Cheers Vol. 39 Nov / Dec 2018

cheers C O M P L I M E N TA R Y M A G A Z I N E N O V/ D E C 2 0 1 8 V O L 3 9

BECK’S BEER:

SOUTH AFRICA’S LINK TO A GERMAN BREW

DEM BONES, DEM BONES...

DAY OF THE DEAD

COCKTAIL LEGEND: FACT & FICTION

BOTTLES & BRANDS

CREATIVE WINE LABELS

A COPY OF ZOLA NENE’S BOOK, SIMPLY ZOLA

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

W

ith

Ca p

Ea

sy

Op

en

Not for Persons Under the Age of 18.

contents N OV/ DEC 2 0 1 8 VO L39

14

20

28 32 PRETTY 14 MACABRE

4

6

EDITOR’S LETTER

Looking back, over my shoulder...

NEWS SCOOP

Johnnie Walker White – a Game of Thrones tribute, the country’s Top Ten Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc wines and a few gift ideas for the festive season.

24

46

TRADITION OR FIESTA OF FOND REMEMBRANCE?

Diá de Muertos spreads worldwide

BUT FUNCTIONAL

The labels (and art) on wine bottles 36 PERFECT SERVE Champagne cocktails

20 MIXING IT UP Taking a look at classic cocktails

38 HOT BITES Chorizo, mussels & red wine; or rum and whiskey mixed drinks?

24 DO IT YOURSELF A few simple ingredients are needed

42 SIMPLY ZOLA A book giveaway of Zola Nene’s latest recipes

27 COMPETITION Win a Wixworth hamper

46 HUIS KOK Emile Joubert kook nie...

28 FROM BREMEN,

48 FESTIVE TREATS Delicious, unfussy & easy to make

WITH LOVE

A German beer’s South African link

NOV/DEC 2018

01

C O N T E N T S | N OV / D E C 2 0 1 8

Win one of six Wixworth gin hampers, and spend the summer mixing fantastic cocktails for family and friends.

SEE P42 TO WIN THIS RECIPE BOOK

52 HOT NEWS Great seasonal markets, pop ups and wine shows to diarise 54 SOCIAL MEDIA Apps-o-lutely marvellous downloads 56 THINGAMAJIGS Stuff that’s fun

56

68

27 57 GOOD LIVING Great goodies at SPAR 58 WORLD CLASS CONTENDER

Local mixologist looks to fynbos for drinkspiration 62 BOOKS, MOVIES & MUSIC

The latest sounds, sights and reads 64 ISLAND ANGLING Bazaruto’s blue waters beckon 68 BREAKING BARRIERS

Rehabilitation and responsibility 71 NEXT ISSUE The celebrity drinks trend 72 LOOPDOP Hatching a plan in Harrismith 02 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

64 Rememb er you can access Cheers magazine

on your mobile , tablet or laptop -

www.ch eersma g.co.za

HAIG CLUB™ IS A NEW SINGLE GRAIN SCOTCH WHISKY PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DAVID BECKHAM. THOSE NEW TO WHISKY AND ENTHUSIASTS ALIKE ARE DISCOVERING OUR UNIQUE TAKE ON SCOTCH; IT’S NOT ONLY DELICIOUS SERVED NEAT OR SIPPED OVER ICE – IT WORKS PERFECTLY AT THE HEART OF A COCKTAIL. THIS SCOTCH PAIRS BEST WITH TONIC WATER, BUT A WIDE VARIETY OF MIXERS ALSO COMPLEMENT ITS ULTRA-SMOOTH CHARACTER AND TOFFEE AND BUTTERSCOTCH NOTES.

MAKE YOUR OWN RULES

Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

E D I TO R ’ S L E T T E R |

cheers team

RETROSPECTIVE REFLECTION Another year has just screeched by and 2019 looms large on the horizon. It’s impossible not to look back and reflect on what happened... even if I am still scratching my head wondering where the time went!

Not that it hasn’t had its highlights. Probably the biggest one for me being a wine geek or nerd was the fantastic showcase of wine that South Africa put on for the world’s media, buyers and agents at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in September. Called Cape Wine this event is only held every three years and it’s where pretty much all of the country’s wineries or producers get to “haal uit en wys”.

Social media just exploded with Swedish sommeliers, Germans, Americans and hordes of British wine writers and buyers all gushing about how fantastically beautiful the South African winelands are, how amazing/fantastic/superb the wines were and what an awesome/ unbelievable/fantastic time they were all having. It was hard not to be feel your heart skip a beat or two and puff the old chest out with pride. We’d all like to think that we’d be super cool in the face of all this positive reinforcement but it was hard not to gloat a little and say: “Well, what do you think we’ve been telling you for the past xxx years?!”

Finally, the world gets it! South African wines are something special and we can confidently stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any top example and not feel as though we’re the poor relative. In fact, there was an announcement at Cape Wine that reverberated literally around the world! British Master of Wine and highly regarded wine judge and critic Tim Atkin gave the first ever 100-point score to a South African wine – the 2015 vintage of Kanonkop’s Paul Sauer. Truly fantastic news which made headlines – and caused a flurry of activity with people almost falling over each other to taste or buy it. It’s now sold out...

A trend which is impossible to overlook is the growth of local gin. Again, South Africa is blessed with an abundance of fynbos and botanicals to make something quite unique. Pink gin, blue gin, gin with buchu or rose geranium, gin with local olives... it’s a gift that keeps on giving!

So, as the long, hazy and lazy hot days of the summer holidays draw near, it’s comforting to know that we can all enjoy world-class local wines and some fabulous gins to slake our thirsts.

All the best for 2019, folks.

Cheers

Fiona

FIONA MCDONALD CHEERS EDITOR

cheersmag.co.za

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

CheersMag

@CheersMag

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

Publisher Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Editor Fiona McDonald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director Annalie Boshoff annalie@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions Dee Griffin dee@integratedmedia.co.za Photography Thinkstock.com Contributors Clifford Roberts, Emile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Teresa Ulyate, Leah van Deventer, David Bowman, Craig Thomassen, Jan Laubscher 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 12th December 2018. 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.

Enjoy Responsibly. Not For Sale To Persons Under The Age Of 18.

WINTER IS COMING

THE SCOOP

Now that winter has hit the northern hemisphere Johnnie Walker has released a limited edition White Walker whisky.

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

Game of Thrones junkies – and there are millions of them worldwide – will know precisely what that phrase means.

Scottish whisky brand, Johnnie Walker teased them earlier this year on social media, releasing a trailer of Game of Thrones’ White Walker dressed up in the famous striding man kit!

The good news is that it wasn’t an empty threat.

Now that winter has hit the northern hemisphere Johnnie Walker has released a limited edition White Walker whisky.

It seems somewhat silly to note that this is a whisky best served from the freezer since the smash hit television series’ White Walkers were an undead army from the Frozen North. And apparently when removed from the freezer, there’s a bonus graphic element that is revealed.

The whisky itself, developed by blender George Harper and the Johnnie Walker team, comprises single malts from Clynelish and Cardhu.

According to early reports,

Hartebeespoort’s Vélo et Vin winners.

the whisky has notes of caramelised sugar and vanilla, touches of orchard fruit and fresh red berries.

And since design is part of the brand’s ethos, the White Walker bottle takes on an icy white and blue design. Even the Striding Man has changed his costume, donning armour instead!

But apparently this is the first of a larger roll-out planned jointly by Diageo and HBO, the production company behind the successful Game of Thrones franchise. Next year there will be eight whiskies released – the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection. Each will be paired with one of the Houses of Westeros and the Night’s Watch.

Roll on winter!

BEGINNER’S LUCK

South Africa’s only wine blending competition has been going for 35 years – and in 2018 it was won by rank outsiders, a team which had beginner’s luck on their side!

The Blaauwklippen blending competition tasks wine tasting groups, clubs and societies to take some of their wines, taste them and finally arrange them in a blend which is then sold in specially bottled magnums at the Stellenbosch wine farm’s cellar door.

Hartbeespoort Vélo et Vin, a first time entry, took the trophy with their playful but chic red blend of Shiraz, Malbec, Petit Verdot & Merlot.

Kicking dust in the eyes of 74 other wine clubs, the Hartbeespoort Vélo et Vin created a wine which the tasting panel said showed exceptional structure and ageing potential; securing not only the title of winning wine club, but also the Newcomer of the Year title.

Four teams were in the final running and the competition was fierce. Other than the Hartbeespoort team, there were Business Time and Digital Blenders (both from the Western Cape) and the Lydenburg Wynproewersgilde of Mpumalanga.

“We challenged the clubs to create a playful but chic blend to enjoy anytime with friends and family but with enough backbone to be savoured at a special occasion from Shiraz 2017, Malbec 2017, Petit Verdot 2017 and Merlot 2017” Narina Cloete, Blaauwklippen winemaker said.

The winning blend comprised 46% Shiraz, 23% Malbec, 17% Petit Verdot and 14% Merlot.

THE PERFECT GIFT THIS FESTIVE SEASON AVAILABLE AT

TOP OF THE POPS South Africans like Top 10s: it gives everyone a share of the limelight rather than having just one winner...

Recently the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge winners and the First National Bank Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 were announced.

Chenin Blanc has come a long way from the days when it was used for dry wine, sweet wine, bubbly and even for brandy! It was a workhorse grape, not given much love until 20 or so years ago when a handful of producers decided to take it seriously and try to make wines which could rival the country’s best Chardonnays.

The fact that international commentators and critics believe that Chenin Blanc is one of South Africa’s strongest categories on the world stage has vindicated their belief.

This year there were 159 entries, 113 wooded and 46 unwooded, and of the Top 10, five had featured before while the other five were first time winners.

The Chenin Blanc Top 10 winners were: Cederberg Five Generations 2016, Jean Daneel Signature 2016 (debut), DeMorgenzon Reserve 2017, Leopard’s Leap Culinaria 2016, Mulderbosch Steen op Hout 2017 (debut), Slanghoek Legends Barrel Fermented 2016 (debut), Spier 21 Gables 2017, Stellenrust 08 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

‘53’ Barrel Fermented 2017, Wellington Wines La Cave 2016 (debut) and Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve 2017, another debutante.

Sauvignon Blanc remains a popular category in South Africa but styles have changed noticeably over the past five years.

Gone are those grassy, green pepper and vegetal wines and in their place are riper, more fruity and tropical styled examples.

The FNB Top 10 Sauvignon Blancs were selected from 176 entries with a panel assessing them over three days to derive their best wines.

The first wine announced as a Top tenner was Bellingham Homestead 2018. The other nine wines were: D’Aria The Songbird 2017, De Grendel Koetshuis 2017 (wooded), Diemersdal Winter Ferment 2018, Flagstone Free Run 2017, Fryer’s Cove Doringbay 2017, Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2017, Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2018, Nitida Wild Child 2017 (wooded) and Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin 2018.

Kleine Zalze’s Vineyard Reserve 2017 was initially in the Top 10 – but all stocks of the wine were destroyed in a warehouse fire! The wine which was in 11th spot was thus promoted to the winner’s circle... and in a weird twist of fate, it was the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection!

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Look out for the distinctive packaging on the limited edition gift packs of Scottish Leader.

The popular Scottish whisky has collaborated with I See A Different You creative duo, Innocent Mukheli and Vuyo Mpantsha – and have featured their work on eye-catching Scottish Leader billboards in a number of South African cities.

The idea is to show the Afro-optimistic new perspective, to see the beauty in the everyday which exists if people’s minds are open to it. The thinking behind it is that new perspectives lead to richer possibilities, and that only those who can look at the world differently have the power to change it.

The packs showcase Mukheli and Mpantsha posing in real township settings such as Soweto, one of the country’s most vibrant urban areas.

I See A Different You is a creative collective from Soweto.

Their ‘movement’ was born from a pure love for the very place they are from. They wanted to show a different Soweto – their Soweto – to the world, simultaneously retelling and reframing the township story in an optimistic and creative light to alter negative, contrived and outdated perceptions. The I See A Different You philosophy aptly mirrors the Scottish Leader ethos of viewing things from a new perspective to discover richer possibilities.

UNWRAP AND ENJOY The festive season is weeks away – and there’s nothing nicer than receiving a gift you really like... Something liquid and spirited perhaps? Or maybe you’re the person who needs to send gifts – to corporate clients, customers and business colleagues, to thank them for their support.

There are a host of specially packed options available on the shelves of your nearest TOPS at SPAR. Nothing cuts through the hot, hazy days of summer like an Aperol Spritz, the neon orange drink which is taking the world by storm. Gift packs of Aperol Spritz and its essential compatriot – sparkling Italian fizz, Prosecco – only need to be opened up, poured over ice and topped off with either soda or sparkling water. Cheers!

Absolut vodka has kept it simple, offering two glasses in its gift pack, which is also what Ballantine’s Scotch whisky and Jameson’s Irish Whiskey have done.

Blended whisky Chivas Regal 12 Year Old has an exclusive offer for TOPS at SPAR, pairing its popular spirit with two hi-ball glasses while the 18 Year Old is sold with two tumblers.

For fans of island style drinks, Malibu are offering a unique carry pack of the coconut-flavoured spirit – complete with a faux coconut cup!

Of course, Champagne is part of the seasonal festivities and when it comes to French bubbly, Mumm have a special branded briefcase on sale, stocked with its slightly sweet demi-sec and two flutes.

If you don’t want the accoutrements, you can stick with the specially packaged single bottle. A victory, either way!

And then there’s the whisky which makes American hearts flutter, The Glenlivet in 12 and 15 Year Old and Founders Reserve packs, all of which come with a matching pair of tumblers, all beautifully packaged.

WINNING WINELISTS Kwa-Zulu-Natal, Gauteng, Western Cape and Southern and Eastern Cape dining establishments – be they top end restaurants or comfortable neighbourhood bistros or steakhouses are celebrating their results in the 2018 Diners Club Winelist Awards.

For the past two decades establishments with good wine selections which encourage the celebration of food and wine have been recognised

by Diners Club. The annual awards are an attempt by Diners Club to improve the standards of wine selection offered by restaurants.

Convenor of the panel of judges, JP Rossouw announced an innovation for the 2018 awards. In addition to the usual Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards, a new category was introduced: the ICON Award. To qualify for ICON status, restaurants should not only meet the Diamond List requirements but should carry an extensive international selection too. “Excellent wines in multiple categories, as well as an impressive reserve or vintage selection, along with a deep interest in wine curation and a sommelier on the floor,” Rossouw said. “These are lists of true international stature and represent the peak of wine presentation.”

Two restaurants – both in Gauteng – qualified for the inaugural granting of this status: Restaurant Mosaic of Pretoria and The Saxon Hotel & Spa of Johannesburg.

Awards for Best Diamond List went to Epicure Restaurant (Johannesburg, Gauteng), Best Gold to Rissington Inn (Hazyview, Mpumalanga) and Best Platinum to new-comer, Mink & Trout (Cape Town, Western Cape).

In total two ICON awards were conferred, along with 41 Diamond, 157 Platinum, 43 Gold and one Silver awards nationwide.

NOV/DEC 2018

09

The advancement of quality on the whole has raised the bar across all styles.

SPARKLING SUCCESS FOR BUBBLES Domaine des Dieux, the boutique wine producer from Hermanus’s Hemel-en-Aarde valley was crowned the best bubbly at the annual Amorim Cap Classique Challenge for 2018. The Domaine des Dieux Claudia Brut MCC 2012, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, won the category for Best Brut as well as Best Producer having achieved the highest score of all the 127 wines entered.

Cape Wine Master and head of the judging panel Heidi Duminy said the standard of wines continued to increase. “Every year there is a tangible step up in quality and intent, especially amongst the frontrunners. The advancement of quality on the whole has raised the bar across all styles, with time on lees clearly key to distinguishing the good from the exceptional.”

Cap Classique pioneer Simonsig Estate, Stellenbosch, which in 2018 celebrates its 50th year as an independent producer, dominated the Rosé Category with the Woolworths Pinot Noir Rosé 2016 (no added sulphur).

In the category for Best Blanc de Blancs, Franschhoek fizz whizz Colmant Brut

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

Chardonnay (non-vintage) – no newcomer to this department – took top honours. And in the Museum Class for wines eight years and older, Cap Classique stalwart House of JC le Roux came out tops with its classic Pongracz Desiderius 2009 proving that the sparkles don’t fade as the years pile up.

