My brandy love affair thanks to Van Ryn’s

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Karisa

(From my Instagram feed – follow me there: CTmylove)

Last Saturday was one of those days where I set out on a mini adventure, not quite sure what to expect…

After battling with that very serious dilemma of “what shoe is going to be appropriate today? Heels, flats or wedge…” (I went with the latter), I headed off to Stellenbosch to join a group of gorgeous ladies for a brandy blending experience at Van Ryn’s.

The week before I had to endure quite a few brandy related jokes about how I needed to be careful of the karate water kick and all that. But after a fantastic day of learning new things, I can now say to those folks, karate water se gat. There were no Coca-Cola mix vibes here my friend. We were there to experience the true art behind a fine brandy – something which should be savored and appreciated, much like you would with a great bottle of wine.

Now I will admit, I was certainly no brandy drinker going into this. And I won’t say it’s now taken over the place of wine in my life. But what was really great was that I left there being able to tell a great brandy from a not-so-great brandy and knowing what to look out for if I for example wanted to purchase someone a nice bottle as a gift. Also, if I was presented with the option of a brandy on ice in future, I would now be more inclined to go, why yes, that sounds lovely.

Before I go on, a special mention has to go to Nico Gründlingh from Image Solutions Photography. Nico followed us around on the day and captured the most amazing moments way better than I could ever dream of with my click-and-go, or even with all those fancy filters on Instagram. So below you’ll be seeing his photographs rather than my own (unless otherwise specified).

Right, let’s go. Firstly, the Van Ryn’s property is absolutely beautiful. Let me show you what I mean:

We were welcomed with brandy cocktails and brandy infused canapes (which was certainly a great way to kick-start our day), after which we moved on to a tour of Van Ryn’s with brandy expert, Brink, who took us through all the intricate details of the brandy making process...

Just look at that intense concentration…

We learnt so many interesting things – like the term “Angel share” which is what they call the brandy that is lost through evaporation throughout the maturation process. Basically the saying goes that the missing brandy has gone up to the angels as a gift. Isn’t that lovely?

We also learnt that South Africa has been making brandy for nearly 3 1/2 centuries and is currently the 6th largest producer of brandy in the world. The French call it Cognac, which is very much the same as that whole Champagne thing where we can’t use the same term and have to go with MCC, but Cognac is a variety of brandy nonetheless.

South Africa also produces award-winning brandy, like the Van Ryn’s Collection Reserve 12 Year Old, which has won the title of ‘Worldwide Best Brandy’ a whopping four times. Take that Frenchies!

To get a detailed breakdown of the brandy making process, do check out this page called What is Brandy? via the SA Brandy website - they explain the finer details a lot better than I’m going to be able to.

The part of the tour I found most interesting was checking out the Cooperage. This is where coopers still perform the age-old skill of handmaking the French Oak barrels used to mature brandy. At Van Ryn’s, very little mechanisation is used in this process, and they train up a few new coopers every year to make sure this skill is not something that is lost over time.

Abie was there to give us a demonstration of the very skillful process. He’s been a cooper for 39 years and makes it look very easy, but I can assure you, it’s certainly not. They use only handmade tools, in fact, during their apprenticeship, they have to make their own set of tools, and coopers also mark their barrels, so that you can tell exactly know who made each one.

When a cooper completes his apprenticeship, he also has to come up with his own unique song. Abie was kind enough to share his with us:

So cool… After the tour it was time for our inner scientists to shine. We took our seats in the Paradise Room where Brink explained how we were going to go about blending our very own brandy. I didn’t actually know this before, but a brandy is blended from various brandy “building blocks”. It’s not a single barrel process like you’d find in the whiskey world for example, which makes it quite an intricate process.

We were each given 8 brandy building blocks to play with (38% alcohol each). Brink explained that each building block was a typical main component in different types of well known brandies, each with its own very unique aroma & taste. For example nr1 was quite fruity with a vanilla & honey taste and is the main building block in Fish Eagle brandy. Nr3 had a wooded aroma with a spicy, biscuity taste and is the main building block in the Van Ryn’s 10 yr old. And so forth…

The process of then coming up with our very own blend involved a lot of smelling, tasting, planning, brainstorming, mixing and creating.

