Win Win Win with Original Ice Cocktails :)

I am giving away an Original Ice Cocktail hamper, courtesy of Original Ice cocktails, to celebrate my 10 000 page view. To win you only have to go and like their Facebook page by clicking here, comment on this post what flavour you look forward to tasting the most and add your email so that I can contact you with good news!

Competition closes next Friday 6^th of June and the winner will be announced the following day J

For more information about the brand you can visit their website and read about my personal experience with them here J

 

Can anyone say cocktail party ?

 

Good Food and wine experience

So my visit to the Good Food and Wine show this year was just as successful as last year. I was pleased to see on all the social networks this year how the popularity of this festival has increased. Cant wait to see what's happening next year.
My highlights of the festival were...


Original Iced Cocktails

This brand first of all had the nicest staff. A smile really is a game-changer. This stall was extremely popular at the show as they had those vuvuzela type glasses filled with cocktails to the brim. Everywhere we went you could hear people enquiring from each other, " Where is the stand with the big glasses!!" When I arrived Sunday they only had 100 glasses left as the Saturday they sold thousands.

 Now in December last year I bought some premix cocktails in a box for New Years. I won't name and shame a brand as it's not my style, but honestly I could just as well have taken my mouthwash along to the party as it tasted disgusting.

 When I had the opportunity to visit Original Ice cocktails I was weary because won't I have the same experience again? Luckily not! I sampled the Daiquiri and Mojito. Now the Strawberry Daiquiri tasted just like a cocktail a bar would serve you but it comes out of a packet! Can you believe it? It was delicious. I gulped down my glass so fast that I almost had to take a time out at the festival.

 Now the tricky one was the Mojito as this is the one cocktail most people easily get wrong. Lucky for me Original Ice delivered again and it tasted delicious.

Other cocktails they offer are Singapore sling, Margarita, Pina-colada and Cosmopolitan. They sell them in 300ml sachets for R18-22 and in big 2L boxes for R70-R75.


These cocktails are easy to make. You pop the sachet or box into the freezer a few hours before usage, take them out and shake them around and bit and voila you can serve up cocktails in the comfort of your home without breaking the bank!


To celebrate my 10 000 page view I will be giving away some of these delicious beverages so keep an eye open for the launch of the competition.


Original ice cocktails are available in most liquor stores and they will also be at the Durban and Johannesburg Good Food and Wins show as well at the Pride festival in Durban.

Like them on Facebook
Follow them on twitter @Original_Iced
Check out their website

 

Spar wine and canapé pairing

Now wine and food pairing is the new "it thing" in the foodie scene. I knew that this was one exhibition I would not miss and even waited for 40 minutes to make sure I secure a place. We were hosted buy a chef and sommelier. They took as through all the motions of how to do a pairing.

1. Smell your wine. They encouraged us to smell like we were glue-addicts.
2. Swirl your wine. Observe the line the wine makes on the side of the glass. This indicates the alcohol content of a wine and the more alcohol that is present in the wine the longer it will take for the line to disappear.
3. Taste the wine. Observe the acidity and flavours that you taste.
4. Taste the food. Yummy :)
5. Taste the wine again and see how this influences the original taste of the wine. Sometimes it will be more or less acidic or new flavours you previously did not taste will emerge.

We paired most of our canapés with Spar's Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and it was awesome to experience the influence food and wine has on each other.

 

Eric Lanlard  and Isabella from Australia Junior Masterchef

Myself and the flatmate were very tempted to partake in the kiddies baking session with Isabella. Luckily we did not embarrass ourselves and only observed at a distance as we made a game plan for next year to hire kids so that our enthusiasm will not be mistaken for anything illegal :)


We also observed Eric Lanlard at the Isabelina exhibition where he was busy creating a delicious chocolate cake. He was very entertaining and funny as he tried to say some Afrikaans words and explain egg sizes as in South-Africa our large eggs are equivalent to the UK's medium eggs!



Thank you to Lucy at Wonderland Collective for organising our tickets! What a treat it was :)




What was some of your highlights at the Good Food and wine show???

Franschoek afternoon with Solms Delta and La Motte

A sunny autumn day has to be celebrated. We headed out to Franschoek to enjoy some wine and great food.

Our first stop was at Solms Delta.For R20 you can taste  6 wines. A highlight of the tasting was our wine host. He had a brilliant personality and explained each wine in great detail but also to such extent that we as commoners:) could also understand it. All their wines are blends. My favourite was the Amalie which is a blend of Viognier, Granche Blanc and Rousanne. The Africana, which is their flagship Shiraz , is the only non-blend wine and also one we especially enjoyed. Solms Delta also likes to experiment and they made a "wine" out of pears. It's more like a cider but was very refreshing at the end of the tasting.  I am heading back when summer is in town again to enjoy their picnics and visit their restaurant, Fyndraai.
 

The entrance to La Motte

Breath-taking

For lunch we headed to Pierneef a La Motte. I've waited for a long time to find a special occasion to go and visit them but then I realised that a beautiful day is enough of a reason. The estate is magnificent. You drive up a long driveway heading towards the beautiful mountains of Franschoek that towers over the beautiful La Motte statue.

