Spanish Advenchurro!

Last night was the first time since I was a child that I diluted my red wine with coke - yes we were allowed a little wine on special occasions. Our first encounter with Spanish wine was not pleasant but we were not about to waste a drop, after all we were not drinking for the enjoyment of it, we were drinking to forget.

Driving through Europe may not have been such a great idea after all. The steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car, everyone drives on the wrong side of the road and the highways in Spain seem to have been designed by a sadistic lunatic hoping to get visitors trapped in a never ending maze of slip roads and interchanges.

Then you get Madrid! I dare a Johannesburg taxi driver to go up against peak hour traffic in Madrid - at 20h00 at night - the speed and complication of the traffic system will leave even the toughest of taxi drivers weak in the knees and looking like a teenage learner driver on Louis Botha during a thunderstorm.

Needless to say, we were exhausted by the time we reached our destination. Red-eyed, a slight chest pain and a nervous twitch to rival Miley Cyrus' best twerk, to be cured only by a dose of alcohol. I could picture the crimson liquid cascading from my glass and slipping down my throat, warming my belly and leading me to a place of calm. Rich and delicious. Unfortunately the katemba would have to do. Gulped and not sipped, like medicine, sending us to bed, helping us forget.

To my family and especially my husband, I apologise profusely. However, the word "adventure" does come to mind and this one is epic. What would you call turning down the wrong side of the road into oncoming, peak hour traffic and surviving to tell the tale?

Four More Sleeps

We're just four days from departure and spirits are not as high, but that has nothing to do with our travels. We're still filled with expectation and a little trepidation. A little adjustment to our itinerary and we should be able to share the highs and lows of Sunday's funeral ceremony along with fellow South Africans. My heart aches deeply.

However, I feel even more strongly about opening my Italian family's eyes to the wonder that is South Africa.

I've made up my mind about the care packages. As mentioned before, the purpose is to encourage them to visit our amazing country. I'll do the usual stuff, the mixed cd/usb, a few bottles of wine (minding all airport restrictions) and two beautiful books; Picturesque South Africa and South Africa, both by Sean Fraser. But something that really made me feel proud is the new Eat Out Magazine, an amazing showcase of all our best restaurants in a stunning magazine. I just have to add a couple of copies to these gift packages. I am happy for our country to be judged based on the contents of this edition!

In fact,after browsing the pages of my copy, I even had a moment of doubt about going so far away on holiday when there's so much to experience right here, on our doorstep. I haven't been to Cape Town since 2010, yes really, and I'm truly longing for a visit. I've gotten over it though, I live here and I have all this wonder all around me all the time.

I just have no idea what I'm getting the little ones now, an 8 year old little girl and a 6 year old little boy. The minions I'm dying to buy will be too much temptation for my children and I and too much bulk for my luggage. Plus, they have absolutely no connection to South Africa. Maybe I should gift wrap our copy of the children's edition of Long Walk to Freedom, a tiny gesture for someone so great in stature.

The Hungry Kitchen Slave

Have kids, will travel!

It's amazing what you can accomplish when under tremendous pressure. It looks like we'll be going on holiday afterall. A few minor details to iron out and we should be set. Planning a holiday is a good test of the strength of a marriage, like renovating your house. If you get through either of these, you and your partner are probably meant to be. If you can get beyond the decision-making and bickering, you're OK!

We seem to be getting through this - not counting my chickens before they hatch, but I haven't been dumped yet despite excessive mood swings brought on by ill-discipline (this seems to be a recurring trait I will proudly own and declare as "my personality").

That said, I have one train ride and one night of accommodation unbooked. Not bad, unless you know that this trip is happening in under three weeks.

Enough of this negative, counterproductive banter. I'm getting really excited now and the thrill of a road trip through Europe with my little family is enthralling. I'm picturing snow-capped mountains in the Alps, wine tasting in Bordeaux, freshly baked croissants in Paris, tapas in Spain and home cooked Italian dinners with my family in Italy along with freezing weather I know we're not quite prepared for.

