct context.

recognition but remembering

It’s not often one can casually toss the

specifically what it was created a

word ‘crepuscular’ into a sentence – but

problem initially. Banana and maple

its definition is just so beautiful that it

syrup, caramel, butterscotch, spices,

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Do n, Craig Gutma rd a . rn ld Be cDona wling, Grant M yne Do rk, Sha onald & la D C c t M n Gra Fiona ughes, Dave H

Cheers!

tastebuds are experiencing.

meaning evokes a specific image. I

4 www.topsatspar.co.za

pirate’s chest of words!

branch of knowledge,’ Oxford states…)

College of Surgeons in 1923 and he

sensation when you say them and their

Some new friends to add to my

Rum Tasting, see pg 39 Fiona McDonald is a trained journalist who has spent the last 20 years writing about wine – and more recently, about whisky too.

ré,

News

news news news news A first for KwaMashu

The Ekaya-Multi Arts Centre was the venue for the first ever TOPS at SPAR KwaMashu Wine & Lifestyle festival – and eager novice wine consumers turned out in their hundreds to support the red carpet event.

i Cele and ZamandoesMbambo Lindiw

d son an l o h c i Jess N an Rooyen V Taryn S at SPAR of TOP

kolokou, sa o z M , o ongu M Mlamb Musa Mvemve, Bkhathini s Charlend Muzi Ma a

Quanni v i V r az ise Organ obert Magw R and

Zanele Duma, Smangele Gumede, and Nonhlanhla Sithole

Nothando Nsele, Nomthi Mhlongo and Zomangvane Khanyle

“I’m proud to say that KwaZulu-Natal

Hartenberg, Robertson and Rietvallei.

valuable work experience in the

has finally experienced a TOPS at SPAR

Experts from each producer were on

hospitality sector. The festival also

wine festival and KwaMashu is set to be

hand to lead folks through the tasting

employed several local service

the host for many more in the years to

and appreciation process. All done in a

providers, creating meaningful business

come. Thank you to all whose vision

vibrant, fun – yet responsible – setting.

investment in the community and

and passion made this possible,” said

TOPS at SPAR Groups Liquor Manager

surrounding areas.”

Adding lustre to the occasion was the

Sharon Cooper, co-founder and

Mark Robinson said: “TOPS at SPAR is

organiser of the event.

also committed to local investment.

presence of one of the country’s most

Before the festival, Ekaya-Multi Arts

noted house music legends, DJ

wineries attended – among them

Centre students received wine service

Euphonik who was behind the decks on

Meerlust, Simonsig, Cederberg, De

training and were employed for both

launch night.

Grendel, Ernie Els, Rupert & Rothschild,

nights of the event, giving them

Some of the country’s best known

6 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

what’s happening

news news news news

THE PERFECT 10

Stylin in Soweto is the theme of the tenth TOPS at SPAR Soweto Wine & Lifestyle event, presented by Joburg Tourism.

and TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor Manager Mark Robinson. “TOPS at SPAR are heavily invested in the education of responsible drinking and

Once again the event will take place

wine pairings take a lot of effort to

will be promoting this at the festival as

at the University of Johannesburg’s

manage – and local sommeliers and

well as showcasing our wine brands.”

Soweto campus and co-founder

chefs will lead their audiences through

Mnikelo Mangciphu promises the event

the pitfalls to avoid as well as provide

again be headline sponsor.” In

will top all nine that have preceded it.

perfect tips.

celebration of 10 years of Stylin in Soweto,

“Those of you who thought 2013’s

The festival now attracts more than

“We’re immensely proud to once

this year the organisers are collaborating

festival couldn’t be topped should think

10 000 visitors over the course of the

with Elle and Elle Décor in an exclusive

again. This year we are putting our

three nights with more than 100 exhibitors

partnership that promises glamour and

hearts and souls into creating the

showcasing in excess of 900 different

glitz for all visitors in which to luxuriate.

biggest and best TOPS at SPAR Soweto

wines and foods. It’s an exhilarating

Publishing Director Gisèle Wertheim

Wine & Lifestyle Festival yet. Watch this

experience as visitors explore their love of

Aymés, said the magazine was

space, Soweto!”

wine, tasting top labels such as The

“delighted to be media sponsors for the

Chocolate Box, JC Le Roux bubblies,

Soweto Wine and Lifestyle Festival in

banner event which will see thousands

Rupert &Rothschild, Nederburg, Meerlust,

2014. Not only is Soweto the hometown to

of locals flock to the UJ campus over

Olive Brook and 4th Street to name a

many of our readers but, what makes this

the first weekend in September to enjoy

handful of the exhibitors.

event so special to us is that it embodies

Food and wine play a big role in this

all that’s on offer.Robertson’s Herbs &

“This festival is synonymous with the

our values of spirited women leading the

Spices host the Tasting Theatre along with

values of TOPS at SPAR and visitors can

way. We look forward to sharing it with

Nederburg Wines, showing why they

expect to be captivated by the

our readers and enjoying all that our local

have both taken ownership of this and

experience from the minute they walk

winemakers and food connoisseurs have

the Masterchef sphere. Perfect food and

in the venue,” said headline sponsor

to offer in September. See you there!”

The 10th TOPS at SPAR Soweto Wine Festival takes place from 4 to 6 September 2014.

For further details or to book tickets go to www.sowetowinefestival.co.za.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 7

News

news news news news World domination

At the conclusion of the 2014 Diageo World Class Bartender of the year competition in London it was announced that the Mother City would be the venue for the 2015 event.

American Charles Joly of The Aviary in Chicago beat off 47 of the best mixologists from around the world to be crowned the world’s best bartender. He was praised for his craftsmanship and skill as well as unrivalled creativity and exceptional cocktails.

“This journey didn’t start today at the ceremony, the week at the finals, or even last year when I entered the heats,” Joly said, “it started many years ago when I first started working in a local bar. The flavours, the smells, the sounds, the techniques, the history, the theatre – I realised I didn’t want to create just another drink. I make drinks with my heart and it makes me happy to see customers happy.

The possibilities open to a bartender are limitless, not just in terms of your career but your creations – the only limit is your imagination.”

Voted one of the world’s top travel destinations by the New York Times, the city situated on the scenically magnificent slopes of Table Mountain will see the cream of the crop vie for top honours

Alchemy

to be named the best bartender next year.

with flavour. The vibrant, youthful range is instantly accessible, courtesy of a screw cap closure – and is suited to any and every occasion, from picnics and braais to intimate dinners.

The three blends that currently make up the Alchemy range are easy drinking

ultz

Carl Sch

but maintain Hartenberg’s quality reputation. Alchemy White 2014 is a

Alchemy is usually associated with bearded druids and wizards in pointy

blend of Chenin Blanc, Semillon and

hats and flowing robes – but renowned Stellenbosch producer Hartenberg

Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Bordeaux-

has adopted this name for a brand new range of blended wines.

style blend mixes Merlot, Malbec and

Cellarmaster and Cape Winemakers

to augment the critically acclaimed

Cabernet Franc while the Rhone blend

Guild member Carl Schultz and his team

classic wines, which are mainly focussed

comprises Syrah, Mourvèdre and

have used their knowledge and skills to

on single varietal expressions.

Grenache.

create the perfect blend of art and science in the range which is intended 8 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Blends allow the winemaking team greater creativity and experimentation

The wines will be available nationwide from September.

what’s happening

news news news news intjes ierre Me ssador, P e of single malts a b m a hisky rang Scotch w Bunnahabhain e th g n ti n prese

Bascule’s Bunnahabhain box

To inaugurate their customised display cabinet housing a showcase of the Bunnahabhain range of premium whiskies, South Africa’s “Mr Whisky”, Pierre Meintjes took a select group of guests through a tasting of the

re Guests a ow shown h ate to evalu of ur lo o c e th a whisky

un-chillfiltered range that is fast building a cult following amongst whisky aficionados.

The range of gentle, unpeated single malts is made at the Bunnahabhain Distillery on the northern tip of the Isle of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland.

The whiskies are un-chillfiltered for the purest expression of colour, aroma and flavour.

Taygan Govinden, the brand’s SA marketing manager, said: “To contrast the unpeated profile of the range, Meintjes gave guests the rare opportunity of tasting a peated single malt, made in very limited quantities at Bunnahabhain. This rare peated Bunnahabhain, named Toiteach, is not available in South Africa, but provided a fascinating comparison.”

Champion steakhouse The Local Grill’s 90-day aged Charolais Sirloin from Karan Beef served with The Wolftrap wine

Scotch whisky ambassador, Pierre Meintjes; Bunnahabhain SA brand manager, Lizanne Mouton; and Bunnahabhain SA marketing manager, Taygan Govinden, in front of the brand’s display cabinet at the Bascule Bar

Meat is meat, and man must eat… goes the popular saying.

South Africans love their meat which is why steakhouses are amongst the most popular venues in the country.

The Wolftrap wine brand recently

Grill’s expertise in all matters meat,

sponsored the popular Steakhouse of the

consistent service and accurate grilling

Year competition – and attracted a

gave it the edge with The Godfather in

whopping 140 entries. Public votes

Centurion as the worthy runner-up.

counted with a Top Five list then compiled on the basis of popularity. The judges – Pete Goffe-Wood, Reuben Riffel and Arnold Tanzer – then visited them to critique their respective offerings.

Cape Town boasted two of the Top Five in HQ and Theo’s of Mouille Point while Centurion weighed in with The Godfather and Johannesburg contributed The Local Grill in Parktown North and Fahrenheit in Edenvale.

Bragging rights went to The Local Grill for the second year running. The Local

The Local Grill team left to right: Lance Phiri, Reason Ndlovu, Steve Maresch, Oscar Chatsika and Siphiwe Khumalo Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 9

News

news news news news On yer bike!

Günter Brözel retired years ago but the legendary Nederburg

cellarmaster’s heritage lives on in the Paarl winery’s Motorcycle

Marvel, a Rhône-style blended

red wine.

Appropriately, it’s part of Nederburg’s Heritage Heroes collection. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut and is silky-smooth in texture but full of vibrant juicy fruit flavour. “(Günter) is an icon in South African winemaking,” said current cellarmaster Razvan Macici, “and has been an inspiration to me and our cellar team.”

Something of a maverick and free spirit,

Old Oak

With the country’s oak trees now wearing their springtime garb of bright green new leaves, it was appropriate

Brözel, who led the winemaking team from

that Glenfiddich introduced a new

1956 until 1989, was renowned for zooming

expression to whisky lovers in South

around on his 250cc BSA motorcycle. Being German, he was meticulous and didn’t stand for any mediocrity – something which was ultimately recognised with the highest honour of any winemaker’s career: the title of International Winemaker of the Year from the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 1985.

Africa recently: the 26 year old.

Global Brand Ambassador Ian Millar impressed upon guests in both Johannesburg and Cape Town that the “new” whisky was an old one… which had been maturing in cask for 26 years.

“What sets this single malt whisky apart is that it has been matured entirely in ex-Bourbon barrels,” he said.

“There is no European oak or sherry cask which formed part of this whisky’s maturation – which makes it quite unique. The 18 year old, for example, has 80% American oak and 20% European oak.” Millar said the American oak barrels, used just once to mature Bourbon, imparted a lighter, sweeter vanilla and spice character to the Scotch spirit and also provided a unique, more honest expression of the individual distillery’s style.

10 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

what’s happening

news news news news Durbanville Hills Winery has something for everyone – fun for the kids and food and tastings for parents. They have even ensured that there will be a big screen for the die-hard rugby fans to watch the Currie Cup rugby final live!

The restaurant is open from breakfast and picnic baskets can be pre-booked, meaning that all you have to do is arrive

The Hills in summer

and sprawl out on the lawns of the olive

Sauvignon on the weekend of 25 and 26 October.

recommended for breakfast and lunch

Durbanville Wine Valley is once again hosting its Season of Wineries in the Durbanville area pull out all the stops to celebrate the zingy

grove and listen to the live music.

Bookings are essential for picnics, the sensory wine tasting and are in the restaurant. For more information or

fresh flavours of the new vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa’s favourite

to book contact Simone Brown on 021

white wine grape.

558 1300 or info@durbanvillehills.co.za

RESTAURANT NIGHTCLUB BEACH BOOK NOW: 021 200 7778 INFO@SHIMMYBEACHCLUB.CO.ZA WWW.SHIMMYBEACHCLUB.COM

TRADING HOURS MON - SUN: 11AM - 4AM

Tinus talks

a toast! tinus

It’s an ostensibly simple thing – to raise one’s glass and propose a toast, be it to absent friends, King and country or the bride and groom. But do you know where it all started?

