Cheers Vol. 32 Sept / Oct 2017

cheers C O M P L I M E N TA R Y M A G A Z I N E

S E P/O C T 2 0 1 7 V O L 3 2

NO FAKE GRAPE

RIESLING GETS REAL IN SA

GRAB YOUR GUMBOOTS...

IT’S FESTIVAL TIME!

CLASSIC VODKA COCKTAILS FIT KIT

ATHLEISURE APPAREL BECOMES A THING

TRUCKING DELICIOUS

GOURMET GRUB FROM FOOD TRUCKS

WE TASTE THE BEER! TOPS AT SPAR

BIERFEST PREVIEW A COPY OF THE WEBER CLASSICS – THE ULTIMATE BRAAI BOOK

Be sure to visit www. topsatspar. co. za

Try me

I

LITE F L AV O U R E D B E E R

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

contents

12

From crisply bone dry to

t ult ra swe et nob le lat e har ves

desser t wines, Riesli ng is someth ing of a chamel eon.

34 44

24 SEP/OCT 2017 VOL32 04 EDITOR’S LETTER Beer makes better wine 06 TINUS TALKS Is it a trend or just a phase?

08 THE SCOOP Brandy tastes gold, whisky wins in the Big Apple, Season of Sauvignon & Clooney’s billion dollar tequila 12 GERMANY’S RIESLING

16

Gaining ground and winning new fans

16 TOPS AT SPAR BIERFEST

Pretzels, Oompah bands and jolly good fun to be had 22 TASTE TEST Bierfest brews reviewed 24 SHAKEN AND

NOT STIRRED

Vodka’s role in iconic cocktails 30 THINGAMAJIGS Goodies and gadgets 31 GOOD LIVING SPAR items to seek out

32 NIBBLETS OF NEWS

Steakhouse of the Year announced 34 GOURMET FARE TO GO

Food trucks flavour of the month

38 BOOK GIVEAWAY Sizzling hot tips from Weber Classics 44 EMILE JOUBERT SE ADVIES

Oor burgers en sosaties 46 HANDY SNACKS No utensils required

SEP/OCT 2017

01

TOPS Buy!

“ Chivas Regal Ultis is a blend that draws on expertise that has been handed down throughout the centuries and it will delight whisky connoisseurs around the world.”

52

SEE P38 TO WIN THIS RECIPE BOOK

50 PEOPLE & PLACES Nature walks on wine farms appeal 52 MUSIC IN THE

GREAT OUTDOORS

KKNK, AfrikaBurn, Splashy and Oppikoppi essentials

08 08 Rememb er you can

56 ON THE FLY

TOPS at SPAR’s Corporate Challenge

60 SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Music, books & movies 62 SOCIAL MEDIA Blog of the month 63 RECIPE APPS Keeping track of your ingredients 64 ATHLETIC APPAREL

Looking cool in sweats & trainers 68 BEWARE RANDOM

31 02 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

56

TESTING

Drive sober 72 KNYSNA HOLIDAYS Happy memories

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EDITOR’S COLUMN

team

Beer is the best thing ever!

It is a soothing balm to my taste buds and doesn’t require analysis.

It’s just lekker – and I can drink it! Which is why this issue’s tasting was such a treat.

TOPS at SPAR Jess Nicholson Group Promotions & Advertising Manager – Liquor

In praise of beer...

Wine fascinates me. It has done for the past 25 years since I started getting seriously involved with it as a subject. I love the science of it – the complex chemistry, the geology of the soils in which the vines grow, the knowledge of seasons, rainfall, amount of sunshine, even the direction the rows are planted in because of the prevailing winds. But most of all I love the taste and feel of it – the subtle nuances of flavour, whether the oak is in harmony with the fruit, if dark berries hold sway over red berries or plum or strawberry. What is the spice I taste? Is it cumin, curry leaf, cinnamon or nutmeg?

Usually, around this time of year I am almost having wine for breakfast, lunch and dinner... literally! As part of the handful of judges who taste hundreds of wines for the annual Platter Wine Guide over a six week period, it’s imperative that I simply motor through the various wines allocated to me.

Everyone thinks it’s fun – which it is... but it’s also gruelling, and a helluva responsibility too. After all, the score or rating that I attach to a wine is a criticism or praise of the past year or two’s effort of a particular winemaker. And day in and day out I open bottles, pour wine, swirl, sniff and spit, leave them in the glasses and return a few hours later – and a day later to see whether they’ve opened up or fallen apart.

So little wonder why right now beer is the BEST thing ever! It is a soothing balm to my taste buds and doesn’t require analysis. It’s just lekker – and I can drink it! Which is why this issue’s tasting was such a treat.

Newlands Brewery’s trade brewer Dennis Da Silva gave the tasting team a tour of the Newlands Spring brewery and a tasting of the delicious beers in the range. My personal favourite was the Mountain Weiss simply because it’s light, fruity and slightly hazy since it’s unpasteurised and unfiltered. But then I have a rather soft spot for weiss beers having tasted my first in Bavaria while on a visit to Munich years ago.

In fact, I love that at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London every year, judges are provided with a daily beer token to be redeemed at the nearest pub! It’s a great way to cleanse the palate after a hard session of tasting acidic whites and tannic red wines.

Scientists will tell you that it is also a great way to restore the pH balance in the mouth...

I read that somewhere. Have no idea how true it is, but I’m sticking to it!

Cheers,

Fiona

FIONA MCDONALD CHEERS EDITOR

che ersmag.co.za

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CheersMag

@CheersMag

Publisher Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Editor Fiona McDonald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director Annalie Boshoff annalie@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising Eloise Meyer eloise@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions Kaitlyn Bunce kaitlyn@integratedmedia.co.za Photography Thinkstock.com Contributors Maryke Roberts, Gerrit Rautenbach, Teresa Ulyate, David Bowman, Tinus van Niekerk, Emile Joubert, Gareth George, Lucy Corne, Nick Frost Head Office Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701 Printing Paarl Media Cape, a division of Novus Holdings Published by Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR

STOCKISTS SPAR Good Living items are available at your nearest SPAR outlets.

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS Competition submissions should reach us no later than 15th October 2017. 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. Participants can only win one competition every 3 issues.

NEW

LIVE LOUD.

SPARKLE ON. RU BY BERRY is here.

Available from your nearest TOPS at SPAR from mid-October.

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

T I N U S TA L KS

WE MIGHT NOT THINK WE’RE TRENDY – CERTAINLY NOT IN OUR CHOICE OF FASHION OR SUCH, BUT ARE WE AWARE OF WHAT OUR CONSUMPTION HABITS ARE? ARE WE PART OF AN ALCOHOL TREND?

Top Trends N

owadays serious winespeak is dominated by production, prices, consumption patterns, consumer preferences, wine styles, food pairing, whether supermarkets and specialist merchants are just trading in and flogging cheap and/ or expensive booze, and what not.

These are serious issues that have a direct bearing on the positives and negatives of the international wine industry.

To find answers to such questions is challenging. Fortunately much research is being done; by institutions and publications like Decanter, Wine Advocate, Drinks International, Wine Enthusiast, Berry Bros & Rudd, E & J Gallo, Wine Market Council, The Nielsen Co, Vinexpo and others.

Here are some trends and observations recent market research uncovered.

Dining out and wine spend: A nett 20% of high frequency wine drinkers are eating out more often and 24% are spending more on wine than previously. Capturing the millennial market is a key aim for the wine trade. However, millennials are

Word of mouth remains the most powerful influencer. Wine consumers relate to personal recommendations.

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drinking less wine than before, and are more likely to switch between drinks, such as craft beer and spirits, than sticking to one category. They are also less loyal.

There appears to be a generational shift in the mode of wine drinking.

Habits are changing from the common consumption of wine to more thoughtful imbibing, with millennials wanting to know exactly what’s in the glass, grape variety, its origin, and how it’s crafted.

The fastest growing wine categories are Prosecco; serious red blends; sauvignon blanc from New Zealand; and French rosé. “You don’t hide that you’re drinking Prosecco anymore; it’s what people are asking for.” This wine has become an everyday luxury, despite being perceived as ‘‘less serious’’ than Champagne.

Wine spending is up, and spirit sales are starting to soar. Consumers were spending 4.4% more on wine in 2016 and 4.7% more on spirits, but are cutting back on beer purchases.

Research shows however, that spirits and beer lovers are not backing off from wine.

Popular brands are holding their prices. An interesting statistic is that while consumers are trading up to higher-priced wines, they’re resistant to price increases for their favourite brands. The fact that few individual wine brands have significantly increased prices recently suggests that it’s easier to introduce a higher priced new product than to fiddle with their familiar brands.

Word of mouth remains the most powerful influencer. Wine consumers relate to personal recommendations as the most prized sources of advice and direction. Trusted friends and family, followed by perhaps restaurant sommeliers, are valuable information sources. Nearly 40% receive wine advice from publications. And, in a finding that reinforces the value of wineries’ investments in tasting rooms, visits to a wine cellar are some of the

most powerful influences in a purchase decision among the 25% of buyers who report receiving information this way. Winery websites are as popular as other lifestyle websites for those interested in on-line information.

Wine by the glass – research showed that the number one factor prompting a diner to order wine is when it’s available by the glass.

Number two is if it pairs well with the food ordered. The bad news (for wine writers and restaurant owners) was that the two least important factors were high scores from a critic and special restaurant promotions.

Italian food seems to stimulate wine appetites. Wine drinkers connected wine and food most frequently with Italian eateries, with surveys showing that 64% of dedicated wine drinkers are likely to order wine with Italian cooking, and 56% said the same of steakhouses. Sushi restaurants came out lowest ...

Twist-off closures or screwtops are acceptable, socially and scientifically. The focus is on ease of enjoyment, versatility, value and consistency.

Consumers today are increasingly seeking to polarize taste profiles, a yin and yang approach. The top picks for everyday drinking are refreshing whites; richly sweet, lower alcohol rosés; fruit pure reds; food-friendly bubbly and also complex, concentrated full-bodied (not heavy) red wines.

And while people are buying wine in cans at a faster rate than previously, this trend is not expected to last.

Basically wine cans are welcome at sporting events and for outdoors enjoyment. The downside is that not every wine tastes good served out of aluminium ...

The Scoop

We give you the lates t on what to

buy, tas te and dri nk.

BONUS BILLION

It began as fun – something for three mates who all enjoyed good tequila... It’s just been sold to spirits giant Diageo for a billion dollars!

Sauvignon blanc in all its forms – including bubbly – will be celebrated.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE

The last weekend in October (28 & 29) is when an exodus to the Durbanville wine valley occurs with lovers of crisp, zesty white wine celebrating the arrival of spring with the Season of Sauvignon at all participating wineries. Cellar doors

are opened wide and the new 2017 vintage Sauvignon Blanc wines released for sale to eager punters. There are great restaurants to explore, heaps of entertainment and lots of award-winning wines – not just Sauvignon Blanc – on offer.

Durbanville Hills has a range of Sauvignon Blanc and will be showing off their recently launched Sauvignon-inspired bubbly. The winery has arranged a number of food trucks to park off on site in order for fans of their zingy wines to enjoy tacos or burgers, oysters or cheese and charcuterie platters. Adding to the appeal will be a performance by The Renegades as well as Paige Mac’s soulful sounds.

“We had an exceptional harvest this year and the wines produced truly reflect this. We look forward to welcoming guests back to the winery where they’ll be able to enjoy all things Sauvignon,”said cellarmaster Martin Moore.

Event details: October 28 & 29 October, 11h00 – 18h00. Entrance fee: Over 18’s – R100pp, includes a tasting glass and 8 tasting vouchers, kids (2 – 18) – R50pp, includes a fruit juice and 2 activity vouchers. Tickets available on Webtickets or at the gate. For more info: info@durbanvillehills.co.za or call 021 558 1300.

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Casamigos Tequila, a tequila company started by real estate magnate Mike Meldsman, Rande Gerber and actor George Clooney, was initially intended to be for their own consumption and enjoyment.

But like Topsy, it grew – especially when they started sharing their tequila with friends. More and more people started demanding it and the 1 000 bottle annual production wasn’t enough to fulfil their needs.

It was launched nationally in the United States only in 2014 but has grown even more in the past three years.

As Gerber said when the sale was announced: “We created Casamigos tequila four years ago for us to drink personally and selling it for one billion dollars is something we never could have imagined.”

In a statement to CNBC Clooney said he was delighted at “Diageo’s belief in our company.”

“But we’re not going anywhere.

We’ll still be very much a part of Casamigos. Starting with a shot tonight. Maybe two...”

TOP S Buy

Ultimate Chivas Having laid claim to the title of the world’s first luxury whisky, Chivas Regal want to ensure they move the bar higher and raise the whisky stakes. Chivas Regal has now introduced Ultis “the first blended malt Scotch whisky from the House of Chivas”.

It uses just five of Chivas Regal’s signature Speyside single malts and the brand believes it captures the “true essence” of Chivas, representing its style and diversity. From millions of casks kept in warehouses, less than one percent was used for Ultis. Hand-selected malts from Longmorn, Strathisla, Tormore, Allt A’Bhainne and Braeval were blended by current master blender Colin Scott. Scott is one of only five men in the past 108 years to have the responsibility of blending Chivas Regal whiskies. The other four were Charles Howard, Charles Julian, Alan Baillie and Jimmy Lang. He pronounced himself “honoured” to be in their company and given the task of creating Ultis.

“The crystalline freshness of Tormore shines through along with the contrasting, hint of spicy warmth present in Allt A’Bhainne, while the Longmorn single malt adds balance. The floral style of Braeval complements the fruity sweetness of Strathisla to create a complex and rich blended malt Scotch whisky. Chivas Regal Ultis is a blend that draws on expertise that has been handed down throughout the centuries and it will delight whisky connoisseurs around the world.”

Movie star George Clooney and Rande Gerber whose friendship spawned a billion dollar tequila.

NEWS

GOLDEN SPIRIT

TOP S Buy

Brandy Foundation director Christelle Reade-Jahn.

The 2017 International Wine & Spirits Competition has seen South African brandy sweep the boards yet again with 27 medals awarded to the fiery spirit. Top

honours for the Worldwide Best Brandy went to the KWV 15 Year Old, a potstill brandy which was one of three South African brandies awarded Gold Outstanding medals, along with Oude Meester 18 Year Old and Van Ryn’s 20 Year Old. (Gold Outstanding is denoted at the IWSC as products with “quality of the highest order”.)

The competition was fiercer this year with more entries and more countries represented – but SA doubled its number of Gold and Gold Outstanding medals. It showed the more fancied Cognac category a clean pair of heels in that the French brandy region had fewer medals despite having more entries. “Once again South African brandy has shown that you don’t have to look far to find a product that is the best by international standards,” said South African Brandy Foundation director Christelle Reade-Jahn.

For KWV, the IWSC trophy for Worldwide Best Brandy was a triumph it has now repeated for the eighth time. “We’re very proud of the achievement,”KWV Master Distiller Pieter de Bod said. “We blend every year, so this award is a reflection of our team’s ability to maintain a consistently high level of quality. Between the IWSC and the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), KWV has received a trophy for five consecutive years, and on a total of 18 occasions over the years. This makes KWV the most successful brandy producer in the world.”