The blend I settled on was 60% nr2 (main building block for Klipdrift Premium), 30% nr6 (main building block for Van Ryn’s 15 yr old) & 10% nr8 (main building block for 10 yr old Hanepoot). I set out to create a fruity, sweet & perfumy brandy with a smooth & creamy taste, and Brink noted after tasting mine, that I had created the perfect “ladies brandy” – success! I called it “The Love Affair”… (of course)

Ta da… (Pic my own)

With our new titles of Master Brandy Blender under our belts, we settled in for a late lunch prepared by Chef Laurent from Bizerca Bistro.

He had prepared a bit of a brandy-meets-tartare taste journey for us, kicking off with some yellowtail and moving on to some ostrich, beef & venison – all carefully paired with a particular Van Ryn’s brandy.

The yellowtail (top left) was my absolute favourite… (Food piccies my own)

Prizes were also handed out for best brandy blend of the day, which went to Misha (aka @Brandslut_) for her cinnamon, apple pie inspired blend. And best name, which went to Kayli (aka @kaylivee) for her blend called Dark Angels’ (she used the Angel share concept explained above as her inspiration behind the name). Nicely done ladies.

To the whole team at Van Ryn’s, Brink our fantastic guide, and all the girls – @Brandslut_, @kaylivee, @missemmajude, @natalieroos, @the_foodfox & @KaminiPather - thank you so so much for an amazing day.

If you want to experience some of the Van Ryn’s awesomeness for yourself. They offer the following great activities:

Brandy tours: Mon – Fri 10:00, 11:30 & 15:00, Sat & Public holidays 10:00, 11:30 & 13:00, Sun – no cellar tours
Tastings – opening hours: Mon – Fri 9:00 to 16:30, Sat 9:30 to 15:30 and Sun 11:00 to 16:00
Pairings: Brandy, coffee & chocolate pairing and a Florentine tasting (those yummy Tuscan biscuits)
Or just try their Angel’s share cocktail – Van Ryn’s 5 year old Viceroy, coffee & caramel, garnished with chocolate shavings.

Just contact them on 021 881 3875. And also check out the Fine Brand by Design website for more info on how to properly taste brandies, some cocktail ideas & also food pairing tips.

I’m thirsty now… is it happy hour yet?

xxx

Market update – Stellenbosch

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Karisa

Nooo… don’t worry… I’m not gonna get all serious on you guys and tell you about stocks and bonds and stuff related to this winelands town. I’m just gonna give you the Fri – Sun market rundown for the Stellenbosch area. Let’s go…

Friday – Woodmill Market

For Friday evening after work drinks, this is a good option. It’s relatively small, but you can grab a craft beer or glass of wine, something to eat and listen to some live music. Sound good? Then do check it out if you’re in the area.

Apologies for the crappy photo quality below – I was in between cameras at that stage after a certain run in with a horse…

Things you need to know:

When? Every Friday from 17:30 to 22:00
Where? Vredenburg Road, Stellenbosch (directions on their website link above)

Saturday – Slow Food Market (plus The Treasury Market)

This is certainly still a favourite of mine. Love, love, love this market. And we were lucky enough that on the day The Treasury Market folks were there too. This is such a great place to have some amazing food, get your retail shopping on and chill on the lawn under the trees with a glass of sparkly…

Some things that I thought deserved a special mention:

These awesome light shades made from recycled bottles at only R350 each. They resemble all these arty lights which are so in at the moment if you look through decor magazines, etc. But instead of breaking the bank of a designer one, I think this recycled baby looks just as good.

Loved these photo blocks by Ingrid Hall Art - could picture a whole bunch of them on a wall at home:

R130 each or R110 if you buy 4 or more.