Joaquim Sá, MD of Amorim South Africa said the country’s wine industry can justifiably feel proud of its Cap Classique category.

“As a cork producer, Amorim believes that a natural cork adds value to a bottle of wine by endorsing the product with a closure that represents tradition and quality. This is what Cap Classique does for the South African wine industry: it adds value and at a time when there is great pressure on producers to do just that,” said Sá.

Additional gold medal winners were: KWV Laborie MCC Blanc de Blancs 2011, Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2013, Pierre Simond Wines Anna Carin MCC Blanc de Blancs 2015, Villiera Monro Brut 2011 and Lourensford MCC 2012.

NUY’S CRAFTY GIN Nuy is a name most frequently associated with sweet wines – muscadel in particular. It’s a category of wine in which the winery located between Worcester and Robertson has excelled over the past few decades.

But as cellarmaster Christo Pienaar said recently, it’s important to adapt and change and expand the horizons for consumers.

Nuy has just introduced two craft gins to their product range – Nuy Mastery Craft Gin and the limited edition Nuy Legacy Craft Gin. In keeping with the craft culture, and their reputation for concentrating on quality, these handcrafted gins are created in small batches at a time of 2 500 bottles of the Nuy Mastery Craft Gin and only 1 000 bottles of the limited edition Nuy Legacy Craft Gin. A sugar cane base spirit is used as the blank canvas onto which the recipes are imparted through a combination of maceration and distillation.

All botanicals used in the recipes are whole fruit and herbs with no artificial flavouring. The oils from the botanicals added during the distillation process gives the gin a clear blue hue which can be seen once water or tonic is added.

The Mastery gin has tangy, fruity flavours with top notes of granadilla and mango with a hint of citrus while it’s limited release counterpart is a complex spicy spirit with top notes of ginseng and cassia (similar to cinnamon) with a hint of citrus and undertones of aniseed.

PRETTY IN PINK Cabernet Sauvignon is know to be the king of red wines with its deep, rich, mellow flavour. But Stellenbosch winery Mulderbosch Vineyards has taken some of its Cabernet Sauvignon and produced a delicate but deliciously tasty rosé.

2018 marks the 19th release of this eminently gluggable summertime wine. But its easy approachability and drinkability should not detract from its quality. The 2018 vintage of Mulderbosch’s rosé has been awarded a double gold medal at the annual Rosé Rocks competition in 2018. Furthermore, this is the number one selling rosé in Sweden and is also one the top 10 imported rosé wines in the United States. No mean feat considering the American market’s buying power, particularly of French rosé!

With October having been Breast Cancer Awareness month in South Africa, Mulderbosch proudly contributed a portion of the sale of each bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé sold in South Africa to the Breast Health Foundation in South Africa. The goal of the Breast Health Foundation, a non-profit organization, is to create awareness and empower women.

In synch with global trend, Mulderbosch’s Rosé 2018 is a paler, more alluring shade through slightly less skin contact – not the deeper, more strawberry pink that it traditionally used to be. It’s delicious, fresh and fruity with a lovely mouthfeel. Simply enjoy it on its own or pair with tuna sashimi or sushi.

BOURBON BRAWL

It’s going to get nasty! Not quite “chairs-and-tables-flyingaround-the-room” nasty... but it’ll be a grand, old barroom brawl like no-one’s ever seen!

At stake are bragging rights to being the country’s best Old Fashioned cocktail maker – and it’s all because of the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Trail bar competition which has taken place in October.

Bars around the country were tasked with building an Old Fashioned, using the classic Woodford Reserve, sugar, bitters and a garnish – with a panel of three judges tasting the results.

Brand Ambassador Marson Strydom said the standard in the run-off rounds was high and they had seen some really innovative offerings from the 20 establishments which entered.

“One of the most creative I’ve seen was called The Clay Age Old Fashioned at Mootee Bar in Johannesburg. It was left for one month in a clay vessel.

There are some other crazy ideas – such as The Maple & Bacon Old Fashioned cocktail at Burger & Lobster in Cape Town.”

The Woodford Reserve brand ambassador sang the

praises of this handcrafted Bourbon: “Woodford Reserve is one of oldest distilleries in America. It’s one of the only Bourbons to be triple distilled, and also uses copper pot distillation, which gives flavour and character because the copper reacts with the alcohol vapours,” he said.

This all happens on November 27 with Cape Town and Johannesburg’s finest competing for the trophy.

If you want to stay abreast of the results, keep an eye on Twitter for the #WoodfordBourbonTrail2018.

SHINE ON, MARGARITA! Party-in-a-bottle... that’s how the new Margarita Moonshine from South Africa’s Silver Creek Craft Distillery has been described!

And it’s no slouch in the awards stakes either, having been crowned with a gold medal at the 2018 SA Women’s Wine & Spirits awards.

Margarita Moonshine is the latest innovation in Silver Creek’s Southern Moonshine range of unaged, small-batch American-style moonshines and follows the launch earlier this year of Silver Creek’s popular Prohibition Craft Gins.

Coincidentally, the Prohibition Pink Gin was picked as a gold favourite at this year’s SAWWA too.

The latest Moonshine is delivered up in a shine jug, complete with nifty finger loop for ‘over the shoulder’ swigging (if that’s your thing...).

“In making the Margarita Moonshine, we wanted to create something laid-back and fun-loving,” said Silver Creek’s founder and chief distiller Mark Taverner. “The

classic Margarita, said to have first originated in a 1930s bar in Tijuana, was the inspiration.”

Taverner said drinking Margarita Moonshine wil “make you feel right there – on an endless beach in Cancún or partying in one of the city’s most vibey nightclubs”.

Margarita Moonshine can be served the typical way, with crushed ice in a salt-rimmed glass and lime-wheel garnish (with a splash of quality soda for added zest); or, as a straight shooter.

A mouth-watering limegreen in colour, it’s a drink with fresh lime zing. Plus, at 24% alcohol by volume, this will be almost anybody’s solution for a good time since its lower than either brandy, vodka or whisky.

The other flavour variants in the Shine range include Clear Shine, a smooth spirit, Charred Shine and then the flavoured examples: Apple Pie Moonshine, Bon Fire Moonshine, Salted Caramel Moonshine and Chocolate Moonshine.

NOV/DEC 2018

11

SPIRITS |

S O T R DÍA DE MUE

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

C U LT U R A L F E S T I V I T I E S

|

SPIRITS

HONOURING TRADITION OR MACABRE FIESTA?

THERE’S SOMETHING SLIGHTLY BIZARRE ABOUT CELEBRATING THE DEAD ... IT’S NOT SOMETHING WHICH REALLY FITS INTO LOCAL CULTURE. YET HONOURING THE DEAD TAKES ON MANY FORMS, FROM MEXICO’S NATIONAL HOLIDAY, DÍA DE MUERTOS, TO GAELIC AND ASIAN CULTURES TOO. FIONA MCDONALD REPORTS.

LEFT: The Day of the Dead, far om being morbid, is about celebrating the life and times of departed iends and family, remembering them with love.

RIGHT: Flowers, costumes and make up form part of this joyous celebration – the more flamboyant, the better!

“T

rick or treat!” Little kiddies dressed up in costume, carrying little buckets and accompanied by parents as they walk around neighbourhoods collecting candy is no longer just an American thing.

Because of globalisation and the spread of popular culture, Halloween has become universal and retailers have been quick to cash in on the

opportunity to sell plastic orange pumpkins, masks and costumes, and bite-sized chocolates and sweets!

Current estimates for the United States alone have the spending on Halloween at six billion dollars annually. Halloween apparently has its roots in a centuries old festival which signalled the start of winter for Celtic societies in Ireland and Scotland, the festival of Samhain.

Legend had it that otherworldly spirits visited the night before Samhain, destroying vegetation with their icy breaths and bringing the onset of winter. To appease the

spirits, people would leave food on their doorsteps and would also don masks as they left their homes so they couldn’t be identified. This was the precursor to what became All Saint’s Day – or All Hallows ... and the night before it was known as Hallows Eve. And eventually Halloween – traditionally marked on October 31.

Death is something that comes to all; sometimes suddenly or tragically – but inevitably. But why is it taboo? People are uncomfortable around death, talking about death and certainly about visiting graves of long-deceased loved ones.

NOV/DEC 2018

15

SPIRITS |

C U LT U R A L F E S T I V I T I E S

Els ewh ere in th e wo rl d

LEFT: Miniature altars hold candles, marigolds and departed loved ones favourite foods in memory of them.

RIGHT: There’s no mistaking the Mexican and Aztec cultural influences in the Day of the Dead, now recognised as a culturally significant event by Unesco.

Mexico has become synonymous with the Day of the Dead – or Día de Muertos. But they are not alone in celebrating death, remembering friends and family with food, drink, poems, songs and celebrations in the nationwide public holiday on November 1 and 2.

Anyone who saw the opening sequence of the 2015 James Bond movie, Spectre, will have been exposed to the scale of the Mexican celebration as it formed the backdrop to Daniel Craig’s spy chase. Here’s an interesting fact: that scene – which took place in Mexico City – was filmed purely for the movie! Mexico City never used 16 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

to host such a parade ... but due to the public interest, the city does now! And in its first staging in 2016, 250 000 people attended!

Wikipedia reports that prior to Spanish colonisation in the 16th century, Día de Muertos was celebrated in Summer but that was changed to synchronise with the Spanish conquistadores celebrations of All Souls and All Saints day in November.

In private homes throughout Mexico, little altars – known as ofrendas – are decorated with bright orange and yellow marigolds since the strong aroma is believed to provide a scent trail for the spirits

of departed family to come home.

The idea is not to worship at these little altars but to make them small shrines to the deceased.

There is invariably a candle lit, some pictures or photos of the deceased along with their favourite foods and drinks, all of which is placed on these ofrendas to entice their spirits to visit and enjoy the gifts. Poems called calaveras are written and also placed alongside the flowers and food offerings.

Academics have noted that this Día de Muertos has been observed by ancient civilisations in Mexico as far back as 3000 years, possibly linked to an Aztec festival for the goddess Mictecacihuatl. The point of the day is not to terrify children or scare people with spooks and spirits but to honour and remember the dead with affection and love, even joy.

November 1 and 2 are the days set aside for these

SAMHAIN, believed to date back to the 16th century, marked the end of the harvest and the onset of the dark days of winter.

Ireland, Scotland and even parts of Spain – notably Galicia – celebrated this festival from October 31 to November 2, dressing up as a pagan god or fairy and going from door to door, receiving offerings on behalf of the dead. The belief was that on these dates the doors of the otherworld opened, allowing the souls of the dead to come into the world. Bonfires were also lit to simulate the fiery warmth of the sun and to promote growth in the new season. Many of these traditions – bonfires and trick or treating – are still observed.

ZHONGYUAN FESTIVAL: China gives over a whole month for the spirits of the deceased to visit during ‘ghost month’.

Within the month, on the day of the full moon, there is the ‘hungry ghost festival’ when ghosts are free to roam the earth in search of food and entertainment. Buddhist and Taoist ceremonies are held to help the spirits return to the otherworld safe and happy. People write messages on pieces of paper, light incense sticks and then burn the messages so that the smoke can reach the spirits. While people use

|

SPIRITS

NOV/DEC 2018

17

SPIRITS |

C U LT U R A L F E S T I V I T I E S

pumpkins as Jack-o-lanterns in Halloween, during this festival for the dead, lotus water lanterns are used, set adrift on water to guide the ghosts and spirits back to the otherworld. And it’s not just China, but Taiwan, Singapore and other Asian nations which celebrate it.

In Japan it’s known as the Bon Festival.

remembrances in Mexico every year – and since the late 20th century, the days are separated into observing and honouring dead infants and children on November 1 – or Día de los Inocentes or Día de los Angelitos, the Day of the Innocents or Day of the Little Angels. November 2 is for grown ups – and that is the Día de Muertos or Día de los Difuntos, the Day of the Dead.

Besides the altars of ofrendas in homes, families visit cemeteries, taking favourite food and drinks, as well as marigolds and flowers to the graves of their loved ones. The idea is to clean up and care for the grave, showing respect by doing so – as well as to encourage visits by the souls to hear the news from the living and to be recalled and remembered fondly, even humorously with stories, songs, poems and tales of the departed.

Little tokens of food and especially drink in the form of Tequila, mezcal and pulque are left on the sprucedup graves.

UNESCO has even added Día de Muertos to its ‘Representative List 18 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity,’ something it did in 2008. The most obvious symbol or representation of the Day of the Dead which moviegoers will recall from the typically spectacular opening sequence in Spectre, is the grinning skull. In Spanish a skull is calavera, and anyone celebrating the festivity generally dons a skull mask, known colloquially as a calacas or skeletons. Skulls are the main symbology – in food with little iced biscuits, breads and sweets decorated with the grinning heads, in costumes with skeletal figures often striding out in parades on tall stilts, and in the masks people wear.

The whole point of the Day of the Dead is not to be ghoulish and dark but rather to celebrate life, loved ones and the role they played in the existence of those still alive. It’s a colourful and joyous celebration which is life-affirming and happy despite the profusion of skulls and skeletons. People party, dance and carouse in the streets until the early hours, celebrating lives long past.

ABOVE: Skulls, brightly painted and invariably decorated with vivd flowers, form the primary symbology of Dia de Muertos which is increasingly celebrated all over the world.

Cambodians celebrate PCHUM BEN, when the gate of the underworld open and souls walk among the living. Monks spend the entire night chanting prayers to appease the spirits. People dress in white, the traditional colour of mourning, visit temples and make offerings of food to symbolise their grieving for dead loved ones.

Both North and South Korea celebrate Chuseok – the largest national holiday – by visiting the graves of ancestors to show respect, clean and maintain the graves and remember their forebears. It’s a joyous celebration which coincides with the end of harvest and is marked by feasting and consumption of food.

In Nepal, the Hindus celebrate GAIJATRA, or festival of cows. They hold cows sacred and believe the beasts guide the spirits of departed loved ones to the other side. Cows – and children dressed in cow costumes – are paraded through towns to help those who have lost family members in the past year to accept the death. It’s apparently a light-hearted and joyous celebration of death to help ease the transition from life to death.

#CÎROCTHESUMMER At the very core of CÎROC Vodka lies fine French grapes, setting CÎROC apart from other vodkas that are often made with grain. CÎROC grapes undergo a process mastered by top fine wine producers under the strict direction of the Master Distiller producing a deliciously refreshing premium taste.

Introducing the sumptuous new flavour from the CÎROC summer collection: CÎROC Red Berry.

Infused with raspberry, strawberry, and other natural flavourings for a refreshingly delicious and smooth taste experience, the grape character of CÎROC vodka mixes beautifully with the fresh fruit flavours to create CÎROC Red Berry.

CÎROC Red Berry, the perfect vodka for luxurious moments.

CÎROC BERRY FIZZ 44 ml CÎROC Red Berry 60 ml Cranberry Juice Splash of Champagne 1 squeeze of Lime

FOR A REFRESHING S U M M E R C O C K TA I L : Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice.

Shake well and strain into a chilled flute glass.

Add a splash of champagne.

Garnish with an orange twist.

Voilà!

Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

SPIRITS |

T H E C O C K TA I L

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

T H E C O C K TA I L

THE

Cocktail’s BITTERSWEET HISTORY

FLAVOUR, LIKE BEAUTY, LIES IN THE EYE OR TASTE OF THE BEHOLDER. JAN LAUBSCHER, WHOSE BUSINESS CARD IDENTIFIES HIM AS CHIEF BOTTLE OPENER AT DRINKSFEED. COM, DELVES INTO THE MISTS OF TIME TO DECIPHER THE ORIGINS OF THE COCKTAIL.

T

o puzzle together the history of the cocktail, which can be as blurry as recalling a boozy night out, one first needs to know the history of one of its main ingredients: sugar.

For centuries people have been mixing alcohol-charged juice bowls, but it wasn’t until the mid 18th centuries that the cocktail became all the rage. At the time a cocktail referred to a specific drink rather than a category of mixed drinks and would normally consist of bitters, alcohol and sugar, topped off with a dash of soda or water. Today we know this classic mixture as the Old Fashioned.

By 1798 The Morning Post and Gazetteer in London became the first known publication to use the word “cocktail” and reported on a hungover “lounger” who ordered the drink, citing it as “excellent for the head”.

