Tag: Groot Constantia

  • How to experience Groot Constantia’s visitor’s route

    How to experience Groot Constantia’s visitor’s route

    Before the pandemic hit, Groot Constantia saw over 400 000 visitors per annum. Today the number of tourists both local and international are starting to pick up and the estate is abuzz with excitement again. While the estate is renowned for award-winning wines and of course has
    the prestigious title of one of South Africa’s oldest working wine estates, many are unaware that there is much more to explore at Groot Constantia.

    What is the Visitor’s Route?

    Groot Constantia’s Visitor’s Route is a result of years of hard work and extensive planning. The attraction is a slightly recent addition to the estate which is a family-friendly self-guided tour, which follows a specially designed circular route through Groot Constantia’s key attractions.
    Starting at the original Manor house, the tour takes guests to the famed Cloete Cellar, the original wine production cellar from 1791, and the birthplace of Grand Constance – the original sweet wines of Constantia that are famed as being Napoleon’s tipple of choice – ordering 30 bottles a month during his exile on St Helena Island. The Cloete Cellar now houses a wine museum and tasting room and here one can enjoy a wine tasting with your own Spiegelau
    crystal glass to take home as a special keepsake. From there, guests then head over to the modern Production Cellar, which is the departure point for the self-guided cellar and vineyard audio tours.”

    The birthplace of wine tourism


    Fun fact: Wine Tourism was originally initiated at Groot Constantia in the 1700s, with the first wine route directions drawn up for the benefit of visitors in that era. Over 300 years later and the estate continues to move from strength to strength and the Visitors Route is a natural extension, and a necessary step to hone its tourism offerings. The Visitor’s route is a monument not only to Groot Constantia but to South African wine production and its global fame.

    (Pictured here is Jean Naudé, CEO of Groot Constantia explaining the significance of the first wine route directions and the first advertisement for the Constantia wine route).


    What to do after the Visitor’s Route?


    Sip and Savour
    Visit one or all three of the estate’s tasting rooms (the Cloete Cellar included in the Visitor’s route) to get a taste of greatness and history.

    Dine with Groot Constantia Wine

    The famed estate plays host to two fabulous restaurants, namely Jonkershuis and Simon’s. Both have cozy indoor spaces to dine in or choose an alfresco set up to enjoy the beautiful view of the Constantia valley. The Jonkershuis eatery is known for its fresh and seasonal diverse range of local cuisine on offer – which never misses a beat! Simon’s has a more casual setup and is now under new management with new offerings on hand. Both restaurants are certainly a culinary experience.


    For more information visit http://www.grootconstantia.co.za or connect with Groot Constantia via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GrootConstantia. To make a reservation at Jonkershuis contact+27 21 794-6255, or reservations@jhuis.co.za.

    To book at Simon’s contact
    +27 21 794-1143 or email info@simons.co.za.

    Although pre-booking is not necessary for the Visitors Route Experience, tickets can be pre-purchased from Webtickets (https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1465426753). Alternatively, just arrive and purchase your ticket directly from Groot Constantia on the day. A ticket, which costs R95, provides access to the Manor House and Museum, the Cloete Cellar and Museum, a souvenir Spiegelau crystal wine glass, a wine tasting, and two audio walking tours.


    Take a step back into time and experience the visitor’s route this coming weekend.

  • Groot Constantia harnesses people-power to go solar with Sun Exchange

    Groot Constantia harnesses people-power to go solar with Sun Exchange

    Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine-producing farm and a world-renowned tourist destination, has partnered with Sun Exchange (www.sunexchange.com), an innovative solar leasing platform, to harness the power of community and go solar. A crowdsale for a 165 kilowatt (kW) solar plant to power Groot Constantia’s winemaking facilities and restaurants is now being hosted on the Sun Exchange platform. Through this crowd sale, people across South Africa and the globe can easily buy solar cells for R64.00 per cell, which will be installed in the solar plant that will power Groot Constantia. Once the 43,448 available solar cells are sold, the solar plant is built and starts generating electricity. Via the Sun Exchange platform, Groot Constantia will pay solar cell owners for the clean energy they produce for 20 years. The solar project crowd sale will run throughout the month of July until all solar cells sell out.