I

t is springtime again with all kinds of

such as the Fête de la Fleur, Ban du

with social problems, eliminating an

festivities on the go. In the South

Millésime and Fête des Vendanges are

enemy, silencing the competition,

African world of wine it means

attended by guests from all over the

preventing a relationship from

having our eyes focussed on the

world, special wines are served,

becoming nasty, and so forth. It thus

vineyards to observe how the vines

accompanied by the best cuisine that

became a symbol of friendship for the

have shaken off their winter sleep and

top chefs can dish up. Phenomenal

host to pour wine from a common

what promise they hold for the 2015

wines, sometimes from forgotten

beaker, savour it in front of his guests,

vintage. Quite the opposite in Europe,

vintages, appear on the tables from

and – satisfied that it was good – to

where the vineyard programme is

where passionate wine lovers will find

raise his glass to his friends and invite

gearing up for its zenith – the highpoint

any possible reason to drink to each

them to do likewise.

of harvest in September, with

other’s health and to carry on imbibing

everybody hoping that the 2014

until the early hours of the morning.

vintage will bring new hope after the disappointments of 2013.

True to the words of the investiture

In old Italy, things were initially not so good when wine socialising took place.

One of the most notorious games

ceremony, the Commanderie and

allowed participants to drink as much

other similar brotherhoods represent,

wine as possible, stopping at intervals

celebrate and preserve not only wine

to insult each other. To keep things

almost a national pastime to the

but also the cultural values with which it

joyful, each player was allowed to

French and they do so with great

is closely associated: friendship,

carry a knife, and so a good time was

fanfare, festivity and merriment. Two

cheerfulness and loyalty to the land.

probably had by all those who survived

Celebrating wine and its enjoyment is

particular annual highlights are the

One of the most civilised social

a drinking match.

flowering of the vines – Fête de la Fleur

customs that we have is to drink a toast

The word “toast” originates from the

– and the arrival of the harvest. These

to the well-being of someone, whether

Roman practice of dropping a piece of

activities are all initiated by a number

this is a family member, a friend, or an

burnt bread into the wine cup. This was

of wine fraternities of which the

institution. Why the word “toast”? Taken

done to somewhat soften the rough

Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc

at face value, that’s a roasted slice of

nature of the bad wines the Romans

et des Graves, de Sauternes et Barsac,

bread most commonly found on the

sometimes had to drink. The charcoal

one of France’s oldest and largest wine

breakfast table…

of the toasted bread apparently

associations, is internationally

It is known that the Greeks, as early

reduced the acidity of wine slightly,

as 6 BC, were “toasting” the health of

making it marginally more palatable.

their friends for none other than a

Over time, the Latin “tostus” meaning

Commanderie organises numerous

reason of consideration, specifically to

roasted or parched, came to refer to

meetings, receptions and investiture

assure them that the wine they were

the drink itself. Much later, during the

ceremonies in the various winegrowing

about to drink was not poisoned. Let’s

1700’s, party-goers started toasting the

areas and even far beyond the borders

face it, it was quite common to spike

health of people not present, usually

of Bordeaux. These prestigious events

wine with poison as a means of dealing

focusing on celebrities and especially

renowned and acclaimed.

Throughout the year, this

12 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Tinus van Niekerk

beautiful women. Incidentally, this also gave rise to the expression of being “The toast of the town” as the special, absent person (usually female…) who was the object of such toasts.

By the 1800’s, the custom of toasting was the proper thing to do. To such an extent that in 1803 a British duke wrote that “every glass during dinner had to be dedicated to someone,” and that to refrain from toasting was considered “sottish and rude, as if no one present was worth drinking to”. You can imagine the merriment that resulted if you had to

One of the most civilised social customs that we have is to drink a toast to the wellbeing of someone, whether this is a family member, a friend, or an institution.

consider how many glasses of wine one

how to politely insult a person – just do

would have had to put away if there

not toast him or her.

were 10 and more guests present!

In South Africa we tend to salute the

Furthermore, to effectively insult a dinner

health of a person by serving a glass of

guest was to omit toasting him or her; it

sparkling wine or Champagne, the

was, as the duke wrote, “a piece of

glorious elixir of Aphrodite. During

direct contempt”. Well, now we know

Napoleonic times mounted cavalry

riders used the blunt side of their sabres to ingeniously break open the neck of a stubborn wine bottle, a procedure called “sabrer la bouteille”, all to ensure that no imbibing opportunity was missed.

Fortunately nowadays opening a bottle of sparkles usually poses no problem. Next time when you serve a glass of fizz, also remember that one 750ml bottle contains around 58 million bubbles – so enjoy the experience.

Tinus van Niekerk is TOPS at SPAR’s wine consultant and has been instrumental in refining the grocery chain’s wine offering. But wine is not the only thing that fascinates this Northern Cape-bred nature lover.

He’s as au fait with bush lore, animal behaviour and geology as he is about wine.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 13

Consciously healthy Low-alcohol or lite wines

Less than

L

ike paying your TV licence,

following a healthy lifestyle is the right thing to do: eating and

drinking in moderation, consuming the requisite five portions of fruit and

vegetables a day, getting enough exercise

and sleep, drinking enough water… but the truth is that we all fail miserably.

At the end of a day, many a mom opens

the fridge and reaches for a glass of wine.

And a glass of low-alcohol wine is healthier for you isn’t it? After all, it contains fewer

kilojoules – and when you’re watching your weight, you count the calories and watch the kilojoules, right?

There’s no doubt that low-alcohol wines

are big business and according to Wine

Intelligence research conducted in 2012, in the United Kingdom, had grown by 27%

and the value of the sector was £38 million

It’s sad but true that alcohol is packed with calories. That dirty word – carbohydrates – is often to blame, but surely low-alcohol wines are the healthier option?

Fiona McDonald researches the issue.

– or R684 million in South African terms.

Around 30 years ago TJ Light from Twee

Jongegezellen in Tulbagh was about the only light or low-alcohol wine available on the

South African market. Fast forward three

decades and consumers are spoiled for choice.

TOPS at SPAR have two of their own wines which are low-alcohol, Van Loveren has a

Weigh-Less approved product, Drostdy-Hof has Extra Light… The 2014 edition of the

Platter Wine Guide lists no fewer than 109 light or low-alcohol wines!

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 15

Consciously healthy

Available from SPAR and TOPS at SPAR stores

WHAT IS A LOW-ALCOHOL OR LIGHT WINE?

To legally comply with local regulations, a wine needs to be less than 10% alcohol by volume.

Dave Hughes is a seasoned wine taster

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

the difference sensorially – but at higher levels such as 14, 15 and 16% it’s far harder to taste the alcohol.”

Hughes warned that there was a

and international wine judge who has

perception that lower alcohol wines are

evaluations of light or low-alcohol wines

that many of the lower alcohol wines on

been involved in a number of sensorial versus those with levels in the more

normal 13 to 14.5% range, and even beyond. This was done at the International Wine & Spirit

Competition some years ago when

alcohol levels, particularly on red wines from the New World – America,

Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Chile – started to reach 15% and 16%!

At low concentrations it appears fairly

easy to discern differences in alcohol,

Hughes said. “When really low, like at six, seven or eight percent, you can tell

16 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

automatically healthier. “Just remember, the market are actually not dry. Many

are sweet or labelled natural sweet. They contain a healthy dollop of residual sugar – and those higher sugars

translate into kilojoules so the wines are not in fact any healthier or better for you if you’re on a diet.”

also On the topic of kilojoules and calories, availablve something new on the market and TOPS in a box at SPAR shelves is from Adoro whose winemaker Ian Naudé said flavour and

quality sets the Flirt and Slim apart – that and the eye-catching, slim-waisted bottle specially imported from China!

Low-alcohol or lite wines

“Yes it’s a gimmick but it immediately

Light white and Fleur du Cap Natural

Because it weighs in at just 8.5%

cellar master Andrea Freeborough, “at

makes an impact on the shelf.”

alcohol, an average glass of Adoro Slim

wine translates into 68.6 calories or 287

kilojoules – whereas an equivalent 120ml glass of a wine at 15% would be 126 calories or 522 kilojoules.

SO HOW DO YOU GET LOWER ALCOHOL WINES?

One way is simply to pick the grapes earlier or less ripe. The lower the

sweetness or sugar level of the grape, the

Light. “The grapes come in early,” said between 17.5 and 18.5 Balling in order to have a lower potential alcohol. The

winemaking team keeps it really simple

and the aim is to make a dry white wine rather than one with sweetness on it.

We’ve made a conscious decision to use Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc

because low alcohol or light wines can be thin and bland. Both these grapes give

you some varietal character and flavour.”

Uitkyk winemaker Estelle Lourens said

lower the potential alcohol in the wine.

she makes Flatroof Manor Sauvignon

level is higher, potentially leading to a

Sauvignon Blanc because of its typically

A drawback of this is that the acidity more tart, acidic and leaner wine.

This is the philosophy followed by

Distell when making Drostdy Hof Extra

Blanc Light the same way – and she chose pungent green pepper and lemon vibrancy.

One winery renowned for its vast range

of low alcohol wines – sweet and dry,

We’ve made a conscious decision to use Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc because low alcohol or light wines can be thin and bland. Both these grapes give you some varietal character and flavour.”

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 17

Consciously healthy

bottle, combibloc and bag-in-box – is

Robertson. “We saw a gap in the market and wanted to exploit its potential,” said winemaker Francois Weich.

Robertson researched low alcohol

winemaking quite extensively, running a

variety of trials and experiments, including

“Consumers preferred the natural wine,

not the wines that had been manipulated

by means of reverse osmosis,” said Weich.

Every year, Robertson produces

putting wines that had been de-alcoholised

hundreds of thousands of litres of low

wines that had simply been picked earlier

making Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc,

by means of reverse osmosis up against and then sweetened up.

alcohol, varietal wines. Their method in Pinotage Rosé and Merlot is also to

undesirable alcohol, water and some

solids. The alcohol, being more volatile,

is distilled off while the water is returned to the rest of the batch of wine, thus

decreasing the overall alcohol level of that batch or tank.

But the use of this technology is

press the grapes early – and then add

controversial and expensive and while it’s

sugar levels. Doing so makes the wine

or 15% to a more acceptable 13.5% or

some juice to the final wine to boost

more palatable, Weich said. “If you do a taste comparison between wines at 9% and 12%, the low alcohol wines lack

useful to take a top end wine from 16%

14.5% it’s not really an option for a wine of around 9%.

The final word goes to Dave Hughes:

body and can be quite thin.”

“In a ‘normal’ glass of wine at 14 or 15%

level is to use spinning cones or reverse

teaspoon of alcohol so you can basically

The other way of reducing the alcohol

osmosis. It essentially de-alcoholises wines by means of filter technology.

When putting a small portion of wine

through the reverse osmotic procedure,

18 www.topsatspar.co.za www.topsatspar.co.zaSep|Oct Sep|Oct 2014 2014 VolVol 14 14

what comes out on the other side are the

alcohol, there will actually be about one lower its percentage and make it

low-alcohol by popping a block or two of ice in the glass!” he said. And there’s lots more flavour that way too!

in

Liqueurs

O

ne doesn’t often associate

brown-robe clad men of God with the sinful delights of

sweet, alcoholic treats. But we should,

because we have ancient monks to thank for liqueurs.

The gentle yet heady whiff of citrus

which announces a small glass of

Cointreau is joined by a gentle sweet,

orange zest and light spirit tang when it

hits your tastebuds. With Amaretto it’s a distinct aroma and flavour of almonds – and with Drambuie, whisky.

20 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Hemlines rise and fall with the fashion of the times. So do hairstyles – and colours. Just look at the current trend towards bushy beards for (hipster) men…

But whatever happened to liqueurs being trendy?

Fiona McDonald looks at the category.

While their flavours might differ

dramatically, one thing they have in

common is that they are the undisputed classics when it comes to liqueurs. No

self-respecting drinks trolley the world over would be without them. In fact,

there would also have to be Cassis, the

lavendar

cinnamon

vogue?

as long ago as 1896 by the Italian brandy distiller, Arturo Vaccari of Tuscany. The evocatively bright yellow liquid contains star anise, vanilla, lavender, ginger,

juniper and musk yarrow among its many flavourings.

