HOT BITES

FOREST FORAGING The first thing the Sperling family of well known Stellenbosch wine farm Delheim cautions is that their annual forest foraging expeditions are subject to the whims of nature. It’s impossible to forecast with total accuracy, particularly after long periods of drought, whether or when the mushrooms will appear. Although the Delheim events take place during the high season for wild mushrooms, the estate cannot guarantee the appearance of mushrooms on the day.

If that doesn’t discourage anyone keen to join in their annual mushroom foraging expeditions which entail more than looking for the spongy fungi in pine forests on the slopes of the Simonsberg, read on!

The exclusive mushroom forage pop-up series will enable members of the Delheim wine club to hunt and cook wild edible mushrooms at this fungi-fab experience.

Membership is as easy as 1-2-3. Pick out 12 of your favourite Delheim wines, complete your order, and you’re in! Membership gives you access not only to the mushroom forage, but Delheim’s full gamut of events, competitions and special releases.

Most people are hesitant about foraging for wild mushrooms because they don’t know which are safe to eat. This day-long masterclass will answer any questions anyone may have.

“The arrival of the wild mushrooms is truly a special time because it’s something Mother Nature does by herself,” says Delheim matriarch and experienced mushroom forager Nora Sperling-Thiel. “That’s why we’re especially sensitive about preserving our wild ecosystems on the estate. We are careful about how we farm and also limit the number of participants on mushroom excursions.” Foragers will receive a short presentation on mushrooms to look out for and which to avoid, the opportunity to accompany an expert guide on a first-of-the-season forage, a mushroom cooking demonstration and a hearty, fungi-focused lunch with award-winning Delheim wine. This experience was awarded Highly Commended in the Best Wine Event category in the Drinks International Wine Tourism Challenge 2017, and Delheim is expecting bookings to be filled fast. All enquiries and bookings – including signing up as Wine Club Member – should be sent to wineclub@delheim.com.

SERENITY IN A GLASS Brandy is South Africa’s pride, having been made locally for more than 300 years – and gaining increasing recognition for its quality and excellence in international competitions.

It is celebrated by innovative mixologist Kurt Schlechter who is also the owner of brandy-centric experiential cocktail kitchen, Cause Effect in Cape Town. Schlechter believes the spirit is ready for a renaissance and wants to play his part in putting the spirit firmly back in the spotlight.

Barman Michael Mudzenda of Cause Effect is happy to share one of his recipes for CHEERS readers to try at home using Klipdrift Gold. His advice is to get shaking!

Klipdrift Gold Serenity 50ml orange juice 25ml vermouth Bianco 10ml lemon juice 15ml Triple Sec Orange liqueur (or similar) 25ml Klipdrift Gold 2 dashes Fynbos Bitters Place the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously before straining into your preferred glass.

“Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.” – SAMUEL JACKSON

ORANGE IN WINTER Infusions of both sweet and bitter oranges, rhubarb and various herbs and roots all mingle together to give Aperol its individual flavour which is winning over increasing numbers of fans worldwide.

Ending the day’s exertions with a glass full of the zesty citrus flavour is what legions of Italians have done for decades. But the word has spread and is why Aperol is one of the fastest-growing spirit brands internationally. From the Mediterranean to the Americas, Australia and Africa, the iconic orange drink is one of the most asked-for in cities, lodges and resorts.

The Italians call their pre-meal ritual drink an aperitivo, the one to have in order to wake up your appetite. Aperol spokesperson in South Africa Charlene Engels says: “The aperitivo ritual is very important to the Italians. It’s the time to take a break, when you can relax and relish life. Italians have taught the world that it’s a moment never to be rushed. In fact, the pleasure should be savoured and extended by enjoying your aperitivo with a few little antipasti, like olives, roasted nuts, cheese, slices of cured ham, sausage or salami, mini pizza slices or bruschetta.” To ensure the perfect Aperol Spritz, brand owner Campari Group has released into the local market, Cinzano Pro-Spritz, an aromatically fruity but dry Prosecco-style sparkling wine. The spumante’s fresh and lively mix of fruit, florals and fizz makes it the ideal partner to Aperol, Engel said.

Pour 50ml Cinzano Pro-Spritz into an ice-filled glass. Just add Aperol in an equal measure and top off with a splash of soda. “It’s a very easy recipe to remember: 50/50 splash and garnish with a slice of orange. Bravissimo! That’s all it takes to let its tongue-tickling taste unfurl in your mouth.”

G&T REMIXED What’s in a name? Well, when it’s one of South Africa’s oldest leading gin distillers – Stretton’s – and specialist tonic producer, Barker & Quin, quite a lot! In music when two artists work together they’d call it a collab ... so why not do the same since Stretton’s gin has collaborated with Barker & Quin to develop the perfect serve?

Making it more memorable is that Barker & Quin crafted a special limited edition tonic water to perfectly accompany Stretton’s Double Cut Gin. When combined, the G&T is perfectly balanced and tickles the nose with fresh citrus and juniper notes. Adding a quill of cinnamon and a sage leaf or two as garnishes creates the perfect drink with wonderfully subtle flavours.

