Cheers 44 September 2019

cheers

C O M P L I M E N TA R Y M A G A Z I N E SEP / OCT 2019 VOL44

| www.topsatspar.co.za Champagne | Vodka regionality | Tasting vodka | Beer glasses | Ginger Beer | SA Heritage food

TASTING: JUST HOW NEUTRAL IS VODKA?

BUBBLES A MAGICAL TALE VODKA GOES

GLOBAL 1 OF 10 DESIGNER GIN TROLLEYS!

Sep|Oct 2019|44

LIMITED EDITION 150TH ANNIVERSARY GIFT BAG – WITH 2 MAGNUMS OF CHAMPAGNE – WORTH R7 000!

PERFECT SERVE:

THE HARVEY WALLBANGER

PINT, SCHOONER OR MUG?

BEER GLASS 101

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’S D L R O W E H T

Y K S I H W 1 .

O N

Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

F RO M T H E E D I TO R

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

SCOTTISH SPIRIT

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here’s something about having a whisky on a cold, wintry night that makes the spirit particularly special. And when there’s a charming Scotsman in a kilt, speaking in a soft, lilting burr about flavours such as sun-dried orchard fruits, orange marmalade, chocolate and freshly-baked biscuits the whisky in the glass really takes on a life of its own!

I know that this issue takes a closer look at both Champagne and vodka, both of which are popular beyond belief because of great marketing and branding but there’s a part of me which wonders why they don’t tug at my heartstrings as much as whisky does.

I have fond associations with both since vodka, lime & lemonade was my first drink of choice – although, come to think of it, haven’t had one of those in decades!

And Champagne? A visit to Rheims and Epernay, two of the main towns in France’s Champagne region, included a number of visits and tastings of the bubbly stuff. Naturally I posed for a picture alongside the statue of Dom Perignon, the Franciscan monk who is alleged to have tasted the stars. (Since it was the era before cell phone cameras it’s not a selfie as I had to hand over my camera to someone else to capture it on actual film – and then wait a few weeks for it to be developed.) My ultimate memory of Champagne is probably drinking Krug from magnum – the fabled 1988 vintage – while at a swanky wine event in Bordeaux. To say that it flowed like water would be putting it mildly!

(And I had to steal the description of it from the Krug Champagne website because it’s so French: “Krug 1988 is an exquisite Champagne of extreme elegance and refinement. It is the story of a year without excesses that created the conditions for a slow maturation resulting in a perfect balance of freshness and fruit. Krug 1988 is a treasure trove of emblematic savoir-faire.”)

Yet listening to a brand ambassador talk about the slow maturation of whisky in Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, of the rooks which roost in the distillery precinct, of the wheat farmed in the softly rolling Aberdeenshire hills nearby which is then used in some of the most traditional washbacks in Scotland... it just speaks to my heart and engages me more. But maybe it’s just because it sounds nostalgic and my surname is McDonald!

Cheers

FIONA MCDONALD CHEERS EDITOR

PS – Big congratulations to our regular food columnist Teresa Ulyate who won two awards – Best Food Blogger and Best Photography Blog in the South African Parenting Blog Awards. cheersmag.co.za |

CheersMag |

INTEGRATED MEDIA Publisher Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Editor Fiona McDonald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director Claire Horner studio@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions Dee Griffin dee@integratedmedia.co.za Photography iStockphoto.com Contributors Teresa Ulyate, Emile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Clifford Roberts, Josephine Bestic, Maryke Visagie, Hector McBeth, David Bowman, Rhuan Human 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 Novus Print Published by Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR

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

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS Competition submissions should reach us no later than 15th October 2019. 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.

@CheersMag SEP/OCT 2019

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S E P/O CT 20 1 9 VO L 4 4

10 CHAMPAGNE The real deal bubbly in SA

features 16 VODKA

FROM THE EDITOR On Scottish heritage

22 TASTING

4 NEWS SCOOP

Smirnoff, Absolut, Cîroc & more

The bitterness in beer, ABSA Pinotage Top 10 and a new Tanqueray taste – and colour

Who’s heard of Harvey Wallbanger?

contents

1

Making it totally clear

26 PERFECT SERVE

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regulars

28 MASTERGLASS

40 HOT BITES A spicy Kraken cocktail to make Angel’s Tear up

Learn your Schooner from your pint

44 PLANT-BASED EATING

31 GINGER ZING

Va-va-voom with veggies – on the braai

The memory of summer’s past

48 EMILE JOUBERT

34 SA’S HERITAGE

Cheeky alternatives

Celebrating diverse flavours in food

50 FIRM FAVOURITES

62 FISHING SEYCHELLES

If life gives you lemons...

Giant Trevally on the line

54 HOT NEWS TOPS at SPAR wine show dates & challenging the cocktail mixers

58 GOOD LIVING Handy to have 1 OF 10 DESIGNER GIN TROLLEYS! LIMITED EDITION 150TH ANNIVERSARY GIFT BAG – WITH 2 MAGNUMS OF CHAMPAGNE – WORTH R7 000!

59 THINGAMAJIGS Goodies & gadgets

60 MOVIES, MUSIC & BOOKS Entertainment across all genres

66 APPS House & home design aids

68 GIDDY FROM GOUT Pain without equal

70 NEXT ISSUE Anticipating summer

72 LOOPDOP Late to the party

TWO BUMPER PRIZES IN THIS ISSUE: • A LIMITED EDITION 150TH ANNIVERSARY GIFT BAG – WITH 2 MAGNUMS OF CHAMPAGNE – WORTH R7 000 • A DESIGNER GIN TROLLEY – 10 UP FOR GRABS

Check out Cheers magazine online

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M S AY E P/ J OU CN T 2019

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THE SCOOP

KNOW THY BEER International Bitterness Units – or IBU – is one way of distinguishing or measuring the style of beer preferred but it’s not the ONLY thing to rate a favoured drink said Tshepo Tloubatla, Beer Culture Manager at SAB & AB InBev Africa.

For instance, American pale lagers are between 8 to 12 on the IBU scale, Pale Ale 15-30, English bitter 20-35, Pils and pilsners 20-40 – the same as Porter, dry stout: 25-60, India Pale Ale 40-75 and double India Pale Ale 75-100.

“Beer has a taste bud satisfying bitterness but balancing that with other tastes and aromas is what creates a palatepleasing combination,” Tloubatla said. “That isn’t something you can measure with IBUs.” IBUs might be a great way to measure bitterness, but don’t let it stop you from exploring new beers. “Knowing about IBUs not only allows you to sound much smarter when talking about beer but also allows you to know your own preference and judge which beers would suit your particular palate,” Tloubatla said.

According to beer writer and judge Lucy Corne, “hops are to beer what herbs are to your dinner – sure you could manage without them but they elevate the dish (or the beer) and add extra dimensions of flavour and aroma. Hops are also the sexiest ingredient. They’re the only one that beer could realistically do without and yet they’re the ingredient that gets beer lovers most excited; the only one with their own veritable fan club!”

According to Tloubatla, well-loved brand, Castle Lager, has an IBU of 22 while the flavoured beer Flying Fish is the least bitter beer at 5 IBU. Stella Artois is SAB’s beer with the highest IBU, at 30, and Castle Milk Stout is the highest locally brewed beer at 28 IBU. Corne said that within the craft beer industry, many of the brewers push the hop to new levels – such as with the “1000 IBU” from Danish gypsy brewery Mikkeller, one of the world’s most bitter beers.

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10 OF THE TOP PINOTAGE Pinotage is the patriotic pride of South Africa, developed as it was by Professor Perold in 1924 by crossing Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsaut) to create the unique grape.

Recently the best wines at the annual Absa Top 10 Pinotage competition were announced; Anura Reserve 2016, Badsberg 2018, Beyerskloof Winemaker’s Reserve 2017, Diemersdal Reserve 2018, Fleur du Cap Series Privée 2016, Kanonkop 2015, Survivor 2017, Simonsig Redhill 2017, Vondeling Bowwood 2016 and Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve 2016.

Kanonkop made history with its 14th appearance in the Absa Top 10. Not only was its Pinotage the oldest winning wine, but also the only 2015 vintage to make the list. Beyerskloof claimed their ninth trophy in the competition.

A further three wines were singled out for special achievement – all older than 10 years – on the basis of maturing particularly well with age as museum class contenders: Fairview Primo 2007, Hill & Dale 2007 and Rijk’s Private Cellar 2009.

MISTRESS OF THE CELLAR Seasoned winemaker Elunda Basson has transferred her skills from Stellenbosch to Constantia as the newly appointed cellar master of Steenberg.

For more than a decade Basson was the cellar chief at the specialist bubbly producer JC Le Roux in Stellenbosch’s Devon Valley, responsible for a range of sparkling wines from the awardwinning Desiderius Pongracz to the Scintilla, Le Domaine and others in the JC Le Roux stable.

While joking that moving jobs and tackling new challenges was something like having a midlife crisis, Basson said she was happy to work with a well established and skilled cellar and marketing team as well as vineyards which have produced some fantastic wines over the years – from the top-ofthe-range Magna Carta white blend to its highly regarded Sauvignon Blanc range, the reds such as Catherina and interesting grape varieties such as Nebbiolo.

VINO FOR VEGANS

CITY (AND GIN) PANTONE Designers and printers, artists and marketers all know about Pantones and colours because it’s important to have the right colour JUST right!

When beloved London Dry gin brand Tanqueray were doing the groundwork before releasing a new flavour derivative, Flor de Sevilla, the brand and its design agency ended up creating an entirely new colour! The city of Seville, the capital of Andalusia in Spain, is now recognised as #FFAB60 and been certified as such by Pantone.

By means of a major data study, the colour of the city – and the newly associated gin with its distinctive Seville orange flavour – was identified.

Google street view was spanned in to provide a heat map of the busiest areas of Seville – which an algorithm then crunched the numbers to search the streets for colour information from its image bank. A whopping 10 000 images were analysed, 1 000 streets, 30 monuments and 600 000 colour hues to come up with the city’s average colour in hexadecimal form: #FFAB60.

Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla is produced with Seville oranges

and orange blossoms and consequently has a citrus and fruity flavour that combines with the aroma of the four botanicals used on Tanqueray London Dry. The orange expression of the iconic gin is part of Tanqueray’s greater campaign to make the London Dry gin so distinctive that the immediately recognisable green bottle is almost superfluous.

Global head of Tanqueray, D-J Hageman, said: “As the world of gin continues to grow, it is getting ever more confusing about which one to choose. We want to bring the conversation back to what really matters – taste. For nearly 200 years, Tanqueray has always had an unwavering attention to taste and quality over anything else. Back in 1830 our founder, Charles Tanqueray searched the globe for the world’s best ingredients, ultimately choosing juniper, coriander, angelica and liquorice for his iconic perfectly balanced Tanqueray London Dry.” As an interesting aside, research conducted at the 2018 World Class Global Bartender of the Year Competition, 90% of bartenders surveyed at the event chose the Tanqueray London Dry and tonic versus the leading competitor when tasted blind.

Stellenbosch’s Spier winery is the first winery, not just in South Africa – but in the world – to gain official certification as vegan friendly by the Control Union!

Spier Seaward, Creative Block, 21 Gables and Frans K. Smit ranges will all bear this vegan-friendly seal – from 2019 vintage onwards for white wines and the 2018 vintage onwards for reds.

“This vegan certification not only demonstrates our commitment to a greener, animal-friendly future, it also means that vegan drinkers can now enjoy our wines,” says Frans K. Smit, Spier’s cellar master. “The certification of these four ranges is an important first step and represents a significant percentage of the wines we offer. This does not affect the taste of the wines in any way, and we intend to have the rest of our wines Vegan Standard-accredited in the coming years.”

“Trustworthiness and credibility of certain claims – vegan in this instance – through independent auditing and certification is of paramount importance,” explained Jordi Meijer, the managing director (South Africa) of Control Union, an international certification and inspection company with operations in over 70 countries. “When they see the Control Union Vegan Standard seal, vegans can be confident that they are buying something that aligns with their ideals.”

Because of the increased awareness and adoption of veganism, it’s necessary for certification programmes such as these to ensure ethical and scrupulous operators are rewarded.

Consumers are frequently unaware that animal-derived products are used in the making of wine – such as fining agents in order to make wines visually clear. In decades past it used to be a point of pride for winemakers to claim that they had done an egg white fining on red wine, for example. Harmless organic particles adhered to the whipped egg whites, thus making the wine less cloudy and removing the chance of any sediment remaining. The egg white was then removed – and it did so without affecting the flavour of the wine in any way.

Spier has taken the step of ensuring that non-animal alternatives are used, items such as activated charcoal or bentonite or clay-based agents.

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WHISKY MASTERCLASS

Whisky lovers in the Mother City were treated to a masterclass when GlenDronach global brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan (below) shared his intimate knowledge about this relatively unknown whisky with them recently.

GlenDronach is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, located in a well hidden glen in Aberdeenshire – but what makes it unique is its maturation in sherry casks, making it a highly sought after dram the world over.

“What makes The GlenDronach unique is our sherry style leveraging of Pedro Ximenez casks,” said Buchanan. “The GlenDronach has the highest percentage of Pedro Ximenez in the industry delivering the most balanced, robust character, and full bodied sherried taste profile like no other whisky.”

A consistent award winner is the GlenDronach 12 Year Old, the flagship in the range. Master blender Rachel Barrie said every single drop of the final blend had been in a sherry cask: a combination of both Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso. “It is the expression which most represents the perfect balance of distillery character and maturation,” said Barrie. “You can discern the character of the spirit, the fruitiness, orange, some cherries, and at the same time it’s in balance with the Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso. The Pedro Ximenez gives sweetness and cocoa, almost like dark chocolate, cherries and spice, and Oloroso gives hazelnut, creamy, rounded, caramelised sweetness.

Together you get that perfect balance, you get finesse and elegance, and at the same time it is full-bodied and robust in

character, with a really long finish.”

An interesting aside is that GlenDronach also used to be owned by a group of South Africans, along with BenRiach – who subsequently sold out to Brown Forman, making these the only Scottish whiskies in their portfolio, sitting alongside Jack Daniels.

Far left: CHEERS publisher Shayne Dowling, Glendronach brand ambassador Chantal Canning and Patrick Leclezio.

Enjoying a dram: Maryke and Clifford Roberts, with CHEERS editor Fiona McDonald and Magic828 breakfast DJ Guy McDonald (no relation).

CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE South Africa’s Constitutional Court of Appeal is one of the highest bodies in the land. It upholds the letter and spirit of the law.

Ten years after all South Africans cast their first ever vote in 1994, Robertson Winery launched a flagship range: Constitution Road – and it’s been gaining accolades since it first appeared in 2004.

The two latest examples, the 2016 Chardonnay and 2015 Shiraz, have just been released, boasting a slight makeover from the renowned studio of Anthony Lane design. The revamped labels symbolise the democratic pillars of the South African constitution, mirroring the values and beliefs of Robertson Winery.

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First up is liberty/freedom: to explore the true potential of the Robertson Valley, creative freedom for the winemakers to experiment and innovate, followed by governance/wisdom and knowledge: a respect of age-old traditions, knowledge shared between generations of winemakers yet writing a new chapter with each vintage.

Then there is justice and equality in the form of balance and consistency: a sensitive understanding of each grape variety and vineyard ensures balance and consistency, the holy grails of great wines – and finally, provenance/sense of place in creating wines that express their origin.

A WOMAN’S TOUCH Looking back is not a bad thing: it’s how one gauges progress – to see how far things have improved or changed.

And that’s what SA Breweries did during August when the traditional celebrations of Woman’s Month were marked. The company reflected on how far it had come in changing perceptions on the roles of women and beer.

Prehistorically and culturally, brewing beer was done by women within communities

CHANGING TASTES Two new wine releases perfect for summer have just been announced.

The first is a Sauvignon Blanc from Elgin Ridge, the 2016 vintage of 282, a wine which maker Kosie van der Merwe described as perfect for long, hot, lazy days. The wine’s appealing pineapple ripeness, pear and blackcurrant flavours are its biggest drawcard but its fresh acidity and vibrant lime undertone is what provides the refreshment on the hot days to come. It’s certified organic and takes its name from its height above sea level, 282 metres!

The second release is also from the 2016 vintage, the acclaimed Circle of Life white blend from biodynamic Somerset West wine estate Waterkloof.

Conceived as the story of Waterkloof, once conventionally farmed, Circle of Life is only released in selected years when its components shine brightest.

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but since the industrial revolution of the 18th century it became a male dominated thing.

One woman on the frontline of the new revolution is Mandy Ryan, 29-year-old brewing production team leader for the Bathlothli Brewing Team at SAB’s Rosslyn Brewery in Pretoria. With a microbiological background, Ryan started her journey in 2015 as a senior laboratory technician in the micro laboratory.