Many people have asked me where I got my dress which I wore to the Glamour Oscars party. Well it was one of those dresses that you can wrap in different ways and I got it from a little shop in Canal Walk which has since closed down. Luckily I spotted this Gelique stand at the market and this lady will custom make your dress for you for around R600 and you can pick from quite an impressive selection of fabrics:

This is such an awesome idea. I’ve worn my dress to two big events now, each time wrapping it differently, and people have been none the wiser…

And look at my amazing new bamboo cheese & bread board (or cutting board if you wish):

This beauty only set me back R300. Thought that was a pretty good deal for real bamboo…

Oh and while you’re at the market, do also pop into the Oude Libertas Art Gallery, they have some pretty cool things in there:

Right, things you need to know:

When? Every Saturday from 09:00 to 14:00 (The Treasury Market joins them usually on the first Saturday of every month)
Where? Oude Libertas (directions on their website link above)

Sunday (or Saturdays too) – Root 44 Market

This one’s a new kid on the block & now also a new favourite of mine. Lots and lots of things to see, eat & drink as well as a huge play area for the kids and live music for the parents. Pull up a table and some chairs and chill under the trees… #bliss.

I was super impressed by this lady’s pancake making skills:

Look at all those pans going at the same time! Aaah and they tasted soooo good. Definitely pay this stand a visit. It’s a must…

The Merkabah boys (who are usually based at the Brampton Wine Studio in Church St, Stellenbosch) served up a mean cuppa:

Calvin & Andre. Lookin’ good boys, lookin’ good…

Loved their old school looking coffee machine… as well as the coffee of course. Definitely give it a bash if you can.

Ooh and look at the doggie I brought home… his name is Frank the 3rd:

And bonus… he doesn’t poop on your carpet… good dog Frank.

Things you need to know about this market:

When? Saturday & Sunday from 09:00 to 15:30
Where? Corner of the R44 and Annandale Road on the Audacia Wine Estate (directions on their website link above)

So there you go guys. Hopefully I’ve given you some new market exploration ideas to fit into your weekend plans. Markets rock… #justsaying.

xxx

Check out Oude Werf for a cosy stay, close to all the Stellenbosch winelands action

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Karisa

Bjorn and I were recently totally spoilt with a blissful weekend in gorgeous Stellenbosch, staying at Oude Werf Hotel which is situated at 30 Church St.

Established way back in 1802, the hotel has some serious bragging rights for being South Africa’s oldest & most historic hotel. It is located right in the heart of Stellies, which means you’re totally in the thick of things and just walking distance from all the amazing little shops, museums, galleries & eateries. There’s also free valet parking, which means you can safely tuck that car away while you happily explore on foot.

The hotel has been designed & decorated in a Georgian Style which takes you back to a time of elegance & drama. It also boasts a modern and truly beautiful garden courtyard & pool area. Let me tempt you with some photos…

The hotel has 45 en suite bedrooms (12 classic, 21 superior & 12 deluxe) as well as 5 self catering apartments. All the rooms/apartments have been individually styled with antiques which have been collected over the years (and remember, there’s been A LOT of years, so there’s some really incredible furniture pieces to be seen around the hotel).

We were staying in one of their deluxe rooms which boasts a huge bed & equally huge bathroom with underfloor heating en alles. The one we stayed in was situated just past the pool area, facing the street (so you can expect some road noise, but nothing too crazy).

That bed was sooooo comfy. It totally sucked you in and wouldn’t let you go…

How’s that bath? I’ve always dreamt of having one of those…

A lot of their superior rooms however look over the pool and the ones which are situated on the 1st & 2nd floors, have the cutest little balconies. So I’d say, if you prefer to be tucked away in your cosy room and have that bit of extra space inside, go for the deluxe option. But if you like to be part of the action a little more & have the option to step outside, opt for the superior room.

Dinner at their restaurant, 1802 (open to anyone, not just those who stay there), was an absolutely lovely experience. You can sit inside our outside in the restaurant’s own little vine covered courtyard. Both are great options because it’s a beautiful dining spot inside & out:

The dinner menu offers up some great traditional dishes with a modern twist. Think butternut soup infused with Rooibos tea , wild mushroom tart with salsa verde & truffle oil, venison loin, lamb shank, Cape Malay Bobotie and West coast sole with a beetroot risotto…

Prices range from R35 to R68 for starters, R70 to R125 for mains and R38 to R45 for dessert. Finish off your meal with an Afrikaan’s favourite “Japies Delight”, Amarula crème brulee, home-made ice cream or their famous baked cheesecake. Mmmmm…

Breakfast the next morning was an equally great treat. With a buffet spread of fresh fruits, yoghurts, cereals, cheeses, meats, breads, baked treats (like yummy scones!) and more. Moving on to a hot breakfast of your choice. It left you needing a little post brekkie nap, that’s for sure.

