The Corkless Mind

Tag: South Africa

Darling Brew: What’s New and Trending.
A Friday well spent is one out of the office visiting one of my favourite local craft brewers. Craft beer is something Darling Brew does so well and not to mention sustainably too. I attended their official launch in April this year for the announcement that they have obtained carbon neutral status, which meant Darling Brew had officially become Africa’s very first Carbon neutral brewery. Remember the tree that was planted in April to commemorate their carbon neutral status? Here’s an update:

Co-founder of Darling Brew, Philippa Wood graciously hosted and took me and a select group of media on a very informative tour of the brewery, in what made me feel like this was a more grown up version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Entering the brewery, the rich smell of roasted hops fills the air and entices you to a ‘cold one’ upstairs at the Tasteroom where you can also order an equally delicious meal to pair with your brew of choice. It’s been a while since April, so here’s my update on what’s new on offering at Darling Brew:

News on the Brews

We were some of the first to be let in on a little secret. Darling Brew has just launched a new beer, Pixie Dust. It is a Golden Weiss beer. We when visited recently, I noticed a brewing tank labelled ‘Pixie Dust’, as well as that they have already started serving this tasty beer on tap at the Brewery, one more reason to go and visit Darling Brew! Philippa informed me that both Slow Beer and Bone Crusher beers were recently awarded at the 2018 African Beer Awards.

The Tasting Room

The menu is seasonal and good old pub grub with a special touch on locality, only using local artisanal food suppliers. The incredibly rich and creamy cheese selection that is used in any of their menu items containing cheese comes from a local dairy shop, Udderly Delicious, the smoked meats and charcuterie they use is sourced from Darling heavyweight, The Flying Pig. I particularly love how much emphasis Darling Brew puts on supporting local businesses.

Joyce who works at Darling Brew, has a wealth of knowledge about their award winning beer and brewing processes. Her passion and drive is so infectious!

That gooey cheese was a winner!

After my tasting flight of fresh and fruity beers, I opted for ‘The Cuban’. A toasted sourdough sandwich with smoked pork ham, gooey cheddar cheese and pickles with a side of delicious crispy potato chips. I was forewarned by our waitress that the portion is quite generous, and generous it was! I would advise going hungry, fuelling up with either breakfast or lunch before partaking in a tasting flight of your choice.

The tasting flight variety ensures that there certainly is something for everyone!

Pick between the DB Popular flight consisting of the:
- Slow Beer
- Gypsy Mask
- Rogue Pony
- Bone Crusher
Alternatively, if you don’t consider yourself to be much of a beer drinker, try the Ladies Flight, which consists of Rock Shandy inspired beers like:
- Golden Tail – Lemon 2.6%
- The Ruby Jewel – Grapefruit 6%
- Gypsy Mask – Red Ale 4%
- Rogue Pony – Pale Ale 5%
FYI

Official word: this year the Darling Brew Beer Fest will be held on the 15 December. Keep your eyes peeled to their social media accounts for updates closer to the time. If you’re in and around Woodstock you would have noticed a massive billboard on the actual building announcing Darling Brew coming to the neighbourhood soon, opening doors early 2019.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Something Different and New

In the spirit of sustainability, Darling Brew has been toying with the idea of creating something out of the spent grain that comes with any beer production. Until, enough trial and error, Darling Brew Beer Crisps were born. With two flavours, Slow Beer and Bone Crusher made with the spent grain of said beers, the bags of crisps are great value for money for the size of the bag. To make the crisps, 40% of spent grain is used. Grain from the Bone Crusher and Slow Beer is used to make the respective flavours of crisps. Since launching on the market, the crisps have been well received. Another snippet of inside information, the crisps will in future be used on The TasteRoom’s menu as a delicious addition for Nachos. Production of the crisps are on site, besides the actual frying of the crisps which is sent to a local business to take care of. The small batches are then brought back to the brewery to be put on a steep conveyor belt which is then gently dropped into bags that are immediately sealed and ready to be sold off to any lucky customer. I of course couldn’t bare to leave the brewery without having purchased a bag of both the Slow Beer and Bone Crusher to enjoy at my own leisure.

Find Darling Brew Tasteroom & Brewery on the West Coast Way Culture & Foodie Routes

Distance from Cape Town: 76km

Darling Brew Tasteroom & Brewery: 48 Caledon Street, Darling

Brewery, Restaurant, Tastings & Sales, open-air kids play area, MTB-friendly, Live Events

School Holidays & Flower Season: Open 7 days a week.

