Cheers - Jan/Feb 2014 (Vol.10)

ry a t en m i pl m co

Jan|Feb 2014 | 10 brought to you by

Whisky ‒

single malts vs blends

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Shot, bru!

A little something for your troubles

Vineyard lifestyle,

Kleine Zalze’s success story

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• You and 3 mates could win a trip to the Zambezi or 11 Local Family Weekends • Book Giveaway: a copy of Lampedusa Pie

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Platters of plenty

Great ideas for easy entertaining

Cocktails

Dashes, twists and jiggers of fun

The legend

of Charles Glass

Wining & dining Making a meal out of the winelands

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contents

24

28

4 EDITOR’S LETTER Versatile Chenin Blanc

6 NEWS

Limited edition whiskies, Brandy Guild inductees and more

42

12 TINUS TALKS

Meet the Orange River Cellars’ winemaker of the year

14 KLEINE ZALZE

A wine farm with a big reputation

20 WINELANDS EATING

Our suggestions of where to feast

14

24 LETTUCE TAKE STOCK

Cocktails

Kiwi, mint and lime crush

39

Salad options just got a whole lot more interesting

28 WHISKY

Single malts and blends explained

32 SAILS, SMUGGLING, TAM O’ SHANTER & SOPRANOS Cutty Sark’s story

36 SHORT & SHARP

20

Shooters or shots, what’s the difference?

39 COCKTAIL CREATIVITY Chilled for summer

42 THE TALE OF CHARLES GLASS

And how his beer stood the test of time

46 NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 30 years on, the compilation still rocks

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 1

contents cont...

Publisher | Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za

48

Editor | Fiona Mc Donald fiona@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director | Megan Knox megan@integratedmedia.co.za

64

48 THINGAMIJIGS Gew-gaws, doo-dads and whatsits

Advertising | Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions | Julia Andrade julia@integratedmedia.co.za Photography | Julia Andrade and Thinkstock.com Contributors | Seamus Allardice, Anél Potgieter, Emile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Clifford Roberts, Tinus van Niekerk, Marcelle van Rooyen.

50 BOOK GIVEAWAY Andrea Burgener’s Lampedusa Pie

e Le Patriqu

53 TOPS NOSH

Vieux

BY PHOTO

Entertaining made easy

ILL

RYAN H

Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701 Printing | Paarl Media Cape Published by | Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR

58 DINNER DIVA

Summer salad & memories

TOPS at SPAR | Jess Tivers, Group Promotions & Advertising Manager - Liquor

60 FISHY STORIES

stockists:

Emile Joubert’s tips & tricks

62 TIGHT LINES

58

win

Reeling ‘em in

63 HOOK A TIGER!

Win the fishing trip of a lifetime in TOPS at SPAR’s competition

70 NEXT ISSUE

What to expect from Issue 11

71 GROCERY LIST

A handy planning guide

72 LOOPDOP

Cherry-oh Ficksburg 2 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

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Editorial Fiona McDonald

Chenin

fiona

All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy ‒ or so the saying has it. And there’s no single grape which has been worked harder than Chenin Blanc, having been used for everything from brandy, to bubbly, noble late harvest and dry still wines.

W

e’re incredibly blessed to

residents enjoy towering thunderstorms

sellers. The UK remains the most

As we welcome in 2014, life

full fury is unleashed. Can you imagine

under the Zalze label (the poms couldn’t

live in the country we do.

might be challenging from time to time

but it certainly is never boring! Ours is a land of contrasts – of people, places and weather. The people range from

conservative and God-fearing to ultra-

liberal, creative, arty and permissive. The

which make the earth shudder when the living in a northern country where the sun doesn’t shine as bright, where the nights are long and dark and the

prevailing “colour” of the days is grey rather than blue?

I certainly can’t – but it was interesting

geographic contrasts are massive – from

interviewing the owner of Kleine Zalze

the lush green growth, avocado trees and

a few of his experiences in dealing with

the longitudinal dunes of the Kalahari to

sugarcane of the Lowveld and KwaZuluNatal. The latter province basks in mild

winters but oppressively humid summers while the Western Cape revels in wet

winter weather and occasional snowfalls to dry summers. And on the Highveld

Gin with lime-herb extract

39

pg

wine farm, Kobus Basson. He recounted wine buyers from different countries

during our talk. It was fascinating to hear

what drives the different nationalities and

their taste preferences. And it was equally fascinating to see that Basson has

harnessed his experience in order to tailor make wines for different markets.

Chenin Blanc is arguably Kleine

Zalze’s calling card. They make a range of them: at the pinnacle is the Family

Reserve which was recently awarded the ultimate accolade – a Platter 5 Star

bit…) the farm’s Chenin is available

virtually from John O’ Groats to Land’s End! The interesting thing for me – having tasted all three of them with

Basson – is how the taste profiles of each of those wines differ. The Foot of Africa is crisp, tangy and lip-smackingly

refreshing with a distinctly higher acid which lends it a leaner, narrow profile.

By contrast South Africans prefer a

riper, fuller-fruited and more fleshy style of Chenin where you can virtually taste the sunshine in the bottle – so more

sweet, ripe fruit and less acid that the Foot example. And the UK palate

prefers something between the two –

distinctly more acid and less fruity than the South African preference yet not as crisp and lean as the Swedish one.

What a privilege to be able to capture

the diversity that a grape is capable of

Bush Vine Chenin Blanc (3 Stars). The

tastes. Chenin Blanc might be one of our

example (4 Stars in Platter) and the

reasonably priced at less than R50. But

the interesting thing for me is that it’s a great example of what Basson has done to cater to different tastes.

In Sweden Chenin is the hero of their

Foot of Africa bag-in-box range which is one of the country’s single biggest Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

wrap their tongues around the Kleine

rating, then there’s the Barrel Fermented

latter is – like all their wines – very

4 www.topsatspar.co.za

important outlet for SA wines – and

and finesse it to accommodate different most planted grapes, but it will seldom be considered dull.

Cheers to that!

Fiona Fiona McDonald is a trained journalist who has spent the last 20 years writing about wine ‒ and more recently, about whisky too.

News

news news news news

Restricted spirit

CELEBRATING HARVEST

Ever wanted to get your hands ‒ and feet

One of his greatest achievements, is how

‒ dirty at a winery? Delheim, one of the

master distiller Dennis Malcolm describes

three founder farms of the Stellenbosch

the newly released Glen Grant Limited

Wine Route, is offering families the

Edition, Five Decades, now available in

opportunity to get involved in their 2014

South Africa.

harvest celebration which takes place on

The whisky is a unique multi-vintage blend that is made up of Malcolm’s favourite hand-picked casks from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and noughties.

There were only 12 000 bottles of Five

January 25 and 26.

Fun is guaranteed with festivities kicking off at noon each day as the Sperling family throw open the doors of the cellar, welcoming guests with a freshly-baked

Decades made and it represents 50 years

mosbolletjie, as well as a glass of

of knowledge and learning. “It embodies

fermenting grape must.

key successes during my time at the

Activities include a buffet-style lunch laid

distillery and in the whisky industry,” said

out in the vat cellar, guided cellar tours to

Malcolm. “In this way, it’s the best of my

observe the workings of a winery during

best, and I hope whisky lovers savour the

harvest and then a grape stomping contest in

story of the enduring craftsmanship that

which teams have to barrel-roll, grape grab

defines its unique character and taste.”

and ultimately stomp and squash to their

Glen Grant is part of the Campari group

hearts content in order to extract the most

and has a fascinating history, having been

juice. Great prizes are on offer as a reward.

established by two former smugglers ‒ James and John Grant ‒ over 170 years

Other than that there will be live music and lots of wine available.

ago. It was also the first distillery to boast

Tickets are limited to 120 per day and

electric light!

cost R220 per adult (R110 per child under

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

12, kids under 2 are free) and booking is essential. Contact Juliet du Toit at Delheim Estate on 021 888 4600 or send an email to pr@delheim.com.

what’s happening

news news news news collaborated on a limited edition collection to celebrate the pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship of both founders.

While there are a range of gifts ‒ some of them, like the beautifully elegant Traveller’s Trunk costing around R80 000 ‒ are not available in South Africa… but then only 500 were made! The limited edition gift pack is, however, and its specially designed bottle marries the

ICONIC EXCLUSIVITY

world-renowned blue label with Dunhill of London’s signature chassis design and gunmetal finish which has made their leather goods so sought after for decades.

The proof of the pudding lies in Johnnie

Just one barrel in every 10 000 is deemed

when it comes to the goods in the Alfred

Walker Blue’s mellow nose, smoothly dry

good enough by the Johnnie Walker

Dunhill collection.

smokiness and rounded raisin, honey and

Master Blender for making Johnnie Walker Blue Label. An equally high standard is set

Both Alfred Dunhill and Johnnie Walker are iconic brands ‒ and they have now

hazelnut flavours with a hint of tobacco leaf and chocolate on the finish.

THREE SHIPS SAILS ON

Hearts & roses

for you and your loved one will be beautiful

Sick and tired of sharing Valentine’s Day

baskets brimming with tasty fare while live

with a few hundred other people in a

instrumental music sets the mood.

crowded restaurant? Durbanville Hills wines

throws, comfy pillows and hand-woven

On arrival there’s bubbly and six oysters

are offering an exclusive alternative that is

while the picnic feast offers an array of

restricted to just 20 couples.

delicious flavours. The cost of this unique

The Durbanville setting is spectacular,

treat is just R450 and is available by

high on a gentle slope, surrounded by green

contacting Hanlie Campher on 021 558

vines and overlooking the cool waters of

1300 or emailing info@durbanvillehills.co.za

Table Bay. And laid out on lush green lawns

to book for the February 14 date.

The proudly South African Three Ships whisky has chalked up yet more international success, this time being awarded a double gold medal at the 2013 New York International Spirits Competition for the Bourbon Cask Finish and the Premium Select 5 year old.

The Three Ships whiskies were two of only seven whiskies from around the world to be rewarded with a double gold medal. Whiskies from 37 different nations are entered into the competition and fewer than half of the entries received any form of medal.

The Three Ships 5 year old is a blend of grain and malt whiskies aged for at least five years in oak casks. By contrast, the Three Ships Bourbon Cask finish is initially matured for three years before the final blend is finished off for a further six months in barrels which have previously been used for Bourbon.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

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News

news news news news Summer refreshment

Sedgwick’s Original Old Brown is one of those sweetly delicious flavours which are as beloved of South Africans as Mrs Balls’ chutney! Who doesn’t love ‘OBies’ rich raisiny taste ‒ especially if it’s a cold night and the fish aren’t biting?

To demonstrate that it needn’t only be a winter drink which warms the cockles of the heart but can indeed be refreshing during summer, the clever folks at Sedgwick’s have developed the Sedgwick’s Lane cocktail. (The name of the cocktail refers to the street where Captain James Sedgwick first opened his liquor store in 1853 ‒ and which was known as Sedgwick’s Lane for years.)

The recipe makes a single cocktail but can be scaled up to make a jug.

Ingredients:

Sedgwick’s Lane Method:

50 ml Sedgwick’s Original Old Brown

Simply combine all the ingredients in a

30 ml orange juice

shaker and strain over ice. Bleed some

50ml cranberry juice

grenadine syrup in and garnish with a

2 dashes of bitters

few strawberries and orange slices.

SHAKING IT UP The top 24 cocktail bars in

South Africa have been chosen to participate in a global event ‒ the Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2014 world finals, the world’s most revered mixology competition.

KwaZulu-Natal was represented by the Elangeni and Maharani, Fairmont Hotel, Harvey’s restaurant, Private, Havana Grill, Unity Bar and the Oysterbox Hotel while Johannesburg had The Maslow Hotel, The Michelangelo, Signature Restaurant, OCD, Café della Salute, Mark Anthony at Emperor’s Palace and Elevate. Cape Town supplied a further 10 entries: Asoka, Bascule, Buena Vista, Café Caprice, Casa del Sol, Dear Me (Tjing Tjing), HQ, One&Only, Orphanage and Piano Bar. Diageo’s category development manager Dominic Bothner said the competition sought to “celebrate the craft of mixology, honouring the innovation and talent of the world’s best bartenders”. “It’s all about skill,” he said, “and using the finest ingredients to create unique and priceless drinking experiences.”

Along with a stringent qualifying process, the contestants from these fine cocktail establishments will be put through their paces in a selection process to ensure that they have what it takes to compete on the global stage in pursuit of the coveted title of World’s Best Mixologist. The regional finals take place once a month until March in the various centres. Only time will tell who South Africa’s representative will be ‒ but being able to show off their skills on the international stage later in the year is bound to motivate all the contestants.

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

what’s happening

news news news news

POPULAR PAIRINGS

consumers opt for.

Stellenbosch’s Devon Valley offers special

matched with a gourmet flat bread topped

Le Roux La Vallée is partnered with dessert

themed pairings for their range of

with salmon and a sparkling beetroot jelly,

indulgences – peanut butter ice cream,

sparkling wines – but there’s a catch: it’s

Parmesan shavings and fresh peppery bite

berry mousse, fresh strawberries and a red

only available on Wednesday afternoons!

from watercress and rocket for R85.

velvet chocolate brownie – all for just R75.

Le Venue at the House of JC Le Roux in

These unique combos are only available

There’s the JC Le Roux La Fleurette bubbly

For fans of the JC Le Roux Brut Cap

spring rolls for R100.

If it’s sweet indulgence you crave, the JC

Booking is advised – call 021 865 8222 or

during summer until the end of March.

Classique there are canapés in a basket

visit www.jcleroux.co.za to guarantee a

Prices vary depending on the pairing

– chicken skewers, beef kebabs and Thai

slot between 3 and 6pm.

Vergelegen, the Anglo-American owned

Town-Cape Winelands the members are

showpiece wine estate in Somerset West

Bilbao-Rioja (Spain), San Francisco-Napa

which once belonged to Governor of the Cape

(United States), Bordeaux (France), Mendoza

Willem Adriaan van der Stel, won multiple

(Argentina), Porto (Portugal), Florence (Italy),

categories at the annual Great Wine Capitals

Valparaiso-Casablanca (Chile), Christchurch-

Best of Wine Tourism Awards held in

South Island (New Zealand) and Mainz-

California in November.

Rheinhessen (Germany).

The Helderberg winery won the arts and

VERGELEGEN CLEANS UP

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said

culture and restaurant categories while also

Vergelegen was a proud example of Cape

coming second in a further four categories:

tourism excellence. “The competition is an

archictecture and landscapes, innovative wine

important benchmark and demonstrates that

tourism experiences, sustainable wine

our offerings are of an absolutely world-class

tourism practices and wine tourism service.

quality. We have the added advantage of

The Great Wine Capitals movement is a

being located in a wine-growing area of

network of the world’s leading wineproducing countries which share international

unrivalled beauty.”

Tourist arrivals to South Africa rose by

best practices to advance standards in wine

10.2% year-on-year in 2012 – more than twice

tourism across the world. In addition to Cape

the international average of four percent.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

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News

suzanne

news news news news

MATERNAL MCC

required by winemaker Suzanne Coetzee

Made in memory of a beloved mother, is

when making this dry pink bubbly from the

what co-owner of Clos Malverne winery

Stellenbosch winery’s Shiraz grapes.