While it takes a lot to beat a good, old fashioned G&T, you can break free and experiment a little. Stretton’s is all about doing gin your way. It’s makers suggest creating a splash with something extra special for that amazing, Instagrammable bachelorette by trying a Stretton’s Doubly Bubbly. Here’s the recipe:

Stretton’s Doubly Bubbly

50ml Stretton’s Double Cut Gin 50ml Grapefruit juice 25ml sugar syrup Sparkling wine Mix the first three ingredients in a glass of your choice before topping it with sparkling wine and garnishing the drink with sage leaves.

PURPLE PATCH

A winter celebration of fine food and wine is a great way to start a weekend getaway – especially when it’s right in the middle of the chilly season.

Once again the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West is the venue for the Taste the Helderberg festival which this year takes place on Friday, June 8. For the occasion, organisers have chosen a theme colour that denotes Helderberg quality: the colour purple; favoured through the centuries by royalty.

This will be the first time the event is held on a Friday and gives wine-lovers the opportunity for an idyllic weekend breakaway to the countryside. Organisers hope that participants will sample the latest wine releases and some of the region’s best on the Friday and then venture out to the farms on Saturday and Sunday to experience them first-hand.

An exciting addition to the event is a chocolate buffet installation. The chocolate buffet brings a new dimension to the traditional culinary offering of pop-up food stands, with the course prepared live, during the run of the evening. Guaranteed to be another super crowd-pleaser, this unconventional food theatre production will be the exclamation mark on what promises to be a culinary experience of royal proportions.

Taste the Helderberg is a Winelands highlight for the great line-up of wines, many of which have achieved iconic status, as well as the chance to meet many of the winemakers, viticulturists and owners in person. Tickets are R150 a head and booked online at www.wineroute.co.za. If any tickets remain, they’ll be sold at the door. For more information on Taste the Helderberg 2018 visit www.wineroute.co.za or call 021 886 8275.

The winning blend is then made up by Blaauwklippen and sold under the Barouche label in a special magnum 1,5-litre bottling.

GENTLE AS A DEW DROP Mid-March saw the annual celebration of St Patrick’s Day marked with the consumption of green beer in places but most certainly a glass or two of Irish whiskey.

There’s no reason that there should be any cessation in the celebration of all things Irish – especially when it comes to whiskey, the makers of Tullamore DEW believe. This beautifully smooth, triple distilled whiskey is the second largest Irish whiskey in the world in the fastest growing category. Setting it apart from other products, some of which are also triple distilled, is the fact that it’s also a unique blend of all three types of Irish whiskeys: pot still, malt and grain whiskeys. Consequently, Tullamore DEW is smoother with an added gentle complexity. Tullamore DEW was the first and remains one of the few international Irish whiskey to pioneer this blend of three whiskeys.

Created in 1829, the brand’s strong heritage started in Tullamore, a town in the heart of Ireland, and was fostered by the vision of an early founder Daniel E. Williams, whose initials live on the bottle to this day. True to its heritage, a new distillery is now being built in the town of Tullamore to bring Tullamore DEW back to its roots. PICK & MIX The Blaauwklippen blending competition has been going strong for 35 years – and is one of the most eagerly anticipated events for wine clubs, tasting groups and enthusiastic amateurs/ wannabe winemakers in South Africa. Stellenbosch wine farm Blaauwklippen send out tasting packs of wine to the entrants – and it is then entirely up to the blending teams to decide the components and proportions of the final wine.

Once their blends have been finalised, they are blind tasted by an expert panel – and the best four teams are invited to the Stellenbosch wine farm for the awards event.

What makes this such a keenly contested event is that the winning blend is then made up by Blaauwklippen and sold under the Barouche label in a special magnum 1,5-litre bottling. This year, the challenge is to blend and create a “playful but chic blend to enjoy anytime with friends and family” but with enough backbone to be savoured at a special occasion. The tasting pack for 2018 comprises a 750ml bottle each of Malbec, Merlot, Shiraz and Petit Verdot – all from the 2017 vintage – as well as a plastic measuring cylinder for precise measuring of proportions. The entry must contain all four wines although each blend entered will differ in its makeup. Cost per club for an entry is R300 (includes a hamper, excludes transport.) Should an extra hamper be necessary an additional R250 is added to the cost. The deadline for sample submissions is 30 June. Anyone interested in entering should contact Blaauwklippen at 021 880 0133 or visit the website at www.blaauwklippen.com.

TULLAMORE DEW COCKTAIL

35ml Tullmore DEW Irish Whiskey Sweet vermouth 3 dashes Angostura bitters Cherries and lemon twist Garnish Rocks Glass Pour 35ml Tullamore DEW into a glass. Add a dash of sweet vermouth and three dashes bitters. Pour with pride and defiance to taste. Garnish with cherries and lemon twist. Serve with a glass held high and the truest friends you can muster.