All ‘n all we had a really great stay. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. We got to catch up on so much needed lost sleep and we left their with very happy pot bellies. I can highly recommend Oude Werf if you’re looking for a little winelands getaway…

To sweeten the deal, they have a few really great special packages at the moment. We were there to experience their Weekend Market Day package where you are encouraged to explore the various amazing markets Stellies have to offer while you are there. The deets are as follows:

From only R1125.00 per room, per night Valid until 30 September 2013 (min 2 night stay)
Offer includes:
- Dinner in Restaurant 1802 on one of the evenings
- Scrumptious breakfast every morning
- A late check-out at 14h00 Or extend your stay by 1 more night and pay only R900 (that’s still including breakfast)
- Receive a special parcel of homemade jam’s from the market to take home

Our little gift parcel of jams… can’t wait to get stuck in.

Read more about this one & other specials, click on over here. And for any queries, contact the hotel on 021 887 4608 or hotel@oudewerfhotel.co.za.

A huge thanks to the entire Oude Werf team for an amazing stay. Hopefully we can make it back there at some point. I do really love Stellies, so it’s definitely not a hard sell.

xxx

If you’re looking for a wedding venue, Molenvliet’s pretty great

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Karisa

A few weeks ago I attended a beautiful wedding at the Molenvliet Wine Estate which is situated between Stellenbosch & Franschhoek on the R310 Helshoogte Road.

At the time, the name of this wine farm didn’t ring any bells, I didn’t think I had ever heard of the place before (or ever sampled any of their wine). It was only afterwards I realised that I’d actually seen the name on a piece that Cape Town Magazine did back in December about the Top 10 wedding venues in Cape Town. (Things were a bit slow in the office OK and I caught myself reading some weird things, I’m certainly no wedding obsessed chicka )

But I could definitely see why Molenvliet made that list, they really do have quite a special setup when it comes to weddings. Basically you start off with the ceremony in a leafy area at the top of the property. Then you take a leisurely stroll down to the reception venue, passing through the shade of some big trees, then down through the vineyards with the Drakenstein and Simonsberg Mountains making for the most impressive backdrop.

We had cute little umbrellas to help with the sun and they also have golf carts for those who have “too much life experience” to still manage the walk.

The reception venue is beautifully nestled in between the vineyards at the bottom of the property, with a big wooden deck on the outside which makes for the perfect spot to enjoy cocktails and canapes while the bridal couple have their piccies done.

I’m not sure how many guests were at this particular wedding, but it was a sizeable group. The Molenvliet website states that they can comfortably accommodate up to 250 guests, banqueting style with a dance floor. So that’s pretty good if you have a big family and every damn third cousin twice removed or whatever has to attend.

Oooh and I can also confirm two things: 1. The wine is good and 2. the food there is amazing. So Molenvliet ticks all the boxes.

If you happen to be in wedding planning mode and you’re looking for a great winelands venue. I can totally recommend looking into this one. And congrats on the engagement!

xxx

The heavenly De Oude Bank Bakkerij

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Karisa

Righty-O then, the last in the series of awesome Stellenbosch discoveries I’ve recently made is a place I would call bread heaven for sure. It’s an artisan bakery slash beautiful cafe, a true hidden treasure, just off Church St called De Oude Bank Bakkerij.

I say “hidden” treasure because you really can’t see it from the road. It’s down a little side alleyway, so not the kind of place you’ll just stumble upon. You definitely need some insider info to find it. Luckily for you guys, I’m utterly kak at keeping awesome titbits to myself.

Just past the gelato place I told you about yesterday, you’ll see their sign on the wall, then hook a left into the cobblestone alleway. And ta da!

The interior will absolutely blow you away. There’s just so many fun, quirky details to keep your eyes busy for ages…

Loved. Everything. Period.

I mean even the tea/coffee cups and glass bottles your homemade ice tea is served in is an experience:

See what I mean?

The menu is small & simple, but I can guarantee you that everything’s prepared with lots of love & care. You can tell by just reading the descriptions. Lemme show you what I mean:

Hotpressed sandwich (R48) with brie, honey roasted tomatoes, basil pesto, smoked chicken, avocado, wild rocket and a balsamic glaze.
Seasonal salad (R42) with slow roasted beetroot & red peppers, cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, mixed seeds, basil leaves and coppa ham.