To a large extent, this increased popularity of the cocktail can be attributed to the increased availability of sugar at the time.

Before Western Europeans first discovered the “sweet new spice” during the 11th-century crusades, sensory sweetness was mostly confined to the consumption of natural products like fruit and vegetables. If you were lucky you could snatch a forbidden apple and forever repent your sweet sins.

Naturally, most drinks before the cocktail were bitter in taste – a flavour people were accustomed to since early hominoids started

exploring the open savannas of Africa. These early adventurers used their sense of taste as a survival tool. Bitter indicated danger or poison, sweet indicated nutrientrich and safe-to-eat. To this day, we are still genetically programmed to like sweet stuff where an appreciation for something bitter only develops with experience and age.

As Western European trade expanded to the east during the 15th century, limited sugar imports started to trickle down to the wealthy, but with the introduction of sugar cane to the Caribbean in 1493, a more lucrative trade route was established.

Over the next 250 years, sucrose sugar became readily

OLD FASHIONED 45 ml Bourbon 2 dashes bitters 1 sugar cube Few dashes plain water Place the sugar cube in Old Fashioned glass and the bitters on top. Add a dash of plain water. Muddle until the sugar has dissolved.

Fill the glass with ice cubes and add the Bourbon whiskey. Garnish with an orange slice and a cocktail cherry.

|

SPIRITS

available in Europe and by 1750 the 120 refineries in Britain produced a modest but steady 30 000 tons of the stuff per annum. “White gold”, as it was referred to, was mostly used to parade affluence and opulence. The wealthy commissioned artists to create sculptures from it, while governments slobbered over the luxurious commodity and taxed it heavily. Dropping a cube of sugar in your drink then, was the equivalent of scooping a dollop of caviar on a cracker today.

Meanwhile, in the deep south of the United States sugar was more easily obtainable. Established sugar cane plantations in Virginia and Louisiana gave bartenders the opportunity to experiment with variations on the original cocktail.

A 32-year-old flamboyant bartender and entrepreneur from New York called Jerry Thomas took the time to pen down some of these delicious concoctions during his extensive travels and in 1862 published the first ever cocktail recipe book titled The Bar-Tender’s Guide. It consisted of a variety of mixed drink recipes, including 10 cocktail recipes that would ultimately become the blueprint for future cocktail manuals. One of them which is still popular today was the Tom Collins, made from gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water. The book also marked the beginning of what is today referred NOV/DEC 2018

21

SPIRITS |

T H E C O C K TA I L

to as “the golden age of cocktails” that lasted until the prohibition of alcohol in America in December 1920.

In the midst of this golden age, opulent American hotels quickly became the envy of business tycoons on the other side of the pond. One such man was impresario, Richard D’Oyly Carte, who in 1884 started construction on what would become Britain’s most luxurious hotel. Complete with air-conditioning, electric lights and a telephone in each of the 268 rooms, The Savoy Hotel opened its doors on Strand Street in London on August 6, 1889. Carte’s Yankee obsession extended to the hotel bar, which he modelled after an “American bar”, referring to a bar serving mixed or American-style drinks, also known as cocktails.

He ingeniously named it The American Bar. Under the expert management of Swiss hotelier César Ritz, the hotel and bar became the jive of the town, attracting the distinguished and wealthy. The American Bar went on to become one of the world’s most celebrated cocktail bars and also – ironically – the birthplace of a bunch of South African-centric cocktails.

In 1920, just a few years after World War I, The American Bar appointed its third head bartender, Englishman Harry Craddock, who stepped into the position when his successful career in the US was stifled by Prohibition. He would go on to mix drinks for royalties and celebrities at The American Bar for the next 13 years. In 1930 the hotel management asked him to compile a cocktail book as part of the Savoy’s first-ever marketing drive.

Although Craddock never earned a single penny from it, the Savoy Cocktail Book is today seen as one of the most important cocktail manuals of the 20th century. It preserved many old recipes as well as some of the 240 cocktails that Craddock claimed to have created during his lifetime.

The Biltong Dry, The Capetown, The Joburg, The Transvaal, The Jan Smuts and The Cape Cocktail, were just a few of the South African22 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

BARNEY BARNATO 45 ml Caperitif 45 ml Cognac or brandy 7.5 ml Grand Marnier 1 dash Angostura bitters Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange zest.

(Barney Barnato was a London-born mining magnate who made a fortune in South African diamonds, selling out to Cecil John Rhodes for £5.3 million in 1889.)

themed drinks published in the book, all based around a uniquely South African Vermouth-like spirit called Caperitif. One can easily imagine Winston Churchill downing a few Jan Smuts cocktails at one of his legendary supper club parties at The Savoy ...

Meanwhile, in South Africa, the state-owned distilleries producing this fynbos-infused beverage started cutting down on production as demand turned increasingly towards sweet sodas, beer and brandy. By 1960, Caperitif production completely ceased and just like that, these classic South African cocktails vanished

from the bar counters of the world.

Combining our sensory approval for anything sweet and a surge in cheap fructose sugar in the following decades, bitter ingredients like Caperitif looked doomed forever.

For more than 50 years these uniquely South African cocktails were relegated to the history books until sugar started falling out of favour with the health-conscious millennials of the last decade. Without sugar, consumers reconnect with the bitter flavours of artisan coffee, IPA beer and old-school cocktails. Bartenders around the world revisited these classic cocktail books for inspiration and soon Danish mixologist, Lars Erik Lyndgaard Schmidt, found many references to the “ghost ingredient” Caperitif.

After failing to obtain the elusive elixir, Schmidt decided to partner with pioneering Swartland winemaker, Adi Badenhorst, to recreate Caperitif. In 2015 the duo introduced the world to their Kaapse Dief Caperitif and with it opened a portal back to these classic South African cocktails.

Today the cocktail is more than a simple libation. As much as it holds stories of our past, it signifies a shift in the human race’s willingness to explore risky and adventurous flavours once again.

VERMOUTH Vermouth is an aromatized, fortified wine flavoured with various botanicals. The modern versions of the beverage were first produced in the mid to late 18th century in Turin, Italy.

The name “vermouth” is the French pronunciation of the German word Wermut for wormwood that has been used as an ingredient in the drink over its history.

Fortified wines containing wormwood as a principal ingredient existed in Germany around the 16th century.

Other spices used in vermouths include cinnamon, cloves, quinine, citrus zest, cardamom, marjoram, chamomile, coriander, juniper, hyssop and ginger. ( Wikipedia) (Wormwood is no longer one of the principal ingredients of Vermouth, having been reduced dramatically since the early 1900’s.)

SPIRITS |

C O C K TA I L S

IF LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, SO THE SAYING GOES, MAKE LEMONADE! AND WITH STRAWBERRIES IN SEASON WHY NOT COMBINE THEM WITH GIN FOR A FANTASTIC COCKTAIL? JAZZ UP THE ENJOYMENT OF SUMMER BY MIXING UP COCKTAILS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT’S A GREAT WAY OF

K C O C

ILS A T

TRYING NEW FLAVOURS AND LEARNING A FEW BARTENDING TECHNIQUES AT THE SAME TIME.

BEEFEATER WHITE LADY

Beefeater Dry Gin, Cointreau orange liqueur and lemon, created at the RAC Club in London, but popularised at the American Bar at the Savoy, the balanced combination of orange and lemon complement the citrus in the gin.

40ml Beefeater Dry Gin 20ml Cointreau 20ml fresh lemon juice White of one fresh egg Aquafaba (chickpea water) Lemon twist for garnish 1 Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, fill with cubed ice and shake hard until the correct dilution point and icy cold.

2 Fine strain to remove ice chips into a chilled stemmed cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon then discard the peel. (*Pasteurised egg white may be used if necessary.)

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

WOODFORD OLD FASHIONED

50ml Woodford Reserve 5ml maple syrup 3 dash bitters 1 Stir all ingredients over ice and garnish with orange zest.

C O C K TA I L S

|

SPIRITS

‘Darling, when things are wrong in life, you lift your chin, put on a ravishing smile and mix a little cocktail.’

– Anonymous

BEEFEATER NEGRONI

Beefeater Dry Gin infused with Campari and a sweet Vermouth. The classic Italian aperitif and favourite of Beefeater’s Master Distiller, Desmond Payne. The dry, herbal and bitter notes in this make it the perfect pre-dinner cocktail.

20ml Beefeater Dry – 1 part 20ml Campari – 1 part 20ml sweet Vermouth of preference – 1 part Orange peel for garnish 1 Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir together to chill and dilute to release flavours and aromas of the drink.

2 Strain into the glass tumbler with a single block of ice then garnish.

3 Or, simply pour the three ingredients into the glass over cubed or chipped ice and briefly stir together then garnish with the orange peel.

BEEFEATER SIGNATURE STRAWBERRY B & T

Beefeater Pink Gin Tonic water of your choice (or lemonade, if you prefer) Ice Sliced fresh strawberries.

1 Fill a bulbous, large wine glass with plenty of ice.

2 Measure a tot of Beefeater Pink Gin and pour it over the ice.

3 Add tonic to taste and garnish with freshly sliced strawberries.

NOV/DEC 2018

25

SPIRITS |

C O C K TA I L S

“Author Ernest Hemingway’s advice was to drink three to five cocktails – slowly.

No wonder one of them was called Death in the afternoon.”

BEEFEATER SAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

BEEFEATER PINK FLOAT Two balls of lemon sorbet (must not be creamy) 50ml Beefeater Pink 50ml fresh Ruby Grapefruit Juice 50ml Tonic water Ruby Grapefruit slice For garnish: Strawberry popping candy decorated rim and slice of ruby grapefruit

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

1 Decorate with strawberry popping candy on rim.

2 Place the lemon sorbet scoops in a glass. Pour on the gin and grapefruit juice, then top with tonic water.

3 Add a quarter slice of ruby grapefruit to the rim.

Beefeater Dry Gin, apple juice, lemon juice and sage. Classic! English flavours of apple and sage make this a great alternative to a Collins. It’s also a great pun. Two amazing reasons to make yourself one.

50ml Beefeater Dry 40ml pressed apple juice 5ml fresh lemon juice 5ml sugar syrup Small pinch of sea salt 2-3 sage leaves Top with soda water Sprig of sage for garnish 1 Add all ingredients, except for the soda, to a cocktail shaker and shake hard.

2 Add soda water to a tall glass over ice then fine strain the rest of the cocktail into the glass and top with more soda if required.

3 Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

WIN

1 OF 6 HAMPERS

S

ummer is here and what better way to enjoy it than with a Wixworth Gin and Tonic?

Cheers and Wixworth have partnered to bring you the ultimate summer gift; a Wixworth hamper that will ensure you are the supreme mixologist this Summer and can impress any guests or even just yourself with your new-found gin cocktail skills!

Wixworth is produced as a classic London Dry Gin and then infused with Renosterbos

to give it that special South African edge. Renosterbos has always been used in water to filter out its taste and give it a bright refreshing flavour which is why we decided to infuse it into our Wixworth recipe.

Our six botanicals that contribute to our delicate yet flavourful blend are coriander seeds, cassia bark, angelica root, orange peel, our unique renosterbos and of course, juniper berries.

Whether at the pool, in the

bush or on your favourite deck chair looking out at the sea, Wixworth is the perfect partner to any summer’s day. To ensure you have a plethora of recipes to choose from when enjoying your Wixworth Gin, we will

be giving away our hampers to 6 lucky readers!

Each hamper consists of a of a beautiful Bella Glass Decanter, two bottles of Wixworth, our botanicals and Secco Cocktail sachets.

To qualify, send the answer to the following question in an e-mail to cheers@cheersmag.co.za, clearly marked Cheers Wixworth 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. Entries close on 5 December 2018.

QUESTION: What unique indigenous botanical is Wixworth infused with?

Double your chance of winning! Go to www.facebook.com/CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.

See T&C’s on pg 04

THE CURIOUS TALE OF

RIGHT: Brewed according to German purity laws, the fabled Rheinheitsgebot, Beck’s is brewed om barley, hops and water.

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

BECK’S BEER

BECK’S

|

BEER

I LEFT: The key of Bremen is prominently displayed on the Beck’s label to this day – along with the medals won at the 1876 World Expo.

RIGHT: In South A ica, the international marketleader of alcohol- ee beers is known as Beck’s Blue – “full-bodied and re eshing.

nternational liquor brands are a dime a dozen these days.

The interesting thing about the German-born Beck’s beer however, is its extra special connection with South Africa.

In its first issue of 1972, Brewing Review announced in bold letters: Beck’s Beer to be brewed in South Africa. To boot, South Africa was reportedly the very first to be granted a license to brew Beck’s outside Germany.

The man behind the scheme was none other than tycoon-rugby supremo-politician Louis Luyt.

Following his success with Triomf fertiliser, Luyt set his sights on brewing and established LLB – Louis Luyt Breweries – in 1971. It was revolutionary for those years considering that if you weren’t making your own, beer almost exclusively came from the South African Breweries (SAB). Not even Mitchell’s, the granddaddy of SA craft beer was around back then.

Luyt’s business took off like a rocket, but he knew he’d need some heavyweight support in the David-vs-Goliath challenge. His next step was to approach Brauerei Beck & Co. in Bremen, Germany.

Their beer would be perfect for a lager-loving nation.

South Africa was reportedly the very first (country) to be granted a license to brew Beck’s outside Germany.

NOT ALL BEER STORIES ARE INTERESTING – BUT THE ONE ABOUT BECK’S IS, INVOLVING BREMEN, GERMANY, AND A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR LEGAL SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA, WRITES CLIFFORD ROBERTS.

“According to his autobiography, [Luyt] managed in a remarkably short space of time to acquire a 14 percent market share,” a 2010 article by Business Report points out. “However, the challenge was short-lived and by the end of 1974 Luyt had withdrawn, leaving Anton Rupert to reach an agreement with SAB, which essentially determined the shape of the country’s alcohol market for the next few decades.”

Fast forward three decades, through the twisty-turny world of global beer business and the Beck’s pilsner sold in South Africa is now brewed by SAB. Like the rest of us, Louis Luyt’s head would no doubt have been spinning. He died in 2013.

While the South African link is fascinating; the rest of the story of Beck’s certainly is too. In medieval times, the northern port city of Bremen was an important base for German merchants who controlled the region’s shipping and commerce for centuries. Beer was one of its largest exports and was at the root or heart of the city’s brewing tradition.

This was the backdrop when Becks was founded later, in 1873.

The company was largely family controlled until 2001 when, having reached a threshold requiring considerable next-level expansion, it was acquired by Interbrew. As it happened, SAB was amongst the bidders but lost out to the Belgian brewing company.

There were substantial changes.

Among them, the home-town delivery of Beck’s beer by horsedrawn cart ceased in 2005 – to the chagrin of tourists to Bremen and patriotic citizens alike.

Within the next few years however, both Beck’s and SAB would ride through various acquisitions, amalgamations and partnerships to find themselves under the same banner of the world’s biggest brewer: Anheuser-Busch Inbev.

Today, Beck’s is sold worldwide and made in several countries, although it retains its links to the legacy of German brewing expertise and international recognition.

It still uses green bottles; the label highlights brewing according to the Rheinheitsgebot or German Purity Law; the key on the label is often referred to as the key to Bremen and it also carries an image of the beer’s medals from 1874 as Best Beer of Kaiser Friedrich III and from the 1876 World Expo in Philadelphia.

The early US connection goes back even further, according to the Brooks Beer Bulletin by long-time American beer writer Jay Brooks.

The story goes that in 1854 Heinrich Beck, the son of a butcher, emigrated to the US and made a living in Indiana brewing beer. A decade later, he returned home, moving to Bremen where he later set up with Lüder Rutenberg and Thomas May the business that would become a global phenomenon.

NOV/DEC 2018

29

BEER |

BECK’S

Its many highlights include going into cans in 1953 on the back of US trends.

Beck’s Alcohol-Free was launched in 1993. “The fresh Pils taste comes out due to the innovative combination of a special mixing process and gentle vacuum distillation without alcohol,” according to the Beck’s website.

In South Africa, the international market-leader of alcohol-free beers is known as Beck’s Blue – “full-bodied and refreshing; malty with hints of green and resinous hop character”.

Back on the Beck’s timeline, the company embarked on several strategic partnerships to expand its international reach. Among them, its alliance with Namibia Breweries was described as Beck’s largest foreign investment at that time.

