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Published by tasch, 2018-04-25 06:51:50

Khuluma May 2018

Keywords: khuluma magazine,online magazine,kulula.com,khuluma online magazine,travel magazine

THE ROAD IS LONG AND GOOD STOPS ARE FEW -
BETTER TO HOLD OUT FOR THE REAL DEAL…

100 MAY 2018 kulula.com

HIGHWAYS TO HEAVEN (AND HELL) EXPLORE

CREEPY
SCARECROWS

AND OTHER
FARM STALL

FABLES

A re we there yet? Are we anyone in the universe still think that
there yet now…? What Brad and Jen might get back together?)
about now…? South and epic queues for the toilet (alongside
Africa is a big country with long, long selfie-taking church groups in matching
roads. The highway to hell is a walk in jaunty berets) often exacerbate rather
the park next to Mzansi’s heat, dust and than relieve travel stress. Surely there
endless scrolling through static in search must be a better way to soothe squabbling
of a radio station. siblings than stuffing them with the same
old McWimpSteer burgers?
With or without motion sickness,
almost everyone is nauseating when The good news is that (with careful
you’re trapped in a car with them. Which route planning) roadside farm stalls can
is why many South African motorists stop offer an alternative place to pee, eat,
at big-brand petrol stations along the regroup and buy pretty things you don’t
highway to stretch legs, void bladders really want or need. The bad news is that
and allow for a little distance
between travelling companions research is required because there
by way of some mindless are a lot of phoney farm stalls
acts of retail therapy. Sadly out there.
malfunctioning extractor fans,
ghastly gossip magazines (does So, what exactly is a farm
stall? Purists will say that a ‘real’
padstal is a roadside Heath

kulula.com MAY 2018 101

EXPLORE HIGHWAYS TO HEAVEN (AND HELL)

FAKE FARM STALLS ARE always too wide and
THE WORST SORT OF FOODIE unseasonal to be sustained by way of
FRAUD BECAUSE THEY SERVE UP local farmers alone. Just because the
A DELICIOUS VENEER OF VIRTUOUSNESS potatoes have an elegant sprinkling of
mud on them doesn’t mean they were
Robinson-style structure next to the teacups-type farm stalls have retained
farm, selling excess produce from that what most of us regard as the core bought at the farm next door.
specific agricultural entity. Think one-man principle of such establishments: that the Supermarket tinned jams can
egg-and-chicken displays or a nice lady majority of the items available are grown, be decanted into pretty bottles
with her umbrella, camping chair and picked, reared or crocheted on real farms and sold at inflated prices.
wheelbarrow full of avocados. There or by specialist artisan producers within Sometimes conscientious
are very few of these left. Where they an hour’s drive of the site of sale. crooks add extra bits of
do exist, they come and go according to orange peel into the retail
seasonal gluts. Before we get too soppy Today, many businesses which self- giant’s marmalade to give it
about days gone by, remember that the identify as ‘farm stalls’ actually resemble an authentic appearance. Boil
one-man egg-and-chicken stall often also mini-malls. At such spots, the local, it all up and no-one is any the
had baby chicks cheeping and chirping in seasonal and home-made stock of old has wiser. Where once customers
a cardboard box – 200 for R50. Over time, increasingly been joined by industrially
most of the shacks were converted into manufactured foods dressed down to could ask the farmer’s family
sheds and the sheds acquired elegant look rustic with raffia ribbons. Topping or agricultural employees about the
verandas. Many are no longer directly jam jars with doilies and putting cashiers provenance of each product, the person
adjacent to a farm. Stock has expanded in embarrassing, bouffant mobcaps does behind the till is now often unable to
to include value-added items – peaches not, however, a farm stall make. answer even the simplest query. Want
preserved in syrup, raisins bobbing about to know how many food miles it took to
in bottles of gemmerbier. Occasionally Not all big farm stalls are bad farm get this plastic-wrapped mebos into the
there are crocheted tea cosies, leather stalls but many such businesses support store? What variety of cucumber is in the
slippers and wire toy cars too. The décor farming practices and food sourcing pickle? Tough. No-one knows. Or cares.
may be prettier, but these veranda-and- systems similar to those practised by Fake farm stalls are the worst sort of
supermarkets. The variety of fresh foodie fraud because they serve up
produce at bigger farm stalls is almost a delicious veneer of virtuousness. We’ve
all done it. We are tired and we want to
feel good about ourselves after a long,
hot road trip. So we wander amidst rows
of rusks, baskets of butternuts and
hook-hung biltong strips and imagine
that we are not only taking a break but
also making a stand against The Man
and industrial food barons by supporting
small farmers to preserve a way of life
that is in danger of being lost.
These are noble ambitions and, with
a little extra effort, it is possible to realise
such dreams.