I'm so grateful for the advise I'm getting from those who have gone before. There are little things that I would never have thought of that people are so freely offering advice on, ensuring that we're not totally lost at sea - so to speak.

So, despite the fear of driving on ice in a foreign country with three siblings in the back seat (not sure which is the more fearful experience), I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve. Expectation, trepidation and the promise of something so amazing that I'll be left squealing with delight!

16 days and counting!

Europe! Here we come! Maybe?

As usual, I've let living, laughing and life get in the way of "stuff I have to do". I am a perpetual procrastinator. Sometimes it's no big deal and everyone moves on with life and other times, life as we know it erupts into chaos and sometimes oblivion.

OK!!! Drama aside. I've really screwed up this time. Online surfing of accommodation for months on end does not actually constitute booking accommodation. Twenty six days from today, we leave for our Christmas holidays. I should be really excited right now, doing all kinds of shopping and finalising all our last minute arrangements. Instead, I'm mulling over my absolute lack of discipline while blogging. Really!!!!

Well, actually, instead I'm scrounging around for accommodation. We have our Visa appointment with the British High Commission or maybe it's the Embassy or some other organisation that handles this business, on Monday afternoon. I have not yet booked our accommodation in London i.e. this meeting will be useless without confirmation. I switched on the laptop to do this. It gets worse. Once we're done with them, we need to tackle the Schengen Visa. AND..... you guessed it...... we don't have accommodation in several of the cities we're visiting. After I booked the plane tickets I went into relax mode, hey, travelling is an adventure right?

Anyway, here I am, a family of five relying on me to actually get this right and I have so much left to do.

We're visiting my family in Italy (bookings mostly done, phew) and as we're planning our journey around spending Christmas with them, Christmas gifts are required. How, tell me how, do  we do gifts? I need to take a little bit of South Africa to them right? My cousins have never been here and have some crazy ill-conceived idea perpetuated by the international media and maybe their mother (my aunt) that South Africa is a no-go zone to be avoided at all costs if you value your life or sanity. I just absolutely have to show them that with all our faults, our issues we have an amazing country that is so worth visiting and experiencing. When I drilled down to all that I want to share with them, luggage allowance becomes a problem. Apart from the mixed CD's of the amazing music we have in our sunny South Africa, there's no way I can pack crates of wine, South African shaped hand-crafted wooden cheese boards etc in our suite cases destined for a road-trip across Europe (there are two little U10 kids involved here too). Have I left this too late too? These need to be shipped out separately. OMG, why do I do this? I've been planning all this since June. Yes, planning, no actual action. So maybe I'll sleep tonight, or maybe I won't but damnit! I'm going to figure this out.

The Hungry Kitchen Slave

P.S. Anyone willing to assist, CALL ME!!!!!

Freshly Ground

I know our lives are hectic and we have little or no time to prepare fresh amazing meals every night, but I do implore you to try just a little harder. The effort will be worth it. I'm talking about using fresh and freshly prepared ingredients. The allure of the pre-chopped garlic in a tub from the supermarket is hard to resist but once you try a fresh head of garlic, crushing each clove with the flat blade of your knife you'll notice the vast difference between the pungent garlicky smell of the tub stuff and the amazingly aromatic fragrance of the pearly white flesh as it oozes from it papery skin.

My appreciation for doing things the "slightly harder way round" does not stop at garlic and doesn't only include putting extra effort into your cooking but extends to buying the best quality ingredients you can afford. This was all sparked by a bottle of pre-ground turmeric. The difference is that it wasn't the usual bright yellow but a deeper, almost mustardy colour and what surprised me most was it's amazing smell as I opened the bottle. I will admit, I've never truly smelled turmeric before. It's always been this mystical spice to me, the value of which I could never exactly put my finger on, until now that is. This was a bottle of organic turmeric that I found in Dischem of all places. Totally different from any other I'd used before but I'm guessing still not as good as if I'd bought the actual root - not so easy to come by though.