Tasteroom operating hours:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 am to 5 pm Kitchen closes at 4 pm

Friday 9 am to 7 pm Kitchen closes at 6 pm

Saturday 9 am to 5 pm Kitchen closes at 4 pm

Sunday 10 am to 4 pm Kitchen closes at 3 pm

They are also open for private functions. The restaurant works on a walk in basis but large groups are encouraged to book.

Contact: +27 (0)21 286 1099 | tasteroom@darlingbrew.co.za | www.darlingbrew.co.za
October 31, 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
Off the Beeten Track – in Saldanha.

** This blog post was sponsored by West Coast Way and Blue Bay Lodge. All views are my own. Besides accommodation, all other expenses were paid in full**

A blog post like this is very easy to compose and publish, especially if the time spent coming up with the content was particularly amazing! I was offered an opportunity to stay at the serene Blue Bay Lodge and experience the sleepy town of Saldanha for a weekend. If you’ve read any of my other West Coast adventures, you will know how much I love spending time and recharging my soul there.

As you enter the legendary fishing village, Saldanha, Blue Bay Lodge meets you at the very beginning of the town, situated off Henry Wicht street. Aptly named after the Wicht Family who runs Blue Bay lodge. My fiance and I were lucky enough to stay in the stunning Executive suite overlooking the bay and of course the monumental Saldanha Steel plant. The staff are extremely welcoming and warm, something among many other reasons makes me want to go back and soon! Previously a homestead for the Wicht family, the Wicht’s moved to the area and bought the property in 1954, and proceeded to raise their 9 children on the small farm. The lovely owner, Mart-Mari Wicht, told us a charming tale of how her parents came back from their honeymoon and began with the idea of starting a self-catering establishment. Years after her grandfather passed on, her father bought the family homestead and turned it into Blue Bay Lodge. In 2005, the Wicht family built an additional 16 rooms on to extend the lodge, which we now call the suites.

As the storm clouds started rolling in to the bay, we arrived just in time to cosy up and watch from the comfort of our beautiful suite. Dinner was a gourmet hamburger and fries. Every Friday at the restaurant (situated inside the lodge) is Burger night, where for a steal, the hamburgers at a discounted price and cocktails half price.

Awoken by the crashing of waves, feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the day after a good night’s rest. My morning coffee turned into something of an experience, overlooking the bay area on the balcony with the crisp ocean air against my skin. Breakfast was a simple but filling one at the restaurant at the lodge. With the emphasis on filling and fueling up, we had quite a busy day ahead of us with site seeing around the bay. First up was a visit to the much talked about local gem, Cup of Cake. A bakery and coffee shop much loved by the locals and those passing through Saldanha, know it’s always best to get their sweet fix early, as the bakery fills up very quickly. The cake, deliciously decadent and moreish. The coffee is the perfect accompaniment to balance the sweet. I would recommend leaving with one or two cupcakes or slices. It’s just that good!

After all the cake, we needed to take a brisk walk to keep the guilt at bay. Just up the road is one of the West Coast’s oldest fishing villages, where the Hoedjieskop museum is. The museum was momentarily closed so we instead took a hike up to the look-out point to have a look at the bay area. This village has the oldest cemetery on the west coast too. Saldanha bay has such rich heritage and history, something that the locals can be proud of and I’m certain of is celebrated.

Saldanha is also renowned for sustainable seafood. Most people don’t know this, but the annual Knysna Oyster festival gets all their Oysters from Saldanha! Another fun fact: did you know, the best time to consume Oysters are in winter? The reason behind this is that they are at their prime.

Our next stop, was something I had been looking forward to all week! We took a boat trip to a local oyster farm. In the bay,of which there are several companies with flotation devices to keep their stock of West Coast Black Mussels or West Coast Oysters in check. A short boat trip across the bay took us to Blue Sapphire Pearls (the tour operator) section of Oysters and Mussells. The water is filled with many colours of flotation devices signalling which site belongs to which company. When asked, how do they know which stock is theirs, the tour operators, confidently responded with the only colour they use for their site.

The boat trip came to a halt. It was finally time to have a look at their farm! Like a rig or a well bringing up water, a rope attached to the flotation devices was rung around a recycled wheel, much like a conveyor belt. The belt stopped, out came three wire cages of dozens and dozens of Oysters. The two gentlemen on the boat sorted through them and put a few back. The reasoning for this is putting back the young small oysters that still need time to mature and grow. The bigger ones will of course dominate in the environment and eat most of the food(plankton, etc) and leave very little left over for the younger ones, hence they need to be sorted and set aside or shucked to be eaten.