Another piece of interesting Beck’s history came in 2015 when a US court case showed just how important declaration of origin can be. US drinkers of Beck’s beer who thought the American-made brew they were buying was still a German import were given cash payments in a $20 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit over deceptive packaging.

People with proof that they bought Beck’s at retail outlets could get up to $50 per household.

Even a court-approved website – www.becksbeersettlement.com – was established as part of the process.

Some Beck’s drinkers had noticed their packaging made almost no mention the beer was made on American soil even though it had been brewed in Missouri since 2012.

The Chicago Tribune newspaper reported: “Instead, in big letters, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand emphasized its ‘German Quality’, noted that it was made under the

‘German Purity Law of 1516’ and originated in Bremen, Germany.

“All may be true,” said plaintiffs’ attorney Tucker Ronzetti, “but the point of the lawsuit is that a beer made in St. Louis shouldn’t be passed off as the import it once was — with premium pricing to boot.”

Apparently, the country of origin was specified, but only on the underside of a 12-pack box.

The company opted to settle, and some 1.7 million U.S. households could qualify for payments.

There’s no doubt where the beer available in South Africa is brewed, as the label proudly declares. In contrast, Beck’s Blue – comprising water, malted barley, hops and natural carbon dioxide – is brewed and bottled by Brauerei Beck & Co, and imported to South Africa from Germany.

ABOVE: humble beginnings in the 1800’s Beck’s beer has grown to comfortably claim an international reputation for quality.

RIGHT: If the label says its imported... it has to be imported, or so a United States court ruled and ordered a $20 million payout.

Its alliance with Namibia Breweries was described as Beck’s largest foreign investment at that time.

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

WINE |

L ABEL ART

IT’S AN IDENTITY. AS MUCH AS A RECOGNISABLE NAME, THE LABEL AND ITS ARTWORK IS WHAT CATCHES OUR EYE WHILE STANDING LOOKING AT BOTTLES OF WINE ON A SHELF. FIONA MCDONALD TAKES A LOOK AT WINE LABELS.

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

L ABEL ART

|

WINE

C

hateau Mouton-Rothschild is one of the most famous and recognised wines in the world. It’s from Bordeaux and is one of only five wines which lay claim to First Growth status, the others being Chateau HautBrion, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite – all of which had their top ranked status conferred on them by the 1855 Classification.

Mouton-Rothschild differs from them in that it is the only wine to have been added to the highest echelon of French Bordeaux after 1855. The top status was conferred on Mouton-Rothschild in 1973. But this story is not about their status; it’s about labels – and there’s a great tale involving this esteemed chateau.

Wikipedia reports that the idea for having famous artists featured on the wine’s label was that of Baron Philippe de Rothschild. His plan was to offer a famous artist of the day the opportunity to display their work – or design something specially for the label. He kicked that off in 1946.

Through the years great artists, Kandinsky, Juan Miró, Salvador Dali, Picasso and Francis Bacon, among others, have featured. But in 1973 there was something of a rumpus – purely because of the artwork on the label.

There’s a commonly held misconception in the wine fraternity that the label was banned in the United States because it was deemed ‘pornographic’. Actually, it wasn’t! The American Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or ATF, had no problem with the label and the wine was happily sold at its usual high price in the USA. But a group of Californians made their objections to the label publicly known. The work in question was by French artist Balthus and the image was a sketch of a reclining nude nymphette. The complaint was not about the nudity but rather that the figure sketched was so young. Out of sensitivity and to prevent a public relations nightmare, then head of Mouton-Rothschild, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild relabelled

TOP: The 1945 vintage of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild celebrated the end of World War II – and Baron de Rothschild introduced the art inspired labels the following vintage, 1946.

MIDDLE: Spanish artist Joan Miro provided this work for the 1969 vintage while 1973 was Pablo Picasso – who had died earlier the same year.

LEFT: One of the earliest artists featured – in 1951 – was Frederic Verthes.

the wines destined for the American market.

The specially labelled 1973 vintage for the US market ... is blank. And because of this, immediately became something of a collector’s item all over the world! Bottles are sought out and traded purely because of the label and not necessarily because of the excellent contents. At the time of writing, winesearcher.com was offering a single bottle of this vintage for sale at anywhere between £254 and £370 – which translates to roughly R5 000!

NOV/DEC 2018

33

WINE |

L ABEL ART

Stellenbosch wine estate DeMorgenzon makes a rather tasty rosé – and interesting blend – under its Garden Vineyard label.

But the American market also never gets to see this label, having to make do with a rather more typographical offering.

The Garden Vineyards Rosé label features a beautiful etching or engraving by the artist William Edward Frost. It’s called The Disarming of Cupid and is part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Collection hanging in Buckingham Palace. Done in 1850, it’s believed to be the only work that illustrates William Shakespeare’s last sonnet, Sonnet 154.

It’s a detailed engraving but features lots of naked flesh and since DeMorgenzon didn’t want to run afoul of the authorities or cause offence, the wine, a tasty blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mouvèdre, Cinsaut and Viognier, destined for the American market 34 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

ABOVE: The Disarming of Cupid, forms part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Collection and is on permanent display in Buckingham Palace.

Done in 1850, it depicts Shakespeare’s last sonnet. (See sidebar.)

RIGHT: How appropriate that De Morgenzon’s Rosé is blush pink – and that American palate’s are spared any embarrassment by the female nudity on display. The market has to make do with a typographical DMZ.

is labelled differently.

In the 2018 Wine Label Design Awards sponsored by Rotolabels and facilitated by winemag.co.za, the judges noted that design of South African wine labels had taken big strides in recent years.

The criteria took into account the originality of concept, execution, shelf appeal and effectiveness as a piece of communication.

As winemag.co.za editor Christian Eedes noted in his report the overall standard of work “continues to improve year on year”.

Judges said this was apparently “the result of an ever growing awareness of the importance of graphic design when it comes to establishing a brand”. The panel noted less “trend-based, derivative work”. So greater originality whereas previous years saw artwork of historic Dutch-gabled homesteads or family crests – or perhaps zebra, giraffe, lion and elephant to convey some sense of Africanness ...

L ABEL ART

Durbanville Hills, a large commercial winery in the Distell stable, had to carefully consider what the market reaction would be when they reassessed the positioning of its wines. New to this well-established brand (they produce a few hundred thousand cases of Sauvignon Blanc alone!) is the Collector’s Reserve range.

Comprising a Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines were released in August.

“Our winery is designed for volume,” said cellar master Martin Moore, “but we produce premium quality wines. We’re able to stream special parcels off to a ‘winery within a winery’, a boutique cellar ... but it’s about 40 times bigger than any other boutique cellar!”

The idea behind the labels was for art to meet art: the creative pursuit of winemaking to meet visual art and be a true representation of the vibrant city of Cape Town on Durbanville Hills’ doorstep.

Artist Theo Vorster was selected because of his unique style and specialisation in hand-painted linocuts. Given the task of artistically conceptualising seven city landmarks, Vorster came up trumps.

All of the wines in the Collector’s Reserve bear a strong Cape Town identity. The Cableway Chardonnay, The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc, The Promenade Pinotage, the Lighthouse Merlot, the Castle of Good Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, the High Noon Shiraz and the Cape Garden Chenin Blanc.

Each one boasts a distinctive story – which is then depicted on the back label of each bottle. Like that of the red-and-white striped lighthouse at Greenpoint which blasts its foghorn to warn passing ships of the rocky shore, particularly when it’s foggy which is frequently the case. It’s affectionately known as ‘Moaning Minnie’, Moore said and revealed that the cool, misty conditions were key in the development of the Merlot’s unique character, “displaying notes of mint and red cherry”.

The Promenade Pinotage label ties in a number of artistic motifs:

SHAKESPEARE’S SONNET 154 The little Love-god lying once asleep Laid by his side his heart-inflaming brand, Whilst many nymphs that vow’d chaste life to keep Came tripping by; but in her maiden hand The fairest votary took up that fire Which many legions of true hearts had warm’d; And so the general of hot desire Was sleeping by a virgin hand disarm’d.

This brand she quenched in a cool well by, Which from Love’s fire took heat perpetual, Growing a bath and healthful remedy For men diseased; but I, my mistress’ thrall, Came there for cure, and this by that I prove, Love’s fire heats water, water cools not love.

black and white African penguins (one or two of which sport cute little red backpacks!), the promenade itself and in the distance, the distinctive silhouette of Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.

That’s the case with all the labels with the Chenin Blanc paying homage to the Company’s Gardens, Shiraz the midday firing of the cannon on Signal Hill, the cableway which takes flight on Monarch butterfly wings and the Castle of Good Hope with its backdrop of Table Mountain and a cheeky squirrel in the foreground.

Marketing experts who have the difficult task of placing the product on the shelves – and then enticing consumers to pick it up and put it in their basket or shopping trolley know that a point of differentiation is needed to make any product stand out, not just the price point.

The modern trend in marketing is not just about authenticity of the contents and its making but also a story. And that’s what Chateau Mouton-Rothschild has in common with both DeMorgenzon and the Durbanville Hills Collector’s Range – even if they are at diametrically opposed price points: they have a special and unique tale to tell.

|

WINE

BELOW: Cape Town artist Theo Vorster was commissioned to design labels for the new Durbanville Hills Collector’s Reserve and made use of iconic Cape Town landmarks for each of the wines in the range.

NOV/DEC 2018

35

PE RFECT SE RV E

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

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

|

PERFECT SERVE

CHAMPAGNE IS THE ULTIMATE CELEBRATORY DRINK: SPRAYED OVER FELLOW DRIVERS AND FANS ALIKE FROM THE WINNER’S PODIUM AT EVERY FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX – BUT ALSO AT CYCLING EVENTS, CRICKET, FOOTBALL AND RUGBY MATCHES. BUT WHAT ABOUT COCKTAILS USING FIZZ?

A

round the festive season is when a lot of Champagne or sparkling wine is consumed.

There’s always the obligatory bottle in the fridge for when the clock chimes midnight on December 31, ringing in the advent of a new year.

Bubbly is no longer just about weddings, engagements, births or graduations. More and more frequently it is being offered as a welcome drink when having friends over for dinner – or even just a braai!

Step number one is to differentiate between genuine Champagne and sparkling wine.

Champagne is the wine growing region in France where this type of bottle-fermented wine was first produced. Because the French have been very successful in protecting their geographical area of production in law, no-one else anywhere in the world can call their sparkling wine Champagne.

That’s why, in South Africa, the fizz made exactly the same way as the French do – with a secondary fermentation in the bottle – is called Méthode Cap Classique. (It’s a code meaning Méthode Classique – the classic way of making it ... but from the Cape.)

LEFT: Stunning in its simplicity, the Champagne Cocktail blends bubbly, brandy and bitters – and a maraschino cherry adds the finishing touch.

Going back in history, Champagne cocktails made their first appearance around the 1860s.

The first published mention of it was in 1861 or 1862, depending on the source quoted but that bible of domesticity, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management made mention of Champagne being used in punches and fruit cups.

Those were the forerunners of the classic Champagne cocktail which is believed to have become popular around the time that Queen Victoria’s beloved consort died in December 1861.

It appears that a barman at London’s Brooks Club mixed Champagne with a dark stout thus giving rise to the Black Velvet cocktail, a drink developed to honour the memory of Prince Albert.

However the Classic Champagne cocktail requires a cube of sugar to be placed in a Champagne flute, a few dashes of Angostura bitters to be sprinkled on it and then the glass topped off with Champagne – or sparkling wine.

From the late 1800’s and early 1900’s it became popular to add in a measure of Cognac or brandy, something which is now regarded as the definitive version of the Classic Champagne cocktail.

Jerry Thomas is the man credited with capturing or printing the first official recipe of the Champagne Cocktail in his BarTenders Guide, written and published in 1862. Two important things to note: firstly, the style of Champagne or bubbly used would have been sweeter than the modern dry or brut style – and secondly, he wrote that the ingredients needed to be shaken together. And anyone who has ever shaken a bottle of bubbly will know that it yields rather explosive

results due to the carbonation of the beverage! Later versions of the Guide advocated stirring the drink instead ...

THOMAS’S ORIGINAL RECIPE

½ tsp sugar 1 or 2 dashes bitters Champagne/Sparkling wine Piece of lemon peel 1 Fill tumbler ¼ full with broken ice 2 Fill balance with wine 3 Shake well and serve

The International Bartenders Association published the recipe below as the official Champagne cocktail.

OFFICIAL CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

90ml Champagne or sparkling wine 10ml Cognac or brandy 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 sugar cube 1 Add dash of Angostura bitter onto sugar cube and drop it into a Champagne flute.

2 Add Cognac or brandy, followed by gently pouring chilled Champagne or sparkling wine.

3 Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.

But this is just the beginning of a host of potential sparkling wine cocktails. There’s the Kir Royale, for example. Lose the sugar cube and bitters and just place a measure of Créme de Cassis (blackberry liqueur) into a Champagne flute and top with bubbly. Or the Grand Royale in which Grand Marnier, a citrus or orange liqueur, is topped with fizz.

The only impediment is one’s imagination and access to different liqueurs as inspiration.

NOV/DEC 2018

37

GREEN TWIST FOR DELHEIM

HOT BITES

Delheim is one of the wine industry’s leaders and is a WWF-SA Conservation Champion for its integrated environmental management systems.

Stellenbosch wine estate is well known for its close connections with the land.

The late patriarch and founder of Delheim, ‘Papa’ Spatz Sperling loved walking the slopes of the Simonsberg with his Jack Russell dogs, hunting for mushrooms in the pine forests he planted which sadly fell victim to runaway fires a few years ago.

Of late, Delheim has offered visitors to the estate a cupcake and wine pairing – but they have just taken this a step further.

Making the most of the Cape’s famous Floral Kingdom status – the smallest and most bio-diverse of all the six global Floral Kingdoms – it has introduced a range of fynbos-inspired cupcakes to showcase the excellence of Delheim wines.

There are four cupcakes in the line-up: fynbos honey cupcake, honeybush, buchu and finally a rooibos cupcake.

The fynbos honey cupcake contains locally-produced Cape coast honey and iced with honey-based cream cheese. It is paired with Delheim Merlot and highlights the wine’s red fruit flavours.

The honeybush cupcake

incorporates fine grade honeybush tea leaves and a plain cream icing, and is paired with the Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie, bringing out flavours of apple, citrus, stone fruit and a touch of oak and minerality in the wine.

A buchu cupcake was developed using a highly concentrated tincture

by Durban-based herbal laboratory Phyto-Force. The icing is cream cheese and lemon-based, which adds a zing that fits perfectly when served with the Delheim Gewurztraminer. The wine is known for its aromas of orange blossom, Turkish delight and lychee on a backdrop of citrus zest.

Finally, the rooibos cupcake features extracted rooibos espresso as an ingredient and is topped with icing of cream cheese and

cinnamon. The creation is paired with Delheim Pinotage, which shows clove, Asian spice and dark berry flavours with a nuance of oak.

The natural character of the pairing components – the fynbos-inspired cupcakes and wines – is the thin edge of the wedge of environmental thoughtfulness that has been part of Delheim recipe for decades. The farm’s first environmental management plan was written in 1976.

Delheim is one of the wine industry’s leaders and is a WWF-SA Conservation Champion for its integrated environmental management systems. It is also a founder member of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy under Cape Nature’s stewardship programme, actively participating in protection and conservation.

Among its initiatives, Delheim uses a bio-natural water management plant to recycle all cellar waste water; preserves large tracts of mountain fynbos, promotes bio-diversity and encourages parasitic insects to control pests in the vineyards.

The result has led to Delheim being home to 120 different species of indigenous plants and animals.

The fynbos cupcake pairing needs to be booked, particularly if groups are more than 9 people. While the experience is subject to availability for walk-in visitors, reservation is essential for groups. To book, email cellardoor@delheim.com.

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

SPICE OF LIFE

Roodeb erg red, a Cabern et

Sailor Jerry spiced rum likes to make the most of its nautical traditions, be it naval or piratical.

It’s a little unconventional too – so wouldn’t a cocktail mixed with this rum be a little ‘left of centre’?

Hot sauce or pepper sauce is generally not an ingredient which would be listed for a mixed drink. It’s far more likely to be splashed on nachos, a taco, a steak or barbecued ribs. But Sailor Jerry spiced rum believes that the peppery highlight is just the thing for a summertime cocktail, appropriately called Hell Fire.