Sounds crazy good right? We were feeling breakfasty though, so Bjorn and I decided to share the Creamy Scrambled Eggs (R45) which is served with toasted sourdough, smoked bacon and the best slow roasted tomato dip I’ve ever tasted:

Ooooooh…

And then we also shared a Local Produce Platter (R110 for 2, R220 for 4 ppl) which is a mix of breads, meats, cheeses, pesto’s and other dips. You can opt to build your own platter, but all the options just got a bit overwhelming for me personally, so I figured it would be best to leverage of their expertise. Good move too as I loved every single thing on that platter. In fact, this to me was a total foodgasm.

Aaaaaaaah…

I also spotted some artisan ice cream on the menu and the salted caramel flavour sounded particularly tempting. But I was battling with what can only be referred to as a “food baby” at that stage, so it just wasn’t going to happen.

De Oude Bank Bakkerij gets a Miss K Kiss-o-Meter rating of from me. I just loooove this place and want everyone to experience it as well.

Just some things to take note of:

Address: 7 Church Street, Oude Bank building, Stellenbosch
Opening Hours: Tue – Fri: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, Sat: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm & Sun: 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
You can contact them on: 021 883 2187 or info@paindevie.co.za

Come on, drive out there and do it! You know you want to…

xxx

Totally tempting Italian Ice Cream in Stellies

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Karisa

I really do love Stellenbosch – not as much as Cape Town of course – but I do love the fact that it’s only a quick 30 – 40 min drive away and that once there you feel like you’ve stepped back in time just a teensy bit. I mean it’s just so damn pretty with it’s picturesque streets, lined with leavy trees and filled with tons old school charm, a lazy afternoon here is absolute bliss.

One recent afternoon of mine was spent enjoying some beautiful gelato at Lecca il Gelato which you’ll find towards the middle of Church St.

Too cute…

They’ve got quite a solid selection of flavours and price wise, I thought it was really quite good. For R18 you can get yourself a small cone, R25 gets you a medium & R30 a large. And a small cup costs R19, with a medium R28 and a large R32.

Ooh, then they also have a special Lindt cone (R30) as well as waffles and ice cream (R40). Mmmmm…

It becomes a pretty tough choice really…

I went for a chocolaty flavour as well as some pistachio and I have to say, it took me straight back to Italy and this day I decided to explore the Venice islands of Murano, Burano & Torcello. But by the time we got to Torcello, it was boiling hot and I decided that instead of checking out the island’s museums and cathedral, I would rather stay on the little dock area and stuff my face with creamy, ice cold gelato. Best decision ever! So yeah, in my book, this gelato definitely hit the mark.

Their website states that this was the first real gelato shop in South Africa and it is owned by an “enthusiastic team of Italians”, so it really doesn’t get more authentic than that. They also serve up some Italian coffee and next door they do some baked goodies as well. But my focus that day was only on the gelato. Maybe I’ll give the rest a bash on my next visit.

Important info:

Address: 15 Church St, Stellenbosch
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 8:00 am – 11:00 pm
You can contact them on: 083 269 8791 or info@leccailgelato.co.za

The website also makes mention of other branches in the Western Cape as well as plans to expand to other areas in SA. But I couldn’t find any specific info on this unfortunately. For now though, I can highly recommend their Stellies base for the next time you need a cool break from the summer rays.

xxx

De Stomme Jonge for your roosterkoek fix

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Karisa

Over the next 3 posts I’m doing a bit of Stellenbosch exploration. First up I’m going to tell you about De Stomme Jonge, a cute little spot in Ryneveld st (on the cnr of Dorp St) which serves up some tasty roosterkoek under some beautiful, leavy trees…

So peaceful…

Now for those who are not familiar with roosterkoek, it’s an old South African favourite associated with a good braai. It’s a bread item, traditionally served piping hot, straight off the grill, topped with some apricot jam. And it’s soooooo yum! So naturally I was very excited to give this spot a bash.

Prices range from about R25 for a simple jam & cheese roosterkoek and up to R45 for a smoked beef & cheese. Other topping options include things like chicken mayonaisse, biltong & cheese, bacon, egg & cheese or sundried tomato, basil pesto, olives & cheese.