She qualified as an international brewer from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling after a two year traineeship at SAB’s Alrode Brewery. Furthermore, Ryan obtained validation as a key taster on the Africa zone tasting panel.

“There is really never a dull moment when you work with beer,” Ryan said. “It’s encouraging to see more and more women starting to thrive in what has become a maledominated industry. Throughout history in different cultures around the world, brewing beer was the women’s responsibility and it is safe to say that beer has always benefited from the women’s touch.”

Waterkloof’s potential was spotted

by Paul Boutinot and transformed into a living, breathing organic and biodynamic vineyard, one of only a handful in South Africa.

“The Circle of Life White 2016 is intriguing,” Waterkloof winemaker Nadia Barnard-Langenegger said. “Its Sauvignon Blanc character is prominent on the nose, with beautiful aromas of lime and gooseberry. On the palate, it shows a lovely, fresh acidity and thorough integration. The Chenin Blanc reveals itself in a tight mineral core and creamy midpalate – the backdrop for great complexity and a persistent finish.”

Sauvignon Blanc leads the blend with 67%, along with 29% Chenin Blanc and 4% Semillon. During vinification a combination of old 600 litre barrels and concrete eggs were utilised. The wine is made by natural, co-fermentation of the two principal grape varieties – Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

“Ultimately, this allowed for a better integrated and more complete wine,” the winemaker said.

Waterkloof strives to produce balanced, characterful wines by adhering to traditional organic and biodynamic methods.

Chickens, sheep and sturdy Percheron horses all play their own unique role in the vineyards. Its soils are free of chemicals and are kept healthy by using plant extracts, fungi and bacteria from the farm’s own organic compost.

NEDERBURG CELLAR CHIEF Coinciding with August as Women’s Month, Nederburg announced the appointment of seasoned winemaker Lizelle Gerber as the new cellar master for one of South Africa’s most high profile wine brands.

Gerber, an Elsenburg College graduate, earned her winemaking spurs at Zevenwacht, Avontuur and most recently at Boschendal, where she was responsible for white wine production as well as sparkling wine.

And it’s in this latter role where she will be passing on her years of knowledge, mentoring young winemaking protégé for Pongrácz, Andiswa Mapheleba, to fast-track her development as a specialist MCC winemaker.

Nederburg MD Niel Groenewald praised Gerber’s dynamism and acknowledged that she was progressive, strategic and disciplined as well as innovative.

“We are confident in her ability to provide astute direction and inspiration to Nederburg’s team of talented winemakers, and look forward to gleaning valuable insights from her as she takes up the reins to lead Nederburg in its next phase of continuing a legacy of winemaking excellence,” Groenewald said.

Nederburg’s reputation was no cause for complacency, Groenewald cautioned. “If anything, it increases the pressure to maintain our position and with so many wines of excellence produced locally, it’s a very real and exciting challenge.”

PIONEERING LANZERAC Lanzerac wine farm is one of South Africa’s most historic – and will forever be associated because of its role in the growth of Pinotage since it was under the Lanzerac label that it first appeared in 1959.

Last month this beautiful Cape Dutch property celebrated its 60 years of association with this grape, unique to South Africa. To mark the occasion Lanzerac invited a few guests to sample one of its treasured bottles of the first ever historic original bottling of Pinotage from 1959.

Lanzerac had just four half – or 375ml – bottles in its vinoteque. Just one was opened, the second kept close at hand in case the first was faulty in any way. It wasn’t.

This diminutive bottle has only seen the light of day for half an hour in its lifetime.

Until it was acquired by Lanzerac wine estate from the former SFW (now Distell) wine library, it rested in the dim underground Tabernacle cellar since it was bottled. Its brief exposure to daylight was when it was driven from its old resting place to its new home in the vinoteque at Lanzerac estate.

NEW HANDS ON THE WINERY DECK Two stalwarts of the Stellenbosch wine scene have announced new appointments: Delheim, one of the three founders of the Stellenbosch Wine Route has appointed Nongcebo “Noni” Langa as an assistant winemaker while Zonnebloem’s white wines are in the capable hands of Kelly-Marie Jacobs.

Langa will not get much time to settle into her new position as the Stellenbosch University graduate (MSC in Oenology) will be heading off to California for an internship at Dry Creek Vineyard.

“We’re very excited about Nongcebo becoming part of the team,” said Victor Sperling of Delheim. “We see social development and upliftment as an extension of our holistic approach to winemaking. Empowering all our staff and helping them improve their skill sets has always been a priority close to our hearts.”

Eager to learn all she can from her stint in California, Langa said that in addition to experiencing a different culture she hoped to return home with greater insight into the

It was arrayed alongside a wine from each decade to date – so a 1967, 1989, 1998, 2008 and the current bottling of Lanzerac’s Pionier Pinotage, the 2015. (The wine boasts 5 Stars from the Platter’s Guide to South African wines.) Current custodian and winemaker Wynand Lategan said the 1970’s appeared to be a lost decade ...

No stock to be found and also no bottling records of any.

What was it like? Quite obviously not in the first flush of youth ... evolved and tertiary with toasty coffee bean, a touch of leather and macerated red and black cherry fruit.

It’s held up to the ravages of time and was drinking well, showing distinct signs of life in its relative freshness and succulence.

It hadn’t slid into decrepitude and decay!

“What’s the wine worth?” would be an obvious question to ask. It’s not flippant to state that it’s priceless because there is now one less bottle available – but, by way of example, a 375ml bottle of the 1967 Lanzerac Pinotage was sold at the Nederburg Fine Wine Auction in 2015 for R3 040.

global world of wine. “I’ll be looking out for the latest innovations too,” she said, but also said she was happy to join the team of Nelson Buthelezi and head winemaker Roelof Lotriet.

Unlike Langa who hails from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZuluNatal, Jacobs grew up in Kuils River surrounded by vineyards. She too obtained her degree from the University of Stellenbosch but added to it by working for the Western Cape Department of Agriculture from 2013 to 2016, lecturing at Elsenburg Agricultural College.

“The experience of working at Elsenburg immediately after studying gave me the opportunity to continue learning, whilst teaching others. It offered so much exposure to all the facets within the wine industry, and how they interlink. I’ve become rather interested in the marketing and sales of wines. I relish the moments where I can educate and converse with people in a fun way about wine – while tasting wine of course!”

She joined Zonnebloem as the assistant white winemaker towards the end of 2016 and was recently promoted.

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C H A M PA G N E |

FRENCH

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

CHAMPAGNE IS PROTECTED BY LAW – AND QUITE RIGHTLY SO BECAUSE THIS REGION IN NORTHERN FRANCE WITH ITS CHALKY LIMESTONE SOILS AND GENTLY ROLLING HILLS HAS GIVEN THE WORLD AN EXTRAORDINARY WINE. WITH WORLD CHAMPAGNE DAY BEING CELEBRATED ON 18 OCTOBER, FIONA MCDONALD REPORTS ON THE ORIGINAL BUBBLY.

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C H A M PA G N E |

I

t’s remarkable that in the hundreds of years since Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon, is alleged to have “tasted the stars” when he first put a sip of refermenting wine to his lips, that there is still more to learn about Champagne.

But it’s what physics student and amateur photographer Gerard Ligier-Belair discovered when doing what most people have done with a glass of bubbly in hand; got lost in looking at the sinuous curves of the fine bubbles forming and dancing their way to the surface.

Initially Ligier-Belair’s aim was to capture that mesmeric dance photographically but then the scientist in him kicked in – and he wanted to know as much as possible about the bubble itself.

It took him 15 years of study, funded of course by a Champagne house, Moët et Chandon. (And FYI, the pronunciation includes the T – so it’s not ‘mow-ay’ but ‘mow-et’.)

Ligier-Bellair shared some fascinating discoveries with the world – like the fact that each bottle of Champagne contains enough carbon dioxide (CO2) to form 20 million bubbles. And if a bottle of Champagne is allowed to shoot its cork out, followed by a froth of liquid, around 80% of the dissolved carbon dioxide in the bottle is lost immediately. Nett result? Less CO2 left in the wine so it will go flat quicker... (Little tip: hold onto the cork firmly as you twist the bottle, allowing it to discreetly pop rather than bang.

Keeping the gas in the liquid is key to longevity and enjoyment of the fizz.)

Once in the glass, around 20% of the Champagne’s carbon dioxide is given off in the form of

“There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne.” – Bette Davis”

The process of making Champagne is the same used in our local equivalent, Méthode Cap Classique. The grapes are picked earlier, at a lower ripeness level in order to retain acidity. Ever bitten into a green grape? Really tart and tangy because it’s high in acidity and the grape is unripe and lacking in sugar.

It’s a two-step process involving making a base wine with a primary ferment, and then adding a bit of sugar and more yeast and doing the same thing again but in the sealed bottle – a secondary, bottle ferment. There’s nowhere for the carbon dioxide gas to go so it remains absorbed in the wine – until the cork is popped and the magic bubbles appear.

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bubbles – and those bubbles are critical to the enjoyment of the wine because they carry aroma and flavour to your nostrils as they aerosolise.

Wine geeks will appreciate the fact that Champagne bubbles emerge at the rate of 440 per second – and for every one bubble that appears, around four have already escaped into the atmosphere. (By comparison, beer has a piddly 150 per second.)

According to figures released by SA Wine Information Systems (Sawis), in January to May this year alone, South Africa imported 272 779 litres of sparkling wine – with a value of R124 million.

That equates to R454 per litre, so it’s obvious that those imports aren’t all cheap Prosecco, Cava or other sparkling wines.

Champagne remains a wine of status. If you want to celebrate a big business deal, a bottle of the French stuff is called for – and Champagne sales are vigorous in SA if you talk to the suppliers.

The two most popular and recognised brands are Veuve Clicquot with its bright orange label and Moët et Chandon - but there are more and more other labels gaining prominence: Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Gosset, Billecart-Salmon, Laurent-Perrier, Nicolas Feuillatte, Bollinger, Pommery, Piper-Heidsieck, Drappier ... the list goes on and on.

Over the years the Champagne houses have created an impression of status and exclusivity and have worked hard on their brand recognition. One of the reasons the market appreciates the nonvintage labels like Veuve and Moët is because they taste the same, year in and year out. Champagne aficionados tend to trade up, looking for special cuvees and vintage specific wines specifically because they will express a particular year and NOT taste the same!

The big houses work exceptionally hard to ensure a consistency of style, regardless of the vagaries of the increasingly changing seasons. Their chef de cave is entrusted with the awesome responsibility of knowing how to blend massive parcels of wine from different areas with reserve wines in order to create a seamless house style, unchanging from year to year. It’s what the market wants and expects, from Lagos and Lahore to New York and Hong Kong.

Michael Crossley of Reciprocal Wines which imports Louis Roederer said that South Africans are increasingly thirsty for Champagne.

“Consumers do see beyond the power-houses if they have an intrinsic love of fine wine.

Our premium brand – Louis Roederer, appeals to fine-wine lovers: they drink it instead of a still wine, rather than only as a celebration.”

He made an interesting point, that South Africans are spoiled for choice with the price gap between local MCC and non-vintage Champagne shrinking noticeably.

“I don’t think the segment is slowing down. I think that if anything, the local premium brands have closed the gap on pricing, so a couple of years ago, R 120 was a good local bubbly while R450 bought you Veuve Clicquot.

“Now we have many locals at R250 plus, so it’s easier to move that customer into the Champagne price category.” (Brands like Moët and Veuve haven’t shifted prices up in about five years, he noted.)

Local specialist bubblies, such as Graham Beck’s flagship Cuvée Clive retails for around R650 a bottle while the newly released Krone Blanc de Blancs 2016 vintage is R500 a bottle.

Ginette de Fleuriot of local wine supplier Vinimark which

imports Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte said South African wine lovers had definitely become more adventurous regarding bubbly.

“Nicolas Feuillate has been very well received by consumers in the local market who’re getting to know Champagnes and possibly looking for an alternative to the two dominant brands: Veuve Clicquot and Moët et Chandon.”

“There is not one consumer,” she said. “We have Champagne lovers who know the Houses and may even have a favourite which they buy regularly. The majority of consumers are those who love bubbles and are enjoying MCC and discovering Champagne.”

Echoing Crossley’s point, she said it was wonderful to see quality local MCCs fetching prices close or equal to Champagne. “There is usually true craftsmanship behind these MCCs and they deserve their prestigious price point.”

So, on October 18, raise a glass of bubbles, domestic or Champagne, and just marvel at the bubble. But pop the cork gently to preserve the CO2!

“Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of Champagne; knowing him was like drinking it.” – Winston Churchill

THE REMARKABLE WIDOWS

A report in the Seattle Times from 2013 clarified the ground breaking role that Champagne’s indomitable widows had not just in wine production but in business too.

Veuve Clicquot is one of the world’s most recognised Champagne brands and owes its success to Madame Clicquot.

Wikipedia reports that the Widow Clicquot, or Veuve Clicquot, known as the “Grande Dame of Champagne”, took on her husband’s wine business when widowed at just 27. Under her ownership, and her skill with wine, the company developed early Champagne using a novel technique: riddling to shake the dead yeast yells into the neck of the bottle so that they could be removed before final corking and released.

Madame Clicquot was also behind the invention of pink or Rosé Champagne, the world’s first Champagne label and was also responsible for the distinctive modern Champagne bottle, far more elegant than its heavyset predecessor.

“With the glass bottle, Veuve Clicquot smashed the glass ceiling,” the Seattle Times stated. Because her widowhood allowed her to run a business, at a time when women belonged to their fathers or husbands, she was one of the first female entrepreneurs or businesswoman in France. And it’s why Veuve Clicquot established the annual Business Woman Award in 1972 to champion the success of female entrepreneurs and recognise her legacy.

Madame Clicquot died at the age of 89 in July 1866.

Madame Pommery would no doubt have taken her cue from the formidable Grande Dame. She too was widowed and took over her husband’s business.

Wikipedia states that “she purchased 120 limestone and chalk pits, so-called ‘crayères’, carved underneath 19 kilometres of the city of Reims by Roman soldiers.”

These unique cellars allowed her to store and age thousands of bottles at a constant 10°C, perfectly temperature controlled. Furthermore, Wikipedia states that Madame Pommery built a Tudor Elizabethan domain in Reims, because of her loyal English clients – the most important of whom was Queen Victoria.

The widowed Queen loved the delicate effervescence of Champagne. It was at her request that Madame Pommery reduced the amount of sugar added, eventually eliminating it completely. At the time Champagnes were quite jammy and sweet with up to 250 grams of sugar per litre. The flavour of Champagne was forever changed by the creation of this Brut or dry style.

Furthermore, Madame Pommery was one of the first company directors in France to create retirement and health funds for employees.

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A DV E RTO R I A L |

MOËT IMPÉRIAL CELEBRATES ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE AND IN SOUTH AFRICA CELEBRATIONS BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2019 WHEN MOËT & CHANDON UNVEILED ITS MAJESTICALLY-RESTORED CHÂTEAU DE SARAN, IN THE CHAMPAGNE REGION, PROUDLY INAUGURATED IN TIME TO HOST A SPECTACULAR CELEBRATION MARKING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOËT IMPÉRIAL. GRACING THE GLITTERING EVENING TO PAY PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO THE HOUSE’S SIGNATURE CHAMPAGNE WERE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST GLOBAL STARS, NAMELY NATALIE PORTMAN, UMA THURMAN, KATE MOSS AND ROGER FEDERER.

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S

outh African star Boity Thulo was the first person from the Southern hemisphere to stay in the Château de Saran. The once in a lifetime experience was part of Boity’s first trip to France in July 2019, during her time in the Champagne region she was exposed to the Champagne making process and French savoir-faire.

T he South African 150th anniversary celebrations started in Johannesburg on June 22nd at the Moët & Chandon Grand Day event, attended by stars and industry leaders. From there in true Moët & Chandon fashion, big & bold, the Champagne house unveiled the Spirit of 1743 hot air balloon taking to the Durban skies. After 29 years – which has seen the Moët & Chandon ‘Spirit of 1743’ fly over the world’s great capitals and iconic landmarks including the Great Wall of China and the Statue of Liberty – the iconic hot air balloon finally graced the skies of Southern Africa. No trip to the continent would be complete awithout a visit to the bushveld – the ‘Spirit of 1743’ traversed the skies over Tala Game Reserve in Zululand.

T he Anniversary celebrations continue: Friday October 18th is World Champagne Day, as part of this global day and the 150th Anniversary of Impérial, Moët & Chandon Winemaker Amine Ghanem will be in South Africa to toast a #MoetMoment with South African guests.

A GIFT FOR YOU

STAND A CHANCE AT SUCCESS RECEIVE A GIFT BAG CONTAINING TWO MAGNUM BOTTLES (One Moët Impérial & Néctar Impérial) signed by Boity Thulo, valued at R7000.