As the media release states: “In the cocktail revolution, hot sauce is responsible for transforming a seemingly good cocktail to a ‘blow your freaking mind’ drink! From unmatched secret ingredients and Caribbean spices, to ginger beer and fresh lime juice, the Hell Fire cocktail has it all. The fiery hot sauce brings an offbeat angle to this drink that’s drenched in the raddest of flavours. Mix up a Hell Fire for a totally new cocktail experience.”

HELL FIRE 1 part Sailor Jerry Spiced rum 2 dashes hot sauce 1 part ginger beer ¼ fresh lime juice Beer of your choice 1 Squeeze quarter of a lime into beer glass. Fill with Ice. Add hot sauce, Sailor Jerry and ginger beer. Top with beer.

2 Remember, great cocktails start with responsible measuring.

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

Sau vig non bas ed ble nd, has

been part of the South Africa n wine scene since 1949.

CHEF MYNHARDT JOUBERT’S CREAMY CHORIZO AND ROODEBERG MUSSEL POT Serves 4 to 6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes

FLEXING YOUR WINE MUSCLES South Africans love breaking rules...especially when it comes to food and wine.

The general rule is white wine is served with fish and shellfish and red wine with red meat.

“Nonsense!” say the folks from the KWV and Chef Mynhardt Joubert who both sweat that Roodeberg red wine and mussels are a match made in heaven!

The summer holidays are just weeks away and many is the holidaymaker who will head out at low tide to harvest mussels fresh from the rocks.

Chef Mynhardt Joubert concedes that Roodeberg red and mussels might seem a bit odd and off the wall but he uses the wine

to spice up his mussel pot because it contains the powerfully flavoured sausage, chorizo.

“The robust flavours of the red wine and chorizo pair wonderfully with the salty taste of the mussels,” he says. He also recommends loads of crusty fresh bread to mop up the sauce – and of course a glass or two of Roodeberg to enjoy with it.

Roodeberg red is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blended wine which has been part of the South African wine scene since 1949. It has a rich and colourful history and remains an accessible, tasty red wine which is best enjoyed with friends and family in casual surroundings.

2 Tbsp butter 2 onions, chopped 120g sliced chorizo 5 cloves grated garlic 1 tsp smoked paprika 250ml Roodeberg Red 250ml prepared fish or chicken stock 2 tins chopped tomatoes 250ml cream 30g chopped fresh coriander 2kg fresh whole cleaned mussels 1 Heat up a large saucepan or pot and fry the onions and chorizo in the butter till golden brown.

Add the garlic and paprika.

Stir through and fry for about 2 minutes.

2 Add the red wine, stock and the tinned tomatoes, bring to the boil and then turn down the heat to let it simmer and reduce by half.

3 Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, bring the pot to a boil and remove from the heat, let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

(Discard any mussels which have not opened.)

4 Serve with crusty bread or pasta.

GIN BY THE BOOK Here’s a novel concept: The Noon Day Reviver cocktail so beloved of Evelyn Waugh, the famous British writer, author of Brideshead Revisited, a Handful of Dust and other well-known works.

Waugh, who died in 1966 at the age of 62, was a prolific writer, one whom biographer Martin Stannard described as like “an exhausted rogue jollied up by drink”. And having travelled extensively in his life, to Africa, Egypt, Ceylon, South America and elsewhere, Waugh would undoubtedly have enjoyed the restorative powers of a gin such as Hendrick’s.

TIPPERARY IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK!

One of the 11 botanical ingredients which are used in Hendrick’s gin is something called Cubeb’s pepper. When eaten, the flavour of this unique pepper develops in three stages, the first being an impression of hot spiciness which then makes way for a light bitterness finally the taste of eucalyptus.

This Cubeb pepper was as expensive as amber or opium in the Middle Ages and had for many years been used as a medicine. Ironically, Cubeb cigarettes were sold as an asthma treatment in Victorian times! In Hendrick’s, Cubeb adds its peppery tartness and slightly lavender-like aromatics to the rose petal and cucumber

EVELYN WAUGH’S NOON DAY REVIVER 25ml Hendrick’s Gin 100ml Fitch & Leedes Spicy Ginger Beer 100ml Guinness or Stout Beer Carefully build in the following order, gin, ginger beer & beer. highlights of the gin.

Waugh’s diaries note this drink as a great curative, especially when afflicted by over indulgence the night before... He believed this mix of gin, ginger beer and stout revived wit and character for the curiously minded.

Mixing and blending. It happens at universities and colleges, in offices, building sites, sports events, concerts... everywhere. Blending of people – and also of drinks.

Irish whiskey brand Tullamore D.E.W. has issued an open invitation to all folks to enjoy a Tipperary cocktail, the easy way or the more complex way. It’s a matter of personal taste and the availability of specialist ingredients such as the bright green liqueur once made by monks, Chartreuse, and also Absinthe, the ruin of many a starving artist in days of yore...

Why? Because Tullamore D.E.W. is a blend of three types of whiskey, one of the only Irish whiskies to be able to make the claim of mingling pot-stilled, malt and grain whiskey. It’s also triple distilled and triple cask matured too.

Tullamore D.E.W. believes that the power of three creates a

whiskey of greater complexity, balance, and unrivaled smoothness.

So, the song might have maintained that “it’s a long way to Tipperary” but the sweetest joy you’ll know if trying this cocktail, the easy or complex way.

TIPPERARY EASY RECIPE

44ml of Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey 100ml Sweet vermouth 15ml Green Chartreuse 2 dashes Angostura bitters COMPLEX RECIPE

44ml Tullamore D.E.W. Original or 12YO 2 dashes Angostura Bitters 2 dashes Orange Bitters 2 dashes Absinthe 15ml Green Chartreuse 30ml Sweet Vermouth Stir all the ingredients together and serve in a glass of your choice.

Tullamore D.E.W. is a blend of three types of whiskey, one of the only Irish whiskies to be able to make the claim of mingling pot-stilled, malt and grain whiskey.

NOV/DEC 2018

41

B O O K G I V E AWAY |

S I M P LY Z O L A

SOPHI STICATED SIM

P LY ZO L A

SEPTEMBER IS THE MONTH OF CELEBRATING SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE – BUT THERE’S NO REASON TO LET THE FUN STOP THERE! LOCAL CHEF ZOLA NENE IS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISABLE TO FANS OF HER SLOT ON SABC 3’S MORNING EXPRESSO SHOW – AND SHE’S GOT A NEW BOOK OUT IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.

I

t’s hard to believe that Zola Nene could ever have considered a career in law.

This talented chef has a gift for food – for making it simple and super-delicious, as well as inspiring others to try her recipes at home.

And Nene credits her father for sitting her down at one point and asking her what she REALLY loved doing. It wasn’t the thought of disputes, legal letters, divorces or either putting away or defending criminals that got her creative juices flowing, but rather what she could do with a ripe glossy aubergine ...

Travel broadens the mind – and being able to travel to other countries, work in restaurant kitchens and absorb ways of doing things, either through new techniques or the use of spices and seasonings has fleshed out Nene’s repertoire. She still credits the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch with giving her a solid grounding – and is also happy to be back in the Mother City, having returned for her Expresso slot in 2010.

Nene’s previous recipe book, Simply Delicious, was a hit but as she says, “My food journey is ever evolving and is a continuation of my life journey told through food.”

So Simply Zola is the result of the evolution.

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

True to form, the dishes (and drinks) are easy to replicate but pack plenty of flavour and taste.

Nene’s use of spice is not for the faint-hearted, but she applies all the lessons she learned from former mentors Margot Janse of celebrated Le Quartier Français and Chris Erasmus of Pierneef a la Motte and now Foliage: balance is the key.

Aware of the need to cater for as broad a group of potential readers and cooks as possible,

Nene has included sections on cooking for one, suitably scaled down but still tasty – and also the one-pot wonders for cooks who are not interested in expending too much energy or freaked out by the washing up afterwards!

Throughout the pages of these books, Nene shares her love of food, of flavour, her pride in what South Africans love to eat and makes it really easy for even the most ham-fisted cook to attempt successfully.

BELOW: Expresso chef Zola Nene in her happy place ... the kitchen!

|

B O O K G I V E AWAY

MUESLI FRENCH TOAST Yes, I know that everyone knows how to make French toast, but I often find that it can be boring to eat after a few mouthfuls. I’ve started adding extra crunch to mine by pressing some muesli into it, which makes every bite a pleasure because of the varying textures. Hey, don’t knock it until you try it.

Serves four 2 eggs 60ml milk 60ml sugar 5ml ground cinnamon 2.5ml nutmeg 5ml vanilla essence 4 thick slices brioche or kitke 250ml muesli 60ml unsalted butter TO SERVE

Vanilla-flavoured frozen yoghurt Mixed berries Icing sugar 1 Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla essence. Dip the brioche or kitke slices in the egg mixture, then coat in the muesli.

2 Heat a pan, add the butter, then place the coated slices in the pan and cook over a low heat until golden-brown on both sides.

3 Serve with a generous scoop of frozen yoghurt, mixed berries and a dusting of icing sugar.

NOV/DEC 2018

43

B O O K G I V E AWAY |

BEEF AND STOUT HOTPOT My Irish friend Jamie once begged me to drink a pint of Irish stout with him at his farewell party as he was moving back to Ireland. It was complete torture, as I simply couldn’t handle the strong taste.

BUT, give me Guinness in a stew and I’m happy as Larry (or Jamie in this case).

Serves four 60ml oil 1.5kg beef shin Salt and pepper 60ml cake flour 200g baby onions, peeled and quartered 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 6 cloves garlic, peeled 2.5ml dried chilli flakes 30ml tomato paste 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 1 x 10g beef stock pot 750ml dark stout beer 4 potatoes, sliced 30ml unsalted butter 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2 Heat the oil in a cast-iron casserole or any oven-proof pot.

3 Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, then dust with the flour. Brown the meat in batches in the hot oil, then remove from the pot and set aside. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pot and cook until all have softened.

Stir in the chilli flakes, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, and cook for a minute. Return the meat to the pot; pour in the stock pot and stout, then bring to the boil.

4 Layer the potatoes on top in an overlapping fashion. Check the seasoning, dot with the butter, cover the pot (with a lid or aluminium foil) and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Uncover, then return to the oven for another 20 minutes until the potatoes have browned.

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

S I M P LY Z O L A

|

B O O K G I V E AWAY

ROCKY ROAD WAFFLES WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

These are the most decadent waffles imaginable, packed full of chocolate and marshmallow, so if you’re a chocolate lover these will be just up your street.

They also freeze well once cooked; simply pop them in the toaster to crisp up and heat through. The salted caramel sauce is heavenly as a topping for the waffles, but ice cream alone would still be good.

Makes six 500ml cake flour 125ml cocoa powder 60ml brown sugar 5ml baking powder 2.5ml bicarbonate of soda A pinch salt 3 large eggs, separated 500ml buttermilk 125ml canola oil 5ml vanilla extract 100g milk chocolate, finely chopped 250ml mini marshmallows SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

125ml unsalted butter 250ml brown sugar 60ml golden syrup 100ml whipping cream 2.5ml salt TO SERVE

Ice cream 100g toasted almonds, chopped

WIN A COPY OF SIMPLY ZOLA 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: 10th December 2018 LIKE us on www.facebook.com/ CheersMag to double your chance of winning.

1 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolks, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Fold in the chocolate and marshmallows.

2 In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold into the waffle batter. Pour the batter into a heated, greased waffle iron and cook until done.

3 To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the sugar, syrup and cream then whisk continuously over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.

Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

4 Serve the waffles topped with ice cream, then drizzle with the sauce and scatter over the nuts.

NOV/DEC 2018

45

TUISNYWERHEID |

“EK IS MAL OOR SOESJI,” SÊ EEN VAN MY GRAPJASMAATS, “EK WENS NET HULLE WOU DIT GAARMAAK!” in en nie net tydens Eskom se onderbrekings of ’n braaihouttekort nie. En as ek van rou praat, is dit vleis en vis – nie slaaiblare en komkommer nie, wat veels ’n te gemaklike uitweg is as dit by die vreugde van rou eet kom.

HOU DIT ROU

D BO: Steak tartare, wat dikwels op spyskaarte verskyn, is vir verskeie mense gruwelik – maar vir ander heel smaaklik.

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

it is vir my vreemd hoe gewild rou, ongekookte geregte in restaurante is terwyl dit selde aan ’n etenstafel tuis gevind word. Selfs kettingrestaurante dis steak tartare (rou beesmaalvleis) en skywe ongekookte filet-carpaccio op aan gretige smullers. Maar tuis lyk dit asof kokke wegskram daarvan om vleis of vis te bedien soos wat ons voorvaders dit gedoen het voordat daardie slimjan die vuur as gaarmaakmiddel ontdek het.

Ek span gereeld die rou kosse

STEAK TARTARE Die legende lui dat die Russies Kosakke, daardie vreesaanjaende en veglustige perderuiters, rou vleis – perd of bees – onder hul saals geplaas het. Ná ure se galop en gejaag is die repe vleis van onder die saal uitgehaal en net so rou geëet, met die mening dat die ruiter en die beweging van die perde die vleis sag gemaak het.

Vandag is perdesweet nie deel van die steak-resep nie, maar die beginsels bly dieselfde. Rou beesvleis, gemaal en gegeur met verskillende lekkernye. Dan net so bedien, van sy ma af.

Niemand se steak tartare is dieselfde nie, aangesien die byvoegsels in aard en hoeveelheid kan wissel. Maar hoe ook al, dit is ’n heerlike gereg en indien reg berei sal enige vleisliefhebber daaraan smul, al bestel hy of sy hul steak oorgaar in ander plekke.

Vir ses porsies: 600 g sirloin-steak 15 ml (3 teelepels) Dijon-mosterd 3 ansjovisfilette, fyngekap 15 ml (3 teelepels) tamatiesous 20 ml (4 teelepels) Worcestersous sowat 8 druppels Tabasco-sous 10 ml (2 teelepels) brandewyn ½ rooi-ui, baie fyngekap 4 teelepels kappertjiesaad, fyngekap 6 baba-agurkies, fyngekap 25 ml romerige mayonnaise varsgemaalde swartpeper en sout na smaak 35 ml (7 teelepels) fyngekapte pietersielie Die vleis is die hoofspeler hier, so bewerk dit mooi. Sny alle tekens van vet of senings af. En hou buite die yskas totdat hy kamertemperatuur bereik. Jy wil nie aan ’n

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

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

grillerige koue stuk rou vleis byt nie, glo my. Plaas die vleis op kombuispapier en sit nog kombuispapier bo om soveel moontlik van die vog en bloed uit te trek. Druk die papier met jou hande en sit nog papier op indien nodig totdat jy dink die oortollige sappe is uit.

Nou kom die pret in, aangesien kundigheid met ’n mes ’n voorvereiste is vir goeie steak tartare. Neem jou skerpste vleismes en sny die vleis in repe en kap als baie fyn. Die tekstuur moet amper soos dié van growwe maalvleis wees.

Plaas die gekapte vleis in ’n mengbak en voeg mosterd, ansjovisfilette, tamatiesous, Worcestersous, Tabasco, brandewyn, ui, kappertjiesaad, agurkies en mayonnaise by.

Meng goed en geur met peper en sout. Voeg fyngekapte pietersielie by en roer vir oulaas deur.

As jy wil, kan jy klein skeppies van hierdie smulgereg as ’n voorgereg bedien op stukkies geroosterde Franse brood. Ek maak egter soos die Franse en sit my stewige 100 gram-porsie steak tartare voor met ’n hoop warm, varsgebraaide goudbruin tjips. Dit is heerlik met ’n ligte rooiwyn soos Grenache of Pinot Noir, effe koud in die glas.

Vir ses tot agt mense: 1 kg vars visfilette: kabeljou, geelbek, geelstert, stokvis, ens. Moet VARS wees. In blokkies gesny.

125 ml (halwe koppie) vars lemmetjiesap 125 ml (halwe koppie) vars suurlemoensap Halwe rooi-ui, fyngekap 2 ryp tamaties, fyngekap 1 vars rooirissie, pitte uit en fyngekap 10 ml (2 teelepels) sout 10 ml (2 teelepels) gedroogte oregano 4 druppels Tabasco-sous 2 avokadopere, in blokkies gekap Halwe koppie vol gekapte vars koljander

Gebruik ’n glas of keramiekbak.