Besides the flavour benefits of whole spice, pre-ground spices do not last very long and go stale quite quickly, losing their intensity and flavour. You may as well be putting dust in your food. Whole spices on the other hand, keep for much longer when stored correctly (sealed glass jar) and you'll discover are far superior to the ground stuff as you grind it either by hand in a pestle and mortar or in your spice grinder and smell the difference.

So while it may seem laborious, those few extra minutes could be the difference between good and excellent food.

Go to your local spice shop and buy whole spices instead of ground and give it a go.

Get the kit!

What's in a Star?

What's the difference between three and four star establishments? What sets them apart from each other? I'm not exactly a jet-setter so I really need someone to explain this to me.

As a family of five, our travelling consists of self catering accommodation 9 out of 10 times and we've got a set rate that we're willing to pay for the level of comfort we desire but these establishments are never really graded.

Our recent trip to Clocolan in the Eastern Free State took us to Jenni and Alan's beautiful and homely Amohela ho Spitskop . Our last minute booking meant that they only had the dinner, bed and breakfast option. My kids are grown now, so separate rooms is not always such a problem. Amohela ho Spitskop's garden rooms are three star rated because there are no televisions in the rooms. They do however provide every comfort in an extremely clean and overwhelmingly hospitable environment.

On the other hand, Askari Game Lodge is graded as a four star establishment and while I get that it has old world charm harking back to the days of the ox wagon, a nod to it's historic heritage I do believe that one could add a touch of luxury for the rates charged and the promise that comes with a four star rating. These rooms have a thin film of carpet, can I call it carpet, not sure. It reminded me of those carpet squares that were used in office buildings in the 80's complete with an old tube television from the same era. I did not feel any sense of comfort or splendor, which I expected. Kloofzicht, Askari's sister lodge which I visited a few years ago, had a sense of splendor. Good sheets and amazing food, I don't ask for much. Especially at the same price.

While a little owner-run establishment in the Free State attended to our every need, the same could not be said for the four star establishment with dozens of staff. We arrived on a Saturday after 15h00 and were very hungry after a busy morning and a long drive in. Unfortunately, were we told we'd have to wait until dinner (a very uninspired buffet) at 19h00 that evening as we'd missed lunch. To my dismay, they don't offer room service (despite what the hotel guide in the room said) and staff were unable to find any snack items for us to nibble on.

Sitting on the deck as the sun went down, watching the animals congregate at the drinking hole was blissful. Spending some time away with my husband was wonderful and just what we needed. But I still felt ripped off, short-changed. Leaving your guests hungry is just bad form.

I probably won't go back to Askari, which is unfortunate because we didn't have a chance to go on a game drive and have the bush experience. I will, however, be going back to the little spot called home by Jenni and Alan in Clocolan who fed us home made bread every morning, local vanilla yoghurt dotted with little purple rosemary flowers, free range eggs and organic chicken from a local farm. Five stars for them, I say, who make the effort to provide comfort and good food to their guests. Who cares if we don't have a television in the room - full bellies, a very very good pinotage, board games and good conversation were all the entertainment we needed on a cold winter's night in the Free State.

Goodnight and may all your journeys be blessed with good food!

Candice

The last of the winter wine!

I really like winter, I have no complaints about this cold, dry season. Afterall, it does come with it's own joys and pleasures. Those culinary comforts enjoyed out of bowls on cold nights under blankets or the warm glow of the fire. Boots! Another winter pleasure of mine. Nonetheless, it has come and gone giving way to what I can only describe as the amazing smell of spring. It's still a bit chilly at night (only by South African standards of course) but the days are warm and glorious. Sunny and somehow promising - I have a sense expectation I can't explain - with that amazing scent of jasmine blossoms floating on every breeze. In my kitchen with the back door open. At the hairdresser's this morning too, this unexpected delightful smell filling the air. Rich and heavy, filled with happiness and much to look forward to. Who new this could get better, but it just did. A glass of grenache (I did say it's is still a bit chilly), rare steak sandwiches filled onion marmalade, rocket, tomato slices, garlic and mustard mayonnaise, gherkins and slow sexy tune playing softly in the distance. Spring gently teases us with little signs, so whether we know the exact moment it hits us or not is beside the point because we can feel it. Peach blossoms, sunny skies, floral breezes and all!