Dr Winnie Bowman, one of the judges said the quality gap between SA and the rest of the world was “palpable – with the possible exception of a few Spanish examples.”

“In the final round of the trophy judging, which took place a few weeks after the initial tasting, eight out the 10 brandies that made the final cut were from South Africa.”

Gold medals went to Klipdrift Gold, KWV 12 Year Old and KWV 20 Year Old while Silver Oustanding was won by Flight of the Fish Eagle; Klipdrift Export; Klipdrift Premium; KWV 10 Year Old; KWV Imoya; Laborie Alambic; Ladismith 8 Year Old; Oude Meester Demant; Oude Meester 12 Year Old; Oude Meester VSOB; Oude Molen XO; Richelieu 10 Year Old; Uitkyk 10 Year Old; Van Ryn’s 10 Year Old; Van Ryn’s 12 Year Old; Van Ryn’s 15 Year Old; and, Viceroy.

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THE MOUNTAIN COMES TO NY

They say if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky has, for the fourth consecutive year, been awarded Gold at the New York International Spirits Competition. Setting this competition apart

is that it is judged by restaurant and bar owners, buyers, retailers, distributors and importers rather than journalists, critics and experts.

Since its launch in 1990, Bain’s Cape Mountain whisky, the country’s first single grain whisky which is distilled at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, has been critically acclaimed.

Founder distiller Andy Watts said he realised the local whisky palate was ready for a premium spirit led by style rather than age – which dovetailed with his vision for creating a whisky that could not be replicated anywhere else in the world “At the time we were moving into a new chapter in South Africa and whisky became the interest of a much larger consumer base. I wanted to create a whisky that would be the only one to use South Africa’s world-renowned quality maize yet deliver an exceptional smooth and unique taste profile. So the idea was born to utilise casks previously used once for the maturation of bourbon - not only for the required three years, but for a further 18 to 30 months in a fresh set of casks in order to maximise the extraction of flavour.

“It’s overwhelming when one takes a moment to reflect on the whisky’s success. The interest and recognition from around the world has led us to launch Bain’s in the United States, United Kingdom and parts of Europe where consumers can enjoy Bain’s in some of the trendiest style bars. ”

Crystal clear mountain streams in the rugged Bain’s Kloof provide the inspiration for a winning grain whisky.

PROUDLY PINOTAGE

For the past 21 years, Absa has sponsored an annual competition to discover and reward South Africa’s best Pinotage wines. The intention was never to have just one winner – but to be generous and inclusive and reward the Top 10.

The 2017 event was held at Cavalli wine estate in Stellenbosch and saw Kanonkop notch up the unique feat of having been a Top 10 winner for the 12th time.

Rijk’s of Tulbagh, which was a runner up in the museum class with its 2007 Reserve, has won 11 but wasn’t one of the finalists this year.

The Top 10 were Delheim 2012, Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Reserve 2015, Flagstone Writer’s Block 2015, Kanonkop 2012, Lanzerac Pionier 2014, Moreson MKM 2015, Neil Ellis Bottelary Hills 2015, Stellenbosch Vineyards bushvine 2015, La Cave 2016 and Windmeul Reserve 2015.

Winner of the museum class was Neil Ellis vineyard selection Jonkershoek 2007, with the Rijk’s Reserve, 1992 Lanzerac and Neethlingshof 1990 as runners up.

The unofficial ‘prophet of pinotage’, Beyers Truter of Beyerskloof said it was rewarding to see how the quality – and appreciation – had improved. It had gone from “rusty nails to red gold,” he said. One of the reasons for its improvement was that “pinotage makers are in sync with their terroir.”

A whisky brimming with aromas of heather honey, mandarin and candied fruits and tastes of orange syrup and vanilla, zesty, herbal top notes, baked apples and brown sugar.

UNIQUE GLENMORANGIE MALT

In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from prison, the Berlin Wall came down and the Hubble space telescope sent its first images back to earth. But in Scotland’s highlands it was a challenging year with a less than

ideal barley harvest making it difficult for distillers to produce their signature single malt spirit. Which makes Glenmorangie’s vintage collection, Bond House No 1 so interesting as its maiden release is Grand Vintage Malt 1990.

The marketing story goes that Warehouse No. 1 was home to Glenmorangie’s cask of maturing spirit – but its role changed because of the growing demand for single malt. In 1990 it became the new still house and Glenmorangie’s signature copper stills – the tallest in Scotland – were rehoused here. The first spirit from these stills has been maturing for 25 years in old bourbon and sherry casks.

Director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, Dr Bill Lumsden, said: “The Bond House No 1 collection gives connoisseurs a unique opportunity to explore the individuality each year has lent our award-winning spirit.

I’m delighted that Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990 will launch the collection.

“Even today, few can explain how a spirit so delicious could emerge from a barley crop of such challenges. Combined with a quarter-century of Glenmorangie’s exceptional cask expertise, its finesse and vibrancy has been preserved through the ages, to create a whisky brimming with aromas of heather honey, mandarin and candied fruits and tastes of orange syrup and vanilla, zesty, herbal top notes, baked apples and brown sugar.”

SEP/OCT 2017

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WINE

RIESLING IS SOMETHING OF A CHAMELEON. IT CAN BE MADE IN A VARIETY OF STYLES, FROM BONE DRY TO ULTRA SWEET. IT’S A WINE THAT CRITICS LOVE BUT WHICH THE AVERAGE CONSUMER DOESN’T REALLY UNDERSTAND VERY WELL. FIONA MCDONALD TAKES A CLOSER LOOK.

S

ABOVE: German’s Mosel river valley is home to some of the world’s best Riesling – but don’t discount the ever improving quality of South African examples.

ix years ago there was a victory on the local wine scene.

Wine producers, writers and marketers got authorities to concede defeat over the issue of Cape Riesling ... which wasn’t a Riesling at all. It was a totally different grape called Cruchen Blanc which had been sold as Riesling for decades.

Anyone doing a wine course was taught to distinguish between labels; Weisser or Rhine Riesling was the REAL deal while Cape or even Paarl Riesling was the Trumpstyle ‘fake’ grape ... The good news is that the South African Wine Industry Statistics (Sawis) recorded in 2016 that 36 hectares of Cruchen Blanc grapes were uprooted.

Why did it matter? Well, because the genuine article is one of the world’s greatest grapes, capable of making a white wine that can age for decades, which is stylistically versatile but most importantly truly expresses the region in which it is grown.

As Wikipedia defines it: “Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape displaying flowery, almost perfumed aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semisweet, sweet, and sparkling white wines.”

Anyone who has tasted and experienced a Riesling from Germany’s Mosel or France’s Alsace will appreciate that it’s a wine that really engages you when well made. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone. It can be off-putting because it often has a waxy, oily nose somewhat reminiscent of diesel or kerosene – but the flavours can be spectacular. It’s high in acidity so is often described as steely, mineral or flinty with crunchy green apple crispness, lime cordial or zesty taste. Fresh, vibrant and vivacious,

when Riesling is allowed to ripen and gains some sweetness, it becomes even better but it’s important that neither the acid nor the sweetness dominate. The most beautiful expressions boast wonderful harmony between fruit, acid and minerality.

British wine writer, Master of Wine and one of the world’s foremost commentators Jancis Robinson is an unashamed fan of Riesling. “Wine made from Riesling is quite unlike any other,” she wrote on her website. “It is generally light in alcohol, refreshingly high in fruity natural acidity (quite different from the harshness of added acid), has the ability to transmit the character of a place through its extract and unique aroma and, unlike Chardonnay, is capable of ageing for decades in bottle.

“Riesling is a star and, as you may discern, one of my great wine heroes.”

South Africa doesn’t have all that much Riesling planted. It makes up a very small part of the national vineyard – so little, in fact, that it doesn’t warrant its own category in the annual SA wine statistics booklet.

While Chenin Blanc accounts for 18.5% of all the grapes planted locally and Sauvignon Blanc 9.7%, Riesling is simply lumped under ‘Other whites’. Even Viognier has its own listing at 0.9% of the national vineyard!

There are currently around 153 hectares of Riesling planted and most of these vineyards can be found in cooler spots – places like the Groenekloof in Darling, on the predominantly apple-growing plateau of Elgin or in the Tygerberg hills in Durbanville. South African producers who love the grape are prepared to soldier on – and there are encouraging signs that the market share is growing. An SEP/OCT 2017

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WINE

South African producers who love the grape are prepared to soldier on – and there are encouraging signs that the market share is growing.

BELOW: Stellenbosch producer Jordan wants consumers to know that their Riesling is genuine – hence its name: The Real McCoy Riesling.

RIGHT: Spot the odd one out... Theuniskraal is labelled as a Cape Riesling – in actual fact it’s not Riesling at all, but rather Cruchen Blanc. Elgin producer Paul Cluver makes three different examples while Nederburg remains a popular brand with its Riesling grapes sourced from Durbanville.

additional four hectares of the grape were planted in Stellenbosch in 2016.

With Elgin being so cool, it is not surprising that this is where most Riesling is planted – 27 hectares. The biggest producer is Paul Cluver Wines with others including Lothian, Spioenkop, Oak Valley and Thelema’s Sutherland.

Cluver and Oak Valley were part of Nederburg’s initial ‘experimental’ plantings decades ago. When Paul Cluver jnr took over the running of the farm from his neurosurgeon father one of the first things he wanted to do in the early 2000s was rip all the Riesling out! He now admits he’s glad they didn’t because they have achieved notable commercial success with this tangy German grape. They produce three examples – the Dry Encounter, slightly sweeter Close Encounter and then the multi award-winning Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest.

Furthermore, they also make Ferricrete Riesling for a popular grocery retail chain. Cluver winemaker Andries Burger is mad keen about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but enjoys making Riesling because it’s a nice change of pace with its freshness, acidity levels and great vivacity.

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TOP S Buy

Durbanville benefits from its proximity to the cool Benguela current running down the West Coast. The Tygerberg hills are just a few kilometres from the water’s edge and the cooling sea breezes ensure that Riesling grows well on Altydgedacht and Nitida. “I’ve convinced the boss to plant more Riesling,” said Danie Keulder, winemaker at Nitida. “We have two: the straight one and then The Tinkery which is only made when the conditions permit.” The Tinkery comes from the same vineyard but the grapes which have been affected by so-called ‘noble rot’ or botrytis cinerea are hand selected and vinified separately because they are sweeter with more concentrated sugars.

Stellenbosch has the second largest chunk of plantings and producers here include Hartenberg, Thelema, Delheim, Waterford and Jordan. Notably Delheim uses its grapes for a dessert – or noble late harvest wine, the Edelspatz.

A bit tongue-in-cheek, Jordan has named its wine The Real McCoy to indicate that it’s the genuine grape, not the wannabe Riesling!

Both Jordan and Hartenberg have a dry and sweet noble late harvest example.

Further afield Darling has 12.1 hectares and is the source of Fairview’s Riesling grapes as well as home to Groote Post’s plantings. Like Durbanville, the Groenekloof area makes the most of the downright cold winds that blow inland from the coast. Most encouraging to note is that the Ceres plateau has five hectares while Piekenierskloof, a source of some of the country’s most exciting old-vine fruit, also has just under four hectares of Riesling planted.

There are other interesting small pockets elsewhere.

De Wetshof in Robertson produce a Riesling noble late harvest dessert wine

when conditions permit. La Vierge in the Hemel en Aarde Valley make a Riesling, as does Spier in Stellenbosch – but the fruit for that wine is sourced from Durbanville. Nederburg does the same.

One of Germany’s best known exponents of Riesling is Dr Loosen.

This is what the producer’s website stated under the headline ‘Pure fruit, no make-up needed’: “Because of Riesling’s bright, pure fruit and elegantly poised structure, it has no need for the cosmetic enhancements of new oak, malolactic fermentation or high alcohol.

The best Rieslings are only pure fruit, vinified as simply as possible to reveal the true character of the vineyard.

Typical fruit flavours in a cool-climate Riesling can range from citrus and green apple to peach, apricot, mango and guava. Some Rieslings have a little bit of everything, drenching your palate with layers and layers of fruity delight.

But one thing stays true: Riesling is always recognizable as Riesling.”

Perhaps Jancis Robinson put it best: “This is the wine to drink while writing or reading; it refreshes the palate and sharpens the brain (or at least that’s what it feels like).”

BEER

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BEER

BIER FEST

WHERE GERMANY AND SOUTH AFRICA COLLIDE

Remai ning true to Bavar ian tradition

– beerily speaking – but with a South African twist is what LUCY CORNE found researchin g the annua l celeb ratio n of Oktob erfes t.

“O

’zapft is”. With this exclamation from the mayor of Munich, Germany’s annual Oktoberfest gets underway each year. The phrase simply means “it is tapped”, and comes with a flurry of activity as the mayor hammers a tap into the first beer barrel of the two-week celebration. The historic festival is a bucket list item for beer lovers everywhere, but for those who can’t make it to Munich in person, most countries offer their own version of the epic event – and South Africa is no exception.

Welcome to TOPS at SPAR’s Bierfest, an homage to the Bavarian event featuring plates piled high with pretzels and eisbein, servers clad in lederhosen or dirndl, an oompah band belting out a blend of familiar pop tunes and classic Oktoberfest singalongs. And of course there is the beer.

In proper Oktoberfest style, beer comes served in a Maß – a one-litre glass beer mug – though 500ml versions are also available. Beers for the festival are produced by South African Breweries (SAB), but instead of guzzling litres of Castle Lite or Black Label, you can choose from

THIS PAGE: Once a year the opportunity to clink massive tankards filled to the brim with freshly brewed beer while noshing on eisbein, sauerkraut and pretzels presents itself.

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BEER

Most of the six million litres of beer drunk each year at Munich’s Oktoberfest is “festbier”, a malty lager designed to be enjoyed, let’s say, in quantity.

a range of beers brewed at SAB’s “small batch” breweries. While they can’t be classed as craft breweries, Johannesburg’s 3 Fransen Street and Cape Town’s Newlands Spring do offer styles of ABOVE: Now that’s beer you might expect to see at a craft beer event. a TOPS! goodie bag...

BREWS FOR DURBAN This year, Bierfest will take place in two South African cities. Durban beer lovers will get to sip on 3 Fransen Street’s trio of speciality brews.

Those with a sweet tooth should try the Cream Ale, with dessert-like aromas and flavours thanks to the addition of vanilla essence. It would never pass Bavaria’s beloved Reinheitsgebot (the German purity law allowing only malted barley, water, hops and yeast to be used in a brew) but the cream ale might just pair well with Lebkuchenherz – the gingerbread hearts traditionally sold at Oktoberfest.

With origins in Ireland, Fransen Street’s Red Ale is not a beer you’d necessarily expect to find at a German-themed festival, but its rich flavours of toffee and toast derived from the malts used in the brewing process make this copper-hued beer a perfect pairing for a plate of crispy eisbein.

Definitely German in origin though, is the Krystal Weiss, a filtered weissbier. When people think of weiss, they’re usually more familiar with the unfiltered version: a pale, hazy brew with a fluffy white crown. The special yeast used offers notes of banana, cloves and sometimes a touch of vanilla or bubble-gum, plus a subtle breadiness lent by the wheat used in the beer.