Sit die vis, ui, tamatie, rissie, sout, Tabasco en oregano in die bak en voeg die lemmetjie- en suurlemoensap by. Roer deur, bedek die bak en sit dit in die yskas. Die suur van die sitrus gaan nou jou vis “kook”, daarom as jy weer kyk, gaan die blokkies wit wees in stede van valerig. Gee dit een uur in die yskas, haal uit en roer deur om die vis in kontak met die sap en die ander geure te bring.

Nog twee ure en jou ceviche is amper reg. Haal die bak uit.

Voeg jou avokadopeer blokkies en koljander by. Roer weer een keer deur en bedien as ’n verfrissende, geurige somer-middagete met ’n yskoue Chardonnay.

ONDER: Ceviche is die perfekte dis om te bedien as ’n verfrissende, geurige somermiddagete met ’n yskoue Chardonnay.

CEVICHE Alle rou vis is nie soesji nie.

Ceviche is ’n eenvoudiger manier om seekos te bedien sonder om nege jaar te swoeg in jou poging om as soesji-sjef te kwalifiseer en dit behels ook nie daardie hompe taai rys nie. Sy oorsprong is in Suid-Amerika en omtrekke, en die geure is vars, fris en skoon.

Ideaal vir die somer.

Daar is honderde tipes ceviche – van seekat tot kabeljou; perlemoen tot tuna. Maar as jy eers die basiese resep of twee bemeester het (wat nie veel verg nie) kan jy na hartelus eksperimenteer. So, hier’s een om mee te begin sodat jy die essensie van die heerlikheid kan verstaan en later daarop voortbou.

NOV/DEC 2018

47

B LO G S P O T

|

T E R E S A U LYA T E

CRANBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES

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

T E R E S A U LYA T E

|

B LO G S P OT

Festive

MEMORIES

THE SUMMER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ALWAYS SEEMED TO LAST FOREVER! THEY WERE SPECIAL TIMES FILLED WITH SPECIAL TREATS – AND LEFT VERY HAPPY MEMORIES. JUST TASTING SOMETHING CAN OFTEN BRING BACK MEMORIES OF BAKING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. HOW ABOUT ADDING SOME MORE MEMORIES TO THE HAPPY TIMES BANK?

T

he Festive Season is upon us once again, and who doesn’t love an excuse for a bit of holiday indulgence after a long and busy year? In this issue I’ve put a Christmas spin on two recipes that have special memories for me.

Some of my fondest childhood memories involve me baking with my mom and in particular the scrumptious cookies that we often made.

Crunchies were one of the favourites in our house! Fast forward a decade or three and when there’s a school meeting to bake for or a plate of sweet nibbles needed for a picnic, I know that crunchies are an easy, crowd-pleasing option. In this version I have added a Christmas twist by including chewy red cranberries and chunks of white chocolate.

A rich hot chocolate is arguably the ultimate decadent drink. Years ago on a ski trip to Italy I recall going into a cafe after a morning on the slopes to warm up. I ordered a hot chocolate to drink … well, I say drink but quite honestly I needed a spoon to enjoy the stuff inside the cup that was brought to my table. It was virtually a chocolate custard – delicious but not quite what I was expecting! My holiday hot chocolate is not nearly as thick but promises creamy, chocolatey indulgence with every sip. I added a touch of cinnamon and topped it with pillowy cinnamon marshmallows (homemade, of course). An absolute treat!

Have a wonderful, safe holiday and happy cooking!

CRANBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES Makes 16 1 cup oats ½ cup flour ½ cup coconut ½ cup dried cranberries 140g butter 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ cup light brown sugar ½ tsp bicarb 65g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks 35g white chocolate, for drizzling 1 Preheat your oven to 180ºC. Grease a 20cm square tin and line the base with baking paper.

2 Place the oats, flour, coconut and cranberries in a bowl and mix.

3 Place the butter, syrup and brown sugar in a small saucepan.

Stir over a medium heat until the butter has melted and everything is combined. Stir in the bicarb.

4 Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix

well. Stir in the white chocolate chunks. Scrape the mixture into your prepared tin and gently flatten into an even layer.

5 Bake the crunchies for 20 minutes, until they are golden and have risen slightly. They will still be a little wobbly in the middle. Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares.

6 Pop the remaining white chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on a low setting for a few seconds at a time whisking gently with a fork each time you check it. Once melted, pour the chocolate into a small sandwich bag. Snip off a corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cooled crunchies. (You could also use a small piping bag if you have one, or simply drizzle with a spoon.)

7 Allow the chocolate to set before serving. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

NOV/DEC 2018

49

B LO G S P O T

|

T E R E S A U LYA T E

HOLIDAY HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CINNAMON MARSHMALLOWS Serves 2

FOR THE CINNAMON MARSHMALLOWS:

½ cup hot water (1/4 cup for the gelatine + 1/4 cup for the sugar syrup) 10g powdered gelatine 200g castor sugar Pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cinnamon 200ml icing sugar

HOLIDAY HOT CHOCOLATE WITH CINNAMON MARSHMALLOWS

FOR THE HOT CHOCOLATE:

80g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, finely chopped 2-4 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar (to taste) 1 /4 tsp cinnamon 100ml single cream 400ml full cream milk TO MAKE THE MARSHMALLOWS

1 Place 1/4 cup hot water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over the water, then whisk well with a fork. Set aside.

2 Place the sugar, salt and remaining 1/4 cup hot water in a small, deep saucepan. Stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush away any sugar crystals that collect on the side of the saucepan.

3 Once the sugar has dissolved, add the gelatine mixture to the saucepan. Some gelatine may have settled at the bottom of the bowl so be sure to scrape it all in.

Stir well and bring to the boil.

4 Allow the sugar syrup to boil for 1 minute, then take the saucepan off the heat. Add the vanilla extract and cinnamon and whisk well to combine.

5 Lightly grease a small baking tray. Sift half of the icing sugar onto the tray and shake the tray to spread it out a bit. Set aside.

6 Pour the sugar syrup into the bowl of a freestanding mixer.

Whisk at high speed for 5 minutes

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

until the mixture is thick and fluffy and the volume has increased. (You can also use an electric beater.)

7 Pour the marshmallow mixture onto your prepared tray. (I won’t lie, this is a sticky job!) Use slightly wet hands or a spatula to spread into a 1-1½cm thick layer. Sift the remainingicing sugar over the marshmallow and leave to stand and set, which should take 4 - 5 hours.

8 Use a small star cutter dipped in icing sugar to cut out star shapes.

(Alternatively cut the marshmallow into small squares.) Toss the stars

in the excess icing sugar to dust them completely.

9 Store the marshmallows in an airtight container until ready to use.

TO MAKE THE HOT CHOCOLATE

1 Place the chocolate, sugar and cinnamon in a jug. Set aside.

2 Place the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Once the milk starts to boil, remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Whisk well to combine.

3 Pour the hot chocolate into two mugs, top with marshmallow stars and serve immediately.

Capture a little piece of France on a plate...

Whether you melt, slice, grate or crumble them, our delicious SPAR Marksbury Select cheeses make every mouthful special.

Bon AppĂŠtit...

FRENCH BRIE The SPAR Marksbury Select French Brie has a creamy texture and mild flavour that develops, improves and matures with time.

FRENCH CAMEMBERT Our SPAR Marksbury Select French Camembert has a mild flavour with hints of mushroom, developing into a more intense taste as it matures.

Like our Brie, its texture is also smooth and creamy.

Wine Pairing: Olive Brook Quintette 2014 blends all five of the classical Bordeaux varietals to create a deep, ruby red wine with a big, fruity bouquet that is perfect with the mild creamy flavour of our SPAR Marksbury Select French Brie.

Wine Pairing: The SPAR Marksbury Select French Camembert is perfectly paired with a pertinently flavoured wine, such as Olive Brook Sauvignon Blanc, due to the mushroom flavours of the cheese.

HOT NEWS

POPPING IN PRINGLE BAY There’s nothing nicer than having long, lazy lunches with friends and a table groaning with food while on holiday.

The only thing which could make that better would be if it were healthy and guilt-free!

Foodie, travel writer and the poster child for Banting/ low-carb diet success Brian Berkman is offering to do just that at his Pringle Bay home in the Cape this festive season by offering a series of pop-up experiences in December and next year. Capable of accommodating parties of eight people at a time, Berkman is

Stalls are handpicked for their homemade, stylish and collectable goodies.

This is the event to shop for festive season gifts and have a good time doing it.

happy to share his success story of how he shed nearly half his body weight and kept it off by following this eating plan.

“Meals will be Banting friendly,” he said. “I avoid sugar and carbs carefully so there will be plenty to enjoy for others who do too, but also loads of options for vegetarians and for those who enjoy baked goods and confectionery,” he said.

Long, generous lunches are set for Saturdays and Sundays, December 15 & 16 and then again on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd.

The menu for December includes chicken liver pate as well as hummus with homebaked bread and crackers; smoked, slow-cooked and shredded beef brisket in a rich tomato sauce, vegetarian chickpea, turmeric and egg curry, cauliflower puree and steamed broccoli; green salad with a selection of local cheeses, followed by rich and 100% non-Banting chocolate brownies, carrot cupcakes and peanut cookies with coffee ortea. Guests are invited to bring their own wine.

For more info, visit his website BrianBerkman.com

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

FAVOURITE THINGS

Gabriëlskloof wine estate’s Favourite Things Market was missing last year – and marketgoers complained about its absence... so it’s back! The weekend of December 14 to 16 sees a return of this special seasonal shopping experience. Once again, the 45 stalls are hand-picked for their homemade, stylish and collectable goodies.

This is the event to shop for festive season gifts and have a good time doing it too.

From baked treats to beautiful jewellery; home-knits to rare finds – it’s all here, in one glorious location.

Gabriëlskloof’s hilltop spot outside Bot River – a mere 80minute drive from Cape Town – offers sweeping views of the Babylonstoren mountains and surrounding wheat fields.

Its stylish visitor centre is a landmark destination where wine tastings are extended to include chocolates and olive oil. It’s also where visitors find an attractive country-style restaurant where slow-cooked, shared meals are served with authentic platteland passion and a generous hand.

The market runs from 5 – 9pm on Friday, December 14, from 10am to 6pm on Saturday the 15th and from 10am to 3pm on Sunday, December 16.

For more info visit www.gabrielskloof.co.za. Also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Gabriëlskloof can be contacted on 028 284 9865 or info@gabrielskloof.co.za.

GROOTE POST FUN & GAMES Diarise Sunday December 16 because that’s when Groote Post wine estate hosts its annual Christmas Market.

Local is always lekker at Groote Post with a divine selection of Darling gourmet produce including burgers, breads, cheese, cured meats, olive oils, preserves, the popular Darling Brew and of course Groote Post’s well-loved wines which will be available for tasting and purchase by the glass, bottle or case.

Market stalls are likely to brim with Christmas wares, ideal as special gifts and stocking-fillers. Expect delicious and beautiful country offerings including arts and crafts, home-ware, clothing, décor, jewellery, accessories, toys, artisan foods and more…

There are 3 Lucky Draws at every market – at 12h30, 13h30 and 14h30.

The winners will each receive a hamper with products from the market and wine from Groote Post, but you must to be at the draw to win.

And if you miss out on the Christmas market which runs from 10am to 3pm, it reverts to a Country Market in 2019, being held on 27 January, 24 February, 31 March and 28 April.

Entry is free. For more info: 022 451 2202 or info@iloveyzer.co.za.

STREETWISE IN STELLENBOSCH

EATALIAN If the December holidays entails a trip to the Cape to enjoy the mountains, the beaches and the wine, pencil in a stop at Morgenster in Somerset West.

Not only will you be able to try some quality South African wines, you’ll be able to sample some unusual wines made from Italian grape varieties – such as Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Vermentino, for example.

And since wine cries out for a partner, the popular 95 at Morgenster is a cork’s throw away from the tasting room.

Chef Giorgio Nava is the man behind the apron and he’s already gained substantial renown for his efforts at 95 Keerom and Carne in Cape Town.

95 At Morgenster was established in 2015 as an Italian collaboration of authentic Italian food, top class wines and olive oil – and it brings a contemporary twist to the magnificent surroundings of Morgenster.

Known for uncompromising quality and perfectly

prepared dishes with the utmost respect for quality ingredients, Nava’s Milanese flair is obvious on every plate. Delicious, honest food that allows the ingredients to speak for themselves in true Italian minimalist fashion. Think fresh oysters, classic caprese with creamy artisanal burrata mozzarella, hand cut salmon or steak tartare, delicate slivers of carpaccio, velvet textured hand-made pasta, beautifully prepared line fish, and a fine selection of prime cuts.

Nava’s chocolate lava fondant is legendary and the handmade ice cream would make even the most stringent gelato fan happy.

While authenticity remains the bedrock of all the dishes at 95 At Morgenster, Nava’s modern Italian touch is evident in the beautiful plating and wide variety of lighter dishes visitors can enjoy in this tranquil setting.

Stellenbosch Street Soirees return to the City of Oaks for some festive feasting and laidback mingling with fellow food and wine lovers this summer. The first soiree of the season takes place on November 28, when Stellies will share its vibrant street culture, enviable lifestyle and cosmopolitan charm in the heart of this historic town – all blended with cool tunes, sizzling street food and superb wines.

The Stellenbosch Street Soirees happen once a month on a #WineWednesday, and all the traffic-stopping entertainment goes down in one central place, Drostdy Street. It’s there where cars make way for young and old to savour unique dishes by prominent eateries and food vendors, while wine farms offer delicious vintages to wash away those mid-week blues.

Each Stellenbosch Street Soiree features a different selection of cellars and street fare caterers and entry costs R100 per person which gets you a glass and 12 wine tasting tokens. Food dishes are priced individually by vendors. These communal parties are from 6pm to 8pm and children are welcome.

If you miss out on the first one, don’t panic: another will be held on December 12 and then again on January 12 and 30 – weather permitting. For more information call 021 886 4310 or visit www.wineroute.co.za.

RED, WHITE & BUBBLY IN THE EASTERN CAPE Port Elizabeth’s The Boardwalk is the place to be if wine is your thing!

From Thursday November 29 to Saturday December 1 a host of South Africa’s finest wines will be available for tasting in The Boardwalk’s Tsitsikamma rooms at the fourth annual Eastern Cape wine show.

The 40 exhibitors will present a total of around 200 different products for guests to sample and hopefully enjoy.

Krone wines, for example, will present a range of local bubblies – but there will also be Valdo Prosecco from Italy available too, along with JC Le Roux’s popular sparkling wines. Award-winning wines from Steenberg, Spier, Oldenburg and Fleur du Cap can be sipped and swirled – as can Raka, Boekenhoutskloof, Wildekrans and Cape Chamonix.

Tickets can be bought via Computicket.com and at door, subject to availability. Cost R190.

Early Bird prices, valid for sales until 18 November R160. No entry to under 18s, babies and prams.

Visit www.easterncapewineshow. co.za for more information.

To reserve a table, call 021-204 7048 or email info@95atmorgenster.com.

95 At Morgenster was established in 2015 as an Italian collaboration of authentic Italian food, top class wines and olive oil – and it brings a contemporary twist to the magnificent surroundings of Morgenster.

NOV/DEC 2018

53

MOBILE APPS

|

COMBINING AND GROUPING IN ART TERMS, A COLLAGE IS A GROUPING OF VARIOUS ITEMS INTO A COHESIVE WHOLE FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT AND VISUAL APPEAL. THE ARTIST FREQUENTLY USES DIFFERENT MEDIA TO DO SO. WHEN IT COMES TO USING A MOBILE DEVICE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, DAVID BOWMAN HAS COLLATED THE BEST COLLAGE APPS.

PHOTO COLLAGE – COLLAGEABLE This is the number One AllIn-One Pic Collage maker and editor for your best moments and memories.

There are loads of trendy template designs and photo collage styles to choose from to tell your story or project with one framed picture. Effects, stickers, frames, backgrounds, pattern and text labels galore are available to enhance your collage. You can also edit and retouch your photos with powerful editing tools, photo effects and beauty and body touch-up essentials. Mix and match, rotate and move your images in the way that you would like – get those creative juices flowing!

