The Corkless Mind

Tag: love local

CHEFS – A Review.

**This review was sponsored by CHEFS. All views and opinions are my own and was not influenced in any way**

Imagine my elation when getting asked to do my very first restaurant review. Bonus? It’s for none other than CHEFS! I’ve been meaning to go since they opened doors in 2016. For most of us living in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town means you don’t really get out that much to Cape Town, yes, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. However I am so glad that I did eventually get to dine at this modern gem of a restaurant.

Situated on the corner of St. John’s street in Gardens, Cape Town. The concept is fine-dining without all of the fuss. No waiters but swift service. No tipping and no fancy pants attire needed to enter this upbeat establishment. The menu changes daily giving patrons a three course lunch or dinner and the opportunity to try something different every time you visit. Before visiting CHEFS, checking the website for the daily menu is always advisable but not mandatory. But for those who love the element of surprise, I’d suggest just showing up (making a booking before-hand of course). CHEFS is only operational from Monday-Friday with four sittings a day. No BYO however they have an award-winning wine list that complements every meal of the day.

Food

Fresh. Seasonal and honest. I love how much care is put into making each dish. The kitchen is open with views of each chef cooking, prepping and offering guidance to one another. I ordered the Herb and Mustard Lamb Cutlets as a main dish with a side of the crispiest triple-cooked chips, a fresh salad of apple, watercress with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds and a mint sauce to help keep things light and fresh against the richness of the chard lamb. The special touch? The head chef, Jenny Ward herself serving me.

The lamb reminded me of the legendary crispy lamb chops my soon-to-be brother in law conjures up at one of his awesome braais. I enjoyed the texture and flavour experience this once-off dish gave me. To wash down the lamb, I asked what would pair well from the wine list with the lamb and was perfectly matched with a De Toren Malbec/Cabernet Franc blend. Dessert: Cinnamon puffs with silky smooth Dulce de Leche and a delicious scoop of smoked vanilla ice cream. I slowly savoured every. single. morsel of this dessert, sadly aware that I will probably never taste anything this good again.

Ambience

I love the fact that things are laid back and simple, almost as if you are at home or somewhere with a familiar warmth. The come-as-you-are feel that CHEFS embodies is certainly a winner for this jeans and tee kind of girl. As a food nerd I was particularly enticed by their glass cabinets full of labeled pickled vegetables and spices, and the frequent collective boisterous response “Yes Chef!” as shouted out by the kitchen staff.

Pricing is a affordable considering you won’t be tipping. I would 10/10 recommend CHEFS. To book visit their website: https://chefscapetown.co.za/

October 2, 2018
Things I Would Miss Most about S.A

** This post was sponsored by Travelstart. Views and opinions are my own**

I always wonder what it would be like having to relocate abroad particularly to London, leaving my whole life behind everything that has shaped me as proud South African to join a whole new culture and city two worlds apart from what I am used to.

A little late, but in lieu of Tourism month I list some of the quintessential South African things I would miss most when moving abroad. Why London you may ask? Footie, Fashion week and an array of world renowned Michelin starred eateries. The only problem I would be saddled with is missing all my South African favourites such as:

Koesister Sunday

Every Sunday without fail, most Capetonians tend to indulge in a tradition that extends not only to our childhood but which was passed down from our grandparents and their parents to have a hot cuppa with a warm, sweet and spicy Koesister. There will never be a doughnut that can be compared to this legendary Cape Malay treat.

A Proper Braai

Nothing beats throwing a lamb chop on the braai accompanied by those age old favourite sides, like chakalaka and pap, potato salad, and that one kudos winning curried pasta and cubed cheese salad that every cool aunty knows how to make is a sure fire winner!

Nik Naks

The perfectly cheesy maize snack has come a long way with me, as a child I would eat this as is or better yet with freshly baked warm white bread just sliced using the bread slicing machine inside of the local corner shop (yes, I am that old).

Mrs. Balls Chutney and Aromat

Many will claim that using this fruity condiment and that unmistakably delicious umami seasoning was to make a childhood food more edible. This brings back some memories of my mom making beef mince curry with plenty of over cooked frozen peas in, of which I hated (sorry mom) but chucking a bit of chutney over it all, always made it go down a little easier together with a swig of diluted syrup cool-drink.

Biltong and Pinotage

Both born and bred quintessential South African snacks. I cannot imagine my life without either!

Rooibos tea and sour fig jam

Rooibos tea is definitely something the British won’t enjoy or have much of over there as much as their prized English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea. The taste but mostly the antioxidants one benefits from it is what I love most. Sour fig jam, or Suurvy konfyt as some of us might know it as, is another one of those childhood treats I always looked forward to when the season came along, there would always be road-side stalls selling bucket loads of the sour figs or jars full of their own homemade jam made with this tart indigenous fruit.

