Not many, is my guess, which is why I’m very excited to be learning all about it next weekend. Slow Food Cape Town has organised a special tour of the indigenous ‘veldkos’ garden out at Solms Delta Farm near Franschhoek (Saturday 11 September 2010).

The hour-and-half long tour will be led by well-known food writer, Renata Coetzee, who was part of the planning team for the garden. Renata will point out what’s what, and tell us more about the history of the plants and of the garden. We’ll also be able to smell and taste the indigenous plants and herbs, and admire the fat-tailed sheep and Sanga cattle (traditionally herded by the Khoi).

Slow Food Mother City (yes, there are two Slow Food groups in Cape Town) will be tagging along for the garden visit, but instead of joining Slow Food Cape Town members for the post-tour lunch at Fyndraai Restaurant on the estate, we’ll be picnicking and viewing the plum blossoms at a neighbouring private farm.

If you’d like to come along for just the garden tour, you can book online here (cost: R40 per person). Bookings for the lunch must be done via Slow Food Cape Town (cost: R230 for Slow Food members, R250 for guests – including garden tour). Bookings close on Monday (6 September 2010).

Here’s hoping we get a beautiful spring day like this one… mmmm, I can smell the plum blossoms already.

About the garden:

“Solms-Delta farm is a wine estate located 15km outside the village of Franschhoek.

In addition to producing fine wines on the farm, the owners and farm workers have established a working culinary veldkos garden. The lives of the Cape’s first settlers, the Khoi, revolved around some 400 plant species that nourished them and cured their ailments. Most are now under threat of extinction.

When Fyndraai Restaurant opened on the estate, its brief was to draw from the Cape’s food traditions. Afrikaner boerekos (18th Century Old Cape fare influenced by Dutch, French, German and Slave practices), was mixed with ingredients first used by the Khoi nomads who settled in the Franschhoek valley 2000 years ago. The need to preserve this veldkos was the genesis for the Veldfood Garden.

The 2-hectare garden is a small but productive land parcel that, over the past 320 years, has been used for grazing, fruit production, and most recently, as a dumping ground. It is now planted with many of the edible veldkos plants.”

About a month ago, the friendly folk from Oded’s Kitchen asked me if I’d like to come along to one of their preserving courses at their shop in Woodstock (in the Biscuit Mill complex).  On the cards: a 4-hour hands-on workshop making 3 different types of preserves – marmalade (Brown Sugar 3-Citric), salsa (3-Tomato) and a pickle (Tannie Zelda’s).

Now, to say that I love pickles is a wild understatement, and as Oded’s pickles and preserves are amongst my very favourite (if not the favourite) on offer around Cape Town, I was uber keen to learn from the maestro himself.  So of course I jumped at the opportunity.

In case you haven’t yet encountered Oded’s Kitchen, here’s a little bit of background:

“Oded’s Kitchen is the culmination of many years of research and a deep love of ancient techniques. Cooking and food lore are used to produce innovative, vibrant and individual flavours that are designed to add an instant gourmet touch to any meal.

Oded’s Kitchen is much more than a condiment provider – it is an organically growing and creative environment which will teach, amuse and entertain with cooking classes, gastronomic experiences, tours and a range of Jewish style speciality foods…

As a company we fully promote the philosophies of the slow food movement; whenever possible we use organically produced, local ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging materials. No artificial preservatives are added and we strive to use the best ingredients around.”

Oded Schwartz is a master preserver who has written several books on the topic, including the definite ‘Preserving‘.  His knowledge is vast, and his enthusiasm contagious – he’ll try just about anything, once.

The course was great fun.  We were a small group (they take a maximum of 8 people) and so we all got to get stuck in, chopping and slicing, dicing and squeezing, as Oded guided us through the three different recipes (for the recipes visit Add To Taste).  We made a beautiful orange marmalade (with coriander in it, yum!), an awesome simple vegetable pickle, and a delicious (spicy!) tomato salsa – one of each of which we got to take home and enjoy later on.

What I loved was that even a complete preserving newbie like myself could follow the instructions, and end up with something delicious (okay, I didn’t really do that much on my own, but it all made sense to me, and I think I could probably replicate most of it now that I understand how it’s supposed to work).  Oded is friendly and ever-so-knowledgeable, and loves answering whatever questions you might have.

I didn’t pay for my workshop this time around, but I would gladly have done so, and will definitely be doing some more in future.  The R400 for the course includes 3 big jars of delicious self-made preserves to take home, and a lovely lunch of home-made pates and whatever else they’ve created for the occasion.

And if you’re not into getting hands-on, you can find Oded’s Kitchen’s wares at various markets around Cape Town, as well as in an increasing number of outlets.  Highly recommended, and there’s always something new on the go (Oded is somewhat experimental!).

