There is something almost magical about discovering heirloom vegetable varieties.  The colours, the textures, the wide variety of flavours.  I used to order an heirloom tomato mixed-pack from The Drift Farm, and marvel at the amazing kaleidoscope of colours that would arrive.  Black cherry tomatoes, stripey tigerellas, bright orange/yellow pear cherries.  Even green striped ones!

Each one tasted completely different.  Some were best for cooking, some were gobsmackingly delectable in salads with no adulteration required.  Some were just so pretty to look at I could hardly bear to eat them (but I did, of course!).

Compared to such abundance and variability, ordinary shop-bought tomatoes pale horrendously.  They lack the flavour (usually they’re picked green, and ripened artificially), and they certainly lack the fun factor.  A tomato salad made from black, yellow, green and pink varieties looks (and tastes) SO much better than a plain ol’ red one.

But, heirloom tomatoes (and other heirloom vegetables and fruits) are a little harder to come by than their more storable and transportable counterparts.  So, this year I will be growing my own.

I’m no urban farmer.  I have limited space, mostly pots, and am not nearly as attentive as I should be.  But, cherry tomatoes are really easy to grow, as are lettuces and chillis – so I will be taking advantage of the Summer Seedling Share from Harvest Share.  In fact, being one of the creators of The Food Collective, which runs Harvest Share, I have a bit of a vested interest in the project!

Basically, we source seeds from local companies specialising in open-pollinated heirloom seed varieties, and get someone green-thumbed to grow them for us. Last time, we worked with Soil For Life – this time with Alfa Variegata Nurseries, based in Klapmuts.

When the seedlings are big and strong, we offer a limited number of ‘shares’ to anyone interested.  By growing from a seedling, you have a bit of a head start (as anyone who’s attempted growing from seeds will know!) and should have an awesome crop of tomatoes, lettuces and chillis during the main summer season.

We’ve carefully selected the tastiest of summer’s bounty, which are all very easy to grow. You don’t even need a vegetable patch for this share, as these seedlings can be grown in window boxes or grow-bags.

With each share you buy, you will receive THREE 6-pack seedling trays containing the following heirloom vegetables:

• 1 x Heirloom Tomato 6-pack
  (Containing a mix of: Black Cherry, Tigerella & Principe Borghese)
• 1 x Heirloom Chilli 6-pack 
  (Containing a mix of Purple Maui, Fish Peppers, Malawian Peppadews)
• 1 x Heirloom Lettuce 6-pack
  (Containing a mix of Merveille des quatres saisons, Parris Island Cos & Mizuna)

Shares cost R105 each (total number of shares limited to 30), and will be available for pickup at the Starlings Urban Farmers Market next week (14 December 2011).

I can’t wait to get mine – tigerella tomato salad, here I come!

To find out more, visit the Food Collective website.

We have a lot of markets in Cape Town.  This is an awesome thing – it means people are embracing a new, more connected way of buying food.  We’re looking for something a bit more meaningful than supermarket-trawling, where we can get a little closer to the source, and perhaps even meet the earth-loving people responsible for rearing/growing/producing the ingredients for our next meal.

One of my favourite new markets is the Starlings Urban Farmers Market in Claremont.  It’s small, it’s simple, it’s unpretentious.  It’s all about the produce – about being able to pop by regularly, and buy just about everything you need to cook up an awesome home-cooked meal:  uber-fresh fish from Ocean Jewels, free range chicken and eggs from Simply Wholesome, the undeniably awesome charcuterie from Richard Bosman, organic dairy from Afrikara, to name a few examples.

It’s all about creating relationships with the people who sell their wares there – having a chat about ways to cook the fish you’ve just bought (Julie of Ocean Jewels has some great recipes up her sleeve), or a debate about how best to grow vegetables.

I love it – and am trying to get there as often as possible.  I go in with an empty basket, and come out with it filled to capacity with good, healthy, wholesome and delicious produce.  And, when I’m not sure I’ll get there early enough, I order ahead, through Food Shed, just so that I know for certain that the goodies I want will be set aside, waiting for me when I arrive.

If you’re crazy about quality ingredients, stop by some time, and have a look.  The market is held every Wednesday from 4pm to 6pm at Starlings Cafe, 94 Belvedere Road, Claremont.

For more info on Starlings Cafe, a most fabulous eatery (with sublime coffee and specialty teas), by the by, check out their Facebook Page.

Intrigued by the concept, I met with the organiser to find out more.