One of Agatha Christie’s most famous

blackcurrant liqueur so closely associated

characters, the slightly effete Belgian

would be represented by the stylishly tall

crème de menthe - something the

with France’s Dijon area while Italy

bottle of Galliano. The bottle shape is

apparently supposed to evoke a Roman

column – perhaps because it was created

detective Hercule Poirot, was partial to fictional creation had in common with famous composer and pianist Sergei

Rachmaninoff. Known for his devilishly

mint

ginger

saffron

Sweet treats

complex “Rach 3”, the technically challenging Third Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff

As far as the history goes, liqueurs

was a renowned teetotaller - but he was known to sip on a glass of crème de menthe

started off as herbal remedies or

variation of his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Wikipedia reports that he even

Historic records reflect that in Italy these

to steady his nerves and fingers, particularly before playing the twenty-fourth named it “the crème de menthe variation”!

SO WHAT ARE LIQUEURS, WHAT’S THEIR HISTORY AND WHERE DO THE MONKS COME IN?

The name, as with so much of modern language, is rooted in Latin, from the word

liquifacere, which means “to liquefy”. The broad definition of a liqueur is that it’s an alcoholic beverage from distilled spirit which has then been seasoned or flavoured with either cream, herbs, spices, nuts, fruit or even flowers – usually with the addition of syrup or sugar or some sweetening agent.

medicines – often prepared by monks. herbal elixirs were made as far back as the 1200s. With the great explorers

travelling further afield and returning with exciting new spices, herbs and

flavoured products, so the ingredients

made their way into the herbal infusions the monks made. Ginger was added,

chocolate too. Some were renowned for their anaesthetic or pain relieving Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 21

blackcurrants

citrus

almonds

chocolate

Liqueurs

Medici in the mid-1500s.

With the great explorers travelling further afield and returning with exciting new spices, herbs and flavoured products, so the ingredients made their way into the herbal infusions

which typify this monastic liquor

and plants. Benedictine was - as the name suggests - made by Benedictine monks at

Benedictine, both French. Carthusian

Interestingly, every bottle of Benedictine produced to this day (now part of the

properties and women used them in childbirth, for example.

The culture of liqueur drinking was

apparently adopted by the French court after Henry II adopted the practice

following his marriage to Catherine de Two of the most famous examples

tradition are Chartreuse and

monks made the former since 1737, and

it apparently contains 130 herbs, flowers 22 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

the Fécamp Abbey in Normandy until it was razed during the French Revolution.

Bacardi liquor empire) contains the large letters DOM prominently displayed on the label. That stands for Deo Optimo Maximo - or ‘To God, most good, most great’.

Sweet treats

Among the 56 different herbs, roots

and spices Jägermeister contains are citrus peel, juniper berries, ginger,

saffron, anise and liquorice, ginseng and poppy seeds. It was originally intended as an after-dinner drink, to settle the

stomach and promote digestion – hence the term ‘digestif’.

Any dinner party in the 60’s and 70’s

would have ended not with an espresso

or coffee, but the offer of a little liqueur, a sweet alcoholic something to send guests off home – because it was

believed that these digestifs harked back to their medicinal tradition.

Somewhere along the line, liqueurs fell

out of favour in that format. They’re still

cherries

vanilla

cloves

sells - but it’s generally used to make Springboks or Peppermint Crisps,

layered drinks downed as shooters, all of which are lipsmackingly delicious!

In the 90’s it was aniseed-flavoured

Sambuca that was the liqueur shooter du

poppy seeds

as popular as ever. Crème de menthe still

jour, invariably set alight with a coffee bean floating in it. Many is the bar But the tradition was not purely

European: Japan, for example, has Ume – a plum based liqueur which is a staple in almost every home; Voortrekkers all

had a bottle of buchu brandewijn in their wagons – and in America Southern

Comfort was born in the 1800s. Spirit

belong to a bygone age – like those

chronicled by Agatha Christie, the 20’s and 30’s. However, the truth is that

some liqueurs have successfully made the transition into popular culture – and yet we don’t think of them as liqueurs.

Take Jägermeister, for instance. What

historian Chris Morris chronicled the

would a skiing holiday be without at

vanilla bean, lemon, cinnamon stick,

Red Bull) The spirit digestif, with its

recipe for the taste of Mississippi as

cloves, cherries, oranges and Bourbon with honey as the sweetener.

The general perception is that liqueurs

least one Jägerbomb? (Jägermeister and 35% alcohol level, is known as a sure-fire party starter when served ultra-chilled as

a shooter! Yet it didn’t start out that way.

counter that had to hastily be mopped

up and blue flames extinguished when they spilled! That was followed by a

schnapps craze, initially peach but that rapidly migrated to grapefruit or pampelmousse schnapps.

Who doesn’t love a Frangelico in a

glass with crushed ice or a little bit of chocolaty Nachtmusik over vanilla

ice-cream? Or even a Kahlua Dom Pedro or coffee?

So liqueurs are still around, and going

strong – just in a different form, as sweet and deliciously tasty as ever.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 23

Fermenting

Weiss squad

If you’re looking for something completely different, give Weiss beer a try – especially if you’re not keen on the bracing bitterness of lager, says Clifford Roberts.

B

efore tea took over as the

English breakfast drink of

choice, it was beer that had

steadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a

different story. The habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at

The most popular style of wheat beer at the time was patterned after the tart Berliner Weiss beers of Germany.”

Weissbier is believed by some to be

among the oldest styles of beer. The

breakfast is not frowned upon while

days – the first time it was brewed, the

Bavarians in particular are partial to a

little Weissbier at cock-a-doodle-doo.

In South Africa, Weissbier is something

of a niche category. The style is most

prevalent on the craft brew scene and big

in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At

around double the price of run-of-the-mill

name apparently hails from its earliest

colour varied to such an extent from the

traditional dark ales people were used to

that it was referred to by its hue – white, or Weiss beer. These days, the terms Weizen, meaning wheat, and Weiss have become interchangeable.

At its most basic, the beer is

lager, it’s undoubtedly profitable thanks to

traditionally made using at least 50%

certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite

bill comprising barley. Thanks to

growth in premium categories, but thirst quencher in a hurry.

A similar situation exists in the US,

one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the influence of new,

brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer

writes in his book, How To Brew: “After

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

light, tart wheat beer is very refreshing.

temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for

26 www.topsatspar.co.za

a hot hard day working in the fields, a

wheat with the remainder of the grain creativity of brewing, that’s just about where the similarities end. Brewers tweak their recipes, adjusting, for

Beer

Bavarians in particular are partial to a little Weissbier at cock-aoodle-doo.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 27

Fermenting

“After a hot hard day working in the fields, a light, tart wheat beer is very refreshing. example, the levels of hops, to suit their

delicate balance of esters, phenols (fruity

beers are often slightly fruitier and less

and the fermented wheat flavour”.

own particular tastes although Weiss bitter than their cousins.

Hefeweizen or hefe-weissbier is

traditionally an unfiltered wheat beer that is cloudy with yeast, or “hefe” in German, and wheat proteins.

BeerAdvocate, the US-based website

and magazine, points out how German Hefeweizens “are barely touched with

hops, so as to not bring harshness to the 28 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

fusel alcohol and a medicinal by product) It also makes an important

differentiation. “Belgian Witbier or

White Ale is similar in many ways to

unfiltered wheat beers but the addition

has brought vast diversity to the availability of Weissbier. In addition to imported varieties, many local brewers are now

tinkering with their own recipes with some of the brews enjoying a cult following.

Boston Breweries produces Johnny

Gold Weiss, a full-bodied, lightly hopped beer with a touch of sweet fruitiness.

Turbid in the glass, the beer’s name was apparently inspired by the 1930s actor

who played Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.

Then there’s Steph Weiss, one of the

of unmalted grains like wheat, barley and

early arrivals in South Africa’s craft beer

them apart from the rest.”

wheat beer is more on the amber side of

oats as well as a variety of spices, sets Fortunately for South Africans, the

interest in micro-brewing and craft beer

revolution. The unfiltered Bavarian

the traditional Weiss colour scale with its own full flavour.

Beer Some of the diversity of the

Weiss beer style is displayed by

two beers in the portfolio of CBC

(Cape Brewing Company), the brewery near Paarl formed through a joint

venture between Charles Back and a Swedish brewer. CBC’s Krystal and Amber Weiss beers are distinctly different although both have the

same grain composition – 50/50 barley

and wheat malt – and use the company’s own top fermenting yeast cultures.

Krystal Weiss is typical of beer that is

filtered to bring clarity to the liquid, and

displays a hoppy aroma with some citrus.

In contrast, its twin is distinctly fruity, aromatic and cloudy when poured. As

the name suggests, Amber Weiss has a red-brown colour.

A short scout around South African

craft beer will offer rich reward to the Weiss enthusiast.

Copper Lake Breweries in Gauteng

makes a traditional Weiss, with

prominent flavours of banana and spicy fruit. Bananas and cloves are also

prominent in the Brauhaus Am Damm Weizen, produced near Rustenburg.

Moritz Kallmeyer of Drayman’s Brewery and Distillery in Silverton, Pretoria, is

known as a pioneer. This producer of a

Of course, any bartender will tell you that going to the trouble of acquiring a special Weiss, or any beer for that matter, wouldn’t be worth it if you failed to bother with the proper decant. So, here’s some advice: Keep it in the fridge, stored vertical rather than laid down - if the bottle is horizontal, the yeast is likely to shift when the bottle is opened, causing a sudden release of carbon dioxide and too much froth. Before pouring, first rinse your glass well in cold water to get rid of any detergent that may collapse the head. Hold the glass at

Highveld single malt whisky also makes

a slight angle and pour slowly along

Bavarian wheat beer yeast strain.

the bottle; leave a little at the

Robson’s Weiss and another from

to agitate the yeast and pour the

the Alstadt Weiss using the original

the side. Do not completely empty

Specimens from Durban include

bottom. Then, swirl the bottle gently

Standeaven Brewery while down South, near Kommetjie in Cape Town,

Lakeside Brewery makes a hefeweizen

whose aroma shows notes of bubblegum along with the typical banana and spice.

There’s even Weiss in Cullinan – at the

Cockpit Brewhouse, which produces the Cockpit Fokker Weiss.

remaining beer into the glass. This ensures that the optimum carbonation is retained along with its flavour. If you’re partial to add a slice of lemon – go ahead, but do so at the risk of killing the head of the beer. It’s up to you.

Now, drink up!

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 29

Taste and flavour

root pickled liqueur syrup cocktails powder ground spice 30 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Spice it up

ginger

We all take ginger for granted. It’s time to sit up and pay attention to this Thor of the spice world, reckons Clifford Roberts.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 31

Taste and flavour

verb [ with obj. ]

1 (usu. as adj. gingered) flavour with ginger: 2 (ginger someone/something up) stimulate; enliven: she slapped his hand lightly to ginger him up.

Ginger was once a drummer for

Cream, another the former lead singer with the Smashing Pumpkins, an

American star, a chain of budget hotels

in India, the lead protagonist in Chicken Run, a Disney Fairy, an island, a

political group, a hurricane, a software package and even a genuine mummy.

And that’s because since the

beginning of the ages, ginger (the

T

humble root grandly known in circles

enjoy and which haven’t killed us, that

re-hydrated, brewed, distilled, bashed,

here are some things in this

world that make one wonder about their first moment of

discovery. Take ginger – the subject for this feature, and why not? We’ve got time. Like all the things that we can

first revelation had to be an interesting

chance meeting – perhaps the knuckles

of jungle-ambler accidentally scraped the exposed rhizome, releasing the pungent

other than these, as Zingiber officinale) has been cultivated and harvested then, in no particular order and not

pulled and thrown. (Google returns

“about 14 700 000” results on how to do the latter.)

No surprise then that its name hails

temper” and that the spice is now used If you remember nothing else

and want to save time, cut this

oldest spices and all the way from across

out and stick on the fridge: Ginger

prawn-and-avo handroll. Maybe you’re

in Asia and spread thanks to the early

sipping it in your hot toddy, trying to banish the flu; or, smelling it in the cookies baking in the oven.

That’s because ginger is quite amazing

– especially for something that looks like a serious under-achieving food. I reckon if parents are going to name their

children after something organic, it has to be good. We’ve encountered enough

Gingers, but how about Potato Smith or Turmeric Dludlu?

