Tag Archives: Albert Ahrens

‘Cook Franschhoek’ heats up Franschhoek this weekend, getting back to cooking basics!

Cook Franschhoek 3A number of Franschhoek’s top chefs will pair their delectable dishes with the wines of the local wine estates at ‘Cook Franschhoek’, running from 13 – 15 June, sharing their special cooking tips, reflecting the food trend of getting back to basics.

Spread around the wine estates and restaurants of Franschhoek, the participating chefs will allow workshop participants into their domains, and share their cooking secrets, while the winemakers will guide the attendees on choosing the most suitable wines to pair with each dish made.  At the end of each workshop, the dishes cooked and the wines paired will be available to taste.  It also allows one to interact with the chefs and winemakers in small groups, and to ask more specific questions.

The participating Franschhoek chefs subscroibe to the cooking basics, such as ‘snout-to-tail’ food usage, meaning that every piece of an animal such as a pig is used (such as witnessed on MasterChef SA Season 2 when Chef Chris Erasmus of Pierneef à La Motte cooked a pig’s head to make a terrine); sourcing ingredients fresh from the farm to the table, within close proximity to the restaurants; smoking meats, charcuterie being the speciality of Chef Neil Jewell of Bread & Wine; cooking over a fire, including a rotisserie, a Green Egg, and Weber; and Nordic cooking techniques of pickling, fermenting, and preserving. Continue reading →

WhaleTales Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines: 11 February

WhaleTalesTourism, Food, and Wine news headlines

*   While Africa has 15% of the world’s population, it only receives 3% of the world’s tourists, says a report of the inaugural African Tourism Monitor, prepared by the African Development Bank, Africa Travel Association, and Africa House at NYU.  The report found a weakness in transport infrastructure on the continent, requiring better airline connections and better roads and railways required, as well as open borders, and more marketing to adventure and eco travellers.

*   The District Six Museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a year-long program, reports The Cape Towner, which includes the annual memorial walk.

*   Flights between OR Thambo, Cape Town, and Plettenberg Bay will take off from 28 March onwards, operated by CemAir and flying on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

*   Graham Beck is a proud MCC sponsor of Cape Town hosting the World Design Capital 2014, saying it will add ‘sparkle to the international design community and to Cape Town itself’.  Its sponsorship Continue reading →