    The Sun Exchange model enables Groot Constantia to access solar power at a rate lower than standard utility rates, while solar cell owners earn a stream of solar-powered income and support the estate’s transition to clean energy. The solar plant will help avoid an estimated 4,700 tonnes of carbon emissions in its lifetime. “For centuries, Groot Constantia has been a place where people from across South Africa and the world come together to enjoy great wine and South Africa’s heritage and natural beauty. Now, we’re looking to the future and working with Sun Exchange to bring together a global community to be part of our solar project. This enables us to protect and conserve that heritage and natural beauty,” said Jean Naudé, CEO, of Groot Constantia. Groot Constantia is committed to conserving the environment in which it operates, and on which it relies, and has a long history of implementing initiatives to ensure it does no harm through its farming practices.

    The estate has invested significant time and resources on refining responsible production practices by spearheading innovations in water, energy efficiency and climate adaptation, and integrated environmental management systems. Its transition to solar power is the next step in its commitment to conservation. “Groot Constantia is a cultural and historical icon and an environmental leader. We’re honoured to have Sun Exchange and our global community be part of their solar power journey,” said Abraham Cambridge, CEO, of Sun Exchange. “This project will set a precedent across South Africa’s wine and tourism industries, demonstrating that transitioning away from fossil fuels is the best decision not only from a climate perspective but also financially.”

    Since its founding in 2015, Sun Exchange has enabled solar power for more than 60 businesses, farms, schools and other organisations in Southern Africa. Its solar projects have generated more than 12 Gigawatt-hours of clean energy, avoiding more than 12,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. Thousands of people from 180 countries worldwide use the Sun Exchange platform to buy and own solar cells, produce clean electricity and earn with purpose. The Sun Exchange vision is a world where all people and organisations can harness affordable clean energy to ensure a healthy planet for future generations.


    Media Contacts

    • Sun Exchange – Salomé Bronkhorst, salome.bronkhorst@thesunexchange.com, +27
      (0)79-388-2114 (www.sunexchange.com)
    • Groot Constantia (www.grootconstantia.co.za) – Lila Jutzen, lila.jutzen@grootconstantia.co.za, +27 (0)78-275 -4898
  • Early birthday celebrations with SA’S oldest wine-producing farm

    Early birthday celebrations with SA’S oldest wine-producing farm

    On the 13th of July, Cape Town’s iconic Groot Constantia Estate celebrates its 337th birthday, cementing its status as the oldest wine-producing farm in South Africa – and there is good reason to start celebrating early. Adding to the estate’s reputation of consistent quality is its much-lauded flagship wine, Grand Constance, which recently received the National Wine Challenge Special Award for Wine Consistency and the Grand Cru ‘Best in Class’ Award.


    Groot Constantia’s world-famous wine continues to shine as it claims the spot with one of three wines in South Africa which have achieved more than seven top 100 positions annually, with Grand Constance leading the charge with 11 wins over a period of 12 years. To this day, Grand Constance undeniably remains the grand dame of sweet wines.

    Hundreds of years ago, the wine produced at Groot Constantia began to receive international acclaim for its superior quality, and emperors and kings – such as Frederick the Great of Prussia, Napoleon and Louis Philippe (King of the French) – were all known to be great lovers of Groot Constantia wines (translated Grand Constance into the French) which also means“consistency”.


    “The iconic Grand Constance wine that we produce at Groot Constantia is in effect the essence of the Estate. We are immensely proud of our Grand Constance, and humbled to be able to continue to produce this wine, and for it to consistently bring home awards. It is a 300-year-old legacy that we are custodians of, and the team strives to ensure that we interpret and honour it meticulously so that this special wine can continue to be appreciated on a world stage,” says Groot Constantia winemaker, Boela Gerber.


    As a provincial heritage site and a living museum, Groot Constantia has always been one of Cape Town’s most important destinations and is a member of the Cape Town Big 6 tourist attractions. It is not hard to see why the estate is a favourite for locals and visitors alike – and has been for centuries.


    Groot Constantia has been welcoming visitors to the estate for more than 300 years and has a long track record as a must-visit location in the Cape. In fact, 160 years ago, JP Cloete (the then owner of Groot Constantia), produced one of the earliest known tourist attraction adverts in South Africa, marketing Groot Constantia and giving detailed directions to the estate – making it the first-ever wine route map in SA. The advert also affirms Groot Constantia’s standing as the original source of the iconic Constantia Wines that have been celebrated across the world.