TO ENTER, capture you champagne moment and send it to cheers@cheersmag.co.za on on Instagram @CheersMagSA, Twitter @CheersMag or Facebook @CheersMag. Tag @cheersmag and #MoetMoment.

DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES: Purchase a bottle of Moët & Chandon at TOPS at SPAR and include it in your shot and you double your chances! What a delicious way to win!

SPIRITS |

VODKA

1 6 w w w . tt oo pp ss aa tt ss ppaarr..ccoo. .zzaa

VODKA

|

SPIRITS

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD

NO SPY MOVIE WAS EVER WITHOUT A SCENE OF A RUSSIAN BADDIE DOWNING NEAT VODKA! IT WAS SYNONYMOUS WITH SPIES: RUSSIAN OR OTHERWISE ... HECTOR MCBETH PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON THIS UBIQUITOUS SPIRIT WHICH IS POPULAR THE WORLD OVER.

I

n the last decade gin has become the trending global spirit but vodka sales have held their own on worldwide sales charts.

Having said that, the biggies which make up the world’s top 20 vodkas sell what amounts to over 100 million nine litre cases a year with Smirnoff Red vodka owning over 25% of the sales! That alone explains why the distinctive label is almost everywhere you go, regardless of your destination – Pofadder, Sao Paulo or Poland. How and why is the real question to ask – and what about the rest? Where

are they from, who makes them, what’s the heritage and why are they so successful?

The Smirnoff brand has the date 1880 on its label which is when Russian-born Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov first established his company, even though the distillery was only built in 1894. It was selling four million cases a year by 1904 and things looked extremely rosy going forward. Until the 1917 revolution that was ... The Smirnov family fled the country and took the brand with them.

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SPIRITS |

VODKA

Today their vodka is produced in over 14 countries worldwide. Its real breakthrough in the modern era can be dated to 1991 when the Berlin Wall was torn down. Not content with their own brands, 500 000 Russian troops sought out the vodka that had been banned and denied them for so many years. Germany saw as many as 20 000 bottles a day being sold, and its two top selling vodkas virtually disappeared from the marketplace as a result of this buying frenzy.

Smirnoff was quick to see the opportunity presented by this untapped market, believed to be good for at least 200 million cases.

Unfortunately, as happened in other industries with the shift in power there was some corruption involved and the company failed to realise the full potential of the Russian market. However, they still sell more than double the volume of anyone else ...

Absolut Vodka was established in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith and is produced in Åhus,

Sweden, from winter wheat. Smith cheekily challenged the city of Stockholm’s liquor marketing monopoly with his vodka. He sold it just outside the city border at a lower price than the monopoly’s product. Smith even offered free boat rides to the distillery. In 1917, the Swedish government monopolized the country’s alcohol industry completely. Vodka was then sold nationwide under the name “Absolut Rent Brännvin”. In 1979, the old name Absolut was picked up again and relaunched as a premium vodka. The innovation didn’t stop there and Absolut became one of the first to produce flavoured lines with the original Peppar, helped in no small way by phenomenal advertising and funky marketing. Absolut now are in the process of being innovators in the vodka brand globally.

It’s well known that Poland and the Ukraine both claim vodka as their number one choice drink. Khortytsa Vodka from the Ukraine is the number one selling vodka not just in the Ukraine

(Smirnoff ’s) real breakthrough in the modern era can be dated to 1991 when the Berlin Wall was torn down. 500 000 Russian troops sought out the vodka that had been banned and denied them.

ABOVE: The bottle shape alone is iconic and instantly recognisable as Absolut.

LEFT: Think the SKYY’s the limit? Not to this American vodka brand established in 1992. It’s going from strength to strength.

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but in all of Eastern Europe. Not bad for a brand that was only established in 2003! It is made from durum wheat and corn and is both platinum and silver filtered. Furthermore, it’s also put through an interesting charcoal filtration system which has led to a crisp, clear vodka that has them in the top three in the world.

Owner Global spirits also owns another three million plus brand in Morosha.

Hlibny Dar is another Ukrainian vodka in the top 10.

Whilst it also claims to be the top selling domestic vodka, much of that has to do with price and excise hikes on imports which has seen local products benefit

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING US AS SA’S MOST-LOVED VODKA.

*As voted for by the Sunday Times Top Brands Awards Survey 2018

SPIRITS |

VODKA

from the high prices charged on imported products.

In Poland, Zubrowka (pronounced Zar-broof-ka) bison grass vodka is one of the oldest distilleries, claiming to have been established in the 15th century. The signature blade of grass found in every bottle is sourced from the Białowieża Forest. Each blade of bison grass is hand-picked and dried under natural conditions.

Poles can’t get enough vodka and in the past few years sales of the category have shot up by 40%!

American Brand SKYY Vodka, now owned by Campari, has seen its sales figures tick up since the acquisition. The brand was established in 1992 and was instantly well received by its local market. SKYY’s creator, Maurice Kanbar claimed the vodka is nearly congener-free due to its distillation process. That is why the popular company slogan is “Vodka so filtered – we even took the Russia out of it”. Cheeky marketing aside, the bottle is a cobalt blue with a clear, adhesive label that catches the eye on the retail shelf.

In 2008, SKYY expanded the SKYY Vodka line with 17 new flavours, referred to as SKYY Infusions. All 20 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

are made with fruit. Since taking over, all production was moved to Campari sites.

America’s most popular vodka Grey Goose, also took the Russian out of it ... Its developer, Sidney Frank, decided when creating this ambitious luxury vodka to look to Cognac for inspiration and distilling skill. He was right and America took to it in a big way, making it the number one selling vodka in the United States. Frank cashed in by cashing out, selling Grey Goose to the Bacardi operation for a whopping $2 billion in 2004 – less than a decade after creating it.

A special mention has to go to Russian Standard, believed to be in the top spot for premium Russian vodka in Russia. It continues to be the fastest growing exported Russian vodka worldwide. But then it leverages its Russian authenticity, heritage and terroir as everything is sourced and produced in Mother Russia. Launched less than 20 years ago in 1998, this is certainly a brand on the up – and one to look out for.

Svedka is currently the vodka with millennials in mind and it’s returning some of the biggest growth stats internationally.

ABOVE: A scene played out in bars from Montevideo to Moscow to Manchester, a tot of vodka being prepared for a thirsty customer.

The Swedish vodka has a vibrant domestic market but a growing footprint in international markets, including the Caribbean, South Korea and Germany. There has been big volume growth in the last year alone, while in the United States it claims to be the number one imported vodka.

How much of its popularity in the flavoured category is down to the appeal of is striking two-tone bottle and how much is down to the flavour of its new raspberry product is not currently known but the product is flying off US shelves. Other flavours in the range include cucumber/ lime and a grapefruit/jalapeño variant. According to the brand, the trends have remained steady with classic cocktails dominating.

Its versatility and relatively good value make it appealing, the brand owners believe.

So, as always, one thing remains constant: the success of vodka is linked to its ability to pay homage to heritage while still innovating. Vodka producers make products that appeal to the target market and that allows it to evolve yet remain a dynamic force in the spirits division.

TBWA\ Hunt \ Lascaris \ Durban\82439

TA S T I N G |

VODKA

CRYSTAL

CLEAR VODKA TASTING IS NOT EASY. IT’S THE MOST NEUTRAL OF SPIRITS – BUT NEEDS TO EXPRESS ITS SPIRITED NATURE. TASTING PANEL: HEC TOR MCBE TH, DR WINNIE BOWMAN CWM, C LIFF ORD ROBER TS, SHAYNE DOWLING, FI ONA MC DONA LD

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T

he line-up started out fairly manageable; six vodkas, all available on TOPS at SPAR’s retail shelves – Smirnoff, Cîroc, Absolut, Skyy, Reyka and Belvedere. So tasting them would be a simple task.

That was until Hector McBeth strolled through the door with a bottle in each hand, just as Shayne stepped away from his desk brandishing the distinctive Stolichnaya bottle.

“Can we add these as well?”

In for a penny, in for a pound – so the manageable line-up stretched to another three, making nine assessments in all.

“I brought the Red Square along because it’s made in South Africa and is so often overlooked. In my opinion it should be a fixture in every bar and cocktail cabinet,” McBeth said. And as a former bartender of international renown he knows what every welldressed bar back should wear!

Of course, one of the panel had to ask the question: “Isn’t Red Square an energy drink or spirit cooler?” And the answer was yes, and that automatic association was also why McBeth had brought the vodka along, precisely because people think it’s only a cooler.

He made the point that it’s a quality product, which our panel discovered.

RED SQUARE

It’s not every day you get to taste Japanese vodka. And it must be stated upfront that it’s not available on TOPS at SPAR shelves: Hector McBeth brought it along for the panel to taste “just as something different”.

One of the elements to keep in consideration is that vodka is, by definition, neutral.

It’s not supposed to be as richly flavoured as rum, whisky or brandy.

It’s not intended to deliver a range of flavours and have descriptors attached to them.

The rule book states that this particular spirit should have a gently creamy, slightly grainy odour because of what it’s distilled from. If it shows acetone, nail varnish remover or even medicinal type smells, it’s an indicator of ethyl spirits and is considered a negative.

But it all comes down to taste. A good vodka should be smooth and soft, gently yielding on the palate and not come across as harsh, biting or overly spirited or burny. And of course comparison is key: it’s important not to taste or assess vodka in isolation. Taste it up against a few others so that it’s possible to compare their relative merits.

Clean, neat and smooth with a gentle alcohol note, Fiona said while Winnie also appreciated its smoothness. Hector found a spicy mid-palate with cracked black pepper. An ideal vodka to have on reserve as a base for cocktails and mixers.

BELVEDERE >

An intriguing mouthful which was initially quite bold but then settled down and gave up soft wheat flavour.

“Grain to Granny Smith apple with a light soft and sweet finish,” was how vodka aficionado Hector put it.

Effortless and ethereal.

< STOLICHNAYA

Fresh herbs and a light floral note, both Clifford and Shayne said. That floral perfume was also apparent on the palate and combined with a real gentleness and soft texture to make for a pleasant mouthful.

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TA S T I N G |

VODKA

REYKA >

Lots of discussion about this one: big visual appeal courtesy of the embossed bottle. Heady, touch saline and even earthy Shayne said while Hector and Fiona got ozone and a bit of nougat. A characterful, weighty mouthful.

SKYY >

Mellow entry with surprising concentration of flavour: cocoa dust or cocoa nibs, Winnie noted. Green herbs were mentioned by both Fiona and Clifford.

Grows warm in the mouth with a mellow spirit note.

PANECLE! CHOI CÎROC ABSOLUT

Clifford picked up a toasted, almost caramel note – which Shayne echoed, finding macadamia nuts. The others found a touch of vegetation and even a burnt marshmallow note on the end, but in a “roasting marshmallows over a campfire” fun and pleasant way.

< SMIRNOFF

Somewhat rustic Winnie thought but Hector said it was clean, dry with freshly ground pepper and a hint of lemon candy. Great as a mixer – or in a martini. “And outsells almost anything else on planet earth,” Hector quipped!

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

*NIKKA COFFEY VODKA

“Incredible!” Clifford said – and no-one else argued.

“The palate delivers what the nose promises,” was how Shayne stated it. A rounded, supple, sipping vodka with flavours of lemon and lime zest. Mixing it would do it no favours as it deserves to be appreciated for its own merits. Textured, smooth and long. (It must be noted that this is distilled from grapes, unlike the others which are all from grain or wheat.)

Winnie became whimsical, likening this to “fresh mountain dew – or water from a cascading waterfall”! She wasn’t saying it was watery, but was instead talking about its purity and complexity. Pine needles and resin, green spice and herbal toothpaste with wonderful mellow softness on the palate. A real treat to be exposed to. *Not available in TOPS at SPAR

PERFECT SERVE

CRANIUM COCKTAIL IF EVER THERE WAS A COCKTAIL WHICH EPITOMISED AN ERA, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE HARVEY WALLBANGER. BARELY HEARD OF OR ORDERED AT BARS NOWADAYS, IT WAS ONCE “THE” DRINK, FROM NEW YORK’S STUDIO 54 TO NIGHTCLUBS IN JOHANNESBURG’S HAPPENING HILLBROW – THE DRINK OF THE DISCO GENERATION.

T

he Harvey Wallbanger is not uber-sophisticated or even particularly difficult to make.

One bartender’s guide describes it simply as a Screwdriver with some Galliano liqueur floated on top. “Baddabing, badda-boom!” as Tony Soprano would say.

The story or legend goes that the drink got its name – allegedly! – from a disconsolate surfer by the name of Tom Harvey who walked into a bar to drown his sorrows after a shocking day out on his board in the chilly waters off Los Angeles. Seems he’d suffered a spectacular wipe-out during a competition and needed to forget about his public humiliation. (Depending on how much detail you like, the bar was “apparently” on Sunset Boulevard ...)

After a few of these vodka and liqueur-infused orange juice drinks Mr Harvey took to literally banging his head against the wall, thus infamously having the cocktail named after him.

Drinks historians say it is all a load of nonsense! These researchers who take their business rather seriously have been able to find no record of Mr Harvey surfing in a competition in Los Angeles in 1952 or of triple world champion mixologist Donato ‘Duke’ Antone having slung drinks at the Blackwatch Bar in Los Angeles over that period. (Documents show that Antone was resident in Hartford, Connecticut, at the time!)

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Never letting the facts get in the way of a good story and demonstrating that marketing is about getting the product into people’s hands, the liqueur in question – Galliano – became the most popular liqueur imported into the United States in the 1970s.

Saveur.com reports the following: “Noted cocktail historian David Wondrich—who, as it turns out, had been doing his own digging on the Wallbanger—pointed out that the Harvey surfer character had been designed by a commercial artist named Bill Young at Galliano and McKesson’s behest.

(McKesson being the importer of Galliano into the United States.) The cartoon figure hit the US like a lava flow in late 1969, “pop art posters, bumper stickers, buttons, crew shirts, mugs and the whole bit,” according to a San Antonio Light article from October 30, 1969 uncovered by Wondrich. “With Young’s Harvey to blaze the way,” said Wondrich, “Antone’s simple—even dopey—drink would go on to be the first drink created by a consultant to actually take the nation by storm.”

Galliano, a cursory Google and Wikipedia search reveals, is an Italian sweet herbal liqueur, made by distillers in Livorno in Tuscany. It takes its name from a brave officer of the Royal Italian army, Giuseppe Galliano, who fought with merit in the First Italo-Ethiopian war (1895 to 1896). Much like Kentucky Fried Chicken which has kept its “11 herbs and

spices” secret for decades, the precise recipe of Galliano is a guarded secret known only to a select few distillers.

The company will concede that star anise, juniper, yarrow, musk, cinnamon, peppermint and vanilla feature in the liqueur. It’s probably the contribution that these bold aromatic herbs make to the liquid that elevates the vodka and orange juice drink to bold new heights.

And here is some utterly useless trivia with which to dazzle your drinking mates at the next braai or when you are gathered around the dinner table: The elite fighting unit that is the British SAS has been known to call C4 explosive charges Harvey Wallbangers.

Back in the 70’s when Citizen Band (CB) radios were all the rage and Good Buddies used to chat away in CB slang talking about their 10-20 (location) or spaghetti being over the road (a speed trap), a Harvey Wallbanger was a reference to a drunk driver, weaving around.

In the movie Game Night, the drink comes up in dispatches.

And in the ultimate nod to arcane social references, in The Simpsons season 3, episode 10, Homer is told by attorney Lionel Hutz that: “You can’t copyright a drink. This goes back to the ‘Frank Wallbanger’ case of 1974.”

HARVEY WALLBANGER 45 ml vodka 90 ml fresh orange juice 15 ml Liquore Galliano Ice cubes Slice of orange to garnish

1 Stir the vodka with the fresh orange juice and ice cubes in a hi-ball glass.

2 Float the Galliano on top.

3 Garnish with a slice of fresh orange.

4 Serve.

Its origins are shrouded in mystery with its “originator” not even present at the bar or city where it was allegedly first served: is the Harvey Wallbanger the original Fake News Cocktail?

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SHOW SOME GLASS IF YOU THOUGHT BEER CAN GET GEEKY, TRY ITS GLASSWARE. CLIFFORD ROBERTS REPORTS.

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GLASSES

| BEER

“S

tein glasses remind me of a hand-grenade," says Eben Uys, brewmaster and co-owner of Mad Giant in edgy Ferreirasdorp, Johannesburg.

He leans forward in the booth of the warehouse brewery-cum-restaurant where we're chatting, adding: "Like something chunky from a bygone era.”

He’s clearly no fan of the mug, but Eben remains adamant: the type of glass you pour your drink into and drink from, matters.

And when it comes to separating marketing fluff from the science, Eben’s PhD in Chemical Engineering certainly gives him an edge on the topic.