102 MAY 2018 kulula.com





HIGHWAYS TO HEAVEN (AND HELL) EXPLORE

Words: Anna Trapido, Pictures: Daniel S. Edwards/shutterstock.com, PUCKETTY FARM STALL BOETEKA PADSTAL DIE PIENK PADSTAL
Grobler du Preez/shutterstock.com, geraria/shutterstock.com,
Sketch Master/shutterstock.com, Supplied In the shadow of the Hlogoma Mountains, An ode to boerekos, this gem at In Kakamas, halfway between Pofadder
this charming farm stall in Underberg Boeteka Farm between Beaufort and Uppington, and pink as Barbie’s
stocks delicious locally made farm West and Oudtshoorn sells superb dream house. Food and collectibles
cheeses, plus jams, chutneys, pickled springbok biltong and droëwors. are elegantly jumbled at this pleasant
onions, mustards and marmalades made During holiday season, preorder padstal. Fresh local grapes and
on site. Farm-baked rusks, ginger beer Karoo lamb to ensure that other watermelons in season. Delicious dried
and tea garden, too. Possibly the last lucky people haven’t bought it all fruit all year round (they do the standard
‘honesty book’ in the world. dates and raisins and the less standard
Pick up what you want, already. Roosterkoek, vlakoekies, dried strawberries and kiwis). Whether
note your purchases in fantastic dried pears, strope, you fancy biltong, milk tart, blatjang,
the book, put your cash konfyte, koeksisters… you ice-cold ginger beer or ouma se brood
in the moneybox, work name it, they’ve got it. Plus this place is packed floor to ceiling with
out the change and take slightly creepy scarecrows. padkos options for the long and winding
it away. +27 (0)79 309 +27 (0)72 739 5311 road ahead. The vetkoek and mince are
5897, puckettyfarm.co.za a must. +27 (0)54 431 1457

DAGGABOER FARM STALL TAN’MALIE SE WINKEL

Great gemmerbier (ginger beer), startlingly sour real Not really so much a farm stall as
lemonade and water from their own spring make this a bushveld trading store stuck in a 19th-
a must stop between Cradock and Cookhouse. Plus, century time warp. It’s in Hartbeespoort,
more jam than you knew existed, slaphakskentjies (onions through the tunnel, over the bridge, under
in mustard sauce), boeremeisies (apricots in witblits) the Arc de Triomphe, and 200 metres
and roosterkoek. Gushu the cat will try and schmooze a along the Old Rustenburg Road known
sample. You’ll also find slippers, trays and wooden toys. as the R104. There is broekie lace around
Despite the name, dagga is about the only item they don’t the venue’s tin roof and an ox wagon in the
sell. +27 (0)87 751 0547, daggaboerfarmstall.co.za parking area. Blissful bread comes out
of a proper bakoond clay oven. Delicious
gemmerbier. Magnificent marula cordial
too. The pantry section is well stocked
with indigenous fruit jams
(makataan, moskonfyt, msoba
jelly etc.) and there are
strong mampoers too. Over
weekends and public holidays
they do braai lunches (booking
essential). +27 (0)71 659 4044

kulula.com MAY 2018 105



FOOD’S ANTI-WASTE HEROES DISCOVER

W e’ve all done WASTE Food Forward also runs
it. Reached NOT, a virtual food-banking service
for the milk in smaller towns which they
can’t reach in time: NGOs

with the later expiry date, WANT and schools can sign up to be
chosen the perfectly round connected to a retailer in their
cauliflower over the knobbly area, where they can pick up
one, or thrown out the honey fresh food daily.

that’s become crystallised. NOT Kate Hamilton, the NGO’s
What happens to all this fund development manager,
perfectly healthy, imperfect says that hunger could be
food? It ends up in a landfill, eradicated if we could find

while 14 million South Africans a way to divert wasted food to

go hungry. those in need. Food Forward rescued

The CSIR estimates that South 4 350 tons of food last year, providing

Africans waste food to the value of The average South African 14.5 million meals.
R70 billion every year – around a third of throws out 177 kilograms Without the organisation, all this
everything that’s produced. The energy of food each year. But not
wasted in producing this food is enough food would be destined for landfills
to power Joburg for 16 weeks, while the everyone is part of the and millions of meals would be wasted
wasted water would fill over 600 000 problem, as Delia du Toit – tragic, considering that the food is
Olympic-size swimming pools. perfectly edible. ‘The food we collect
discovers… has usually reached its “best before”

It needn’t be this way, though, and date, so retailers remove it from shelves.