32 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

– like tax dodgers, war criminals and exiled dictators, this fella thrives in

humid, partly shady places in the tropics and sub-tropics. It is a multi-billion

dollar industry thanks to the popularity of ginger in food (sweet and savoury) and drinks, medicine and cosmetics

around the world. It’s also consumed as a veggie in some parts.

Get this. The global production of

biggest producer, supplying some 75% of

even in energy drinks.

the oceans – in pink slices alongside your

Nigeria, the Philippines and Thailand

infused, dehydrated, powdered,

sliced, baked, boiled, sautéed, fried,

animal. Quickly enough though, the

And here it is – source of one of the

producers today are India, China, Nepal,

ginger is over 2.02 million tons per year.

from ancient English for “spirited

genie was out of the bottle.

flavour. Among the biggest ginger

exclusively: puréed, skinned, grated,

odour and inviting a nibble. Or a hungry scavenger observed it in the diet of some

stored has a significant effect on its

is an underground stem that originated

As a matter of interest, in China – the the world’s needs – the rhizome is

harvested in November. They are then stored to cure until January.

Japan has been one of the biggest

importers of ginger, for the very reason it’s in that little white bowl beside your chopsticks. The growth of sushi (and

ginger by implication) is the subject of the 2007 book The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a

Modern Delicacy by Sasha Issenberg.

spice traders. How it is grown, harvested and

ginger toddy

Spice it up

pickled variety for serving with sushi, is harvested young. (And while we’re on

the topic, you’re not supposed to eat gari in your sushi – it’s simply not the done thing.) Moving on, ginger has been

co-opted into a myriad of cross cultural recipes and imbued with powers both

An alcoholic alternative would be to buy

one of the locally available products such as the King’s Ginger – a liqueur

specifically formulated in 1903 for King Edward VII “to stimulate and revivify

His Majesty during morning rides in his new horseless carriage – a Daimler”.

Distell’s Oude Meester range of

“miraculous” and proven. When your

liqueurs was launched in 1965 and

to drink? Yip. And when you discovered

have it in their extensive portfolio and

tummy ached, what did Gran give you

it was actually something a little more… substantial; that you were actually

pregnant? You were given more. Popular belief says it helps with nausea, unless of course you’re sensitive to it, in which case ginger may make you nauseous.

Something that has been around as

long as ginger naturally has plenty stories to tell. Amy Stewart describes in her

book, The Drunken Botanist, that the

invention of the Moscow Mule cocktail

in 1941 revitalised ginger beer sales, “but also introduced Americans to vodka,

helping sales of Smirnoff triple in just a few years”. She also highlights ginger ale as the star of many

cocktails; the shandygaff, a mix

of beer and ginger beer; and, the

Dark and Stormy – a combination of two parts rum and three parts ginger beer, served on rocks.

includes a ginger variant. Butlers too like the King’s Ginger website, offer

Award-winning journalist Clifford Roberts loves researching topics such as beer - especially the practical side of the subject!

cocktail recipes as well.

ginger mist INGREDIENTS:

30ml Scotch whisky 15ml peated whisky 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 15ml ginger syrup

METHOD: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ices cubes. Shake and strain over fresh ice in a whisky tumbler. A small piece of candied or preserved ginger, skewered on a cocktail stick is the perfect garnish.

There’s a potent ginger beer with

5% alcohol called Dragon Fiery Ginger, which is apparently made in Cape Town.

Ginger has also been employed by

South African brandy makers. Dys

Grundlingh of Grundheim, outside

Oudtshoorn, buys bags of fresh ginger

from a local grocer, and macerates it for flavouring spirits and liqueurs. In the same region, Kango ginger brandy is also produced.

Of course, brandy and ginger ale is all

the rage as a custom mix.

pickled gin

sushi ro s e ger

If you’re keen on making your own ginger syrup to add to cocktails, hot drinks or just soda, try this: make a

cifford

Ginger that makes gari, typically the

simple syrup by dissolving sugar in an equal part water over a low heat, then add fresh, chopped ginger. Let it simmer for a while; remove from the heat and cool, before putting it in the fridge to steep overnight.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 33

Whisky

finishing school It can be seen for miles around: the barrels are stacked 10 or more high. It’s the Speyside cooperage and it specialises in wooden barrels, all of which are essential to the flavour of whisky. Fiona McDonald reports.

W

alking into the warehouse

out with chisel and mallet as he forces

reconditioning oak barrels

curved wooden staves.

where the coopers are

is an assault on the eardrums. Initially it

the restraining steel hoops around the

It’s a joy to watch, not only because of

just seems like a loud racket with lots of

the melodic tapping and thunking of

ears pick up the rhythm. Each cooper, or

it’s an uncommon sight nowadays. As a

loud banging taking place… until your

barrel maker, has his own barrel music, a special tune and unique rhythm he taps 34 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

These coopers are genuine craftsmen.

There’s a special skill to raising a barrel – knowing exactly how to position the curved oak staves, the combination of

narrow and broad planks and precisely

how to align the hoops. And, once it’s all shaped, the toasting and charring of the

inside. And it’s this element, along with

the type of wooden barrel used that is so important to the whisky industry.

But whisky consumption is on the rise

mallet on wood and iron but also because

the world over. In April this year, the

result, Speyside cooperage is one of

that exports of Scottish whisky were up

Scotland’s most visited tourist attractions.

Scottish Whisky Association reported from 1.2 billion bottles in 2012 to 1.3

Maturation

arrel g the b of fillin f new make. k s ta ant es o aturation import red litr The all a few hund w years of m with r a fe ady fo spirit, re

billion in 2013. And those exports are

it can be deemed Scotch whisky. Speak to

crocodile skin effect on the inside of the

Scottish whisky industry. And the thirsty

tell you that between 60 and 70% of the

baffle you with a description of the

worth £4.3 billion (R77 billion) to the

South African market accounts for £163

million (R2.93 billion) of that total. Two years ago Diageo announced it would spend a billion pounds on increasing

whisky production to meet the growth in demand. That includes building new distilleries as well as opening up old facilities that had been mothballed.

Crucial to the production of whisky is

any distiller or whisky expert and they’ll flavour of a whisky is derived from the

cask. That’s why the barrels used are so

important. The main decision facing the

master distiller is whether to let the spirit mature in European oak or American – with the distinction generally being

narrowed down even more to ex-Sherry casks or ex-Bourbon casks.

Whisky and its American counterpart,

the ageing and maturation process. Once

bourbon, differ markedly in their use of

spend at least three years in barrel before

quite heavily, creating a blistered

it comes off the stills, the spirit has to

oak. In America, they char the barrels

barrel. A scientist could comfortably

interaction of heat on lignins, tannins and vanillins. What it means is that

American oak tends to impart a sweeter, vanilla flavour to spirit. Bourbon

producers also only ever use a barrel once – and their used barrels tend to then be shipped over to Scotland. Let’s face it,

the canny Scots are renowned for their

thrift, and they reuse the American oak

casks to mature their spirit, also adding a sweeter character to it than that which European oak gives.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 35

Whisky

Three years ago The

Macallan had to build

additional storage warehouses to accommodate an increase

of two million litres per year.

This year it announced a

£100 million expansion of the

Casks which have previously been

used for making Spanish Sherry are

distillery and visitor centre which will only be completed in 2017.

If anyone wants to taste the difference

new Glenfiddich single malt by global

brand ambassador Ian Millar. The spirit is the Glenfiddich 26 year old and what makes it unique is that it has spent its

entire maturation in ex-bourbon casks.

“The Latin name for American white

oak is Quercus Alba – and Alba was also an ancient name for Scotland,” Millar

said. “American oak doesn’t overwhelm whisky as much as European oak or

generally the most sought-after. One

that barrels and finishes can make to a

is Speyside’s Macallan, coincidentally just

Glenmorangie which offers a variety of

of the individual distillery’s style,” Miller

which spends 10 years in American oak

character. If you were to take five

distillery known for its use of sherry oak

a short drive away from the Craigellachie cooperage. Setting this single malt apart from others is the high proportion of

sherry casks (apparently between 70 and 80% of all sherry casks find their way to

The Macallan!) but also the way in which it’s used. The whisky not only spends years (10, 12, 15, 17, 18 or 25 years)

maturing in them, but once the whisky

has been reduced from cask strength to

bottling strength through the addition of water, the final product then has at least

six months marrying in cask – an unusual practice as most distilleries simply bottle as soon as the marriage has taken place.

whisky should look no further than

different finishes. There’s Quinta Ruban with a final two years in old Port pipes.

This two year “finishing school” imparts

subtle notes of Port to the final whisky, a distinct sweet raisin flavour. The

Lasanta, which spends time in barrels previously used for sherry offers up

creamy, orange, ripe apricot sweetness

while the Nectar d’Or is finished off in

old Sauternes casks. Sherry or Burgundy finish, each one imparts a distinctly

different flavour to the final whisky.

Cape Town’s Pot Luck Club was

recently the venue for the unveiling of a

(If anyone’s interested in following the journey of a cask from start to finish they should visit The Macallan’s Masters of Photography exhibition by Albert Watson – www.themastersofphotography.com/previous-editions/albert-watson – who snapped the journey from Spain’s forests to the distillery.)

36 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

sherry casks do.

“It also allows for a better expression

said. “It doesn’t mask the unique

different distilleries and put each of their spirit into European oak and American oak – and then compare them after

they’ve spent years maturing, you’d find that the American oak lets the whisky

speak loudest.” Millar was of the opinion that sherry oak dominated, nullifying any individual differences.

Even to a novice whisky drinker, the

differences between a spirit aged in

ex-bourbon and sherry casks is noticeable

with the American one being sweeter and showing more overt vanilla notes.

Ultimately, anyone’s choice of whisky is

a highly personal one but one can walk a long and fascinating road exploring the

different expressions and flavours – all the result of its time on oak finishing school.

t i r i p s d n isla Tasting

rum

There’s something about rum. Perhaps it’s the association with tropical islands, pirates and sailors, buried treasure and other tales that spice up our childhood story time. Fiona McDonald reports on a recent tasting.

C

ocktails just wouldn’t be the same without it. The daiquiri uses it, the mojito and pina colada need it and the Long Island iced tea wouldn’t pack quite as

much of a punch if it were omitted.

Rum is probably best summed up in this great quote from spirits writer Dave Broom in his book, Rum, published by Mitchell Beazley in 2003: “Every time I taste rum I am amazed at what a remarkable spirit it is. Never forget that it is there to be enjoyed. It’s a drink which puts a great big stupid grin on our face. Maybe it’s the sugar; maybe it’s the sunshine trapped in the cane. Maybe it is because, when you close your eyes, it takes you to the place of its birth: a distillation of Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 39

bernard

dave

Tasting

turquoise seas, pounding surf, and clear skies,

Hughes and Doré. The former has travelled the

of a relaxed pace of living, of a love of life.”

world, tasting and drinking all sorts of products.

There was a palm tree gently waving its

He’s been to the Caribbean and visited many

fronds, there was superfine white sand and on

a distillery as well as having judged rum at the

the water beyond, boats – but it wasn’t quite

International Wine & Spirit Competition for

as idyllic a picture as those words might have

many years. With rum one of the products

you believe. The venue was the Shimmy Beach

making up RGBC’s portfolio, Doré has been

Club, located at the entrance to Cape Town’s

exposed to many previously. “We’re not yet

Victoria & Alfred basin – but it was winter and

seeing the interest in rum that is developing

the skies remained grey and the water was

internationally, but there’s definitely potential,”

choppy and far from sparkling blue.

he said.

craig

Not that it bothered any of the characters

brands are available – the biggest of them

first tasting. They were all metaphorically

being Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Havana Club

licking their lips at the prospect of tasting 13

and Red Heart rum which is tailored specifically

rums and, impressively, everyone successfully resisted the urge to talk like a pirate! Nary an “Aaar!” was heard.

South African spirit and wine expert Dave

grant

Hughes, a trained distiller, was leading the tasting. He was joined by maritime lawyer Grant Clark, a spirit lover and the 2007 runner-up in Survivor: Malaysia, fellow whisky aficionado Bernard Gutman, RGBC’s (Really Great Brands Company) head of marketing Craig Doré, Grant McDonald of Mudl magazine, Cheers publisher Shayne Dowling, Jessica-Jane Nosworthy, Cheers

grant

ad rep and myself.

40 www.topsatspar.co.za

Locally, a number of popular international

assembled at Shimmy’s for Cheers magazine’s

”This is quite a unique experience,” Clark said, ”I’ve never been given the opportunity of tasting more than one or two rums at a time.”