Travel the country’s brewhouses and you’ll find he’s not alone in his opinion.

Even before you get to taste the beer at the Anvil Ale Brewery in Dullstroom for example, the first page of the menu makes the argument for transplanting beer from its packaging. It extolls the sensory experience: “First, we drink with our eyes. A glass allows you to smell the beer. The mere act of pouring creates a head and traps volatiles that add to enjoyment. And, head is part of the enjoyment of drinking beer, too.

“Brewers put a lot of effort and time into crafting the beer,” it says. “Make the most of it.”

Point made.

When it comes to the style of glass however, things get murky fast. For one, it’s the reason beer glass collections are so interesting, but also seemingly never-ending. Differences in glassware around the world amount to many things, from national traditions to legislation on serving portions; practicalities of stacking, washing and avoiding breakage; brewery promotion and, novelty drinking games even.

That’s before we’ve even started talking about different styles of beer.

A 2014 study published in the UK-based journal Alcohol and Alcoholism found that glassware is used as an integral part of marketing activity to recruit customers, revive brands, build profits and increase consumption.

It highlighted how distinctive glassware is considered an integral part of “the pomp and ceremony of beer drinking” – from the visible to the tactile experience. Attempts to appeal to different market segments have also affected design, it reports.

MAIN: Shaping up to be a good drink – schooner, snifters, pilsner and pint glasses perform the same function in delivering a beer to the lips.

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BEER |

GLASSES

Eben Uys says however, that the type of glass is often irrelevant. No matter the glass, you can improve your experience by just making sure you start with a clean one. “Most glasses aren’t,” he declares.

Beer is a magnet for bad bacteria, which is why hygiene is essential in a brewery. But brewers can’t control what happens down the line. A common problem is an unseen film of oil or soap residue that is easily remedied with a hot-water rinse and thorough wipe with a clean cloth.

When a barrel-aged beer may represent the height of a brewmaster’s talent and passion, what’s the point of serving it in a glass that ends the perfectly run marathon in the final inches of the race?

In terms of the actual receptacle, Eben says that how it actually feels is an important part of the experience – from the hand to the lip. Beer glass design takes this into consideration, along with the performance of the beer in the drinking session. Aroma and flavour are transported around the glass by those slow streams of bubbles in the beer, he says. Those streams begin at nucleation sites that glass design can increase or decrease. “We have glasses with a double concave so that every time you tilt the glass it’s like a wave that releases aromas continuously through a session.”

Now, this is where subject can get very anorak-ish.

As German glassmaker Riedel has become renowned for its wine-specific designs, so has its sister company Spiegelau, in beer. In production of the Spiegelau stout-specific glass, for example, Spiegelau not only looked at the shape to improve smell and taste while maintaining flavour, milkiness and head-lifespan, but intentionally used platinum tubes through which the glass is run to lend a silky smoothness in the final product itself.

Pieter Terblanche, Riedel Vice President: Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, says the three main objectives their glassware achieves:

“Number one: thin crystal keeps the beer cold, two, it refreshes the beer until the last sip and, three, it brings out the best aroma and the thin laser cut rim delivers the beer on the right tasting zone.”

Craft beer and well-crafted glassware isn’t the cheapest available.

But, Pieter says they’re supported by people who are “really serious about the best of the best”.

And you have to get the point: when a barrel-aged beer may represent the height of a brewmaster’s talent and passion, what’s the point of serving it in a glass that ends the perfectly run marathon in the final inches of the race? The Spiegelau Barrel Aged Glass is apparently the result of a two-year development project in partnership with leading brewers.

Still, really specialist glassware remains a rare sight in South African breweries, especially now that many small breweries are consolidating.

According to brewer Christo Holtzhausen, cost is the main reason the Anvil Ale Brewery decided to use one good all-rounder, but even that’s become a problem since the supplier recently discontinued it.

Education of bartenders is also a never-ending chore.

Eben Uys reckons the average bar can do a good job for its beers with just two or three styles of glass.

For example, serve lager and pilsner in a straight-edge glass and, stouts and IPAs in a Rastal Teku or tulipshaped glass.

At the same time, we shouldn’t lose sight of “the average guy who is just thirsty and wants to finish a beer in two glugs,” he adds.

Serious beer enthusiasts might be keen to invest in their own set of glasses, but as one online glass reviewer put it: “Owning a full set is a bit like walking into a local dive with your own pool cue.”

Deciding on exactly what you want – a Classic Tulip or Nonic Pint, a Pilsner or Dimple Stein – can send you down the rabbit hole.

But, if you really want to geek it and you don’t have the tools: a regular, bulbous wine glass does a great job of concentrating flavours. It’s great for wine and spirits, and complex beers too.

FOOTED PILSNER

PILSNER

BAVARIA DIMPLED MUG BEER GLASS*

WILLY BEER GLASS*

TULIP

SNIFTER

OCTOBER FEST MUG

*Available at SPAR 30 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

GINGER BEER

|

LEISURE

SPICE OF LIFE THE TASTE OF SUMMER HOLIDAYS, HAVING A PLAY DATE AT A FRIEND, A ROAD TRIP FARMSTALL STOP OR VISITING GRANNY’S HOUSE WAS SWEETLY GINGER FLAVOURED. MARYKE VISAGIE REMINISCES.

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LEISURE |

GINGER BEER

A

round the same time Elvis loved you tender, long before the onset of hipster energy water, there was rarely a kitchen in South Africa without a bucket covered with a lappie in a corner somewhere. The contents smelled strongly of yeast as it patiently fermented away until ready to mix. Ginger beer. The worldly and impatient drank it out of that well-known, now hard to find brown soft drink can, while others with traditional grannies had it homemade in a glass with ice and maybe a slice of lemon.

Coming home from tennis practice, where ruthless coaches cared not one iota that it was the middle of February in the Boland, there was nothing better than the soft hiss of an ice-cold bottle being opened; beads of condensation already hinting at the refreshment waiting inside. The cherry on top?

Biting into the fat, swollen raisin floating on top. And friends can continue to try and convince me that ginger beer is barely alcoholic – I still swear it gave me a buzz.

Of course today fermented food is all the rage. We now know what the ancients have known for centuries – that using microorganisms to pre-digest food helps to preserve the food, aids in digestion and adds to our gut bioflora, which scientists claim is the foundation of our health. Indeed, it is one of the more pleasant remedies for upset tummies that I can remember, although it was stirred to get rid of the gas before consumption.

But long before it was healthy, ginger beer was lekker. Most of us have fond memories. A colleague who grew up on a farm in the Rûens of the Overberg tells of a family tradition to always brew ginger beer during harvest time. After a hard day’s work, everyone on the field was treated to a cool mug. “And if you left the remains until winter, it got quite another kick!” She recalled once packing a bottle in her school case and having to deal with the 32 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

consequences of an angry mother after it exploded inside, ruining all the books ... Indeed, this is a hazard of home brewing, and many can recall sudden ginger beer explosions from under the spare bed, raisins flying everywhere as the violently fizzing drink escaped captivity.

Food blogger, TV personality and author of Cape Mediterranean, Ilse van der Merwe grew up in Stellenbosch and remembers spending most summer afternoons in the pool at a friend’s house.

“Leonore’s mum made ginger beer in the garage and we had it straight from the fridge. I associate ginger

MEXICAN MULE shot tequila lime juice ginger beer Fill a copper mug with (lime and jalapeno) ice cubes. Pour a shot of tequila. Add lime juice.

Top with ginger beer and stir to mix

beer with the smell of chlorine on a hot summer’s day!”

Ilse is also the one who knows why on earth a few raisins are always added to the mix. “It is to show us when the carbonation has hit the right level,” she said. At first the raisins sink to the bottom,

MAIN: The popular Moscow Mule cocktail is traditionally served in a copper mug purely for temperature reasons: the copper takes on the chill of the drink and keeps it cool.

but as the gas builds up in the drink, they start to rise and take on a life of their own, turning and spinning in the brew. Plus, they add additional nutrients for the growing culture of bacteria and yeast. So now you know!

Its history dates back to the first trades along the Spice Route, and thanks to the sugar trade with the Caribbean, it became a Victorian hit. Today, the commercial ginger drinks for sale are usually not brewed. Instead, they are carbonated drinks flavoured with ginger, which technically make them ginger ales.

The commercial ginger drinks for sale are usually not brewed. Instead, they are carbonated drinks flavoured with ginger.

The home brewing of ginger beer is a highly personal thing and every enthusiast has his or her secrets. Some brew with instant yeast, while the puritans believe the best, most subtly flavoured ginger beer is made with a ginger beer starter. (It was once the fashion to share the latter enthusiastically among friends to start a new life in a new kitchen in what one blogger called â&#x20AC;&#x153;a bacterial chain letterâ&#x20AC;?.) My dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipe lists Jamaika gemmer which is actually sold as a stomach remedy, but which he believes adds to the ginger flavour. Others add cream of tartar, and most swear by lemon juice.

Once fermented, it can be enjoyed in many ways. It forms the basis of the cocktail called a Moscow mule, where it is paired with vodka and lime juice and traditionally served in a copper mug. Some add soda water, lemonade or even Appletiser to make a virgin cocktail, and combining it with strong rooibos or earl grey tea makes for a refreshing ice tea.

BREW YOUR OWN In the spirit of authenticity, we give you a recipe made from a ginger beer starter.

The downside is that it will take at least a week before you can enjoy your first glass, but on the upside, you can call yourself an artisan.

In a 1 litre glass jar, add 8 raisins, the juice of two lemons, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 4 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger and 2 cups of water. If you leave your water standing for an hour or so before use, most of the chlorine will evaporate, which will help the fermentation process.

Mix well, cover with a cheese cloth in a warm spot for about three days until it starts to bubble, showing that the fermentation process has begun. Once this happens, start feeding the starter with two teaspoons of fine ginger and four teaspoons of sugar every few days.

To brew your ginger beer: Dissolve 4 cups sugar in 1 litre of boiling water and add this to 3 litres of water, your starter and the juice from 4 lemons. Strain through the cheese cloth that covered your starter and wring this out in the glass jar as the starting point for your next starter, to which you again add 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons fine ginger and 4 teaspoons of sugar.

Ferment your ginger beer in sterilised thick glass jars or bottles that can stand a bit of pressure. Remember to release a tiny bit of pressure every day while fermenting, to minimise the chance of explosion. It should be ready to enjoy after about a week, depending on the ambient temperature.

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FIRST CATCH

YOUR NYAMA

W

hether you shisa your nyama or braai it, you know you’re in the company of every red-blooded South African when you won’t contemplate a weekend (or balmy week night) without cooking at least one meal over an open fire.

Maybe it’s the rugby? The sunny skies? The Zola Budd? Whichever, our happy South African inheritance includes a universal passion for the great outdoors, great food, and for many, a drop or two of their preferred social lubricant, from umqombothi to polisiekoffie and Pinotage.

But what is that common denominator that just about every one of our country’s cultural persuasions has adopted?

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Mielies!

Brought to Mzansi from the Americas by Portuguese explorers, corn plays a significant role in South African farming, where maize production forms more than 30% of our agricultural contribution.

From the stoic Afrikaner to the fearsome amaZulu, basic pap is a vital breakfast option. Later in the day, a delicious, buttery cornbread side is almost as popular as the meat cooked over the braai; then there’s the polenta variation for the foodies who plate their starch. And if you must quenelle your condiment, make it the spicy chakalaka vegetable relish.

Or goes-with-everything, spicy, garlicky atchar.

Our beloved Madiba’s favourite dish was apparently umngqusho.

Cooked up with butter, onions, potatoes, chillies and lemons, it’s a hearty, delicious and nutritious main or side, and the mainstay of traditional Xhosa cooking.

Some township street fare is a little less obviously appetising, but don’t hurry past the walkietalkies, or let a smiley intimidate you. Boiled or braaied, chicken feet and heads are two-at-a-time moreish. And guaranteed, you’ll be stuffing your face with fall-apart tender sheep cheeks, and asking for seconds after a generous tasting sample.

There probably aren’t many sub-continental Indians who’ve

GATSBY CREDIT: HelenOnline [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

JOSEPHINE BESTIC TENDERS HER APOLOGIES TO THE GREAT WRITER SIR LAURENS VAN DER POST AS SHE LOOKS AT WHAT SOUTH AFRICANS REVERE WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD AND TRADITION.

ABOVE: A Gatsby, locked and loaded and usually enough to feed four people with ease.

TOP RIGHT: The walkie part of walkie talkies. Fans of this delicacy swear by its soft gelatinous appeal.

RIGHT: Samp and beans – umngqusho – is delicious in any language.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A light dusting of cinnamon conceals the almond flavoured creamy heaven that comprises a melktert.

BELOW: And the oddly weird combination of a milky custard served with a spiced savoury mince dish works wonderfully as bobotie.

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had the jaw-expanding pleasure of tucking into a bunny chow. But every self-respecting Durban Indian has adapted their grandmother’s recipe for this ultra-comfort half or quarter-loaf of soft, fresh white bread filled with aromatic curry. The faint-of-oesophagus may want to pack a strip of Rennie for this one though.

Heading south-west from Durban to Cape Town, its colourful, fragrant Malay offerings pervade the traditional cooking scene.

Bobotie is understandably popular, given its spicy Indonesian provenance, and is a local standard.

If you’re having it with a glass of boeber, you know you’ve reached the middle-point of the month-long fast of Ramadan.

Muslims observing Ramadan will also include samosas when they break their fast at the first call to evening prayer. For those outside of the faith, these triangular pockets of piquant perfection are an anytime snack, and an especially effective student hangover cure when taken with a green ambulance.

Another more secular Cape Town standard is local legend, the gatsby. A signature Cape Flats fast food, this overstuffed submarine’s name was purportedly coined by an Athlone labourer called Froggy in 1974, who described it as a “Gatsby smash”, having recently seen the movie in a local cinema. Now refer to the Rennie strip above.

Food coma not kicked in yet?

Try a koeksister. Or koe’suster. Or vetkoek. Deep-fried bundles of syrupy, sticky joy … or culinary onenight stand? An unbeatable idea at the time, quickly chased into a hypoglycaemic post sugar-rush valley of regret …

The crunchy-crispy-spicy deep-fried snack beloved of an entire nation, whether vegetarian or meaty, the samosa should have songs of praise devoted to its versatility.

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Still, plaited, rolled into balls or stuffed, they’re beloved of a number of our cultures, from Afrikaner to Muslim, and every soettand South African in between (and we are legion).

Speaking of sweet teeth, who among SPAR’s Rewards shoppers hasn’t opted for the creamy, cinamonny goodness of a melktert for their birthday treat?

Another recipe influenced by our Portuguese founders (think of a slightly less eggy pasteis de nata or Chinese dan ta egg tart), melktert could arguably take pole position in SA’s favourite sweet race.

If it wasn’t for malva pudding, that is. A caramelised sponge pudding saturated with apricot jam, then soaked in a cream sauce while hot, and served with custard or ice-cream, malva pudding found its way into the local lexicon from the Afrikaans side of our family.

But did you know, the name ultimately derives from the Latin malva, which means mallow?

Malva is also the Afrikaans name for geranium, and there is a theory that the pudding was so-named through the use of lemon- or rosescented geranium leaves to flavour the batter.

Those same green ambulancechugging students will likely have acquired their hangovers overindulging on soetes. But we know better now, and to round off this traditional feast, may we say bon digestif with a worldconquering dessert wine?

Natural sweet Vin de Constance was the tipple of choice across the 18th and 19th Century British Empire, from kings to prime ministers, exiled emperors and even the occasional romantic fiction heroine. Out of production for a century after the globally devastating phylloxera epidemic, it was reintroduced to South Africa, and the rest of the world, in the mid-1980s by Constantia Valley winery, Klein Constantia.

Can you think of a more appropriate celebration of our wildly glorious South African heritage than with a glass of this liquid gold? Santé!

Plaited koeksister dough steeped in syrup – sometimes with crystallised ginger added – takes a sweet treat to an almost celestial level.

GLOSSARY

Braai - Barbequed meat, chicken, fish or vegetables Bobotie - Baked spiced meat-based dish topped with egg custard Boeber - Sweet milk drink concocted with sago, sugar, cardamom, rose water and cinnamon Bunny chow - Half-loaf of white bread filled with curry Gatsby - Foot-long sandwich stuffed with meat and fries Green ambulance - Ice-cold cream soda; AKA cream sober or John Deere; also scream soda Koeksister/koe’sister/vetkoek Deep-fried dough infused with syrup Malva pudding - Sweet sponge pudding served with ice-cream or custard Melktert - Milk tart; sweet pastry crust baked with a creamy milk-based filling flavoured with cinnamon Polisiekoffie - Brandy and coke Samosa -Deep-fried savoury pastry filled with meat or vegetables Smiley - Intloko yemvu, sheep’s head Soetes - Cheap, sweet wine; more latterly produced in an elegant dessert style Umngqusho - Samp and beans Umqombothi - Traditional beer brewed from fermented maize and sorghum Walkie-talkie - Braaied or boiled chicken heads and feet

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NEXT MONTH |

HOT

SHIVER ME TIMBERS

BITES

JOBURG FOODIE ALERT

Knowledge expands the mind – but Café del Sol’s flavour workshop may just expand the waistband as well.