Workshop details:

Oded’s Kitchen will be running all kinds of workshops in the months ahead.  Coming up this weekend is the Traditional Jewish Cooking Class on Sunday the 29th of August 2010.

Location:

Oded’s Kitchen is located at The Old Biscuit Mill, 373 Albert Rd, Salt River, Cape Town.   Visit odeds-kitchen.blogspot.com for more information or contact Lewis via email (Lewis@odeds-kitchen.co.za) or phone 021 447 0400.

The Earth Fair Market has done both, and much more, and has become my favourite market on the Cape Town scene.  Under the passionate direction of market organiser, Jacqui Simpson, the market has grown into something very special.  On Wednesday evenings, families and friends gather to grab a glass of organic wine (or artisan beer) and a bite to eat, in a convivial setting, with perhaps a bit of shopping on the side.  On Saturday mornings, it’s all about artisan coffee (the fabulous Origin is now in residence, hoohah!), delectable breakfasts (mmmm, Lemon Moon Crepes) and a weekly fresh produce top up.

Jacqui picks her stallholders carefully, and the quality of produce overall is outstanding.  I love that it’s become a place where families gather, boots ‘n’ all, and enjoy not only the great food and drink, but also the vibe.  Pick a different meal every time, supporting local producers, and forming relationships with them at the same time.

Anyway, long story short, this fab market is celebrating its first birthday this Saturday (14 August) and will be having an extra special market, with lots of Birthday Specials on offer.

Earth Fair Market is the place to go for a wonderful shopping experience. Enjoy products from a range of top quality traders; farm cheeses, a wide free range meat selection, speciality sausages, fresh and smoked fish, organic and farm fruit and veg, artisan breads and cakes and bakes, olives and preserves, delightful take home meals and salads.

The vibey indoor market is open twice a week so that you can stock up on your favourite items and, at the same time, meet up with family and friends for a delicious artisan coffee, local on tap beers and organic wines. There is a selection of mouthwatering meals to choose from – sushi, prego rolls, crepes, pizzas, bratwursts, Argentinean empanadas and quesadillas and so much more.

If you haven’t been yet, GO.

Some recommendations: biodynamic Avondale bubbly, Rudi’s sausages (no wheat, no preservatives, ALL flavour), Oded’s Kitchen’s divine pickles and preserves (and, recently, desserts, mmmm…), superb walnuts (and other nuts and dried fruits) from By Nature, Lemon Moon Crepes (both sweet and savoury), Ciao Bella’s uber-popular crispy-based pizzas (be prepared for a bit of a wait), Stefan’s spinach and onion rostis… I could go on for hours.

Where: South Palms (next to Builders Warehouse in Tokai Main Rd)

When: Saturday 14 August 2010.  9am-2.30pm  (and regularly on Wednesday evenings 3-8pm, and Saturday mornings 9am-2pm)

And that somewhere new is Rotisserie 360, on Bree Street (well, it’s not new, but it’s certainly the first time I’ve heard about it!)  I haven’t (yet) been myself, but read this rave review, and am already trying to find an excuse to make lunch-time sortie into town.

The eatery offers a diverse range of sandwiches and assorted breads, alongside freshly roasted chickens and a wholesome salad selection, making this a great spot for a midday urban bite. The shop also offers a range of locally produced sweet goodies, namely the ‘amsterdam’ (not what you’re thinking) and a chelsea bun looking morsel with chocolate and pistachio that tempted even a non-sweet tooth like myself.
… This spot is a real treat, and Debbie’s Policy of using organic, locally produced ingredients sang through the simple elegance of the dishes delivered… (read the full post)

I love what they’re all about:

Rotisserie 360 was established in 2009 with a simple mission –to offer quality, fresh street fare focusing on the rotisserie style of cooking. Rotisserie 360 is about fresh fast innovative and nutritious street food, made with lashings of love and more than just a dash of passion.

All foods are prepared on site daily using only fresh produce.  No preservatives or artificial flavourings are used.

Wow – lashings of love, passion, fresh produce.  I’m sold.  From the pictures, it looks pretty funky as well – I can’t wait to try it for myself!

Rotisserie 360 is located at 160 Bree Street (corner of Bloem St) in the City Bowl.  They’re open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.  Contact number: 0843141357.

Here’s what organisers say they have in store for visitors:

Mingle with the residents of this historic area for a truly cultural experience. View Aunty Galija’s photo collection of Bo-Kaap then and now. Tasty traditional foods, biscuits, cakes, samoosas, crafts, gifts, pickles, smoked snoek, dried fruit, jewelery and lots more on sale. Sit down and enjoy coffee and koesisters or curry and roti. Place orders with the stall holders for dinner parties or Ramadaan.  Have a look at some of the interesting products on exhibition at our Market Days,  See you  there!