In essence, this is what the market is all about:

• It’s a speciality food market, dedicated to authentic plant-based cuisine.
• It will be held monthly (first Sunday) and will be catering for cognisant food lovers who have an appreciation for the benefits of plant-based foods, as well as being mindful where their food is grown and its preparation methods.
• All food will be made by the artisans and merchants, and sold by them in person.
• On offer will be: Organic fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly baked breads, winter soups, raw tree nuts, olives and olive oils, gourmet food dishes, fresh juices, with a touch of kitchen and home decor thrown in for good measure.

I really like the idea of a market with a specific focus… There are plenty of food markets out there these days, which is awesome, but I do sometimes feel that for many there is a great opportunity for them to carve out their own niche, whatever it might be (community aspect, organic focus, gourmet extravaganza, etc).  Otherwise, with so much competition, they run the risk of being just like every other food market out there, and people gradually losing interest (Capetonians do love the novelty-factor!)

I also like that it’s going to be held on a Sunday – rather than the usual Saturday of most Cape Town markets (means I have a better chance of getting there!).

So, I shall definitely be there, this coming Sunday (3 July 2011), when the market opens its door for the very first time, and I am very keen indeed to see what will be on offer!

Market details:

Date & Time:
Launch date:  Sunday 3 July 2011.  9am-2pm.  Thereafter, the market will be held on a selected Sunday of every month (view trading dates).

Location:
In the Constantia Valley, at the historic Alphen Hall on Constantia Main Rd. Predominately indoors, with a large courtyard for sunny days. There is plenty of parking.

Contact details:
Email: eat@gaiafoodmarket.co.za
Website: www.gaiafoodmarket.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GaiaFoodMarket
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GaiaFoodMarket

So what’s an ‘heirloom’ plant, and what’s so special about it?

An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, or (especially in the UK) heirloom vegetable is a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings. (via WikiPedia)

Unlike most commercially available seed, heirloom seeds come from plants that have been carefully chosen for more interesting characteristics than how long they’ll stay fresh, or how well they handle packing, storing and transport.  Most heirloom seeds are selected for flavour, or quirky shapes and colours, or some peculiarity specific to a region.

So, whilst I understand the need for docile, dependable seeds that are bred for their performance and reliability, I definitely prefer something a little bit quirkier (in looks and in flavour).

Problem is, though, one doesn’t generally find heirloom seeds or seedlings at nurseries…probably because the seed isn’t quite as easily available, or as popular (yet).    So when one of my fellow Food Collective/Harvest Share creators came up with the idea of a Winter Heirloom Seedling Share, I was ecstatic and very happy to be on board.

Winter Heirloom Seedling Share in a nutshell:

Sourcing heirloom seed varieties from three major local seed suppliers, we have asked the green-thumbed folk at Soil For Life to grow 11 different types of heirloom winter seeds into seedlings for us.

With each share you buy, you will receive FOUR 6-pack seedling trays containing the following heirloom vegetables:

1. Heirloom Lettuce 6-pack (EITHER Forellenschluss Lettuce, Cinnamon Cos OR Butter Blush)
2. Heirloom Pea 6-pack (EITHER Weggis Peas, Capuchin Peas OR Purple Podded Blauschokkers)
3. Heirloom Broccoli OR Cauliflower 6-pack (EITHER Romanesco Broccoli, Calabrese Broccoli OR Sicilian Violet Cauliflower)
4. Heirloom Cabbage OR Kale 6-pack (EITHER Perfection Drumhead Savoy Cabbage OR Nero di Toscana Kale)

Each 6-pack tray contains 6 organic seedlings of one variety (these are not mixed seedling trays). 24 seedlings in total.  Shares cost R110 each, which works out to R27.50 per tray.  Part of this cost goes back to Soil For Life, an NGO based in Constantia which is doing incredible work in townships and other communities, teaching people how to grow their own food.

Our little seedlings are growing right now – and should be ready by the end of May/early June.  Numbers are limited, but there are still some shares available, so if you’d like to try your hand at planting some heirloom seedlings this winter, visit the Harvest Share page, get the full details and sign up!

Sandford Farm, Kleinmond

The Cheese Festival is almost upon us (starts on Friday) – and I’m getting rather excited by the return of small producers to the event. This year, perhaps in celebration of the festival’s 10th year, Agri-Expo is bringing the 10 small producers below to the event (by this, I assume they mean they are sponsoring their entry, as they’ve done in the past).

Having had a brief look at the overall layout of the festival, these are not the only small producers who’ll be there – so it looks promising for an all-day artisan cheese hunt… Below, I’ve included whatever information I could glean on these producers, as well as relevant contact details, for anyone interested in finding out more.