Sophia Pritchard, revealed at the unveiling of

“The way my mother carried herself was

peaceful and reassuring face,” Pritchard said.

their maiden Méthode Cap Classique

fluid and gentle, yet strong and purposeful

bubbly, the Ellie 2011.

and this is gracefully captured in the taste

Classique varietals such as Pinot Noir and

and character of our Ellie 2011. She exuded

Chardonnay, I wanted to create something

benevolent mother,” Pritchard said, “with a

unconditional love and I get that same

extraordinary,” said Coetzee, deciding to go

calm demeanour who raised nine children

loving feeling when I enjoy a flute of this

“the red route”. “We’re delighted with the

with loving care, a guiding hand and all the

full-flavoured, yet refreshingly dry sparkling

refined complexity, earthy fragrance and

patience in the world.” Characteristics

rosé. Each sip takes me back to her smiling,

sensual finesse of the Ellie 2011 Brut Rosé.”

“She was a remarkable woman and

“Instead of using the more obvious Cap

Rooted in Elgin

Boschendal might be one of South Africa’s most historic wine properties but that doesn’t mean it’s stuck in a time warp or bound to convention.

Something new from Boschendal is the limited production Appellation Series of wines which have their origins in Elgin’s cool climate vineyards rather than those of the “home farm” between Paarl and Franschhoek.

For the first time ever, there is a Pinot Noir in the brand’s lineup.

“Pinot Noir is a very difficult grape,” said winemaker Lizelle Gerber, “and we’ve been working on it since 2008. We’ve released this Pinot Noir because we’re happy with the quality ‒ and it also fits perfectly into our new Elgin range of wines.”

The other wines in the series are an Elgin Chardonnay and an Elgin Sauvignon Blanc which has already received critical acclaim courtesy of the Michelangelo awards. Just 250 cases of each of these wines were made.

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

what’s happening

news news news news Street soirees Stellenbosch is known for its avenues of

‘kuiers’ and these after-work get-togethers

oak trees and well-preserved historic Cape

allow one to bask in a wonderful winelands

Dutch buildings which populate the town

atmosphere and forget about the day’s hassles

centre. Both of these form the backdrop for

and hullabaloos. Stellenbosch has always been

the town’s popular street soirees, held

celebrated for its high quality wines, but these

during the summer months to make the

days we are also known as the Gourmet

most of the lovely long twilights with the

Capital of South Africa,” said Elmarie Rabe of

sun only setting well after 8.30pm.

Stellenbosch Wine Routes. Four of the Top 10

The lower part of Church Street is where all the action takes place with locals,

“Our quaint town really lends itself to street

Eat Out restaurants are from Stellenbosch.

The soirees take place on January 15,

tourists and visitors alike mingling with live

February 12 and March 12 ‒ weather

music, wine from local wineries and lots of

permitting ‒ and tickets cost R30.

tasty food provided by restaurants and delis

For more information call 021 886 8275 or

‒ and a soundtrack provided by live music.

visit www.wineroute.co.za.

TASTE HISTORY

Plaisir de Merle marked its 20th anniversary on December 1 2013 ‒ not only that but it was 300 years previously that then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, granted the land to a French Huguenot, Charles Marais.

Coinciding with that event is the release of the 2013 vintage of Plaisir de Merle’s Sauvignon Blanc. Cellarmaster Niel Bester noted that the growing conditions leading up to the 2013 harvest were ideal with ample rain in 2012 and moderate temperatures during ripening.

South Africans love the taste of Sauvignon Blanc and this is one which doesn’t disappoint with ample green fig, pineapple, passionfruit and spanspek flavour and lots of crisp acidity to balance the tropical notes.

MOUNTAIN GOLD

The Du Toitskloof mountains rise up above Wellington, the home of the

distillery where Bain’s Cape Mountain whisky is made and matured. It’s also in these mountains that renowned engineer and pass builder Andrew Geddes Bain constructed the Bain’s Kloof pass in 1853, finally connecting Wellington to the nation’s interior.

At the New York International Spirits Competition held towards the end of 2013 this uniquely South African whisky was awarded one of only seven double gold medals.

Since being introduced to the whisky drinking markets of the world just a few years ago, Bain’s Cape Mountain whisky has garnered a raft of accolades ‒ notably being judged the World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 World Whisky Awards in March.

Made from grain rather than the more traditional barley, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is double-matured, spending three years in old Bourbon casks before being aged for a further period in fresh casks. This makes for maximum extraction of flavour from the wood during maturation.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

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Tinus talks

tinus

Tradition and competition

le AvailabAR P S from PS and TO R at SPA stores

Man is by nature a competitive beast, measuring himself up against others ‒ something humans have done for hundreds of years. e Call th trade commodity, but also widely used

I

OTLINE TOPS H31THE through Athens with the assembly carrying 3 141 FRENCH 0 6 8 0 wine jars and participating in several wine Hundreds of years later the French

during important religious and social

drinking contests.

occasions, as well as a medicinal curative.

One such “competition” was called

Throughout the year festivals were held to

“Kottabos”, with the participants flinging

participants, or “chevaliers”, opposing each

honour Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.

the lees from an empty wine cup towards a

other at a few metres distance with a glass

Every February, Anthesteria was staged

target, normally a beaker of some kind, or

half-filled with wine balanced on the top

during which time the wine jars from the

amphora precariously balanced on some

part of the four fingers of one hand. Then,

previous harvest were opened and enjoyed.

kind of support to ensure that if hit it would

under instruction from a referee, the

This festival also included a procession

topple over. The “athletes” were normally

contestants lift their filled wine glasses from

sprawled supine on cushions at different

the chest area to the top of the head, lower

distances from the target, enjoying wine

it again, take a sip to empty the glass and

and hugely applauded by the ladies.What a

upon a command from the arbiter, throw

way to participate in a symposium...

the glass upwards to the opponent who

Dionysus

n Ancient Greece, wine was not only a

In his works Athenaeus often refers to

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

called “La Ponponette.” This involves two

has to catch it. As you can imagine, there’s

wine induced hangovers and the various

many a slip between glass and

remedies while the poet Eubulus opined

opponent’s lips...

that three bowls were the ideal amount

Tinus van Niekerk is TOPS at SPAR’s wine consultant and has been instrumental in refining the grocery chain’s wine offering.

But wine is not the only thing that fascinates this Northern Cape-bred nature lover. He’s as au fait with bush lore, animal behaviour and geology as he is about wine.

introduced an equally unusual competition

Nowadays, wine competitions are staged

of wine to consume. In his play penned

in almost all countries where wine is

around 375BCE Eubulus has Dionysus

produced or consumed. Invariably such

saying the following: “Three bowls do I

competitions have to do with assessing the

mix for the temperate: one to health,

perceived quality of the entry wines,

which they empty first, the second to love

submitted in classes or categories per grape

and pleasure, the third to sleep. When

variety or style or vintage. The wines

this bowl is drunk up, wise guests go

receiving accolades are normally promoted

home. The fourth bowl is ours no longer,

and will always mean something for the

but belongs to violence; the fifth to

producer involved or the personality who

uproar, the sixth to drunken revel, the

has crafted the wine.

seventh to black eyes, the eighth is the

Some competitions carry more status

policeman’s, the ninth belongs to

than others but will at least identify wines

biliousness, and the tenth to madness

that, to a lesser or larger degree, are worthy

and hurling the furniture.”

of merit and that in itself will also serve as a

Wise words indeed!

guideline to the consumer.

Tinus van Niekerk

“To award the winemakers and viticulturists of ORC for ingenuity, innovation and dedication in composing, nurturing and producing wines of meritorious quality, handcrafted from the careful cultivation of ideally prepared vineyards.”

The competition wines are tasted within the following categories: Best red cultivar

Best white cultivar Best natural white blended Best natural red blended Best muscadel, either red or white

In 2002 an unusual wine competition was launched by the SPAR Group SA for the winemakers of Orange River Cellars. In the preamble to the work document for this unique competition the following was stated:

Best mature wine, from the last eight vintages Viticulturist of the year Awesome cash prizes and accolades are handed out to the viticulturist of the year, the runner-up champion winemaker, the overall winning Winemaker, and the grand

“To award the winemakers and

champion wine cellar of the year. Not only

viticulturists of ORC for ingenuity, TOPS at SPAR’s Mark Robinson with Rianco van Rooyen of Keimoes.

that, but the winner, the champion

meritorious quality, handcrafted from the

unsighted (blind), under the auspices of an

trip to a wine producing country of his or

careful cultivation of ideally prepared

auditing team, with the winners announced

her choice.

vineyards.” And to create “... an avenue

at a gala dinner the following evening.

innovation and dedication in composing, nurturing and producing wines of

winemaker also gets a sponsored overseas

In 2013 Keimoes wine cellar showed the

through which the production and

The criteria for the judging takes into

other four ORC wineries the proverbial clean

marketing of quality wines can be

account everyday consumer preferences,

pair of heels and swept the table! Rianco van

further enhanced.”

with the emphasis on criteria like easy-

Rooyen won no fewer than six accolades

drinking accessibility, ideal for every day

including the prestigious champion

representing various fields of interest and

enjoyment, fruit expression, varietal

winemaker award sponsored by TOPS at

activity within the wine industry, evaluate

character, all aspects assessed within the

SPAR and handed over by Mark Robinson.

the finally selected wines during a tasting in

context of the wine producing region’s

mid-October. The assessment is done

terroir characteristics.

Every year, seven wine judges,

And he didn’t have to carry any jars, lie on any cushions or lift a glass to his head!

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 13

Wine

Great

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Kleine Zalze

expectations

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 15

Wine

Unlike other wineries Kleine Zalze’s history doesn’t stretch back generations or hundreds of years – just a scant 17. But Fiona McDonald reports on the remarkable achievements of this less than two decade old operation.

J

ust beyond the outskirts of

landscaped rolling golf course are highly

West, there’s a beautifully maintained

rand prices when changing hands. And

Stellenbosch, on the R44 to Somerset

golf and wine estate development,

De Zalze. The large white homes which flank the beautifully manicured and

my hands so I used to go around with a friend, Jan du Preez selling wine to

Belgian, Dutch and German clients.”

He returned to Stellenbosch and began

quietly but inexorably growing in

Zalze’s success was ultimately built.

reputation and esteem alongside

De Zalze golf estate is the wine farm,

Kleine Zalze, which formed the nexus of The fact that Kleine Zalze now

players both locally and abroad is solely

attributable to the vision of owner Kobus Basson – who is very quick to deny any

level of the foundation on which Kleine Sometimes he had the unpleasant task as a young 20 or 30-something-year-old of having to be involved in the sale and

disposal of distressed wine farms. “It was damn difficult having to sit in someone’s

living room and explain to the umpteenth

generation of farmers why the farm had to be sold – because the business had failed.”

The third element of the building

credit and rather deflect it onto his team.

blocks was a trip to Chile he undertook

he maintains, but rather the team and

a few others in 1995. “It was an eye

It’s not about the jockey or the captain, the inherent quality and attention to

detail that has seen Kleine Zalze become one of only two South African brands occupying a Top 20 spot in the allimportant on-trade in the highly

competitive United Kingdom market.

Basson admits that his love of wine

Kobus

was fostered by school and varsity mates and good friends – Louis Roos of

Mooiplaas, Johan Malan of Simonsig

and Jan Boland Coetzee of Vriesenhof.

Not that he ever envisioned himself

involved in the wine game other than as

a consumer. Growing up in Stellenbosch

and attending Maties, enjoying wine was unavoidable. “I remember having a box of Uitkyk Carlonet under my bed at

koshuis. In those days it probably cost

with Jan Boland Coetzee, Neil Ellis and opener for me. Those guys were all a few steps ahead of their colleagues in that

they knew how the international markets worked and what consumers were

looking for.” This was immediately after the 1994 elections, a time when South Africa was flavour of the moment and most producers were scrambling over themselves to make the most of the

export opportunities that had suddenly

opened up. Coetzee, Ellis and Co. were in Chile to assess the quality of the

competition and to learn how producers like Concha y Toro and Errazuriz had

managed to grow their brands from just a few thousand cases to sales of more than 100 000 annually.

“I couldn’t get over how they were so

me about R3 for the case of 12!” he

focussed on the wine tasting too,” said

spent a year playing and coaching rugby

– real quality stuff – and they were

joked. But on a more serious note, he in Germany after completing his law Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

stead. “I obviously had a lot of time on

practicing law – which formed another

commands the respect of industry

16 www.topsatspar.co.za

one of many which stood him in good

sought after and command multi-million

this ambitious development.

Above: Cellarmaster Johan Joubert and winemaker RJ Botha with just a few of their award-winning wines.

degree – and said that the experience was

Basson. “We tasted all this lovely wine spitting it out! I couldn’t! But it taught

Kleine Zalze

Above: Yet another string to Kleine Zalze’s bow, the lodge. Return visitors spend weeks at a time in the beautifully appointed apartments. Left: The gentle afternoon sun plays on healthy vines.

sell, locally and abroad at reasonable prices. He also insisted on his wines being available in pubs, hotels and

restaurants in the UK market rather than getting involved in the off trade. He’d me a lesson because they were genuinely

Kleine Zalze fitted the bill – and one

serious, analysing each wine – and we’d

hour before his option expired Malan

did a lot of wine tasting…”

in as an investor and partner. “One thing

visit four or five wine farms a day. We A speculative phone call from his

brother-in-law Jan Malan actually set the wheels in motion. “He asked if I knew of any places in Stellenbosch

which had a winery because he was

asked whether Basson wanted to come

I knew from my friends and from having worked as a lawyer in and around the wine fraternity is that wine farms can hoover money from your pockets!”

Which is why he was so insistent from

thinking of investing and making his

day one that the business needed to be

farming grapes in Wellington and

steadily Basson and his team worked on

own wine.” (At that stage Malan was supplying the local co-operative and Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery.)

fundamentally sound. So, quietly and

a plan that saw them ensuring that the

wines they made were wines that would

seen how overseas retail buyers really

screwed producers down on price – and were equally quick to move onto other

producers as drinking patterns changed.

It was also one of the reasons that the property and golf estate development

was started – to ensure that there were more eggs in the proverbial basket.

Basson can look back after 17 years of

countless trips overseas to establish

relationships with buyers in Sweden,

Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

“What a Belgian buyer wants and how

he negotiates is different to a German or a Swede – and that’s something I’d Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 17

Wine

Who wouldn’t want to live in the shadow of the Helderberg with a rolling green golf course as the front garden?

Kleine Zalze’s website reveals an impressively long list of awards, trophies and medals. picked up all those years ago with Jan du Preez.” And more than a decade on the

sommeliers in hotels have moved up the

ranks, often in different cities around the

An example of Kleine Zalze’s multi medal haul from one competition.

world – but they’re still loyal to Kleine

year we won both the WINE magazine

for them, selling almost by the container

Hotel group’s main buyer is someone he

Challenge – which was really special

slightly different styles and under

Zalze. Basson recounts that the Hilton met and formed a sound business

relationship with years ago – and the

listings Kleine Zalze has in that chain

stems from that relationship … but also because the wine exceeds expectation.

A visit to Kleine Zalze’s website (www.

kleinezalze.co.za) reveals an impressively long list of awards, trophies and medals.

Such as the International Wine & Spirits Competition award for the best South

African producer and best Chenin Blanc

in 2007, multiple Decanter International Wine Awards regional trophies but for

Basson 2010 was a turning point. “That 18 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Chenin Blanc Challenge and the Shiraz because those were the two grapes that we’d decided to focus on.”

And no-one is more focussed than

load in Sweden and in Britain, albeit in different labels – Foot of Africa in Sweden and Zalze in the UK.

Basson tells the story of being on a

cellar master Johan Joubert. He analyses

sales trip and attending the Springbok

the Kleine Zalze farm but on the many

conversation he discovered that not only

soils and growing conditions not only on other vineyards and farms which they

have contracted exclusively – and which are farmed to their specifications.

Chenin Blanc is a particular passion and Joubert is happy to talk for hours about

rugby game in Wales. In the course of

did the Welsh supporter in the seat next

to him know of his wine, it was his drink of choice whenever travelling through the UK on business!