Cape Town

Well obviously! Many of us take for granted that we are just a few minutes away from the one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Table Mountain! And who wouldn’t miss our beautiful sparkling blue beaches. One of my absolute favourite things to do on a day off or simply for work, is to go wine tasting in the picturesque Winelands or Constantia Valley. South Africa has so many world class wines to offer and what I love most is we’re just a few minutes away from all of this!

Wine tasting at Groot Constantia

How I would love to experience London, but home is certainly where the heart is!

Let me know on Twitter or my Instagram post about what you will miss most about South Africa should you move abroad.

October 1, 2018
How to experience the West Coast.

The West Coast of Southern Africa is something of a spiritual escape for me and my better half. We always tend to visit at least a few times a year, however always going to more or less the same areas…until recently. West Coast Way invited me along to a media day of road-tripping around the West Coast to see, taste and explore.

Starting at The Lodge at Atlantic Beach, situated in Melkbosstrand, a 25 minute drive out from Cape Town. Chantal generously hosted us for a quick brekkie to meet-and-greet our fellow bloggers and media. Thereafter gave us a tour of The Lodge and it’s facilities. We had a quick tour of the fully equipped leisure centre, with Yoga class in session we had to keep the noise to a minimum in the area, to respect the space of those who use the leisure centre as an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. From there we had a sneak peak at the trails for those who like to go walking in nature and even came across a golfer ready to tee off. From there we popped in to the restaurant with delicious weekly specials not to be missed! For those looking for a venue for weddings, parties or even conferences, The Lodge has a magnificent space that can fit up to 200 people at a time with spectacular views of Table Mountain, and also a quaint little arch should you choose to hold your wedding ceremony right there. There is an amazing special currently running for accommodation at The Lodge, for only R1095 for a deluxe room and R895 for single occupancy(includes a continental breakfast). This special ends 30th April. Book now to avoid the disappointment and FOMO of not having to wake up and watch springboks and other local wildlife graze right outside your doorstep! Visit their website for more details and to book: The Lodge at Atlantic Beach

A drive north on the R27 took us to our next destination, the R27 Roosterkoek pad stall stop. At just a a few months old, their roosterkoek is already making waves (I’m sorry, just couldn’t resist that one) along the west coast, so much so that theirs was voted the best in the West Coast! The other highlight of our pit-stop there was being welcomed oh so warmly with a piping hot cuppa Moerkoffie with a caffeine kick to boot. The Roosterkoek is made fresh daily and while you wait you can see it being made right there on the coals! With so many styles, flavours and fillings to choose from, you can’t go wrong by taking a shot left at the R27 Roosterkoek pad stall.

Our next stop? Langebaan. More specifically the infamous Club Mykonos resort. A serene, Greek-inspired paradise of holiday-makers young and old. Our first stop was at the Marina, waiting to board a chariot that we would have lunch and drinks on, provided by Elite Charters. We had a quick tour of the new modern development that is their apartments that one can hire for a long weekend or two, fully furnished with top of the range furnishings, overlooking the moody marina. Entertainment for every member of the family can be found in every nook and corner. From a thrilling night at the casino to live music on the marina. If luck is on your side, why not play some Bingo by the seaside.

Having only ever experienced Club Mykonos through epic stories of holidaying in the peak of summer, by friends, I certainly cannot wait to experience Club Mykonos myself and make my own memories! Visit their website for more information on how to book: Club Mykonos

The padkos as pictured above is from the Kardoesie pad stal, was presented to us as something of a “West Coast Everyday kit” A loaf of bread, a packet of Bokkoms(is it even a survival kit without bokkoms?) vis kaaings, fat, jam and a pocket knife. The story told was of making a sandwich with all of the ingredients and then of course washing it down with an ice cold one. The story was told in Afrikaans, if told any other way, would lose its spark and humour. Kardoesie N7 Countrystop is only a 80 minute drive out from Cape Town. They offer Camping and self-accommodation facilities. Visit their site for more details: Kardoesie

Thali Thali was another highlight of the day. Their hospitality and accommodation is definitely something that will draw me back there again. The game drive lasted about 1 hour and a bit. With some time to spare to tour the accommodation and get one last coffee in before we hit the long road back. The Farm house has a grand old charm about it. I particularly loved the old farm style kitchen, of course! The accommodation we got to view were cozy farm style cottages with one or two modern touches here and there but staying true to it’s farm/bush spirit. Stop by their website and book a stay in the farm house: Thali Thali

My experience was a pleasant and intriguing one, so much so that, the very next weekend, my partner and I got into our car and drove to the West Coast to taste some of that infamous Roosterkoek I couldn’t stop talking about! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, there is something magical and mysterious about the West Coast. There is so much soul in the coastal towns that surround the West Coast, so many stories to tell, food to taste, beautiful people to meet and memories to create. I certainly cannot wait to get back into the car, pack some padkos and take a drive out to the West Coast.