With the engine fired up and ready to go, we made a very short trip across to a floating wooden deck, where Oysters are shucked, bubbly popped,and reveling in the temporary feeling of the good life are enjoyed! I lost count the amount of Oysters I consumed, and because my person is (so he suspects) allergic to shellfish, I chose to eat for the both of us! Two bucket list items are officially ticked off. Touring an oyster farm and having freshly shucked oysters right then and there! And of course shucking my own oyster straight from the sea. Whether you have a penchant for a freshly shucked oyster or not, this is definitely something every foodie or food nerd should experience!

Each juicy plump oyster tasted of the sea, fresh, and had a delicious sweet taste. I tried plenty without any condiments, and to me this is the best way to eat them. Recalling something that Kyle, of Mussel Monger recently said, “chew your oysters, rather than knock it back like a shot” Some sound advice, as you really get to experience each texture and taste as you chew.

The cliched saying of “time flies when you’re having fun” comes to mind. The weekend was over before it actually began! With a jam-packed weekend of seeing and tasting all Saldanha has to offer, I felt the immediate need to come back and do it all again, and soon! Blue Bay Lodge, is family friendly, a fantastic place to switch off and reconnect with oneself and nature. They host all sorts of family friendly activities year round, from the kite-windsurfing cup to a sailing regatta and lots more! See below to visit their website and keep up to date with all their events. Blue Bay lodge is the perfect sea-side escape for everyone! If you’re planning a wedding,function or conference, they have such beautiful and affordable facilities to host you and your guests. Get in touch with the team to find out more.

You can find Blue Bay lodge on the Foodie route(#53) on West Coast Way’s route guide. The foodie route is a great way to explore those tucked away local gems!

Plan your weekend away with West Coast Way and Blue Bay lodge whilst they are still running the 3 for 2 nights deal! Visit West Coast Way and Blue Bay Lodge for more information. To book an oyster farm tour and tasting contact Kevin Ruck at Blue Sapphire Pearls at kevin@ruck.co.za or call (022) 714 3928. The tours are R460 per person and have a minimum of 4 people per tour.

July 6, 2018
Chenin Blanc Chicken Pot Pie
Last week Friday (15th of June) we celebrated #DrinkChenin day with a notable stormy chill in the air. I love and enjoy the occasional Chenin Blanc but in winter I tend to enjoy a full bodied red wine more over a perfectly chilled white. So to make it a little more suitable for an icy winter’s day, I’ve made a chicken pot pie with this delicious Chenin Blanc from Kleine Zalze. The renowned wine estate has recently won an array of awards from the Decanter World Wine Awards, John Platter Wine Guide, and the International Wine Challenge just to name but a few.

For those who aren’t aware, besides being known for award winning Chenin blanc and Shiraz, Kleine Zalze is also home to one of the most esteemed and revered restaurants in South Africa, Terroir. Having opened in 2004, and won two EatOut top 10 awards since, with Micheal Broughton at the helm of this local gem, I have yet to visit and tick Terroir off of my bucket list.

It is said that South Africa’s Chenin Blanc is known to be up there with the world’s finest! Chenin Blanc has a long history. It’s thought to have been established in the Anjou region of France as long ago as the ninth century and was probably known then as Chenere. The variety was renamed Chenin Blanc, after Mont Chenin, in the 15th century soon after being exported to the Touraine region in the Loire Valley. The unique white wine also has a long and interesting history in South Africa and is believed to be amongst the first vine cuttings that arrived here in 1655.

Chenin Blanc Chicken, Spinach and Thyme Pot Pie.

Makes 1 big pie or 6 individual pot pies.

Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs, deboned, shredded and skinned (skins saved to make chicken crackling)
- 200 g spinach
- 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 sheet of store-bought butter puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 50 ml flour
- 340 ml chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- 60 ml chenin blanc
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 leek, rinsed well and roughly chopped
Method:

On a high heat in a large pan or pot, sear the chicken until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Reduce the heat, then add the butter, olive oil, chopped shallot,leek and thyme, cook for 2 minutes. Then add the spinach and garlic, cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the chicken to the pan, stir to combine.

Add the Chenin and let the alcohol slowly cook away. Add the flour, then the stock and continue to stir until a thick consistency is achieved. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes stirring continuously, until the chicken is cooked through. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Working quickly with the pastry, roll it out and place in your preferred dish, add the chicken mixture to the dish, and add another sheet of pastry to the top to seal the pie. I made one with a wonky lattice, an open one with pastry only at the bottom and another one completely closed marked with a fork. Brush with egg-wash and bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes until puffed up and golden. If baking in ramekins, place on a baking tray. I’m not particularly sure how true this is, but it reduces the occurrence of soggy bottoms.