“That sort of thing blows me away! The

the merits of bush vine versus vertical

fact that he orders Kleine Zalze because

wine style which works incredibly well

means more to me than any award.”

trellising systems, for example. And it’s a

he enjoys the taste and the price is right

Restaurants

frequent Eat Out winner and set the bar high for others to follow ‒ and follow they did.

Bertus Basson has been comfortably ensconced on the slopes of the Helderberg sharing “office space” with Hidden Valley wines for a decade. Delaire Graff’s two restaurants have commanding views down the Drakenstein valley from its perch at the top of Helshoogte pass. A stone’s throw

Wine tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry. Holidaymakers and visitors want to enjoy the romance of the lifestyle associated with the Cape’s vineyards and unique Dutch gabled homesteads.

And the natural link with wine is food: Fiona McDonald lists a few of the more popular winelands options.

Food for thought N

away across the road at Tokara, Richard Carstens has revitalised the reputation and food offering during his tenure of the past three years.

Just as the wine scene has become more and more focussed and dynamic since South Africa’s readmission to the international fold after years as a pariah state, so wine farm owners and marketers have become more savvy. Their intent is quite blatantly to have guests and visitors spend as much time ‒ and money ‒ at their

ostalgia is a wonderful thing: I can

sixth, Overture (on Hidden Valley) in

remember driving around

seventh, Camphors at Vergelegen in eight

Stellenbosch, Paarl and Robertson

and rounding out the top 10 is Pierneef at

farm owner, of a relatively new operation in

in the 1990’s. It was my very pleasant task to

La Motte. Of those five, only the La Motte

the Hemel-en-Aarde valley near Hermanus

have to write a supplement for The Mercury

restaurant, Pierneef is not in Stellenbosch.

told me quietly that on a good weekend he

newspaper’s annual festival, The Wine Week.

One of the first to make the most of the

winery as possible.

And that makes perfect sense. One wine

can chalk up wine sales, direct from the

Every day, for a week, I would drive from

scenic beauty and to keep visitors close to the

cellar door, of between R50 000 and

cellar to cellar, interviewing wine makers or

wine farms rather than heading back to town

R75 000! He attributes this directly to the

marketing folks. But come lunch time I’d have

was former restauranteur, Ken Forrester,

fact that his cellar is a destination; people

to head back into the nearest town to find a

formerly of Gatrile’s in Johannesburg.

trek out and settle in to wonderful platters

café or restaurant simply because there were

Together with his brother Alan, he opened 96

of food and make a day of it rather than

few food options in the winelands.

Winery Road, which soon became “the” place

visiting, tasting wine and departing. And

to eat in the winelands of Stellenbosch ‒ and

cellar door sales are always best for any

smack dab in between Stellenbosch, Paarl

it’s still packing them in every lunch and

wine farm ‒ because there’s no transport,

and Franschhoek, but on the whole, pickings

dinner time!

marketing or distribution costs involved.

Boschendal was one of those ‒ and it was

were scarce. Nowadays visitors to the

Everyone thought owner Kobus Basson

Smart thinking and good economy too.

beautiful winelands are spoiled for choice.

and chef Michael Broughton were nuts to

Not only that, but the restaurants on wine

open a fine dining restaurant on a wine

If they want something upmarket in the fine

farms are some of the best in the country.

farm. Yet within the space of a year Terroir

dining mould, there are plenty of places

Tourists and visitors can pick and choose.

restaurant on Kleine Zalze was turning

catering for that. An easy, relaxed bite,

restaurants in the 2013 Eat Out Awards are

people away ‒ including then Minister of

perhaps a baguette or a picnic? That’s

on wine farms. Holding down the number

Finance Trevor Manuel who pitched up one

available too. Even want something ethnic

three spot is Rust en Vrede, with Jordan in

weekend without a reservation! It is a

or traditional? Cosecha at Noble Hill offers a

Proof of this is that five of the Top 10

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Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

winelands

HERE ARE A FEW OF MY PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS AND FAVOURITES.

taste of the American Southwest with its Tex-Mex fare while Solms-Delta’s Fyndraai restaurant not only provides a peak at the

Venue Key:

remarkable archaeological diggings of the original wine cellar through a suspended glass floor but celebrates true South African food and ingredients in its menu. For food full of freshness and ‘just out the ground’ goodness it doesn’t get any better than Babylonstoren in Paarl, Ate at Spier in Stellenbosch or Fresh at Paul Cluver in Elgin.

Buitenverwachting

There genuinely is something for everyone.

s: Stellenbosch; sw: Somerset West; r: Robertson; f: Franschhoek; c: Constantia; d: Durbanville; e: Elgin; p: Paarl; w: Walker Bay

Special events

Tokara

By this I mean something where you push the proverbial boat out, it’s for anniversaries, significant birthdays, engagements or wedding proposals... Classy, elegant and sophisticated. The list is long and the quality of the food is excellent.

c: Buitenverwachting d: De Grendel f: Pierneef at La Motte f: The Restaurant at Grande Provence s: Terroir at Kleine Zalze s: Overture at Hidden Valley s: Rust en Vrede Waterkloof

Pierneef

Babylonstoren

Fresh

s: Delaire Graff s: Tokara s: Jordan s: Cuvée at Simonsig sw: Camphors at Vergelegen sw: Waterkloof

Lettuces used in the salads would have been plucked from the nearby veggie garden a few hours before hitting your plate! These places offer up genuinely local, often organic and even bio-dynamic, fare.

e: Fresh at Paul Cluver e: The Pool Room at Oak Valley p: Babylonstoren s: Ate at Spier s: Long Table at Haskell/Dombeya s: Guardian Peak Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 21

Restaurants

Laidback and casual

Fyndraai

The kind of place where it can get a bit rowdy at times with folks laughing and talking and generally having a good time. The menu is well-priced with a lot of familiar favourites rather than over-designed, artistic little nibbles which please the eye rather than the appetite!

Harvest

c: Catharina’s at Steenberg c: Bistro 1682 at Steenberg c: Simon’s at Groot Constantia c: Jonkershuis at Groot Constantia d: Diemersdal farm eatery d: Hillcrest d: Cassia at Nitida d: Durbanville Hills f: Leopard’s Leap f: La Petite Ferme f: Paulinas at Rickety Bridge f: Country Kitchen at Mont Rochelle f: Maison p: Harvest at Laborie p: Glen Carlou

p: Spice Route p: Goatshed at Fairview r: Café Maude at Bon Courage r: Christina’s at Van Loveren s: 96 Winery Road s: Mulderbosch s: Warwick s: Barouche at Blaauwklippen s: Clos Malverne s: JC Le Roux s: Dornier ‒ Bodega sw: Sophia’s at Morgenster w: Creation w: Sumaridge w: Newton Johnson

Dornier

Newton Johnson

Kid friendly

Brennaisance

There’s a huge black and white jungle gym at Brenaissance which is well located so parents can keep an eye on their kids, while Tokara’s deli has a more organic, gnarled tree climbing frame and a suspended wooden egg tree house for the little ones to explore.

s: Brenaissance s: Deli-cat-essen at Tokara

Ethnic/Traditional

Either traditional in that it offers something traditionally South African, German, American or whatever ‒ but it’s a nice change of pace.

f: Boschendal f: Allée Bleue f: Fyndraai at Solms Delta f: Tasting room tapas at Anthonij Rupert Wines p: Cosecha at Noble Hill 22 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Food

R

o i h c ic d a

af e l k oa

Cos there’s more than iceberg…

Eats, Shoots and Leaves was a surprise bestseller a few years ago.

The book, written by author Lynne Truss, was about punctuation ‒ and how the correct positioning of a humble comma can change the entire context and meaning of an ostensibly simple sentence.

Fiona McDonald looks at the real thing... leaves, that is!

24 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

salad leaves

L

ettuce is so over- and underrated: over-rated in terms of

being ubiquitous and under-

rated because it has so much more to

E

offer than simply being green, crunchy and used alongside tomatoes and

ve ndi

cucumber in a salad.

Do a little bit of internet research –

Google can help tremendously – and

you’ll soon discover, as I did, that to the ancient Egyptians it was like Viagra!

Initially considered a weed, it was later grown purely for seed which was then pressed for oil before eventually being

enjoyed for its edible leaves. And there’s archaeological evidence that it was

loose-leaf and Romaine lettuce. It was

iceberg – is given a bad rap. “It’s capable

inhabitants of the land of the Pharoahs

Columbus introduced the leafy green to

said – and proved it by serving up a

consumed as far back as 2600BCE. The thought it was a sacred plant of Min, the god of reproduction. Traditionally,

lettuce was positioned near his image or

around this time that Christopher the Americas.

ICEBERG

carried during his festivals – as evidenced

Talk to anyone about salad and almost

appear in excavated tombs. And the

mention will be lettuce. And the

by the many pictures and images which Viagra bit? Well, it was believed that

lettuce helped Min “perform the sexual

act untiringly” – or so Wikipedia reports!

The plants cultivated at the time

appear to have been quite large – around

30cm tall – and very upright. The Greeks took a fancy to the plants and

subsequently introduced them to the

Romans – and is one of the reasons why we have, to this day, a particularly

Hildegard of Bingen as far back as 1098 while in 1586 one of the first

classifications of lettuce was mentioned

by Joachim Camerarius, namely head,

“Historically it was often cooked –

different types of lettuce in the

ever-so-humble yet crisp and crunchy iceberg lettuce. It’s been the “go to”

lettuce for professional and home cooks for decades but chefs the world over are

rejoicing in the variety of leaves that are

now available. In 2010 no less than 23.6 million metric tons of lettuce was consumed!

Eat Out San Pellegrino Chef of the

those who believes that lettuce – and

Some of the earliest mentions were by

gem lettuce salad.

automatic association is with the

Ancient scripts – not just Egyptian

usually in the form of a medicinal herb.

beetroot and char-grilled quartered baby

either in soups – or braised and even

Year David Higgs of Five Hundred at

ones – make reference to lettuce, and

spectacular goat’s cheese, golden

without fail the first ingredient they’ll

upright form of lettuce called Romaine, also known as Cos.

of being used in a variety of ways,” he

The Saxon in Johannesburg is one of

fried.” Higgs delights in the many

refrigerator cabinets of grocery stores.

“Iceberg has that lovely texture and

crunch while there are others which have a distinct pepperiness and bite – like

watercress, mizuna or rocket. I love the fact that in Europe when you ask for a

green salad, that’s what you get! It’s just a salad of green leaves, but there’s likely to be a bit of frisée, some cos, possibly lamb’s lettuce and cress along with

iceberg. And what livens it all up is the dressing which is critical to the

Ancient scripts ‒ not just Egyptian ones ‒ make reference to lettuce, and usually in the form of a medicinal herb.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 25

Food

lemon juice.”

Renowned American restaurateur

Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in San

Francisco had the following to say in an interview in 2001: “Iceberg symbolizes all that is wrong with American food

production. It is omnipresent; it doesn’t have a season; it doesn’t have a sense

something that even the most

unadventurous and non-green fingered soul can grow in a pot or window box.

The plant likes full sun but too much heat and it bolts – which is gardener

speak for shooting straight upwards! So cooler temperatures are better, along

with fairly loose but nitrogen rich soils.

Essentially, the three most common

of place.

types are leaf, head and cos – or

appreciate the qualities of some iceberg

main cultivar groups: Leaf or loose leaf

“It’s not that I don’t like the idea and

lettuce, but what I object to is the way

that commercial farmers have produced it and stored it and sold it to the

American public. And the kinds of

dressings they are encouraged to pour all over it to mask the fact that it can be old and overgrown,” she said. “I know

people cling to a taste, the way that they ate it way back when. Well, way back

commercial farmers took ahold of it and

Romaine lettuce but there are seven

lettuce; Romaine or cos – long straight, upright heads which make it ideal for

sandwiches and Caesar salad; crisphead

– iceberg lettuce basically, with its higher water percentage than other lettuces; butterhead – loosely formed hearts;

Watercr

s

it was a loose head of lettuce with a wonderfully crunchy flavour to it.”

F r i s ee

WHAT IS IT?

Lettuce is a plant of the aster family, a relative of the sunflower apparently – much like the dassie is related to the elephant! The name comes from the

Romans who named it lactuca because

of the milky sap the stem exudes when cut (lac being latin for milk). It’s a

good source of potassium and vitamin A but has also unfortunately grabbed its fair share of headlines over the years been multiple outbreaks of e.coli

infections associated with salad leaves, most recently in Germany in 2011 when 18 people died after eating 26 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

af

e

contaminated salads.

Oak l

for negative associations. There have

ine/Co a m s Ro

es

when was before the war and before big

izuna M le

p

the balance of oil and vinegar or

Lettuce is easily cultivated and is

Pur

enjoyment of the salad because of

salad leaves

Popular leaves Butter lettuce,

a loose somewhat soft leaf with gently shaped edges and a mild flavour.

Rocket or Arugula

‒ A peppery, slightly bitter, thin almost spiky leaf which is frequently used in Mediterranean cooking.

Ro c k et

Radicchio

is a dark red leaf frequently used in Italian dishes and is distinctly bitter. Works well in mixed salads.

summercrisp; stem and oilseed – the

latter two which are cultivated for seed and oil rather than for the leaves.

The final word goes to Chef Higgs:

“Home cooks follow what chefs are

doing – and some of the interesting food trends that are developing are catching on already.” He and fellow celebrated

chef, Margot Janse of Franschhoek’s Le Quartier Francais, recently cooked in

Amsterdam. “We did a deep-fried oyster

on grilled lettuce.” And in America some chefs are not using individual leaves, preferring instead to cut across the

lettuce, making thick discs which then serve as a base for other ingredients.

“It’s more versatile than people think,”

said Higgs, “soups, grilled or pan-fried, blanched and then used as a wrap for meaty fillings… It’s not only a salad ingredient.”

Watercress

is distinct in that it has almost circular small leaves. Another peppery flavoured leaf which works particularly well in that British favourite, the egg mayonnaise and cress sandwich. Also good for soups and stir fries.

Romaine/cos lettuce

has long, narrow and very crisp leaves with a thick rib. It works well as a base for things when presenting salads differently, for example, piling tuna salad on top of the individual leaf. It’s most frequently used in Caesar salads because of its crunchy texture.

Baby gem

‒ is a smaller, compact version of the Cos or Romaine lettuce and has little heads which are frequently served in quarters or halves to retain its crunch and compact shape.

Endive

is identifiable by its elongated shape and pale colour and white stems, along with its distinct bitterness. It lends itself to being cooked or grilled although the raw leaf can also be used as a scoop for cheesy dips, for example.

Frisee

is also known as curly endive and looks distinctly different to other leaves because of its frilly edging. Another slightly bitter leaf.

Oak leaf,

so-called because its shape resembles that of an oak leaf..., comes in both green and red with soft, ruffly leaves and a mild, somewhat sweet taste.

Mache

e h M ac

is also known as lamb’s lettuce or corn salad and is a soft, tender leaf which grows in a rosette shape. Very popular in France for green salads.

Mizuna

is also known as Japanese mustard greens ‒ and as the name intimates, it has a peppery bite to it. In appearance it has long, pointy leaves, a bit like rocket.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 27

Blends vs. Malts

Whisky

Whisky is known as the water of life. But who knew that ‘water’ could take so many different forms?

Fiona McDonald looks at the differences between whisky blends and single malts.

28 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Part III has been made by a producer at a

2010,” wrote Roberts, “£1.1-billion

example, was distilled at the Glenlivet

more than a million cases in 20

single distillery. So Glenlivet, for

distillery in the highlands of Scotland

using only malted barley in its making.