**Sponsored by West Coast Way **

March 29, 2018
Olive oil, lime and coconut biscotti.

It’s been a while since I’ve baked anything, I find the process of baking quite calming and sort of a temporary escape from the real world in exchange for that a realm of whimsy and wonder. Now if only I could escape washing the dishes after the mess that ensues… With my olive oil purchase from Babylonstoren from the Olive workshop, thought I should do something a little out of the ordinary, instead to just use it primarily for cooking and drizzling over salads and luxurious homemade pastas. Whilst flipping through a stack of food magazines early this week, frantically searching for inspiration, I happily stumbled across a recipe for olive oil biscotti, and with zeal recreated the recipe with my own take and improvised here and there. This recipe is for an advertisement for the S.A Olive association, featured in the Fresh Living magazine.

The recipe is adapted from the recipe as mentioned above, and thus used as a guideline. I added dried cranberries, cashew nuts, coconut flakes, the zest and juice of two limes, this I find works complementary with the grassy peppery notes of the extra virgin olive oil.

Olive oil,lime and coconut biscotti.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

250g sugar

330g cake flour

2 free-range eggs

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp vanilla paste

1/2 cup dried cranberries

100g cashew nuts roughly chopped

50g coconut flakes roughly chopped

Zest and juice of 2 limes

A pinch of sea salt flakes

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. In a bowl or standmixer beat the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla paste together. In a different bowl combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda and whisk till combined. Stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough. Divide the dough into two, form each piece into a log/roll, as long as your baking tray lengthways. Press down to a 13mm thickness. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled, slice the logs into 13mm slices. Place the slices cut side up and bake for a further 5-10 minutes on either side. Serve with a freshly brewed espresso.

May 25, 2017
Affogato and chocolate muffins with a coffee sugar

This is another amazing recipe from Delicious Australia, and was said that it was inspired by a three ingredient dessert bread recipe by the revered Matt Preston. He is someone I look up to, aspiring to be as great a food writer as he is, with so many of the greats like the late A.A Gill being the ultimate food writer for me.
This recipe can also be found in the latest issue of delicious Australia. Do yourself a favour, subscribe to their magazine. It’s like Christmas every single month, for me there’s nothing better than being gifted premium food articles and aspirational food writing and of course mouth watering food photography that visually inspires me to recreate those spectacular shots.

I added my own little twist to the recipe with the addition of dark chocolate and coffee liqueur. My sister and her soon to be husband gifted my partner and I a bottle of locally produced Beaver creek coffee liqueur that I cracked open and used in the batter for that extra kick of coffee.

Affogato and chocolate muffins in a coffee sugar:

Ingredients:

300g self-raising flour, sifted

750ml vanilla ice cream, softened

165ml canola/sunflower oil

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

150g caster sugar

3 teaspoons of instant coffee granules, crushed

2 tablespoons of coffee liqueur

100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped.

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Sift the self-raising flour in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the softened ice cream, egg and oil till combined. Add this to the flour and fold gently till just incorporated. Add the coffee liqueur and chopped chocolate and gently fold again to combine slightly. Pour into a muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. To make the coffee sugar coating, lightly crush the coffee granules in a pestle and mortar and add to the caster sugar, and taking each muffin and dipping into the sugar mix until coated on the top and/or sides if you will. Serve with your favourite espresso or coffee liqueur.

May 10, 2017
Gin & Tonic – three ways

For some time Gin and Tonic has long been known as something of an ‘oldtimers drink’, this of course all changed when local distilleries started making artisanal gin, and of course all things artisanal are supposedly ‘cool’ however, this is one the time, I have to agree on this matter purely because I love supporting local. South Africa has such an amazing array of locally crafted gin, using nothing but what is available seasonally is the key to a great botanical gin. The gin I used in this post is one of my favourites, Wilderer Fynbos Gin, and as you can see from the photo above, they are an award winning distillery.

I made three different Gin and Tonic recipes, with three different syrups. The first is a rosebud and cardamom gin and tonic, a litchi and thyme, and the last one is a strawberry and basil G&T. The syrups are all super easy to make and can be made ahead of time before your New Year’s Eve bash! To make a syrup, just add two to four tablespoons of castor sugar(depending on how much you intend to make) with equal amounts of water and your fruit,spice or herb of choice and simmer until the sugar is dissolved and infused with the flavour of your choice of spice/fruit. Leave to cool before adding to a carafe with your favourite gin and try using a quality Tonic, this is said to truly complement the delicate flavours of the gin.

This recipe can of course be used to spruce up a mocktail too. If you’re thinking of enjoying this G&T recipe for New Year’s Eve, please do so responsibly and take an Uber if you need to get anywhere.
Wishing you all an amazing new year!

Dominique x

** This post was not sponsored**

December 30, 2016