To make the crispy chicken skin crackling: remove any fat off from the inside of the skin and place on a paper towel season with salt and pepper (be mindful of how much salt you use, as the skins shrink and could be a bit too salty) Place on a parchment lined baking tray at 200 degrees C. cover with another sheet of parchement and another baking tray to stop the skins from curling up. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp. set aside to cool. Serve as a snack or alongside your pie as an added extra crunch.

Enjoy with a chilled glass of Chenin Blanc.

Cheers! x

**Information supplied by the Chenin Blanc Association website. This is not a sponsored post, all views are my own. The costs of making this blog post I have paid for out of my own expense**
June 21, 2018
Groot Constantia’s Grand Constance 3 ways – Part 1.
**I was gifted this bottle of Grand Constance by Groot Constantia to create a series of posts with. All views and thoughts are my own**

In Celebration of Groot Constantia’s 333 years as South Africa’s oldest existing wine estate, I was gifted a bottle of their award winning Grand Constance Muscat wine to do a series of blog posts where I let my imagine run wild in the kitchen with the fruity wine. Most recipes I kept it as simple as I could, not altering the taste of the wine, but in each dish, making it shine and making it the centre of the dish as it was intended when made at Groot Constantia.

Grand Constance, the French translation for Groot Constantia, was an established brand revered in the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, King Louis Phillipe of France and Frederick the Great of Prussia, when they were clients of Groot Constantia. Modelled on remnants found in the USA, Scandinavia, Europe and the U.K dating back to the late 1700’s. The Wine has an intense liquid amber colour and is produced from Muscat grapes sun ripened on the vines, pressed, fermented and aged in oak barrels. It has notes and nuances of pears, apricots, peaches, rose petals, and nutty flavours.

I will be sharing all three posts one per week, to commemorate the 333 years. This is a project I am super excited to share with you all, and best of all I had loads of fun experimenting in the kitchen. I don’t get to do much of baking these days being stuck behind a desk (even in the comfort of my own home).

This Cheesecake recipe is an adaptation of Helen Goh and Yotam Ottolenghi’s Apricot and Amaretto cheesecake. I replaced the apricots with seasonal sweet and crunchy pears and of course substituted the Amaretto with the Grand Constance. The cheescake, I found was not overly sweet or too rich (I could be biased, I do love a good cheesecake!) I loved how the delicate flavours of the Grand Constance shone through in the filling and roasted pears that I topped the cheesecake with.

Roasted Pear and Grand Constance cheesecake.

Ingredients:

For the Base:
- 70g flaked almonds
- 180g digestive biscuits
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
- 350g fresh pears(or any seasonal fruit) seeds removed and cut in thick slices
Filling:
- 840g cream Cheese
- 170g caster sugar
- scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod, save the husk.
- finely grated zest of 1 large orange
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 85g sour cream
- 70ml Grand Constance
Topping:
- 15g flaked almonds
- 400g fresh pears, cut into thick slices
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 tablespoons Grand Constance
- a drop of rose water
Method:

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C/150 fan. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 23cm springform tin and line with parchment. Spread all the almonds(for the base and topping) on a baking tray and toast for 5-10 minutes, or until light golden brown in colour. Set aside 15g for the topping to be used later.

For the base, place the digestive biscuits in a food processor or blender and blitz to form fine crumbs(the consistency should be that of breadcrumbs). Tip into a medium sized bowl and add the majority of the almonds and melted butter. Using a large spoon, mix together to combine. The texture should be that of wet sand. Spoon the crumbs into the tin, using your hands to press them into the base. Even out the crust with the back of a spoon or base of a glass. Set aside in the fridge.

Increase the oven temperature to 210 degrees C/190 degrees C fan. Spread all of the pears evenly out into a roasting dish with the sugar, empty vanilla pod/husk and Grand Constance and a drop of Rose water. Roast for 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the filling, place the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the eggs, followed by the sour cream, and beat until combined. You might have to scrape the bowl down to fully incorporate everything and then mix again. Then add the Grand Constance, and mix until combined.

Remove the cheesecake base from the fridge and arrange the roasted pears evenly over the bottom(just enough that it covers the base). Then gently pour over the cheesecake filling over the roasted pears and then place on a baking tray. Bake for 1 hour, or until the sides of the cheesecake are set but the middle still has a wobble when gently shaken. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside for another hour, with the door propped open with a wooden spoon. Place in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours or overnight to set completely.

On the day of serving, take the pears that have been set aside to top the cheesecake and arrange on top of the cake in any pattern you wish. Sprinkle over the roasted flaked almonds and to garnish for colour some dried rose petals. For extra effect, add caster sugar on top of the pears and using a blow torch brulee until sugar caramelizes.

Best enjoyed with a chilled glass of Grand Constance.

Cheers! x
May 25, 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