Candy!

P.S. The pretty pink Pierre Jourdan Tranquille Blush (my absolute favourite rosè) is chilling on ice, just waiting. It will be mere moments....

It's Cold Outside

All we needed was a good reason to whip out the bottle of red and slow cook something rib-sticking and the weather today is just that.

After serving up a cup of steaming, marshmallow topped hot chocolate to the kids after school, I set to work on turning a couple of cans into a delicious traditional South African meal. You see, I ran into Woolies out of the freezing rain earlier today and was pleasantly surprised to find tinned samp and beans on the shelves with their trademark green sticker signifying a new product line. I've clearly had my head under a rock because I wasn't quite expecting it to be this cold today, so without any planning tinned samp and beans it is. A slightly more organised version of myself would have had the dried samp and beans soaking last night already. But me being me..... I will not apologise for my shortcut.

Most South African homes have their own version of this hearty meal and I grew up on my mother's; a rich, meaty, lamb stew. Recently, I've come to love the idea of a curried version of my mother's lamb stew (picked up from my Godmother) which we'll be feasting on tonight, curled up under covers with steaming bowls.

To be as happy as I am right now, all you need is:

4 tins of plain samp and beans(go for dried if you wish and figure out the quantities for the portions you need)
1.5kg free range stewing lamb
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated
1tsp cumin seeds
1 large cinnamon stick
2tsp turmeric
2tsp of your favourite curry powder/mixed masala/make up your own
1tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
250ml water or stock

In a casserole pot, cover the meat with water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until the water has completely evaporated, this could be about an hour. At this stage, the meat will start sticking to the bottom while gently frying in the fat that has rendered from the lamb (don't freak, it's not that much if you buy good quality lamb). This part is essential because it adds a whole extra layer of flavour.

Add your onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds and cook for about 5 min. Add all the spices, salt and water. Leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

This recipe feeds a family of five healthy eaters with fairly large portions, the only way this should be eaten!

Tip: always remember that with cooking you don't have to blindly follow a recipe. Taylor the spices and their quantities to your taste. This is based on how I like it

Just in case you're keen on a good cup of our favourite hot chocolate, while you're at the shops get:

100g Dark Madagascan Chocolate
750ml full cream milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 split vanilla pod
4tsp of organic agave nectar

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the chocolate is completely melted, whisk and strain into a jug. Pour into mugs and top with mini marshmallows. Serves 4, if you're being frugal

Nostalgic Easter Cooking

There are a few holidays that evoke a sense of nostalgia but none more so for me than Easter. So steeped in tradition it conjures up wonderful memories of my mother's kitchen where we'd make our batch of pickled fish the Tuesday before Good Friday. It was always a big deal with everyone in the family checking where who was getting their fresh fish from and which places would be unbearably busy and likely to run out before you got there.

Once the pickled fish had cooled it was sealed and placed in the refrigerator to taunt us for the next three days, the golden onions rings just resting on top of the batter fried fish.

Batter fried fish smothered in spicy sauced golden onion rings

In our house it was taken a step further. A deliciously wonderful smelling step further. My mother used to make our own hot cross buns. As a child, I was never a fan of the shop-bought variety stuffed with raisins so my mother's would be lightly spiced with only a handful of raisins dotted throughout the dough - easy to remove. She also never adorned them with the infamous doughy cross but a sugar syrup mixture that left the plump brown mounds glistening. After watching them transform into risen buns I'd sit in front of the warm oven and watch them bake. The smell in the kitchen was intoxicating.

Then the anticipation of Good Friday morning, waking up to our unusual annual breakfast of spicy and slightly sweet pickled fish accompanied by fresh buttered hot cross buns. Delicious!

Fast forward to today and my own pickled fish is resting in the refrigerator taunting my children and I will once again attempt to make my own hot cross buns tomorrow night. Not much has changed and I just love it!