The Good Food and Wine studio on William Nicol Drive in Johannesburg is the venue for a fantastic interactive food and drink workshop to be held on Wednesday, September 25.

This is the second series of hands-on cooking classes by Café del Sol’s Flavour Academy. Everything is laid-back, relaxed and informal with the emphasis on enjoying the evening.

This series shines a spotlight on mastering flambé – and the use of spirits in cooking.

At the heart of Café del Sol lies a passionate Italian family who believe in bringing people together around wholesome food, using the freshest ingredients, served immediately from pan to plate. Their culinary style reflects a unique and contemporary approach to Italian cuisine and cooking.

The workshops, presented by Mamma Luciana and her daughter Chiara, (who believes that if you can drink it, you can cook with it) will focus on original Italian dishes, recipes and flavours, and are designed for people who love and appreciate fine food and wine.

September sees the class focussed on cooking with Inverroche gin and the resultant three-course meal will be paired with Hartenberg wines.

Starting at 17h00 and ending at 21h00, the workshops include a recipe journal too.

Contact marketing@cafedelsol.co.za to book with prepayment securing a seat.

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Many a thriller or movie has begun with the fateful words: “It was a dark and stormy night ...” but Kraken Black Spiced takes advantage and adds its own twist to the legend.

Sales of premium rum are booming internationally and experts are predicting that South Africa will follow suit.

The fact that the local market enjoyed 7.2 million bottles of rum – white, dark and flavoured rum – tells its own tale.

Apparently the Kraken Black Spiced got its name from a mythical sea beast which is believed to have taken the world’s largest shipment of Caribbean rum, along with all the souls on board, to a dark and watery grave. On a dark, stormy night a monstrous eight-armed giant squid with tentacles a mile long attacked the creaking vessel as it was tossed about on the churning waters.

Is it any surprise that the Kraken Black Spiced is described as darkly mysterious and dangerously delicious?

Rowan Leibbrandt, founding owner of Truman & Orange, is positive about the possibilities presented by Kraken Black Spiced. “The typically syrupy South African palate coupled with our seemingly unquenchable thirst for new, interesting, premium drinks bodes well for introducing a premium drink like The Kraken here. It’s also a really fun brand that, like South Africans, doesn’t take itself too seriously. Lastly, it tells a roaringly good story and we all know that South Africans love a good story!”

Distilled in the Caribbean from naturally sweet molasses, the Kraken Black Spiced is blended with secret spices which then offer up notes of vanilla, cinnamon, citrus, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorn.

Leibbrandt recommends a Kraken and Cola (mix 1 part Kraken with 3 parts cola and add a lime wedge) or a Perfect Storm (1 part Kraken with 3 parts ginger beer with a lime wedge added) and an evening of story-telling with friends.

KRAKACCINO

30ml Kraken Rum 15ml Irish Crème Liqueur Hot Coffee Whipped Cream

Stir all the ingredients together.

Add a bit of extra whipped cream on top. Enjoy!

SWINGING INTO SPRING

Lord and Lady Baden-Powell ensured that hordes of children went on to become adults with an ingrained mantra: Be prepared!

Spring is here and summer is on the way – and with the changing of the seasons it’s time to think about drinks offering refreshment. Gin and tonic has been the ultimate palate reviver and spirit freshener for decades and shows no sign of abating. If anything, the thirst for gin is growing!

With South Africa home to thousands of unique plant species and blessed with some of the greatest biodiversity in the world, local gin producers are spoiled for choice. Inverroche was the first to experiment with using fynbos in its distillations.

International tonic brand, Fever-Tree has come up with some fantastic fynbos serves to try out this season.

TO MAKE THE PERFECT G&T:

Fill a glass with ice Add 1 – 2 tots of your favourite gin (or to taste)

Top up with Fever-Tree tonic water Garnish

SHED NO ANGEL’S TEARS

Franschhoek’s claim to the title of gourmet capital of South Africa might be under threat by swish, swanky and simply delicious fare being produced by Johannesburg establishments but the City of Gold would be hard-pressed to beat a chilled country picnic under centuries old oak trees.

That’s what is on offer at Grande Provence heritage wine estate in Franschhoek: warm spring and summer sunshine, ancient old oaks and beautifully landscaped gardens – with art and wine on tap.

Packed to the brim with delicious artisanal foods, the Grande country picnic basket is pure indulgence for a family escape to the Franschhoek wine valley. Treats include fresh seasonal fruits, tomato basil and feta tartlet, estate made hummus, local cheeses and preserves, salad, Danish pastries, charcuterie, farm baked ciabatta and a decadent Valrhona chocolate brownie.

There’s a special basket for vegetarians filled with alternative mouth-watering eats including roasted vegetables and fresh seasonal fruit added to the mix. It wouldn’t be a relaxing basketful of indulgence unless a bottle of wine was packed – so Angels Tears wine is included, as well as still or sparkling water.

Children are in for a treat with a picnic basket filled with chicken strips, seasonal fruit salad and honey yoghurt, ciabatta, crisps, Danish pastries and a Valrhona chocolate brownie. For their liquid needs, a bottle of Appletizer and water are included.

The Grande Country Picnic is available from October 2019 to April 2020 at R700 for two people sharing or R350 for a single basket. To book, call The Restaurant at Grande Provence a day in advance on 021 876 8600 or email restaurant@ grandeprovence.co.za. The picnics at Grande Provence are weather dependant and limited baskets are available per day, so it’s advised to book early to avoid disappointment.

Inverroche Classic and Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic highlights the citrus buchu which is the lead botanical element in the gin – something which the Fever-Tree tonic marries by bringing in the flavour of the flowers, fruits and herbs of the Med. Inverroche’s Verdant gin’s floral fynbos botanicals are reminiscent of elderflower and chamomile – delicately floral with a touch of spice – much like Fever-Tree’s Elderflower tonic water, offering the subtle and sweet flavour of elderflower balanced by the soft bitterness of quinine. Garnish with Rose Pelargonium and it’ll further tie in with the floral notes of both the gin and tonic, finishing with a soft citrus and earthy tone.

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NEXT MONTH |

WINE ROOTS

September 24 is when all South Africans get to celebrate their heritage. No matter if wine is delicious, kief, lekker, awêh or ngca, Stellenbosch Hills has something for all tastes.

The outside might be covered in polka dots but inside this winery is a treasure trove of pocketfriendly offerings – and it’s been renowned for its unconventional food and wine pairings. For Heritage month it will be laying on a fresh and delicious spread.

The neighbouring Private Hotel School provided input on the food side – so Cape Malay pickled fish and a slice of crispy, garlic bruschetta is matched with Stellenbosch Hills 1707 Reserve White blend, a double gold medal winner at the Top 100 competition.

The 1707 Reserve Red from 2015 is packed with berry fruit and spice so it is served with boerewors-inspired meatballs and tomato chutney.

The finale is the seductively head 2018 Muscat de Hambourg served with orange malva pudding that is accompanied by a rooibos tea infused crème anglaise.

Amazing value for R75 a head – but it has to be booked ahead for catering purposes. The Stellenbosch Hills heritage food and wine pairing is available at the winery’s tasting room from 09h00 to 17h00 Monday to Friday and from 10h00 to 15h00 on Saturdays. Booking is essential and can be done by calling 021 881 3828 or by emailing info@stellenbosch.co.za.

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FRENCH FLAVOURED FYNBOS

In less than 10 years entrepreneur Lorna Scott has gone from hand-crafting an artisanal gin to having a global drinks giant purchase a majority share of her ever expanding business.

Scott is the creator of Inverroche gin, a concern that she began from her home in Stilbaai on the southern Cape coast between Mossel Bay and Riversdale. International drinks giant, Pernod Ricard, owner of multiple well known brands such as Jameson’s, The GlenLivet, Malibu, Kahlua, Chivas Regal, Beefeater Gin and Absolut Vodka, acquired a majority stake in the distillery and announced the deal in late July.

At the heart of every Inverroche gin – and there are three in the range – is the abundant local fynbos, something Scott always wanted to celebrate, to create a unique taste of South Africa. She was one of the pioneers of the local gin revolution when she started distilling in 2011. Inverroche Amber, Verdant and Classic are now sold in 15 markets worldwide – and that’s before Pernod Ricard contributes its significant marketing muscle to growing the brand!

Athough the sum invested remains a secret, Scott will continue as stay on as both the company’s CEO and a shareholder in the business. “I am thrilled to partner with Pernod Ricard. The Group’s vast distribution network will enable Inverroche Gins to reach new consumers,” she said.

“We will be taking a luxury African brand to a large audience and sharing the story of our common heritage.”

Paul-Robert Bouhier, managing director of Pernod Ricard sub-Saharan Africa, was positive about the deal. “Inverroche Gins nicely complement our portfolio. We are excited to further contribute to their success in South Africa and to support their development throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.”

WIN 1 OF 10 GIN TROLLEYS CUSTOM-DESIGNED BY DONALD NXUMALO VALUED AT R10 000 EACH. To stand a chance to win: Purchase any bottle of Tanqueray and SMS ‘TANQ’ to 41191. Instructions will follow.

Trolley design subject to change on completion by designer. Terms & Conditions apply.

Competition valid from 1 September to 31 October 2019.

ALTERNATIVE

LIFESTYLE TREATS

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M Y V E G E TA R I A N B R A A I

|

B O O K G I V E AWAY

MOROCCAN-STYLE CHICKPEA KEFTAS WITH LEMON AND MINT RAITA AND MINI FLATBREADS TIMES, THEY ARE INDEED A-CHANGING, AS BOB DYLAN WROTE IN HIS 1964 SONG OF THE SAME NAME. POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST CHANGES TAKING PLACE ARE ATTITUDINAL ONES – WITH VEGETARIANISM AND VEGANISM NO LONGER CONSIDERED FRINGE OR EXTREME.

V

egetarians used to have a hard time in restaurants.

A plate of salad, cooked vegetables or pasta with a plain tomato sauce used to be about the best that could be rustled up for them in the 70’s. Plantbased meals and Meat-free Mondays have become a thing – a mainstream thing. Not only are there entire restaurants which celebrate everything plant-based, eco-friendly and nutritious but even average restaurants offer multiple non-meat options for a varied clientele.

As the publicity blurb for this book states: “My Vegetarian Braai“ is not about trying to convert carnivores but rather to broaden the horizons of every braaier, the ones who enjoy preparing meals for their families and friends and as well as those who will look at the photographs and say ‘I can make that’.”

As lekker as a lamb chop or a worsie is on the braai, diversity is the spice of life and being able to offer something totally different, unlike anything anyone has had before, also presents a culinary challenge for him or her who wields the tongs. This book – My Vegetarian Braai – will not only provide a host of great recipes for the next time the fire’s lit, but it might just spark some plantbased creativity.

Penned by Adele Maartens and beautifully illustrated by one of South Africa’s foremost food photographers, Hein van Tonder, My Vegetarian Braai is packed with 90 tried and tested recipes, 45 of which are 100% OK for vegans.

Maartens is totally self taught and has made pilgrimages to

cooking courses in North Africa, Europe and the East to immerse herself in the cuisines of the region, expanding her skills and her food and taste repertoire. All of that led to her setting out her own stall in order to share her love of flavour with the public at large; she owned and ran a food truck for seven years but of late has been in demand as a food stylist and now recipe book author.

Former accountant Van Tonder never would have foreseen food photography becoming a profession. The love of food came first – and from the occasional photo of a beautiful plate he soon found himself taking it altogether more seriously, picking up his camera and experimenting with light, plating and exposure. He’s in demand for shoots in various countries but is also happy to run courses on specialist food photography for bloggers and aspirant stylists.

The various chapters, snacks, starters, mains, desserts are all covered and include a range of different food genres: Middle Eastern, Asian, South African and more. A great addition to anyone wanting to extend their braaing repertoire beyond meat and side salads.

These keftas can be served as a quick snack or you can pop a couple of them into a pita pocket as your main meal and serve with a side salad.

Serves 10 For the raita ½ English cucumber 1 cup Bulgarian yoghurt 1 cup fresh mint, chopped 2 Tbsp grated lemon zest For the keftas 1 packet bamboo skewers 1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup canned black beans ¼ cup dried breadcrumbs ½ onion, diced ½ cup chopped fresh parsley ½ cup chopped fresh coriander ½ cup chopped fresh mint 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp smoked paprika Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 1 egg Extra virgin olive oil 1 packet flatbreads 1 To make the raita, grate the cucumber, wrap it in a tea towel and squeeze out the excess water. Mix the cucumber with the remaining raita ingredients and refrigerate to serve later once chilled.

2 Soak the bamboo skewers for 1 hour while preparing the keftas.

3 In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas until roughly chopped and place them in a mixing bowl. Stir in the black beans and the breadcrumbs.

4 Add the rest of the kefta ingredients, except the olive oil and flatbreads, and stir well. If the mixture is not wet enough to form a firm ball, add a drizzle of olive oil.

5 Take a palmful of the mixture and press it around the skewer, then roll it lightly to form a sausage. You can decide how big or small you would like to have each sausage. Repeat until all the skewers are done. Place on a braai grid over medium-hot coals and braai for 4 – 6 minutes until cooked, turning regularly.

Serve with your favourite warm flatbreads and zingy lemon and mint raita.

WIN

A COPY OF MY VEGETARIAN BRAAI To qualify, send an e-mail or a postcard clearly marked Cheers Book Giveaway and containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the lucky draw.

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

ENTRY DEADLINE: 15TH OCTOBER See T&C’s on pg 04 LIKE us on www.facebook.com/CheersMag to double your chance of winning.

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M Y V E G E TA R I A N B R A A I

FROZEN BERRY PAVLOVA

This is a festive way to end any braai.

Crisp and chewy vanilla meringue pavlova topped with whipped cream, frozen berries, chopped pistachios for crunch and a sweet white chocolate drizzle. What’s not to love?

Serves 8 180 g fresh blackberries 180 g fresh blueberries 125 g fresh raspberries About 6 egg whites (225 ml) at room temperature 330 g castor sugar 1½ tsp white vinegar 2 tsp cornflour Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod ½ tsp sea salt flakes 1 cup whipping cream 50 g white chocolate, melted 25 g pistachios, finely chopped

GHEE-ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH MUSTARD-TAHINI DRESSING

Brussels sprouts … the most hated vegetable on earth! However, add some smokiness from the fire, top with the creamy nuttiness of the tahini and that extra punch from the mustard and a star is born.

Serves 6 400 g Brussels sprouts 3 Tbsp ghee, melted For the dressing 1 tsp hot English mustard powder ½ cup tahini 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt flakes to taste Brush the Brussels sprouts with melted ghee, thread onto metal skewers and place on the braai grid over medium-hot coals.

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1 Braai until cooked and slightly charred (8 – 10 minutes), depending on the size of the sprouts.

2 Meanwhile, mix the mustard powder, tahini, olive oil and sea salt and give it a good stir. If the tahini is too thick, add some melted ghee and give it a blitz in the blender.

3 Remove the Brussels sprouts from the heat and serve with a drizzle of dressing.

1 Place all the berries in a single layer on a baking tray, then place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight until frozen.

2 Preheat the oven to 150°C. 3 Place the egg whites in the clean and dry bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the castor sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, at 30-second intervals. Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides with a spatula and whisk for another 5 minutes until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

4 Place the vinegar and cornflour in a small bowl and mix to combine.

Add the vinegar mixture, vanilla seeds and sea salt to the egg white mixture and mix for another 2 minutes until combined.

5 Draw a circle with a 22 cm diameter on a sheet of parchment or baking paper and place, pencil side down, on a large baking tray. Place heaped spoonfuls of the meringue mixture inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides higher than the middle.

5 Place in the oven, reduce the temperature to 120°C and bake for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.

5 To serve, spoon the whipped cream on top and fill the middle with the frozen berries. Drizzle the pavlova with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the pistachios.

Serve immediately.

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

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

DRAAI DIE ANDER WANG

KOS EN DIE GENOT DAARVAN GAAN NIE NET OOR ’N SPESIFIEKE SNIT VLEIS NIE, MAAR OOK OOR DIE MANIER VAN VOORBEREIDING. LSK – OF TE WEL – LANK STADIG KOOK KAN DIE PLESIER VERHOOG, SKRYF EMILE JOUBERT.