I wanted to keep things a little more traditional (cause I’m an old school roosterkoek meisie), so I went for the cheese, bacon & apricot jam. Bjorn went for something with a bit more flair and opted for the bacon, brie & fig. Oooh and my roosterkoek was washed down with some Innesense Ginger Beer – I absolutely love their range of drinks. Their cloudy lemonade is also a winner. I see Pick ‘n Pay sells them as well, so you can stock up nicely. Sweet.

I think out of the two, Bjorn’s brie & fig baby was the winner. Mine was a little bland. But both roosterkoekke (or is roosterkoeks? hehe) were hot & crispy on the outside and soft & fluffy on the inside. So they passed the test for sure. I also wasn’t a big fan of the salad on the one side of the roosterkoek, but Bjorn really loved it. So maybe it was just me struggling to think outside the roosterkoek box.

For a fun idea and a totally pretty setting, I’d give De Oude Jonge a Miss K Kiss-o-Meter rating of

If you’re keen to give it a bash for yourself (and you should), here are the NB contact details:

Address: 3 Ryneveld St / Corner Dorp St, Stellenbosch
Tel: 082 054 0125
Email: destommejonge@gmail.com
Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 10:00 am – 2:00 am

xxx

Shaping up to be a pretty great weekend…

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Karisa

As you are reading this I am en route to Mozambique! Yup, I’m going back to Flamingo Bay for 4 days of absolute bliss with the family… hell to the yeah…

BUT if I look at the weather forecast for Cape Town this weekend, you guys are in for some pretty awesome weather as well. So please don’t hate me too much. I promise to think of you guys as I’m sipping on a cocktail while chilling on the deck of my water chalet if you think of me while sipping on a cocktail overlooking beautiful Camps Bay beach. Deal?

It’s also going to be nice weather for some market exploring. So why not take a drive out to Stellenbosch tomorrow for The Treasury Market which is taking place at Oude Libertas again this weekend (this market joins the weekly Slowmarket on the 1st Sat of each month). They are promising 29 traders offering all kinds of beautiful handmade things from local designers, crafters and artisans. And then on top of that there’s also going to be a Summer Strawberry Fair at the Slowmarket right next door. Just listen to this:

Seasonal freshly picked palettes of strawberries, Robertson Valley pomegranate juices and delectable reductions ideally topped on ice cream. Our local Boland farmers adorn us with blueberries & blackberries and our award winning producers and traders infuse their popular meals with all things berry. Berry cordials, strawberry dacarees, strawberry pesto, berry ice cream, Rudi’s strawberry sausage, strawberry bakes and strawberry jams. Even our crafters infuse berries into their soaps, bath salts and designs.

Doesn’t that just sound too good? There will also be some live music from new pop-rock band, Furniss who hails from Cape Town, but has just come back from Nashville in the US where they recorded 3 new songs. So all ‘n all there will be lots to see & do at Oude Libertas this Saturday for sure.

NB info:

Date/time: Sat, 3 Nov – 9am to 2pm.
How to get there: From the N2 take the Stellenbosch turn-off . Turn right at the traffic light on the R310(M12) heading towards Stellenbosch. Turn left at the next set of traffic lights and drive to Oude Libertas.
OR From N1 take the Stellenbosch turn-off and drive into town along Bird street. Turn right into Adam Tas rd and bear right at the third set of traffic lights onto the R310(M12) heading towards the Kuilsriver/ Cape Town. Cross Dorpstreet traffic lights and Turn right at the Distell/ Oude Libertas traffic lights into Oude Libertas rd and drive to Oude Libertas.
For more info: Contact Karin Vermeulen on admin@slowmarket.co.za / 021 886 8514 / 072 416 4890

Have a great weekend everyone. I have some posts scheduled while I’m away for those wanting a bit of reading material.

xxx

Picnicking in the winelands

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Karisa

This past Sunday the BF and I headed out to Stellenbosch for a late afternoon picnic session at the Vredenheim Wine Estate. Now this is not a wine farm that I’d ever heard of before, but I got a pretty sweet deal on Ubuntudeal which got me 50% of a picnic basket for two.