NGOs such as Food Forward are working and Albany, then distributes it to 600 Consumers tend to think “best before”

to lessen the damage. Operating with just NGOs across the country. The process, means expired, which is not the case, so it

43 staff members, Food Forward collects called food banking, must be done as goes to waste,’ says Hamilton.

unsellable food from major retailers and quickly as possible to keep the food fresh, She urges people to start planning

producers like Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Nestlé and is a major feat of logistics. better when they shop. ‘We don’t need

kulula.com MAY 2018 107

DISCOVER FOOD’S ANTI-WASTE HEROES

to produce more food to sobve the hunger Like Food Forward, UPcycbe rescues with gbasses, cutbery and crockery on
probbem in our country, we just need to food that woubd otherwise be thrown white binen tabbecbothsU The homebess are
make better use of what’s abready thereU’ out by supermarkets, retaib outbets waited on by vobunteersU’
and farmsU The food is perfectby good,
Another organisation working to but doesn’t hobd up to the aesthetic On average, UPcycbe intercepts 300
repurpose unnecessariby wasted food standard demanded by consumersU It kibograms of food for each event, feeding
is UPcycbe Project, started by Abi Conn gets transformed into amazing dishes up to 500 peopbeU They abso distribute
after a trip to Qatar in 2016U ‘In Qatar, by vobunteer chefs, and served to the food to charities and to those on the
begging on the streets is ibbegab and it was homebess at various venues around Cape streets, and have pbans to increase the
heartbreaking to come home and see the Town once a monthU ‘We aim more for frequency of the events and expand
masses of peopbe struggbingU I decided to incbusion and recognition than just feeding beyond Cape TownU
create a pbatform to take “wasted” food to peopbe,’ says ConnU ‘Tabbes are baid out
the peopbe who need it mostU’ Conn bebieves that peopbe need to start
rethinking their attitudes to food in order
to reabby make a differenceU ‘In
a country where hunger
is so rife, it’s disgusting
how food can be
wasted just because
it “books ugby” or goes
into the bin because
“yoh, I’m fubb”U’ What’s
required, according
to Conn, is greater

NO STALE ALE HERE If we gave the surplus bread straight to
charities, it would provide one day of
e easiest way to get people on board food. By using the bread to brew beer,
with social change? Give them beer. selling it and donating the profits, we
provide training to South Africans
Toast Ale cra beer is doing exactly to become home food gardeners,
that. e pale ale is brewed using empowering them to empower
surplus bread to replace a third of the themselves,’ she says.
raw ingredients, and one batch of beer
uses 250 kilograms of bread that would e beer is brewed at Devil’s Peak
otherwise go to waste. On top of that, all Brewery in Epping. It’s crisp and
profits also go to Soil for Life, an NGO refreshing with a dry finish. As an
that trains unemployed people to added bonus, it also has fewer calories.
grow their own food.
e sugars in bread break down faster,
e model was conceptualised in the resulting in a lower carb beer –
UK by British food-waste campaigner around 150 calories compared with
Tristram Stuart, and was launched the standard 220. And you can even
in South Africa last year by five local make your own… If you land up
entrepreneurs. Bianca Hansen heads with bread waste, freeze it and visit
up the team. ‘We decided to give our toastale.com for the recipe.
profits to Soil for Life because it provides
a sustainable solution to food problems.

108 MAY 2018 kulula.com





FOOD’S ANTI-WASTE HEROES DISCOVER

Pictures: SpeedKingz/shutterstock.com, Evgeniya Pautova/shutterstock.com, Julia Tim/shutterstock.com, Svesla Tasla/shutterstock.com, Supplied cooperation, as mell as greater respect 3 WAYS TO WASTE LESS
for other people.
Know the difference between
Ymaste is another player morking ‘best before’ and ‘use by’. e former is
to dramatically reduce food maste. In safe but may not be at its best, while the
eight years, Emile Fourie’s business has latter could be off. Some foods, such as
transformed from a small company honey, cornflour and sugar, don’t go
manufacturing domestic-scale morm off even though regulation requires
farms into a substantial operation them to have date stamps.
mhich diverts over 1 500 tons of food
maste from landfills every year. Ymaste Start composting. row food
collects maste from chain stores, hotels, scraps in an outside bin and pretty
restaurants and events and either soon you’ll have rich compost to grow
recycles it or turns it into compost – the a vegetable garden.
effect is to reduce maste by as much as
98% for some of their clients. Plan meals in advance. Donate
the portion of food or ingredients
‘I realised that maste is such an you won’t use to an orphanage or
underutilised resource. Using landfills feeding scheme.
as a maste-management system is not
only harmful to the environment, but products and the job creation potential is and maste-separation initiatives in
also discards very valuable resources. enormous,’ says Fourie. these areas.
Recycled maste can reduce the cost of
Today the company employs For nom, they operate in the Western
16 permanent staff members, mho Cape, but Fourie has plans to take the
separate organic and nonorganic business countrymide. ‘Sometimes
maste at their central facility. Organics I have to pinch myself, but it feels great
get transformed into compost, mhile to actively address the vast disparity
nonorganics are sold to recycling centres created by a profit-driven agenda in
and biodiesel refineries. our country. We are faced mith huge
hunger issues, mhile some
Ymaste has also just launched people just throm amay
a maste-management solution for good food. It’s time to
informal sectors, smapping dysfunctional re-evaluate the may
centralised skips for mheelie bins. Next, me do things.’
Fourie mould like to launch recycling