Anysbos Cheese (Botrivier, WESTERN CAPE)
e: info@anysbos.co.za

Only a year ago Sue and Johan Heyns retired on a farm in the Botrivier area.  Today they run a boutique cheese business that’s producing a variety of cheeses, including the unique Goat Milk Camembert.

Camphill farm (Hermanus, WESTERN CAPE)
w: www.camphill-hermanus.org.za | t: 028 – 313 8200

A community project where some of the beneficiaries makes the most wonderful cheeses (Gouda, Feta, Fresh Cheese, Labneh) and speciality bread.

GoatPeter (Magaliesburg, GAUTENG)
w: www.goatpeter.com | e: info@goatpeter.com

Goat Peter is a cheesery situated in Hekpoort, near Magaliesburg, in the heart of the Cradle of Human Kind. The owners Alastair and Marianne specialise in Goat Milk Products.

Green Goose Organics – Ficksburg, FREE STATE –
w: www.greengoose.co.za | e: anneke@greengoose.co.za

“With over 1000 hectares under organic management, primarily in pastures, we are committed to a system of farming which produces health enhancing, nutrient dense food whilst always being mindful of nurturing and continually improving the land. In addition to being organic, the cows are 100% grass fed – meaning they get no grain or other concentrate whatsoever. No animals receive any routine hormone or antibiotic treatments.”

Grootplaas De Rust Cheese Academy (Broederstroom, GAUTENG)
w: www.cheeseacademy.co.za | e: barbie@cheeseacademy.co.za

The academy was originally started with the aim to make a considerable contribution to the knowledge and skills associated with the production of Dairy Products.

Kimilili Farm (Tulbagh, WESTERN CAPE)
w: www.kimililifarm.co.za e: info@kimililifarm.co.za

Hand crafted farmhouse cheeses made in the French and Swiss cheesemaking tradition, using only their own milk.  Animals are cared for employing only natural farming practices with no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or any commercial dairy feed used on the farm.

Sandford farm (Hemel & Aarde valley, WESTERN CAPE)
e: contactpea@gmail.com

Pauline Leppan recently employed a young man from Zwelihle, Siyabulela, who now does the majority of the cheesemaking.  They produce Gouda, Pecorino, Probiotic Yoghurt, Feta, and Mozzarella – all handmade according to organic principles.

Taaibosch Kaas - (?)
e: jfb@vodamail.co.za

Not much information to be found, other than that they produce pressed Cottage Cheese, covered with spice, Cheddar, Gouda.

Udderly Delicious Darling (Darling, WESTERN CAPE)
e: candash@mweb.co.za

Homemade Cheese, Salami, Brandy, Apple and Nut Jelly.

Petite Chevre (Pretoria, GAUTENG)
w: www.petitechevre.co.za | e: goatsmilk@petitechevre.co.za

Produce a variety of goatsmilk products including plain goats milk, chevre, yoghurt, halloumi and a series of cheeses they call ‘bietjies’ – Bietjie Brand (chilli), Bietjie Lekker (Rosemary & peppercorsn), Bietjie Pong (garlic!). Looks like they’re not currently available in the Cape, so this is a good opportunity to get a taste.

Event details:
The 2011 SA Cheese Festival runs from Friday 29 April to Monday 2 May 2011. Tickets are the same price as last year: R110 for Saturday and Sunday and R90 for Friday and Monday. Senior citizens pay R70 and children 12 years and younger enter free.  The festival runs from 10:00 to 18:00 each day and 17:00 on the last day.  A limited number of tickets are available at Computicket and Checkers stores (no tickets at the gates).

The Stellenbosch Fresh Goods Market is definitely one of my favourites on Cape Town’s food market scene.  Held at the lovely Oude Libertas Estate, the market is both outdoor and indoor, and has a lovely buzz and delicious eats and treats.

Today the market is celebrating its 3rd birthday with a “Mad Hatter” party, with loads of giveaways and specials:

The market is 3 Years Old and Growing Strong. We would like to invite you to join us on this special MAD HATTER celebration.

Lots and lots of LUCKY DRAWS, HAMPERS OF FOOD, WINE AND BEER WILL BE GIVEN AWAY, SPECIALS AND SALES will be running on various stands and all you have to do to participate is be here and sign up!

Some of the prizes look very tempting indeed: wine-pairings, preserving workshops, huge food hampers, picnic hampers… the list goes on.

I could certainly think of worse ways to spend a hot summer’s day than wandering about under the oak trees, sampling this and that – and perhaps scoring some awesome free market fare.