The deal promised that the picnic basket would contain the following:

A platter of cheeses, biscuits and preserves
A selection of cold meats and salads
Fresh bread
Fresh fruit
And home made muffins

My first thought was “You had me at the platter of cheeses dammit!” I love cheese, like on a slightly disturbing level, like if I had to choose between a bag of money (which I wasn’t allowed to spend on any cheese) or a bag filled with a variety of delicious cheeses, it would be a tough one… Anyhoo, I digress. The normal cost for such a basket of goodies for two is R260, so that means I made a cool saving of 130 buckaroos. Love a good deal… but still not as much as I love cheese.

For those of you who, unlike me, are really into weddings… like you’ve been keeping a secret scrapbook since the age of 10 with reference images of what your dream day would look like… I’m not judging you… a lot… You might be interested to know that the Vredenheim estate makes for a pretty descent wedding venue. Check out their kitted out reception hall:

Not sure if they had a wedding there the night before or if they just keep it in this state as a selling tactic… but hey, it was pretty.

We picked up our basket, bought some water & Vredenheim sparkling grape juice (cause drinks aren’t included & of course you can also buy wine with it being a wine farm and all) and headed off to explore the gardens and find the perfect chill spot. Here’s what our basket looked like:

Ta da!

And here’s a couple of shots of the picnic area:

Beautiful right? We found a shady spot overlooking the water, proceeded to stuff our faces and then slipped into a mini food coma. It was absolute bliss. By the time we left the sun was starting to set and I was lucky enough to snap this awesome shot before heading back into town:

Quality’s a bit crappy – I was a total knob and left my camera at home. So had to make due with my BB, which has a really crappy camera…

To be 100% honest, I did think the usual R260 price tag was a bit steep for salads, meats and stuff – but like the BF says “you’re paying for the overall experience”. So I can’t really argue with that… we did have a great time.

To book your own picnic basket – contact the Vredenheim restaurant, Hudson’s on 021 881 3590. Just remember to take your own picnic blanket along. They’ll sort you out with cutlery, glasses, etc.

xxx

The Stellenbosch Fresh Goods Market

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Karisa

So clearly I’ve been living under a rock… cause I can’t really explain how it’s taken me this long to stumble upon the Stellenbosch Fresh Goods market. And I’ve soooo been missing out.

Let’s get the important info out of the way first:

When? Every Saturday 9am-2pm (and that’s rain or shine people)
Where? Oude Libertas, Stellenbosch

This market is another pioneer for the Slow Food movement as it showcases producers selling goodies they have sourced/grown/raised/harvested/caught/ preserved or transformed themselves.

Just look at the inviting garden area that welcomes you as you walk up:

There’s a huge section filled with clothing, accessories, jewellery and such:

Then fresh fruits & veggies and some greenery:

Food wise you’ll find anything from marmalades and pestos to amazing cheeses & meats and then lots and lots of freshly made items to enjoy.

Bjorn went mad for the regte egte stroopwafels:

While I was totally lusting over some yummy looking flatbreats:

Mmmm… a little reminder of Italy.

To escape the heat for a bit we headed inside:

And it was buzzing!

Here we hit the sweet tooth trifecta – 1. Belgium waffles, served with whipped cream, cherries & syrup:

2. A table of freshly baked goods to tempt those tastebuds:

And then… the pièce de résistance… out-of-this-world cupcakes!!!

No no I shouldn’t… OK maybe I can… no no no don’t!

For the sake of my ass… I had to get outta there, and fast… I picked up 2kgs just drooling over those evil sweet treats. Geeze.

As we stepped back outside, Bjorn caved for that all-time awesome idea – a dik meat sausage on a roll:

I’m a boerewors girl, but Bjorn’s a bratwurst boy… whateva, it still rocks!

For the rest of our time there, we took refuge in the shady amphitheatre:

Ah bliss…

We didn’t have enough time to check out all the various market sections as we had to head back into town for the Queens Plate (more on that to come), so I’m really keen to head back again soon for a nice leisurely exploring session.

If you’re keen for a winelands excursion – get your butts over there. You’ll leave with bags full of great things and a smiling tummy for sure.

xxx

My Love Affair with Cape Town…

Just random fun in my mother city

Tag Archives: Stellenbosch