A sentiment that was echoed by all except Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

rum to the South African palate. Rum is not like wine where the soils and weather can have a marked impact on the flavours – but there are appreciable differences in the flavours of Jamaican, Haitian, Cuban, Trinidadian and Guyanan rum, for example. Spirit lovers are discovering rum and falling in love with it all over again.

Dave Broom states in his book: “There is no single thing as ‘rum’. There are rums for sipping, others for mixing. Aged rums, overproof rums, pot-still, continuous-still, single-casks, flavoured or spiced. No other spirit has this flavour, depth and breadth of quality.”

Rum is made from molasses, the by-product of sugar production. The sticky black syrup is watered down and then fermented using yeast before being

Flight One Bacardi white rum

Jack Tarr blended dark rum Bacardi Gold Havana Club Añejo 7 Años Sailor Jerry spiced rum Bacardi Oakheart

distilled, either in a pot-still or a continuous

Flight Two Inverroche

Ron Zacapa Pyrat XO Reserve Mount Gay Black Barrel Mount Gay Extra Old Kraken black spiced rum Gosling’s Black Seal

still. Then it’s transferred to wooden barrels for ageing – usually used Bourbon barrels.

It’s essential that the oak casks are charred as this encourages the flavour and colour development of the rum.

Two interesting things to note here: very few rums are not blended and secondly, that the rate of evaporation – the so-called ‘angel’s share’ was and is higher in the Caribbean islands than if the barrels were shipped to the UK for

“The thing to remember is that

maturation, which it used to be. The

white rums are generally low in

rate of evaporation is around 6% in the

flavour and aromatics,” Hughes

hotter islands versus only 2% in the

said. “They’re intended for mixers

cool UK cellars.

or cocktails – but the flavour

“Rum definitely has potential – but everyone thinks of it as a mixer, something you have in a cocktail or

should remind you what it comes from, which is molasses.

“That character is amplified in the

with cola,” Doré said. In South Africa,

dark rums which also have the

the reality is that it’s seen as a bit of a

advantage of having spent time in

blue collar drink, generally mixed with

American oak barrels which adds

cola and “something that brings out

another dimension of flavour in the

the hooligan in you!”

vanilla or cream from the charred oak.”

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 41

Tasting

Gutman made the point that his takeout after the tasting was that there are proverbial ‘horses for courses’. “If you take a whisky analogy – Johnnie Walker red label is not meant to be drunk neat, the way a black or blue label is. The Walker red carries a mixer really well but you won’t sit next to the fire, late into the night sipping it. The two flights of rum we tasted are like that – some are for mixing and others for sipping.”

The first flight,

between voting with one’s head and

squat, square bottle with a wide neck,

the commercial rums which retail for

one’s heart. Everyone opted for the

stoppered by a fat cork.

below R200 at your local TOPS at SPAR

Mount Gay Extra Old, recognising that

outlet were generally seen as mixing or

it was a seriously refined and elegant

wonderful rums on the market that

cocktail rums, but not that they lacked

spirit – much like a top single malt

would actually be spoiled if they were

flavour. Hughes’s favourite in Flight One

whisky. And barring a few exceptions

mixed. They are smooth, nuanced,

was the Havana Club, describing it as

the panel were enamoured by either

complex and, yes, intellectual enough

the quintessential rum. ”It’s got

the Pyrat XO or the Ron Zacapa.

to quietly sip on their own as you

everything that you look for in a rum.”

Pyrat’s heady citrus aromatics were

ponder their origins and how it was

reminiscent of Southern Comfort or

made – much as you would with a

Panel choice: Sailor Jerry

Cointreau – which Hughes said was

single malt whisky.

The rest of the panel were seduced by

because it was blended from a variety

Sailor Jerry’s spiced charms, with its

of distilleries. Zacapa was more tropical

Panel choice: Mount Gay Extra Old

crème caramel, butterscotch and vanilla

and bright with a spicy entry and a

Deep spicy refined and elegant rum with

ice-cream overtones.

slightly hot, alcoholic feel.

layers of flavour. Heaps of cinnamon,

Both have interesting packaging,

The truth is that there are some

clove, caramel and butterscotch, raisin

Flight Two

Ron Zacapa – a Guatemalan rum

and molasses. Genteel and smooth, it

was an altogether more serious

which has a nifty straw waistband and

keeps on going, lingering long after the

prospect. There was a disconnect

Pyrat which comes in a beautifully

mouthful is gone.

42 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

s e t o n g n i t s

ta

rum

e

Flight On

Panel choice

Havana Club Añejo 7 Años

Jack Tarr

Bacardi Colourless. Light and

light charry note. Hint

spirity nose, slight floral

of toffee and treacle.

note along with hint of

Fairly simple in the

treacle and even

Note of caramel and

slight, spirit sweetness

distant molasses

yet finish is bone dry.

note. Some prune.

hints of nutmeg and

fruity impact with

caramel. Fairly

hints of prune and

powerful in the mouth

with hints of the mouth giving good body. Fairly full

covered quickly by vanilla and a floral note. Not totally dry in the mouth and the

and well rounded body. Long, perfumed finish.

hints of tobacco.

molasses in the

Bacardi Oakheart Initial nose of molasses

cinnamon. Sweet in

with distinct oak and

Banana and

warming alcohol.

in the mouth with

and cinnamon with

Very pale gold. Fair,

light molasses.

mouth with fine

banana. Light and dry

Dark colour. Espresso

Bacardi Gold

“Sweet” nose with

Sailor Jerry Strong vanilla nose

little creamy fudge sweetness makes for

mouth with light nutty

very smooth flow across the palate.

Crisp and fresh finish with aftertaste of

grip. Soft and gentle.

molasses.

o

Flight Tw

Panel choice

Kraken Buttery caramel

Pyrat XO Ron Zacapa Centenario Very attractive Inver Roche Light nose with treacle the main aromatic. Hints of prune and some raisin, fynbos note too. Dry in the mouth with hint of oak and lots more treacle. Clean, short finish

coppery/red colour.

Nutty character at start of the nose with citrus, chocolate and an odd, dry herby note. Slight smoke too. Somewhat sweet in the mouth with hints of molasses. Caramel and brown sugar on the finish.

Distinctly citrus nose – Terry’s chocolate orange – with light molasses note. That same expressive citrus and orange rind can be found in the mouth but decidedly smooth and finely textured. Light and refined.

and cinnamon Mount Gay Black Barrel Toffee apple nose with some burnt sugar.

Round and sweet in the mouth with tropical fruit and light, toasty oak.

Despite sweetness in the mouth a very dry and refreshing finish.

Mount Gay Extra Old Distinctly deeper in aromatics with mature characters and some development.

Appealing chocolate, tobacco, toasty nuts, banana , prune and

spice with toffee on the nose. That same buttery spice and caramel comes through in the mouth. Gentle and smooth.

Gosling’s Black Seal Prunes and raisins on the nose with treacle. Slightly mature character.

Soft and full in the mouth. Hints of treacle and oak on a long finish.

some spicy oak. Rich and full in the mouth yet refined, well structured and balanced. Rich and full and no doubt it’s an aged rum.

✤ Grateful thanks to Shimmy Beach Club for providing the venue for the rum tasting.

Festivals

Gemütlichkeit

A celebration of golden amber ale and lager, with steins filled to the brim is a dream come true for lovers of beer. Thirsty folk in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town have much to look forward to!

B

rewing beer is an age-old tradition. One of ancient Rome’s most

accomplished historians and senators, Publius

Cornelius Tacitus wrote an entire book all about

German customs and

traditions – De Origine et situ Germanorum.

According to the German

Beer Institute’s website, Tacitus

wrote (with some contempt) that Germans were “proficient

imbibers” who sought any excuse or opportunity for a drinking party.

“The germanii,” he wrote, “serve

an extract of barley and rye as a beverage that is somehow

adulterated (presumably he means: fermented) to resemble wine.”

More than 2000 years later, not

much has changed – and the annual

Oktoberfest tradition has spread from Germany to be celebrated with gusto throughout the four corners of the

globe. South Africa is no exception and

once again the TOPS at SPAR Bierfests will be held countrywide – from September to November.

The sun rises earliest on the east coast

of the country – and so it is that Durban

44 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Oktoberfest kicks the festivities off over the

weekend of the 19th to the 21st of September. The venue for the German-style revelries is the

renowned Suncoast complex.

Johannesburg, the continent’s

city of gold and financial hub, does everything bigger and

better – and consequently has

not just one weekend of beer, but two! Montecasino will

reverberate to the sound of oompah

bands, brass instruments and clinking

biersteins on the successive weekends of 17 – 19 October and 24 – 26 October.

Johannesburg does everything bigger and better – and consequently has not just one weekend of beer, but two!

And since the sun sets latest on the

southern and western coastline of

Africa rounding off the celebrations is Slaapstad – or Cape Town. The

famous Newlands Brewery precinct is home to the rejoicing festival of

beer from the 14th to the 16th of November.

“TOPS at SPAR is immensely

proud to once again be headline sponsor at the TOPS at SPAR

Bierfest,” said Mark Robinson,

TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor Manager. “This festival is

synonymous with the values

of TOPS at SPAR. Visitors can expect

to be captivated by the experience from

TICKETS

There are four tiers of tickets: the premium offering will set you back R906.30 a head, with the next few options available for R450.30, R195 and R125 each.

All tickets can be booked through the Bierfest website www.bierfest.co.za or through Bierfest’s Facebook page, SABierfest.

the minute they walk into the venue.”

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 45

Festivals

Smart,

, rogram ption p m u s n le co tions. ort op sponsib transp est’s re e rf v phone ti ie a B mobile f altern s SPAR g o a in r S k e P a b TO line num ndbre er, Red isitors a ’s grou S a’s, Ub t SPAR offers v ll a e S F P d O es TOP T m Goo provid ed by o rt fr d a a rt e o m le upp DrinkS Spearh , with s ffordab drink, # RYVER and a detox fe a A n s J app D f U ti ge o ydra o d JIG ly. Reh h a ran sers an it fe ly w a a s s n th as e ll o Brea od Fe t patr et hom m, Go Bierfes and g ra R ly g A R P ib ro s S as spon as SPA ards P drink re n TOPS er Rew e v to ri e s s D s e d a Rh e nate choic ith UBE d by th a Desig rates w ndorse s and e d n e y o ll rr ti ). ia fe ta A c s e AR nd pre be offi Use (th iative l rships a it o e h in b o rt m me le Alc nkSma ponsib t’s #Dri for Res Bierfes n o ti ia c y Asso Industr

#Drink

Robinson reiterated the message that

TOPS at SPAR is “heavily invested in the education of responsible drinking and will be promoting this at the festival”.

As in previous years, no money

will change hands in the brauhaus:

only plastic tokens or ‘crowns’ may be exchanged for beer. And the

beer will once again be specially brewed for the event. South

African Breweries is one of the

Sunflower TOPS at SPAR Bierfest has partnered with The Sunflower Fund in 2014. The objective is to raise awareness of the Fund’s good work as well as educating members of the public about the work it does while also recruiting potential bone marrow stem cell donors to the South African Bone Marrow Registry.

Every Sunday of Bierfest, the raised VIP deck area will be transformed into a veritable ‘Sunflower garden’, with special décor and Sunflower Fund initiatives.

So keep an eye out for #Sunflower Sundays.

founding partners and their

Master Brewers will not only have

crafted three limited edition Bavarianstyled beers – the Royal Bavaria

Oktoberfest bier, traditional Krystal

Weiss Protea Edelweiss and the King

Ludwig Munich Dunkel dark ale – but they will also be on hand in the

Brewmaster’s corner, dispensing both wisdom and golden nectar.

Potential patrons need not fear that

there will be a surfeit of porcine meat products; vegetarians are well

catered for as well. Last year, the

roast chickens, pickles and pretzels

almost beat the eisbein and

sauerkraut in the popularity stakes.

It goes without saying that the event is

not open to anyone under the age of 18.

46 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

OKLB/4235K

AMSTEL LITE IS HERE

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

SPAR Good Living cooler boxes come in a range of colours and will keep your picnic or braai goodies safely stored and well cooled with their 26-litre capacity.

2. Sitting pretty takes on new meaning with SPAR Good Living’s range of camping chairs. Available in khaki, green or black they all come with a cup holder and handy storage sleeve.

