I went to England in April for a holiday. It was the coldest April in 70 years. I loved the whirlwind trip that saw me in London for five days before heading on a roundtrip jaunt through the beautiful English countryside. My dream of seeing snow manifested briefly in two short showers which filled my soul with so much joy. Endless fields of yellow rapeseed, verdant pastoral hills, hedgerows, hundreds of sheep (and lambs), daffodils popping out of the ground, and spectacular trees in blossom EVERYWHERE. Spring in England is a sight to behold and I think more fuss should be made of the flowers. Not only was my holiday beautiful, but it was also incredibly delicious. We ate so many brilliant meals in amazing restaurants, I will have to write about it on my blog. Life-changing experiences that set new benchmarks which I will remember forever & I would love to share these with you.
Life has been tough since my return as I try and catch up with all my work and wrangle personal challenges. Running a solo business can be lonely and hard. I wish I could split myself into 4 to manage it all. Seasonal allergies (spring and autumn back to back) have sent my upper respiratory tract into mayhem, but I am on the mend. I have a few exciting projects coming up this month that will involve delicious recipes.
I’ve written about the incredible Culinary festival I attended in Mauritius in March here, and about my stay at Constance Belle Mare Plage on the island which you can read about here. Bucket list experiences and it’s been so great to travel again.
Autumn is my favourite season anywhere in the world but I particularly love it in the Cape. The Vineyards and trees turn orange before they lose their leaves. A softer light casts its warm glow over everything and it’s time to cosy up next to a fire.
My ultimate Autumn recipes to see you through this season.
Finding inspiration for midweek supper meals is an ongoing struggle so I rounded up my favourites. Including vegetarian, chicken, seafood, and meat options. I love this one-pot chicken & rice pilaf with orange and spices.
In season now: plums (almost gone), figs, beetroot, sweet potato, avocado, apples, pears, pomegranates, quince, cabbage & dates
Easy duck pancakes with plum sauce These are so much easier to make than you think (including the pancakes - use Hoisin as a substitute if you don’t feel like making the plum sauce.
Roasted sweet potato with parsley & walnut pesto (A delicious vegetarian/vegan side dish or part of a meal with other things)
Poached quince Tarte Tatin - Quince magically turns pink and delicious when cooked and this easy tatin is lovely with a dollop of vanilla cream or yoghurt.
Pomegranates are my favourite autumnal fruit. They are just so dramatic and beautiful. Their arils add a delicious little pop of flavour and texture to so many things including guacamole. Trust me on this.
I republished my fave pink swirl meringues with pomegranate syrup as the images needed a re edit.
roasted aubergine with harissa yoghurt & pomegranate
broccoli pilaf with pomegranate and almonds
Wine Time
De Grendel has launched their clever Ostentatious Oyster up-cycle project which has allowed 2 staff members to be re-employed. The découpaged and delicately gold or silver-ornamented oyster shell bowls, salt and pepper bowls, doorknob hangers and Christmas decorations can be purchased at the De Grendel Tasting room in Cape Town and at The Knysna Oyster Co at the V & A Waterfront. I love that you can select your own pattern from a range of the MOST exquisite designs. Mine is definitely going to be a salt pot
See the full range here
I celebrated #SauvignonBlanc Day at Klein Constantia. I’ve been drinking their iconic SB my whole adult life. It was special to revisit and tour the cellar with their winemaker Matt Day & viticulturist Craig Harris. I love the sense of place you get from visiting wine farms and vineyards. Understanding the terroir that forms the backbone of a wine. We tasted a few freshly vatted wines and a few that were already in the barrel. This was followed by a deliciously paired lunch in the Klein Constantia Bistro.
Thanks for being here and see you next month for more delicious things
Sam x