The filtered version – Krystal Weiss – serves up 18 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

everything necessary for a successful Bierfest.

BELOW LEFT: Functional fitness and real muscle is required to carry eight beer steins – and still be able to smile.

a similar platter of flavours and aromas but it is brilliantly clear, creating a beery optical illusion of a brew that looks like a lager but tastes like a weiss.

Weissbier isn’t typically sold at the Munich festival, which has less of a focus on sampling different beers than on celebrating centuries-old traditions, but you’ll find a version of the popular German style beer at Bierfest events in both Durban and Cape Town.

CAPE TOWN TIPPLES Newlands Brewery is South Africa’s oldest functioning brewery, dating back to 1820 – just 10 years after the original Oktoberfest, in fact.

Some of the original building had to be painstakingly removed and later replaced to make way for the shiny Newlands Spring brewery, imported from Germany as a response to the growing popularity of craft beer. This micro-

ABOVE: The keg tapping ceremony is an important tradition at the Bierfest.

BELOW: Prost! Patrons obviously having a great time at the 2016 TOPS at SPAR Bierfest.

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BEER

ROYAL BAVARIA brewery within SAB’s walls launched in 2015 with three well-received ales which will all be on tap at the Cape Town instalment of Bierfest. The brews take inspiration from Germany, Belgium, the UK and of course, South Africa.

It makes sense to kick off your Bierfest experience with the German-style brew – Mountain Weiss. Named for Table Mountain, whose springs provide the water for all of Newlands’ beers, this unfiltered wheat beer has all the hallmarks of the style – a whiff of banana, a hint of bubble-gum when you sip and a slightly spicy aftertaste reminiscent of crushed cloves.

It’s the perfect breakfast beer, or if you’re attending one of the evening Bierfest sessions, an ideal way to kick off an evening of glass-clinking and pretzel-eating.

If you fancy a slice of South Africa with your strudel, Newlands Spring Passionate Blond showcases Southern Passion, a home-grown hop with prominent aromas of granadilla and peach. Cultivated in the hop farms of George, the hop has become sought after by craft brewers both in South Africa and overseas and has certainly helped to make Passionate Blond the award-winning ale it has become.

Jacob’s Pale Ale might not have won the awards that Passionate Blond has, but it does come with an interesting pedigree. Based on a 155-year-old recipe found in the Newlands archives, the English-style pale ale is named for the first brewer at what is now Newlands Brewery – Jacob Letterstedt. While Letterstedt hailed from Sweden, the ingredients for this well-balanced brew largely come from the UK, giving a taste of toffee and a scent of spice.

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For the most part, the beers you’ll swig at Bierfest will depend on whether you’re attending in Durban or Cape Town, but there is one brew that will make an appearance at both events.

Devised for the 2011 fest and brewed every year since, Royal Bavaria is the beer that really aims to honour Bierfest’s Bavarian-inspired roots. Most of the six million litres of beer drunk each year at Munich’s Oktoberfest is “festbier”, a malty lager designed to be enjoyed, let’s say, in quantity.

Developed and brewed exclusively for Bierfest by SAB, Royal Bavaria uses South African malt and hops alongside the traditional German variants to ensure that when the proclamation “O’zapft is” is uttered at this year’s events, the beer that is tapped and ready to pour will have one foot in Bavaria and the other firmly planted in South Africa.

TA S T I N G N OT E S

BEER TASTING NOTES INTERNATIONAL BITTERNESS UNITS, ALDEHYDES AND ESTERS ALONG WITH A LOT OF ASSESSMENT AND TASTING TIPS WERE PROVIDED AHEAD OF THIS ISSUE’S BEER APPRAISAL.

I

n the American baseball movie Field of Dreams there’s a line which is often quoted: “Build it – and they will come!”

For this month’s issue of CHEERS the tasting panel went on a field trip to SAB’s Newlands Brewery. Trade brewer Dennis da Silva set up both a tour and a tasting of the boutique brewery within a brewery for the CHEERS tasting team. Newlands Spring is the craft brand within the larger SAB/ABInbev stable which is brewing the beers that will be available at the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest this year.

As beer writer Lucy Corne noted in her article in the preceding pages, 3 Fransen Street Red Ale will be at the Bierfest but that was unfortunately not available for the purposes of this review by Hector McBeth, Clifford Roberts, Dr Winnie Bowman, publisher Shayne Dowling, editor Fiona McDonald and specialist beer writer and accredited judge Lucy Corne.

The professional brewer’s tips were as follows: (and feel free to try this at home!) “Use all your senses. I was taught this ritual by my mentor, Bill Simpson who is a world-renowned beer authority... you can Google him!” said Da Silva. Look at the beer: note whether it’s clear or cloudy and whether the foam of the head has developed nicely.

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Then you do what Da Silva called “the drive by...”: holding it level, swing your beer glass side to side about a ruler’s length from your nose, so about chest height – left to right – a few times. You’d be surprised at what you smell by doing so. That’s your first smell impression. Then bring it to your nose, swirl it and take a gentle sniff. Think about the smells you’re getting, then give it another swirl and a deep sniff.

Now you can take a sip – and with beer it’s important to swallow to appreciate the full flavour.

The panel were divided about a favourite... but the fun thing is, if you attend the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest, you can taste them yourself and pick a winner that suits you!

MOUNTAIN WEISS First impression is that this is a cloudy beer. “Weiss will generally not be clear and bright – unless it’s a Krystal Weiss which has been filtered,” said Da Silva. That cloudiness is indicative that the beer has not been pasteurised or filtered so the yeast particles are still in suspension. This was the lightest of the three with just 10 International Bitterness Units (IBU) and 4.5% alcohol by volume (abv).

Banana and fruity aromas were noted while the palate was light, fresh with the fruitiness apparent. “Very drinkable and light,” said Dowling while Bowman noted its gentle texture and almost lemon finish.

TA S T I N G N OT E S

Weiss will generally not be clear and bright –unless it’s a Krystal Weiss which has been filtered.

Cloudiness is indicative that the beer has not been pasteurised or filtered.

JACOB’S PALE ALE This is a tribute to Jacob Letterstedt, the father of the Newlands brewery.

Da Silva recounted that some of Letterstedt’s original brewing records were consulted when conceptualising this brew. It’s made in the style of a traditional English Pale Ale with East Kent golden malt being one of the ingredients. It’s a darker, copper brown hue with rich malty, spice and earthy aromas and flavour. Big step up in bitterness from the Weiss at 30 IBU and 5% alcohol by volume.

“Full bodied,” said Roberts while Da Silva commented on its feel in the mouth with the sensation of flavour being apparent on the sides of the tongue and at the back of the throat.

Rich and complex.

PASSIONATE BLONDE This brew is a nod to a Belgian style Blonde beer but with a distinctly South African twist. The sting in the tail is the use of Southern Passion hops, a home-grown South African hops which – as Corne’s article noted – delivers distinct granadilla and peach aroma and flavour. It too is a darker, golden brown but clear beer with a bright tropical aroma and that passionfruit edge to the slightly bitter flavour. Dowling noted that everyone immediately had a reaction – either on smell or taste.

“I get a slight – nice – sourness on the tail and can pick up the alcohol on this,” said Da Silva. It weighs in at 25 IBU and 5.5% abv.

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IT’S CONSIDERED A “NEUTRAL” SPIRIT. IT CHALKS UP SALES OF MILLIONS OF LITRES ANNUALLY – FROM ALBANIA TO ZAGREB, ALASKA, MINNESOTA, GAUTENG AND VLADIVOSTOK! HECTOR MCBETH PONDERS ALL THINGS VODKA AND ITS ROLE IN POPULAR COCKTAILS.

THIS PAGE: Visually striking, cocktails appeal to the adventurous at heart – people who don’t wish to be typecast or put in a box. They want to explore flavour – and vodka is the ultimate cocktail base upon which to build those flavours.

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SPIRITS

W

Vodka – cocktail standard

“Martini please barman.

Shaken, not stirred.”

hat do we know about vodka? We know both the Polish and Russians claim it as having been their discovery ... a bit like the Scots and the Irish tussle over the bragging rights to whisk(e)y. But the Eastern bloc is most definitely the vodka belt.

And while several countries claim it as their national drink of choice, and with worldwide sales in excess of $12 billion a year, there can be little doubt that it’s the global drink of choice. The question one has to ponder is why this – seemingly – neutral spirit is in such demand and continuously growing in popularity?

Maybe the answer lies in the ingredients? But immediately discrepancies crop up ... Whilst there is a move to limit it to sugar beets, potato and grains only, some producers have huge success with grape and molasses based vodkas!

(Heck, South Africa’s Mainstay cane spirit has won the vodka category at international competitions before ...)

Supreme care is taken to produce a neutral yet distinctive spirit. In fact, when nosing the spirit while judging it, anything distinctive is considered probably poorly made. To add to this conundrum there are the wildly popular flavoured vodkas flooding the market place: technically, they’re not vodka since vodka has to be neutral in flavour according to the letter of the law.

Perhaps it’s smart marketing and advertising that has played an important role in the spirits success. James Bond 007 is probably best known for his predilection for vodka martinis, although he actually orders more Champagne than any other drink in the original Ian Fleming spy novels. Who can honestly say that they don’t know the line “Martini please barman. Shaken, not stirred.”?

Bond even created his own cocktail, the Vesper, which is three parts gin, one part vodka and a half measure of Kina Lillet which is well shaken, with a strip of lemon zest added instead of an olive.

It’s hard to deny that wanting to drink martinis while wearing a tailored tuxedo pushes all the buttons for the male ego.

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ABOVE: Short or tall, fruity or herbaceous, vodka cocktails can be anything the consumer wants it to be because of its neutrality.

There can be little doubt that few men were more masculine or hard living than the celebrated Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway. He was the ultimate Man’s Man who ran with the bulls in Pamplona, survived two small crashes, fought in WWI and WWII as well as the Spanish Civil War and fished and hunted big game before it became politically and ethically frowned upon. Much of his successes, personal and literary, were fuelled by alcohol. “Write drunk, edit sober,” was his famous advice to new writers.

Hemingway considered it manly to order vodka-based cocktails – Bloody Mary specifically. True to form he stated that when mixing it up, anything less than a full pitcher was a waste of time. For martinis, he froze ice in tennis ball tubes ... they’d come out the freezer at -15°C. He also froze the glasses so that it was impossible to hold and warm the drink because the fingers of one’s hand would stick to it!

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Women are not immune either.

The impact of television cannot be understated. The Sex in the City character Carrie Bradshaw ordered Cosmopolitans. As a consequence, bartenders the world over had to familiarise themselves with this classic cocktail. (The beautifully pink-hued drink requires one-anda-half parts vodka to a half part of Cointreau. Three-quarters of a shot of cranberry juice, a half shot of lime juice and two dashes of orange bitters, shaken on ice and double strained into a chilled glass.) Then there was the Flirtini: vodka, Champagne and pineapple juice during a drinks period when it seemed you could order any type of Tini: apple, blueberry, lemon, coffee, you name it ... Singled out for special mention for its colour alone, the lotus flower martini is a thing of ethereal and haunting beauty. (One part vodka, a third part blue curacao, half part each lychee and violet liqueurs – shaken and strained into a chilled glass.)

Celebrities will endorse just

about anything – and liquor brands are no different. Funnyman and sad-faced actor Bill Murray teamed up with ballet supremo Mikhail Baryshnikov to back Slovenia vodka made from buckwheat and pure water sourced from the Slovenian alps. Apparently one thing that legendary Blues Brothers creator and Saturday Night Live star Dan Aykroyd has ever taken seriously was the creation of Crystal Head Vodka. (Check out the YouTube video here: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=SKqjIv91Zx8) Quadruple distilled, blended with triple filtered aquifer water and then filtered through 500 million year-old quartz crystals, the spirit is then hand bottled in a beautiful skull-shaped glass bottle! P Diddy aka Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs is linked to Ciroc, one of the most distinctive vodkas I’ve ever tasted –and what makes it different is that it’s a grape-based spirit. (See CHEERS mag issue 27, November/December 2016 for tasting notes.)

SPIRITS

It’s plain to see that vodka’s contribution to making cocktails ever more complex is significant.

1. MOSCOW MULE 50 ml vodka 12.5 ml lime juice Dash of bitters Ginger beer to top Lime wedge and mint sprig to garnish Firstly fill a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and add in your lime juice. Chuck in a dash of bitters then add the vodka. Pop on the shaker lid and shake for 7 seconds. Strain the mixture over fresh ice into a glass (or copper mug if you like to keep with tradition – like us). Top up with a quality ginger beer and, finally, garnish with lime and a mint sprig.

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2. SCREWDRIVER 50 ml vodka 100 ml freshly squeezed orange Juice Lime wedge Add vodka into highball glass and fill up to the top with ice.

Squeeze a lime wedge into drink and rim glass. Top up with freshly squeezed orange juice.

Add straw and serve.

3. WHOO WHOO 25 ml peach schnapps 25 ml vodka 100 ml cranberry juice Fill a tall glass with ice cubes.

Using a jigger, measure the Peach Schnapps and Vodka into the glass. Stir thoroughly using a bar spoon. Top with cranberry juice.

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4. BLOODY MARY 45 ml of vodka 90 ml of tomato juice half of a lemon juice a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco salt and pepper Squeeze the lemon and strain the juice. In a highball glass, prepare the base of the cocktail with the Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice and lemon, season with salt and pepper and mix with a spoon. Add 5-6 ice cubes, pour vodka and a few drops of Tabasco, mix gently and serve your delicious cocktail.

5. WHITE RUSSIAN 1 part Kahlúa 2 parts vodka 1 part heavy cream Fill a glass with ice cubes. Add Kahlúa and vodka, finish up with a cream layer. TIP: Ok, It’ll never be as pretty as the pictures. BUT, the layering is manageable at home – just pour the cream off the back of a spoon. Serve with a straw and stir it up.

6. DRY MARTINI 70 ml vodka or gin 1 tbsp dry vermouth 2 tbsp olive brine 1 wedge of lemon 1 green olive Pour the vodka, dry vermouth and olive brine into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and shake well. Rub the rim of a martini glass with the wedge of lemon. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the glass and add the olive.

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Refreshingly Simple

GOODIES & GADGETS

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s g i j a m a g Thin

Do you really NEED it or do you simply WANT it?

Who cares, because these goodies and gadgets are cool and funky – especially the VW camper van tent... and the cookie cup warmer.