    For the modern-day visitor – be it wine lovers, fun-seeking families, tourists, social explorers, or anyone looking for a memorable and unique location in the Cape – Groot Constantia offers a wonderful day out, immersed in a rich sense of history and wine culture, accompanied by gorgeous views and outdoor spaces, exceptional wines, delicious food and fun for the whole family.


    The Estate offers a Visitors Route Experience that allows you to walk back in time by following a specially designed circular route that takes visitors to the historical key attractions at Groot Constantia. The original Manor House at Groot Constantia (which is an Iziko Museum) is the starting point for the Visitors Route Experience. After this, guests make their way to the famed Cloete Cellar, which is the original wine production cellar from 1791. This historic cellar was where the famous Grand Constance wine was produced, and now the cellar houses a museum and unique tasting room. Old carriages, winemaking memorabilia and a collection of old Grand Constance bottles sourced from all over the world are among the things to see in the Cloete Cellar Museum. After exploring the modern production cellar for a tour and wine tasting, visitors are then welcome to venture into the vineyards for the self-guided audio Vineyard Tour.

    Groot Constantia has two top restaurants, Jonkershuis and Simon’s. Both have children’s menus and outdoor dining options. There is also free Wi-Fi at Groot Constantia, which covers an extensive area – including all of the buildings – making the enjoyment and exploration of the estate that much more fun as guests can share their experiences in real-time with friends and family across the world.

    The estate is inviting all wine lovers and casual visitors to come and enjoy the 337-year-old Groot Constantia celebratory experience.

    For more information visit www.grootconstantia.co.za or connect with Groot Constantia via social media on
    Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GrootConstantia.

    *Sponsored post*

  • My Top 10 Reds to Drink Right Now

    My Top 10 Reds to Drink Right Now

    Over the past year I’ve been lucky enough to taste so many varietals from many a region, local and international; I didn’t know existed. Through the WSET course it has diversified my palette and changed my viewpoint for the better. Before I started level 2 I had more of a fondness for a full-bodied Chardonnay than a spicy Syrah, with that said here’s a list of my favourite reds right now.

     

    Luddite – 2013 Shiraz 

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    If you follow my blog, you know how much of a fan I am of this amazing Bot River Winery. With every vintage pushed out, Luddite proves to always hit it out of the park! First tasted at their tasting room, the 2013 Shiraz is a pricey, but well-worth it investment piece. Dark purply red in hue,  showing fantastic vibrance and colour to the edge of the glass. On the nose, expect perfumed, floral, hints of violet, Speculaas spice, typical Luddite cloves and dark fruit. The palate shows elegant balance. Gentle spice, bruised plums, dark cherries with a long elegant finish with balanced tannins and a hint of wood.  Absolutely delicious!

    Ashborne – 2018 Pinotage/Cinsault 

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    The Ashborne range derives from the Hamilton Russell legacy; and first made its debut in 2001. Consisting of 80% Pinotage and 20% Cinsault, this red blend is made from grapes sourced from old vines in the rockstar Swartland region. The Cinsault adds softening to the rich Pinotage, astonishing in length and has great complexity. “Ashbourne began as a quest to make something extraordinary out of Pinotage in ancient, unusually clay-rich, shale-derived soils.” – Anthony Hamilton Russell.

     

    Andreas 2015 Shiraz

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    Andreas is a boutique winery situated in the Wellington wine region. This magical Shiraz I love so much is made new world style with only limited yields, the winery makes exclusively one varietal – that being Shiraz. The 2015 vintage is smooth, full-bodied, with characteristic peppery, spicy, berry notes, has great length, and has excellent ageing potential. A great conversation starter at any dinner party.

     

    Ataraxia 2016 Pinot Noir 

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    Grown on low-vigour, stony, clay-rich Bokkeveld Shale derived soils, the maritime-influenced climate is so marked that Ataraxia’s Pinot noirs are the very last to be picked in the Hemel-en-Aarde region. Which makes for delicious punchy dark cherry and perfect minerality with a hint of earthy mushroom on the palate. A sure winner for any Pinot noir fundi.

    Creation 2018 Pinot noir 

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    Right next door to Kevin Grant’s Ataraxia, is Creation. As published a few weeks ago, I was graciously hosted by Carolyn Martin co-owner of Creation. The FynArts 7 course Pairing is a must if you plan on visiting! It’s really tough to choose just one wine you favour over the other, when you find everything tastes of perfection! But If I had to pick a favourite red, I’d choose their 2018 Pinot noir. This ruby red gem proves to be rich in dark forest berries and sour cherry  with a lovely earthy bouquet.