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EMILE JOUBERT

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TUISNYWERHEID

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anneer mens praat van “nie-tradisionele” vleissnitte verloor jy maklik 80% van jou gehoor. Met anderste dele van die dier se karkas word beweer die voorstander hiervan gaan begin praat van pens, harsings, pote en ander dinge wat die meerderheid mense om onverstaanbare redes grillerig vind. (Die uwe se huidige teenwoordigheid uitgesluit.)

Tog sit daar heerlike stukke vleis weg van jou tjops, biefstuk, boud en filet. En die bonus is dat hierdie snitte en organe nie net vol geur en eindelose kulinêre moontlikhede is nie, maar as relatief goedkoop gevind kan word.

Neem byvoorbeeld varkwange, ’n snit wat tot nou die dag hoofsaaklik as maalvleis ingespan is, maar deesdae as ’n modieuse lekkerny beskou word.

Ja, dis die wang aan die kies-kant van die vark, en dit is ’n stuk vleis met spikkels vet wat sorg dat dit heerlik sappig kook, met ’n sagte tekstuur wat geurige sousighede opsuig. Met volle genot vir die eter.

Omdat die varkwange nie in die vleisrak van jou supermark verskyn nie, sal jy die slagtoonbank of jou slaghuis moet vra om die wange vir jou uit te hou.

Wees genadig en gee so ’n paar dae kennis. Dit sal die moeite werd wees, veral wanneer jy uitvind dat jy die wange kan optel vir om en by R60 per kilogram.

Vra ook vir die slagter om die vliesies wat om die wange sit te verwyder. Dan’s jy reg.

Vir die kook benodig mens tyd, geduld en ’n stadige hand, want LSK (lank stadig kook) word ingespan. Soos alle geregte van hierdie aard is daar talle maniere om die vleis aan te vul met geursels en souse.

Maar omdat ons hier van vark praat, is appel en salie my gunsteling manier om die wange te berei.

VARKWANGE IN SIDER Sider, dis nou die Savannah- en Hunter’s Dry-tipe drankies, is ’n heerlike middel om in die berei van vark in te span, en die varkwange is geen uitsondering nie.

Dit, met bietjie salie en ’n paar ander geurmiddels, werk perfek.

Vir vier mense: 2 kg varkwange (afhangende van die dier, kan hulle tot 1kg elk weeg) Sout en gemaalde swartpeper

½ koppie (70 g) koekmeel 3 eetlepels (45 ml) olyfolie 2 eetlepels (30 ml) appelasyn 2 koppies (500 ml) sider 2 koppies (500 ml) hoender-aftreksel 1 teelepel (5 ml) gekapte vars salie 1 teelepel (5 ml) gekapte roosmaryn 1 ui, fyngekap 1 klein wortel, fyngekap 1 stok seldery, fyngekap

1 Geur die vleis met sout en peper, sprinkel meel oor en vryf al die wange in.

2 Verhit ’n groot kastrol, gooi olyfolie in en wanneer die olie warm is, braai die wange tot hul goudbruin is aan beide kante – sowat vyf tot agt minute afhangende van die hitte. Jy sal afsonderlik moet braai as die kastrol te klein is.

3 Plaas die vleis eenkant. In die vet en olie wat in die kastrol oor is, braai jy die ui, wortel en seldery tot die ui sag en deurskynend is. Voeg die sider, hoenderaftreksel en asyn by en plaas die bruingebraaide varkwange terug in die kastrol saam met die salie en roosmaryn.

4 Draai die plaat af totdat die vleis en vloeistof in matige hitte saam prut, sit die deksel op en laat als in die aangename hitte trou vir minstens twee-en-’n-half ure, maar meer aan drie ure se kant. Jy kan deurentyd onder die deksel loer om die tekstuur van die vleis te bepaal – hy is reg wanneer die vleis se vesels los genoeg is om met die raps van ’n vurk van mekaar weg te trek en voordat die wange uitmekaar val.

5 Wanneer jy daar is, haal die vleis sorgvuldig uit en hou eenkant.

6 Draai die hitte onder die kastrol oop en laat die sous afkook tot dit een derde van die volume is van wat dit was toe die hele proses begin is.

7 Sit die wange terug in die sous en prut totdat die vleis weer warm is.

8 Wat die bediening betref, aangesien jy nou sit met ’n heerlike ryk gereg, gaan voluit en bedien op kapokaartappels of ’n risotto gemaak met hoenderaftreksel en Parmesaan-kaas BEESTONG Hierdie moet net genoem word aangesien dit een van die lekkerste, sagte en fyn-gegeurde stukke vleis is wat mens kan kry. En dis hels maklik om voor te berei.

1 Kry ’n rou tong by jou slagter of in die supermark. Sit in ’n kastrol en bedek heeltemal met water. Voeg twee loerierblare en ’n eetlepel bruin asyn by.

Kook stadig, deksel op, vir drie tot vier ure.

2 Haal onmiddellik die tong uit en sit dit in ’n groot bak vol yswater, sommer met van die ysblokkies wat daarin dryf. Sodra die tong koel genoeg is om met kaal hande te hanteer, trek die vel van die tong af. Wat oorbly is ’n lieflike strook vleis. Sny in dun skywe, eet sommer net so, bedek met ’n sous van jou keuse of op ’n toebroodjie met baie mosterd.

3 Smul. .

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B LO G S P O T |

T E R E S A U LYA T E

FAMILY FAVOURITES THE FORMATIVE YEARS OF CHILDHOOD ARE WHEN MEMORIES AND PREJUDICES ARE MADE. YOU EITHER HATE TOMATOES OR BEETROOT OR LOVE THEM! SOME FOLKS DEVELOP A MORE SAVOURY INCLINATION WHILE OTHERS MIGHT HEAD OFF IN A SWEETER DIRECTION. BUT IT ALL STARTED SOMEWHERE ... WITH A BELOVED SOMEONE OFFERING A LITTLE TASTE.

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n the lead up to Heritage Day when we reflect on and celebrate the diversity of our beautiful country I can’t help thinking about my own heritage from a foodie perspective.

Food, baking and cooking have always been a huge part of my life and I recall as a child spending hours paging through my mom’s recipe books filled with favourite recipes as well as magazine clippings and handwritten recipes passed on from friends.

There are also recipes handed down from my grannies – with my favourite being Grandma’s Christmas cake which I now make with my children, every year.

Another gem is my grandmother’s recipe for lemonade. Making your own lemon concentrate from scratch is rather quaint but I decided to bring back the tradition and can highly recommend a chilled glass of fresh homemade lemonade on a sunny day, it’s positively delish. (Thanks Gran!)

It seems churlish to hold on to a family favourite so I’ve shared the easy recipe in this issue.

I also have a lovely dish for a week night supper – it’s quick, easy, and full of flavour. Stir fry is one of my favourite speedy meals and is a handy ‘go to’. This one has a little twist as I have opted for chutney (another one of our favourite South African ingredients of course) and Worcestershire instead of the usual soy sauce.

You can use any chutney variant here, and even mix and match your veggies to create a scrumptious dinner. Maybe it’ll become one of your family favourites. Happy Heritage Day everyone!

Peachy, tangy, sweet, chunky and thickly gooey with a little hint of spice bite.

That flavour, so beloved of South Africans the world over came about as follows, the website of MrsBalls.com, states.

“Few lovers of the perennially favourite Mrs H.S. Ball’s Chutney™ will know just how close the recipe for their favourite sauce came to being buried in a watery grave! For in 1852 when the SS Quanza was shipwrecked off East London, South Africa, en route from Canada to Australia, Captain Adkins and his wife were lucky to escape with not only their lives but also the blueprint for what was to become one of South Africa’s most unique and priceless culinary icons. Making the best of their situation, Captain Adkins and his wife settled in King Williamstown. In 1865 their daughter, Amelia, was born. She was later to marry Mr Herbert Sandleton Ball, a railway superintendent from Cape Town.

As part of her coming of age, the young bride was given the coveted secret chutney recipe. When The Great War broke out in 1914, the Ball’s chutney was being made on a small scale and was either given as gifts to friends or sold at church bazaars.”

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CHUTNEY CHICKEN STIR FRY Serves 2

10ml (2 tsp) olive oil ½ red onion, chopped 5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin 2.5ml (½ tsp) ground coriander 5ml (1 tsp) crushed garlic 2 chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks 30ml (2 Tbsp) Worcestershire sauce 60ml (¼ cup) Mrs Balls mild chutney 250ml (1 cup) shredded red cabbage 250ml (1 cup) broccoli florets 125ml (½ cup) mange tout, cut into thin strips 125ml (½ cup) carrot strips Pinch of salt Brown rice or egg noodles, to serve 1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes.

2 Add the cumin, coriander and garlic to the pan and cook for another minute. Add the chicken and cook for a minute or two to brown.

3 Add one tablespoon of the Worcestershire sauce and the chutney to the pan, and stir together. Cook for a minute or two.

4 Add the cabbage, broccoli, mange tout and carrots to the pan along with the remaining tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Increase the heat and cook for 5 minutes, tossing regularly. Check the seasoning and add a pinch of salt if needed.

5 Serve immediately with brown rice or egg noodles.

Teresa Ulyate is a multi-tasking working mom who juggles a job, children and a blog cupcakesandcouscous.com

You eat with your eyes as much as your mouth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and this bright, vibrant dish doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail in terms of visual appeal.

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B LO G S P O T |

T E R E S A U LYA T E

HOMEMADE LEMONADE Serves 6-8

180ml (¾ cup) white sugar 300ml boiling water 150ml fresh lemon juice 1 Place the sugar and boiling water in a saucepan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then add the lemon juice.

2. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat as soon as the mixture starts to boil. Set aside to cool.

3 To make lemonade, mix 1 part lemon concentrate with 2½ parts cold water (or dilute to taste).

Store in the fridge, either in a jug or a sealed glass bottle.

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Tart lemony tang is balanced by syrupy sweetness – and combined are the perfect antidote to a raging thirst.

HOT NEWS TOPS AT SPAR WINE SHOW

The grand vinous spectacle that is the TOPS at SPAR Wine Show marches inexorably northwards to Pretoria, to slake the thirst of fans of wine in the city.

The jaw and cork dropping pourformance takes place at the popular Menlyn Park shopping centre from 3 to 5 October.

Andrew Douglas, owner and producer of The Wine Show, said this is the TOPS show’s third appearance in Pretoria, returning after taking a break in 2018.

“This year’s show at Menlyn will deliver more than ever before – with an amazing line-up of wellknown and as-yet-undiscovered gems from the world-renowned Cape winelands for tasting and buying, entertainment at every turn, interactive edutainment in our popular wine theatres.”

“The TOPS at SPAR Wine Show is always fun, and it offers something for every wine-lover from novice to aficionado; it’s the place to stock up on old favourites and make new discoveries, which can be shipped free of charge with our complimentary ‘Sip ‘n Ship’ service,” he added.

Some of the crowd-pleasing attractions include Jon Meinking, who presents the #SAWineShowcase Theatre, the Wine Label Design Awards presented by Rotolabel, the Old Vine Project and a chance to win wine for a year with Stellenbosch Vineyards. Industry players who participate in the show to deliver content and build awareness of their roles in the industry include the Platter’s Wine Guide, Aware.org (previously ARA), the VinPro Foundation, Proudly South African, and the DTI which, as a catalyst for transformation and change and a promoter of cultural diversity in the wine industry, brings five new wine farms to the show in each city.

The SPAR Sommeliers Olive Brook selection will showcase their two new ranges, Everyday and Terroir Selection, in a talk on ‘Complex but not Confusing’ in the 80-seater wine theatre.

Tickets are priced at R185 for a General Admission ticket, which includes a tasting glass, show guide, access to wine theatres and unlimited tastings. The Couples Combo is just R385 (valued at R570), which includes two general admission tickets, two tasting glasses, a show guide, access to the wine theatres, unlimited tastings, and a six-pack of glasses, courtesy of Core Catering.

A special Weekend Pass ticket, priced at R280, has been created for the ultimate wine-lover to spend both Friday and Saturday evening exploring the exceptional wines and edutainment experiences on offer at the show, and includes a complimentary Platters Wine Guide worth R270.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.wineshow.co.za.

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NO BITTER DEFEAT...

South African mixologists will soon be testing and tasting, mixing and muddling, unique exotic concoctions in order to stand a chance at winning the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge.

National heats take place on Monday, 16 September – and the winner will then go forward to compete in the Africa and Middle-East regional event to be held in Cyprus mid-October. The ultimate challenge coincides with Carnival Tuesday, February 23 next year and will be marked in fitting island style in Trinidad and Tobago.

The first staging of the Angostura global cocktail challenge was in 2001 at the Robinson Crusoe pub in Tobago – and has grown to become one of the most sought after titles in international mixology.

Contestants have to know the Angostura products well and obviously use them to make two cocktails of their own creation. They have just seven minutes to make and describe their drinks, which are then judged by some of the best in the business.

At the Grand Final the winning regional finalists will battle it out for the title of Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge Champion, $10 000 and a two-year contract as Angostura’s Global Brand Ambassador; providing an opportunity for the Champion to tour the world and influence bartenders to experiment and explore products in the Angostura portfolio.

The final is also an immersive experience into Angostura’s rich history and the culture of Trinidad and Tobago.

George Hunter of Copper Monkey won last year’s national heat and competed at the Africa and Middle East Regional leg.

“Winning the AGCC 2018 national heat was one of my bigger achievements as the competition holds a certain prestige. Angostura is an international brand that is true to quality and consistency, and winning the Challenge and having the opportunity to represent the brand by doing numerous activations in our local market is truly a massive step in the right direction for anyone who is a career bartender!,” Hunter said.

THIRSTY THURSDAY

Unfortunately this is a Johannesburg exclusive – not something CHEERS is often able to write!

SAB’s World of Beer has a special offer on Thirsty Thursday: purchases two beers and get the third completely free! The next Thirsty Thursday for World of Beer fans is 19 September.

Since former president Nelson Mandela officially opened its doors in May 1995, SAB World of Beer has become a thriving tourist attraction and conferencing venue, having achieved a five-star rating for its conference facilities as well as winning the Gauteng Lilizela Tourism Awards 2016 and 2017 for “Visitor Experience of the Year: Culture & Lifestyle”; TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018; and being SA Tourism’s ‘Best Attraction’ award in 2009 and 2011.

SAB World of Beer is at 15 Helen Joseph Street (formerly President Street) in Newtown, Johannesburg.

It’s open from 12h00 to 22h00 and happy hour runs from 18h00 to 19h00.

For bookings and further information please contact 011 836 4900 or email events.co-ordinator@za.ab-inbev.com.

Regret no under 18’s. And, as ever, the advice of not driving after drinking applies.

CONSERVATION BALANCING ACT

Stepping out with a more minimalist look and splashes of colour, Balance – the quirky range of generous, everyday wines, has relaunched after an image upgrade.

The stylish makeover was to master the fine balancing act of a contemporary modish new look and environmental awareness. The Balance Winemaker‘s Selection range was upgraded while the Classic Collection was trimmed down in

tune with the latest wine trends. The new look, quality driven, yet affordable Classic range now comprises the ever popular, easy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot and two new wines, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a delicately sweet Rosé. The Balance Winemaker‘s Selection range comprises six single varietal wines, including a lightly wooded Chardonnay, a fruity Pinot Grigio and an elegant Pinot Noir.

As a caring range of wines signified by the trusty mascot, Hank the elephant, Balance has adopted the Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) as a CSI initiative. For every bottle sold, a contribution is made to fund the EHRA PEACE project, an educational programme promoting the peaceful cohabitation of local communities with desert elephants in Southern Africa.

The PEACE project empowers people in close proximity to wild elephants, with the necessary information to keep themselves, their families and livestock safe during elephant visits.

“The Southern African desert elephants and EHRA are something that I am especially passionate about,” said Gerhard van der Wath, owner and chairman of Overhex Wines International and a keen wildlife enthusiast. “Seeing these enormous creatures living wild in the desert really made an impression on me. Through Balance wines, we are pleased to be able to give back to a cause that means a lot to us.”

He hopes this makes a difference for generations to come.

Taking the conservation of desert elephants even further, the upgraded Balance packaging uses digital technology linked to an exciting online game to support this initiative. Players stand a chance to win Balance Bucks, redeemable when purchasing wine at the Balance online store. A donation is made on their behalf to the EHRA PEACE project after successfully completing the final stage of the game.

To win Balance Bucks and support the conservation of desert elephants, the Balance game can be played directly online at https://balance.wine on your smart phone or PC. The game can also be accessed through a QR code found on Balance wine bottles.

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NEXT MONTH |

FUN & GAMES

Bashew’s carbonated cooldrinks has history: the popular brand dates back to 1899! Decor addicts nowadays hunt down old wooden soft drink crates to add a retro note to contemporary interior design... that’s how cool this brand is.