The farm-stall to your left and Pierneef a La Motte entrance at the back. If the weather permits it you can enjoy your day outside in the beautiful surroundings.

The big star of the estate is the late artist Pierneef. The restaurant is named after him and the art-gallery has a vast amount of his work.

Pierneef at work

The art gallery at La Motte

Make sure you have time to go and visit

Painting by Penny Siopis

 

One of the Pierneef pieces I liked

 

 His work also features on La Motte's wine bottles.

The restaurant has a homey atmosphere. It's decorated with beautiful linen chairs, some featuring the late Pierneef, crisp white linen table cloths and I was especially enchanted with the beautiful ceramic chandeliers. The lounging areas and burning fireplace added to the iniviting atmosphere of the restaurant.

The chandeliers I loved

Inviting fireplace

 

Service is excellent. Everything just happens without you realising it. Your silver changes before each course and your wine and water glasses are topped up before you can say anything.The recommendations the waiters made I also valued highly.

You can watch the chefs hard at work

The prices for starters range from R60 - R79. We enjoyed the Franshoek salmon trout and horseradish ravioli with roasted cauliflower and sorrel milk and the steak tartar which was a speciality of the day. The winner for us was the steak tartar.

Salmon trout ravioli

The steak tartar

The prices from mains range from R79 - R198. The star of the afternoon for me was the mosstroop braised porkbelly with mustard baby potatoes and pickled beetroot relish. The richness of the porkbelly was countered with a fresh pea puree and the mustard that was added to the baby potatoes gave the dish a great zesty taste. The other dish we tried was the free-range chicken and hazelnut ballotine served with green apples, lime atjar, chickpea puree and chardonnay cream. The side dishes to the chicken was especially enjoyed by the boyfriend although he felt the chicken was a bit overcooked.

Porkbelly

Chicken ballotine

By the end of the meal we were so satisfied but we had to sample some of their desserts. During our meal beautiful  crafted sweet treats were carried passed us to fellow diners so we decided to share something.

Desserts range from R20 - R70. You can order cakes, macaroons and cupcakes from the farm stall as well. We shared the dessert nostalgia which was a trio  of pancake, bread and butter pudding and steamed ginger pudding. What a pretty and delicious dish it was. I fought for the steamed ginger pudding and the boyfriend for the bread and butter pudding

The food at Pierneef I can describe as a surprise. It looks very pretty and enjoyable and then we you eat it a vast amount of flavour hits you and you play a guessing game with what you are experiencing. Our one dish we were certain there was a English tea leaf aroma somewhere in it but you never would have guessed it from the original dish. That why I like food and will sometimes pay a little extra than normal as it's truly an art to create dishes like that.

 You can buy wine by bottle or glass. We enjoyed the La Motte Sauvignon Blanc which was well priced at R22 a glass.

The farm-stall 

Be sure to go and browse around.

A visit to the wine-barrels at the La Motte tasting venue

Pierneef a La Motte overlooking the pond

 

You can also do a wine tasting at the estate for R40. To get to the tasting area you have to walk over a beautiful bridge spanning over the pond that the restaurant is situated on. It's a beautiful tasting room decorated in a dark colours. A great contrast with the outside surroundings. While you taste you overlook some of the barrels the excellent wine is made in.

A visit to La Motte is a great cultural experience where you can feast with all your senses on beautiful surroundings, interesting art and delicious food and wine.


You can also visit them for afternoon tea that is reasonably priced at R125p/p

Pierneef a La Motte
Contact them at 021 876 8800
Visit them on the R45 Main road, Franschoek
Follow them on twitter @pierneeflamotte or for more information visit their website to see what else they also offer.

Solms Delta
Contact them at 021 874 3937
Visit them on the Delta road off the R45, Groot Drakenstein, Franschoek Valley
Follow them on twitter @solms_delta or visit their website for more information.

Good food and wine show 2013

If you don't have any plans for the weekend or you do, cancel them, because you must visit the Good Food and Wine Show at the CTICC this weekend. The event is already in full swing from yesterday. Famous chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Eric Lanhard and Isabella and her sister from Australia Junior Masterchef are a few of the Star attractions of the event. The event will be until Sunday.

Some of the highlights to look forward to are

• Checkers celebrity chef theater where tickets prices will differ with each chef that will be performing there. Gordon Ramsay -R250p/p,Bill Granger -R175p/p,Eric Lanlard – R150p/p,Isabella Bliss – R100p/p.
• The South African bar show which is free of entry where all types of alcohol will be on display and open for tasting and purchasing. I'm am especially looking forward to visiting Original Ice Cocktails (@Original_Iced) as there has a been a big buzz around this brand. Be sure to stop by there!
• The Spar wine and canapé theater where you can get your hands dirty and make some beautiful and tasty food free of charge :)
• The Brilliant Baking theater which is also free of charge and where the making of sweet treats will be demonstrated!
• Tafelpraatjies where Afrikaans food and culture will be celebrated. I unfortunately don't know the ticket prices.
• Creative Coffee theater where you can learn how to brew the perfect cup of coffee and be swept away by the beautiful aromas. Free entrance!