    Vondeling 2018 Monsonia 

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    Vondeling Monsonia is named after Monsonia Speciosa, a very rare species of fynbos (vegetation type occurring in the Western Cape region of South Africa) found in the Paardeberg mountain, the home of Vondeling wines. Bright violets are infused with dark fruit with just a hint of earth and wood smoke. Sweet spices abound, rich in cloves, subtle nutmeg and aromatic coriander. The palate is alive with red berry fruit and has a  hint of rich chocolate with undertones of wild herbs. Vondeling’s Monsonia has a full-bodied viscous texture with a lovely long finish. I paired this with this gifted box of goodies from the winery to make Beef Stroganoff with freshly-made tagliatelle.

     

    Louisvale Wines – 2017 Five Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon

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    Known for their full-bodied Chardonnay, Louisvale Wines produces an elegant Cabernet Sauvignon too! Of course being situated in Cabernet Sauvignon wine country (Stellenbosch) climate makes all the difference, but one can also attribute this to the fantastic Winemaker. It is a multi-layered Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas and flavours of Black Currant, Dark Chocolate and hints of Cedar and Cigar Box. 

     

    Van Loveren – The Rhino Run Range: 2016 Ian Player

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    This special range released by Van Loveren to help combat rhino poaching and in honour of the late Ian Player, to which proceeds of this range goes to the foundation to protect the endangered species. Voted by the Platters guide as a 2019 Hidden Gem, this wine has rich almond, plum and mint on the nose, followed by ripe berry, cassis and red current on the palate. Intrigues with a soft and toasty finish. This lovely red blend consists of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. An easy drinking red!

    Anthonij Rupert – Terra Del Capo 2016 Sangiovese 

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    This quintessential Italian red shows ripe plum, black cherries, cassis and spice on the nose. The entry is a textural one: dry but well fruited. Cherries and plums make their luscious, rich presence known right from the outset. The wine is graceful with restraint evident in the lovely balance of fruit, acidity and tannin. The flavours are not overplayed and neither is the oak, which adds firm support without overwhelming anything. Delicious brush of spice and well-judged succulence. A rewarding, fresh mouthful that lingers. Paired with a hearty Bolognese made with fresh pasta of course.

    Groot Constantia – 2016 Pinotage 

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    Certainly one of my favourites of this underestimated varietal. Groot Constantia makes a delicious Pinotage in a cool region that is Sauvignon Blanc wine country. This delightful Pinotage shows flavours of vanilla from barrel maturation combined with strawberry and ripe plum on the nose. Red fruit flavours follow on the palate. The wine is elegant with a fine tannin structure and a long finish. A sure winner in my books! Pair with Lamb, or a delicious homemade Bobotie. 

    Bonus feature: This is a goodie! 

    De Toren – 2017 Fusion V 

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    This exquisite Bordeaux-style blend has a pure and complex flavour, with intense aromas of dark red fruits, mineral perfumes and a deliciously creamy cassis. This full-bodied wine maintains a sleek tannin structure with an immaculate developing palate. Pairs perfectly with roasted/grilled lamb as pictured above at Chefs 

     

     

    Hit me up in the comments and let me know red you’d like to try or what’s your favourite.

     

     

    Happy Wine Wednesday! x

  • A Grand Christmas

    A Grand Christmas

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    The sweet smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, brandy and molasses wafts through my mind reminding me of every Christmas past from my childhood. My mom, without fail, would bake her famous heavily-soaked brandy Christmas cakes on order for family or friends every year, these were the scents I recall wafting out of her kitchen, that would announce only one thing: CHRISTMAS IS HERE! As you can tell from the excitement, I loved and still do love this time of year, one thing I however did not care for much was funny enough, Christmas cake because of it’s richness in so many spices and of course ageing the cakes makes it that more pungent in taste and smell. One thing I learn as I am getting older, is a lot of the things I disliked as a child I strangely begin to have a newfound liking for now. I’m going to go ahead and say my palate has (thankfully so) evolved and for the better!