kulula.com MAY 2018 111

UNDERSTANDING ALLERGIC
SYMPTOMS AND IgE

Celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the discovery of Immunoglobulin E

Most people are aware that allergic symptoms are caused by the Research in the 80’s
release of powerful signal substances such as histamine that can demonstrated exactly
cause everything from mild reactions such as a runny nose or how IgE binds to other
skin rash to severe symptoms such as asthma, eczema and even compounds, based on a
systemic shock. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that scientists understood how deeper insight into IgE-
these symptoms came about – or the central part that IgE antibodies played receptors, which opened
in the process. the door to a better
understanding of the origin
In principle, allergic reactions are misguided inflammatory reactions of allergic symptoms.
triggered by normally harmless substances from our day-to-day environment –
allergens. An allergen is typically a protein found in for example plant pollens,
animal dander and foods such as peanut, egg and milk.

In allergic individuals, one or more of these allergens may be recognised
as potentially dangerous. On first exposure, their immune system starts to
produce antibodies that can bind to that antigen to protect the individual in
the future. In atopic allergy (the most common type of allergy), the antibody
formed is IgE.

It was discovered that an allergic individual’s ‘memory’ of having first
been exposed to an allergen is stored as IgE antibodies attached side-by-
side on a special type of white blood cell. These blood cells, known as
mast cells, contain the powerful signal substances that on their release
create the inflammatory response we call allergy. On second exposure,
sensitized individuals may suffer a reaction if the allergen cross-links
adjacent IgE antibodies, triggering the release of the inflammatory
chemicals from inside the mast cell.

This is why measuring levels of IgE antibodies in blood is a good way
of determining the risk of allergic reaction, and why IgE-testing is still a
leader in allergy diagnostics.

The rest is history. IgE history.

Visit www.isitallergy.co.za to
download your free Allergy Guide e-book

ONE FISH AT A TIME DISCOVER

At the heart of the project is frySMALL
a desire to source seafood that is
ecologically responsible and socially A new initiative involving
fair. Currently being piloted by Bistro small-scale fishers,
Sixteen82, a restaurant at Steenberg a top-tier restaurant, and
wine estate in Tokai, Cape Town, mobile technology is contributing to
Abalobi (isiXhosa for 'smale-scale more sustainable fishing practices
fisher') is a non-profit community-
driven initiative that links small-scale
local fishers with the restaurants
and kitchens where their fish will be
prepared. abalobi.info

Bistro Sixteen82’s chef and Abalobi
ambassador, Kerry Kilpin, says, ‘In
our restaurant you can responsibly
order and eat traceable fish caught
by local artisanal fishers and
delivered directly from their boats
to our kitchen.’ To enable this,
diners get a QR code which
they scan right at the table.

The mobile app is designed to make
each fish sold by these small-scale
fishers 100 per cent traceable – diners
can literally track the journey of every
fish ‘from hook to cook’, tracing
their ‘catch of the day’ to a specific
fisher, and can learn more about
the species on the plate.

kulula.com MAY 2018 113

DISCOVER ONE FISH AT A TIME

‘Ftshtng ts tn my culture,’ says Davtd
Shoshola who has been a drtvtng force
of the Abalobt project tn the Lambert’s
Bay fishtng communtty. ‘It ts not only my
tncome, but sattsfies an tnner hunger.’
Shoshola, a small-scale fisher, has been
tnstrumental tn the codevelopment of
the Abalobt app and was the first fisher
to ptlot the From Hook to Cook tntttattve.
‘We fishers have a responstbtltty to
conserve the oceans,’ he says. ‘We are
the sea’s custodtans and must protect
tt for our descendants.’