And it’s the latter point which is important to remember.

A blended whisky – such as Famous

Grouse or J&B, for example – would

W

your local TOPS at SPAR can be a

revelation. Stacked high on shelves are

a variety of different products. And not just brandies, vodkas, rums and

whiskies – but a whole slew of different

whiskies are not always purely malt

whiskies… that means that they might

cases dramatically.

Essentially, when it comes to

Scottish whisky there are two main categories – and these are blended whiskies and single malts. The

distinction between the two is a simple

one. A single malt whisky is one which

single malt whisky is one which has been made by a producer at a single distillery.

£233.7-million.”

In the latest Sunday Times Top

the number one spot which had in

Peat Cutting

contain a portion of grain whisky. So the whisky was not only made using barley but wheat, corn or maize –

what South Africans would recognise as mielies.

This last aspect is what explains the

because grain whiskies are cheaper to

secondly, why the prices vary, in some

exports in the period worth

years gone by been occupied by Bell’s

provide a little bit of insight into,

between certain types of whisky and

States is the biggest consumer with

a little complication is that blended

large differences in price between

firstly, what the differences are

additional 10 markets. The United

Brand survey Johnnie Walker strode to

labels and types within a single

category. Hopefully this article will

markets and over half a million in an

be a product that is made by blending

whisky from various producers. Adding

alking down the aisles of

was contributed by blends - that’s

whiskies, even between blends –

produce which ultimately makes the final spirit more cost effective. Of

course, there’s always a trade off and in the case of grain whisky it’s in the final

flavour and complexity. Grain whiskies tend to be less smooth and offer less flavour intensity than that found in

Spirit Safe

malt whiskies.

In a recent issue of Whisky

magazine, Clifford Roberts reported

that whisky sales worldwide continued to soar and that the large spirits

companies have invested millions of pounds in new distilleries as well as

recommissioning mothballed plants.

Every year more than a billion bottles of whisky are exported from Scotland – the greater majority of which is blended.

“Of the £1.47-billion in Scotch

exports during the first six months of Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 29

Whisky

That investment in time, along with the loss of up to a third of the volume, is one of the reasons forthe high prices that single malts command.

Extra Special. Roberts wrote that not

around in, it makes them a huge

making inroads on the local market but

anywhere near these warehouses.

only was the familiar striding man

abroad too where it continues to be the

fire risk too! No smoking is allowed That investment in time, along

global top-selling premium Scotch

with the loss of up to a third of the

is a blend of up to 40 whiskies that

the high prices that single malts

whisky. Johnnie Walker Black Label, contribute to its malty smoothness, fruity sweet vanilla and smoky peat flavours while some 35 whiskies go

into Red label, which is promoted as being popular to mix.

But why is it that single malts

command the prices they do? It’s

because they are from a single distillery and are subject to minimum age

regulations that are stipulated by the Scotch Whisky Association. To be

volume, is one of the reasons for

command. But malts are generally

more complex in flavour and more expressive of not just the place

where the barley was grown, but

where it’s made – specifically of the still it was made in. And that’s

because the height of stills vary, as do the angles of the condensing

pipes and the time taken over each individual distillation.

The length of time and also the

called a single malt whisky the spirit

type of oak barrel the spirit matures

barley, must be distilled using pot stills

While most of the oak casks used

must be made “exclusively from malted at a single distillery, and must be aged for at least three years in oak casks”.

Next time you’re in a TOPS at SPAR

liquor store, pick up a bottle of single malt whisky and have a look at the

label. It will very often contain an age statement – either 10, 12 or 15 year

old – meaning the spirit has spent that

length of time maturing in barrel. And being volatile, there’s a proportion of

in also contributes to each malt.

for maturation come from America, having previously been used for Bourbon maturation, some

producers use barrels which have formerly been used for sherry or Madeira. Glenmorangie, for

example, offer a range of single

malts which specify the kind of oak maturation it’s had.

This mystery and wonderful

the distilled spirit that evaporates from

difference to each and every malt is

called the angel’s share – and not only

drinking them so special because all

the barrel during its maturation. It’s does it make the maturation

warehouses aromatic places to walk 30 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Stills above, Barley below

what sets them apart and makes

those little factors contribute to the final flavour.

Oak Barrels

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY CMY

K

Whisky

Consistency & constancy I

t was on the 23rd of March, 1923

The Making of a Whisky Brand, writer

James’s Place in London that the

the three parties of Berry Brothers had

in parlour number three at 3 St

idea of a lighter-styled whisky blend

was first mooted. 3 St James’s Place is the home of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the world-famous wine merchants.

And it was precisely because of their

wine background that a lighter-styled whisky was called for. Berry Bros. &

Rudd’s patrons were not only lovers of

fine wine but of whisky too – and many

It’s the first whisky in the world to notch up sales of one million cases ‒ and that was way back in the 60’s.

Here’s the story.

By Fiona McDonald

of these clients expressed a desire for a

whisky that was not so heavy and which didn’t taint the palate with lingering

flavours when consumed prior to dinner and its accompanying wines.

It was also noted that this was a

product which could conceivably sell

rather well in the thirsty United States, a market that BBR had serviced since 1909, via the Bahamas.

In the fascinating book Cutty Sark,

Marcin Miller states: “Between them, unsurpassed wine experience,

unparalleled knowledge of flavour and an understanding of the United States market as well as the instinct of

hereditary entrepreneurs; they had

commercial confidence through a history

“Cutty’s an Emma Watson or young Isabelle Huppert of a blend. Light, however, doesn’t mean bland.....

David Broom

POPULAR CULTURE

For seven seasons New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano was seen drowning his many sorrows by pouring himself a generous measure of Cutty Sark at his Bada Bing Club while Oscar-winning film director Martin Scorcese featured it in his movies Goodfellas and the Robert de Niro classic, Raging Bull.

It added to the coolness of those super-slick advertising guys in Mad Men while most recently it was one of the products which added to the authenticity of popular Emmy award-winning television series Boardwalk Empire.

32 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Cutty Sark of innovation. As a result, the firm was in a unique position to realise the

visionary idea of a new style of whisky.”

While some crucial company records

were lost courtesy of German bombing raids during World War II, what

cannot be disputed is that by the 1960s Cutty Sark was a massive worldwide

brand, selling one million cases of its unique blend the world over – in

markets as diverse as South Africa, Hong Kong, Argentina, Brazil, Palestine and Cuba.

But it was also a fact that BBR, fine

wine merchants, were making 90% of turnover and 110% of profit out of

whisky... In 2010 Cutty Sark was sold to the Edrington Group in return for the Glenrothes brand.

TAM O’SHANTER

There’s an old Scottish legend about a farmer, Tam O’Shanter, which Robert Burns based his 1790 poem on. Tam spent most of a market day drinking with his pals before making his way home on his grey mare Meg that night.

“Wi’ tippeny [tuppeny ale/beer] we fear nae evil; “Wi’ usquabe [whisky] we’ll face the devil!”

Tam hears noises and sees witches dancing around a bonfire,

THE BLEND:

There’s no doubting the success of the brand. Selling a million cases speaks volumes about the popularity of its

lighter style but also adds tremendous pressure in terms of maintaining not

only quality but consistency of flavour.

This is not a product which can vary from year to year.

SO WHAT’S IN THE WHISKY?

In the Cutty Sark book, Dave Broom writes in fascinating fashion

about spending time with blender Kristeen Campbell.

Blending single malts and grain whisky

is relatively easy – many international

brands do it. But to do it across a range of components and in massive volumes while maintaining the same flavour

one of whom, Nannie, is prettier and less wizened than the others. Burns wrote: “Her cutty sark [short petticoat] o’ Paisley harn [cloth], that while a lassie she had worn, In longitude tho’ sorely scanty, It was her best, and she was vauntie [proud].”

Caught up in the moment Tam forgot himself and yelled out:

“Weel done, Cutty Sark!”

He was rumbled and the witches took chase. The farmer and his horse flew for the River Doon because he knew witches hated water – and as he was almost there Nannie reached out and snatched the tail of his grey mare Meg, pulling it off!

profile as Cutty has done is no mean feat.

The malts are of course the building

blocks of Cutty Sark – and most of

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 33

Whisky

as she insists on a proportion of these

differences within each distillery).”

some Bourbon and some European.

the blend’s volume. It’s not neutral –

distilleries or boast strong ties to the

up with a less complex blend,” she told

is add texture. It “allows the malts to

Glenrothes, Tamdhu, Bunnahabhain

when you’re blending it isn’t just along

Highland Park’s gooseneck stills make their own contribution to Cutty Sark’s blend.

them are either from Edrington Group group: so The Macallan, Highland Park, and Glengoyne go into it.

Wooding is important for Campbell

CUTTY SARK – THE VESSEL

malts having spent time in first-fill casks, “If all casks were the same, you’d end

Broom. “You need that variation so the horizontal axis (distillery to

distillery) but vertically (showing the

Grain whisky makes up the bulk of

just there to add volume. What it does pull together,” writes Broom, and

“creates its own complexity”. It doesn’t dilute the malts either.

“In the final vatting, the softness of

In this modern age of instant access to

for its name? Well, the owner was a Scot

sail, equivalent to modern vessels’ speed.

information and people and goods

and wanted to pay homage to his

Cutty Sark famously took on

travelling halfway around the world in a

heritage by adopting the name from one

Thermopylae once, both vessels leaving

matter of hours, it’s hard to conceive of a

of Scottish bard Robbie Burns’ works,

Shanghai on June 18, 1872. Thermopylae

shipment of tea taking almost a year to

Tam O’Shanter. (see sidebar)

made it to Britain faster but Cutty Sark

be transported from China to Britain. But

Cutty Sark’s figurehead was a

had lost its all important rudder in the

that was the case in the late 1800s ‒

meticulous carving of the beautiful witch,

Indian Ocean, just two weeks into the

around the time that one of the most

reaching out for the grey mare’s tail.

voyage. And even with a jury-rigged

famous tea clippers ever was built near

History reveals that while the Cutty Sark

steering mechanism fashioned out of

Glasgow in Scotland.

unfurled her acres of canvas for the first

spare timber and metal scraps she made

time in 1870, the Suez Canal opened in

it home 122 days after setting sail ‒ just

the Thermopylae ‒ but it was the Cutty

1869...providing a faster, shorter route

seven days after her rival docked!

Sark, built at a shipworks on the River

for steam-powered vessels! So the tea

In 1890 Cutty Sark gave up the tea run

Clyde in 1869, which has gone down in

clippers’ days were numbered ‒ even

and began shipping wool instead, taking

history as the most famous. The reason

though it made speeds of 18 knots under

just 67 days to sail from Australia to

The fastest tea clipper at the time was

34 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Cutty Sark 500-litre casks, once used for Sherry, make The Macallan’s flavour in Cutty a unique one.

the malt component comes through, complete with all its grassiness, soft fruits, vanilla and spice. The grain,

however, has added a seamless quality to the flavour and texture,” writes Broom.

And it’s not just a case of whacking

the malt and grain whisky together and reducing it to the required alcohol percentage either. The final Cutty

blend is returned to cask to marry for

at least two months. “Marrying is done to allow the mouthfeel to be retained,” was the final word of Cutty blender, Kristeen Campbell.

Broom writes: “Cutty’s an Emma

Watson or young Isabelle Huppert of a blend. Light, however, doesn’t mean bland. Yes, sherried whisky is

interesting, for sure peatiness is a potent reason for purchase, but delicacy and

subtlety are as well – and are flavours which could well appeal to a new whisky drinker.”

Britain ‒ comprehensively beating

headquarters at Greenwich, serving as

Thermopylae in the process. An added

both a memorial to ancient seafarers as

bonus was that she beat the fastest

well as a tourist attraction which 15

steamship of the time too, RMS Britannia!

million people had visited.

She was sold to a Portuguese firm and

Cutty Sark continued to make

renamed the Pequensa Camisola ‒ which

headlines in modern times.

also means small or short shirt. It was

There was a massive fire

under the Portuguese flag that she sailed

in May 2007 which

South African waters too, being dismasted

broke out while she

off the Cape of Good Hope in 1916. She

was undergoing

was re-rigged and sold on before being

renovations. Fortunately

taken back to the United Kingdom in 1922

the vessel wasn’t much

where she served as a sailing training

damaged and she is

vessel in Kent until 1954.

now once again

Being such a historical vessel, she was

open to visitors.

uplifted and dry docked near the maritime

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 35

Shorts

I

n the rock movie Coyote Ugly a thirsty customer sidles up to the bar and asks

“Another!” he barks. It rarely ends well...

Where the shooter tradition first

Any one of the stories will make you the centre of attraction around the bar, or see

began, is anyone’s guess. Some say

you banished to party purgatory. You

Lil responds memorably: “Jim, Jack, Johnny

cowboys paid for drinks with

might want to throw in the technical

Red, Johnny Black, and José; all my

ammunition; others claim the small glass

differentiation between shots and

favourite men. You can have it any way you

was used at dinner tables for diners to

shooters, the former being a small

like it, as long as it’s in a shot glass.”

deposit any buckshot they might find

measure of a single spirit and the latter a

lurking in the pheasant, rabbit or

combination drink ‒ a mini-cocktail of

as the Hollywood Western, or so it seems.

partridge they were eating. One version

sorts. And don’t confuse either of these

Ingrained in memory is the saddle-sore

says glasses containing lead shot were

with a tot, which is a measure in South

cowboy, spurs a-jingling, parched after

used to keep quills upright at writing

Africa of 25ml that is regulated by law.

weeks of cattle-wrangling on the trail,

desks and another alleges “shot” is a

But rules are for cocktails. Not all

slamming open the saloon doors in

reference to 19 century glassmaker

shooters have to be consumed in one

pursuit of a hit of firewater. Slam.

Friedrich Otto Schott.

gulp, for example. Sip away, if you wish.

what’s on offer. Leather-clad bartender

Shooters have been around for as long

th

Stand and

36 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Shooters If a menu of drinks was a university

the popularity for the eponymous 80s

grown a distinct air of respectability ‒

cafeteria, shooters would be the group

drink, the era of the peach schnapps-and-

a reputation for savouring, not just

with the motorcycles ‒ hot, sexy and

OJ Fuzzy Navel too. Those were the days of

shooting. Yet shooters in general

dangerous. Like the nicknames of college

the vodka-and-lime Kamikaze and

continue to push the envelope. The ice

rugby players, they have weird and

Sambuca-and-Baileys Slippery Nipple. The

luge involves sliding a drink down a

wonderful names too: Bulldozer, Brain

national service troepies on their off days

carved block of ice into an eager mouth. A

Haemorrhage, Cement Mixer, Papa

were ordering Depth Charges ‒ a shot

variation is called the “bone luge”. Step

Smurf, Lemon Drop, Boilermaker,

glass of schnapps, dropped into a pint of

one: ask the kitchen for a leftover bone

Flatliner, Darth Vader, Squashed Frog,

beer and consumed. Tom Cruise was

from last night’s lamb shank and remove

Hellfire and Toffee Apple.

making women the world over swoon with

the marrow; step two: serve your shot

Sex On The Beach in the movie Cocktail.

down one end and gulp from the other.

Every generation has their favourites, and just like everything else we do, our

That was before the meteoric rise of

It might work for some, but the rest of

choice is dictated by fashion. The new

popular brands like Jägermeister, and

us prefer anything else, as long as it’s in

wave sounds of the B52’s undoubtedly fed

while tequila reigned supreme, it has

a shot glass.

deliver

As drinks go, the party begins and ends with the shooters.

Clifford Roberts reports.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 37

Summer entertaining Cocktails

Cocktails

Shaken, stirred, ice cubes a-tinkling... and a berry on top!