PHOTO COLLAGE & PIC EDITOR This is an interesting and stylish photo collage maker that is simple to use to remix your images and create amazing collages with text, stickers, motion stickers, filters, frames, backgrounds and share them with your friends in seconds. The process is smooth and intuitive to make it easy to control your editing and collage construction. Apart from the 5 000+ easy-to-use layouts, there are also a multitude of themed templates. To mention but a few: there are holidays, Christmas, beach, birthday, party, love and baby. It even features a video editor, slideshow and music to go with your creation. All collages are saved in the built-in gallery.

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

PHOTO COLLAGE MAKER & CREATOR Three million users can’t be wrong! That’s how many people (at last count!) downloaded this easy-to-use app. It’s ease is the strongest selling point because you can rapidly combine multiple images into one stunningly framed picture! Photo Collage Maker includes over 1 000 adjustable layouts that can combine up to 20 pictures in regular and funky frames. It also features 96 free border and decoration patterns (50 in-app purchases) that can blur, scale, lighten or darken your selected image; as well as stickers, frames, backgrounds and shadow borders – the choices are endless. Projects can be saved to your camera roll and exported onto social media platforms for all to admire “your” creativity.

FRAMES – PICTURE COLLAGE MAKER Memories are made of this was a cheesy advertising slogan some years back – but if you want to keep your memories of holidays or social events like braais or parties alive by posting them to Facebook, Instagram, email and Twitter I’d suggest Frames. Instant frames combine multiple photos into amazing looking memories. The app features over 300 fully adjustable frames, rounded corners, photo effects, shadows, patterns and an easy colour picker for a distinctive and unique look. You can create projects and work on them whenever and wherever you are – autosave and retrieve any project at any time. There are many effects to apply, as well as adding labels or stickers to enhance your photos.

A must for fun displays of your collection.

THINGAMAJIGS |

2

3

1

Beautiful by

12

4

NATURE

SOUTH AFRICA IS ONE OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE SPOTS IN THE WORLD – AND IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO CELEBRATE THE BOUNTY OF NATURE IN DESIGN, FURNISHINGS AND OTHER BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTS.

11

1 JELLYBEAN JUNGLE CUSHION , by i Spy, R340, hellopretty.co.za 2 ROYAL KAAP VASE , by Sugar & Vice, R205, hellopretty.co.za 3 BUDDY MOULDED WALL HOOKS , set of 3, by Umbra, R319, www.yuppiechef.com 4 AURA REFLECTION ULTRASONIC DIFFUSER , by Scent Works, R1 199, www.yuppiechef.com 5 I-BED LAPDESK, wood, by Big Blue R255, www.bigblue.co.za 6 VANILLA SCENTED CANDLE , by Urchin Art, R159, www.yuppiechef.com 7 BARCRAFT THREE PIECE COCKTAIL SET

10

by Kitchen Cra , R569, www.yuppiechef. com 8 LIMITED EDITION SKULL MUG, by Sugar and Vice, R260, hellopretty.co.za 9 PINEAPPLE TRINKET DISH , by Big Blue, R50, www.bigblue.co.za 10 DELICIOUS MONSTER LEAF - MDF COASTERS ,

by HALLO JANE, R80, hellopretty.co.za 11 BARCRAFT STAINLESS STEEL SOFT TOUCH HIP FLASK,

by Kitchen Cra , R299, www.yuppiechef.com 12 ROCKING WHISKEY GLASSES , set of 6,

by Sagaform, R349, www.yuppiechef.com

5

6

8 7 9 56

|

2

S PA R G O O D L I V I N G

1

3

11

Summertime FUNTIME KEEP IT SIMPLE WHEN HEADING OUT INTO THE BRIGHT, WARM SUNSHINE THIS SEASON. BEWARE THE SUN’S BURNING RAYS, STAY HYDRATED AND KEEP THE DRINKS COOL – AND IN REUSABLE PLASTIC – WHEN PICNICKING. 1 Lunch chiller bags (assorted designs) 2 Beach umbrella 200 cm (red) 3 Beach umbrellas – 204 cm / 225 cm /

10

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

4

256 cm (assorted designs) 24 cube ice tray (plastic) 450 ml sip bottle 700 ml sports bottle (plastic) 500 ml sports bottle (aluminium) Picnic tumbler set (500 ml) – 4 piece Picnic bowl set (14 cm) – 4 piece Picnic dinner plate set (25 cm) – 4 piece Picnic wine goblet set (400 ml) – 4 piece

9 7 5 8

6

NOV/DEC 2018

57

PROFILE

|

T R AV I S K U H N

CHAMPIONING C E H T

O

perating sous vide machines, evaporators and culinary smoke guns is something traditionally associated with MasterChef contestants and food fanatics – not bartenders!

But Travis Kuhn, the South African winner of Diageo’s WORLD CLASS bartending competition says these foodie tools are now key weapons in the modern mixologists arsenal.

He would know since he’s competed against 56 other WORLD CLASS national champions in the global finals of Diageo’s competition in Berlin in October.

“The preparation is insane!”

Kuhn admitted in the run-up to the event. He spent his days juggling contractors (renovations to the home he shares with wife Leigh and their three children), visa applications, fine-tuning recipes and working on his technique as well as sourcing ingredients.

OC KTA I L

“And then I had to be sure that I could get my ingredients through customs without a hitch!”

No doubt customs officers would have taken a dim view if he’d strolled through the green, nothingto-declare, channel with all his fynbos and herbs. Having to explain that honeybush, buchu, rooibos, spekboom and hoodia were intended for a cocktail competition could have been VERY interesting if he hadn’t done his homework.

But homework is something Kuhn is good at. As the owner and proprietor of The Perfect Serve mobile bar studio in Cape Town, preparation and keeping up to the minute with trends is paramount.

It’s a big departure from the Johannesburg boykie who matriculated from Sandringham high and made his way to Cape Town to study Sports Management at Varsity College.

INCORPORATING THE UNIQUE FLAVOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA INTO A COCKTAIL IS SOMETHING ONLY A FLAVOUR MASTER LIKE TRAVIS KUHN, A VETERAN OF THE LOCAL BARTENDING SCENE, COULD ACHIEVE. FIONA MCDONALD REPORTS.

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

T R AV I S K U H N

|

PROFILE

NOV/DEC 2018

59

PROFILE

|

T R AV I S K U H N

OPPOSITE PAGE (CLOCKWISE): 1. There was no mistaking Travis Kuhn’s unbridled joy at winning the final of the Diageo WORLD CLASS competition earlier this year.

Durban and Joburg could have almost heard his roar!

2. Shake, shake, shake! Some skills in cocktail service remain unchanged.

3. Explaining the concept of a cocktail to a judge, Travis had to bring in his own take on a classic by differentiating ingredients or techniques. Same-same ... but different!

Working behind the counter at one of Long Street’s many popular bars, Kuhn didn’t just want to be slinging beers. He worked on his craft, learning about techniques, drinks, mixes and mixers and also entered competitions to pit himself against others in the field.

His participation in the Berlin finals of the WORLD CLASS competition is not his first rodeo.

There have been 13 world finals in his 22 year career.

“I’ve always done well,” he said, citing his best-placed fourth spot, 12th and 13th. And when you’re measuring yourself against up to 56 competitors, the best in the world from some of the most wellknown cocktail bars, making the top 15 is like being in the Olympic men’s 100m final!

Everything is about steadiness and readiness. “What a lot of the competitors might not realise is that the first challenge had already been completed before we even arrived in Berlin.” That challenge was to make a video of the special drink developed to showcase the country each contestant represented.

Kuhn opted for the Bloody Mary – but incorporated South African flavour. “It’s quite conceptual.

One of the things we have to do is show how the drink benefits the local community.” That meant that Kuhn approached The Haven Night Shelter, a safe space for homeless people, to make up his pre-mix.

And it wasn’t just a case of mixing the ingredients together for Kuhn’s Bloody Mary. He developed the special flavour profile which The Haven’s itinerant population mixed up.

“Yes it’s tomato cocktail but I’ve incorporated orange juice, sriracha for the hot sauce element, along

Doing the research and development took Kuhn on a voyage into the history of South Africa. He explored the flavours that speak strongest of community and South African identity.

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

with granadilla juice, pickle juice or brine as well as chutney,” he said.

At the competition Kuhn had to not only present the video and explain his concept to the four judges but then make up 20 drinks – for the judges to mark and the first 16 to get their hands on a glass to enjoy.

Doing the research and development took Kuhn on a voyage into the history of South Africa. He explored the flavours that speak strongest of community and South African identity. There was a surprising amount of work necessary finalising the script – because this is bartending presentation – as well as ingredients and especially techniques.

South African ingredients the judges would probably be experiencing for the first time courtesy of Kuhn included Amasi, the sour milk drink so beloved by locals. (Random historical fact: while in hiding with a Jewish family, Nelson Mandela unwittingly gave away his location by leaving a saucer of milk on a windowsill to sour.

The house staff realised this was not something their employers would do and Mandela was rumbled to the cops, as documented in his Long Walk to Freedom.)

Kuhn also took the sweet, sugary treat, the koeksister, parboiled it, reduced it and used it as a sweetening agent, along with traditional Cape Malay spices to pull the drink together.

And with the Cape Floral Kingdom being the smallest but most richly biodiverse floristic kingdoms in the world, another one of his unique drinks used five different kinds of fynbos: spekboom, hoodia, sugarbush, rooibos tea and buchu which were then blended with a local vermouth, Caperitif produced by maverick wine maker Adi Badenhorst.

One of the prescribed challenges is to utilise a Diageo product, in this case Tanqueray 10 – along with grapefruit which is at the heart of the distillation of this world-renowned gin.

The ingredients might remain

the same but this is where the skill and creativity of the bartender is tested since they’re required to whip up three different drinks.

“It’s about manipulating the ingredients,” Kuhn conceded.

The use of whole segments of the bitter citrus fruit versus using the juice or a syrup reduction, for example. He explained that one of the cocktails contained maple syrup and even Turkish Delight ...

“It’s about more than just making a tasty cocktail. Contestants are marked on technique. Solid, practised technique makes up a lot of points.” And it’s also where those kitchen toys and culinary equipment come into play.

Competitors such as Kuhn have to be proficient with smokers, rotovaps which dehydrate ingredients and a whole host of other kit too.

For example, one of the biggest tends in mixology currently is the use of smoke – something Kuhn utilised in one of his finals drinks.

In working on his flip, a drink which requires the use of a fresh egg to add a frothy, creamy element to the final drink he decided to take it a step further.

Like a home handyman, he bust out his drill and gently made a hole in an egg before carefully draining its contents. Taking some oak shavings from a wine barrel which had been used for the maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon, he popped that in a culinary smoker and popped the end of the tube into the egg, filling it with Cabernet oak smoke.

“So, in my ingredient basket for this flip I had two eggs – one real for the making of the cocktail, and the dummy, smoke-filled egg.” Just imagine the theatre of watching the drink being created before one’s eyes, with the symbolic cracking of the smoke egg to finish it off!

Kuhn has ably demonstrated that local bartenders and mixologists are as good as the world’s best.

“We really don’t have to feel that we’re behind the curve. Our guys and girls are right up there in terms of skills and creativity.”

T R AV I S K U H N

|

PROFILE

NOV/DEC 2018

61

LIVING LIFE ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURES PROMINENTLY IN THE MOVIES AND THE MUSIC RELEASED IN TIME FOR THIS ISSUE. FROM THE TOPIC OF CATFISHING IN NOBODY’S FOOL AND HACKING IN ASSASSINATION NATION TO SIMULATION THEORY, THE NEW ALBUM BY MUSE. NOBODY’S FOOL

1

THE GRINCH

Universal Pictures and Illumination have created a full-length animated feature – with Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Strange fame providing the voice for the character.

The cynical Grinch hates Christmas – which the folks of Who-ville, below Mount Crumpet, celebrate with great gusto and jollity every year. So he decides to steal Christmas, deciding to pose as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, down in Who-ville, Cindy-Lou Who – a young girl overflowing with holiday cheer – plots with her friends to trap Santa Claus.

Funny, heart warming and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism.

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

Tyler Perry’s latest movie, Nobody’s Fool starring comedian Tiffany Haddish, once again maxes out her comedic talents which audiences have grown to love based on her previous movies, Girls Trip and Night School. The premise is that wild child Tanya (Tiffany Haddish) is released after a stint in jail – into the custody of her high-flying executive businesswoman sister Danica, played by Tika Sumpter in order for her to get back on track. Polar opposites collide ... with suitably hilarious results. But it’s when the ‘too good to be true’ online boyfriend of Danica turns out to be massively fake, Tanya takes over the revenge quest! No man catfishes her sister by faking his profile and creating a faux perfect lifestyle and gets away with it! Veteran actress Whoopi Goldberg playing a cameo as their mother also manages to steal her share of the limelight with some great one liners.

ASSASSINATION NATION

Social media rules ... until it doesn’t. In this satirical teen thriller, a high school senior who lives in the town of Salem, Lily Colson played by Odessa Young, has a rude awakening to the dark side of social media.

She and her friends happily post their lives online – in texts, pictures, selfies and chats, just like everybody else. But an anonymous hacker gains access to their lives in cyberspace and starts posting secret details of their private lives – and those of everyone in their small town.

And that’s when weird and nasty things start to happen with friends turning on each other. Life descends into violent chaos as the hunt for the hacker turns murderous.

“As soon as I came off the road, ‘Something Human’ came out, which is a more tender, down-toearth, simplistic song about what it feels like to be burned out and wanting to get home.”

– Matt Bellamy

2

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

SIMULATION THEORY

MUSE Muse, an electro-rock trio, are known for their massive arena concerts. Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard were on the road for 18 months on their last tour, the Drones World Tour which featured a mammoth 132 dates! Simulation Theory is a follow-up to 2015’s Drones and already tracks have been receiving good airplay. “Something Human” is a notable departure of style, something Matt Bellamy said happened naturally after their heavy tour commitments. “Thought Contagion” and “Dig Down” are what fans expect to hear – driving anthemic tunes. Six gruelling nights in Paris and five in London with riot police and drones flying overhead as part of the show, weighed on the band creatively – and “Something Human” was the personal and somewhat tender musical response to that, Bellamy said in an interview with Billboard magazine. “As soon as I came off the road, ‘Something Human’ came out, which is a more tender, down-to-earth, simplistic song about what it feels like to be burned out and wanting to get home to a more normal life,” Bellamy said.

NO TOURISTS

THE PRODIGY A trio of Essex boys Liam Howlett, Maxim and Keith Flint, formed the Prodigy in 1990 and have spent the last two to three years working on their new release, No Tourists. It’s the band’s seventh album and follows their 2015 album, The Day is My Enemy.

“This album is equally aggressive as the last records, but in a different way,” says band frontman Liam Howlett. “To us, No Tourists is ultimately about escapism and the want and need to be derailed.”

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the first track released, “Need Some1”, with its driving rhythms set against a backdrop of smashing bottles and sirens.

TPC

TOKYO POLICE CLUB Canadian alt-rock quartet Tokyo Police Club had rebooted their sound in this album, their fourth since forming in 2005. “We wrote it at a beautiful old church in rural Ontario,” the band stated on their website. “We’d spend all day drinking coffee and playing songs, taking breaks to go to the beach or shoot cans with a BB gun. At night we’d take turns making dinner, and then we’d drink some beer and pick up the instruments again. It was bliss.” Is it any wonder that this album, the group’s fourth, has new perspective and a fresh sound? “Hercules” is a track somewhat reminiscent of BritPop’s heydays with its guitar-driven cyclical sound while “DLTFWYH” offers up some thoughtful lyrics, as does the “New Blues” track.

BRIDGE OF CLAY

MARKUS ZUSAK The Dunbar boys are brothers with strong bonds. There are five of them and they live by their own rules, tussling, tumbling, fighting and loving and learning about the adult world.

Then they discover the moving secret behind their father’s disappearance.

Clay is at the centre of this sweeping family saga. He’s the brother who builds a bridge: for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins – and for a miracle.

The question is just how far is Clay prepared to go – and how much can he overcome?

The Bridge of Clay is a moving tale by the author of The Book Thief.

TRANSCRIPTION

KATE ATKINSON World War II is in full swing when 18-year-old Juliet Armstrong is recruited – somewhat reluctantly – into the world of espionage and intrigue. Working in an obscure department of MI5, she is tasked with transcribing notes and monitoring the movements of British Fascist supporters and sympathisers.