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1. PARROT DISCO FPV (DRONE), R18 999, Yuppiegadgets.com 2. RUNTASTIC RECEIVER AND HEART RATE MONITOR, R1 000, Yuppiegadgets.com 3. VW T1 CAMPER VAN TENT, Blue, R6 250, Yuppiegadgets.com 4. BASIC WATCH, Pale Pink, You & 1, R259, Spree.co.za 5. HOT COOKIE CUP WARMER, R160, Yuppiegadgets.com 6. EARTHFIRE PIZZA STONE (34CM), R549, Yuppiechef.com 7. THE COOKSISTER, RED WINE & GARLIC MARINADE, R49, Yuppiechef.com 8. ZOKU ICE BALL SET OF 2, R299.00, Yuppiechef.com 9. BROOKLYN BREW SHOP – BEER MAKING KIT (CHOCOLATE MAPLE PORTER), R875, Yuppiegadgets.com 10. GOAL ZERO LIGHTHOUSE, MINI LANTERN, R1 000, Yuppiegadgets.com 11. WALLET NINJA, 18 IN 1 MULTI TOOL, R250, Yuppiegadgets.com 12. CLASSIC GLITTER WEDGE SNEAKERS, SILVER, Superga, R1 199, Spree.co.za 13. ECOFFEE CUP (ON THE GO) Large 400ml, R199, Yuppiechef.com 14. CITIZ AUTOMATIC ESPRESSO MACHINE – WITH AEROCCINO MILK FROTHER, Red, by Nespresso, R2 749, Yuppiechef.com

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s r o o d t u O t a e r G The

GOODLIVING

doors After months of being cooped up inside with window s and

sealed against the cold weather, now’s the time to get out – to enjoy sunshine and fresh air. SPAR Good Living has all the kit and essenti al items you need for al fresco picnics and braais.

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1. Braai set (2 piece) 2. Braai grill brush (42cm) 3. Non-stick egg pan (14cm) 4. Disposable braai 5. Plastic table cloth – white 6. Premium waiter’s corkscrew – stainless steel 7. Picnic tumbler set 500ml (4 piece) 8. Picnic goblet set 400ml (4 piece) 9. Beverage set (5 piece) 10. Cooler box 26 litre (assorted colours) 11. Picnic cutlery set (12 piece) 12. Picnic dinner plate set 25cm (4 piece) 13. Picnic bowl set 14cm (4 piece)

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Hot Bites

Fine potsti ll brandy and qualit y,

dark chocolate always make a great pairing.

“Did you say pizza?”

Stellenbosch winery Eikendal Vineyards has extended its winter pizza and wine experience into spring! The recommendation is that the elegant Reserve Merlot 2015 is tasted with the Mac Mac – a thin-crust mini-pizza topped with spicy chorizo sausage, olives, feta and fresh avocado. For the Charisma 2015 blend the experts suggest the spicy Mexicana bolognaise, green pepper and chilli pizza which emphasises the plump berry nuances of the Shiraz-driven red.

The third member of the pizza and wine triumvirate is a modernstyled brie, rocket, cranberry and crispy bacon Sapore pizza with Eikendal’s award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon 2014.

And if you’re vegetarian the pizza for the Merlot changes to one with peppadews, baby marrow and feta cheese while a traditional Vegetarian pizza accompanies the Charisma and the bacon never makes it onto the Sapore pizza for the Cabernet.

If pizza is not your thing, there’s a full menu for Cucina di Giovanni restaurant as well as a host of other activities – among them fly-fishing, cookie tasting for kids and vineyard rides too.

On till end of September, 12h00 – 16h00. Contact: 021 855 1422 or email info@eikendal.co.za.

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Fruity flavour from CBC”

Spring and summer could take on an entirely new flavour. The

Cape Brewing Company team has just released two new beer variants, the Raspberry and Peach Krystal Weiss. Apparently the two brews are modelled on the hugely popular (in Germany!) Berliner Weiss which is reportedly a “fruity flavoured kettle sour beer” made in the German capital. Traditionally, Berliner Weiss flavours are either Woodruff, Peach or Raspberry.

The CBC team had fun tinkering around with the flavours and developed some fruit syrups using the abundance of natural peaches as well as raspberry – and then adding those to their already popular, award-winning Krystal Weiss.

While the Cheers team have not yet sampled the new brews (it’s on our radar...) the new raspberry and peach brews are marketed in 340ml bottles and are described as “refreshing, with a well-balanced flavour-experience of sweet and sour”. An added bonus is that since the fruity flavours are made from natural ingredients, the beer contains less sugar than regular wine coolers. And the good news is that the fruity part comprises just three percent of the bottle – so it’s 97% Krystal Weiss, the refreshing favourite of male and female beer drinkers.

Brandy choctails

Van Ryn’s brandy distiller Marlene Bester was on hand at the Cape Town Club to host a brandy cocktail session with a difference. Fine potstill brandy and quality, dark chocolate

always make a great pairing. The cocktails were all intended for frosty wintertime enjoyment and were chocolate themed – and warm. Using the award-winning Van Ryn’s 10 year vintage brandy and the Van Ryn’s 12 year Old distiller’s reserve potstill with NOMU’s latest range of premium hot drinking chocolate, these recipes can be made at home.

VAN RYN’S COCO-CHOCO WINE 25 ml Spiced wine syrup* 50 ml Van Ryn’s 12 Year Old Distiller’s Reserve Brandy 50 ml Filter coffee 50 ml Fresh Milk 50 ml Coconut milk 1 teaspoon of NOMU chocolate bits 1 teaspoon of NOMU skinny chocolate 1 Add all ingredients to a sauce pan on the stove top and heat while stirring constantly. Do not bring to the boil. Whisk or aerate the mixture before serving. Pour into a heat proof wine glass and garnish with a toasted coconut marshmallow.

2 *Wine syrup: add 1 cup red wine (Pinotage) and half a cup sugar to a sauce pan. Add 1 tablespoon Nomu decadent chocolate pieces and 2 tablespoons cracked green cardamom pods. Stir while heating until all sugar dissolves. Add the skin of one orange, bring to a light simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes. Bottle and store in fridge for up to a week.

(Makes 200ml) 3 Served in a wine glass, and garnished with large toasted coconut marshmallows.

Wolftrap Steakhouse of the Year

‘A lolly to make you jolly’

For the first time in the history of this competition, a Cape Town steakhouse has walked away with top honours, pipping previous winners Little Havana (2015 champion) of Durban and The Local Grill of Parktown North (2013, 2014 & 2016 champion) in Johannesburg into second and third places respectively.

Last year, Haute Cabriere created a sensation with a range of wine popsicles made from their popular Pierre Jourdan sparkling wine. The frozen wine ice lollies – called PJ Pops™ – appealed to the inner child in many a grown-up and has spawned something entirely new: gin-based popsicles!

Available in selected outlets – among them TOPS at SPAR and SPAR – the popsicles will be launched in two flavours: G&T Classic and G&T Berry infusion.

The Frost Popsicles team worked with a Cape Town gin distiller, Hope on Hopkins, to create the G&T popsicles. The distillers were tasked with making a gin specifically for the frozen lolly range.

Any fans of PJ Pops™ will recognise the fully-recyclable popsicle tube, the team behind the new G&T ices have tweaked the packaging slightly, making the tube more robust. (And the new Tetrapak tube will be rolled out to PJ Pops™ soon.)

The ‘look and feel’ of the innovative G&T popsicles “reflects the urban energy of South Africa’s craft gin revolution”, the PR material states. But there really is no argument that its monochromatic black & white vibe is edgy and appealing. Almost as appealing as the ever popular gin and tonic flavour in iced form!

TOP S Buy

Kenilworth’s Rare Grill – which has never been entered before – was deemed the best by a team of judges led by Pete Goffe-Wood.

Banking on Chenin Blanc At one time Chenin Blanc made up more than 30% of all grape plantings in South Africa – but it wasn’t a good thing: the grape was considered a work horse and was used for sweet wine, dry wine, blending, large volume bag-in-box ranges, for sparkling wine and even for the distillation of brandy! Over the past

20 years, a group of committed and motivated producers have set about changing the perception that Chenin Blanc – or Steen as it used to be known – is not capable of greatness.

The winners of the 2017 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge were announced at Delaire Graff’s showpiece property atop the Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch in August.

“It’s thrilling to see how many local winemakers are so clearly and creatively expressing the world-class potential of this varietal,” said Chenin Blanc Association chairman Ken Forrester, who coincidentally has a wine label with no fewer than four

different expressions of this white grape...

Also interesting to note is that, although each winner receives a R25 000 cash prize, this money has to be utilised for social or labour initiatives on the farm.

Previous winners have used their prize money to set up crèche or after-school facilities, literacy programmes and even bought computer equipment for adult education classes.

The Top 10 winners were: Cederberg Private Cellar Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2015, DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chenin Blanc 2016, Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2016, Perdeberg Winery The Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016, Spice Route Chenin Blanc 2016, Spier Wines 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016, Stellenrust 52 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016, Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015 and Windmeul Kelder Chenin Blanc Reserve 2016.

More than 150 steakhouses were in the running, having been voted for by members of the public via Facebook. With a Top 10 having been derived by the public vote, the judging team then visited the finalists unannounced.

Establishments are judged not only on the quality of the steak and how it’s cooked but also on the side dishes on offer and the quality of the service.

Rare Grill owner Greg Bax (below) was overwhelmed at the win – and winning the Newcomer of the Year title.

“For an intimate steakhouse like Rare Grill, such an accolade is really going to put us on the map!” Bax said. Pete GoffeWood, head judge, added: “Rare Grill is a gem, an owneroperated steakhouse where Greg personally mans the grill and takes immense pride in the quality of his beef.”

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R E S TAU R A N T S

“Durban is catching up, as they have the outdoor lifestyle advantage and I see their potential for growth.�

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Meals on wheels From preside nts to pauper s, all desire good grub and

food trucks are serving it up in bucket-loads, writes MARYKE ROBERTS.

T LFT: Food trucks come in all sizes and types, from small and dodgy, serving pre-made food, to million-rand marvel gourmet kitchens-on-wheels.

here’s just something about waiting at the kitchen door, being teased by aromas of sautéed onions or peppers, freshly baked bread or brewed coffee made to order, that’s exciting. Even presidents fall for it. In 2011, Barack Obama even tweeted his favourite (the DC Empanadas food truck working the streets of the nation’s capital).

Food trucks come in all sizes and types, from small and dodgy, serving pre-made food, to million-rand marvel gourmet kitchens-on-wheels.

As for their origins, there’s been plenty of research.

Common sense dictates that there had to be one bright spark who became tired of carrying food in search of hungry patrons. Then, the wheelbarrow or cart would have been replaced as soon as Henry Ford put the first cars on the roads. Mobility had its advantages.

But it was America that has made food trucks the phenomenon. According to one source, it was a mere 130 years ago that Walter Scott cut windows into a small covered wagon and parked it outside a newspaper office in Providence, Rhode Island.

There, he prepared fresh sandwiches and sold pies and fresh coffee to ladies and gentlemen of the press who had to work late.

The story goes that the lunch truck later lost its wheels, turning first into an immobile dining car in the early 1900s and then the modern diner one comes across all over the United States these days.

Where South Africa is concerned, the recent food truck love affair only got underway some five years ago. Cape Town lays claim to being the first local city to get an “upmarket” food truck - the initiative of Luca Castiglione, a third-generation chef from Naples and once chef-owner of the Italian restaurant Limoncello.

Spotting the opportunity, he closed his business and opened the shutters to his food truck at the Oudekraal Market, on the road between Camps Bay and Hout Bay in 2012.

Widely regarded as a pioneer, he was also the instigator of Cape Town Food Trucks, which represents between 20-40 food trucks for private and public events. The business brings gourmet food trucks to events in Cape Town and consults to new entrants wanting to open or refurbish a dining establishment on wheels.

Castiglione says that the food truck trend is driven by their appealing individuality and the vibe they create wherever they set up.

“Cape Town is definitely the leader in vehicle and food variety, followed by Johannesburg and Durban,” he says. “Durban is catching up, as they have the outdoor lifestyle advantage and I see their potential for growth.”

It’s no easy ride, however. Cape Town in particular has become quite competitive. Gone are the days of boring, grey trucks with unimaginative menus. “There is a place for the boerewors roll SEP/OCT 2017

35

R E S TAU R A N T S

and potato snack, but if you want to compete in the upmarket, gourmet food sector, you’re up against some of the city’s best chefs,” he says.

If you are considering your own operation, you best be original and different, Luca advises.

Chef Craig Cormack has been running Die Worsrol (The Sausage Roll) food truck for the past six years.

The menu centres on an Asian burger as well as the classic frankfurter, but can be tailored for private functions and food requirements. Cormack says they decided on a food truck as they were looking for a fun addition to the business. “But it had to be about quality. When we started, it was all very new and we were one of about eight or 10 trucks, but now there are more than 45 in the Cape Winelands.”

He says: “Owning a food truck has its pros and cons, but luckily we only send it out on mostly booked events, which helps a great deal. We normally do booked events – from corporate to private events at venues or people’s homes. We do pop-ups when we think they are worth attending.”

Elmarie Rabe, Stellenbosch Wine Routes Manager who uses food trucks for the various activities and festivals hosted by the organisation, says: “Food trucks are not only trendy but versatile too. Chefs, restaurateurs and extremely talented cooks are getting out of their kitchens and hitting the truck scene. Gone are the days of stereotypical carnival style food; we are current and feasting.”

Rabe found that modern, fashionable food such as smoked meats, pulled pork, gourmet burgers, and designer nachos offered alongside a healthy and fresh spread such as banting, vegetarian and vegan, are the most popular food trucks.

She says she is always looking for interesting and creative food offerings, but most importantly trucks must adhere to the health and safety requirements and be permitted accordingly.

As with any regular business, the food truck game requires astute business sense and locals still keep an eye on what happens in the US.

Food trucks are not only trendy but versatile too. Chefs, restaurateurs and extremely talented cooks are getting out of their kitchens and hitting the truck scene.

36 8 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

The most recent upwelling there is ascribed to Korean-born chef Roy Choi and Los Angeles entrepreneurs Mark Manguera and Caroline Shin, who opened Kogi Korean BBQ truck in 2008. They used social media to generate excitement. Now, over 150 000 Twitter followers turn to @kogibbq to keep up to date with new menus and where the four Kogi trucks are parked.

Notably, Kogi BBQ defines its food style as “top-quality fusion that is affordable and convenient”, rather than foods that were previously served in trucks that may be perceived as greasy or unhealthy. Kogi BBQ has shown that street food can be healthy and fresh.

It was during their start-up phase that the world financial crisis emerged and saw thousands of Americans looking for income alternatives. Food trucks offered a low barrier to entry while restaurateurs who were hesitant to spend big sums to launch a restaurant, turned to food trucks too.

While trucks in many cities tended to move around, in Washington DC the location of business from government departments centred on a few blocks meant the food entrepreneurs could largely stay put.

The US National Restaurant Association (NRA) soon realised the potential of food trucks and first dedicated a huge space to food truck exhibits at its annual convention in Chicago – one of the biggest in the world – in 2010. Ever since then, the space has had to be expanded. In addition, the organisation dispenses advice on its website on how to run a food truck, including the development of a limited menu; keeping on-site preparation simple because of space; considering a trailer; and being a gourmet on the go.

“Just because it is street food, it is no excuse for bad quality,” it declares, advising owners to capitalize on a bricks-and-mortar kitchen, for prep work and being conservative when they stock the truck for the day.

Now, American food truck owners also have the National Food Truck Association. Established in June 2014, it claims to be the first national association of food trucks, and provides resources and support to food truck owners and associations.

Then, there was Hollywood. The release of movies such as Chef in 2014, infected many more with the romance. The Great Food Truck Race TV series is now in its seventh season and sees specialty food trucks run by pro’s and novices compete for fame and fortune.