2

48 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

AR GO O D L

R.CO. ZA

1. Fresh and functional,

A .SP

Sunny skies and warmer weather mean days spent outdoors ‒ and making sure the day out with the family is a success comes down to having the right gear.

SPAR Good Living has a range of options to equip you correctly.

W

1

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

AT W W ING IV

SP

Thingamajigs

useful items

3 Colour mini red & yellow lamps - R795 each, Green Elephant Collective. 4 Thermo Pot ‒ R510, L’Emile et Son. 5 Copper Piping table lamp ‒ R745, Green Elephant Collective. 6 Buffalo leather journals ‒ R160, Wessel Snyman at KIN.

4

6 elbaliavA ta SPOT ta dna RAPS serots RAPS

3

5

thinga

eht llaC ENILTOH SPOT 141 313 0680

SEE CONTENTS PAGE FOR A FULL LIST OF STOCKISTS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS.

7

8 9

10

7 iPad tablet sleeve ‒ R365, Wren design at KIN. 8 ‘Brrrrr’ Polar Bear ice tray ‒ R220, L’Emile et Son. 9 Buddy book ends ‒ R335, L’Emile et Son. 10 Wooden Scrabble coaster set ‒ R160, Mocholoco at KIN.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 49

Entertainment

music

Forever in Blue Jeans

cd’s

Neil Diamond is one of those evergreen artists who spans multiple generations. Sweet Caroline and Cracklin’ Rosie are classics. And as that irritating television show used to state, “but that’s not all…”

Neil Diamond: All-Time Greatest Hits – R114 If you’re expecting a collection sequenced chronologically, you’d be disappointed but this compilation has the vast majority of the big hits on a single disc, and that’s been hard to find in Diamond’s catalogue.

All-Time Greatest Hits was released on Capitol Records, a label Neil Diamond never recorded for, but Universal -- who owned the recordings Diamond made for both Universal and MCA – selected this as the imprint for 2014’s All-Time Greatest Hits, a generous collection of 23 hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

The Fault In Our Stars: Music from the motion picture – R99 As if having Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Nat Wolff hitting the screen for the much-anticipated movie adaptation of John Green’s best-seller The Fault in Our Stars wasn’t enough to be going on with, your ears are in for a treat from the soundtrack too. The full track list for the film has now landed and with new songs

from Ed Sheeran, Kodaline, Jake Bugg, Charli XCX, Birdy and loads more, it’s set to be the perfect

CORNER

the PAPER

accompaniment to the weep-fest the flick is guaranteed to be.

The Transkei Run: By Michael Taljaard – R200

Margaret of Anjou, finds that instead of enjoying a life of peace and luxury, she must save

It is a painfully hung over Saturday

Wars of The Roses: Stormbird: By Conn Iggulden – R170

morning for two incorrigible

In the middle of the 15th century,

London, sons and fathers battle one

small-town scallywags. Jeremy

a mentally unstable and physically

another, and great men betray their

‘Spikes’ Vorster and his impulsive

feeble young King Henry VI makes

king. It is the beginning of the Wars

but charismatic sidekick, Zachary

a fateful bargain, under the

of the Roses, a bitter fight to

Post, decide to flee their previous

influence of spymaster Derry

become the world’s most powerful

night’s regrets in search of

Brewer, giving up a large swath of

and influential nation.

adventure in the rural Transkei. A

England’s hard-won territory in

run-in with a local taxi gang sets in

France in exchange for 20 years of

motion a series of events that

peace and marriage to a young

unravels a tense and violent

French princess.

misadventure as the two young

But the deal quickly sours. As

her weak-willed husband from multiple threats to his throne.

A rebel army attacks the heart of

Is It Really Too Much To Ask? The World According to Clarkson: Vol. 5: By Jeremy Clarkson – R170

rebels are forced to defend

the newly reclaimed French

In a world which simply will not

themselves at all costs. What

territories slide into warfare,

see reason, Jeremy Clarkson

results is a gritty, uniquely South

Henry’s nobles seethe, and

buckles up once again and sets

African undertaking, complete

thousands of his subjects revolt.

off in his ceaseless quest to

with sex, drugs and crawling

Henry’s new queen, the

navigate a path through all the

paranoia.

remarkable and resourceful

silliness and idiocy. And every

dvd’s

CD’s, DVD’s and books

Vrou Soek Boer – R109 A young woman from the city is successful in her

demanding career, although she has a problematic love life. After a confrontation with her boss, she decides to swop the city for the platteland and a bakery that she inherited from an aunt. Her new life in the small town is more than she expected, and involves trading her business suits for an apron. Things get complicated when she must choose between Mr Handsome and Mr Right.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – R119

Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon.

However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.

Non-Stop – R109 During a transatlantic flight from New York City

After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers,

to London, US Air

Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier finds Steve

Marshal Bill Marks

Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington DC

receives a series of

and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a

cryptic text

S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Rogers becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world

messages demanding that he instruct the

at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, Captain America

government to transfer $150 million into

struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off assailants sent

an off-shore account. Until he secures

to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed,

the money, a passenger on his flight will

*cd’s and dvd’s available at kalahari.com

be killed every 20 minutes…

enter now! once in a while, he finds something

contradictions: he loves the world, but

absolutely blooming fantastic along

doesn’t know how to live in it. He’s a

the way.

Luddite addicted to his iPhone, a dentist

Pithy and provocative, this is Clarkson at his best, taking issue with whatever is

with a nicotine habit and an atheist not quite willing to let go of God.

the latest nonsense to disrupt his search

Then someone impersonates him

for brilliance. Why should we be forced

online, and a website, a Facebook

to accept stuff that’s a bit rubbish?

page, and a Twitter account are

Shouldn’t things work? Shouldn’t

created in his name. An outrageous

someone care? I mean, is it really too

violation of his privacy soon becomes

much to ask? It’s a good thing

something more soul-frightening: the

Clarkson, without fear or favour, is still

possibility that the online “Paul” might

doing the asking ...

be a better version. As Paul’s

To Rise Again At A Decent Hour:

By Joshua Ferris – R275 Paul O’Rourke is a man of

investigation deepens, he is forced to confront his troubled past and life

To qualify, send in a postcard or e-mail clearly marked Cheers CD/ DVD Giveaway and containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the random draw. Entry deadline is Friday, 10th October 2014.

The address to send it to is cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers P.O. Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701.

win

Stand a chance of receiving a copy of the Vrou Soek Boer DVD or The Fault In Our Stars CD Double your chance of winning!

Go to www.facebook.com/CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.

disturbingly split between the real and the virtual.

DISCLAIMER Please note that prices of all books, cds and dvds are recommended retail prices and are correct at the time of going to press. They are, however, subject to change at the discretion of suppliers, without any prior notice. All books featured here are distributed by Penguin Books SA. Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 51

Recipe book

E

ven when she was flustered and scrabbling about trying to beat the clock as taskmasters Matt, George

and Gary counted down the seconds, there was never any doubt about Emma Dean’s passion for food – or for how her knowledge and proficiency grew over the duration of the Masterchef series.

Now it’s captured between the pages of her very own book, one of the prizes she won as the top contestant in the series.

Dean grew up on a farm in Victoria, the southern state of Australia, surrounded by sheep, cows and chickens. When asked what her food dream was during the series she said it harked back to her childhood, the farm kitchen table where things were kept simple yet plentiful, hearty and prepared with the utmost integrity of flavour.

“I understood from a very early age where my food came from, which really started my interest in it,” she said. And the fact

Masterchef moment

South Africans love watching Australian Masterchef – and it was only a few months ago that the 2013 series finished, won by the bubbly blonde Emma Dean.

e dry . Mix all th mperature te METHOD r m o ro g to , to ethe ilk buttermilk te of soda de Butterm Warm the icarbona b e d th Homema e r fo rm wa s, except our in the ingredient ith well and p Crumpets r. Cover w l. Make a e tt w o a b b e a rg into in a la htServes 8 water. Mix ug ra rm d a , w rm wa and leave in a buttermilk doubled g film and until it has , wel or clin ur to TS ho a N n te IE a a D er e for ris INGRE to e it ir th batt . Leave spongy. St termilk free place light and soda f is 150ml but o re te tu ix na o the m flour the bicarb in size and Now add 225g plain and ck any air. ouring jug a p b lt a k sa c to o n r o e kn tt a to b e th ¼ teaspo r fe non-stick sugar well. Trans s. Heat a on white and stir in 30 minute r fo ½ teaspo e st c a la igh heat. ry ye warm p medium-h n active d leave in a top over a gs in 1 teaspoo ve o st e the egg rin on th rm water ter. Place frying pan ut b ith 150ml wa w s halfway gs f soda fill the ring ur egg rin rbonate o batter to Grease fo h ug ¼ tsp bica no about e — nd pour in on the top da) the pan a bles form ub b mpets. (baking so til ru c un k e g oo flip over th for greasin e sides. C r, nd th te a ut s, up b g p rin nd 1 ts y the or Berry one side a s. Lift awa sh ricotta . Place to 10 minute Honey, fre ney, nd remove ho a s e ith w ut in rm m rve . Serve wa Fry for two Jam, to se crumpets remaining cook the .

Berry Jam ricotta or

that her parents grew much of their own fruit and vegetables started that journey.

“One of my earliest memories was helping Dad plant pumpkin seeds in the dry, hot, as a template, I spaced the precious seeds 10 hands apart… needless to say, I loved pumpkins when I was little, mainly because I grew them myself.”

Having obtained a Masters degree in Environment and Planning and working in town planning, Dean decided to step away from her career trajectory in order to focus on food – particularly foraging, edible weeds and mushrooms.

Her first book, A Homegrown Table, published by New Holland and presented in South Africa by Random House Struik Publishers, combines all these elements in 80 recipes, beautifully photographed and simply, yet elegantly, presented.

52 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Homemade Buttermilk Crumpets

central Victorian soil. Using my small hand

giveaway

Farm eggs with W d e k a B ild

M

Spi na

, oms hro us

Baked Farm Eggs with Wild Mushrooms, Spinach and Parmesan Serves 4 INGREDIENTS

esan m r a dP n a ch

METHOD Preheat the oven to 190˚C. In a deep frying pan, heat the butter and sauté the wild mushrooms with the spinach. Pierce the garlic clove with your fork and use the fork to stir in the mushrooms and spinach together, to give a hint of garlic. Cook

2 knobs butter

until wilted and season to taste. Splash in the

250g wild mushrooms

cream. Pour the mixture into individual ovenproof

½ bunch English spinach leaves

pans or ramekins or across the bottom of one

1 clove garlic, to taste

ovenproof dish. Crack the eggs on top. Bake for

Salt and pepper, to taste

10 minutes or until the egg white is cooked and

150g thickened cream

the yolk is still runny. You may have to watch this

4 eggs

carefully so it doesn’t overcook. Once they are

4 large shaves Parmesan

ready, remove the ramekins from the oven and

(about 35g)

add the Parmesan shaves over each egg.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 53

Mussles My Way

Recipe book

Mussels My Way

METHOD

Serves 2

Heat a wok or a wide pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil.

INGREDIENTS 1 shallot, peeled and sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Add the chilli and sauté for a minute or two and then add the mussels. Turn the heat up and add the white wine. Put a lid on

1 Tblsp olive oil ½ - 1cm long red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1kg mussels 1 cup white wine 2 handfuls flat-leafed parsley, chopped 2 Tblsp butter, to serve Bread

and shake the pan while still on the heat. As soon as the mussels open, remove the pan from the heat – this should take only a few minutes. Take out all the mussels that haven’t opened and discard them. Toss in the parsley

Available GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ at TOPS at ON FOR YOUR FULL SPARPG71 and SPAR stores GROCERY LIST

and butter and serve with freshly baked bread.

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

54 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

giveaway

Honey Thyme Cake

enter now!

To qualify, send in a postcard or e-mail clearly marked Cheers Book Giveaway and containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the lucky draw. Entry deadline is Friday, 10th October 2014.

The address to send it to is cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers, PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701.

win

Stand a chance of receiving one of two copies of ‘A Homegrown Table’, published by New Holland.