It’s a job which is sometimes boring and mundane, and at others terrifying.

A decade later Juliet is far removed from her wartime life, now a radio producer at the BBC. Having thought that her days of secrecy were behind her she is unexpectedly confronted by people from those shadowy days.

It’s a different battleground – with an equally shadowy war being fought but once more Juliet finds herself under

threat. Now older and wiser Juliet realises that there are no actions without consequences.

Author Kate Atkinson has won awards for her historically-based fiction with some of her novels having become the BBC television series, Case Studies.

PERFECT 10

JACQUELINE WARD Caroline Atkinson is powerless and angry. She has lost more than most – her marriage, her reputation, even her children. Then one day, she receives an unusual delivery: lost luggage belonging to the very man who is responsible, her estranged husband Jack.

In a leather holdall, Caroline unearths a dark secret, one that finally confirms her worst suspicions. Jack has kept a detailed diary of all his affairs; every name, every meeting, every lie is recorded. He even marks the women out of ten.

Caroline decides it’s time to even the score. She will make this man pay, even if it means risking everything ...

She’s on the trail for revenge, regardless of the consequences.

3

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

NOV/DEC 2018

63

FISHING |

BAZARUTO EXPERIENCE

An appropriately named Giant Kingfish or Giant Trevalley was a fine catch for Craig Thomassen in these bountiful waters off Bazaruto. Known for their power and size, these fish put up a good fight.

THERE’S A LITTLE ARCHIPELAGO IN THE MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL, BETWEEN THE AFRICAN MAINLAND AND MADAGASCAR. CRAIG THOMASSEN REPORTS ON THE BAZARUTO EXPERIENCE.

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

BAZARUTO EXPERIENCE

IS

|

FISHING

T I G N I DO E L Y T S D N LA

T

he Bazaruto archipelago must be one of the most spectacular pieces of marine shoreline along the east African coast. It consists of four main islands; Magaruque, Benguerra, Bazaruto and Paradise islands, strung out in a pretty chain just a few kilometres offshore from the Mozambican mainland town of Vilanculos.

I’ve fished the archipelago many times over the years, and count it amongst my favourite fishing destinations. It covers a large area and I recently got the opportunity to explore the entire archipelago in a single trip, something I’d never done before.

Making this possible was the new Catsonova live aboard operation, which is based out of Vilanculos.

Catsonova is a 44-foot motor yacht, which has recently been refurbished and is used as a houseboat type setup in the area.

She is crewed by a helpful and friendly staff; José, her skipper, Zef, the cook, Roberto another skipper and deck hand and Dean Taylor, a young Zimbabwean, who is the operations manager, host and fishing guide.

This enthusiastic team put all of their efforts into making each trip NOV/DEC 2018

65

FISHING |

BAZARUTO EXPERIENCE

aboard Catsonova as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Dean is a qualified chef, so the meals on board are top class, he is also a keen and passionate fisherman. He has had a few years experience in the area, working out of Benguerra lodge as a fishing guide in the past, so is ideally qualified to put his guests onto good fish.

The Bazaruto archipelago is within a marine national park, so there is plenty of marine wildlife to enjoy in the area, and the fishing is world class.

Catsonova was our base, and she moved around to different moorings each day, allowing us to fish different areas. We fished from a ski boat that accompanied Catsonova, and met up with her each afternoon at her new anchorage. This allowed us an opportunity to fish the entire archipelago over the course of a week – something not normally possible when land based.

We had two amazing sightings of dugong, as well as manta rays,

BELOW: Catsanova, a 44-foot motor launch which housed the fishing party for a week.

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

sharks, turtles, dolphins and of course some fantastic sunsets and sunrises. We also managed to get in some snorkelling on beautiful reefs, and of course we fished until our arms were ready to drop off …

The Bazaruto archipelago is home to a diverse range of fish species, including a wide variety of predators and game fish. We caught nine species of kingfish, along with many other species of predators. We fished everything from light tackle to the heaviest of popping gear, and all that is in between. Poppers, bucktail jigs, stickbaits and soft plastics all did a lot of duty and all produced fish. We chased down shoals of busting fish on the surface, with birds diving overhead, and got into tuna and king mackerel. We threw poppers and stickbaits at good looking water and landed GTs, and we drifted over reefs, working small jigs and spoons to catch a variety of predators and colourful bottom species.

The Catsonova experience is something quite different to staying in a lodge on land, and offers great opportunities to explore further afield within the archipelago. It gave us a whole new perspective on the islands and allowed us to fish areas that have previously been unavailable to us for fishing the prime times.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week, which was made even more special by the really dedicated

We chase d down shoal s of busti ng ds fis h on the sur fac e, wit h bir divin g overh ead, and got into tuna

and king macke rel.

BAZARUTO EXPERIENCE

efforts of Dean and his team.

They could not do enough to make our trip great, and were always ready and willing to do whatever it took to make us happy. The Catsonova experience is one that I would recommend to anybody who wants to get a full, tropical blue water fishing experience in waters that are easy to access and full of fish. The flight from Johannesburg to Vilanculos takes less than an hour and a half, making it a quick and painless trip, and you can be fishing within a few hours of leaving home.

|

FISHING

ABOVE: Fishing guide Dean Taylor knows the waters off the Bazaruto archipelago well and ensured that we hooked some beauties – while Brian Chakanyuka caught it all on camera.

LEFT: Catsanova’s cook, Zef and Roberto were in charge of the braai tongs on the stern of the vessel. Freshlycaught crustaceans taste best when just out of the water!

NOV/DEC 2018

67

RESPONSIBILITY |

BEYOND BARS AKADEMIA

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

BEYOND BARS AKADEMIA

|

RESPONSIBILITY

THERE IS A FLEDGLING INITIATIVE TRAINING FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN WITHIN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHICH IS SHOWING PROMISING RESULTS AND REDUCING RECIDIVISM. LEAH VAN DEVENTER POSES SOME QUESTIONS.

BEYOND

S

outh Africa’s unemployment rate is sitting at around 27%, which translates to some 6 million individuals of working age being jobless. It should come as no surprise that – in desperation – many turn to crime, ending up incarcerated.

And when they’re released, they’re faced with the same dire employment opportunities, yet their situation is compounded by the fact that jobs are even harder to come by for formerly incarcerated people …

Two French expats, Stephanie Simbo and Marine Durand, have taken it upon themselves to help ex-offenders find employment in the hospitality industry through a non-profit called Beyond Bars Akademia. We caught up with Cape Town-based Simbo in this exclusive Q&A, to find out all about it.

BARS

LEFT: Once in possession of a criminal record, employment becomes difficult. A new initiative is giving people hope... ironically, by putting them behind bars again.

Beyond Bars Akademia is a very exciting initiative. How exactly does it work? BBA is a school aimed at rehabilitating formerly incarcerated women from Pollsmoor Prison through various types of hospitality training. It is a six-month process, where we provide accommodation, education and, at the end, a job placement for our graduates.

Talk me through the course structure. We’re in the process of changing it, so all I can say is that we’ve separated our curriculum into five different modules: motor skills, social skills, life skills, cross discipline and Ubuntu.

These modules are aimed at not only creating technically oriented professionals, but also at helping the mental process of being rehabilitated. For example, meditation and problem solving are taught.

Tell me about the BBA team.

Who runs the programme with you, and who teaches the students? My business partner, Marine Durand, and I are the main teachers. I’m a Wine & Spirit Education Trust certified trainer and Marine has over 10 years of experience in the hospitality field.

When it comes to the mental health or coaching of our students, Allison Arnold, a trained organisational psychologist from Allison Arnold Consulting, comes to the school twice a week. We also invite professionals from various backgrounds to run workshops in areas that they’re skilled in.

I believe you use the European Bartender School facilities in Woodstock, Cape Town, for your classes. What does that entail? Yes. Cassandra Eichhoff graciously offered to share her facilities with us, because in our first year we couldn’t find a place due to lack of funding and I guess because of the stigma around formerly incarcerated people. When the school is free of its own students, we can use the premises at our convenience.

We hope to have our own space by the end of the year, probably near Muizenberg.

Which other organisations do you work with? We work with Nicro – a NGO aimed at fighting recidivism and promoting noncustodial sentences – and the justice department … recidivism NOV/DEC 2018

69

RESPONSIBILITY |

BEYOND BARS AKADEMIA

We work a lot on personal development. At the end of the day, we don’t aim to make them perfect robots, but better human beings … reformed ones. People who understood what they did, and who want to contribute to South African society.

we ended up overwhelmed by the amount of work a small team like ours had to do. To manage it, excellent communication was, and is still, needed.

being the relapse into crime, usually due to the lack of alternatives.

Mostly these organisations act as part of our support system.

Being a new non-profit company, funding and credibility is often difficult to get, which is why being acknowledged by other professionals in our field helps a lot.

How do ex-inmates adjust to becoming hospitality students?

Formerly incarcerated women, please. We insist on changing the narrative here, as the term exinmate has a bad connotation that identifies them as criminals and thugs rather than people.

So, the formerly incarcerated women adjust well at first, before realising that being out after months or years is not as easy at it seems. It requires a selfdiscipline that’s not taught in prison.

Most of these women are part of a system that failed them all their life. They had to take up roles that society chose for them. Roles that, most of the time, don’t provide structure or proper education.

Added to that, the amount of work they must put into BBA and the discipline required of the establishment … For many, it comes as a surprise, and a few have rough initial weeks.

Other than education, what does the institute do to help formerly incarcerated women acclimate?

We work a lot on personal development. At the end of the day, we don’t aim to make them perfect robots, but better human beings 70 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

ABOVE: The powerhouse duo of Marine Durand and Stephanie Simbo.

… reformed ones. People who understood what they did, and who want to contribute to South African society.

Tell me about your goals – how do you measure your success?

Our evaluative framework is centred on how many students graduate, and on non-recidivism.

Some 85% of people tend to reoffend during their first year out of jail, so if they don’t, we consider it a success.

How has BBA grown since you launched last year, and what lessons have you learnt along the way? We’ve since finished our first promotion and the biggest lesson to learn was how patience and communication are key points when it comes to social entrepreneurship.

Rehabilitation is not a pretty field; with the added stress of forming highly skilled hospitality professionals, from time to time

What inspired you to start the initiative? And why a bar school, specifically? Primarily, it started with a promise to my late brother, who went through jail when I was 10. Then, it turned into a will to improve the conditions of women around the world and fight mass incarceration.

Gender inequality is still strong today. It denies women their voices, devalues their work and makes their positions unequal to men in every aspect of life.

I wanted to create a platform where female excellence could be promoted, and show the world that rehabilitation measures offer better solutions than more law enforcement.

The hospitality part came up later when I noticed the lack of diversity in the industry, and I wanted to bring in more women, and those of colour!

What can the public do to help?

As a non-profit company, our biggest challenge is funding, so financial contributions are a good start, but donating materials or volunteering is also gladly welcomed.

Last but not least, if you’re willing to hire one of our students, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

To find out more, email Stephanie on sps@beyondbars.co.za.

| NEXT ISSUE

DON’T MISS THE

next issue!

CHEERS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

W W W .T O P S AT S P A R . C O . Z A

BEER BASICS Understanding your IPA, Pilsners and Ales LEADING MEN IN SPIRITS Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney and Dan Ackroyd all love their gin, tequila and vodka CAFÉ CULTURE The explosive growth of the coffee revolution

Congratulations to previous issue’s winner

KOBUS BOTHA’S LE BRAAI COOKBOOK Mike Hainsworth from Centurion NOV/DEC 2018

71

LO O P D O P |

MAG DAAR LIG WEES IN DIE PIKDONKERTE: HET ONS MAAR NET GEWEET HOE WAARDEVOL ’N GASLAMP EN ’N PAAR KERSE DAAI JARE SOU WEES…

DIE HERRIE EN DIE HAMBURGERS VAN HARRISMITH

N

Address: 42 Hamilton Street, Harrismith Tel: 058 622 3045 Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon-Fri: 08h00 - 20h00 Sat: 08h00 - 20h00 Sun: Closed TOPS Customer Care Tel: 086 031 3141

a my matriekjaar destyds was daar nie georganiseerde matriekvakansies nie, maar ek en drie pelle het besluit ons moet dié mylpaal vier.

Als begin by ’n vriend van my pa se tweedehandse motorbesigheid.

Op ’n teerblad het sy karre netjies ingeryg gestaan. Sy kantoor was ’n ou Jurgens-karavaan met ’n bleikrooi seilafdak. Luidsprekers het aan die stutpale gehang. Lance James, Gert Potgieter en Groep Twee het die karre toegesing. Soms ook Nana Mouskouri. En Abba.

Tussen die Valiants, Corollas, Vollas en Fords het een deurwinterde Britse 4x4 gestaan. Perfek vaalbruin met groen seilkap en spaarwiel op die enjinkap. Ons moet petrol betaal, maar die gebruik is op die huis. Oom Apie, had jy maar geweet ...

Met kampgoed en kos is ons weg uit Johannesburg. Ons het eers by vriend Annies se tannie Auden naby Port Shepstone gekamp onder ’n reuse, wilde avokadopeerboom. ’n Halwe reusepeer per man met roereier in die holte word stapelkos.

Daarna het die toer lyf gekry. Met die Landy volstoom teen 65 is ons blindweg die Drakensberge in. “May you stay forever young ...” beaam Bob Dylan kliphard.

Smiddae, sodra die son lui raak, ry ons by die naaste plaas aan. Ons vra die boer of ons maar iewers in

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

die veld kan kamp.

“Natuurlik! Moet net nie die plek afbrand nie of mors nie,” was altyd die reaksie. Dan het hy ons ’n lekker kampplek gaan wys.

Ons het tente staan gemaak, vuur gemaak en dan eers so bietjie gewag voor ons ons Boelie en Bake Beans begin warm maak het.

Dit het gewoonlik so uur gevat ... Dan het boer se vrou hom oortuig om ons te kom haal vir aandete.

So-by-so kom die bakkie se stofstreep dan op ons af.

“May you stay forever young ...”

Na so week sit een boer ons op die bergpad verby Royal Natal tot by Little Switzerland. Dis rof en omtrent die hoogste pad in die Drakensberg, maar ons het mos ’n viertrek. Op die spits het ons bokwa besluit sy agterdryfas is nou eers klaar. Net so. Sonder geluid.

Sonder olie. Sonder bloed. Hy wil net in lae rat op die voorwiele trek.

Tussen die Valiants, Corollas, Vollas en Fords het een deurwinterde Britse 4x4 gestaan. Perfek vaalbruin met groen seilkap en spaarwiel op die enjinkap.

Heelwat later kruip ons by Little Switzerland in. Sonder kos en soortevan sonder geld. Die bestuurder het ons vuil klere een kyk gegee en die motorjaart aan die agterkant aangebied. Langs ons was ’n ablusieblok waar ons elk in ’n leë bad bed gemaak het.

Totdat die nagwag ons gejaag het.

Koue en honger het ons begin knou.

Die volgende dag maak ons plan.

Twee van ons gaan ons skoonste vuil klere aantrek, aanmeld en betaal vir brekfis terwyl die ander twee by die eetkamervenster, in die bedding agter die krismisrose, gaan wegkruip.

So bestel ons gekookte eiers, eet elkeen een en gee die res deur die venster aan. En weer en weer.

En snye, snye brood. Varkworsies.

Vrugte uit die tafelversierings. Ons maak die koskas vol.

Met karige karkennis karring ons aan ons wa se onderkant.

Ons bedding-eiers is lankal op toe die Landy skielik in hoë rat op sy voorwiele begin trek. Berg-af tot in Harrismith. Op pad begin dit reën.

Blits en donder. Die wind waai dik druppels dwarsdeur die ruite.

In Harrismith maak ons vol met ons laaste geld. Verlangend kyk ons na die steakhouse langsaan.

Nie eers geld vir tjips nie. Die weer raak wilder. Tot ’n herriese bliksemstraal Harrismith in ’n stiknag in slaan. Ons kyk vir mekaar, lag en haal ons gaslampe, kerse en flitse uit. En word die helde van Harri se steakhouse.

Met ’n dik pens en dankbaarheid is ons uit Harrismith. Huis toe.

May you build a ladder to the stars climb on every rung and may you stay ... forever young.