Turn your hand to these exciting cocktails, extracted from the book “Savour”

by M. Hirschowitz, K. Alsfine & E. Sacharowitz and published by Struik Lifestyle.

Watermelon, raspberry & rosewater cocktail INGREDIENTS: 120 g raspberries ¼ watermelon, deseeded and chopped 1 Tbsp rose water 1 measure simple syrup (see below) a slice of watermelon and rose petals for garnishing

METHOD: 1. Purée all the ingredients in a blender and serve over crushed ice, garnish with a slice of watermelon and rose petals.

Serves 4‒6 Simple syrup recipe for cocktails 1 cup water ½ cup white sugar METHOD: 1. Place the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Pour into a container and allow to cool before using.

Pineapple vodka

INGREDIENTS: 1 x 750 ml bottle vodka 1 x 300 g tin pineapple chunks in syrup

METHOD: 1. Place the alcohol and pineapple (with the syrup) in a jug.

2. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

Serves 8‒10 Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 39

Summer entertaining

Kiwi, mint and lime crush

INGREDIENTS: 4 kiwi fruits, peeled and diced 4‒6 sprigs mint, washed zest and juice of 1 lime 1 measure simple syrup (see previous page) or 1½ cups clear apple juice METHOD: 1. Purée all the ingredients in a blender, pour into a container and freeze for 20 minutes.

2. Remove from the freezer and break up the ice crystals.

Refreeze for approximately 1 hour.

Serves 4‒6

Cucumber and peach martini

INGREDIENTS: 1 x small English cucumber, sliced lengthways using a peeler 3 peaches, peeled and cut into 3mm-thick wedges 1 bottle vodka 1 bottle vermouth 3 guavas, peeled and thinly sliced (optional) METHOD: 1. Place two strips of curled cucumber and two peach slices in each martini glass.

2. Liquidise the remaining cucumber and press through a sieve to strain.

3. Make a standard vodka martini: for each glass mix ¼ cup vodka and 1 Tbsp vermouth with ice cubes. Stir well and strain the ice cubes.

4. Mix the vodka martini with the cucumber juice and pour over the cucumber and peaches in the martini glasses.

5. Decorate each with a sliver of guava if desired.

Serves 6‒8 40 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Cocktails

Gin with limeherb extract INGREDIENTS: 1 cup finely chopped fresh mint 1 cup finely chopped fresh basil 1 lime, cut into quarters zest and juice of 1 lime 3 cups gin a pinch of sea salt ¼ cup sugar crushed ice for serving

METHOD: 1. Crush the mint and basil in a pestle and mortar.

2. Place the herbs, lime quarters and lime zest in a jug.

3. Add the gin, lime juice and salt, and stir in the sugar.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Remove the lime wedges and zest before serving and pour into shot glasses with crushed ice.

Serves 8‒10

Litchi granita INGREDIENTS: 1 litre litchi juice ½ cup chopped fresh basil 1 bottle vodka

METHOD: 1. Pour the litchi juice into a shallow dish and freeze. Remove from the freezer, scrape with a fork to create crushed litchi ice and refreeze.

2. Repeat this process twice more, but instead of refreezing a third time, scoop the crushed litchi ice into a blender and whizz with the chopped basil.

3. Scoop the granita into small glasses and cover each with a tot of vodka.

Serves 6‒8

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Call the GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ TOPS HOTLINEON PG71 FOR YOUR 0860 313 141

FULL GROCERY LIST

All images and recipes from “Savour” by M. Hirschowitz, K. Alsfine & E. Sacharowitz (Struik Lifestyle).

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 41

Beer

A man called Charles Embossed on every bottle of Castle Lager is the name of a man most people know very little about. Clifford Roberts re-visits the life and times of Charles Glass.

I

n the definition of greatness, quality often weighs heavier than quantity.

For Charles Glass, it took less than

10 years to get his name immortalised on

the bottle of Castle Lager. Yet it was this

clifford

Lager is testament to enduring diligence, loyalty and patience.

Today, SABMiller, the home of

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

For the cursory investigator, Charles G

from Kent originally and had been in

of our national sports teams, Castle

42 www.topsatspar.co.za

know so little about?

African beer tradition.

establishment of a cornerstone of South

South African ambassador on the shirts

especially the practical side of the subject!

mugs to the memory of someone we

Glass’s story begins with his departure

emblazoned over the years as a true

loves researching topics such as beer ‒

How do we so easily stand and raise our

legend that contributed to the

Enjoyed around the world and

Award-winning journalist Clifford Roberts

Who was this man? How did he do it?

Castle Lager, is an international brewer with more than 200 beer brands, some 70 000 employees and revenue of approximately R236-billion.

from India to South Africa. He hailed

Asia apparently to make beer for British troops. Upon his arrival on the

Witwatersrand via Durban in 1884, we also make the acquaintance of his wife,

Lisa. With the help of financiers, they set up the Glass & Co brewing company

only to sell a few years later having taken the first steps in the creation of the

quintessential South African beer. The

story goes that Glass left for England and later died in his home country in 1919.

history

There are a number of intriguing

angles to this story. It is therefore best

preceded with context because the Glass couple were launching a brewery at one of the most dramatic periods of

transformation in South Africa’s history.

Leading up to this point, the Cape

The Glass couple were launching a brewery at one of the most dramatic periods of transformation in South Africa’s history Pretoria appointed capital four years later.

town in South Africa and the only

of colonists, missionaries and Afrikaner

1900 was one of the most dramatic in

while most people lived on farms or in small

communities were also migrating across

Jackie Grobler in Geskiedenis van

Colony had burst its banks with the move farmers migrating northwards. Black the region. In terms of beer, the

colonisers had already set up a brewery in 1655, soon after settling in the Cape.

From there, they gradually spread. The

seeds for Castle Lager were however first sowed upcountry. In 1851, the ZuidAfrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) was

established in the Transvaal region with

The period between 1850 and

South African history, writes historian Suid-Afrika (Tafelberg, 2012). “In 1850, farming was the predominant activity for South Africans, and there was

metropole with more than 10 000 residents, communities. By 1900, some 17% of the total South African population had

urbanised and Johannesburg’s population had grown to more than 100 000.”

Fascinatingly, in 1850 most people used

nothing resembling a healthy monetary

ox wagons to get around on a few bumpy

established and there were stock exchanges,

rolled out and the motor car had made its

system. By 1900, mining had been well banks and 10 000 wage labourers.

“In 1850, Cape Town was the biggest

roads, but by 1900 railway lines had been appearance. The first was apparently a

Benz Voiturette, imported from Germany.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 43

Beer

SOME HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS FOR CASTLE LAGER

1895 - SAB is founded with £500 000 1896 - Castle Breweries pioneers the first lager brewery in Johannesburg 1900 - SAB opens a brewery in Woodstock, Cape Town

1955 - Castle Lager initiates sports sponsorship in a darts competition 1959 - Canned beer is introduced 1974 - Castle leverages its heritage: Charles Glass becomes a figurehead accompanied by the slogan: ‘The taste that’s stood the test of time’.

1975 - Original dumpy bottle introduced 1990 - Castle achieves annual sales of 20m hectolitres for the first time, becoming SA’s favourite beer.

2000 - The signature of Charles Glass is embossed onto every 340ml bottle of Castle Lager.

Much of this change was brought on by

the discovery of diamonds and then gold.

Kimberley became SA’s first mining town and in 1886 the Witwatersrand exploded into activity with the discovery of the world’s richest gold reef.

By then, Castle Brewery had been up

and running – its castle façade-logo

steadily growing in popularity. It had

been purchased by a former British sailor named Frederick Mead, who had set up a brewery in Natal.

At the time, many of the ingredients

and equipment were imported from the UK, which is also where Mead formed The South African United Breweries.

Drawing fresh investors, a new Castle

Brewery was constructed and, in 1895,

One can only guess that Glass might have regretted the sale of the brewery once he realised the gold boom was no flash-in-the-pan. citizens like Glass, who had settled on the Witwatersrand. Late in 1886, a

correspondent for the Eastern Star

Barberton, my advice would be to get out

above the title: Founder Brew master.

their sins, ever find themselves landed at of it as quickly as the means at their

of people converging on the reef led to conflicting lifestyle and world views.

liquor – which could contribute to the

September, when Castle Lager made

find there a lack of everything – except for health, comfort and entertainment of man.”

To this story is added another

a couple of years ago in a book by UCT Beer, Sociability and Masculinity in

South Africa. Her research points out

that Lisa Glass too had a big hand in the brewing at Castle Brewery too.

One can only guess that Glass might

Cultural and political differences led to

have regretted the sale of the brewery once

thousands of uitlanders, specifically British

flash-in-the-pan. A simple search reveals

substantial friction, especially with the 44 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

For many, Castle Lager may even be a

national treasure. Consider the brand’s

professor Anne Kelk Mager entitled

mushrooms” and the diverse backgrounds

in the 1970s and remains there today,

disposal will enable them to do. They will

labels of Castle Lager today.

Of life in the area, Grobler writes that a

As for the Charles Glass legacy – his

name went onto the label of Castle Lager

interesting dimension, highlighted only

shanty town had sprung up “like

return to England, or what became of Lisa.

newspaper reported: “To those who, for

the South African Breweries was

founded. That’s the date that appears on

precious little of his life thereafter and his

he realised the gold boom was no

achievement on Heritage Day, in

history (again) this year. Its aim was to set a new world record for the greatest

number of people preparing and cooking the same meal, at events held

simultaneously at different venues set by a single organisation. Events were

co-ordinated around the country for this jumbo task.

The objected was achieved – as a new

record of 2 353 individuals (and Castle

Lager supporters) braaiing simultaneously, was set. Charles Glass is truly the name that has stood the test of time.

Entertainment

Scene setters

music

The multi-artist compilation discs that make up the NOW series are like extended mixed tapes of the 80’s and capture the musical mood of the time. Julia Andrade looks at the music, movies and books for this issue.

cd’s

Now 65 ‒ R129

Swings Both Ways ‒ Robbie Williams R129.00

NOW 65 is the ultimate heavyweight double-disc set, expressly designed to power

Swings Both Ways, Robbie Williams’

summer 2014, fuelled by 42 of the

second swing album (after 2001’s

world’s biggest hit singles. The 21 tracks per disc range from Katy Perry’s to P!nk, along with Lily Allen, defining what True Love is, while Imagine Dragons Demons confirms why their debut album, Night Visions, is one of the years finest releases. Add Mi Casa’s latest single Jika from J Something and what’s patently obvious is that there’s not one dud amongst the hits here.

Other artist include, Ellie Goulding, Bruno Mars, Bastille, Avicii, Lana Del Rey, Cedric Gervais, Robin Thick, John Newman, Selena Gomez, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The

Swing When You’re Winning), is more than just another opportunity to don a dapper black suit. With guests including Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Olly Murs, Lily Allen, and Rufus Wainwright, Williams stretches out on a mix of standards and originals. Among the standards are a predictably witty “I Wan’na Be Like You” with Murs, a warm and playful “Dream a Little Dream” with Allen, and in his best self-deprecating fashion, Robbie’s spin on the Wizard of Oz chestnut “If I Only Had a Brain.”

Parlotones (featuring Khuli Chana), Gangs of Ballets and Danny K to name but a few!

the PAPER

CORNER Mad About You ‒ Sinéad Moriarty, R240

to yet. But he has designed a very

messy when a shoot takes their team

detailed questionnaire to help him

to an isolated hell-hole in the middle

Emma and James Hamilton have weathered lots of storms in their 10 year marriage, but the pressure of

find the perfect woman. When Rosie

of the South African bush. Accidents

Jarman comes to his office, Don

happen and dark secrets are revealed...

moving from Dublin to London for

Project - and duly discounts her on

his new job puts them under stress like never before. So when James starts getting texts from a stranger ‒ texts that show startling insights into their lives ‒ Emma isn’t sure

the grounds that she smokes, drinks, doesn’t eat meat, and is incapable of punctuality. Sometimes, though, you don’t find love: love finds you...

Beautiful Ruins ‒ Jess Walter, R145 The story begins in 1962 on the sun-drenched Italian coastline. A young innkeeper views an apparition, a beautiful woman

Thirty Second World ‒ Emma van der Vliet, R180

approaching him on a boat. She is an

get a grip, but how can she do that when a stranger is set on driving her

Alison seems to have life sorted. But

Gloriously inventive, funny, tender

out of her home and her marriage?

her texts to her best friend Evie tell a

and constantly surprising, Beautiful

much less glamorous story. Beth is

Ruins is a novel full of fabulous and

The Rosie Project ‒ Graeme Simsion, R240

new to the ad industry and desperate

yet very flawed people, all of them

to impress. But the more she succeeds

striving towards another sort of life, a

Meet Don Tillman. Don is getting

at work, the more things seem to be

future that is both delightful and yet,

married. He just doesn’t know who

unravelling at home. Things get really

tantalizingly, seems just out of reach.

what to think. Somehow she has to

46

assumes it’s to apply for the Wife

American starlet and she is dying.

dvd’s

cd’s, dvd’s & books

The World’s End ‒ R116.89

Rush ‒ R146.31

friends reunite when one of them becomes hell bent on

1970s rivalry between Formula

trying the drinking marathon again. Theencore is fomented

One rivals James Hunt and Niki

by mate Gary King, a 40-year old man trapped at the

Lauda. Set against the sexy,

20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood

A re-creation of the merciless

cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to

glamorous golden age of

their home town and once again attempts to reach the

Formula 1 racing in the 1970s, the film is based

fabled pub, The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile

on the true story of a great sporting rivalry

the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the

between handsome English playboy James Hunt

future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s

(Chris Hemsworth), and his methodical, brilliant

End is the least of their worries. Due for release in February.

opponent, Austrian driver Niki Lauda (Daniel

NCIS Season 9 ‒ R348.31

Bruhl). The story follows their distinctly different personal styles on and off the track, their loves

The NCIS team is back in action with all 24 suspense-filled

and the astonishing 1976 season in which both

episodes of Season 9. Special Agent Jethro Gibbs (Mark

drivers were willing to risk everything to become

Harmon) continues to lead the team at the Naval Criminal

world champion in a sport with no margin for

Investigative Service as they investigate matters, including

error: if you make a mistake, you die. Expected

national security breaches, a secret society of superheroes,

release is February.

and brutal murders ‒ one of which drops them in the heart of Afghanistan and another which leads them to a long-lost agent. Co-starring Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen and David McCallum.

*cd’s and dvd’s available at kalahari.com

Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore ‒ Robin Sloan, R240

A Delicate Truth ‒ John le Carré, R255

JFK’s Last Hundred Days ‒ Thurston Clarke, R365

Clay Jannon has landed himself a new job

A counter-terror operation is being

This is a gripping account of the last

working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s

mounted in Britain’s most precious colony

months of JFK’s life that weaves together

24-Hour Bookstore. But Clay begins to

to capture a high-value jihadist arms-buyer.

his public and private life and addresses the

realize that this store is even more curious

Its authors are an ambitious Foreign Office

most tantalizing mystery of all ‒ not who

than the name suggests. There are only a

Minister and a private defence contractor.

killed him, but who he was when he was

few customers, they come in repeatedly

So delicate is the operation that even the

killed, and where he would have led his

but never buy anything, instead they

Minister’s private secretary, Toby Bell, is not

country and the world. The resulting

borrow impossibly obscure volumes. Clay

cleared for it. Suspecting a disastrous

portrait reveals the essence of this

finds that the store’s secrets extend further

conspiracy, Toby attempts to forestall it, but

charismatic man, his personal

outside the walls of the bookstore than he

is promptly posted overseas. Toby must

transformation and the emergence of a

could have imagined...

choose between his conscience and his

great president.

duty to the Service.