It wasn’t a surprise that restaurant critics soon followed. In 2004, The Street Vendor Project created the Vendy Awards, a competition that identifies and celebrates New York City’s best street food vendors. Since 2011, the famed Zagat guide provides reviews of food trucks.

Locally, the annual Eat Out Awards started including food trucks as a category for the first time last year.

B O O K G I V E AWAY

The enamelled dome-shaped lid is instantly identifiable – and provides the greatest results whether you’re an expert or a novice. And there’s a new book to make a braaimaster out of anyone.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM TURNER © PENGUIN R A N D O M H O U S E S O U T H A F R I C A ( P T Y ) LT D 2 0 1 7

J

Get

grilling!

The enamelled dome-shaped lid is instantly identifiable – and provides the greatest results whether you’re an expert or a novice. And there’s a new book to make a braaimaster out of anyone.

38 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

amie Purviance’s new book, Weber Classics, is subtitled as ‘the ultimate braai book’ – and that’s no small claim in a land where the cooking of meat over an open fire has been elevated to the status of a religion.

South Africans are fanatical braaiers and need no excuse to burn wood in order to obtain the perfect coals for fish, chicken, lamb or boerewors. Struik Lifestyle publications are behind this essential fireside companion because, let’s face it, no-one starts out an expert. You have to learn by trial and error – and the fewer errors you make, the more delicious the meal will be!

One of the Weber kettle braai’s strongest points is that you can use direct or indirect heat – and the manufacturers even help you by letting you know precisely how many chunks of charcoal or briquettes you’ll need to cook the perfect chicken or steak.

Purviance’s book contains all the best techniques and around 200 individual recipes, from deep-dish pizza to bacon-wrapped prawns. There literally is something for everyone – even vegetarian chilli. And the braaing need not only be casual; there’s suggestion for serious entertaining too. Whole roasts – pork, turkey, lamb and desserts too.

Strong selling points of this book are that certain standard recipes have been updated and modernised to make the most of more contemporary ingredients – and all of them have been adapted to suit South Africans.

This is a great companion to other Weber titles, including the best-selling Braai Bible which has notched up sales of more than 30 000 (English and Afrikaans) in South Africa alone – and 2.5 million copies worldwide.

It might mean adding to your toolkit and a few additional gadgets – like the pizza stone or rotisserie but the results are so worth it.

B O O K G I V E AWAY

Pulled Chicken Sliders with Cola Barbecue Sauce SERVES: 4 PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus about 20 minutes for the sauce BRAAIING TIME: 8–10 minutes SAUCE

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup finely chopped onion ½ cup puree or American ketchup ½ cup cola 2 tablespoons molasses 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon chilli powder ½ teaspoon garlic flakes ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper RUB

2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic flakes 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or rock salt 1.2 kilograms deboned, skinless chicken thighs Extra-virgin olive oil 8 small, soft hamburger buns or rolls, split Store-bought coleslaw (optional) 1 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients.

Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until slightly thickened, 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Prepare the braai for direct cooking over medium heat 180°–230°C. 3 Combine the rub ingredients. Lightly brush the chicken thighs on both sides with oil and season evenly with the rub.

4 Braai the chicken over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until the meat is firm to the touch and the juices run clear, 8–10 minutes, turning once or twice. Remove from the braai and leave to rest until just cool enough to handle, 3–5 minutes. Shred the chicken, add to the sauce, and heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

5 Fill the buns with the chicken mixture.

Serve with coleslaw, if desired.

TIP: This barbecue sauce can be made several days ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use. Try it brushed on braaied pork, or slather it on top of your favourite burger.

Pulled chicken sliders SEP/OCT 2017

39

Marinated prawn salad with feta cheese and olives SERVES: 4 PREP time: 25 minutes MARINATING TIME: 1 hour BRAAIING TIME: 2–4 minutes MARINADE

¼ cup finely chopped onion ¼ cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Extra-virgin olive oil Coarse sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 24 large prawns, peeled and deveined, tails removed DRESSING

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 small garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped SALAD

1½ cups cherry tomatoes, each cut in half 1 cup pitted kalamata (black) olives 100–150 grams feta cheese, crumbled 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced ½ cup thinly sliced red onion ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 Whisk the marinade ingredients, including / cup oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place the prawns into a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade.

Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly.

Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2 Prepare the braai for direct cooking over high heat 230°–290°C. 3 Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl or small jug. Add 1/4 cup oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly to emulsify. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

4 Remove the prawns from the bag and discard the marinade. Braai the prawns over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until they are firm to the touch and just turning opaque in the centre, 2–4 minutes, turning once.

Remove from the braai.

5 In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients. Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Divide the salad among four serving plates and top with the prawns. Drizzle with additional dressing and serve immediately.

1 4

Marinated prawn salad 40 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

B O O K G I V E AWAY

The barbecue sauce can be made days ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use. Try it on braaied pork, or on top of your favourite burger.

Roasted Pork subs with Guacamole

SERVES: 6–8 PREP TIME: 25 minutes BRAAIING TIME: 2½–3 hours Special equipment: 2 large handfuls mesquite wood chips, large disposable foil tray, instant-read thermometer 1 tablespoon chilli powder ¾ teaspoon garlic flakes Coarse sea salt or rock salt 1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt), about 2 kilograms, trimmed of excess fat Extra-virgin olive oil 6–8 long, crusty rolls or hot dog rolls, split GUACAMOLE

2 avocados, cut into 1.5-cm cubes 2 firm, ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, cut into 1.5-cm cubes 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ teaspoon chilli powder or smoked paprika 8 oak-leaf lettuce leaves 8 slices tomato 1 red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings Pickled jalapeño chilli slices, drained 1 Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.

2 Prepare the braai for indirect cooking over medium-low heat, about 160°C. 3 Combine the chilli powder, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt. Lightly brush the roast with oil, season with the spices and place in a disposable foil tray. Drain and add half the wood chips to the charcoal or the smoker box of a gas braai, following manufacturer’s directions, and close the lid. When smoke appears, place the tray over indirect medium-low heat, close the lid and cook for 1½ hours, draining and adding the remaining wood chips after 45 minutes. (For a charcoal braai, replenish the charcoal as needed to maintain a steady

Roasted pork subs

temperature.) After 1½ hours, cover the tray tightly with foil and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not touching the bone) registers 88°C (190°F), 1–1½ hours more. Remove from the braai, cover, and leave to rest for 15–30 minutes. Save the pan juices.

Toast the rolls, cut side down, over direct heat for about 1 minute.

4 Combine the guacamole ingredients and roughly mash with a fork.

Season with salt. Cut the meat across the grain into thin slices. Build the subs with lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeño slices, pork and guacamole. Skim the fat from the pan juices. Drizzle over some pan juices and serve warm.

Weber Classics by Jamie Purviance, published by Struik Lifestyle, RRP = R330.00

A COPY OF WEBER CLASSICS – THE ULTIMATE BRAAI BOOK See T&C’s on pg 04 To qualify, send an e-mail or a postcard 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.

ADDRESS: cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers, PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701.

ENTRY DEADLINE: 15th October 2017 LIKE us on www.facebook.com/ CheersMag to double your chance of winning.

SEP/OCT 2017

41

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TUISNYWERHEID

Hier in die omtrek van Oktober is dit tyd om weerstand te bied teen die enorme aanslag van die Duitse kookkuns wat uitgestal word om die land se Oktoberfest te vier. Die vier van bier, oompah-groepe, welige snorre en boepense het oorgespoel van Duitsland tot regoor die wêreld waar daar van Goudini tot Sandton sogenaamde Oktoberfests gehou word om hulde te bring aan Duitsland se bekendste kulturele produk naas die leerkortbroek.Ongelukkig is Duitse cuisine verveliger en meer verbeeldingloos as die Blou Bulle se huidige spelpatroon, so ek maak my eie eetgoed vir wanneer my Duitse kleinneef en sy luide vriende uit Frankfurt opdaag vir ’n Oktober-kuier.

KULTURELE UITWISSELING MENS MOET NOOIT OP EEN PLEK STILSTAAN NIE. OM IETS NUUTS TE LEER GEE VIR JOU ’N MEER UITGEBREIDE KOOKREPERTOIRE EN MAALTYE RAAK NET AL HOE MEER INTERESSANT. VOEG BIETJIES KULTUUR BY EN DIS BOBAAS!

1

Bosveld-hamburger

Net soos wat die Amerikaners die Duitsers getroef het in Wêreldoorlog Nommer Twee, oordonder ek my Duitse konneksies met my treffer Bosveld-hamburgers, wat as kosstyl ’n onbeskaamde Amerikaanse konneksie het.

Miskien is dit nou nie so opwindend soos iets Duits, soos koolsop en lewerkoekies nie, maar die Oktoberfest-houers is gaande daaroor. Die burger het ontstaan tydens ’n jagtog in die bosveld toe ons niks raak geskiet het nie en maalvleis moes laat invlieg. Als word oor die kole gedoen.

44 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

BESTANDDELE 1 kilogram maalvleis 1 eetlepel Worcestersous 2 eetlepels kookolie 1 teelepel sout ½ teelepel witpeper 250 gram bloukaas 1 skeut brandewyn 6 hamburger-broodrolle 1 Verwyder vreemde voorwerpe van jou hande en was hulle – jou hande, nie die vreemde voorwerpe nie. Gooi die vleis in ’n bak saam met die Worcestersous, olie, sout en peper. Vorm ses hamburgerkoekies met jou hande. Sit die hamburgers bo-op die rooster.

Braai vir 6 tot 10 minute, maar sodat dit nog pienk in die middel is. In ’n pannetjie krummel jy die bloukaas, plaas dit oor die vuur en gooi ’n dop brandewyn daarby.

Wanneer als tot ’n dik sous gesmelt het, haal jy dit van die hitte af.

2 Pak elke hamburgerkoekie op die een helfte van ’n broodrolletjie.

Gooi van die kaassous daaroor.

Maak toe met die ander helfte.

3 Gaan mal.

Emile Joubert is a PR practitioner by profession, but a food and wine enthusiast by desire.

Check out his blog: www.winegoggle.co.za

Varksosaties

Daar is altyd een van die Duitsers wat omgekrap voel omdat ek nie varkvleis berei vir die Oktober-partytjies nie, synde dit al vleissoort is wat daardie nasie weet hoe om gaar te maak. Toe begin ek laas jaar om hierdie sosaties as happies te braai om te verhoed dat die Duitsers my van kulturele verwaarlosing beskuldig.

Plus, as ’n Duitser huil mors hy bier oor die hele braai-area.

BESTANDDELE 800g varkfilette 1 eetlepel Paprikapoeier 4 lourierblare – 3 heel, 1 fyngedruk 3 knoffelhuisies 1 koppie (250ml) olyfolie ½ koppie (125ml) vars suurlemoensap Sout en witpeper 1 groen soetrissie 1 rooi soetrissie 1 lekker groot, dik chorizo-wors 1 hand vol fyngekapte pietersielie 1 Sny die varkvleis in blokkies so groot as wat jy graag op ’n sosatie wil sien. Druk die knoffel pap met die kant van ’n mes. Neem ’n lekker ruim houer en gooi die knoffel, paprika, lourierblare, olie, suurlemoensap en sout en peper daarin. Voeg die vleis daarby, maak die houer toe en laat in ’n koel plek of die yskas marineer vir minstens 12 ure. Sny jou soetrissies in blokke en die chorizo in skywe. Kry die vleis en neem jou sosatiestokkies – wat vir ’n paar ure in water geweek is as jy die houtsoort gebruik.

(Anders slaan die goed aan die brand, Wolfgang.)

Nou ryg jy die vleis, soetrissie en chorizo om die beurt op jou sosatiestokkie. Braai oor warm kole vir 10 tot 15 minute tot goudbruin. Bedrup met marinade elke paar minute. Sprinkel die pietersielie oor die sosaties wanneer dit van die kole afkom.

2 Bedien met mosterd en koue bier. Die Kaap is Hollands, onthou.

2 SEP/OCT 2017

45

B L O G S P O T : T E R E S A U LYAT E

A

few years ago I watched a great movie called “Chef”.

As you can no doubt guess, the story ‘s about a disillusioned chef who quits his job in a fancy Los Angeles restaurant, buys a dilapidated food truck, fixes it up and embarks on a journey across the United States, selling his food at various stops along the way. He reconnects with his estranged son and rekindles his love for simple, great Teresa Ulyate is a multi-tasking ingredients and making people happy by feeding them. working mom who juggles a Since then it seems as though the food truck trend has job, children and a blog not just taken off but exploded! It got me thinking about what cupcakesandcouscous.com it is that we find so inviting and engaging about them? For me, the happiness is about being able to watch my food prepared in front of me – like a live, one-on-one food show!

And having a chat with the person doing it is one of the biggest drawcards.

Each truck has its own unique offerings and what a pleasure it is to be able to try something new while supporting an independent, small business at the same time. I can also conclude that I have not tried nearly enough of them and need to rectify that soon ...

These rather meaty recipes are inspired by food truck cuisine, and in a nod to the approaching Oktoberfest are also meals that pair perfectly with a cold brew. A lip-smackingly delicious beef burger recipe is something we carnivores should all have in our repertoire, and this simple recipe can be adapted and dressed up any way you like. In this recipe I’m dishing it up with lashings of good old South African monkeygland sauce, a classic in its own right! If chicken is more your thing then these Cajun inspired burritos should hit the spot and will have you licking your fingers until the last bite.

For me, the happiness is about being able to watch my food prepared in front of me – like a live, one-on-one food show!

PHARRELL WILLIAMS’ SONG, HAPPY, WAS ABOUT JOY BEING “LIKE A ROOM WITHOUT A ROOF”. THE MUSIC VIDEO WAS A SENSATION, BEING EMULATED ALL OVER THE WORLD! AND EVERYONE CLAPPED THEIR HANDS, DANCED AND SANG ALONG ...

46 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

CLASSIC GOURMET BEEF BURGERS Store the leftover sauce in the fridge and serve with steak and potato wedges.

Makes two FOR THE MONKEYGLAND SAUCE (makes approximately 600ml)

1 Tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 tsp crushed garlic ½ tsp paprika 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 x 400g tin peeled and diced tomatoes ½ cup tomato puree ½ cup chutney ¼ cup water 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp white vinegar 1 Tbsp mustard Salt and pepper FOR THE BEEF PATTIES

250g free range beef mince ¼ onion, finely chopped 1 tsp mustard 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper Olive oil for frying FOR ASSEMBLING

2 hamburger buns, halved and toasted Fresh lettuce leaves Sliced gherkin Sliced tomato Cheese slices

1 To make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and paprika and sauté for two minutes. Add all of the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to boil, stirring regularly.

Reduce the heat and allow to simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

2 Make the beef patties by combining the beef mince, onion,

mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix together well – I find it easiest to use my hands. Divide the mixture in half, then shape each half into a patty.

3 Heat some olive oil in a griddle pan. Fry the hamburger patties for five to six minutes per side or until cooked through.

4 Place a few lettuce leaves on each toasted hamburger bun.

Top with the cooked patty, some gherkins, tomato slices, cheese and a few spoonfuls of monkeygland sauce.