Stellenbosch Fresh Good Market details:
Date: Today, Saturday 5 March 2011, 9am-2pm
Website: www.slowmarket.co.za

Some awesome, awesome news for town-based foodies:  a new open-air fresh food market will be launching in the city next week.  Jacqui Simpson, owner and creator of the Earth Fair Market in Tokai (one of my favourite Cape Town markets) is behind this new street market, and given her success with the Tokai market, I have a very good feeling this one will do very well indeed.

Here’s the official release:

“The Earth Fair Food Market @ St Georges opens on 17 February on Upper St Georges’ Mall. It will offer visitors and city centre dwellers a smorgasbord of fresh, organic food. The choice spans smoked fish, specialty sausages, homemade pies, farm cheeses, fruit and vegetables, biltong, pâtés, organic nuts and grains, breads and a host of other products from small producers and artisans.

City centre office workers will be able to snack on sushi, kebabs or pasta at lunch time, or meet a friend for a quick bite after work.

“Many cities have iconic, fresh-food markets – Borough Market in London, the Dublin Food Coop Organic Food Market and the Marché de Pont de l’Alma in Paris – now it’s Cape Town’s turn,” says Jacqui Simpson, owner of the Earth Fair Market.

“In many ways it’s a return to our roots. The Company Gardens originally provided fresh fruit and vegetables to passing ships and Greenmarket Square was somewhere where farmers could sell their produce. That’s why upper St George’s Mall in the historic heart of Cape Town is the ideal location.”

The St Georges’ Mall Market is based on the successful Saturday Earth Fair Market in Tokai, which has become so popular that is now also open on a Wednesday afternoon. The Earth Fair concept is one of a country market, where visitors can shop for fresh goods from local producers, building relationships with them in the process.

The Earth Fair Market will offer fresh produce and food that contains no preservatives or hormones and is not overly packaged. It provides an outlet for small, local producers and artisans as well as city centre community upliftment programmes.”

Can’t. Wait.

The Earth Fair Food Market @ St George’s will be open every Thursday from 12.30 until 18.30, starting Thursday 17^th February 2011.

For more information contact:

Aoife Gormely, St Georges Mall Forum on 071 820 4016

Jacqui Simpson, Earth Fair Food Market on 084 220 3856, or visit www.earthfairmarket.co.za

The organic food garden was created some years ago by Dr Cluver and Norwegian chef, Andreas Viestad – and we were lucky enough to have Andreas himself show us around.

I love gardens that are both functional and beautiful – and this one certainly fits that bill.  Most of the spaces are circular, which is very soothing to the eye, with colourful swathes of bright lights spinach here, electric blue artichokes there…

We wandered through as Andreas shared his enthusiasm for the incredible variety that such a garden can provide (at one stage they had over 100 different types of tomatoes growing there), not just to look at, but to taste.  No dish is ever the same when you’re using home-grown ingredients – the flavours change with the season, with the soil, with the time of day.

We tasted fennel flowers, lush basil leaves, herbs of all shapes and sizes and gawped at the most enormous beetroots I have ever seen.  We oohed appreciatively at the tree tomatoes (tomatillo family, apparently) and gobbled up some sweet alpine strawberries.

And then it was time to wander over to the orchard, where even more treasures awaited.  Pomegranates, quinces, over 15 varieties of citrus… A lemon, it seems, is not always a lemon: sometimes it’s a Buddha’s Hand Citron, an alien-looking creature that smells like lemon, tastes like lemon, but certainly doesn’t look like lemon!  It’s a cultivar used for the oils in its skin, rather than any juice you might get out of it (there isn’t any), and it smells absolutely heavenly.

Then came the peaches and almonds plucked and eaten right off the trees (you need strong teeth to crack the almond shell, but the payload is delicate, sweet almond flesh inside).

I tasted three different peach types one after the other and started daydreaming about setting up a tent in the garden, and foraging all summer long…

When the tour came to an end, we were so enchanted we felt we couldn’t leave straight away, so we decided to stop in at the estate’s new restaurant, ‘Fresh’ and have a bite to eat.  Joan Lancefield, who runs the restaurant, had been with us on the tour, and had spoken to us about their philosphy of using locally-sourced ingredients for their dishes – most from the garden itself, and the rest from farms and producers in the area.

It’s a wonderful, rustic, convivial environment with long shared tables and a huge aga stove that must be wonderful in winter time.  The staff are super friendly, and the food was lovely, unpretentious and reasonably priced (R45-R65 for mains, if I remember correctly – and you could have a half-portion of certain dishes if you asked nicely).  It’s a simple menu, which I like, and naturally I love the fact that most of the ingredients come from just around the corner!