DISCLAIMER Please note that prices of all books, cds and dvds are recommended retail prices and are correct at the time of going to press. They are, however, subject to change at the discretion of suppliers, without any prior notice. All books featured here are distributed by Penguin Books SA. Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 47

Thingamajigs

1

2

3

5

4

Bayonet bulb Screw in bulb

Let there be light...

1, 2 & 3: 7w Golfball energy saver bulbs,

bayonet and edison screw fittings .

4 & 5: Reflector energy saver bulbs, 7w small edison and 20w regular screw in.

R.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

LIVING A OD T W.SPA

48 www.topsatspar.co.za

GO

Call the

23w bayonet andTOPS 23wHOTLINE edison screw in.

141 saver bulbs, 8, 9 & 10: 11, 15 and0860 20w313 energy bayonet caps.

11,12 & 13: 11, 15 and 20w energy saver edison screw bulbs.

14,15 & 16 7w candle energy saver bulbs in bayonet and edison screw in, small and regular.

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

WW

6 & 7: Spiral energy saver bulbs,

11 12 13

10

And let that light shine gently on the planet, as these SPAR Good Living items do. (Remember to recycle them too!)

SP AR

7

9

.ZA CO

6

8

14 15 16

useful items

21 EvaSolo Hanging bird feeder R550, 22 EvaSolo egg tea infuser R165.

Items available from Yuppichef.com

elbaliavA ta SPOT ta dna RAPS serots RAPS

22

21

eht llaC ENILTOH SPOT 141 313 0680

SEE CONTENTS PAGE FOR A FULL LIST OF STOCKISTS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS.

thinga

23 Brita Maerlla water ďŹ lter R350, 24 EvaSolo Orchid pot R745, 25 AlessiGianni glass jar R295, 26 Cereal & dry goods dispenser R495.

Items available from Yuppichef.com

23

24

26 25 Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 49

Recipe book

Fiendishly flavoured

The Johannesburg food scene would be so much poorer without Andrea Burgener’s contribution. Over the years she has given thousands of diners hours of pleasure with meals enjoyed at Super Bon Bon, Deluxe and nowadays at The Leopard. Lampedusa Pie is a self-penned WARP-SPEED recipe book which is RICOTTA GNOCCHI described as These are among the most glorious gnocchi “irresistibly quirky” by you’ll ever eat, but with the huge plus that not some but is a single potato need be peeled, cooked or nonetheless gaining mashed. From start to finish, they take about huge traction with 15 minutes. Only the sauce might hold things readers. Much of this up, but actually they don’t need (or want) can be attributed to anything complicated on them. Though they’re much lighter in texture than potato Fine Arts graduate gnocchi, the cheese makes them rich, so a Burgener’s personality starter-sized portion is more than enough. which shines but also because the recipes INGREDIENTS: detail her nostalgic 250 g fresh ricotta (The more expensive, very twist to a food fresh, soft ricotta may need draining in a kitchen cloth lining a colander for a day. If this obsession which has seems out of the question, reconcile yourself covered decades of to adding more flour.) exploring flavour. So 1 egg yolk expect to find African, ¼ to ½ tsp sea salt Italian, Sri Lankan 30g Parmesan or similar cheese, finely grated influenced recipes – 35 to 40g cake flour (plus extra flour – about ½ along with dishes a cup – for dredging, spread over a large plate) which were METHOD: household favourites Mix all the ingredients except for the dredging in the 60’s and 70’s. flour. Shape into small, roughly spherical balls, 50 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

about teaspoon-sized. They look more

appetizing if you can resist rolling them into factory uniformity, and are lighter if handled minimally. Roll them gently through the flour on the plate so that they are lightly but evenly coated. It’s best to roll and coat one ball first and boil it to make sure the ball is holding together. If it breaks up, mix in a little more flour. Bring to the boil a pot of water. Don’t skimp on the cooking water: the flour coating releases starch into the water and the dumplings will become gluey if the starch can’t dissipate. Cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, and remove one by one with a slotted spoon. Serve post-haste with a good sauce – Napolitano, sage and brown butter or crushed walnut, plenty of sea salt, herbs and olive oil. You will know what you prefer to pair them with once you’ve tasted them.

Makes 3 Portions

ALMOST ZIMBABWEAN CHICKEN IN PEANUT SAUCE

Chicken and peanut sauce is a combination you’ll find scattered over much of Africa, in dozens of different forms. I adore it. For the last 15 or so years, Kin Malebo in Yeoville has made the best chicken–peanut combination

Giveaway GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST

CAMPARI FLOAT

Available at TOPS at SPAR Evenand for people whose faces crinkle up at SPAR stores

the mention of Campari, who just can’t cope

imaginable, with smoked chicken, dende oil

with the bitterness ‒ and it’s understandable

and ground dried shrimp in the sauce, and

‒ this is an approachable Campari option. I

sticky fufu made from cassava on the side. It’s

guess you would serve this as an after-meal

pretty time-consuming to make this

thing ‒ a pudding really, rather than a

traditional Congolese dish well. Best bet is to

cocktail. It would be brilliant as the end to a

go eat the dish there, in which case ‒ if it’s in

hot-weather lunch or dinner where a solid

the evening, you should make an effort with

sweet course seems unnecessary, perhaps if

your attire or you’ll feel very shabby

the meal has been very heavy or filling. It’s

compared to the staggeringly glamorous

barely a recipe, more an idea and it’s not like

West African clientele, who pull out all the

it can ‘go wrong’, so check out the guideline

stops. For making at home, the following

and then play around as you wish.

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

slight adaptation of a traditional Zimbabwean chicken‒peanut combination is brilliant.

Mieliepap is by far the best accompaniment, though jasmine rice is pretty good too.

1 free-range chicken, jointed, or equivalent chicken pieces 2Tblsp vegetable oil 2 onions, thinly sliced (shallots are often used instead)

Stand a chance of receiving one of two copies of ‘Lampedusa Pie’, published by Book Storm

3 large tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped 1 litre water 1 cup finely ground roasted peanuts, or 3 chillies, finely chopped

To qualify, send in a postcard or e-mail 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 random draw. Entry deadline is Friday, 14th February 2014.

The address to send it to is cheers@cheersmag.co.za or Cheers P.O. Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701.

win

INGREDIENTS:

peanut butter

enter now!

INGREDIENTS:

Salt to taste

Old-fashioned glass or medium-sized

METHOD:

1 tot Campari

Brown the chicken in the oil on all sides, then

Soda water or lemonade to about halfway

remove from the pot. Sauté the onions till

up the glass (depending on how bitter or

transparent, then add the tomato, water,

sweet you want it)

peanut paste (or peanut butter) and chillies.

Huge scoop vanilla ice cream

SEE T&C’S ON PG 2

tumbler (you don’t want the drink too big)

Return the chicken to the pot (the peanut paste may seem lumpy at first, but will

METHOD:

amalgamate with the sauce after some

Pour in the Campari, then the soda or

cooking). Simmer on a low heat until the

lemonade. Carefully place ice cream on

chicken is tender. If the sauce is still very

top seconds before serving. In fact, it may

watery, take the heat up a bit and carry on

be best to put all the ingredients out and

cooking, while stirring, making sure to work

let everyone assemble their own floats, so

around the pot edges (peanuts burn easily).

they’re at the ready to lap up the foaming

Once the sauce is slightly thickened ‒ still loose

mass that rears up after a few seconds. I

but not watery ‒ add salt to taste, and serve.

suppose drinking this outdoors might be

Serves 4 - 6

advisable. Serves 1

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

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 51

TOPS Nosh Silwood Kitchen

Platters

of plenty

There’s such a sense of abundance seeing platters of food arranged on a table. It speaks of bounty and generosity, reminiscent of feasts of a bygone era. And the good thing is that they needn’t take a lot of effort to prepare ‒ and it can be done in advance of your guests’ arrival, leaving you time to sit down and socialise. And when the spread is revealed, the oohs and aahs are worth it! Julia Andrade snapped the pics.

HOMEMADE MARINATED OLIVES Prepare this well in advance of any planned event as the olives need time to be infused with all the flavours. Double or even triple up the recipe and keep a few jars on standby for those impromptu sundowners or patio braais.

Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS: 250g good quality Calamata olives 2 bulbs garlic, halved 5 sprigs rosemary 1 bay leaf 3 red chillis, halved 1 lime, cut into quarters Extra virgin olive oil Garnish with freshly ground black pepper

METHOD: Place the olives in a jar with an airtight lid.

Add the garlic, herbs, chilli and lime and cover the mixture in extra virgin olive oil. Seal and leave to marinade for at least two weeks.

Serve as snack, topped with black pepper.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 53

TOPS Nosh

SMOKED TOMATO ARONCINI INGREDIENTS: (for the smoked tomato sauce) 15 rosa tomatoes 1 clove garlic crushed ½ onion, finely chopped 50ml white wine 15ml white wine vinegar 8ml tomato paste 15ml basil sugar Seasoning 50g smoking chips

INGREDIENTS: (for the risotto) 80ml chopped onion 1 clove garlic, crushed oil 200g Arborio rice 50ml white wine/Verjuice 500ml chicken stock 35g butter 45g Parmesan cheese 100g mozzarella cheese, cut into 5g cubes

BATTER:

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Smoked Tomato Aroncini

100g cake flour 5 eggs, whisked together 150g breadcrumbs Canola oil for frying

METHOD: To make the smoked tomato sauce, score tomatoes and place in a smoker with smoking chips and smoke for 15 minutes.

Sauté the garlic and onion until soft with no

Call the GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ TOPS HOTLINE ON PG71 FOR YOUR 0860 313 141

FULL GROCERY LIST

colour. Add tomato paste and sauté for a further two to three minutes.

Deglaze the pan with white wine and white wine vinegar. Add the smoked

...

tomatoes, simmer until all the juice has

54 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

...

evaporated and the sauce is the right consistency. Blend the sauce with herbs, sugar and seasoning.

For the risotto, sweat the

Silwood Kitchen

Charred peppers with rock salt and goat’s cheese

Serves: 10

onions in 10ml olive oil.

When almost soft, add garlic and continue cooking until soft but not coloured. Add rice, turn up the heat, and stir until rice is translucent. Add Verjuice or wine and allow to just evaporate. Add the stock and a pinch of salt; bring to the boil, cover and bake at 180̊C for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, add the smoked tomato sauce. Add the butter and parmesan and stir well.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Spread the mixture out on a baking tray, cover and

INGREDIENTS:

GARNISH:

place in the fridge to cool.

12 green pimiento peppers, halved

200g semi-hard goat’s cheese

Once the risotto is cool, hand

8 red pimiento peppers, halved

30ml extra virgin olive oil

roll into golf-sized balls,

20ml olive oil

securing a cube of cheese in

50g Maldon salt

the middle of the ball.

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the flour, whisked eggs and breadcrumbs in

METHOD:

three separate bowls. Dip

Heat up a griddle pan. Cut the peppers in half and remove

the risotto balls into each

the seeds. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil.

one starting with the cake

Place the peppers in the pan. (This can also be done over a

flour, moving on to the eggs

gas flame.) Keep on turning the peppers to ensure even

and then, lastly, the

colour and cook until soft.

breadcrumbs.

Heat up the canola oil in a heavy-based, deep pot so

Arrange on a platter, and scatter with lots of salt. Add a little bit of freshly ground black pepper. Slice the cheese into shards. Top with the cheese and drizzle with the olive oil.

that the oil is 5cm deep.

Once the oil is hot (check by putting a small square of bread into it ‒ it should turn golden brown quite quickly), gently drop the balls into the oil and deep-fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil, using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Stack on a platter, garnish and serve.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 55

TOPS Nosh

Asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS: 400g fresh asparagus spears 300g Serrano ham, cut into thin strips Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon Maldon salt, to taste Garnish with 20g micro herbs

METHOD: Place a large pot of salted water over high heat to bring up to the boil. While waiting, trim the base of the spears o at an angle. Once the water is rapidly boiling, blanch the asparagus for one minute and refresh in ice water.

Bunch two asparagus spears together and wrap a strip of Serrano ham around the base. Place on a platter and drizzle with the olive oil & lemon juice. Sprinkle with Maldon salt.

Garnish with micro herbs and serve.

marcelle

These delicious recipes were prepared and cooked by chef Marcelle van Rooyen, a second year student at the Silwood Kitchen in Cape Town. www.silwood.co.za

56 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Blogspot

Happy daze

anél

Childhood holidays with their memories of long, sunny days at the seaside provided the inspiration for this issue’s recipes from 2013 Eat Out Food Blogger of the year, Anél Potgieter.

M

y dad was the station master

at Wepener in the Free State for many years. One of the

perks of his job was that the SA Railways

would give its employees and their families a free rail ticket once a year. So every year,

my mom, dad, three brothers and I would take the train down to Durbs for our

summer school holidays. It was always an adventure because Durban was such fun!

The sun always shone, the water was warm and the beaches and sand were the best.

We sang on the stage at South Beach,

Fresh Salmon Salad

Apart from the salmon and the avocado, all the ingredients for the salad came out of my

trying our best to win prizes, we built

garden. Instead of placing the salmon on top of the salad as it’s usually served, I decided it

sandcastles with my dad and there were the

would be more fun to put the salmon beneath the salad ‒ and I think it looks amazing! It’s

kids – but we made wonderful memories

own discretion and mood or hunger.

inevitable fights and squabbles amongst us

up to you to decide the quantities of salad ingredients you use as this is best left to your I also like my salmon somewhat rare, so I prepared it that way, but what really adds to

during those summers of our youth.

the enjoyment of the dish is the delicious lime and soya dressing.

For the short few days we spent there

Serves: 2 Cooking and preparation time: 30 minutes

we lived on ice cream and sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

during the day, but at night when we were

2 x 200g fresh salmon steaks

all tired and sunburnt and had had a long

1Tblsp Olive oil

soak in a soothing bath, my mom made us fresh fish and salad for supper. The fresh

Avocado ‒ sliced into small blocks Baby tomatoes ‒ halved and then in three Cucumber ‒ cut into ribbons (I use a potato

salmon salad I make nowadays is an ode

peeler for this)

to those happy memories of

Spring onions ‒ finely sliced

summers past – and to my folks

Radishes ‒ sliced thinly

for affording us those once a

Fresh coriander

year seaside adventures.

Chillies Salt and pepper for seasoning Salad dressing

As addictions go,

METHOD 1. Fry your salmon for three minutes with the skin side down ‒ don’t turn it around and don’t season at this stage and let it stand to rest. The intention is to serve it lukewarm, not piping hot.

2. Chop all your salad ingredients and make your dressing by mixing everything together.

3. Now simply place this beautiful piece of fish on a plate. Place the salad on top and put the dressing

zoo biscuits are not the

50ml soya sauce

worst in the world. Food

Juice of one small lime

4. I don’t add any salt, and leave it

sesame oil

to guests to decide how much salt

2tsp grated ginger

they prefer because the dressing is

blogger Anél Potgieter admits they gave her life meaning and purpose.

Train tr

BLOG: lifeisazoobiscuit.com TWITTER: @anelp 58 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

ip to Du

rban

1tsp fish sauce 1Tblsp fresh coriander ‒ chopped 1/2tsp chilli flakes

on the side.

quite salty, courtesy of the soya and fish sauces.

lifeisazoobiscuit

Watermelon sandwich I’d been toying with this tomato, watermelon combination for much of the year but just never got my head wrapped around it. I read that Chef Gabriel Kreuther from the Modern in New York combined the two and the flavours were superb.