ABOVE: Just imagine wrapping your hands around this meaty monster... and the juices you’ll have to wipe off your chin!

SEP/OCT 2017

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BLOGSPOT

SPICY CHICKEN BURRITOS Makes four FOR THE SALSA

2 medium tomatoes, diced ½ small onion, finely chopped ½ green pepper, diced 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped Pinch dried chilli flakes 2 tsp lime juice Small bunch coriander, chopped Salt FOR THE CHICKEN

1 tsp paprika ½ tsp dried thyme ½ tsp garlic powder 1 tsp ground cumin Salt Pepper 3 free range chicken breast fillets Olive oil FOR ASSEMBLING

4 large soft flour wraps Handful of lettuce leaves 100ml sour cream

1 Combine all of the salsa ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.

2 Combine the paprika, thyme, garlic powder and cumin in a bowl with a good grinding of salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breast fillets lengthways in half and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the spice mix into the chicken.

3 Fry the chicken over a medium heat until cooked through. Slice

48 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

diagonally. Give the salsa a good stir and drain any excess liquid.

4 Heat the wraps in a dry frying pan for a few seconds on each side. Place a small amount of lettuce on each wrap and top with chicken slices, salsa and a good dollop of sour cream. Fold the bottom of the wrap up, fold the sides in, then roll it up so that the filling is completely enclosed.

Enjoy immediately.

ABOVE: The vibrant red of diced tomato and green highlights of coriander really the visual appeal of this spicy chicken burrito.

Hot News

Spring is an ideal time to benefit from the biodi¬versity on the guided walking trails making

Bot River winery Gabriëlskloof Estate is celebrating Heritage Day... the entire month. The idea is that people share in ubuntu spirit in Overberg style in a month packed with proudly South African treats.

the most of the wild flowers in bloom.

Spring walk Bouchard Finlayson was one of the pioneers of grape growing and wine making in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley outside Hermanus. It’s also a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) conservation champion. Spring is an ideal time to benefit from the biodiversity on the property with guided walking trails making the most of the wild flowers in bloom. Just 25 hectares are planted to vineyard with a remaining 100 hectares kept as natural as possible.

Frank Woodvine, Bouchard Finlayson’s resident amateur botanist, leads these walks which vary in length and time – either 45 minutes, 60 or twoand-a-half hours for the hardcore plant and nature enthusiasts. It’s R300 for up to six people, with an additional R50 per person up to a maximum of 12 in a group. The trails are also available to use free of charge to visitors who prefer selfguided walks – hikers may collect maps and sign indemnity forms at the cellar door.

If that’s not thrilling enough, tasting the estate wines just metres from where they grew might offer a better appreciation of their flavours. A tasting of three wines cost R20 per person; and a tasting of six wines cost R40 per person. By prior arrangement cellar tours are available and larger groups may be accommodated with advance notice too.

Contact: info@bouchardfinlayson. co.za or call 028 312 3515.

Heritage high jinks

Guest can expect trademark Gabriëlskloof hospitality with snoek on the coals.

The culmination of it all is on 24 September, the official Heritage – and national braai – day. That’s when Gabriëlskloof will host a Long-table Braai Feast to showcase chef Frans Groenewald’s substantial skills. A single, continuous ‘table of unity’ will be set up on the shaded veranda on the day and the chef will apply his gourmet grilling skills. Guests can expect trademark Gabriëlskloof hospitality with meat on the spit, snoek and mussels on the coals, garlic rolls, roosterkoek, pap-en-sous and of course, all the tasty trimmings that go with a good old South African braai. And, as tradition demands, a fantastic meal would be incomplete without a sweet note – so expect melktert and malva pudding.

“Gabrielskloof is proudly South African, which is why we’re excited to share our passion and pleasures with fellow South Africans around the fire as we celebrate our cultural heritage and diversity. We’ve laid on some brilliant food and wine for the occasion and have made it absolutely family friendly,” said chef Frans.

Reservations are essential. Tickets for the Mzansi Tapas Tasters at R250 per couple and the Long-table Heritage Braai Feast (R350 a head, R100 per child) – call 028 284 9865 or email restaurant@gabrielskloof.co.za.

The distinctive roof line of Bouchard Finlayson is etched against a backdrop of vines and grey skies in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley.

Azozile Khoncoshe, the first ever recipient of the Auctioneer’s Bursary Initiative

Ride safe

CHEERS magazine wrote about the Qhubeka bicycle initiative – and Nederburg’s involvement – in the January/February issue this year so it’s great to be able to update readers on the progress made. The first 50

Growing talent

Logan Jooste, viticulture protégé.

It’s all vine

The Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) expanded its Protégé programme to include the training and nurturing of viticulturists as well as winemakers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

And now the first viticulture protégé has been formally employed at Bartinney wine estate in Stellenbosch. Logan Jooste who grew up in

Kylemore, spent a nearly three year internship with a variety of mentors. He spent time learning from CWG members Louis Strydom of Ernie Els Vineyards, Charles Hopkins of De Grendel Wines and Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck Wines.

Having completed a BSc degree in viticulture and oenology from the University of Stellenbosch before he was selected as the inaugural viticulture protégé in 2015, Jooste said during his internship he “realised that theory is just a guideline and that being a viticulturist is more than just looking after the vineyards”. Having learned from the best, he credited his mentors with allowing him the opportunity of stirring his passion for the vineyards even moe.

“I am thankful to the Cape Winemakers Guild, Nedbank, VinPro and all my mentors throughout my internship for giving me the opportunity to learn more and contribute to my future. I’m excited about my new adventure at Bartinney where I can live my passion and continue to learn more about the industry.”

Azozile Khoncoshe, a young man from Tsholomnqa in the Eastern Cape, is the first ever recipient of the Auctioneer’s Bursary Initiative instigated

by Nederburg auctioneers Anthony Barne and David Elswood. While there are any number of initiatives aimed at assisting previously disadvantaged winemaking students, there is very little for anyone wanting to make their way into the vineyards.

Khoncoshe is a third year viticulture and oenology student at the University of Stellenbosch – and the bursary paid retrospectively for his 2016 studies and will provide for the rest of his degree tuition.

Having been in charge of the auction for seven years Barne said he felt the need to give something back. “In the last decade or so, due to the leadership and imagination of a creative group of wine producers, South African wines have been seen to take their place among the world’s finest. This has not happened overnight and, in order to stay at the top, the Cape needs to invest in future generations of talented viticulturists and winemakers. I am very pleased to be able to play a small part in achieving this goal.”

Qhubeka bicycles assembled at Nederburg in Paarl were donated to three neighbourhood watch organisations. Until now, patrols in the Fairyland, Chicago and Hillside neighbourhoods have been conducted on foot. Being mobile allows the volunteers to cover more ground and respond more swiftly.

In addition, the recipients were also given instruction in basic bike maintenance and repair by master bicycle mechanics Beverley Roode and Janine Johnson of Bicycles and Beyond, a non-profit organisation that empowers vulnerable communities through cycling.

Roode and Johnson also operate the bike assembly facility at Nederburg on Qhubeka’s behalf.

Four previously unemployed women from the local Paarl East community have been trained to assemble the purpose-built Qhubeka bicycles – and they physically built the bikes which now patrol their neighbourhoods.

The monthly target for these now fully employed workers is 150 bikes a month.

BELOW: Master mechanic Beverley Roode, of Bicycles and Beyond, shows a community watch volunteer how to adequately maintain a Qhubeka bicycle.

Photography

by Keli van der Weijde

Of the selection process, Khoncoshe said it had been an eye-opener. “I’ve had the chance to interact and network with the leaders in the wine making industry and have been exposed to new technologies, resulting in a better understanding of how the industry actually operates.”

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BEER

Everything you need to know about SA’s Big Five

FESTIVals in sa

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F E S T I VA L S

ROCKING THE DAISIES

THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL WAS WOODSTOCK IN UPSTATE NEW YORK HELD IN AUGUST 1969. GLASTONBURY IN THE UK, COACHELLA AND BURNING MAN ARE NOW THE BUCKET LIST ITEMS FOR MUSIC FANS. SEASONED FESTIVAL GOER NICK FROST IMPARTS HIS HARD-EARNED LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.

PLAY HARD, TREAD LIGHTLY Whether you’re a trance lover, self-aware hipster, gym bunny, rock ’n roll wildling or beflowercrowned party princess, Rocking the Daisies is the perfect outdoor music festival for your partying needs. Now in its 12th year, Daisies takes place from 5 - 8 October at the Cloof Wine Estate in the flowery town of Darling in the Western Cape, and has been known to attract some 22 000 festival goers from across South Africa — even the world. And for good reason too.

Daisies boasts an earth-shatteringly extensive mix of over 180 international and local artists across a variety of stage lineups, some of which have, in the past, included huge names like Foster The People, The Kooks and Cat Empire.

This year’s Rocking the Daisies is shaping up to be the best one yet, with the event seeing its most hyped lineup to date: The Naked And Famous, Flume and Two Door Cinema Club are just a few of the internationals you can expect to get down to, amongst many, many others.

Nutshell: there’s really no excuse to miss this.

ESSENTIALS: Be sure to pack warm: Daisies might take place at the start of the summer season, but nights in Darling have been known to get frosty. Also, remember plastic bottles or containers for decanting your drinks before entering the festival area. Daisies is a proudly glass-free event. Enjoy!

THIS PAGE: Bright, loud and people by folks having fun – that’s the essential take-away for the host of South African festivals.

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s there anything as quintessentially South African as an outdoor music or arts festival?

Alright, maybe melkkos, the phrase “ja-nee” and Sunday braais with the entire extended family come pretty close — but apart from those few local staples, outdoor festivals are as South African as it gets.

And why not? There’s nothing quite like letting absolutely loose with a tight-knit group of friends in some far-flung mostly undiscovered region of this gorgeous country whilst simultaneously indulging in the sweet sounds of some of your favourite performers, or being blown away by a superbly directed theatrical performance.

Of course, it helps to know what to expect before you set out on your adventure. With festival season nipping at your heels, here’s our guide to South Africa’s Big Five. (No, not that Big Five ...)

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OPPIKOPPI THIS PAGE: (Clockwise from top) It’s a shoe-in: Fans showing performers how the music touched their soles…; What’s an event without a moment to pause for thought amid all the madness? The even might take place on a farm or in a natural setting, but the staging and sophistication of the shows are spectacular.

IN DUST WE TRUST If you’re ready and willing to make the trek up to the small mining town of Northam in the Limpopo Province, you might just happen upon one of South Africa’s longest standing outdoor rock festivals: Oppikoppi, of course. Oppikoppi is a testament to South African music and its ability to bind together music enthusiasts from all walks of life. This year, Oppikoppi shares a main stage lineup with Daisies, which means if you’re not stationed in the Western Cape, Oppi might very well be your best chance to see Flume, Two Door Cinema Club and The Naked And Famous without having to splurge on a plane ticket to Cape Town.

Heed this warning though: dust, sweat, thorns and questionable portaloos are all considered part of this die-hard, rock ’n roll experience. Yes, Oppi is not for the faint of heart (or liver, for that matter), so if you’re planning on attending this year, be sure to pack your essentials.

ESSENTIALS: Apart from the Holy Trinity (tent, torch and toiletries), make sure you bring a multi-tool for general campsite maintenance, a selection of clean towels (things get dirty very quickly at Oppi), wet wipes for those speedy showers before your favourite band starts, and extra water — because you can never have enough water.

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SPLASHY FEN

THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE Splashy Fen is South Africa’s longest running outdoor music festival—dating back as far as the start of the 90s—and sees thousands of revellers from all over the country congregating beside a winding river on a remote Underberg farm in KwaZulu Natal to watch a range of exciting live acts and enjoy a selection of arts and crafts stalls, food and drink outlets, and children’s entertainment.

Taking place on the Easter weekend every year, Splashy Fen has historically featured some of the most popular names in South African music, including Tony Cox, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Vusi Mahlasela, Koos Kombuis, Just Jinjer and The Parlotones. This year saw Splashy kick it up a notch with the likes of international acts The Temper Trap from Aus and Rodney Branigan (USA), and by the looks of it, things are only looking up for this proudly South African institution.

ESSENTIALS: Be sure to pack earplugs (in case you get stuck in a camping spot situated nearby one of the stages), gumboots for the inevitable mud you’ll encounter, and tyre tubes (or any variety of inflatable) so you can float down the river like a king or queen of leisure. Trust us, this last one is of the utmost importance.

F E S T I VA L S

AfrikaBurn is seen as something of a sacred South African pilgrimage. One of the festival’s most unique features is that nothing is for sale.

KKNK

THIS PAGE: Don’t you play your didgeridoo while sitting atop a Valiant with your mates and a large keg of beer?

Colourful performers and funky shows are the order of the day – and night.

AFRIKABURN

A MELTING POT OF PERFORMANCE ART Every year, literal busloads of local culture vultures migrate to the Klein Karoo town of Oudtshoorn to light the place up with fun, festivities and, um… vleis. The KKNK — also known as the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees — is a multi-platform arts festival that takes place over an entire week and features over 150 theatrical productions, concerts, kids’ shows, dance performances and art installations.

If you’re a supporter of Afrikaans theatre or local performance art, the KKNK is one smorgasbord of performance art that you cannot afford to miss out on.

ESSENTIALS: If you don’t plan to stay in one of Oudtshoorn’s numerous accommodation options, be sure to bring along some robust plakkies/flip-flops—not for everyday wear, but rather, for showering.

When it comes to using high-traffic public bathrooms, one can never be too careful!

AN EXPERIMENT IN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BUILDING AfrikaBurn is less of a festival and more of an annual community that gathers in the blank canvas town of Tankwa in the Karoo to create art installations, giant wooden structures (which are ultimately burnt down, hence the festival’s name), crazy costumes, manic music, performance art, Mad-Max-esque mutant vehicles and literally anything else you could possibly imagine. For most attendees, AfrikaBurn is seen as something of a sacred South African pilgrimage.

One of the festival’s most unique features is that nothing is for sale at the event—except ice. That’s right, you won’t find any food trucks or craft stalls at AfrikaBurn, nor will you find any advertising or branding — which is one of the reasons the event has become so popular worldwide. Based on a similar Nevada-based festival called Burning Man, AfrikaBurn offers attendees a totally decommodified community in which to live, and — if all goes according to plan — thrive for the duration of the event. This is one experience every South African should consider at least once in their life.

ESSENTIALS: As you might expect, there’s a rather extensive list of essentials required to make it through Afrikaburn in one living piece, but there are a few absolute necessities: take plenty of food, even more water, and — most importantly — rubbish bags; always leave the desert exactly how you found it.

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FISHING

Corporate Challenge events

TOPS AT SPAR SPONSORS AND HOSTS A SERIES OF CORPORATE CHALLENGE EVENTS. GARETH GEORGE CHRONICLES THE EVENT. THIS PAGE: A TOPS at SPAR trophy trout deserves to be photographed for posterity (top) while one of many anglers who took to float tubes to be better able to tempt the fish onto the fly tasted success before releasing his rainbow.

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FISHING

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FISHING

W

ith TOPS at SPAR as the sponsor, festivities and good cheer are a given. As I mention in my brief to competitors on opening night: “This event has very little to do with fishing..” It’s why all the great prizes are awarded for antics away from the water and sans rod and reel.