Bottles of brightly coloured Bashew’s were synonymous with fun filled childhood parties, picnics, weddings and special times with friends and family. There is no better way to honour the cultural heritage locked up in this much loved soft drink brand than with the Cape comedy phenomenon, Joe Barber.

Celebrating an impressive 20th anniversary with three shows in Cape Town in November, Barber is stepping into his party shoes after a 5 year hiatus. The comedian is pulling out all the stops with a brand new show delving into barbershop antics and a special guest appearance by Shaleen Surtie-Richards. Fans can also look forward to performances by local rappers YoungstaCPT and Early B as well as a complementary Bashew’s welcome drink.

Ever since 1899, Bashew’s has aimed to make high quality soft drinks as affordable as possible for everyone to enjoy. In keeping with the original family recipe, Bashew’s winning formula has been tried and tested to give South Africans the authentic taste of eight fun filled flavours at a pocket friendly price.

Bring back a lifetime of good memories with Bashew’s and Joe Barber from Thursday, 21 to Saturday, 23 November 2019 at the Grand Arena, Grand West. Tickets are available at www.computicket.com.

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TOP 40 COUNTDOWN

Cocktails have become a popular spectator, consumer and mixologist competitive sport. One of the world’s largest cocktail competitions is the Bacardi Legacy event which receives thousands of entries every year.

Bacardi rum has a long historical association with classic cocktails and bartenders are keen to take up the challenge of creating an original cocktail that will stand the test of time.

It also presents them with the opportunity of establishing a name for themselves in the international drinks industry – and potentially to leave a legacy.

Nicole Fas of Puerto Rico was adjudged the 2019 runner up earlier this year. “It may sound cheesy but really, it’s not just a competition. It is a gateway to let the world know your story. It’s an opening door to enter an adventure that may change your life. My life changed after I entered Bacardi Legacy.”

For the first time ever, the 2020 global finals will allow bartenders from all over the world to enter, not only those countries where Bacardi is represented. Forty of the world’s most innovative and exceptional bartenders will compete for the global title and one spot will be taken by the winner of the new Wildcard entry channel – bringing the opportunity to create a lasting legacy and join the Bacardi Legacy Gran Familia to more bartenders than ever before.

Dickie Cullimore, global ambassador for Bacardi rum said it was always sad to turn competitors away in the past. “As more and more bartenders see the incredible opportunities competing in Legacy offers, we get countless enquiries from them asking how to take part. It’s always been gutting to have to say that they can’t because their country isn’t participating – so we just knew we had to come up with a creative way to make the competition open to as wide a field as possible.”

Hence the WildCard entry now open to 100 new countries.

The 2020 Bacardi grand finals will take place in Miami the first week in May 2020. For more details visit: www.bacardilegacy.com.

THINGAMAJIGS |

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TOOLS FOR

THE JOB

A BAD WORKMAN MAY BLAME HIS TOOLS BUT THE WELL EQUIPPED CHAP WITH THE MOST AND BEST TOYS KNOWS JUST HOW TO EITHER GET THE HERITAGE DAY BRAAI STARTED, GROW HIS OWN HERBS, TIME THE CHOPS TO PERFECTION OR KEEP THE BREWS WELL CHILLED

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1 MUSHROOM KITCHEN TIMER , R109, www.niftygifts.co.za 2 MEGAMASTER RUBBER & COTTON GLOVE, R199, www.yuppiechef.com 3 MAN APRON, R199, www.niftygifts.co.za 4 INFLATABLE BEER BUCKET , R229, www.niftygifts.co.za 5 WOODEN 4 PIECE BRAAI SET, R299, www.mantality.co.za 6 POYKIE POT, R290, www.bigblue.co.za 7 BASIL GROW BAG, R105, www.aplacetoshop.co.za 8 COBB MEAT THERMOMETER, R89, www.yuppichef.com 9 SA ACTIVITY COLOURING BOOK, R115, www.aplacetoshop.co.za

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

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SPRING CLEANING

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WIPING, SWEEPING, SCOURING AND DUSTING. A CLEAN HOUSE – SO IT IS SAID – IS A HAPPY ONE. WINTER SEES HOUSEHOLDS SHUT UP TIGHT TO KEEP THE WARMTH IN. SO WHEN SPRING COMES ALONG IT’S TIME TO FLING OPEN THE DOORS AND WINDOWS, INVITE THE SUNSHINE AND FRESH AIR IN AND GIVE EVERYTHING A GOOD TIDY UP TO GET THE HOME SPICK AND SPAN. 1 2 pack swab set 2 5 pack non-scratch sponge scourers 3 Scrubbing brush 4 All-purpose cleaning wipes 5 Chenille mop 6 Dustpan and brush set 7 Value kitchen kit 8 Dish cloth set 9 Cotton lined household gloves 10 Lint remover

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

HISTORIC MUSIC & MOVIES BUTLERS, VALETS AND CHAMBER MAIDS ARE NO LONGER PART OF THE LANDED GENTRY’S DAILY LIVES – BUT THERE REMAINS A FASCINATION WITH THEM – AS THE GLOBAL SUCCESS OF DOWNTON ABBEY SHOWED. WELL, NOW THE MOVIE IS HERE. AND ROCK ROYALTY OF A BYGONE AGE STILL MAKING GREAT MUSIC IS THE GROUP STATUS QUO WHICH DEFIES THE PASSAGE OF TIME BY RELEASING A NEW ALBUM.

DOWNTON ABBEY DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD

top pick “Your majesties! Welcome to Downton Abbey,” says Lady Grantham, played by Elizabeth McGovern, as she drops into a suitably deep curtsey. And with that action Downton Abbey’s Crawley family and all the other beloved characters television viewers grew to love, confidently sashay onto the big screen!

The movie reunites all the favourite characters and introduces a few new ones too.

Set in the period 1927 to 1929, it deals with all the hype and hoopla – in typically British understated fashion, of course – of a royal visit to Downton Abbey by King George V and Queen Mary. Carson is even wheeled out of retirement to ensure that standards don’t slip and that decorum is maintained!

The movie was written by creator Julian Fellowes and was originally going to be directed by Brian Percival, who directed the show’s original pilot, before he stepped aside.

“When the television series drew to a close it was our dream to bring the millions of global fans a movie and now the stars aligned,” said producer Gareth Neame.

All of the original cast returned for the big-screen outing, including Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Crawley, Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates, Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley and Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Crawley. Perhaps more surprising is that Maggie Smith is set to return as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, given that she’s previously said a movie could be “squeezing it dry” – although maybe her theory will come true.

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Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, nothing could prepare Dora (Isabela Moner) for her most dangerous adventure ever – high school.

Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), a mysterious jungle inhabitant (Eugenio Derbez), and a rag tag group of teens on a live-action adventure to save her parents (Eva Longoria, Michael Peña) and solve the impossible mystery behind a lost city of gold.

It’s a cross between Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider... but with a teenager as the main character!

STATUS QUO BACKBONE GEMINI MAN Henry Brogan (Will Smith) is an elite assassin trying to get out of the business who becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move.

“He knows my every move – almost before I do!” Brogan exclaims.

To his horror, he soon learns that the man who’s trying to kill him is a younger, faster, cloned version of himself.

Gemini Man has been struggling to see the light of day for 20 years! It was conceived and written in 1997 but went through various studios, writers and producers – with actors such as Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and even Clint Eastwood lined up to play the main character.

Acclaimed director Ang Lee (Life of Pi) shot the movie digitally with an extra high frame rate which allowed seamless computer graphic integration.

The action is fast and furious and Clive Owen (Last Knights, King Arthur) plays a pivotal role as Bevan’s handler who also presents a real sting in the tail.

September sees legendary rock band Status Quo release Backbone, their 33rd album!

Many in the music industry said Backbone was a record that could not be made, this is a group of musicians that is strong, who back each other up and are tighter than ever – even though they formed in 1967!

The 11-track album was recorded at Rossi’s studio in the late months of 2018 and into this year.

The sessions were initially just to keep the juices flowing, to improvise and have fun. As the hours rolled on, songs stacked up, everyone began to believe that something special was happening.

As Rossi said: “This new material had to be seriously good. Quo have achieved so much and meant so much to too many people for the quality to slip now. Also, let’s face it, things have changed and we’re an easier target than ever.

“Losing Rick (Parfitt) was hard to bear but, through Richie Malone, who was inspired to pick up a guitar by him, we can not only keep going but actually pick up the pace. I wasn’t sure I had another album in me, but I couldn’t be more proud of Backbone.

KEANE CAUSE AND EFFECT English alternative rock band Keane have been quiet since 2014 – but their fifth studio album is set to drop soon.

As an official statement suggests, neither Keane as a unit nor lead singer Tom Chaplin were really expecting this burst of creativity to strike when it did: “The birth of this new album came as something of a surprise even to the band,” the statement read. Singer Tom Chaplin had released two successful solo albums but missed his old sparring partner Tim Rice-Oxley. “I found myself wondering how I had come to let this very enigmatic and important relationship in my life drift,” Chaplin said.

Meanwhile RiceOxley had written an album’s worth of incredibly personal songs fuelled by humour as well as pain.

When Chaplin, bassist Jesse Quin and drummer Richard Hughes heard the songs, they were immediately drawn to them, both sonically and lyrically – and headed for the studio to lay down the tracks.

THE LUMINEERS III After the triumph of their British and American chart-topping record, The Lumineers are back with their third studio album, III. A conceptual album presented across three chapters, III is described as “darker in tone than anything The Lumineers have done before, with each part centring on one main character from a fictitious family known as The Sparks, who span three generations in the album’s storyline.”

Written by the band’s founding members, Wesley Schultz and multiinstrumentalist Jeremiah Fraites, the album sees violinist/vocalist Lauren Jacobson officially joining the band, after playing on their previous two albums. Jacobson completes the touring line-up that includes pianist Stelth Ulvang, bassist/backing vocalist Byron Isaacs and multi-instrumentalist Brandon Miller.

“This collection of songs worked out in a beautiful way, and I feel with this album we’ve really hit our stride,” said Fraites.

BLACK SUN OWEN MATTHEWS

THE WAREHOUSE ROB HART

1961. Hidden deep within the forests of central Soviet Russia is a place that doesn’t appear on any map: a city called Arzamas - 16. Here a community of dedicated scientists, technicians and engineers are building the most powerful nuclear device the world will ever see – 3 000 times more powerful than Hiroshima.

But 10 days before the bomb is to be tested, a young physicist is found dead. His body contains enough radioactive poison to kill thousands.

The Arzamas authorities believe it is suicide – they want the corpse disposed of and the incident forgotten. But someone in Moscow is alarmed by what’s going on in this strange, isolated place.

And so Major Alexander Vasin – a mostly good KGB officer – is despatched to Arzamas to investigate. What he finds there is unlike anything he’s experienced before.

In Arzamas, nothing can be allowed to get in the way of the project. Not even murder… Intricately researched, cunningly plotted and brilliantly told, Black Sun is a fast-paced and timely thriller set at the height – and in the heart – of Soviet power.

Paxton never thought he’d be working for Cloud, the giant tech company that’s eaten much of the American economy. Much less that he’d be moving into one of the company’s sprawling live-work facilities.

But compared to what’s left outside, Cloud’s bland chain store life of gleaming entertainment halls, open-plan offices, and vast warehouses … well, it doesn’t seem so bad.

Zinnia never thought she’d be infiltrating Cloud. But now she’s undercover, inside the walls, risking it all to ferret out the company’s darkest secrets. And Paxton, might make the perfect pawn. If she can bear to sacrifice him.

As the truth about Cloud unfolds, Zinnia must gamble everything on a desperate scheme—one that risks both their lives, even as it forces Paxton to question everything about the world he’s so carefully assembled here.

Together, they’ll learn just how far the company will go … to make the world a better place.

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

SOMEONE WE KNOW SHARI LAPENA It can be hard keeping secrets in a tight-knit neighbourhood.

In a tranquil, leafy suburb of ordinary streets – one where everyone is polite and friendly – an anonymous note has been left at some of the houses.

“I’m so sorry. My son has been getting into people’s houses. He’s broken into yours.”

Who is this boy, and what might he have uncovered? As whispers start to circulate, suspicion mounts.

And when a missing local woman is found murdered, the tension reaches breaking point.

Who killed her? Who knows more than they’re telling? And how far will all these very nice people go to protect their secrets?

Maybe you don’t know your neighbour as well as you thought you did …

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FISHING |

G I A N T T R E VA L LY

GOOFY GRINS & GT THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD COLONEL “MAD MIKE” HOARE AND HIS BUNCH OF RAGTAG MERCENARIES SUCCEEDED IN THEIR ATTEMPTED COUP ON THE SEYCHELLES. BUT THEY DIDN’T AND THE SEYCHELLES REMAINS AN ISLAND PARADISE. IDYLLIC. FANTASTIC PLACE FOR A HONEYMOON, SNORKELLING, DIVING, PADDLING, YACHTING OR FISHING AS RHUAN HUMAN REPORTS.

I

n February 2018 the Seychellois government announced the creation of two new marine protected areas – covering 210 000 square kilometres of ocean. To place that in perspective, it’s about the size of Great Britain.

This is already a nation which takes its ocean conservation and management extremely seriously.

Getaway magazine gave a hint of what was to come when it reported in 2016 that up to 30% of the island nation’s 1.35 million square kilometres of waters

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

would ultimately fall under marine protection. But then it comprises 115 separate islands, popping up in the middle of the Indian Ocean, about 1 600km off the East coast of Africa. Half of its population of 100 000 rely on marine resources for their livelihood and the area is increasingly under threat from commercial fishing by other less scrupulous nations.

It’s a marvellously ecologically diverse habitat, home to rare giant tortoises, dugongs which are highly endangered, migratory birds using

BELOW: A tropical underwater paradise; Seychelles territorial waters are amongst the best protected in the world because such a high portion of the population earns an income from them.

it as a stopping point on their seasonal pilgrimages between hemispheres – and abundant sea life.

“The Seychelles waters really are some of the finest on earth and it’s a complete delight that the government has protected them,” said Paul Rose, a National Geographic explorer who led an expedition there in 2015. Although there is some coral bleaching, the Seychelles boasts fantastic reefs as well as good tuna breeding grounds.

Changing tack slightly, we all know or have had an encounter with someone who ranks somewhere on the celebrity scale.

And all of us, even the ones who deny it, will drop that celeb name at some point. “Did I ever tell you about the time I had dops with The Mummy? You know, that Saffa Hollywood actor Arnold Vosloo?”

Or: “You know I bumped into Derek Watts at the airport once. Helluva lekker oke.”

Like most, I have my own celebrity stories and, admittedly after a few cold ones in the pub, I’ve dropped their names in casual conversation. Like the fact that I spent a year living down the hall from Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies, in Dromedaris men’s res at the University of Johannesburg.

He was still a baby Bok when I met him, and I knew him as “Twinsaver”.

He might have washed my dishes once or twice. I also guided cricketing legends Jonty Rhodes and Lance “Zulu” Klusener into some trout at Engeleni Farm in the KZN midlands. We had a braai, shared some whisky and I washed

Batio, in teatante, se comnis se quon teatus nostanum deortem in diem teri sum nemniu vit con prissed nonsussendam BELOW: A coral atoll in the sentem imurnicut Indian Ocean, Farquhar offers a ad greatfuisquam base for game fishing. inte

their dishes when we were done.

My most memorable celebrity encounter happened during a fishing trip with Flycastaway on a lonely Atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean, 10 degrees south of the Equator. It was where I met and spent some quality time with the GT’s of Farquhar island. Now, before you call me out on how the heck I decided that a fish qualifies as a celebrity, hear my story first.

(I’m squeezing this angle for all it’s worth!)

The Giant Trevally (GT) which inhabit the waters of Farquhar Atoll in the Seychelles really are worldfamous and, in my eyes, way more interesting than any surgically assisted Jenner or Kardashian sister. These GT’s were the stars of Attenborough’s BBC series, Blue Planet II as the bird-eating fish of the Seychelles. Gangs of GT congregate in an area to feed on the unsuspecting victims flying overhead. The scenes of vicious and calculated attacks in High Definition ultra-slow motion as the GTs leapt from their own aquatic world into ours to grab a mouthful

ABOVE: Exploding from the water in pursuit of a low flying bird is what made the Giant Trevally a viral internet sensation... along with Sir David Attenborough’s narration.

of feathers and flesh, their aweinspiring power and intelligence on full display, was captured, narrated and detailed by the soothing sound of Sir David himself. No wonder he’s a national treasure.

It really was nature documentary at its finest and not only captured television audiences but exploded when it did the rounds on social media. Over five million views on YouTube, twice as much on Facebook and who knows how many times it was sent on with messaging platforms like WhatsApp. The clip seriously went viral, and at that point, Giant Trevally was the most talked-about fish species on the planet! Can you say #trending!?