The verdict, of course, is that we will definitely be organising another Slow Food Mother City visit – so watch this space.  And if you’re heading out to Elgin any time soon, stop in at Paul Cluver Estate for breakfast or lunch at Fresh, and take a walk around the garden – it really is a wonderful experience.

Paul Cluver Estate is located in Elgin, just off the N2 at the Kromco turnoff (directions here). Fresh is open Tuesday to Friday from 9am-4.30pm and on Saturdays from 8.30am to 4pm. Telephone: 071 563 6020. If you’re not a fan of communal seating, there are also a few smaller tables dotted about the area. More photos from our tour are posted on the Slow Food Mother City website.

Before I vanished off overseas for the incredible experience that was attending Terra Madre, in Italy (a gathering of Slow Food members and enthusiasts from around the world – also to be written about SOON), a friend and I got stuck in and started our first plantings for the spring season.  But, we could never have done it without the help of a wonderful guy called Tony – a man with considerable expertise in permaculture gardening, and great enthusiasm for the produce it can create.

Not only did Tony help us, but everyone else gardening alongside us (there are 5 allotments in total) – and the results are already beautiful to behold (photos soon!).  If you’re keen to learn some of these handy skills, you might be keen to come along to a course Tony and his wife Mildred will be holding this Saturday.

One of my fellow allotment holders, Matt Allison (www.imnojamieoliver.com), has organised the workshop, and wrote about it as follows:

“As you may know if you follow this blog, I’m a gardener. I started with a small salad garden and am now an allotment holder over at the Ariston Elemental Organic Garden.

One of my fellow gardening partners are duo, Mildred and Tony. They both have wealth of knowledge when it comes to gardening in all its facets and a particular love and interest for permaculture.

It has long been my hope to help them start a small business. I’ve been supporting them by buying weekly produce from their garden and employed Tony to work along side me in mine. I’m now helping them start up monthly workshops.

Mildred is the senior field worker for a great organisation called ‘Soil for life’, who already host a great series of weekend workshops. The idea is not to compete with their great work, but rather offer a single day course in organic gardening basics, which Mildred will lead.

It will be intensely practical and fun, teaching you how to start and grow your own vegetable garden covering soil preparation, composting, planning your garden, companion planting, seeds and seedlings.

It will be held at Ariston Elemental Organic Garden, which can be found on the Corner of Dunluce and Malone Avenues in Claremont.

The cost is R200.00 per person and will include a light tea and runs from 9am – 2pm, Saturday, November 20th, 2010.

Booking is essential and space is limited. To book your place please contact me on 083 324 1477, or e-mail me at matt@imnojamieoliver.com.

Come along and learn how to put fresh, pesticide free food on your table all year round.”

If you have a chance, and you’re keen to learn some simple tricks on growing your own food in our Cape environment – and growing it naturally (organically) – then get in contact with Matt… R200 is a bargain!

Spring has sprung, and with it comes the re-opening of food and craft markets for the summer season ahead.  Last weekend saw the first Hathersage Market of the new season (and what a fab market it is – more on that soon), and this weekend the Wellness Natural and Organic Market has its turn.

“Join in the community spirit at this open air market with an abundance of traders selling fresh produce, home made, hand crafted delicious and healthy, natural or organic food. Expect freshly picked fruit and veggies. Every Saturday 9am to 2pm. Jan Van Riebeeck Primary School, Kloof Street, Gardens (next to Wellness Warehouse)”

I didn’t manage to get to this market last year, but I heard some great things about it, and the photos look awesome, so I’m looking forward to checking it out very soon.

Event details:
For the 2010/2011 summer season, the Wellness Natural and Organic Market will be on every Saturday morning, from 9am to 2pm at Jan Van Riebeeck Primary School, Kloof Street, Gardens.

Ariston Elemental Organic Garden is a surprising green oasis in the middle of Claremont’s busy CBD.  The garden’s creator and caretaker is Brigid Jackson, who leased the land from the municipality some time back, and has been coaxing it into abundance.

If you haven’t yet seen the garden (usually viewable by appointment only), next weekend might be the time to do so.  On Saturday the 25th of September, in celebration of Spring’s arrival, the garden will be hosting a Spring Market Day.  Brigid will be selling a variety of organic plants, seedlings, vegetables, flowers and more, and I’m certain one can also have a bit of a wander around the grounds.

It’s wonderful to see what can be achieved in an urban environment – and it’s definitely worth a visit!

Ariston Garden is located at the corners of Dunluce and Malone Avenues, Claremont.  The Spring Market Day will take place from 10am to 2.30pm on Saturday 25 September 2010.

For more info, email aristonorganic@gmail.com.

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:  *update 17 Sept 2010: apparently this market is now closed, sadly*

• 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