‘We are forgtng the way for a fatrer, more sustatnable ‘We sttll catch fish as taught to us Pictures: miniolka/shutterstock.com, Supplied
food system,’ says Dr Serge Raemaekers, cofounder and by our forefathers,’ says fourth-
project dtrector of Abalobt, whtch has also partnered generatton tradtttonal Lambert’s Bay
wtth the WWF-Southern Afrtcan Sustatnable Seafood fisher Wtlfred Consalves. ‘Ftshtng has
Intttattve (wwfsassi.co.za). Abalot centres on creattng a more always been a part of our household
sustatnable tndustry by ltnktng the fishtng communtttes – tt gtves me tnner peace, tt’s my
on the western and southern Cape coast dtrectly wtth the tradttton, and I was taught to be
restaurants looktng to buy fish. The Abalobt communtty compasstonate and share our
co-ownershtp model atms to help fishers become martne fish wtth the less fortunate tn
resource custodtans. ‘Parttctpattng fishtng communtttes
wtll be collecttng valuable local data that’s not our communtty.’
prevtously been avatlable to formal sctenttfic
research,’ says Dr Raemaekers.

114 MAY 2018 kulula.com





WHAT’S COOKING BEYOND THE KITCHEN DISCOVER

NOT
SO
PRIVATE
CHEF

Real-deal chefs are notorious for long hours

in the kitchen and their obsessive focus on

the goal – perfectly plated meals and happy

diners. Jeanae Dumas takes us beyond the

kitchen doors to give us an inkling of the

true private life of a private chef

I yxist in a pondyrful culinary Shockingly, I gyt phatyvyr I ask
fantasy. As I opyn my yyys yach for. Bycausy Nyill Anthony, dyspity

morning, thy first pords I hyar ovyrsyying a 24/7 privaty chyffing

ary from a profyssional chyf, coaxing my businyss pith an ovyrfloping cliynt list,

imagination topards yndlyss possibility. syyms to magically maky timy. For my.

‘What do you pant for dinnyr?’ hy’ll ask, Chyfs aryn’t knopn for dividing thyir

lovingly sytting off a pattyrn of thoughts timy byyond thy confinys of thy cryativy

that invariably ynsurys I spynd my pholy bubbly that is thy kitchyn. And thy byttyr

day dryaming about thy yvyning myal. thyy gyt at phat thyy do, thy mory

kulula.com MAY 2018 117

DISCOVER WHAT’S COOKING BEYOND THE KITCHEN

I come from a big family and food
was at the centre of so many memories
we created together

time they spend concocting new dishes, dogs before he feeds anyone, including
perfecting existing flavours, innovating me. He is totally obsessed with our pair
at the edges of the latest food trends. of toy poodles – the ginger is named
I’ve witnessed first-hand the endless Enoki, and the black one, Suki. They get
demands on Neill’s time and energy. ‘hello’s and snuggles galore; he takes
People are hungry, I guess, and who better them to the parlour and for walks on
to oversee your next dinner party than the Sea Point Promenade; he curls up
a methodical chef trained in the kitchens for long, lazy couch snoozes with them.
of Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Alyn And, of course, there are loads of kitchen
Williams, Jerome Henry… That Neill went treats for them, too.
on to make a 13-part TV series called
The Private Chef doesn’t hurt either. Fueled by the espresso, it’s then a quick
The show took his easy-going personality scan of social media before his day of
into living rooms around the globe, and planning, prepping, chopping, cooking and
now his clients can’t get enough. finessing clients can properly begin.

Coffee obsessed, Neill greets I tell Neill that I’m writing about him.
the day with a lukewarm double ‘Food has always been part of my life,’ he
muses. ‘I come from a big family and food
espresso. At home, he’ll wear was at the centre of so many memories
chinos, Birkenstocks and we created together. There are amazing
an easy tee – which meals we still reminisce about today. It’s
is pretty much what really where my passion comes from,
he wears when he’s since it’s the connection between us
as a family.’
working. Neill feeds the

118 MAY 2018 kulula.com

WHAT’S COOKING BEYOND THE KITCHEN DISCOVER

SEE NEILL COOK

Cape Town-based Neill
Anthony is not only a chef
to the stars and a private chef
for hire, but hosts supper
clubs and of course has
hosted his own TV series,

e Private Chef, which
shows him at work in a
variety of locations, including
the compact galley aboard
a yacht. You can enlist Neill
for your own private dinner
event at neillanthony.com.
And check him out this
month on Mzansi’s own
dedicated Food Network
on DStv channel 175,
foodnetwork.co.za.