Eventually I collected my wits and assembled the following dish. This is not a recipe per sé, it’s just a variety of ingredients which you can decide to use ‒ and how much. It’s my watermelon sandwich. The sweet and the savoury elements of this summery ensemble are just too divine. The pine nuts and mint chips in with extra taste and texture. I think it’s perfect, fresh and interesting.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Watermelon, thinly sliced

1. Place a slice of watermelon as

Ina Paarman’s sundried tomatoes,

the base of your dish.

chopped (not too fine though...)

2. Liberally add the ingredients

Strawberries, thinly sliced

or flavours of your choice.

Feta cheese, sliced or crumbled

3. Top off your sandwich with

Pine nuts, toasted

pine nuts and mint leaves...

Mint leaves, chopped

and that’s it. Easy peasy!

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Call the GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ TOPS HOTLINE ON PG71 FOR YOUR 0860 313 141

FULL GROCERY LIST

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 59

Tuis nywerheid

GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST

Vakansie en vis Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

Daar’s ’n engelse gesegte: “get the basics right”. Doen dit en alles sal daarvan af seepglad verloop. Indien nie? Miskien weet julle die storie al klaar!

KLASSIEKE KONINGSKOS

oopgeflap is. Nou haal jy al die binnegoed Available at TOPS at SPAR and uit en skrop die binnekant mooi skoon. Die SPAR stores vleis hoort ferm te wees en skoon te ruik.

DIE VUUR Daar is een of ander teorie dat mens minstens ’n M.Sc-graad in Vlamwese benodig om kole voor te berei wat reg is vir visbraai. Nog ’n teorie lui dat vis baie hóóg en baie lank gebraai moet word omdat die vleis so delikáát is.

Nonsens in albei gevalle.

Jy maak goeie hittige kole van hout en jy

OOR DIE KOLE

braai vis teen dieselfde tempo as wat jy

Die vis wat jy gaan braai is heel ‒ tussen

rooivleis braai. Visse is nie sissies nie,

1,5kg en 4kg. Ons praat van snoek,

magtag!

geelstert, witsteenbras en geelbek.

Rooisteenbras, kabeljou, rooi stompkop,

DIE BEDRUPSOUS

rooi roman. En verder oos, katonkel en

Veral hier langs die see, is die lys van

omertyd, en hier langs die kus

gespikkelde katonkel. Kabeljou raak

moontlike bedrupsous langer as dié van

deesdae ’n bietjie skaarserig; ek sien dit is

Nataniël se gesigsrome (oggendroetiene).

oraloor Suider-Afrika gaan

nou op SASSI (SA Sustainable Seafood

Soos my kosfilosofie lui: maak net soos dit

Initiative) se oranje lys wat bedoel dat dit

vir jou lekker is. My persoonlike bedrupsous

en onvergeetlike ervarings op te doen.

bietjie onder drang is.

is een derde wit wyn, droog. Een derde

Maar voor jy die boeke wil bestudeer en

die wêreld, so gaan mal.

probeer – soos geposjeerde haringknaters

S

maak ons reg vir die inval. Van

besoekers instroom om die see te geniet Daar is boeke oor seekos geskryf.

allerhande gesofistikeerde truuks wil

Suid-Afrika het van die geurigste visse in Jy het ongeveer 300g vis per persoon

kookolie. Een derde olyfolie. Die sap van twee lemoene. Hierdie resep is gegrond op die smeersel wat Johann Krige van die

nodig, wat ook seker ’n rol gaan speel in die

wynlandgoed Kanonkop ‒ die beste

met ’n suurlemoengrasousie voorberei –

grootte van die vis wat jy nadersleep.

visbraaier wat ek ken ‒ inspan.

vis ordentlik.

VOORBEREIDING

kry eers ’n paar basiese goed reg. Braai ’n

Die eerste stap is om die vis se skubbe af te krap met ’n mes. Iemand het nou die dag vertel van ’n maal by ’n deftige restaurant waar haar vis nog skubbe op gehad het!

emile

Maar die Kaapse plaaslike gunsteling, die snoek, is ’n uitsondering ‒ sy skubbe word afgegooi wanneer hy gevang word.

Vir die braaislag waarvan ek praat wil jy die vis oopvlek langs die ruggraat en nie Writer and PR guy Emile Joubert was a finalist in the Men’s Health Braai King competition, uniquely qualifying him for this column.

60 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

van die pens se kant nie ‒ dis vir iets anders. Sny van die stert langs die vis se ruggraat af tot by die kop. Sny daar skuins af na die vis se ken sodat die hele lyf

Emile Joubert DIE BRAAISLAG

terwyl kabeljou en geelbek tot 18-20 minute

gly jou plaat of bord oor die velkant van die

Sny drie kepe in elk van die vis se twee

kan duur. Dit hang egter van die vis se dikte af.

vis. Neem altwee die rooster se handvatsels, druk teen mekaar en draai die

velkante. Die kepe gaan die geur van jou bedrupsous in die vleis laat intrek en sorg

BEDIENING

vis om. En kyk net daar: vis is op die bord,

dat die vis eweredig gaarbraai aangesien die

Wanneer die vis reg is, swaai die rooster om

reg vir bediening. Haal die bord uit en sit

stertkant dunner is as die middelste deel.

sodat die vleiskant na onder is. Neem die

jou vis voor met skywe suurlemoen,

Smeer die velkant en die vleiskant met jou

plaat of bord waarop jy die vis gaan bedien,

gekookte aartappel en slaai.

bedrupsous. Dit gee geur, maar help ook om

lig die boonste helfte van die rooster op en

te verhoed dat die vis aan die rooster vassit.

En hoe’s daai?

Vis wat vasbrand en in stukke wegval wanneer die rooster oopgemaak word, is rampspoedig, embarrasserend en kan lei tot sielkundige afwykings vir die braaier.

Sit die vis in die rooster. Ek maak nie die rooster se klap vas nie, die rede waarvoor sal later duidelik raak.

Plaas nou die vleiskant van jou vis oor die vuur. Afhangende van jou kole, hoort die rooster nie hoër as 30cm bo die kole te wees nie. Dit moet siss en drup en braai. Dít is wat hierdie ’n braaigereg maak.

Ná twee minute draai jy jou vis sodat die velkant op die hitte is. Bedrup die vleiskant, wat nou wit en selfs bruingebrand by plekke kan wees. Ek draai my vis elke twee minute om en bedrup laat dit klap.

Belangrik: visbraaiery moet bestuur word.

Met ander woorde, oë op die kole en die vis, gespits vir die geringste indikasie wat tot ’n moontlike ramp kan lei. Aangesien jou rooster se klap los is, kan jy die handvatsel gedurig op en af lig om te verseker dat die vis nie aan die rooster vasbrand nie.

Jou vis is net mooi gaar wanneer jy met ’n vurk die vleis van die ruggraat wegtrek.

Nie ’n oomblik later nie.

Genoemde Johann Krige braai ’n snoek in ses minute. Geelstert maak ek so 12 tot 14,

Green - Best Choice, Orange - think Twice, Red - DON’T BUY Text the name of the fish to the number 079-499-8795 to get an immediate response telling you whether to tuck in, think twice or avoid completely. For more information about SASSI, you can visit the SASSI website at www.wwfsassi.org.za. Or email SASSI at sassi@wwf.org.za.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10 www.topsatspar.co.za

61

Leisure pursuit

LY WILDF

rod & reel

Slippery silver scaly aquatic creatures exert a near hypnotic hold over millions of men and women.

Pollard Kype looks at the sport of fishing.

WILDFLY

on caught Trout w o b . e more ent Rain ee onc agnific swim fr ith a m w to r d e ta lo as Greg S en rele - and th camera

It’s catching...

E

Gareth ta

ming the

very sport has a fan base that

the title rights for South Africa’s premier

game with a beverage or two. In

Trophy Challenge’ and now plays the

celebrates or commiserates the

fact without a relaxing drink, the debate

that inevitably ensues from any match of consequence would fail to animate let alone entertain.

Inhibitions are after all, alcohol’s

hostage. Yet how many sports do you know where one can actually enjoy a

bevvie whilst on the field of play? And in

fishing competition ‘The Corporate

by the fishing bug and they will bear

leading role in Supersport’s top ranking

can be!

TV shows ‘Inside Angling’ and ‘The

that drives South African’s in their

fishtube.tv they have taken ownership of this immensely popular sport.

The Roam Free conservation initiative

future of recreational fishing in South

with an estimated 2.48 million

recreational anglers, according to latest Stellenbosch University research.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the

catch and release angling to protect the Africa. This is all being driven by the

passionate about their fishing as they are about socializing, the two activities certainly complement each other.

Hence, TOPS at SPAR have secured

62 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

smiles fondly, you too can land that trophy specimen.

Yet, I believe that the real attraction to

sport around the country.

Not that this sport needs any help in

what you might catch, spending the day reason enough.

confess, the pursuit of fish is extremely disease with no known cure.

Although it is a sport that you can enjoy on your own, it’s certainly

more of a team event, as the point isn’t necessarily to outsmart the

fish as it is to out fish your fishing buddies.

Speak to the partner of any

individual who has been bitten

LY

TOPS at SPAR customers are as

sport is without question, but if lady luck

WILDF

And knowing that a good deal of the

ability? Skill at the top echelon of this

with friends in particularly good cheer is

contagious, some might even say it’s a

pervasive fishing is in our country.

participate, regardless of age or athletic

engaging anglers from every facet of the

sport. But when you consider the number every weekend, you start to realize how

droves to water? Is it that anyone can

this gregarious sport is that regardless of

innovative smart phone application,

going viral. As any angler will readily

of actual fishing competitions contested

from the primal urge to hunt what is it

platform www.fishtube.tv and its

rabid angling community, you might argue that it is more of a pastime than a real

This obsession with whatever swims

fishing conservation initiative with

primary supporters of the ‘Roam Free’

sportsmen and women?

Africa in terms of active participation,

witness to how chronic these symptoms

beneath is hard to rationalize, so, aside

is all about promoting the practice of

Fishing is the largest sport in South

r on a fly.

WildFly Fishing Series’. In addition, as

what other outdoor sporting realm is the entire fan base the participating

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Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

Leisure

Wave fixation Surfers have a different language ‒ from describing waves to commenting on one another. But it’s a sport and leisure pursuit that is synonymous with South Africa’s long coastline and which is growing in popularity year on year. Seamus Allardice drops in on the wave riding phenomenon.

ux

Vie e L e u atriq

P

PHOTO

N HILL

BY RYA

Brad Beck

PHOTO BY

64 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

SEAMUS AL

LARDICE

HILL

PHOTO BY RYAN

Kyle Caban o

surfing accounts by Captain James King who,

generally ridden lying down, much like the

completed Captain Cook’s account of the

ridden standing up and could be up to 12

upon returning to England in 1780,

voyages of the HMS Resolution and the

HMS Discovery. King devoted two pages to the strange activity the English sailors witnessed in Hawaii, describing it as

follows (pardon the Georgian English): The Men sometimes 20 or 30 go

without the Swell of the Surf, and lay themselves flat upon an oval piece of

plank about their Size and breadth, they keep their legs close on top of it, and

their Arms are us’d to guide the plank,

thye wait the time of the greatest Swell that sets on Shore, and altogether push forward with their Arms to keep on its top, it sends them in with a most

astonishing Velocity, and the great art is

to guide the plank so as always to keep it in a proper direction on the top of the Swell, and as it alters its direct. If the

Swell drives him close to the rocks before he is overtaken by its break, he is much prais’d. On first seeing this very

dangerous diversion I did not conceive it

suggests that surfing was already centuries

volleyball, the best thing to do at the

plank, & dive under till the Surf is broke, when the piece of plank is sent many

yards by the force of the Surf from the beach. (www.surfingforlife.com)

The oral histories of the Hawaiian

beach is surf. There’s no beach activity to

people at the time of Cook’s arrival

illegitimate offspring: kite surfing and

old by then and, like most other aspects of

stand up paddle boarding…

With that gibe out of the way here’s

why surfing is the sport of kings –

Hawaiian kings to be exact. Surfing was first described in European written

which was kapu for commoners.

Skipping rapidly past the nasty bit in

surfing history where Christian

missionaries banned surfing in the

islands because of its strong cultural ties to the Hawaiian pagan religion, today

surfing is a multi-million dollar global sport and industry. But Hawaii has

always remained the sport’s spiritual

home. And the spiritual home of surfing is the stretch of Oahu’s coastline, from

Waimea Bay to Sunset beach, known to

devotees simply as the North Shore. The roughly six kilometre stretch is where

surf progression truly began and to this day plays host to the final event of the

professional surfing world tour calendar, the annual Billabong Pipe Masters held at the iconic Banzai Pipeline.

Back to the history; arguably its

three Olympic gold medals in the pool in

match surfing, especially not its

beaches. While some prefer to

crafted from Wili-Wili or Hawaiian Balsa,

rocks, but jus before they reach the shore,

S

work on their tan or play beach bats or

meanwhile, rode standing on olo – expertly

modern father is the Hawaiian waterman

if they are very near, they quit their

flee the hinterland and trek to the

feet in length. The ali’i, or royalty

possible but that some of them must be dashed to mummy against the sharp

ummer is when South Africans

modern body board, while the alaia was

Hawaiian life, was governed by a code of

Duke Kahanamoku. Kahanamoku won the 1912 and 1920 Games, and as an

ambassador for swimming travelled the

globe giving demonstrations – which just happened to include surfing. The

introduction of keel fins to the giant

balsa wood boards during the Second

World War revolutionised the sport, as did the introduction of fibreglass as a board building material.

With lighter, stronger and more

kapu, or taboos to you and me. The kapu

controllable boards surfers kept pushing the

surf, confining them to paipo and alaia

Noll, Miki Dora and George Downing

dictated what and where commoners could boards. The paipo boards were short and

boundaries of wave riding. In the 50’s Greg pioneered the big wave scene, riding Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 65

LLA MUS A

BY SEA O T O H P

ava H h a r Sa

rd

RDICE

Leisure

Surf Spot Guide: GREAT PLACES TO LEARN: Muizenberg ‒ False Bay Big Bay ‒ Tableview King’s Beach ‒ Port Elizabeth Addington Beach ‒ Durban

SPOTS TO WATCH THE PROS: Super Tubes ‒ Jeffries Bay New Pier ‒ Durban

massive waves in Waimea Bay.

too, turning John Whitmore and

lifestyle took root in the growing counter

synonymous with South African surfing.

Simultaneously, in California, the surf rebel establishment movement which followed the economic downturn of the post war

years. Malibu, just north of Los Angeles

quickly became the hub of the American surf scene, with the traditional shaped

longboard still being referred to as a mal

and the shorter easier to handle version is consequently dubbed a mini-mal.

THE MOVIES

Hollywood soon latched onto the surf scene and in 1959 Columbia Pictures

released the movie Gidget. Though the

rebel culture still irked the parents of 60’s teens, further box office hits like Bruce

Brown’s Endless Summer in 1966 and the musical success of the Beach Boy’s 1963 album Surfin’ U.S.A. continued to

popularise the sport. In South Africa

Endless Summer had a significant effect 66 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

Kommetjie’s Long Beach into names

But the highlight of the movie was the

discovery of Bruce’s Beauties in St. Francis Bay, which put South African surfing on the global map and set the stage for the

Dungeons ‒ Hout Bay Elands point ‒ Elands Bay

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW Surf Forecasts: www.wavescape.co.za Surfing Stories: www.zigzag.co.za Surfing Videos: www.dailysurfvideos.com

Gunston 500 and Shaun Tomson.

his Australian counterparts, Rabbit

rebranded the Mr Price Pro and moved

Cairns, Peter Townend and Mark

The Gunston 500, before it was

to Ballito, was the longest running surfing competition in the world. It started in

1969 with a R500 cash prize going to the

winner Gavin Rudolph who was 16 at the time. Initially named the Durban 500,

Gunston took over the naming rights in 1971 and in 1973 the Gunston 500

Bartholomew, Mark Richards, Ian

Warren, made the annual pilgrimage to the North Shore in the early 70’s and

began to push the boundaries of surfing.