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    Opening up a bottle of Groot Constantia’s Grand Constance, the scent fondly reminds me of so many great festive seasons past. So in the spirit of creating my own traditions, starting this year I have vowed to make my own pavlova wreath every year to celebrate the festive season or have it as a great showstopper on my table at Christmas lunch, sure to wow any guest! To keep it light and seasonal, I made a Pavlova topped with boozy peaches and cranberries, roasted in a mixture of maple syrup, vanilla extract and of course Grande Constance. The marshmallow texture and taste of the Pavlova pairs so incredibly well because of the hints of marshmallow on the palate and nose of this Grand Dame.

    Being an avid fan of Groot Constantia, they approached me to ask if I would like to be a part of their Grand Constance Festive Table campaign, naturally I jumped at the chance and said yes! I had so much fun styling my bespoke festive table and pairing the Grand Constance with something as equally delicious and sweet.

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    Top wine tip: pair sweet wines with something sweet. This ensures both the food and wine complement each other.

    There’s only one holy grail recipe I always revert to when making pavlova, this is without doubt the queen of pavlovas, Donna Hay. Her recipe I find works best and is the most consistent in terms of outcome. The other pairing that I find works so well with Grand Constance are mince pies. Again, equally sweet and spicy. Serve with a scoop or two of your favourite vanilla ice cream, and you have an entire dessert! Warm the mince pies for best results. Yes, there are some of us that enjoy them cold (I won’t mention any names. *gives the fiancé the stink eye*).

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    The colour of the iconic Grande Constance reminds me of amber Christmas trifles with dollops of the famed caramel spread and warm twinkly lights that set the tone for festivities galore. To get well into the spirit of the festive season I naturally paired this delicious natural sweet wine with a dessert and even used some of it in the making of it.

    Top Entertaining Tip: Pairing idea – use the boozy roasted peaches along with the sticky sweet syrup on a cheeseboard to wow guests this festive season. The sweet, tart flavours will complement pungent Stilton easily or Brie or better yet bake together with a wheel of Camembert.

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    Pavlova Wreath with Grand Constance Roasted Peaches

    Ingredients:

    • Eggwhite of 6 eggs
    • 330g caster sugar
    • 11/2 teaspoons of white vinegar
    • 4 dessert or cling peaches, chopped into wedges
    • 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
    • 50ml of Grand Constance
    • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
    • Double cream thick yoghurt to serve or whipped cream if you wish.
    • 100g chopped pistachios
    • light dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg

    Method:

    1. Preheat the oven to 150°C . Place the eggwhite in a bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks begin to form. Gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more. Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and whisk for a further 6 minutes or until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
    2. Add the vinegar and whisk for a further 2 minutes or until the mixture is glossy and combined. I used my silat and freehanded this part, but if you like a little more neat looking wreath, you may take a pencil and draw intertwining circles resembling a wreath, very important to turn the baking paper over and then spoon the meringue accordingly into the circles (it’s okay of a little is not coaxed perfectly in the shape of the wreath, a bit of imperfection is what makes it stand out!) onto the baking tray lined with the non-stick baking paper. This recipe makes 2 wreaths which you can stack and dollop yoghurt in-between to keep in place and of course to make It homogenous.
    3. Place in the oven, reduce the temperature to 120°C and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the meringue to cool, with the door closed, for 1 hour do this with both wreaths.  Serves 6. (or in my case 2!)
    4. Set both Pavlova wreaths aside until assembly. Heat the oven up to 180°C and in a roasting dish, add the chopped peaches and cranberries, drizzle with the Grand Constance, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Roast for 15 minutes until soft, but not completely macerated. Set aside to cool.
    5. To assemble, place your first wreath (in my case the wonkiest looking one) at the bottom, then dollop with double cream yoghurt taking a teaspoon take some of the liquid in the roasting dish and drizzle a little over the yoghurt. Place the show stopping perfect wreath on top, dollop with more yoghurt however much you would like, use your discretion, place the peach wedges on top as well as dotting the cranberries around, drizzle again with the Grand Constance infused liquid, then finish off with the chopped pistachios and seasonal pansies if you wish. I tend to go a little overboard, so of course I added edible glitter, gold stars and shimmer for good measure too! Because what’s Christmas without a little sparkle!

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    From my home to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

    Dominique x

    **Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.The bottle of Grand Constance was supplied to me by Groot Constantia. All views and opinions are my own**

  • International Pinotage Day

    International Pinotage Day

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    In celebration of Pinotage day on the 13th October, I paired up with Groot Constantia to make a delicious dish to perfectly pair with their award-winning Pinotage.