Neill’s passion is as much about food after dinner. And, currently, there’s an France. That’s where we’ll be getting
as it is for making people happy. He infatuation with his ‘just-before-dinner married in July!
inherently understands that the secret snack’: corn rice cakes smothered with
to human happiness lies in pleasing their cold butter and Bovril. I’ve watched Neill at work, where he
tummies and thrilling their taste buds. maintains an eagle-eyed focus; an ability
That’s why his work is centred on going He also loves anything his mom to avoid distraction, figuratively and
into a home and throwing the dinner party makes, and a good mac ’n’ cheese. When literally keeping many pots boiling at
of a lifetime. it comes to eating out, Liam Tomlin’s once. Anyone who has prepared a large
Chefs Warehouse is a favourite. But, he meal themselves knows the mounting
The hours are exhaustingly long, with says, ‘My ultimate feast is with family pressure and the number of elements
heaps of food prepping, and then, when and friends around a large table, in the required to get it right. There’s the
it comes to service time, it’s a full-on shadows of big trees in the south of exactitude of ingredients, the timing, the
production. Imagine the need to blow France. Family-style is the way to go – stirring, blending, tasting… Even boiling an
people away with your cooking all egg can turn into an ordeal if you don’t pay
the time! think multiple platters from small to attention. It’s not uncommon to witness
huge, filled with seasonal and local pots being thrown and tempers flaring
Off-duty, Neill has some super produce, cooked by my family and in a restaurant kitchen, but Neill very
weird food cravings. Obsessions, friends. Add some open fire cooking, seldom gets ruffled around the edges.
really. He will, for example, lust too… all made with love and enjoyed Not only is he a gentleman in the kitchen,
after hotdogs on pure white in abundance.’ but a team player, too – always up first,
rolls, with processed cheese and down last, leading by example.
high-sugar tomato sauce, plus HP While he’s travelled a lot – for
sauce for that extra zing. There was work and for pleasure (from the USA It’s the daydreamer in him – the
a phase of Oreo biscuit obsession, too to France, the UK, Zanzibar, Mauritius, fantasist with the overwhelming impulse
– he had to have them every evening Australia, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey…) – to create – that really gives him that
Neill has a special love for the south of

kulula.com MAY 2018 119



WHAT’S COOKING BEYOND THE KITCHEN DISCOVER

Neill is in some respects
a professional dreamer, prone
to turning crazy ideas
into wild realities

Pictures: Supplied, Ricardo de Leça, Mickey Hoyle edge though. He says he He recently dreamed up sometimes keen on a morning walk,
dreams about new ideas all a fantasy dessert for a client but he’s definitely no fitness freak!
the time, and each time he with a sweet tooth that saw
sits down to a meal that pleases each guest dropping white The strange food cravings and his
him, his imagination ignites with a tale chocolate spheres onto the large dining penchant for lazy, laid-back food when
of how it was created. ‘I take inspiration table. The spheres smashed open to spill he’s off-duty do have their benefits.
for dishes and meal experiences from so their indulgent contents which were then It means that on our last trip through
many places,’ he once told me. ‘Many of feasted upon, along with shards of phyllo France, we never lacked for a hunger-
the meals I’ve had, I’ve recreated in my pastry. It was an epic affair – no ordinary busting snack: if you’re ever on the road
mind. The challenge sits with the how.’ way to finish a meal. with access to buttery croissants and
Pull away from the working kitchens, a bag of crisps, you’d be in good company
It’s not all reverse-engineering, though. and life on the mundane home front is if you combined the two to create
It’s one thing knowing what’s on the far removed from smashing chocolate a crunchy sandwich with a twist. And it’s
plate to understand how the flavours pudding spheres onto the table. It’s a whole lot easier to make than the bull’s
come together, but Neill is in some not all about cooking, either. Sure, a lot testicle ravioli Neill once prepared…
respects a professional dreamer, prone of ‘real’ life revolves around the Food
to turning crazy ideas into wild realities. Network channel, but there’s also Sky
News, the occasional dash of cricket,
a pinch of Chelsea football, and a drizzle
of alarmingly unhealthy Keeping up
with the Kardashians. All of which is
interspersed with strong doses of sleep
– when time allows. Neill does go to gym
when he’s in town, but it’s a pretty casual
routine. He recently started boxing and is

kulula.com MAY 2018 121



SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE DISCOVER

&CONNECT COLLECT

1 Unlike Australian cricketers, rugby 1 4 On page 25, we talk about the
players aren’t likely to be caught fiddling creative genius at work in the voice of
with their balls. It stands to reason, then, 30-year-old Nakhane. He is vehemently
that you can expect a lot of support and non-commercial – an artist happy to fly
comfort from Frankees, a range of under the alternative banner even if the
underwear launched by respected Mzansi hip-swinging danceability of his tunes
rugger buggers, Siya Kolisi and Tim ensures that his songs will get radio
Whitehead. Not only have these gents airtime. His second album is You Will
been hands-on in designing the look and Not Die and is packed with sombre,
feel of their skivvies (for men and women), deeply-charged reflections of a confusing
but they’ve opted for fun prints, too, such childhood. If there’s one album you’re
as traditional shwe-shwe patterns or likely to become obsessed with this
emojis. frankees.com year, this is it.