SEE T&C’S ON PG 2

ake y Thyme C

Hone NTS INGREDIE r, melted 90g butte

4 eggs or sugar 185g cast mons zest of 2 le m a 60 ml cre sifted ising flour, ra lf90g se TOPPING nds ked almo 2 cups fla r 90g butte r sugar o st a c 90g m 60ml crea y oons hone 2 tablesp fresh ns o o teasp 2 heaped ves thyme lea

and line a METHOD C. Grease gar ven to 180° o e th gs and su t g a e e Prehe an. Beat th p d un ro a g m pale. Usin deep 20 c thick and m bowl until r and crea te ut b , in a large st ze the lemon repared in p ld e fo th , la to ur in spatu e flour. Po e centre. s. Fold in th til firm in th in batche un s e ut in m 40 r fo e ke th almond tin and ba ady, make is nearly re a ke a c e redients in When th all the ing g to ombining rin c b y b nd a g t in a topp medium he a r ve ixture o m ir t St pour the ho saucepan. e heat and th in the ff k o c a rn b ke the boil. Tu Put the ca the cake. f s o rn p tu to g e in topp over th r until the minutes o w the n and allo oven for 10 ve o e th m fro ve o m ove the cool, rem golden. Re tin. Once e th in l o g plate. o in cake to c on a serv and place tin e th m . am cake fro hipped cre ous with w This is fabul

Double your chance of winning!

Go to www.facebook.com/ CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 55

TOPS Nosh

Dressed to thrill

Silwood kitchen

The dark days of winter are thankfully behind us – and with longer, sunnier and warmer days comes the desire to sup on lighter, fresher and more colourful fare. Photography by Ashlee Attwood

Prawn, Strawberry Salad

Prawn, Strawberry Salad INGREDIENTS:

Vinaigrette 100ml mild olive oil 20ml red wine vinegar 20ml lime juice ½ lime, zested Salt & Black pepper 60 ml strawberry juice 3ml sugar 14 prawns, cleaned with shell and head removed 100g strawberries , hulled and quartered 30g micro herbs 10 Asparagus tips, blanched (added) 90g wild rocket 1 fennel bulb 50g fresh peas 50g sugar snaps 6 radishes 2 spring onion 3 sticks celery finely cut into ribbons Celery leaves

PAIRING NOTES

La Vallee Rosé is a delicate pink bubbly

made in the traditional Champagne style.

METHOD: Peel, de-vein and remove the heads from the prawns Make the vinaigrette: place the mustard, red wine vinegar, lime

Predominantly Pinot Noir grapes were used

juice and zest in a bowl and slowly add

to make this fresh, light fizz with just a touch

the olive oil. Add the strawberry juice

of sweetness which will work well with both

season with salt, pepper and sugar to

the strawberries and prawns.

taste. The lime juice is also added to taste.

to page 58

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 57

TOPS Nosh

from page 57 On a mandolin, thinly slice 6 radishes

Herbed Chicken Burger

and shave 4 baby fennel bulbs, making

Makes 4

sure to get them as thin as possible Cut

INGREDIENTS:

the celery into 10cm pieces and using a peeler, peel celery ribbons. Place the ribbons in ice water and allow them to curl. Pick the baby yellow celery leaves

600g chicken mince ½ onion, grated 5g of rosemary, finely chopped

Sesame seed Rolls INGREDIENTS:

360ml flour + flour for dusting 3 ½ ml salt 8 ml instant dried yeast 3 ml sugar

from in between the celery stalks.

2 cloves garlic, crushed

160ml lukewarm water

julienne the sugar snaps (keeping them

3cm root ginger, grated

20ml white sesame seeds

length ways) Thinly slice the spring onion on the diagonal as this looks more appealing than rounds.

½ chilli, chopped 30ml tomato paste 30ml chutney 30ml Worcestershire sauce

Pan fry the prawns: Allow the pan to get nice and hot, put 5g of butter and a drop of oil into the pan and quickly fry the prawns, making sure it is cooked on a high heat and that the prawns are not

cool before combining to salad. remove the leaves from the strawberries and thinly slice them. Mix the rocket

METHOD: Mix flour, salt, yeast and sugar together,

20ml soya sauce

add water. Knead for 10 minutes until

100ml oats, to combine

smooth. Cover and allow to double in

8 ml salt 4ml pepper 40ml egg, beaten

over-cooked. Season with salt, black pepper and juice from a lime. Allow to

egg wash

size somewhere warm. Knock back, shape into 4 rolls, brush with egg and top with sesame seeds, allow to double in size again - bake at 200°C for

TO SERVE:

15minutes.

15g wild rocket German style mustard Mature cheddar

leaves (pick the stalks down), micro herbs, pea shoots, nasturtium leaves

METHOD:

and fennel leaves together. Dress with a

Mix together all the ingredients.

drop of dressing just to ensure the leaves

Fry off a tiny piece to taste for

are shiny. Add the celery ribbons, radish

seasoning. Shape into 4 hamburger

slices, shaved fennel, peas, flowers and

patties - brown in oil then put in oven

sugar snaps. Mix together well and

180°C to cook through. Top the burger

place in bowl. Place the strawberries

with wild rocket and a generous dollop

and prawns evenly amongst the leaves.

of mustard.

Do not add with other ingredients as the strawberries will become mushy if very ripe. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

PAIRING NOTES

Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Merlot is a richlyberried mouthful which can stand up to and complement the assertive flavours of the burger with its ginger, garlic and chutney elements.

58 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Silwood kitchen

Herbed Chicken Burgers GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 59

TOPS Nosh

Raspberries , Rose & Coconut crème brulee

minutes or until just firm. Remove the dish from the oven and leave to cool before placing in the refrigerator to set. Just before serving completely cover the top with castor sugar and caramelize the sugar until it just starts to catch.

Rose Ice cream INGREDIENTS:

150g sugar 5 egg yolks 500ml cream 250ml milk 20ml rose syrup 2 gelatine leaves, softened and melted

METHOD: Scald the coconut milk and cream together. Sponge gelatine leaves in water and add to the warm mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Add

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

a small amount of the warm coconut

250 ml cream

Scald the cream, coconut, bruised

mixture to the egg mixture and add the

250ml coconut

lemon grass, cinnamon and ginger. Stir

rose syrup. Cool and churn in an

piece lemon grass

the egg yolks and sugar together.

ice-cream machine. Top the crème

pinch cinnamon

Remove the flavourings and stir the

brulee with raspberries that have been

1cm piece ginger

warm cream carefully and slowly into the

tossed in lime zest and castor sugar, and

8 egg yolks

yolks. Place the mixture over a bain

a scoop of rose ice cream.

90 ml sugar

marie of barely simmering water and stir

Pinch of salt

until the custard is hot to the touch. Pour

Castor sugar or sticky brown sugar

the mixture into a bowl, stand the bowl in

for topping

a bain marie containing warm water and bake the custard at 130°C for 45

TO SERVE: 100g raspberries Zest of 1 lime

PAIRING NOTES

25g castor sugar

La Vallee is a demi-sec, or half-sweet style of sparkling wine, again made like Champagne.

It’s sweeter and more tropical style flavours of litchi and pear means it will complement the flavours of this dessert.

60 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Blogspot

seasonal change teresa

Longer days with more sunshine hours tempt folks outdoors, Teresa Ulyate writes. And with fun in the sun must come food. Here are a few of her tips for simple yet easy to prepare fare.

S

ummer’s precursor, Spring, is

just a few weeks away and with

it we can look forward to plenty of sunshine, time outdoors

around the braai and some fresh and

summery flavours! With National Braai

Day just around the corner, I was inspired to make these easy and delicious steak

sarmies topped with homemade tomato and ginger chutney, as well as a creamy,

zesty lemon curd ice cream. Why not try them at your next get together? My

serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in the sunshine with family and friends.

The tomato and ginger chutney and ice

cream should be made ahead of time, but

both are very easy to prepare. The chutney recipe will make more than you need, but pop the leftovers in the fridge and enjoy with crusty bread and cheddar cheese, roasted meat, veggies or just about

anything really! When it comes to steak, I prefer using a thin, tenderised steak in this recipe, but use whatever you prefer.

Happy cooking!

Available GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ at TOPS at ON FOR YOUR FULL SPARPG71 and SPAR stores GROCERY LIST Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

Teresa Ulyate is the writer of Cupcakesandcouscous.blogspot. com and holds the bragging rights as the winner of Two Oceans’ Simple Snacking Challenge 2013.

Cupcakesandcouscous.blogspot.com

62 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

Lemon curd swirl ice cream INGREDIENTS:

500ml cream 1 x 397g tin condensed milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 90ml lemon curd Whip the cream until you have soft

mixture into an ice cream maker and continue as per the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the mixture into an appropriately sized freezer container.

Drop tablespoonfuls of lemon curd (evenly spaced) on top, and use a skewer to swirl through the ice cream.

Cover and place in the freezer until completely set.

peaks. Add the condensed milk and

Note: allow the container to stand at

vanilla extract and whisk for a further

room temperature for a few minutes

minute or two to combine. Pour the

before serving.

Sarmies & stuff

Steak sarmies with chunky tomato and ginger chutney Serves 2

INGREDIENTS: FOR THE CHUTNEY (MAKES 1 LITRE): 1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped 500g red onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 tsp (5ml) crushed garlic 2 tsp (10ml) ginger paste 200g white sugar 150ml white vinegar 1/4 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp (5ml) ginger paste, to add at the end Sterilised jar(s) for storage

FOR THE SARMIES:

1 large ciabatta Olive oil for drizzling 300g steak Salt Pepper 15g rocket, rinsed To make the chutney, place all of the ingredients, except for the final 5ml of ginger paste in a large pot. Bring to the boil while stirring, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for approximately 1.5 hours until the liquid has reduced and the chutney has thickened. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of ginger paste. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the chutney into your sterilised jar(s). Allow to cool before storing in the fridge.

Cut the ciabatta in half and slice each half lengthways. Open each ciabatta, drizzle the inside with olive oil and place oil side down on the braai grid to char slightly. (If you’re not braaing, you could use a griddle pan.) Drizzle the steaks with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks over the braai coals (or in the griddle pan) until done to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for a minute or two. Place the rocket on the ciabatta. Once rested, cut the steak into diagonal slices and place these on top of the rocket.

Add a generous dollop of tomato chutney and serve immediately.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 63

Tuisnywerheid slicing through a bloody slab of meat, making the fire, waiting for the coals to reach the desired heat for what you are going to braai, and then transforming

Q&A Fire & brimstone Preparing food over fire or glowing coals is elemental. Some would say Paarl resident Lise Beyers has taken it to extremes. Emile Joubert, however, envies her dedication and commitment.

I

f there is somebody who puts their

times, beginning 1 January. And so far

money where their braai is, it’s Lise

she has not missed a single day despite

Beyers. The editor of the Paarl Post,

work commitments, inclement Boland

mother of two and serial meat-lover

weather and visits by vegan friends

makes hyped-up Jan Braai look like a

from foreign shores.

levitating Buddhist vegetarian. Oh yes, and forget Braai Day. To underscore her commitment to the grill, the flame and the meat, Lise has decided to make 2014 Braai Year by, yes, braaiing 365

Q A

Do men take women

braaiiers seriously?

emile

all as holistic, organic and fulfilling as the queue at the salad bar at a Leonard Cohen concert.

Q

What do you think

of gas braais?

Hate them. There is definitely no art to braaiing on gas and due to the lack of wood and smoke, the flavours are bland.

My rules for my Braai Year are to make a fire and braai on a grid over coals: no pot, pan, foil or gas. Every day.

Q A

What is the trickiest thing

to braai, and why?

If you don’t know what you are

piece of charcoaled meat. Chicken is probably the one domain where most people go wrong. Too often chicken is

Never. When seeing a woman

chargrilled on the outside and then still

wielding the tongs, men feel obliged to

slimy raw on the inside. Know your heat

offer assistance, Cave Man-speak for

and know your meat. And practice.

leave me alone when I braai.

Q

What makes braaiing,

for you, such a superior way of

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

delicious. And all this over the coals. It is

time everything perfectly to avoid a

help them change their tyre, they

64 www.topsatspar.co.za

a piece of wors into something really

doing, everything is tricky. You have to

interfering. I have a rule: I won’t offer to

Writer and PR guy Emile Joubert was a finalist in the Men’s Health Braai King competition, uniquely qualifying him for this column.

something as simple as a lamb chop or

A

preparing food?

Q A

Favourite braai?

Everything I braai I thoroughly

enjoy – but something I love time and again is a butterflied leg of lamb, perfectly braaied until pink in the middle. Then serve with all the

For me it’s a really soothing,

relaxing way of cooking: From lovingly

Mediterranean trimmings such as hummus and tzatziki, as well as my

homemade pita breads – also cooked on the braai. I still believe there is a guide to braaiing written by the Ancient Greeks somewhere… I love their work.

