The Smoke & Fire pop-up at Bartholomeus Klip
and a lovely lunch at BLOEM at Paul Clüver Family Wines
April has been a busy and delicious month. I was so happy to see so many of you making my recipes over Easter. It means a lot to know they’re being cooked and enjoyed in your homes. Creating for the internet can feel a bit one-sided at times, so seeing your posts and messages really does complete the circle. I’m sharing two lovely events I attended recently. Both are worth adding to your list if you can get there, but if not, I hope you’ll enjoy the peek.
Bartholomeus Klip - Smoke & Fire
I spent Friday night at Bartholomeus Klip in Bo Hermon, one of my absolute favourite places in the world. It's a beautifully restored Victorian farmhouse on a working farm, tucked into the Elandsberg Nature Reserve. As you drive down the gravel road towards the mountains, you can feel the city fall away. And once you arrive, you never want to leave.
It was their annual Smoke & Fire pop-up event, held in one of the farm’s working spaces. This time, the feed shed was transformed into a beautiful, candlelit dining area.
We enjoyed a 10-course menu prepared by chef Louise Gillet, with every element cooked in and around fire and smoke.
A spectacular Swartland sunset set the backdrop for welcome drinks and snacks. The biltong lamingtons, souttertjies, and smoked snoek doughnuts were so good.
All the wines were from Yellowwood Winery, presented by winemaker Alan Cooke. His approach to winemaking is fully artisanal—from hand-picked grapes to hand-applied labels.
A dish of crayfish vetkoek, green tomato jus, and cucumber was served with Yellowwood 2024 Rosé.
Jaffles with boerenkaas, korrel konfyt, and farm butter served with Yellowwood 2023 Chenin.
Boer pumpkin soup with cream, pumpkin praline, smoked almonds served with Yellowwood Colombar 2016.
Lamb belly, butterbean hummus, green sauce, smoked jus, cucumber crumb served with Yellowwood Grenache 2021.
Smoked confit pork cheek, witwortels, sherry vinegar jus, prunes, spanspek, amasi labneh served with Yellowwood Mourvèdre 2023.
Wagyu short rib with cured Worcestershire hen’s egg, oxtail jelly, beef crumbs served with Yellowwood Syrah 2023.
Dessert was one of my favourite courses (no surprises there):
Roasted white chocolate mousse, pine nut caramel, Biscoff ice cream, Bavarian crumb served with Yellowwood’s “Secret Port”.
A luxurious cheese table, along with coffee and soutkoekies, rounded off the night—if you still had space.
A hearty brunch in the morning is always such a treat.
I wrote about a previous Spring Smoke & Fire event at Barthomoleus Klip. They typically happen in Spring and Autumn.
BLOEM RESTAURANT at Paul Clüver Family Wines in Elgin
The menu at BLOEM is built for sharing, relaxed, seasonal, and full of clever flavour combinations. Typical of a Bertus Basson restaurant. You’re encouraged to start with a few snacks. We enjoyed hot cross bun bread with pickled fish - a fun Easter twist served with lightly pickled cucumbers. We then moved on to a selection of sharing plates that arrived as they were ready.
Dishes range from light and vibrant, like crisp lettuce with white anchovies and miso cream, to more comforting plates like Elgin chicken thighs with smoked chilli (my favourite dish) or the gem squash pie with sweetcorn and pumpkin seed gremolata.
There’s a strong sense of place too, with local touches throughout, from De Rust eggplant imam bayildi to the smoked snoek rillette with trout roe and charred ciabatta.
It’s the kind of menu made for a long, lazy lunch with beautiful views throughout. Choose a bit of everything, pass the plates around, and let the flavours do the talking. Unfussy, interesting, and proudly rooted in the region.
Paul Clüver Wines is a family-run estate in the Elgin Valley, known for producing elegant, cool-climate wines with a strong focus on sustainability and a sense of place.
The farm has been in the Clüver family for generations and is especially celebrated for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling, all showing crisp minerality and beautiful balance thanks to Elgin’s altitude and maritime influence.
It’s one of South Africa’s pioneering wine estates when it comes to conservation, with a strong commitment to preserving the surrounding Kogelberg biosphere.
I so enjoyed meeting the family who are all actively involved in the farm, the winemaker, and experiencing the restaurant for the first time.
I can’t wait to go back. Their breakfast menu looks super interesting, too.
My next newsletter will be filled with all the Mother’s Day menu inspiration you need.
Thank you for being here, and see you soon with more delicious recipes. Please feel free to like, comment, share or subscribe.
Sam x