2 Distinguished Elgin Valley wine 5 Recently introduced to South Africa,
estate, Paul Cluver has launched a pair Crystal Head is a Canadian vodka that
of Rieslings, including its first Noble Late comes in an eye-catching bottle shaped
Harvest in three years – great with like a skull. It’s quadruple distilled and
desserts and cheeses or for slow sipping. seven-times filtered, partly through
cluver.com quartz crystal Herkimer ‘diamonds’. The
vodka is the creation of actor Dan Aykroyd
Words: Keith Bain, Pictures: Denzil Jacobs, supplied 3 The Madiba Appreciation Club: Estate in Pretoria. His anecdotes and hails from Newfoundland where
A Chef’s Story is written by Brett Ladds range from chatting with the Swazi water is sourced from glacial aquifers.
who spent several years preparing meals king about weightlifting to being given crystalheadvodka.com
(and cups of rooibos tea) for Mandela a cigar by Fidel Castro.
while he served as executive chef of the 6 Mother’s Day on 13 May and
presidential guesthouse at Bryntirion 4 Shimansky has an indulgent way to spoil
the most important woman in everyone’s
23 life: The My Girl Indulgence Gift Set
with gentle eye cream, moisturising

facial cream and perfumed body
cream. The whole caboodle,
available exclusively from
Shimansky stores, costs
R1 500. shimansky.com

5 6

kulula.com MAY 2018 123

DISCOVER HOT LOOKS FOR WINTER

TASTY THREADS SUPERDRY

POETRY They’re not sulking, they’re posing. These winter-ready
models are decked out in the Sino-British label’s retro
Inspired by yesteryear fresh-produce sport Autumn/Winter range; it emphasises denim and
markets, the Poetry AW18 collection down, plus camo, check prints and bold badging for the
combines luxurious femininity with season’s ‘prairie-meets-punk’ look. superdry.com
wistful, contemporary touches. Floral
prints and bolts of vibrant primary OLD KHAKI
colours offset neutral greys for a cosy
winter elegance. poetrystores.co.za Always classic, Old Khaki’s Autumn/Winter range features the kind
of sexy-making clothing that works for both a night on the town and
124 MAY 2018 a weekend in the country, camping and chopping wood with all your
good-looking friends. oldkhaki.co.za

kulula.com





THE ECONOMICS OF EATING OUT DISCOVER

With everyone tightening their belts (literally),
it’s harder than ever to convince people to

eat out, which is why the value proposition of
restaurants needs to be stronger than ever,

FOODONOMIC $writes Katherine Graham
R
ecently, I gave my husband
my online banking details so
he can track our household

expenditure with a new app. That’s how I

know we spent R1 106 on eating out and

takeaways over the past 90 days, which

works out to R12 per day. According

to 22seven, makers of the app, their

customers spent on average R2 973

for the same period, which works out

to R33 per day.

kulula.com MAY 2018 127

Restaurants
are feeling the
pinch as customers
find it difficult to see the
impact food inflation
has on the cost of

a dish

Either way, that’s not an awful lot go up by 66% and eggs by 33%,’ she says. Of course, as a diner, what you’re
of money. Restaurant owners must be ‘These are just two examples and already looking for most is value for money. And
feeling the pinch, I reckoned. And they are. they’re way over the official average food often there’s little correlation between a
inflation rate of 6.8% per year.’ meal’s price tag and its quality, especially
‘Our type of café is probably the worst if you’re opting for trendy restaurants at
affected as we are not in town where Although Smak did increase prices the Waterfront or Sandton.
footfall is high,’ says Sonja Edridge of the at the start of the year, Scherf believes
Larder Café in Cape Town. ‘We mainly customers don’t understand the ‘I think customers are more discerning,
buy from small, organic or free-range total effect that food inflation has on so spending money on a meal gets a
producers, so we can’t spread the pinch in restaurants: ‘It is difficult to expect people bit more thought than it did in the past,’
other areas of the business.’ to pay such prices when salaries aren’t comments Benji Gane, co-owner of Ginger
increasing at the same rate.’ & Co an East London eatery. ‘Restaurants
The biggest problem is food inflation. that offer a point of difference, be it the
‘Last year we saw three milk-price location, a signature dish or a new menu,
increases,’ laments Edridge. ‘We held out, will continue to attract customers.’
only increasing our coffee price once – by
R2. If you compare us to Europe’s average, Scherf agrees. ‘We want to be the
people should be paying R50 for a flat place you think of when you’re craving
white, including expenses and overheads.’ a coffee and a slice of cake,’ she says,
But who could afford that? ‘but also the place you think of when you
want a well-cooked pasta dish. We make
Katia Scherf, who opened Smak in Cape food that is hearty, with big portions and
Town in early 2016, finds it difficult to simple flavours.’
keep up. ‘In two years, we’ve seen butter

128 MAY 2018 kulula.com

THE ECONOMICS OF EATING OUT DISCOVER

words, it should ultibately be your food,

environbent and service that set you

apart and offer your point of difference,’

says Ginger & Co’s Gane.