Their barrel riding skills allowed them to ride deeper inside the hollow cavern of the breaking waves.

Created by the open ocean swells

introduced South African surfing to a

being rapidly forced upward by the

Tomson. Tomson would go on to win the

relatively deep water, getting into the

precociously talented local, young Shaun Gunston on six consecutive occasions

along with the 1977 world title, on the

fledgling professional tour. Tomson and

impact with shallow reefs rising out of barrel or tube is still the ultimate goal of a surfer on any wave of consequence. As the wave breaks it pitches forward,

surfing

Scott Lefevere PHOTO BY SE

AMUS ALLARD

ICE

her first year on the elite tour in eighth position – with a third place in Rio de

Salie h s o J & s le a ogan E

L

RDICE

AMUS ALLA

PHOTO BY SE

Janeiro, Brazil, her best result of the

year. 2014 could be a big year for South

African pro surfing with both Buitendag and Smith looking to challenge for World Titles.

throwing the lip across into the trough

SURFER GIRLS

water behind which the surfer tries to

making waves though. For years,

On a less competitive front, the surf

Heather Clark carried the flag,

old negative stereotypes. You can now

ahead of the wave, forming a curtain of

It’s not just the South African guys

FEELING IT

ride. It was Tomson’s ability to pump

KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast lass

lifestyle has by-and-large outgrown the

and weave inside the barrel which

allowed him to take off deeper and later,

where the wave was at its heaviest which soon – and still – set him apart.

Tomson remains the only South African

to have won a world title in the premier division, though current world tour

campaigner, Jordy Smith, has been long

touted as a World Champion in waiting.

The only hurdle Smith faces is waiting for the evergreen 41-year-old Kelly Slater to

call it a day. Slater is the most recognisable

competing on the world tour from 1999 to 2006 against the perennial ladies

champ of the early naughties, Australian Layne Beachley. Clark was followed by

onto the World Championship Tour by East London local Rosanne Hodge.

Hodge has forged a role for herself as a commentator in recent years and the search for a South African World Champion continues.

The rising star of the current crop of

safely list surfing on your curriculum vitae without facing employment

ostracism. And once you’ve experienced the unbridled joy of having the ocean’s power literally at your feet, it’s easy to

understand why people become lifelong

devotees. Nothing matches the feeling of being carried along at improbable speed by the face of a breaking wave, the

exhilaration of avoiding the crashing lip and pushing your limits or just cruising for fun.

action sports star in the world and boasts

young pros is Victoria Bay local, Bianca

both the youngest and oldest World

crazy family. The lanky 20-year-old won

is absolute. Many a surfer will happily

Surfing Championships, qualified for the

greater financial reward, choosing

11 world titles! In the process he’s become Champions – appeared in Baywatch,

performed live with Pearl Jam, and won

three Laureus World Sports Awards in the Action Sport category.

Buitendag. Buitendag comes from a surf the 2011 Billabong ASP World Junior

World Championship Tour at the first

time of competing in 2012 and finished

Once hooked, the lure of the blue curl

forego career moves inland despite

instead to live near the sea and surf: evidence enough of surfing’s allure.

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 67

Responsibility

to see when the next train is due, what

growing groundswell of mobile phone

are, restaurant recommendations by

responsible drinking behaviour is being

the shortest route between two points

Phone a friend There are thousands of mobile phone applications ‒ but TOPS at SPAR’s free offering promotes responsible behaviour.

Fiona McDonald reports.

T

ravelling abroad in a city like London or New York can be quite disconcerting. Making

eye contact with another person is almost impossible because, almost without fail, fellow commuters’

attention is on a handheld mobile

device. Catching the tube or metro is a fascinating exercise in observing social connectivity and how dependent

people in those cities are on their mobile phones.

And it all comes down to apps – apps

68 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

friends, keeping abreast of the news or

watching TV and listening to the radio.

Savvy travellers don’t even print out

use – and believes that its promotion of well received by a younger,

technologically astute market.

The intention of the country’s largest

boarding passes when flying; they just

liquor chain is to be the pioneer brand

barcode scanners at the entrance gates!

safely after a night or day out in which

wave their smart phones over the

Cell phone usage in Africa, and in

South Africa, is high. The latest statistics available indicate that

mobile penetration in South Africa

offering real solutions to getting home alcohol has played a part. Extensive research was undertaken before the project was rolled out.

currently stands at 128%. The number

CONSEQUENCES

nation’s population! A recent report

very aware that drinking and driving is

of active SIM cards outstrips the

Research showed that young adults are

carried in TheMediaOnline stated

wrong, they understand the

that “the mass market is a key

consumer of mobile technology,

mobile content and mobile media.”

Furthermore, the report stated that

“inMobi 2013 stats show the average South African mobile web user

consequences and don’t need shock

tactics to modify their behaviour. What

they require is a solution that gels neatly with their lifestyle, existing social networks and habits.

Barriers to more responsible behaviour

consumes 6.2 hours of media daily and

include the fact that taxis in the country’s

this time, which is equal to 114 minutes

while in other towns are virtually

they use their mobile devices for 30% of per day. One thing is clear, for those

who access the web via their handsets, mobile is the preferred device for communication, entertainment, searching, and even shopping.”

TOPS at SPAR has tapped into the

major metropolitan areas are expensive non-existent and public transport

remains problematic – especially at night and over weekends when people want to go out and socialise at clubs, for

example. Amongst this young target

market the use of designated drivers is

Dryver.mobi

already high and friends rely on each

other to take turns providing the service.

So how to harness this pre-existing

behaviour? TOPS at SPAR initiated the Dryver mobile app. It’s a simple concept

which formalises the social concepts that young people already display regarding

drinking and driving. Download the free app to a smart phone, ensure your

buttons – reply and call.

Should that request not be successful,

the Dryver app also provides for a

default position, providing a list of local taxi firms in the vicinity. A reference number is provided for the drinking

party to quote and in some cases there

are even discounts on the taxi fare home.

It’s a relatively simple concept but

network of friends and contacts are

TOPS at SPAR have thrown their

to join and you’re all good to go.

it extensively on radio and in print. A

aware of your participation and willing Before or during a night out, you set

your status on the app as either

drinking (a little red martini glass icon) or dryving (a green steering wheel) – and your social network or group of friends know what they’re in for. If

they’re the dryver, they can expect a call from you to fetch them and get them

home safely – but the chances are that they’re with you and abstaining!

HELP!

Hit the ‘Rescue me’ button and a text is sent to your network of friends. The

message reads something like: “Hi Dave, Rachel needs a Dryver tonight. Be a mate and help her get home safely

tonight. Rachel’s location: Billy the

Bums, Windermere Road, Morningside, Durban.” There are also two option

weight behind promoting it, advertising 5FM radio campaign was tied in to a

game on the TOPS at SPAR facebook page, and offered a great prize –

the new Apple iPhone 5 – to “get

Leanne Mol home safely”. And what radio listeners are not aware of the Robert de Hero advert?

That campaign smartly tied in with the

well-established TOPS at SPAR

Drinktionary campaign of utilising fun

words. Here’s the script for the radio ad:

“Today’s TOPS Drinktionary word is: Robert De Hero.’

A heroic friend who comes to your rescue by getting you home safely.”

“After a couple of cold ones, we could all use a Robert De Hero. So be responsible and download DRYVER ‒ a free mobile app for all you party hoppers and lift swoppers out there.”

“Connect with your crew to score a ride home or help a mate who is over the limit.

Join the safe party revolution today, visit D-R-Y-V-E-R.mobi “ DRYVER. The social network that gets you home safely. A responsible drinking initiative by TOPS at SPAR.” As simple as that: enough said!

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 69

what to look out for next issue Graça ‒ the story of the laughing, singing, dancing, sharing wine Kalahari comfort ‒ wine from the Northern Cape’s Orange River Tap dancing: looking at pulling pints of beer on tap brought to you by

www.topsatspar.co.za

Congratulations to last issue’s winners THE WINNERS OF THE BELL’S® WHISKY SUMMER HAMPER ARE:

ABUNDANCE BOOK WINNERS:

1. Donneè Couchman ‒ (Camperdown) & 2. Lorna Chaplin - (Mount Edgecombe) 70 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

1. Vanessa Reade (Durban) 2. Rosemary Walker - (Amamzintoti) 3. Kumaren Naidoo ‒ (Chatsworth) 4. Gordon Mitchell ‒ (Umtentweni) 5. Tim Goodricke - (Pietermaritzburg) 6. P. Naicker ‒ (Port Shepstone)

enjoy your spoils!

Call the TOPS HOTLINE 0860 313 141

Grocery list TOPS at SPAR

Available at TOPS at SPAR and SPAR stores

Your complete list of ingredients for all the recipes in this issue.

Groceries

Available from TOPS at SPAR Liquor

120g of raspberries

1 carton of orange juice

10 lemons

1 carton of cranberry juice

4 limes

Baking/Dry goods

2 bottles of dry white wine

4 kiwis

15ml Campari

1½ watermelons

750ml Gin

3 peaches

3 x 750 ml bottles vodka

3 guavas

1 x 750 ml bottle vermouth

1 avocado

50 ml Sedgwick’s Old Brown Sherry

2 cucumbers

2 dashes of bitters

3 large tomatoes

1l Soda water or lemonade

6 eggs

2 punnets of rosa tomatoes

35g butter

12 green pimiento peppers

1 tub vanilla ice cream

8 red pimiento peppers

250g fresh ricotta

400g fresh asparagus spears

200g semi-hard goat’s cheese

4 onions

100g Parmesan cheese

Available from SPAR Dried Spices/Herbs/Stock 1 bay leaf 1 box of chicken stock cubes 1 sachet tomato paste

Cans/Jars/Bottles/Cartons

1 packet sundried tomatoes

50ml white wine/Verjuice

1/2tsp chilli flakes

1 packet Pine nuts

150g breadcrumbs 150g cake flour 200g Arborio rice 250g white sugar

Dairy

100g mozzarella cheese 1 small tub of feta cheese

Meat/Fish/Poultry

1 cup peanuts, or peanut butter

1,5kg to 4kg fresh fish (Green SASSI listed)

1 bottle cooking oil

400g fresh salmon steaks

20g micro herbs

1 bottle Olive Oil

300g Serrano ham

1 bunch of thyme

250g Calamata olives

1 free-range chicken

2 packets mint leaves

15ml white wine vinegar

4 bulbs garlic, halved

1tsp fish sauce

1 bunch of rosemary

1 bottle of sesame oil

3 bunches of basil

50ml soya sauce

1 stick of ginger

30ml rose water

1 bunch of radishes

300g pineapple chunks in syrup

1 bunch of fresh coriander

1 carton of litchi juice

8 chillies

1 carton of apple juice

Fresh Fruit/Veg/Herbs/Spices

Other 50g smoking chips

1 punnet of strawberries

All ‘in the basket’ items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets. See www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

www.topsatspar.co.za 71

Loopdop

’n Fickse tjokkertjie

Gerrit Rautenbach

gerrit

As ’n mens dink aan Ficksburg, dan dink jy onwillekeurig aan kersies. Dié dorp is altemit die kersiehoofstad van Suid-Afrika.

Maar kersies is nie noodwendig altyd die kersie op die koek nie...

E

k wil ’n storie skryf oor Ficksburg en daarom nooi ek my ou, ou vriend en motorfietsmakker Dave Venter vir ’n

braai. Wat lekker is van ’n goeie braaigenoot soos hy is dat elkeen sy eie ding doen, ongeag waar jy braai, dink ek

Dié klein tjokkertjie was gretig om skool

Mens kannie anders as lekker lewe in die Vrystaat nie.

terwyl Dave sy lamsribbetjie skuins opstel

toe te gaan. Hy wou alles weet en het

langs die vuur, vetkant naaste aan die hitte.

gehoor by die skool gaan hulle hom leer.

Hy is ’n spesialis-ribbebraaier, want hy is

Hy’t sommer al voor skool begin skryf, maar

stormwatersloot reguit berg toe. Hy het

gespeen op skaap. So ook krummelpap.

in die skool word dit ’n probleem. Sien, hy

besluit hy gaan liewer by oom Piet Meintjies

Stapelkos. Want sien Dave is gebore en

skryf met die verkeerde hand.

kuier. Oom Piet was die bosbouer, ’n groot

getoë in die Oos-Vrystaatse Ficksburg.

Elke keer as Juffrou hom sien skryf, wiks

Die volgende keer is hy deur die

huisvriend en die tjokkertjie se held. Want

sy hom met die liniaal oor sy linkerkneukels.

saam met oom Piet het hy boom geklim en

ek hom na hy sy glas vol droë witwyn met

En forseer die pen in sy regterhand. Hy’t

slange gevang. Hy’s regoor die 1750m hoë

baie ys in geskink het.

later die linkerblad met sy linkerhand

Imperani-berg en met die bospaadjies langs

geskryf, die pen oorgesit in sy regter en

tot by oom Piet se plek. Hy’t stemme gehoor

besef dis ook die grootste aspersie-

aangegaan. En pak gekry omdat die

en om die huis gehol. Daar het oom Piet

teelaarde in die land. En het jy geweet CR

regterkant so lelik geskryf is.

gestaan en gesels met ’n man wat teen ’n

“Wat kan jy my vertel van Ficksburg?” vra

“Almal weet van die kersies, maar min

Swart, die laaste goewerneur-generaal van

Hy’t goed gatvol geraak en skool was nie

swart Chev aangeleun staan. Die skool moes

die Unie was deur die Britte in Ficksburg se

meer lekker nie. Op ’n dag met kortpouse

geklik het, maar hoe het sy pa geweet waar

tronk gegooi vir verraad? ’n Dag voor hy

slenter hy tot by die straat voor die skool.

om vir hom te kom wag?

tereggestel sou word, is hy vrygespreek.

Daar was ’n stormwatersloot onderdeur die

Toe word hy ons eerste Staatspresident.”

pad. Hy’t seker gemaak niemand kyk nie,

glimlag. “Jy sien, ek sou nooit staats-

Dave staan op en inspekteer sy ribbetjie.

toe skiet hy daarin, kyk anderkant soos ’n

president kon word nie. Ek was te links...”

Dan gaan sit hy weer, vat ’n sluk en kyk ver.

meerkat uit, maak seker niemand is naby

“Maar dan was daar ook ’n ander

nie en sny ’n lyn. En reguit huis toe gesnol.

tjokkertjie wat nooit Staatpresident sou

Net om aan die voor deur Liesbet

word nie.”

teruggesleep te word skool toe.

Dave sit terug, rinkink die ys in sy glas en

Freelance writer Gerrit Rautenbach is a man who knows how to spin a yarn, having been the editor of Mooi Loop and Wegbreek magazines.

72 www.topsatspar.co.za

Jan|Feb 2014 Vol 10

mark

Ficksburg TOPS at SPAR

Mark Hiener is your Manager at the Ficksburg TOPS at SPAR Address: 43 Voortrekker Street, Ficksburg, Free State Tel: (051) 933 4016 Fax: (051) 933 3603 Email: ficksburg1@retail.spar.co.za Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon - Fri: 09h00 - 20h00, Sat: 08h00 - 17h00 & Sun: Closed.

SUPERSPAR Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00.