I think it sounds quite fun, and I think the focus on traditional foods might just give it a unique character that other markets might not have. I’m not certain yet how often the market will be held, but will find out soon!

Market details:
The Bo-Kaap Food & Craft Market will take place on Saturday 7 August 2010 (10am-2pm) at the Schotschekloof Civic Centre, Upper Wale Street. Entrance is free. Contact Mymoena on 072 6430054 or Bilqees on 021 424 3736.

(Photo credit: Mark Turner/Flickr)

But I’ve discovered that not all take-aways are necessarily ‘fast food’.   I’ve discovered there can be ‘artisans of take away’.

‘Eat Out The Box‘ is a new Wynberg-based company offering a take away service that will blow your mind.  On the surface, the menu looks like most other take aways… pizzas, pastas burgers, more pizzas.  But how often are burgers served with ‘oven roasted potato wedges, sprayed with rosemary-infused olive oil and sprinkled with west coast sea salt’?

And have you ever been given a choice of rye with your burger (rye roll), pizza (rye base) or pasta (wheat-free fettucine)*?

Here’s what got me excited in the first place:

We love food!
Freshly prepared by hand,
without adding artificial colourants or preservatives,
just quality ingredients cooked with passion!

Eat Out The Box was born from the idea of bringing that passion and handcrafted attention into the busy lives of our consumers. We understand how difficult it is to work all day and still provide your family with meals that are healthy, tasty and balanced. We want to provide our EATers with healthier options when choosing to have food delivered…

We are a food delivery kitchen bringing you a range of restaurant quality foods including crispy, wood-fired, thin-based pizzas, moreish pastas, out-of-this-world burgers and the freshest salads, all delivered straight to your door by our funky delivery dudes. We have made it our mission to bring our EATers traditional take-away food that we all love to EAT by handcrafting our dishes using the finest local ingredients and adding nothing but fresh herbs, spices, a pinch of love and a healthy dose of passion!

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it?  Well, I tried it, and it IS true.  Just over a week ago I took up the offer of a voucher (and delivery outside their usual zones) to give their service a try – and it was fantastic.  It was so good, in fact, that my normally reticent fella swore appreciatively as he tucked into his beef lasagne, whilst I sighed happily as I crunched through my paper-thin rye-based pizza… (both still piping hot when they arrived).

The quality is outstanding:

All our produce is the freshest and finest quality available.  We choose organic whenever possible.  All our chicken is free range, and all our meat and vegetables are sourced locally (we support our local farmers).

So just how expensive is this gourmet experience, you might be wondering?  Incredibly, it’s not.  Burgers start at R31 (Beef Burger with 100% pure steak mince), pizzas at R37 (Margherita with homemade tomato base), pastas also at R37 (Napolitana sauce with parmesan).  There are also some great salad options, ranging from a simple Greek Salad to something called a ‘Castaway’ (calamari tubes, roasted red pepper, feta and more…)

And, for kids, there are special sized portions of simple pastas and pizzas priced between R22 and R36.

But wait, there’s more.  Not only do Eat Out The Box make great food, they care about the environment as well.  Their pizza boxes are made from recycled paper and their food containers are supplied by Green Home, a supplier of biodegradable and compostable food packaging products.  Fab-u-lous!

I really really like what these guys are doing, and hope they do very well indeed.  Because whilst I wouldn’t eat take-out all the time, it’s awesome to know that now there’s a way to do so that’s not only affordable, but delicious and comparatively earth-friendly as well.

Eat Out The Box is located at 70 Constantia Road, Wynberg and currently delivers to Harfield Villiage, Kenilworth, Wynberg, Plumstead, Constantia, Bergvliet and Diepriver. You can order online or call 021 761 9839.  They are open and start delivering from 5pm and take their last orders at 9:30pm. www.eatoutthebox.co.za

*PS. In case my fellow wheat-intolerants are wondering:

With regard to our rye options, our pizza bases are 50% rye, our burger rolls are 40% and our wheat free fettuccini is 100% wheat and gluten free. We are in the process of developing a higher percentage rye pizza base however working with rye flour is quite tricky and takes a lot of trial and error to get the desired consistency and flavour. We get our burger rolls from Knead Bakery… and we make our own lasagna sheets as well as our own burger patties.

PPS. That’s locally sourced salmon trout on the pictured pizza, by the way – not smoked salmon flown in from lands afar.

According to organisers, the Fine Food and Wine Market, which debuts this Saturday (17 July 2010), will feature locally produced food, created by small producers specifically chosen because of their focus on taste, variety and personal attention.

On offer will be artisan breads, handmade cheeses, gourmet pastries, fresh and smoked fish, ‘decadent sweets and confectionery’, German and Dutch products, charcuterie, fresh juices, pure smoothies and many more taste tempting treats.

There’s a special area for kids, and plenty of parking.