But if one is to make a ‘fishing weekend’ excuse to the better half, then it’s important there be an element of truth to the tale of having attached a fly and put a line in the water… More than one merry angler was guilty of the converse.

While they would have had their audience believe that the winds were too fierce for casting, their tennis elbow had painfully returned or they had suffered a crippling bout of sudden onset agoraphobia, it’s far more likely that the cosy confines of the Nottingham Road Hotel pub and the Growler beer on tap was the reason. To mangle one of Winston Churchill’s famous quotes: “Never were so many fish caught by so few…”

Those hardy souls who made it to the water’s edge certainly impressed the scorers though: the 285 fish caught were topped with beauty of 58cm from a brand new

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water in the WildFly stable.

If anglers were to be believed a bucket load of trout were lost at the net. The mammoth proportions of these fish – naturally – grew exponentially with each retelling in the pub.

In stark contrast, the second leg of the TOPS Corporate Challenge hosted a rabid bunch of anglers braving the bitter Friday and

blustery Saturday weather. These were no fair-weather anglers! A remarkable tally of 476 trout was the remarkable return, breaking a few decade old records, notably one being the most fish over half a meter being landed in one leg.

The fish were definitely getting bigger by the third qualifying leg, proven by the number of trout in excess of 55cm landed! The icy water temperatures had galvanized those cock fish into action, chasing each other in the shallows, the instinct to fight for their right to fertilise overwhelming any rationale… (Can fish be rational?)

According to those fishermen whose tempting flies cruising trout refused, no. But for many, the winter fishing was very satisfying, helped along by the almost picture perfect weather conditions.

Early morning was not for the faint-hearted, with rods freezing up and only a stiff anti-freeze in the coffee helped ward off hypothermia. A total of 354 trout were caught and released in this last qualifying leg of the TOPS Corporate Challenge, a worthy tally for everyone’s fishing efforts.

Spare a thought for Owen of the SPAR team, who had an absolute beast on his line (it actually couldn’t fit into his net), only to

ABOVE: Prizes aplenty for those brave and hardy souls who took their tackle and cast about for fish.

LEFT: Testing waters of a different sort... one or two entrants in the Corporate Challenge were lured by the charms of the local brews rather than the piscatorial ones!

FISHING

RIGHT: Looking a bit like the Blue Brothers, complete with hats and beards, these brothers in angling took home prizes from TOPS at SPAR’s Clinton Nicholson.

BELOW: Two denizens of the deep – well fed and wily – which didn’t get away but which earned their anglers good points for size and weight.

And that’s the magic of fly fishing, all the unknown factors which determine whether a fish takes a fancy to your offering. Is it the fly, your presentation and where you cast it?

have it roll out and steam away! It became a fish of WildFly folklore.

The festivities often seem to outweigh fishing considerations, but you’d think that with over a million rands-worth of prizes that the grand final would have the qualifying teams from each leg taking it seriously The waters performed consistently with 1 541 trout, 426 of these fish being caught and all but one released in the final. Apocryphal records reflect that 354 fish were lost, many of them monsters.

In the grand final, the 62cm leg benchmark from Deon Nel for largest fish was convincingly beaten twice, with a 64cm from Daniel Green and a 65cm weighed in by Rob Rein, 9lbs exactly, winning him a brand new Quintrex boat and motor for his efforts. Right time and right place in terms of it being fortuitous, but to land such a beast, surrounded by weed, in the final session showed great composure and angling skill.

The beauty of this session fishing competition, is that a one off purple patch will not earn you the top spot, and there’s no point in bashing stockies (small Trout) throughout, as the points per centimeter certainly count. It’s not as confusing as it might sound: you simply have to catch fish in each of the four sessions and bigger trout count for more. And to even the playing field it’s on a diminishing basis. Four fish in

the 1st, three in the 2nd, two in the 3rd and only one fish in the last session count.

And you’re also allowed to bequeath fish to your fishing partners in session one and two – as long as you’ve not fished for your province.

It’s the ultimate handicap for any aspiring professionals, but still rewarding consistency, not flukes.

And that’s the magic of fly fishing, all the unknown factors which determine whether a fish takes a fancy to your offering. Is it the fly, your presentation and where you cast it? At what depth you fish, the speed of your retrieve, how hard you strike, the pressure you exert and how long you play the Trout…so many variables. It’s hard to imagine we get them all right all the time.

Advice is dispensed more frequently than cold beer at the legendary Notties Hotel, but the only genuine pearl should be: keep your fly in the water longer!

So I’d always keep my fingers crossed in terms of the fishing gods smiling down on my day, but more importantly, I keep faith in what I’m fishing and hope the trout see common sense. Regardless of fishing form, I have absolutely no doubt that every dog has its day and if you haven’t as yet, then yours is just a few casts away.

Needless to say the festivities that epitomize the TOPS Corporate Challenge carried on until the wee hours…

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TWISTS & TURNS THERE’S A SURPRISE AROUND EVERY CORNER THIS ISSUE! FROM MYSTERY VOCALISTS ON THE FOO FIGHTER’S NEW ALBUM TO PETER PARKER’S ACTIONS IN SPIDERMAN AND BETWEEN THE COVERS OF THE LATEST BOOKS.

1

SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING Following the Battle of New York, Adrian Toomes (Vulture) and his salvage company were contracted to clean up the city, but their operation was quickly taken over by Tony Stark’s US Department of Damage Control (D.O.D.C.). Enraged at being driven out of business, Toomes persuades his employees to keep the Chitauri technology they already scavenged and use it to create and sell advanced weapons. Eight years later, Peter Parker is drafted into the Avengers by Stark to help with an internal dispute, but resumes his studies at the Midtown School of Science and Technology when Stark tells him he is not yet ready to become a full Avenger.

As expected, the Marvel franchise delivers yet another thrilling romp with ample tussles between good guys, bad guys, great CGI and special effects – all delivered at a rapid pace and lightened by moments of fun and humour. And [spoiler alert!] a bit of boy-takes-girl-tothe-prom-not-knowing-her-dad-is-theevil-genius romance too.

(And stay seated while the credits are rolling as there’s some bonus material at the very end.)

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.

As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both of their species and the future of the planet.

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BABY DRIVER

Talented getaway driver Baby (Ansel Elgort) relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game.

After meeting the woman (Lily James) of his dreams, he sees a chance to ditch his shady lifestyle and make a clean break. Coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), Baby must face the music as a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom.

Boyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman created a choir for the album’s lead track, Concrete & Gold.

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

CONCRETE AND GOLD

FOO FIGHTERS Dave Groll is the frontman of the Foo Fighters, who have gone from their 1994 startup in Seattle to become one of the biggest bands in the world. He’s taken to Twitter to refute rumours that Taylor Swift and Adele are on the new album – even though pop producer Greg Kurstin is in the mix – and Kurstin has worked with them (and Pink... and Sia) previously. What is known is that the track Dirty Water has Inara George (‘crystal clear voice,” Groll said) and includes Alison Mosshart of the Kills on La Dee Da and The Sky is a Neighbourhood. A spontaneous parking lot encounter resulted in Boyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman created a choir for the album’s lead track, Concrete & Gold.

DESIRE – HURTS

“‘An album full of passion, pain and lust – and some of the best music we’ve ever made,” is how Manchester synth pop duo Hurts have described their fourth album, Desire. Hurts unveiled the new single and video for Beautiful Ones last month, two years since the release of their last album, Surrender. Frontman Theo Hutchcraft said Desire had elements or echoes of their three previous albums. “There are all these avenues we’ve gone down in the past, take a little bit from there, little bit from here.

But overall we just wanted to make a big, powerful pop record and that’s definitely the track we’re on, so it feels good.” Expect the lyrics to be personal, something NME reported Hutchcraft had consciously tried to explore new paths and to tell more of their story.

MANIA – FALL OUT BOY

Young and Menace is the first track off Fall Out Boy’s new album, M A N I A – and it’s been receiving extensive airplay (and downloads) worldwide. It’s the multi-million selling rock band’s seventh and makes the most of the hardcore Chicago backgrounds of guitarist/vocalist Patrick Stump, lyricist and bassist Pete Wentz, drummer Andrew Hurley and guitarist Joe Trohman.

The beach-themed album trailer following a young girl on a surreal journey dovetails with a string of rather cryptic tweets aimed at raising awareness of the album release, their first since 2015’s American Beauty/ American Psycho.

BETRAYALS

FIONA NEILL When Rosie Rankin’s best friend has an affair with her husband, the consequences reverberate through the lives of both their families. Relationships are torn apart and friendships shattered. Years later, the arrival of a letter opens old wounds for the Rankins, daughter Daisy’s fragile hold on reality begins to unravel and son Max blames himself for everything that happened that fateful summer.

And Rosie’s ex-husband Nick has his own version of events.As repressed memories bubble to the surface, the past has never seemed more present and the truth more murky. Sometimes, there are four sides to the story.

Who do you believe?

DYING GAME

ASA AVDIC On the remote island of Isola, seven people have been selected to compete in a 48-hour test for a top-secret intelligence position. One of them is Anna Francis, a workaholic with a nine-year-old daughter she rarely sees, and a secret that haunts her. Her assignment is to stage her own death and then observe, from her hiding place inside the walls of the house, how the other candidates react to the news that a murderer is among them.

Who will take control? Who will crack under pressure? But as soon as Anna steps on to the island she realises something isn’t quite right. And then a storm rolls in, the power goes out, and the real game begins…

UNCOMMON TYPE

TOM HANKS A hectic, funny sexual affair between two best friends. A World War II veteran dealing with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A woman adjusting to life in a new neighborhood after her divorce. Four friends going to the moon and back in a rocket ship constructed in the backyard. A teenage surfer stumbling into his father’s secret life.

These are just some of the people and situations that Tom Hanks explores in his first work of fiction, a collection of stories that dissects, with great affection, humour, and insight, the human condition and all its foibles. Alternately whimsical, moving and occasionally melancholy, Uncommon Type is a book that will delight as well as surprise Hanks’ millions of fans.

DISCLAIMER: All books featured here are supplied by Penguin Random House South Africa.

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Blogspot Americ ans. Gotta love ’em. They dubbed their country a “superpower” – so the rest of the world would know they’re bigger and better than anyone else. And it’s

no

differe nt when it comes to beer either.

Suds & studs

T

he blog Wearebrewstuds.com demonstrates this in the sheer volume and scale of its offering. If you’re a craft beer enthusiast, this is a must visit site.

It’s really democratic in that it is for beer lovers, by beer lovers. As the blog states: “The Brew Studs blog was launched for the craft beer community – to give us a place to learn, grow, advocate and be heard.

What you’ll find here: news, opinion, reviews and anything else you’d expect to be buzzing in the world of craft beer and brewing.

“As far as it goes for those of us who write for this beer blog, everyone that loves and supports craft beer is a Brew Stud. That’s why we picked the url, WeAreBrewStuds.com.

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To date, all but three of the more than 50 Brew Studs contributors were recruited through the Brew Studs social media community.

We place no restrictions on who can voice an opinion here. The only prerequisite is having a love for good damn beer.”

Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, reddit, stumbleupon, pinterest…. They’re on them all! It’s an active community united in their love of beer. So much so that it’s almost become an advocacy group for craft brewers and lovers of craft beer.

“Over the past two years, we’ve helped break many stories that impacted the craft beer community, and we now alert you to announcements from nearly a hundred breweries from all over the U.S. and Canada. In addition, we launched a weekly contest where we reward beer lovers who share their photographic love of craft beer with merchandise from your favourite craft breweries.” It’s not high art or even particularly professional photography which wins, but what shines through is the blog community’s genuine love of the crafted golden liquid.

One of the things that irks these beer enthusiasts no end is that of large brewing companies sneakily buying up craft brewers and cashing in on the swing to artisanal beers. After all, craft beer is so big in the States that it’s taking away market share from the big guys. There are more than 6 000 craft breweries in their 52 states.

How’s this for a great idea?

One of their Studs posted a piece all about craft brews in baseball stadiums, looking at specific franchises and the various offerings. Seriously! Did you know that at Safeco Park, home to the Seattle Mariners, there are 100 craft beers available for baseball fans!

John Ficarri wrote: “Arguably the best ballpark for beer in the country, Safeco Field boasts over 100 different beers to choose from depending on where you’re sitting in the park. Of course those include plenty of Washington-brewed favorites from breweries like 7 Seas, Pike, Ghostfish, and Fremont. Throw in some others from around the country like Alaskan, Victory and Stone, and you’ve got a perfect ballpark beer recipe.” Can you imagine comparing the craft brews available at Kings Park versus Newlands versus Loftus Versfeld or Ellis Park?

If there’s anyone out there who’d like to expand the blogs view and make it a little more global, they’d welcome your voice.

“Are you a current blogger looking for more exposure? Or maybe you’re just a craft beer lover who wants to shout it from the rooftop. No matter your reason, if you have a passion for craft beer and you want to be published on a site that ranks in the top 10 of beer blogs globally, we’d like to hear from you.”

Now’s your chance: contact them – wearebrewstuds.com or connect via Facebook, Twitter, reddit, Instagram or whatever takes your fancy. If not, visit the site and enjoy the content!

MOBILE APPS

Food, glorious food BROADCAST COOKING SHOWS HAVE MADE CELEBRITIES OUT OF CHEFS. DAVID BOWMAN SUGGESTS A FEW HANDY APPS TO TRANSFORM YOU INTO A WHIZZ IN THE KITCHEN. DECLUTTER YOUR RECIPES AND TRY SOMETHING NEW, POSSIBLY EVEN A CELEBRATORY COCKTAIL!

EAT VEGAN An issue for vegans is the difficulty finding food that’s really delicious. This app, with its more than 250 delicious and totally animal-friendly recipes, makes it easy, allowing you to browse recipes, while ensuring you get the correct amount of nutrients.

You can bookmark favourite recipes and share them to Twitter, Facebook or Pintrest directly from the app.

COCKTAILS Free – but with 400 different cocktails on its database. It has information on how to use tools of the trade and cocktail preparation. There’s a handy sorting system, to choose between light, strong, sweet, dry and various types of cocktails. You can also save all of your favourites. Detailed step-by-step instructions make it super easy to boost your skills.

MY RECIPE BOOK Ever spent hours pages through recipe books or old magazines and files trying to find that ONE dish? For one cent less than a dollar – about R14 in today’s terms – you can declutter your home. This app is a great one-stop solution: store and organize all recipes. There’s a useful grocery list function to help you shop too.

ALLRECIPES DINNER SPINNER This free app is used by over 30 million home cooks. Useful are its recipe database and swift search system to help you sift through all its content. It also allows users to create an organised list of favourite recipes, accessible from anywhere. Then there’s over 1 000 videos with step-by-step instructions for those new to cooking. It’s as handy as a kitchen gadget!

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FASHION

Fit kit THIS PAGE: Dress it up, dress it down – the athleisure look is here to stay!

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FASHION

I IN THE 80’S STYLE MAVENS OF NEW YORK VOWED NEVER TO BECOME ONE OF “THOSE” WOMEN WHO WORE TRAINERS FOR THEIR DAILY COMMUTE. CARRIE BRADSHAW OF SEX IN THE CITY MIGHT HAVE, BUT SVELTE SAMANTHA...