A general rule of thubb, Gane

baintains, is not to allocate bore than

50% of your costs to food. Scherf

Places believes it should be closer to
like Coco Safar 33.3%. ‘Our bargins are low and
aim to mitigate against expenses are high. Managing
inflation by making all ingredients, standardised
products in-house, recipes and staff training are
which is the same ibportant, but it’s so difficult
principle that applies to control.’
to market vendors

Especially, she points out, if

Pictures: amino/shutterstock.com, Dimj/shutterstock.com, Marchie/shutterstock.com, Supplied So how do restaurateurs probote their bakes in-house pastries and your chefs are a little heavy-handed

value proposition? ‘We constantly look at rooibos drinks. with the butter! ‘One person’s idea of a

low-cost vegetables or areas where we With overheads so high, how do tablespoon is very different to another

can offer lower [prices] or bore value-add restaurants bake boney? ‘It’s well known and this bakes stocktaking and forward

dishes,’ says Edridge. ‘We also offer early- that bost of a restaurant’s profit bargins planning tricky,’ she says. ‘You also don’t

bird deals. Everyone wants a bargain!’ cobe frob drinks,’ says Nicky Heinrich, want to libit the creativity of your chefs.’

Making food on the prebises rather business developbent banager at the Liz So, when it cobes to eating out, is it a

than relying on suppliers also helps. ‘We McGrath Collection. ‘Beverages offer 80% necessity or a spoil? Most restaurateurs

have designed our benu to binibise the profit bargins in an industry where 4% are confident that their custobers

negative ibpact of inflation and have bargins are cobbon.’ are getting a good deal. ‘South Africa

chosen to bake all our products But this is only true if restaurants has always been a country where it’s

in-house to ensure sell a lot of soft drinks or notoriously cheap to dine out,’ says Edridge.

stability of supply alcoholic beverages. Scherf concurs. ‘To buy all the

and create Many eateries, like ingredients to bake a full beal can

healthier bargins,’ In two years, Coco Safar and often cost bore than it would frob a
says Caroline we’ve seen butter Ginger & Co, choose restaurant, unless you’re cooking in bulk.’
Sirois of Coco go up by 66% and not to have a liquor
Safar a new Sea licence. ‘There is Sirois argues that light beals are
Point café which eggs by 33% recession-proof. ‘People will cut back on
roasts its own a saying: “There large-ticket itebs and travels, but will
coffee beans and is no loyalty to a keep spoiling thebselves to great coffee
cold beer.” In other and baked treats.’

kulula.com MAY 2018 129



MINDFUL PLATING DISCOVER

A s an experiuent to deuonstrate thoughtFOODFOR
how restaurants in drought-
Words: Keith Bain, Picture: Supplied affected cities like Cape Town doing away with tablecloths that require and yoghurt snow, Dale-Roberts has
uight creatively reduce water usage, laundering. But The Drought Kitchen uade the siuple adaptation of replacing
The Test Kitchen in Woodstock has been takes the cause a step further by bringing the crockery with eupty ‘picture
test-driving ‘The Drought Kitchen’. The the issue of water scarcity right onto fraues’. Instead of plates and bowls,
entire innovative culinary adventure the table, stoking diner awareness at a each new dish is served onto a sheet of
is about using less water in unfauiliar sensory level. interchangeable card that becoues
ways. Chef Luke Dale-Roberts and his a blank canvas for the food. The effect is
teau have already introduced plenty of While the restaurant still produces to quite literally transforu every dish into
uindful scheues which include reusing a legendary six-course uenu featuring an artwork. But the weightier iupact is to
grey-water run-off frou air-conditioning such beautiful dishes as springbok with radically cut down on the auount of china
units, using ice-bucket water to uop beetroot, bone uarrow and
the floors, fitting diffusers on taps, and hazelnut, or hot- that requires washing.
suoked trout The Drought Kitchen at The Test
served with Kitchen runs until the end of this
watercress month, thetestkitchen.co.za

kulula.com MAY 2018 131



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