Standard Ticket prices are R110 for adults and R55 for children. Additional tickets will have to be purchased to enter some of the "speacial theaters" as I have mentioned above.

Furthermore there are stands for loads of kitchen aplliances and food produce. I got a great deal at Le Creuset last year where I received 25% of my purchase and we got to meet this cool person .....

Masterchef judge Pete :)

 

For more info visit the website of Good Food and Wine show

Buy tickets here
Follow then on twitter @goodfoodSA

Hope I see you there and let me know if you have been there and what awesome things I have to look out for!! :)

Happy weekend to all!

HQ

My visit to HQ was not a planned one. My brother was in town and I quickly had to find a place where we can go an eat as a family and catch up. I have previously blogged about the special at HQ because a trustworthy friend highly recommended it . They offer their steaks for half-price on Monday's (R169 for two). My photos therefore was taken by the old blackberry.

The unqiue thing of HQ is that they only offer one dish. This one hit wonder however has only rewarded them with success.  This is unfortunately not a place where a vegetarian should roam. They do offer a mushroom-type vegetarian option but beware that there will be meat everywhere!

They offer you salad, a steak and chips. The only choice you have is how your steak should be cooked and if you want to top up your chips and sauce when the waiters wander past.

The restaurant has a very trendy and urban vibe. Dim lights, sleek and minimal furniture as well as a live band providing some entertainment throughout the evening.

 

 

The service you receive is efficient and friendly. Something I did not expect as the restaurant is very big and buzzing. The tables are covered with brown paper and the waitress will write on it how your steak should be cooked.

The salad is a plain lettuce, pine nuts, parmesan and vinaigrette combination. The 250g sirloin steak is of a good quality cut and so tender that I could cut it with a butter knife. The sauce is made of loads of butter, garlic, herbs and onion and was a highlight of the evening.

 

 

We enjoyed the main so much that there was no space for dessert but only some delicious Origin coffee.

 

This is a great place where you can come for an intimate date or enjoy yourself in a big group. HQ will cater and deliver to your standard.

Oh and did I mention its happy hour as well on some of their cocktails ;)

They also have a lunch special where the salad, steak and chip combo will cost you R99.

They are open  Monday – Saturdays 11:30 – 22:30

Visit them at 100 Shortmarket street, Heritage square

Contact them at 021 424 6373

Like them on Facebook

Nuri Sushi Factory

Everyone has been talking about the new sushi hot spot in Cape Town, Nuri Sushi Factory.

I was very intrigued as it received only praises. Surely that could not be true? So I payed them a visit myself  joined by a non-sushi enthusiast.

It's situated around the corner of the Eastern Food Bazaar. The space is minimally decorated and you order your food at the counter. At first I was puzzled thinking that I am just visiting another chain sushi take-away shop. We sat at the long counter in the middle of the restaurant, which I must say is a cool element.

I decided to try one of their speciality dishes called "The Nuri Stack". This was layers of salmon, tuna, wasabi mayo topped with peanut mayo and sprinkled with sesame oil and spring onion(R52). My friend said she will brave anything with cream cheese in it so we ordered her the "Hot Philadelphia roll" which consisted of spicy cream cheese, avo and cucumber California wrapped with smoked salmon.

The Hot Philidelphia

The Nuri stack

When the sushi arrived I was pleasantly surprised. The sushi was top quality and beautifully presented. My non-sushi friend was obsessed with the wasabi leave. What you pay and what you receive are in two different classes. You pay like a pauper but will eat like a king.

My Nuri Stack is a MUST TRY! It was delicious and I loved the peanut sauce! Their specialities are really adventurous and will bring another dimension to the enjoyment of sushi for you. How can I ever go back to the standard 8 piece california salmon roll?

 The non-sushi enthusiast was instantly converted :) and I only had to help her with once piece! Sorry non-sushi lovers you just lost a member!

To give you more of an idea of the prices here are some standard sushi dishes

• Salmon California roll (8pieces) - R42
• Prawn hand rolls - R35
• Tuna sashimi - R38
• Fashion sandwiches (2pieces) - R25
• Salmon roses (4 pieces) - R40

They have numerous speciality dishes which I will let you go and try yourself! The platters start at R70 and go up to R139.

Nuri Sushi is unfortunately a dryship but I see this as a positive - more money for sushi. They do however have an excellent smoothie menu. The dessert type smoothies go for R20 and the fruit smoothies for R15.

We ended off our evening with some complimentary chocolate shakes from Nurisushi! The waiter just slid them under our noses while I was busy chatting with my friend! What a sneaky delight! Thank you once again! I cant remember the last time I had a shake and now I'm hooked!

You cannot call yourself a true sushi lover until you have indulged in some Nurisushi!

They also host sushi making classes so be on the look out on their social media pages for more information!

 Let me know what your favourite Nuri Sushi meal was! I planning my next visit as I'm typing this :)

Visit them at 8 Parliament street, Cape Town
Open Monday to Saturday 12:00 - 21:00
Like them on Facebook or follow them on twitter @Nurisushi