NEVER! KENDALL OR KYLIE JENNER BELONG TO A DIFFERENT GENERATION, ONE WHICH IS HAPPILY PHOTOGRAPHED IN A SKIMPY TANK AND YOGA PANTS. FIONA MCDONALD LOOKS AT THE BOOMING SPORTS APPAREL MARKET.

t’s become such a big thing that a new term has been coined for it – and made it into dictionaries: Athleisure wear.

Merriam-Webster defines it as “casual clothing meant to be worn both for exercising and for general use.”

Fitness gear used to be firmly placed in the activewear niche and was restricted to the nearest gym.

But it has transcended those boundaries and become “a thing”... a very BIG “thing”. It has, in fact, helped garment manufacturers the world over post record profits at a time when the rest of the fashion industry was experiencing a slump because of the economic recession.

An American research firm NPD Research estimated that the athleisure market in the United States alone was worth in the region of $44 billion! That’s a Zuma-esque eleventy-thousand gajillion when converted to South African rands. (Actually, R590 billion – still not exactly chump change.)

The last five years has seen strictly sporty brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma and others cross over from the athletics track and gym into shopping malls and even offices. Under Armour, Fred Perry, Le Coq Sportif and others are following suit. It has also seen the emergence of new labels like Sweaty Betty in the United Kingdom and Lululemon, the Canadian label that’s taking the world by storm.

Photogenic athletes and sport stars like tennis players Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova spearheaded the trend, winning multi-million dollar modelling contracts to promote activewear brands. Previously, the route to market for sports brands was more male-centric and focussed on specific apparel

items: like Michael Jordan’s endorsement of Nike’s footwear, at one time the biggest of its kind in the sports world. Or replica kit such as football shirts. David Beckham’s Number 7 Manchester United shirt was worth millions of pounds in income annually, as are those of Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and other top footballers currently. Then there was Pete Sampras and Nike’s apparel deal – $40 million (R540 million) over eight years. It changed the way male tennis players dressed, notably in longer, baggier shorts.

Does anyone remember tennis players like McEnroe, Borg and Wilander in the days when shorts were ... short? Nowadays no self-respecting Nadal, Murray or Djokovic would be caught on court with anything shorter than five centimetres above the knee.

Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer epitomised the growing crossover nature of sportswear fashion during his Wimbledon heyday in the early nineties when

The last five years has seen strictly sporty brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma and others cross over from the athletics track and gym into shopping malls and even offices.

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FASHION

he’d wear a monogrammed blazer onto court before each match. Heck, even the Wimbledon officials were given a style makeover by fashion designer Ralph Lauren!

Athleisure is big business but it also reflects the changing nature of society. As jobs have become less formalised so have dress codes. Gone are the days when wearing a tracksuit or pair of yoga leggings and trainers to the mall would have resulted in social ostracism. No, now it’s mainstream fashion.

“Athleisure is the new casual,” Deirdre Clemente, a professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas said in an interview in Business Insider.

Clemente’s area of expertise is on 20th century American culture and the fashion industry.

(Athleisure) fits perfectly with a variety of trends, Clemente maintained, and had been the culmination of a century of fashion’s evolution.

This “weird hybrid” of athletic wear and more relaxed business

Athleisure is big business but it also reflects the changing nature of society.

As jobs have become less formalised so have dress codes.

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casual attire has created its own – entirely new – category of clothing Clemente said. “Many of the clothes that people now consider work-appropriate incorporate sports-inspired materials, like spandex, Lycra, and other synthetic fibres. It’s combining two trends that have dominated American casual clothing — durability and comfort — in a versatile way,” Business Insider reported.

“Styling is evolving to merge business casual and sportswear into one,” Clemente said. “Durability of sportswear and the versatility of business casual — put those two things together, and who’s not going to want to buy it?”

Articles written about the growth of this phenomenon attribute its development to women wearing yoga pants – something that is supported by the success of Lululemon’s business, all based on women’s yoga pants. Other reasons given include the versatility – as Clemente stated – of being able to wear the same outfit for multiple events, like shopping and then visiting the gym or going for a run or a Bootcamp session in the local park.

Just as our working lives have changed due to the influence of technology such as the internet, smartphones and the like, textile technology has played no small part in the fashion revolution either.

Garments and footwear are more breathable, lightweight and even

waterproof while remaining functional and even supportive.

Lululemon created a minor stir in the past 18 months when it redesigned its range of mens yoga pants to allow for greater comfort. The stretchy lycra/ spandex material used was a little too supportive, prompting the necessity for the ABC pants with its more generous crotch cut.

While the athleisure trend was definitely started by women in yoga pants, leggings, tank tops and sports bras, more and more men are adopting it eagerly. It started with celebrities and rap stars adopting luxury sweatpants and has now morphed into more sporty/dressy versions of blazers, hooded sweatshirts and even pea coats and jerseys.

In a Forbes report published in 2016, millennials – the largest demographic in the United States comprising 28% of the population – are more casual and prefer to spend their money on experiences rather than material things. So, not only is it acceptable to wear sneakers or trainers to work but if you’re going to visit gym after work or go for a jog, walk or hike, it’s more practical too.

Jumping onto the bandwagon and looking to create a viable business for when his rugby playing days are over, Springbok rugby player and Western Province captain Siya Kolisi has launched an underwear range with former schoolmate and business partner Tim Whitehead. Frankees, which has been acclaimed by men and women alike, is 95% cotton and 5% spandex – and celebrates its South African origins with bright, bold ethnic prints on the boxer briefs.

Times and social conventions have changed and the more relaxed – yet active – nature of fashion has changed with it.

While the athleisure trend was definitely started by women in yoga pants, leggings, tank tops and sports bras, more and more men are adopting it eagerly.

THIS PAGE: More relaxed working environments, flexible employment as well as the development of modern textiles have contributed to the growth of the category.

SEP/OCT 2017

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“Our mission is to stop drink-driving, protect families from the trauma of losing loved ones and in doing so, to make a tangible difference to South Africans’ lives,” 68 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

RESPONSIBILITY

Random acts O

ABOVE: It really doesn’t take much to tip you over the legal limit. If convicted, driving under the influence carries a criminal record.

ne thing Australians are is effective, clinical and ruthless. And it’s not just on the sporting fields either. The Australian state of New South Wales reduced its alcohol related traffic injuries by 20% by instituting Random Breath Testing – or RBT. South African transport and traffic authorities are learning from the Australian model with RBT being applied by the Western Cape Transport Department from mid-July.

Two decades ago Durban’s City Police adopted a similarly useful tool – but this time from the state of Victoria. The coastal city’s boys in blue would set up roadblocks around the city and do batch testing – day and night. Batch testing involved pulling off six or eight motorists at a time and breathalysing all of them, not just those who either admitted they’d had a drink or who officers suspected of having done so. The buses were like mobile stations, also allowing for blood tests to be conducted on site, along with identity and vehicle licence checks as well as outstanding traffic offences.

But they’d only be in the area for an hour or two before upping stakes and moving to a different location!

It might sound sneaky but it worked! Durban motorists rapidly changed their behaviour because the penalties of being caught were severe. By the late 1990’s office parties, stag nights and the like were using hired shuttle buses or designated drivers.

SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE A FRAUGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTRALIANS – PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO SPORT CONTESTS. OUR KEENEST RIVALRIES ON THE RUGBY PADDOCK AND CRICKET PITCH ARE AGAINST THESE ANTIPODEAN FOES. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THEM?

South Africa somewhat shamefully ranks 23rd out of 50 African countries for the highest number of road deaths according to the World Health Organisation’s global status report of 2015. Then Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters said in January 2016 that the country’s annual seasonal road fatalities had increased by 14% with 1 755 people killed in the six week period between 1 December 2015 and 11 January 2016. And a high proportion of these are also alcohol related. Not only that, but the WHO report estimated that nearly 8% of South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product is lost due to car crashes –

BELOW: A scenario every motoristdreads – the breathalyser test.

If your conscience is clear, it’s not something to fear.

SEP/OCT 2017

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RESPONSIBILITY

South Africans Against Drunk Driving proposed the creation of specialised drink-driving courts so offenders are processed and convicted within a calendar month of an incident.

ABOVE: Think about the company you keep – and the potential negative implications of caving in to peer pressure.

RIGHT: Blow with confidence!

almost R350 million annually!

Imagine how many schools, hospitals or social projects could be tackled with that money.

At the time, the Pietermaritzburgbased South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD) recommended a host of potential solutions with random alcohol testing being one of them, along with mandatory drug and alcohol testing at the scene of every crash, regardless of the circumstances or personalities.

Furthermore, they proposed the creation of specialised drink-driving courts so offenders are processed and convicted within a calendar month of an incident.

“Our mission is to stop drink-driving, protect families from the trauma of losing loved ones and in doing so, to make a tangible difference to South Africans’ lives,” said Caro Smit, founder of SADD. Donald Grant is the Western Cape minister of transport and public works. He said road crashes and the attendant fatalities “continue to devastate lives and impact negatively on socio-economic development.

We have to continue to do all we can to tackle the main cause of injuries and fatalities.

70 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

“Our evidence-based approach continues to yield positive results, helping us to devise innovative solutions aimed at improving road safety. RBT is the latest in the many innovations that we have implemented in the past to save lives.”

Furthermore, a hard-hitting ad campaign has been rolled out.

Along the lines of the award-winning “First Kiss” advert which had people buckling up and using their seatbelts within days of having viewed the punchy advert, the “Everybody knows, bra” advert is intended to shock. It was produced

by Safely Home.

The message is about two little boys who choose different life paths as they grow up; one falls in with a bad crowd – the other stays on the straight and narrow until the night when he has an extra drink before getting behind the wheel of his car... and is caught by Random Breath Testing!

The point is made that a conviction for driving under the influence is a criminal one. There’s no coming back from that.

“As Random Breath Testing is rolled out in the coming months, we believe that it will have a positive impact on behaviour on our roads, and that more and more people will make the life-saving decision not to drink and drive,”

Grant said. “We must continue to do all we can to address the scourge of drinking and driving, and to prevent the senseless loss of life that is usually a result of such behaviour.”

HOW IT WORKS Breath testing teams in distinctive RBT uniforms will be conducting rapid, lightweight, Vehicle Check Points at multiple locations in a single shift.

“Random” refers to the Vehicle Check Points that will be used, which are locations selected randomly but covering the entire operational area.

Handheld breathalyser devices will then be used to screen motorists for alcohol.

The testing teams will operate day and night, on a shift basis covering any day of the week.

RBT operations will be over and above normal traffic law enforcement activities.

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LOOPDOP

“MEMORIES,” SING BARBARA STREISAND, “LIFE WAS BEAUTIFUL THEN; I REMEMBER THE TIME I KNEW WHAT HAPPINESS WAS..” NET SO IN KNYSNA EN KINDERJARE.

Die bodens van Knysna en ander seestories

Knysna Tops Address: Shop 9, Mulberry Gardens, Knysna Tel: (044) 382 6417 Fax: (044) 382 6416 Email: lichtenburgminimark @hotmail.com Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon-Fri: 09h00 – 20h00 Sat: 09h00 – 20h00 Sun: 09h00 – 13h00 TOPS Customer Care Tel: 086 031 3141

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D

it was die Desember na my eerste skooljaar toe ons die afdraai Buffelsbaai toe vat van wat deesdae die N2 is. Reguit aan, sowat 20 kilo’s verder kry jy vir Knysna. Ons gaan nou-nou soontoe.

Die pad kronkel tussen die klein heuweltjies deur en steek die see weg. Hier en daar slaan seesandkolle deur, maar die blou bly weg. Pa het gesê dis net hier voor, maar elke keer is daar nog ’n draai, nog ’n draai, nog ’n draai. Dan skielik lê die huisies voor jou. Hulle golf so saam met die heuwels in die son, omring deur die diep blou van die Indiese Oseaan.

Lang branders stoot eindeloos na die lang wit strand in die baai.

Witbranders was die naam van ons eerste gehuurde vakansiehuis in Buffelsbaai. Eenvoudig. Voordeur, sit-/eetkamer met ’n kombuis aan die kant. Links die hoofslaapkamer, regs die boeties se slaapkamer. Een badkamer vir almal. Klaar. O ja, behalwe die watertenk en braaiplek buite.

w w w. t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

Vandaar het ek en Ouboet die lewe langs die see leer ken.

Na brekfis strand toe met ’n strandsambreel verdeel in wit en rooi lemoenskywe, groot strandhanddoeke met meerminne op en ’n mandjie. So hier teen elfuur was die mandjie die belangrikste. Onder die vadoek was ’n Thermosfles geklee in ’n groen “Skotse rokkie”-motief vol soet tee en baie volroommelk. En tuisgebakte gemmerkoekies.

As die oumense loop lê vir daai middagslapie het ons deur ons venster geklim en gaan verken.

Skilpaaie gesoek en skelm gaan swem (kwansuis te klein om dit sonder toesig te doen ...), duine gehardloop en visgevang in sloepies.

Laatmiddag het ek gewag vir die bote om in te kom. As hulle so brullend uitskuif op die sand, ril ek van lekkerte. Die boot ruik vars na see en vis en uit die luik loer kabeljoue en galjoene. Eendag, eendag wil ek ook ’n boot hê ...

Desjare was daar ’n piepklein winkeltjie op die strand wat bietjie aas, hoeke, lyn en sinkers verkoop het. En Zoom-roomyse. Deur die jaar by die huis was roomys verbode, maar by Buffels was Ma oukei

daarmee. Tog in Desember op die strand moes jy met spoed eet; die laaste leksel word so teen jou arm langs geslurp tot by jou elmboog.

Die karigheid van die winkeltjie het beteken daar moes elke nou en dan uitgery word na die groot dorp vir proviand. Ek onthou goed die eerste keer dat ons die bult af in Knysna ingery het. Dié dorp was onwerklik perfek vir my. Teen die hange groei die bos dig tot teen die noue paadjie.

Die houthuise so op die rand van die water was mooier as in enige sprokiefliek, elk met ’n stoep op pale wat uitkyk oor die waters. En orals sover soos ons inry was daar bote vasgemeer langs houtjetties. Boot op boot op boot. Bote, elk met ’n eie naam: Visser, Neptune, Seeslak, Paas-die-aas ... Met blink enjins.

Ek wou inklim en ry. Ek was bootbedonnerd.

“Kyk al die bodens,” sê ek vir wie ook al wil luister.

“Bodens ...?” wonder Ma. “O, jy bedoel seker bote?”

“Ja,” beaam ek. “Bodens.”

Knysna, mooiste Knysna, vir ewig in my kop Knysna ... tot nou die dag toe die vuur gekom het en gulsig gevreet het aan al jou mooi.

Maar ek hoor hulle sê jy staan weer op uit die as.

Dis vir my goed.

Ek hoop net al die bodens het behoue gebly ...

As die oumense loop lê vir daai middagslapie het ons deur ons venster geklim en gaan verken.

Skilpaaie gesoek en skelm gaan swem - kwansuis te klein om dit sonder toesig te doen ...