I met the GTs of Farquhar, and they more than lived up to their reputation. It was off Goelette Island, the most southern point of the Atoll, where we encountered them. Birds were diving on bait balls, and underneath them, the GT were feasting. Massive eruptions and splashes, GT jumping clear out of the water. When we got closer to the action we realised what was happening: the packs of GT feeding on the bait would leap out of the water to grab the birds if they flew too close. It was a feeding frenzy, unlike anything I have experienced!

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FISHING |

G I A N T T R E VA L LY

As soon as your fly hit the water, fish would surge and shoulder each other out of the way trying to get there first. They were big ones and let’s just say we weren’t ready for them. A couple of fly lines shredded in the coral and a rod section or three flew overboard until we eventually started landing some. We spent the entire day drifting around bait balls with birds overhead and monsters below.

The irony was that we were filming a television show and for the first time in my short career as a fishing presenter, it actually felt like I was on a TV show. I think I even made the comment that this stuff does NOT happen in real life!

After the salt spray had settled,

ABOVE: One for the brag book – Gareth George looking suitably pleased with himself after landing a GT in the Seychelles.

RIGHT: Goofy grinning while soaking wet but ecstatically happy at Goelette Island, Rhuan Human, captured the necessary proof of his GT encounter before releasing his catch.

For the first time in my short career as a fishing presenter, it actually felt like I was on a TV show. I think I even made the comment that this stuff does NOT happen in real life!

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

our crew sat down and looked at each other, somewhat stunned, bruised, battered and more than a little dehydrated. We couldn’t hold back the goofy grins. We realized that we had witnessed something truly spectacular and all agreed it would undoubtedly go down as one of the best filming moments

of our careers. Nothing could possibly top that!

I met the GT’s of Farquhar: heck I had front row seats and a back-stage pass. We laughed and had fun, took a few pictures together and ultimately said goodbye. I can tell you they were moerse lekker okes!

T E C H N O LO GY |

INSPIRED

LIVING DAY DREAMING SERVES A PURPOSE: THINKING ABOUT FABRICS, CURTAINS VERSUS BLINDS, THE MERITS OF TILES OVER CARPET OR EVEN LAMINATE ALLOWS YOUR BRAIN TO PROCESS THE INFORMATION AND ULTIMATELY MAKE A DECISION ABOUT YOUR IDEAL HOME MAKEOVER. BUT THERE’S AN APP – OR THREE OR FOUR – FOR THAT AS DAVID BOWMAN FOUND. HOME DESIGN 3D

ROOM PLANNER: DESIGN FOR IKEA

Need some inspiration to renovate? With Home 3D it’s never been easier or quicker to redesign or remodel the home. It’s possible to design the floor plan in 2D or 3D, draw the plot, rooms and dividers. Add windows and doors with ease and even change the height or thickness of walls.

Design and decorate both the interior and exterior of the home, making choices from thousands of pieces of furniture, accessories from the most classical to the modern styles.

Any plan can be imported and displayed in the background of the design. Sharing a project is easy on the usual social media platforms.

With rumours that IKEA is making its way to South Africa, this could prove to be extremely helpful when furnishing a new or existing home. Visualise and get a better idea of what it will really look like once furniture is installed.

It’s possible to change anything in the picture, from colours on the walls to layout of the furniture. Start from one of the existing handcrafter projects, or with the blank canvas of an empty room. Change furniture, decoration or add items from the chosen (not only IKEA) furniture brands. Using the 3D function, it’s possible to view from all angles.

HOUZZ HOME DESIGN & RENOVATION

There’s no barrier to entry for this one. It’s simply a fun home decoration game! Play Design Home today; it’s a relaxing, fun game allowing anyone to live the life of an interior decorator. Sharpen decorating skills in the daily Design Challenges, and style creations with real highend furniture and décor brands. It is quick, fun and you can connect with a vibrant creative community while learning about diverse décor styles, and perhaps gain inspiration for real life situations. Unlock rewards while skills as a decorator are polished.

Get the best design ideas for the home by browsing more that 18 million high resolution images of interiors and exteriors. Choose by style, location or room and save and share with friends and professionals. Read articles from editorial staff and design experts including home tours, full kitchen and bathroom renovation guides, decorating tricks, organising tips, gardening and lifestyle advice and everything in between. Wondering what that sofa would look like in your living room? Tap the View in my Room button and see instantly. Discuss home design and renovation topics in the Advice section and get feedback from the Houzz community on any projects, ideas and questions.

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DESIGN HOME

Savour the flavours of spring Whether you choose to drink your SPAR Pressed & Squeezed Red Grape Juice on its own or in your favourite cocktail, there’s no escaping the delightfully fruity flavours that greet your taste buds. Sun-ripened, then pressed and squeezed with care, we’ve done our very best to bring you a sensational drink, that’s perfect for any occasion, any time of the year.

JEWEL PUNCH INGREDIENTS: • 1 Litre ginger ale (chilled) • 1 kg of cherries (frozen) • 500 g strawberries (fresh, hulled and sliced) • 750 ml SPAR Pressed and Squeezed 100% Red Grape Juice • 375 ml Vodka • 60 ml triple sec (or Cointreau) • Ice (for serving) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Combine the ginger ale, cherries, strawberries, grape juice, vodka, and Cointreau in a punch bowl or large pitcher and stir well.

2. Pour into ice-filled glasses. makes approx 18 glasses

BIG TOE TROUBLES ...

TOES, LIKE FINGERS, ARE SOMETHING WE TAKE FOR GRANTED – UNTIL THEY’RE INJURED ... AND WE REALISE JUST HOW OFTEN THEY’RE USED. LIKE THE BIG TOE AND GOUT. TOP: Teeth aching, ears ringing, perfectly agonising pain!

Unlike anything experienced before.

That is what gout sufferers have to endure.

I

t was once known as the Disease of Kings and the notably corpulent and bibulous British monarch King Henry VIII was the poster child for it! He wasn’t alone: other famous figures in history who bore this agony included scientist Sir Isaac Newton, 18th century renaissance man Benjamin Franklin who gave the world electricity and bifocals and was one of America’s founding fathers.

But it’s not limited to portly older men. Australian soccer player Harry Kewell missed out on

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the World Cup because his gout flared up. Oscar-winning actor and musician Jared Leto of Dallas Buyers Club fame developed gout when he took his method acting a little too far, gaining 30 kilograms to play Mark David Chapman, the man who assassinated John Lennon.

“I couldn’t walk for long distances,” Leto said in an interview with the New York Daily News, “I had a wheelchair because it was so painful!”

It might seem like a joke to anyone who has never

experienced it but gout is anything but funny! Rates of people suffering gout have doubled in the last few decades.

The pain – as Leto indicated – is excruciating. So bad, in fact, that even the official British National Health Service (NHS) guidelines of what to do when suffering an attack of gout is to sleep without sheets, duvet or blanket covering the affected limb.

Gout might seem somewhat of an anachronistic disease, limited to a bygone era when well padded, bewhiskered gentleman ate and drank heartily, passing a jug of Port while scoffing Stilton cheese at the end of a gargantuan feast – but it isn’t. It still afflicts thousands of people the world over and it remains a predominantly masculine problem.

So what is it and how does it occur?

It’s a form of arthritis, linked to the build-up of uric acid crystals around a joint – most commonly the big toe. There are no warning signs of its onset and it most commonly occurs in the middle of the night when the afflicted awakes in agony. (Also one of the reasons why the word “attack” is associated with gout is because this is so sneaky and suddenly

GOUT

intense.) It is at its worst between 12 and 24 hours of onset and even without treatment will eventually go away after a week or two.

Gout leads to swelling and rigidity of the joint, accompanied by agonizing pain. The bad news is that it can also keep recurring, with years apart between attacks.

The good news is that it can be treated by drugs but the old maxim of “prevention is better than cure” is still the best advice.

Men are most at risk of an attack and the most commonly afflicted joint is the big toe but it can also affect fingers, elbows and other joints. Gout has been linked to an increased incidence of metabolic disease as well as cardiovascular problems. It’s unusual but not unknown for women to contract it but it seems to happen after menopause for them.

Utterly useless but nonetheless interesting factoid is that the name of the disease is derived from the Latin word gutta which means “drop”. And that’s because the ancients believed this was a disease of attrition where “toxins” or “bad humours” accumulated in the joints drop-by-drop.

What are the factors that predispose the unfortunate souls to this disease? Researchers have shown a distinct link in patients

BELOW: Portly and corpulent figures from history, Benjamin Franklin, the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton and the King of England, Henry VIII, were all famously afflicted with this painful condition.

carrying excessive weight as well as consuming alcohol on a regular basis.

A Canadian medical academic, Dr Hyon Choi from the University of British Columbia did a long term study while at Harvard University involving more than 700 men over a 12 year period. His findings confirmed what was already known, that overweight men who ate a lot of red meat and seafood and drank more than average were the most at risk of attacks of gout.

Guys like the British landed gentry of old ... somewhat corpulent, supping on haunches of venison or jugged hare and washing it down with tankards of ale and glasses of claret and Port! The modern equivalent (without the land, title or bank account) would be Homer Simpson ...

Beer drinkers in particular are more at risk, even if it’s just one or two a day, and the reason for this is that beer is high in purines. That’s not to say that if someone prefers fizzy, sugar-laden drinks over a lager or an ale that he is free of risk: a report authored by Dr Choi and published in 2008 found that fans of fizzy drinks could still suffer an attack. And that’s because so many non-alcoholic drinks nowadays contain high-fructose corn syrup – and uric acid is one of the products of fructose metabolism ...

|

H E A LT H

High blood pressure is the third indicator of predisposition to gout highlighted by Dr Choi’s study. This element is problematic because of the treatments which includes prescribing diuretics to lower blood pressure. The consequence is that getting rid of this excess fluid concentrates the purines and uric acid crystals in the patient’s system – making them more likely to suffer gout.

TREATMENT The one thing which anyone in the agonising throes of gout needs to do is rest. Keep your movement to a minimum and elevate the affected limb – invariably the foot.

If it can be tolerated (because anything, even the lightest, most delicate contact on the toe is excruciating), apply anything to keep the joint cool. So an ice pack or even a bag of peas or frozen veggies wrapped in a towel or cloth will do the trick. Just for 15 or 20 minutes at a time though.

Unless advised not to by a doctor, drink lots of water to assist in flushing the system. If you have been prescribed any medicine – usually non-steroidal antiinflammatories or drugs to reduce the amount of uric acid in the body – take them. The effect of the gout should be reversed within three to four days. If not, return to the doctor for more tests.

How can one prevent an attack of gout? Stay well hydrated for one. Drinking lots of fluid – water mainly – keeps the kidneys well flushed and prevents any build-up of uric acid crystals in the body.

Cut back on the alcohol and drink in moderation because booze has the same effect as diuretic pills, ridding the body of fluid and thus concentrating the nasty, goutforming toxins.

Losing a few kilograms through diet and exercise is a good idea on numerous levels but will definitely stave off chances of a gout attack.

Steer clear of foods rich in purines – which means seafood, particularly shellfish, organ meats such as kidneys, liver and brains. Avowed carnivores might have a bit of a problem sticking to this resolution, but then eating more veggies is good for you, not so?

SEP/OCT 2019

69

in the next issue of

WINE IN THE DIGITAL AGE: QR scanning and augmented reality

SPEYSIDE’S SOFT FLAVOURS FOR SUMMER

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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

CONGRATULATIONS

to the previous issue’s winners of

THE KOSHER BUTCHER’S WIFE:

Craig Haupt from Cape Town WILD AFRICA CREAM UNTAMED SAFARI:

Sharon Sudano from Cape Town 70 w w w .t o p s a t s p a r. c o . z a

NO OR LOW ALCOHOL BEER IS WHERE THE ACTION IS AT

UNDERAGE

DRINKING STARTS LONG BEFORE IT BEGINS. YOU CAN STOP IT.

#MyFirstDrinkStory Adults usually enable our first exposure to alcohol, whether they be parents, aunts and uncles or older siblings. This enablement may be explicit or subtle. Many people don't even realise that they're doing it.

Adults influence underage drinking through: • Conditioning (a drink is an answer to all occasions) • Passive permission (allowing child-sipping) • Doing nothing when you know it's wrong Research indicates that underage drinking may lead to an increased risk of alcohol dependency during adulthood.

When was your first encounter with alcohol?

Share your First Drink Story with us on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #MyFirstDrinkStory or leave a story on www.myfirstdrinkstory.co.za

LO O P D O P |

DIE KORSTE LANG PAD IN DIE LAND O HIERDIE STORIE KOM UIT TOEKA SE TYD UIT, OM DIE WAARHEID TE SÊ, UIT DIE TYD TOE ELKE SATERDAG ’N NASIONALE BRAAIDAG WAS.

Address: Cnr Ennis & Oosthuise Streets, Ermelo Tel: 017 819 7519 Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon-Fri: 07h00 - 19h00 Sat: 07h00 - 19h00 Sun: 08h00 - 14h00 TOPS Customer Care Tel: 086 031 3141

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om Sagrys-hulle het net so buite Piketberg geboer. ’n Gemengde boerdery, maar die grootste deel was wingerd. Soos min of meer almal in die omgewing het hy sy wyndruiwe aan die kelder in Porterville gelewer.

Oom Sagrys het op 24 September verjaar. In sy tyd was dit nog nie Erfenisdag nie, maar hy het elke keer op die naaste Saterdag aan die 24ste ’n groot makietie op die plaas gehou. Dit was sy eie persoonlike nasionale braaidag.

Dié spesifieke Saterdagoggend van sy braaidag is die hele werf aan’t woeker om alles in gereedheid te bring. Dinge was mooi uitgesorteer. Die skaaptjops, jaartse wors en sosaties klaar uitgesit in die bakke in die koelkamer. Sy liewe Nina-vrou se ertappelslaai, mengelslaai en die groentes is in gereedheid gebring.

So ook die malva-poeding. Sagrys junior is besig om hout te kap dat die biesies bewe. Pa hou van vreugdevure.

Terwyl Sagrys senior die kuierplek uitsorteer, kom die trokkie met die ingehuurde wynglase daar aan. Dis net daar wat dit hom soos ’n bom tref; hy het vergeet om sy kwota wyn by die kelder te loop haal. En sy braaidag loop op daai wyn. Nou is hy in ’n verknorsing met sy hande oorvol en sy tyd al min. Dis net daar waar Sagrys junior met die bakkie vol hout in ’n stofwolk daar stop. En Sagrys senior sien ’n uitkoms. Al is Junior nog net 16 ry hy beter as meeste mense.

En Junior is maar alte gretig.

Dan onthou Sagrys senior dat net ’n week terug het Porterville hulself tegnologies bevorder deur ’n verkeerslig in Voortrekkerstraat in te plant. Nou kyk, Voortrekkerstraat in Porterville is seker die langste, reguitste, platste Voortrekkerstraat in die land. En die verkeerslig is doerie kant. Junior kan

goed bestuur, maar hy het nog nooit met ’n verkeerslig te doene gekry nie.

“Dis baie maklik,” sê sy pa. “As die lig groen is, ry jy. As die lig rooi is, stop jy. So maklik soos dit.” En daar gaan Junior.

Porterville-kelder is presies 34 kilometer van die plaas af. Dus so 20 minute se ry. Dan nog, sê maar, ’n uur om die wyn uit te sorteer en op die bakkie te kry en 20 minute terug.

“Kom ons rond dit af na twee uur.

Sagrys sal dan mos twaalfuur terug wees,” prewel Sagrys senior aan homself.

Heel betyds. Alles onder beheer.

Die vroegste gaste was net so na twaalf daar. Voor Junior, maar gelukkig had Sagrys senior nog so paar oorskietbottels wat hy kon oopmaak.

Kort-kort het hy op sy horlosie gekyk en dan grootpad se kant toe. G’n Junior nie.

Onthou, daai jare was lank voor selfone.

Hy het vergeet om sy kwota wyn by die kelder te loop haal. En sy braaidag loop op daai wyn.

Hier teen drieuur se kant was die oorskietbottels almal leeg en die vleis basies klaar gebraai, die gaste dors en Sagrys senior vrot van bekommernis toe hy die stofstreep sien aankom. Erg verlig haal hy vir Junior kwaai oor die kole. Soos net ’n ouer kan.

“Nou vir wat is jy so lank weg?” bulder hy.

“Jammer, Pa, maar dis daai verkeerslig se skuld.”

“Hoe so?”

“Ek het gemaak soos Pa gesê het. As hy groen slaan, ry ek. As hy rooi slaan, stop ek. Heelpad af in Voortrekkerstraat ...”

LIFE’S MEMORABLE MOMENTS MUST BE MOËT & CHANDON