I’m always a sucker for a new market, and am certainly excited to see what food I’ll find – so I’ll definitely be stopping by to check it out.

Market details:

The Constantia Fine Food & Wine Market will be held on Saturday 17 July (9am to 2pm) at the False Bay Rugby Club on the Constantia Sports Grounds, Constantia Main Road (opposite Constantia Village).   For more information, please contact Pam on 021 788 2877.

Dates for 2010:

• July 17th, 31st
• August 14th, 28th
• September 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
• October 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th
• November 6th, 13th, 27th
• December 4th, 11th, 18th

This weekend (10-11 July 2010), Robina McCurdy will be hosting a workshop on ‘Local Food Reliance‘:

This dynamic workshop is an in-depth sharing of Robina’s participatory tools for creating sustainable community food systems, applied to Cape Town and surrounds.  Robina will also share a range of successful international models of local food production and distribution.

The intended outcome of the workshop is that participants leave with a sound integrated strategy for community scale food self reliance, with immediate action steps toward achieving this individually and collectively, starting at their own back doors, within their own neighbourhoods and building on existing networks.

More about Robina McCurdy:

Robina is a co-founder of Tui Land Trust & Community in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and founder/trustee of the Institute for Earthcare Education Aotearoa.  She is also the pioneer-developer of the international programme, S.E.E.D. Schools Environmental Education & Development, and of PLANET Organic in New Zealand (vocational training in bio-regional & community-scale sustainable landuse design, management and facilitation.

Dates: 10, 11 July 2010.

Venue: WESSA Barn in Kirstenhof, Cape Town.

Cost: R475-R950 for weekend | R300 – R600 for Saturday only  (cost is on income-based sliding scale)

For more details, and to register, contact Inna Alex: earthcarenz@gmail.com

Perfect macaroon by seriouseats.com

I’ll admit I giggled a teensy bit at the patriotic colours, having not yet fully embraced the ‘gees‘ that has swept our city and our country over the last couple of weeks. But dang, when I took one out and had an exploratory nibble, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

I’m not a sweet-tooth, by nature (more of an 85% dark chocolate junkie), but I would definitely have trouble resisting these temptresses if they were hanging about – they are splendiferous! They’re like meringues, but oh so much better than meringues… soft in all the right places, and crunchy where it counts.

And it’s all about the quality of the ingredients… According to Bottle Plate Pillow (aka my Macaroon Fairy), the creator of these irresistible delights, master chef Frank Meijer, these world-famous Parisian biscuits are made of pure almonds with a Belgian chocolate filling; a pure hand-made product!

So, how can you wander into temptation?  Unfortunately, Frank Meijer has since gone overseas, but you can find equally delicious treats at Daniela’s at the Cape Quarter (I’ve tried those too) – they stock a full range of macaroons (not just in green and gold) as well as many other mouth-watering creations.

And, if you’re curious about how the macaroon is made, here’s how some folks like to do it (!):

It was a beautiful day, and after a brief overview by Dr Alsopp (basically: when in doubt, assume mushrooms with white gills are poisonous, and put any you’re not sure of into a separate bag) we split happily off into small groups and wandered off into the forest for an hour’s worth of foraging.

What I loved most about it was the shift in perspective that is required to spot mushrooms.  There’s an entire world on the forest floor – one we most often miss because we’re walking too fast to take it in.  Slow it down, and you become aware of the smells of the forest: resin from the pine trees, decomposing leaves, dark moist earth.

You notice the signs of animal life… tracks (even if you have no idea what made them), indentations in the grass where a reasonably large animal may have spent the night, baboon droppings and plenty of half-eaten rather sorry-looking mushroom remnants.

The city seemed very far away for that hour, as I toted my trusty camera about, getting up close ‘n’ personal with with the fungi and the forest.  I don’t think I’d make a very good hunter-gatherer – I seemed to be much more interested in photographing the mushrooms than in distinguishing edible from dangerous.

After our hour was up, we all gathered around Dr Alsopp and laid out our various finds on some large logs.  The variety was staggering – I had no idea there were quite so many different types of fungi in one place.

Dr Alsopp grouped similar kinds together, and separated poisonous from the rest – and we listened and watched avidly as she shared her extensive knowledge and enthusiasm with us.

It was a fascinating look into the world of wild mushrooms, and though I don’t think I’ll be foraging on my own just yet (a little knowledge being a dangerous thing), I would definitely love to join an accomplished forager one of these days.  As long as those who forage do so without having to take everything all at once (or destroying the things they don’t like), we should (in theory) be able to share this incredible natural resource indefinitely.

More about Slow Food Mother City:
Slow Food Mother City is a new local convivium (chapter) of the international Slow Food movement.  Slow Food celebrates, protects and promotes foods that are good, clean and fair.  More info here and at slowfoodmothercity.co.za