    Pinotage is a renowned South African cultivar developed by Prof. Perold in 1925, successfully grafting together Pinot noir and Cinsault. Which back then would be known as Hermitage. This is where the name Pinotage originates from. Prof. CJ Theron then took it upon himself to preserve the grape varietal and original seedlings to evaluate the possible success of the varietal. Since then, Pinotage has become a cultivar to be reckoned with both nationally and internationally, with so many local winemakers crafting outstanding creations of this local robust red wine.

    I recently attended the internationally recognized WSET course, starting with level 1, in which we were lectured on all the basics of an introduction to wine, storage and service of wine, (my favourite) how to pair food with wine and of course learning a basic WSET systematic approach to tasting. While I do not claim to be versed in pairing just yet, I thought I would experiment and give it a go. Oh, important information I forgot to add, I did indeed pass the course with 80% 🙂 Level 1 is completed in one day, course and examination. Thereafter examination papers are sent to London to be marked by the official WSET markers. After two weeks you then receive your results, a certificate and a lapel pin (if you have passed) corresponding to whichever level you have completed. I am totally impassioned with learning more about wine, and of course tasting as much as I can, I feel I still have so much to learn and discover which excites me further. Pinotage day 051

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    Okay, back to Pinotage day! As you may know Groot Constantia is one of my favourite wineries, the cool Constantia valley climate lends to their wine a unique taste and signature to most wines we may know and have tasted. I recently visited their beautiful wine estate for a bit of everything that they have on offer. A wine tasting at the bottom cellar, was of course one of many highlights of my trip. This was when I first had a taste of their pinotage. As mentioned above, because of their location which affects how the grape develops and tastes, this pinotage had intriguing fruity notes of strawberry, black cherry and oak which imparts an intense vanilla after-taste. Incredibly smooth and enveloping in smoky oak and black stone fruit, I think I might have found a favourite Pinotage!

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    I made a classic Cape Malay bobotie with a bit of a twist to bring out the flavour of both the wine and food. Instead of using beef minced meat, I used Chicken minced meat. An experiment that not many would be happy with in terms of pairing white meat with white wine, but nevertheless it works and marries so well together! The saltiness of the chicken stock and of of course salt added to the chicken gives this tanninc wine the perfect boost and complement. I love how the tart and sweet flavours of the fruit used in the bobotie paired with the mild spice also makes the Pinotage sing.

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    Chicken Bobotie 

    Ingredients: 

    • 1 kg Chicken minced meat (or any minced meat of your choice)
    • 2 small- medium onions, chopped
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 100 g raisins
    • 100 g dried apricots, chopped finely
    • 3 eggs
    • 2 slices of stale bread
    • 350 g buttermilk
    • 1 teaspoon of bobotie spice
    • pinch of turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
    • 2 bay leaves, plus extra to garnish
    • 2 tablespoons of Mrs Balls original chutney
    • 1 tablespoon tomato jam (or apricot jam as traditionally used)
    • a knob of butter to fry
    • Salt and white pepper to season.

    Method: 

    In a large pan or pot, melt the butter and add the chopped onions. Cook until translucent. Then add the chicken mince and turn up the heat to brown and give the mince a caramelisation for flavour purposes.Season with salt and white pepper. Whilst the mince is browning, in a bowl, tear the slices of bread into chunks, add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and 1 beaten egg. Mix to combine then add to the pot of mince.

    In another bowl, mix the raisins, chopped apricots, curry powder, bobotie spice mix, 2 bay leaves, chutney and jam. Mix together then add to the pot of mince and stir to combine. Take off the heat.

    For the egg mixture, beat the remaining two eggs with the remaining buttermilk with turmeric. Using a flat large spoon even the bobotie mix to be leveled, then pour the egg mixture on top, add the bay leaves in whichever pattern you wish and place the pan/pot(keeping in mind the pan or pot has stainless steel handles, or alternatively place in a casserole dish to be baked in the oven) in the oven at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes until the top is cooked until golden brown. Serve with a fresh salad of wild rocket, pickled beetroot and raisins, with a side of savoury rice and of course enjoy with a perfectly paired glass of Groot Constantia Pinotage!

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    Enjoy and Happy Pinotage day!

    Cheers! x

    **Source: http://pinotage.co.za/pinotage-day-2018/https://www.cybercellar.com/blog/lanzerac-the-pioneer-of-pinotage/**