Category Archives: books

Introducing Isabella Niehaus of Langtafel op die Duin 2022 Top 10 Woman Chef

 

Isabella Niehaus of Langtafel op die Duin in Langebaan is one of our 2022 Top 10 Women Chefs, and has received this accolade for the third year in a row.

Congratulations Bella.

The Top 10 Women Chefs in Cape Town and the Winelands were announced on Women’s Day. Each winner receives a 1 litre tube of Rio Large Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Continue reading →

Corona Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 186 of Level 1, Last Day of 750 days of Lockdown, 4 April 2022

 

Monday 4 April 2022, Day 186 of Level 1, last day of 750 days of Lockdown 😷

Corona Lockdown Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for a much cooler day, overcast this morning, with a light drizzle at lunchtime, and sunny this afternoon but the cloud over Lions Head confirming that rain is in the way from tonight, for two days; for writing client posts and editing a newsletter; for a walk to Woolies at lunchtime; for receiving a book to review from a former South African who has lived in the UK for the past 40 years, Julian Roup having the same surname as the maiden name of Jenny Stephens, definitely related but Continue reading →

Meet Chef Jenny Morris of Yumcious : 2021 Top 10 Woman Chef!

 

Chef Jenny Morris is a household name, not only locally but also internationally, through TV cooking shows, a radio show, six cookbooks, and through her restaurant Yumcious and her catering company Giggling Gourmet – The Cooks Playground, both in the Cape Quarter.  Chef Jenny is one of our 2021 Top 10 Women Chefs. She has won a bottle of Adhara Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil,

Chef Jenny is planning to reopen Yumcious this week, after the sad passing last month of her dear husband and business partner David.

Jenny and David opened Yumcious six years ago. She writes cookbooks, the latest one being ‘Yumcious’, with another up her sleeve. She and Reza Mohammed have done cooking shows  on their Fabulous Food Academy on the Food Network.  She also is a regular presenter on Heart FM.

Continue reading →

Meet Chef Isabella Niehaus of Langtafel: 2021 Top 10 Woman Chef!

 

Last year Chef Isabella Niehaus from Langtafel in Langebaan was recognised as one of our Top Women restaurateurs. This year she is recognised as one of our 2021 Top 10 Women Chefs in the Cape. She wins a bottle of Adhara Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Bella hosts wonderful Sunday lunches from her home overlooking the Langebaan Lagoon, connecting people arriving as strangers and leaving as friends. She has published the award-winning ‘Duinhuis Smake, Geure’, which was named Best in the World in the 2020 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She also has a new e-Book ‘Isabella’s Mussel Feast’.

Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 52 of Level 1, 11 November 2020

 

Wednesday 11 November 2020, Day 52 of Level 1, Day 230 of Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for a warm 26C day, windstill, with another such day forecast for tomorrow; for a writing morning, followed by a deep clean of my apartment, getting up to 5000 steps before I left for a proper walk in Camps Bay, including a shop at Woolies, needing croissants for my guests this afternoon; for getting help from gorgeous Llewellyn to become the admin of the client’s Facebook page 🍎; for the surprise of receiving two Discovery Gameboard plays, despite not having received any points since I hit Diamond status about 10 days ago; for an easy transition from Discovery Coastal Core to Classic Smart, costing only R19 more per month and heaps more medical and dental benefits, Maki Chase holding my hand virtually 🙏; for a R164 Discovery Insure cash back for driving less; for the honour of being interviewed by THE 6 foot 6 inches Derek Watts today, in my home, more details to come when it is aired; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

‘Around my Table’ by Denise Cowburn-Levy a mouthwatering Food Travel Book to Cape Town, the West Coast, Greece, Italy, and Thailand!

 

At the launch of the first book by Denise Cowburn-Levy at Bokeh Creative Space in Sea Point last night, I was lucky to win a copy of her book ‘Around my Table’, for knowing the answer to a question relating to Chef Liam Tomlin, described by Denise as her mentor.  The 260 page book is part memoir, part travel book to the West Coast, Greece, Italy, and Thailand, and part recipe book, with food associations with each region and country of her travels, including those of Cape Town. Continue reading →

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 39 of Level 3, 9 July 2020.

 

Thursday 9 July 2020, Day 39 of Level 3, after 66 days at Levels 5 and 4 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for wind, wind and wind this morning, and then rain, rain, and rain, lots more to come tomorrow ☔️; for being a busy writing 🐝, despite only having three hours of sleep, but I did catch up this afternoon, not being able to resist a nap; for dancing 💃 to Kfm in-between writing, and more to come; for being dry, warm, and safe; for not being Loadshedded as threatened; and for being happy and healthy. 🙏💙 Continue reading →

Bestseller ‘Temptations’ Cookbook ‘fattens the curve’, launch celebrated virtually with a High Tea on Sunday 12 July, features top Cape Town restaurateur!

