Food for the changing season.
The moment the temperature (and the rain) starts falling, you can’t turn around without bumping into a blog or magazine spinning tales about stews and soups or pratting on about pancakes. While we do like these (worn out) “winter - warmers”, we have a couple of fresh favourites for you to try this season.
As much as we love a “hearty stew” or a “nourishing soup” packed full of nutrients and vitamins to fight off the winter sniffles, we also believe there is magic in these downright delicious, slightly less nutritious but perfectly comforting South African classics.
Melkkos (milk food)
This is an intentionally textured (lumpy) creamy type of thickened milk dish. Served hot with unhealty amounts of cinnamon sugar, it is comfort in a bowl. There are many variations, from a sago-based melkkos, to one with “snysels” which is a kind of doughy noodle. Our favourite is the plain, slightly lumpy one with the consistency of a thick soup, but with a light, milky flavour and aforementioned overindulgence of cinnamon sugar. See online for recipe.
Pancake or flapjacks? Nope. It’s Amagwinya for us...
Gone are the days of stodgy Vetkoeke the size of side plates fllled with bland curry mince and left under clingwrap at church bazaars.
Now its all about the Amagwinya! (but yes...it’s still basically a fat cake just somehow better). These perfect little dough balls are formed into smaller sizes, never bigger than a tennis ball, and deep fried until dark and crispy on the outside but deliciously fluffy on the inside.
While Andiswa prefers the Amagwinya’s with savoury fillings, we love it with a sugary sweet twist. Tear open your freshly baked doughball while it is still hot, lump in enough butter to melt all over your plate or hand (it’s part of the magic) and then add one big teaspoon of golden syrup. The syrup will also melt and seep into the Amagwinya, and you can stuff the whole sweet mess into your mount in one go. (Or be civilised and eat it with cutlery and a lappie nearby...whatever works for you!) See online for recipe.
We hope these two recipes give you some distraction from traditional soups and stews of this season!
Multifunctional Spaces
Have you ever dreamt of having your own study at home or giving your kids a dedicated playroom?
Make your home work for you.
In the perfect world we would all have unlimited budget to re-build our homes to suit our own needs. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most of us.
Don’t worry! There are ways to make the most of what you have and tweak your existing space to better suit your needs.
Seated storage.
The most opvious way to maximise your space and use every possible spot for living, is to invest in clever storage solutions. There are so many beautiful, funtional and affordable options available. From hollow ottomans that can double as toyboxes or linen storage, to chest type coffee tables with built in storage (Ideal for puzzles and gaming consoles). The options are many and the space saved is amazing!
Playroom, Guestroom? No! Its both.
An obvious choice for a multifunctional space is to use one room for two very different purposes. Having a playroom where your kids can create chaos and play out their fantasies is a dream for many an overstimulated parent. But dedicating a whole room to the kiddos is a luxury most of us don’t have. We love the idea of using your existing guest room, sprucing it up with some clever furniture and creating a true multifuntional space.
Tips to combine a play-room and guestroom. This will take some planning.
Hidden Beds - SA offer a wide range of wall mounted, hidden beds to suit every single one of your multipurpose needs. From classic wall mounted beds to beds hidden in cabinets or bookshelves, and even beds that double as sofa’s or bookcases...the possibilities are endless.
Adjustable lighting: Another way to make your space multifunctional is to use adjustable lighting. We all know the dining room table is the centre of the home, not necessarily because we eat every single meal there but because it’s usually the easiest place to dump laptops, schoolbags, and other important stuff we need to deal with. Instead of fighting this, embrace it. If this is where schoolbags get dumped, why not make it the homework station as well. You can easlity switch the mood of the room between work and fine dining by switching out the lights. A bright, cool, white shade of light is best for work and staying alert, while a warmer hue is comforting and creates a cosy dining space.
See online for more tips.
JULY SPECIALS
Offered at the Following Leading Retail Stores:
BAFANA HARDWARE
FNB St (Behind Supa Quick), GIYANI
T: 015 812-0852
BARGAIN BUILDERS CITY
14 Broadway-East, VALHALLA
T: 012 654-7690
B-HOUSE MEGA MICA
C/O Blesbok & Garsfontein Rd
PRETORIA EAST, T: 012 480-0088
BUILD IT DERDEPARK
Sefako Makgatho Dr ERF 8
DERDEPOORT, T: 012 010-0888
BUILD IT BUILD SAVE
26 Hendrik Verwoerd Dr, BRITS
T: 012 252-1290
BLUE DISA PAINT & HARDWARE
Langenhoven St, VANDERBIJLPARK
T: 016 933-5426
BONUS HARDWARE
30-36 Bree St, HEILBRON , T: 058 853-0169
BRITE-LITE HARDWARE
547 Fehrsen St, BROOKLYN
T: 012 460-5250
CELTIS RIDGE MICA
Shop 20, Celtis Ridge, C/O Ruimte & Seedcracker St, CENTURION
SOUTH LAKE , T: 012 656-0509
CHAMPION HARDWARE
4 Mathey St, ZASTRON , T: 074 906-3190
CHOTHIA & CORPORATION
Portion 36 Vlakpoort Farm H.S 89 VLAKPOORT, T: 017 753-1950
BUILD IT DAKU
61089-61090 Mbilini Rd, IBHAYI PE
T: 041 450-4670
BUILD IT ZONKE
No. 9, 93 Umnulu St, MOTHERWELL PE
T: 041 450-2275
DEWTRON PLANT HIRE & HARDWARE
108 Mitchell St, UITENHAGE T: 041 992-4422
DIY DEPOT
26 Francis St, JEFFREYS BAY T: 042 293-3876
DREIERS
C/O Beethoven & Bach St, Ifafi HARTBEESPOORT, T: 012 259-1766
E3 ELECTRICAL WHOLESALERS
526 Vlok St, SILVERTON T: 012 030-1430
EENSTOP BOUHANDELAARS
510 Genl De Wet St, PRETORIA NORTH T: 012 565-4026
E-LINE ELECTRICAL WHOLESALERS
8 Moses Kotane St, BETHAL T: 082 926-2659
EPITOLI ELECTRICAL
- 23b Walton Ave, KILNER PARK T: 084 513-9602
- 354 Derdepoort Rd, SILVERTON T: 012 333-0116
HERHOLDT’S LIGHTING
3 Maroela St, Old Industrial BLOEMFONTEIN , T: 051 447-1961
JOY HARDWARE & FURNITURE
2664 Main Rd, DIMBAZA CENTRAL EC , T: 040 656-3160
KILOWATT SOLAR & ELECTRICAL
20 Van Coller St, PARYS, T: 056 811-2995
LITE-CITY
39A Commercial Rd, East London ARCADIA , T: 043 743-9891
MASAKHANE HARDWARE
360 Toop St, WATERLOO T: 012 813-8055
METRO HOME CENTRE(PTY)LTD
C/ O Garsfontein Rd & Shop No.A6 Menlyn Retail Park, 150 Lois Ave WATERKLOOF GLEN , T: 012 369-9999
MIDDEL ELECTRICAL INSTILLATION
17 Van Zyl Smit St, OBERHOLZER
T: 018 788-6214/ 018 787-2221
MICA
- Pienaar Dr, MEYERSPARK
T: 012 803-8609
- 12 Robinson Rd, ALIWAL NORTH
T: 051 633-3102
- 1024 Van Rooyen St, RAYTON
T: 012 734-5523
NWK BEPERK
- Hoofpad N14, BIESIESVLEI
T: 018 653-0006
- Hoofpad R509, BOONS , T: 082 317-3430
- 29 Zesfontein Rd, Shangrila BENONI , T: 014 577-1371
- Kerkstraat 3, BENONI , T: 011 965-0005
- Hoofpad R503, Depot BOSCHPOORT, T: 018 571-3213
- Hoofpad N4, BUHRMANNSDRIF T: 018 633-1617
- Voortrekker 3 St, COLIGNY T: 018 673-1012
- 17 Du Plessis St, DELAREYVILLE T: 053 948-0907
- Hoofpad R505, GERDAU, T: 018 673-0510
- Hoofpad R52, GROOTPAN
T: 082 317-3460
- Hoofpad R377, KAMEEL , T: 053 989-0004
- Duitser Eloffweg, KOSTER T: 014 543-2016 / 5
- 96 Nelson Mandela Dr LICHTENBURG , T: 018 632-5071
- 76A Nelson Mandela Dr, Econobuild LICHTENBURG , T: 018 632-3330
- Hoofpad Coligny (N14), Super Service Station LICHTENBURG , T: 071 680-6425
- 2 Tennysonlaan St, ORKNEY T: 018 473-2029
- 1st St. Aerodrome Weg, Econobuild MAFIKENG , T: 018 381-4465
- Hoofpad R375, MAREETSANE T: 018 332-2711
- Hoofpad R52, NOOITGEDACHT T: 018 633-1648
- 1 Stella St, PIET PLESSIS T: 053 984-0024
- Van Der Walt St, SANNIESHOF T: 018 683-0013
- C/O Ventersdorp & Elizabeth Rd Next to Sungate Farms RANDFONTEIN , T: 081 376-8143
- Rostrataville Hoofpad R507, Depot ROSTRATAVILLE , T: 018 571-3437
- Skuinsdrif Hoofpad R49 SKUINSDRIF, T: 083 604-0885
- Van Tonder St, SWARTRUGGENS T: 014 544-0165
- 17 President St, ZEERUST T: 018 642-1130
- Kerkstraat 3, Econobuild, ZEERUST T: 018 642-2170
N&S ELEKTRIES 11th de Laan, N14, KAKAMAS NC T: 054 431-0770
P.E. BOLT & HARDWARE SUPPLIES
349 Kempston Rd, KORSTEN T: 041 404-2500
ROBINSON HARDWARE & GAS SUPPLIES
57 Main St, DESPATCH , T: 041 933-3477
ROSSLYN WHOLESALERS
Shop 10, 15 Kotzenberg St, ROSSLYN T: 012 541-1390
RAVAT & SONS INTERNATIONAL
- Mbeki St, Shop 3 Bosveld Ctr MOKOPANE , T: 015 491-1011
- 29 Andrew St, NELSPRUIT T: 013 755-2168
- St C/O Grobler, POLOKWANE T: 015 295-7597
SENTOSHA T/A VOLT ELECTRICAL
433 Pretoria St, C/O Mandela Dr , PRETORIA T: 012 320 6595/082 576 7766
SELECTIVE LIGHTING
28 West St, NEWTON PARK T: 041 365-2636
STRAND HARDWARE CC
18A Diaz Rd, PARSONSHILL T: 041 585-6996
THE LAMP FACTORY
261 Plantation St, SILVERTON T: 012 804-8242
TWIST ELECTRICAL
690 President Steyn St PRETORIA NORTH , T: 012 546-3246
VALLEY RIVER TRADING 151 CC 122 Commissioner St, WAPADRAND T: 012 807-1971
VILLAGE HARDWARE
Shop 14, Summerstrand Village, PE T: 041 583-5209
WALKERVILLE HARDWARE 85 Main Rd, WALKERVILLE T: 011 027-5000
WOODHILL HARDWARE & GAS
948 St Bernard Dr, GARSFONTEIN T: 012 998-0264
WATT ELECTRICAL 54
