HOT BITES

HOT

BITES

COCKTAIL MAGIC South African Regional winner of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge Leighton Rathbone was narrowly beaten by Dubai representative Vasile Dorofeev in the Africa and Middle East final held in Cyprus late last year.

But local cocktail enthusiasts are still talking about some of the drinks prepared in the South African judging, notably those by Martin Strobos of Slo-Jo Innovations who was placed third in the local round.

Taking his cue from Angostura’s range of rums, he presented the judges with the Rum inspired Enigma and the Amaro based Harmony.

Rum inspired Enigma INGREDIENTS: 37,5ml Angostura 7 year old 12,5ml rosso vermouth 12,5ml vanilla syrup Lemon juice 2 orange peels 5 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters 2 pinches salt Garnish: Dehydrated orange wheel METHOD: Chill coupe glass. Build all ingredients in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and shake hard and well. Fine strain and garnish.

Amaro inspired Harmony INGREDIENTS: 37,5ml Amaro di Angostura 12,5ml extra dry vermouth 20ml pineapple rosemary syrup 12,5ml lemon juice 37,5ml white grape juice 3 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters Garnish: Roasted rosemary sprig METHOD: Chill a small wine glass with ice. Build all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and hard. Discard ice in wine glass. Strain into glass and garnish.

EPICUREAN EASTER Stellenbosch wine estate Quoin Rock is not only in the business of growing grapes and making wine to sell, but with its stunning location on the slopes of the Simonsberg, maximising the vistas, it’s in the business of making memories courtesy of its highly rated restaurant, Gåte.

This Easter Sunday – April 12 – it’s offering two Epicurean options to patrons visiting the property; the one a casual picnic that Quoin Rock has dubbed “bistronomy” and the other being a serious fine dining experience.

The Easter picnic is R400 a head and allows diners to make the most of the outdoors by packing them off with a basket full of tasty delicacies. For adults there is sustainable foie gras, panna cotta, cheese and charcuterie, all carefully packed for each guest – with a few gourmet surprises to seal the deal. Unlimited still and sparkling water is included.

Children take control of their own feast in a woven basket. Inside will be rootstock crisps, a chocolate or strawberry milkshake,

handmade cookies, seasonal berries and a mac-’n-cheese. Kids will also be able to create their own Easter egg basket with the help of the Whimsical entertainers, and then head off on an exciting Easter egg hunt. The basket, plus entertainment and participation in the egg hunt is R250 per child.

The upmarket gourmet experience at Gåte restaurant will be available from 12:00-17:00. A six- course lunch highlights the latest innovations from the estate’s topend kitchen for R1 240 with either a unique tea pairing or wine pairing, which includes service fee.

On the children’s menu (R300 per child) will be a Bunny Hopper or chocolate Monster milkshake – and, like the picnic, they’ll be able to build their own Easter basket with the Whimsical entertainers helping out, plus an Easter egg hunt followed by the choice of a mac-’n-cheese or a burger. Whimsical’s crew will also amuse with glitter tattoos, face paint and hair spray.

Reservations are essential and all tickets should be pre-purchased on http:// quoinrock.co.za/news-and-events/

MAKING BRANDY TRENDY AGAIN One of the biggest obstacles or challenges the South African Brandy Foundation faces is changing the negative perception of brandy. The automatic association is of brandy with cola – and lots of it!

However, the Brandy Foundation has found that by sharing food and cocktail experiences with members of the public it is possible to change that mindset. Once people learn a bit more about the making of brandy, the different kinds and how truly excellent the South African brandies are, and then taste them either paired with food or mixed in a cocktail, it’s a much easier sell Christelle Reade-Jahn of the Foundation said.

Here’s a recipe for you to try in the comfort of your own home to impress friends and family with your mixology skills!

The Brandle INGREDIENTS: 25ml potstill cape brandy 50ml naartjie juice 15ml Van Der Hum 15ml sugar syrup 100ml Schweppes Soda water or lemonade

Garnish with orange slices GLASS: Tall Cocktail METHOD: Build and stir over ice Fine South African potstill brandies are available at most liquor retailers. For more information about South African Brandy visit www.sabrandy.co.za

LAST TASTE OF SUMMER March is a month of slight desperation. Winter lurks and starts to make itself felt in April so March is the period in which to make the most of those last warm, sunny days.

Weekends are the times when friends and family gather, to relax and take it easy – and that’s how entertaining and feeding everyone should be: easy and light.

This unfussy and simple to prepare Thai-style salad is a refreshing addition to the lunch repertoire and can be enjoyed both as a side dish or a light meal. It’s easy to assemble and packs a big punch of flavour.

If you need to boost it and make it a touch more substantial, just add some shredded roasted chicken or sliced smoked chicken for a meaty variation that’ll stand on its own as a delicious main course. Toss the salad with the peanut dressing just before serving.

One suggestion is that it be enjoyed with Spier Signature Sauvignon Blanc which offers up intense aromas of gooseberries, passion fruit, green fig with an undertone of green pepper on the nose. The palate is fresh and mouth-watering with wellbalanced acidity.

Crunchy Thai salad with peanut dressing INGREDIENTS: 3-4 cups red cabbage, finely shredded 2-3 cups gem lettuce, finely shredded 1 yellow or red pepper, finely sliced 1 large carrot, finely julienned or shredded A handful fresh mint, finely sliced A handful fresh coriander, finely sliced 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts For the dressing: 1/3 cup (80 ml) smooth plain peanut butter 30-45 ml (2-3 Tblsp) fresh lime or lemon juice 30 ml (2 Tblsp) honey 15 ml (1 Tblsp) soy sauce 30 ml (2 Tblsp) water at room temperature 1 knob of fresh ginger, finely grated (about 2-3 tsp) 1 small garlic clove, finely grated salt & pepper to taste

METHOD: Toss all the ingredients together (cabbage, lettuce, red pepper, carrot, mint, coriander, peanuts) in a large mixing bowl. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a small mixing bowl using a hand whisk or stick blender (it takes some elbow grease by hand) to form a smooth sauce. Pour half the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss to coat. Serve the remainder of the dressing on the side. This recipe serves 4-6 as a side dish.