We are into the

second half of the year.

Has the Braai-a-Day

A

regimen been hard?

Wood: the best

braai wood.

I thought I would throw in

the towel after day 100, mainly due to the limited time I have,

I have just come back from

being a full-time journalist. But now

hunting in Namibia where we keep a

I’ve passed the 200 day mark.

huge fire going made from camel-thorn.

The onlydifficult times really have

This is probably the best braai wood as

been the few days where I knew

the coals remain volcanic for a long

I would have to attend a function

time. But back in the RSA, rooikrans is a

straight after work. Then I’d light

favourite and then if I need to get coals

the fire at 6am and braai

together quickly for the evening braai,

something before going to work.

vine stumps. When using vine stumps,

It is actually perfect – during the

remember red meat is best braaiied on

summer you sit outside

Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz stumps,

enjoying the beautiful

while Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

evenings, and now in the

is for chicken or fish.

winter I sit next to a

Q A Q

Lise Beyers is Editor of the Paarl Post, The Voice of Drakenstein, and an unrepentant devotee of the humble braai.

Turn to pg66 for a recipe from Madam Braai

roaring fire.

Do you do braaibroodjies:

with or without chutney?

Without, I don’t have a sweet tooth

You make your own

boerewors. What is the secret

A

lise

Q A

Q

Emile Joubert

to good boerie?

Q

What have

you learned through

A

it all?

There is never an excuse

not to braai. And you can’t have a good braai with substandard meat.

That is why the most intimate

Today people have the

relationship that I have, apart

tendency to go ‘lean’. Boerewors must

from the one with my dog,

have 25% fat in it and must not be

is with my butcher.

stuffed in casings that are too thin.

There is never an excuse not to braai. And you can’t have a good braai with substandard meat.

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 65

An old favourite when I have a few people around and I want to impress them around the braai is a well marinated deboned leg of lamb.

Marinated leg of lamb Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS: 1 butterflied leg of lamb (+/- 2 kgs) ¾ cup olive oil ½ cup red wine ½ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tbs each: freshly chopped rosemary and thyme 4 anchovies 1 Tbsp Worcester sauce 6 cloves of garlic Freshly ground salt and pepper

METHOD: Place herbs, anchovies and garlic in a pestle and mortar and grind until it forms a paste. Then blend this paste together with the rest of the ingredients until well mixed. Slash the leg of lamb on the fat side a few times with a very sharp knife. Then place it in a large enough plastic bag and pour the marinade over the meat. With clean hands rub the marinade well into the lamb. Refrigerate for at least a few hours but preferably overnight.

Now for the braaiing: You are going to need pretty hot coals. This isn’t a lazy braai, because you are going to have to turn the meat regularly and keep basting it with the marinade. After half an hour over the coals, remove the meat from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. It should be perfectly medium pink on the inside. I serve the lamb with freshly baked pita breads, hummus, tahini and a simple Greek salad.

Available GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ at TOPS at ON FOR YOUR FULL SPARPG71 and SPAR stores GROCERY LIST Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

66 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

recipe

Tuisnywerheid

what to look out for next issue Rosé-tinted glasses: the case for pink drinks Summer cocktails – serve them with verve Stock standard: cellars, fridges, racks or boxes? brought to you by

www.topsatspar.co.za

Congratulations to all of last issue’s winners

NOAH DVD

GLENMORANGIE DISCOVERY HAMPER WINNERS:

1. Beverley de Beer, Amanzimtoti 2. Anne Ford, Woodstock 3. Douglas Ainslie, Northwold 68 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

GOURMET SAFARI BOOK WINNERS: 1. Sihle Ngubane, Pietermaritzburg 2. Shirley van Rensburg, Roodepoort

S.E. Denton, Deneysville

NOW67CD WINNER:

Heidi Badenhorst, Universitas

enjoy your spoils!

Highland Park Gift Collections

wi n

Stand a chance to win one of three Highland Park gift collections.

1st Winner: Highland Park 12 year old, Highland Park 18 year old & Highland Park Dark Origins (limited release) valued at R 3200 2nd Winner: Highland Park 18 year old - R1359 3rd Winner: Highland Park 12 year old - R500

Dark Origins is the latest whisky to join the historic and much awarded Highland Park range.

One of the most isolated distilleries in Scotland, Highland Park was established in 1798 on Orkney, a chain of islands in the Outer Hebrides. Five keystones make Highland Park distinctive: hand-turned malt, Go aromatic peat, cool maturation, use of sherry oak casks and a final cask harmonisation process, making for to ww a rich, smooth and unique whisky, named Best Spirit in the World more than once. th w. e C fa he ceb er By entering you stand a chance to win one of o yo s Fa ok.c three Highland Park Gift Collections. ur ce om ch bo / Send an email with the subject line Cheers Highland Park Giveaway containing your an ok Che ce pa er name, ID number, physical address (not a P.O. Box please!), name of the TOPS at of ge sM a wi SPAR store at which you made any purchase from and the till slip number, nn and g, in do along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the random draw g! ub SH le AR to cheers@cheersmag.co.za. SEE T&C’S ON PG 2 E

how to enter

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

Drink Responsibly.

Sep|Oct 2013 Vol 08

www.topsatspar.co.za 69

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

Grocery list TOPS at SPAR

in the basket Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Your complete list of ingredients for all the recipes in this issue.

Groceries

100g raspberries

Liquor

4 sprigs of rosemary

Available from TOPS at SPAR 250ml white wine 125ml red wine 15ml ginger syrup 30ml Scotch whisky 15ml peated whisky

Available from SPAR Dried Spices/Herbs/Stock ¼ tsp chilli flakes ¼ tsp salt ½ - 1 tsp salt pinch cinnamon

Fresh Fruit/Veg/Herbs/Spices 1kg tomatoes 500g red onions 1 brown onion 2 spring onion 1 shallot 50g fresh peas 50g sugar snaps ½ bunch English spinach leaves 1 pack of celery 150g rocket 10 Asparagus tips 6 radishes 250g wild mushrooms 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 limes

1 fennel bulb 3 sprigs of thyme 30g micro herbs 1 long red chilli 12 garlic cloves 2 handfuls flat-leafed parsley 3 sticks of fresh ginger piece lemon grass 1cm piece ginger

Cans/Jars/Bottles/Cartons 1 x 397g tin condensed milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 90ml lemon curd 15ml ginger paste 150ml white vinegar 20ml red wine vinegar 125ml balsamic vinegar 60 ml strawberry juice 370ml olive oil 1 bottle honey 1 jar of berry jam 30ml tomato paste 30ml chutney 45ml Worcestershire sauce 20ml soya sauce German style mustard 4 anchovies

Baking/Dry goods

250g castor sugar 375g plain flour 90g self-raising flour 15ml active dry yeast ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 100ml oats 20ml white sesame seeds 500ml flaked almonds 2 gelatine leaves 20ml rose syrup

Dairy 2l cream 250ml milk 150ml buttermilk 250ml coconut 280g butter 150g thickened cream 24 eggs 35g Parmesan cheese 1 tub fresh ricotta 1 block of mature cheddar

Meat/Fish/Poultry 300g steak 1 butterflied leg of lamb (+/- 2 kgs) 600g chicken mince

2 lemons

1 large ciabatta

1kg mussels

100g strawberries

400g white sugar

14 prawns

All ‘in the basket’ items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets. See www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

www.topsatspar.co.za 71

Loopdop

gerrit

Sewe vir die prys van een

L

Al wat van inryteaters oorgebly het, is die heimwee en nostalgie...

Gerrit Rautenbach grysklippers wat so lekker onder die bande kraak en die ouens in die geheime bak se lag toesmeer.

In die heel agterste ry is die kombi met die gatkant doek toe geparkeer.

Met die oopmaak van die geheime kattebak lyk die ses ouens of hulle gestort het. ’n Someraand in

es bly nou al ’n hele klompie jare

Grootmeneer ry Les en gaan staan

Rustenburg koel af tot so 28 – 30 grade

in Sydney, Australië, maar het

dus man-alleen in die ry karre. Die kombi

en die bak was stofdig. Én hul lêplek

besluit om sy 40ste matriek-reünie

was lekker hoog en Les kon so afkyk na

was reg langs die enjin... Maar die

van Ou Hoër in Rustenburg by te woon.

Dawie, die kaartjiesverkoper. Dawie was

biere in die koelboks was yskoud.

Hy kon nie wag om van die ou pelle

in Bergsig wat die vyandskool was. Was

weer te sien nie. Hulle was ’n groep van

lekker om van so hoog af neer te kyk op

het Les ook sommer by sy neef gaan

sewe wat altyd saam aangejaag het.

die vyand. Dawie was kort en het baie

jag in Groblersdal. Hulle word genooi

laag in die klein kaartjiekantoortjie gesit.

vir tee saam met ’n klompie oud-

buitelyne van die Magaliesberge. Soos hy

Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.

Rustenburg inkom, sien hy die ikoniese ou

Die plek was omtrent so breed soos ’n

Rustenburgers. Daar aangekom besef

Maanlig-inry is nie meer nie. Daar is net ’n

tuinstoel. Hy het opgestaan op sy tone

hy hy ken niemand nie. Tot ene Dawie

groot Mall en meenthuise. En ’n leemte...

om oor die rant van die venster te

noem hy was die kaartjiemeester by

bespied of daar nie iemand onder ’n

die Maanlig-inry.

Hy het met die ou Johannesburg-pad gery en besef alles lyk anders. Selfs die

Met heimwee dink hy terug aan die keer wat hy en sy ses pelle sy ma se grys

Met die 30ste reünie 10 jaar tevore

kombers wegkruip nie.

Biegtyd het Les besluit, gelag en

“Een kaartjie asseblief,” het Les

vertel. Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop

Dit was in die eindeksamen van matriek

gevra. Dis besonders dat Dawie nie

geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.

en hulle het die tyd uitgekoop. Want

verdag geraak het oor een skoolseun

binnekort spat hulle vir altyd uitmekaar.

alleen in ’n hele kombi nie. Tevrede

hulle graag 6 x 65c wou gee. Selfs 6 x

met wat hy gesien het, het hy

R65,” sê Les vir homself terwyl hy verbyry.

sakgeld vir ’n kas bier gebruik. Nou, die

teruggesak in sy wit plastiek-tuinstoel en

“Maar die Maanlig is nie meer nie...”

kombi het ’n groot spasie, soos ’n

’n kaartjie van so groot rol afgeskeur.

dubbelkajuit-kombi Maanlig toe gevat het.

Geld was skaars en hulle het al hul

geheime ekstra plat kattebak agterin gehad waarin jy waardevolle dinge kon

“Een... 65 sent asseblief.”

Les het ’n hand vol koper oorhandig.

toesluit. Soos ’n kas bier, kampstoele en

Dis ses leë bottels se geld. Met die

ses pelle. Hulle werk met ’n plan.

wegtrek was hy dankbaar vir die

“Ai, as Maanlig nog daar was sou ek

Freelance writer Gerrit Rautenbach is a man who knows how to spin a yarn, having been the editor of Mooiloop and Wegbreek magazines.

72 www.topsatspar.co.za

Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14

kinni & nkoketsenf

FORO TOPS at SPAR

Kinni and Nkoketseng Rangaka are the Owners at the FORO TOPS at SPAR Address: FORO MALL,3602 Monareng Street,Tlhabane,0309 Tel: (014) 565 3495 Email: foro1@retail.spar.co.za Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon - Fri: 09h00 - 20h00, Sat: 08h00 - 17h00 & Sun: Closed.

SUPERSPAR Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00.

*

gift set

NB/3621/E

buy our winemaster’s reserve

receive a complimentary

le creuset ramekin set

fit for a masterchef.

OFFER IS AVAILABLE AT SELECTED SPAR AND TOPS AT SPAR STORES FROM 1 OCTOBER 2014 WHILE STOCKS LAST

*

GIFT SET CONTAINS 5 BOTTLES OF WINEMASTER’S RESERVE AND RAMEKIN SET. RAMEKINS VALUED AT R125.

The official wine of MasterChef South Africa.

Watch on M-Net Thursdays at 19:30

© 2014 Shine Limited. Shine, MasterChef and the MasterChef Logo are registered trademarks of Shine Limited and used under licence.

All Rights Reserved.

www.nederburg.co.za

Terms and conditions apply.

Enjoy Responsibly. Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.