 

Well-known and highly respected restaurant owner and Chef Prim Reddy of Cape Town based Indian Chapter Restaurant with Prim Reddy is the writer with Durban-based baker, hotelier, and chef Niranj Pather of the ‘Temptations: Exquisite Tastes with an exotic Touch’ Cookbook. The book is described as ‘fattening the curve’, the launch of which will be celebrated this coming Sunday at 15h00 with a Virtual High Tea.

Temptations’ is a lovely name for a book dedicated to Food, and contains 83 recipes from the two writers’ travels, dishes which they have experienced, and their own dishes. The Cookbook has already made the Exclusive Books Bestseller List.

Continue reading →

Corona Virus: My Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 1, 27 March 2020!

 


Friday 27 March 2020, Day 12 of SA Corona Virus, Day 1 of SA Lockdown 😷

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#Grateful for dancing the day away, KFM playing the most fabulous music; for Kfm broadcasting my Voicenote of Gratitude; for my now sparkling clean home; and for being so happy in my home, not feeling claustrophobic in my confinement, as I was worried might happen. 🙏💙

 

I finished my Sweet & Sour Service Awards Blogpost. I decided to discipline myself in going to Facebook, otherwise I would be there all day.

I did all the obvious Day 1 things, putting on new Bed linen, cleaning my bathroom, putting away clothes, tidying up my terrace garden, neatening my Heart stone collection, making a bigger space for skipping and dancing on a second terrace at the side of the bedrooms by moving a table out of the way, and tidying up my far too full stockpiled fridge.

I met Veronica, a sweet tourist from Buenos Aires, who is holed up next door to me because she and her partner could not get back. But then her husband started flying his drone all over Camps Bay, directly over our apartment block, and over my terrace. I lost my cool, but his English was not good enough to speak to me, wanting to Google Translate talk via his phone, between our partition slats. Luckily the apartment owner seemed more understanding than I’ve seen in almost 2 years, and seems to have communicated with him. Now they are on the terrace, doing What’s App calls full blast. 🥵🥵🥵 Ir’s going to be a long 21 days with them. 🥵

While I was cleaning this morning, I started dancing to Kfm, loving their music from 12h00 onwards. Tracy Laing and her ‘flou’ jokes were too irritating, so I switched to my Playlist until she was done. By midday I’d done 5000 steps, easily, and I realized that I’d get to 10000 👣 easily, and I was able to exert my heart too. I’m struggling with the skipping, needing to practice harder tomorrow. Carl Wastie did a Corona Gratitude section, asking listeners to tell a positive story. So I sent a message about my thanks to Kfm for keeping me dancing all day, which they broadcast 💃👣 And how moving was the Nkosi Sikilele broadcast on all radio stations, at 13h00 every Friday during lockdown. #loveSA❤️

I’ve seen about five persons walking, going to the supermarkets, and one homeless person scratching bins. And at least ten cars drive by.

I’m hoping to chat to Alain Barrios Chávez in Havana via Whats App.

As the Lockdown is a once in a lifetime event, I will post these daily Facebook posts on my Blog, feeling a book coming on.

I loved hearing a Western Cape Government anti-Litter ad on Kfm this morning, for the first time. And seeing a fabulous positive SA Tourism video, which I shared.

COVID-19: 1170 cases, 1 death in Durbanville, Cape Town, first in our country.

Keep safe and strong, and healthy😷❤️

FitBit 14500 steps 10,5 km 👣

Lovemylife❤️

 

The Corona Virus Lockdown, announced by our President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week to commence on 27 March and to continue until 16 April, is an unprecedented event in my lifetime. I am posting my daily Facebook post to journal this Corona Lockdown Journey, perhaps to serve as material for a future Book.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein

Sweet Service Award goes to Pick n Pay; Sour Service Award goes to Discovery!

 

The Sweet Service Award goes to Pick n Pay, and its Aramex courier service, which I experienced at Pick n Pay Camps Bay yesterday. Store Manager Xoliswa assisted me in following the steps to use the courier service to send a copy of my SwitchBitch Book to a friend in Knysna. First, I had to buy a plastic pocket with the documents and courier bag at the till, at R99,99. Then I had to complete the document with sender and receiver details, and photograph it for the tracking number. Then I placed the book in the bag, kept two copies of the documents, and placed the remaining three into a pocket on the outside of the courier bag. Lastly, I slipped the parcel into a special slot at a counter as one enters the store. The Book is likely to be delivered to my friend’s door by tomorrow, an amazing Store-to-Door service!  Continue reading →