Craggy Range | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

For the past five years, with one exception, I have attended the Grande Provence charity lunch in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the proceeds of which go to the Society. The theme of the lunch is Big 5, and everything is done in multiples of five: five courses, prepared by five top chefs, paired with five Grande Provence wines, and five entertainers, creating a most enjoyable afternoon, and generating much needed funding for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Not cheap at R1100 a ticket, the Grande Provence charity lunch was attended by about a hundred supporters, and raised about R200 000, almost double the amount raised last year. All services are donated, and the full amount raised is donated to the Society. In addition to the ticket sales, a raffle raised funds, as did a charity auction, of accommodation, a helicopter flip, a dinner for ten cooked by Grande Provence chef Darren Roberts, and works of art, which raised half the monies, thanks to the amazing auctioneering charm of Ariella Kuper of Auction Alliance.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system which destroys the myelin, a ‘rubber coating around the nerves in one’s brain’. This leaves the nerves exposed, and blocks messages from the brain to parts of the body, creating physical problems, such as an inability to speak properly, to walk, to see, or to remember things. The Society uses the monies it raises to pay for a part-time social worker, to offer support at the homes of sufferers of this disease, to offer transport services, to train sufferers in coping with their disease, and to offer equipment for rental.

On arrival guests were offered Angels Tears Rosé, and canapés of salmon cones and oysters, prepared by Michel Louws, the chef at Huka Lodge in New Zealand, the sister property of Grande Provence. Chef Michel arrived in Franschhoek last week, and we attended a dinner on Friday evening as well, prepared by him in its entirety, with a focus on New Zealand cuisine, but more about that below. The programme was spread out over close to six hours, and a good time was had by all, Master of Ceremonies Ryan O’Connor from Kfm being a charming and funny host, and has donated his services for free for a number of years, and vowed to do so for the rest of his life. The programme interspersed food courses with the entertainment by five musicians (Darryl Walters, Kari, ex-Madame Zingara and Vaudeville performer Irit Noble, Tony Nelson, and Emil Struwig), and a few speeches. Non Smit, who runs the Multiple Sclerosis Society, described the disease as invisible, and expressed her gratitude for the support received, and explained how the monies are used. Shani Marais, wife of Grande Provence winemaker Jaco Marais, whose brainchild the lunch is, is a Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, and works tirelessly to organise the annual charity luncheons. Motivational speaker Sean Willard spoke on the subject of his book to be published in July, entitled “Have a Life Attack”, and advised all to have “a love attack, a laugh attack and a life attack” regularly! He said that Shani was a wonderful example of getting up, and not giving up.

The first course was prepared by Grande Roche Eat Out Top 10 chef Roland Gorgosilich, being a Trio of Ostrich (left), including carpaccio and a mince ball, served with Tandoori, paprika vinaigrette and coriander mayonnaise, and was paired with the Grande Provence Pinot Noir 2009, which I enjoyed so much that I stuck with it for the rest of the lunch. This was followed by Rainbow Trout gravadlax, presented with watercress, anchovy and smoked beetroot mayonnaise, Buffalo mozzarella, and a dill and lime gel, beautifully presented by Chef Gregory Czarnecki of Waterkloof Estate in Somerset West (right). This course was paired with Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc 2010.

The main course was lamb neck, which had been cured and cooked for 36 hours. It was prepared by Chef Michel Louws from award-winning Huka Lodge in New Zealand, and he felt that lamb would represent his new home country, using Karoo lamb for the dish. It was topped with the tiniest croutons and lime peel, which gave the softest lamb a wonderful taste. The aroma of the lamb could be smelt throughout the room, and was enjoyed to ooos and aaas. Chef Michel has an interesting Dutch/New Zealand accent, and a most interesting hairstyle – he is bald-headed, but has a cute strand of hair which stands upright with the help of a special wax, he explained to us, saying that when he was at school they didn’t want his hair to be long, while his mother did not want him to shave everything off, so he chose the combination compromise. Chef Michel trained at Michelin-starred Dutch restaurants Le Cirque, de Librije, Inter Scaldis and Zusje, and then the restaurant at which he was the head chef, ‘t-Veerhuis, was awarded a Michelin star. He joined Huka Lodge two years ago. His restaurant will not feature on the New Zealand top 10 restaurant list, he said, as the restaurant is mainly for the guests of the Lodge, and a maximum of six outside guests can be considered per meal.

The 4-course New Zealand dinner prepared by Michel Louws on Friday evening, costing R495 per head, was preceded by canapes, including salmon cones. Chef Michel served scallops as a starter, one hot and one cold, with lemon, which was paired with Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc 2010, and an excellent New Zealand Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2005. Then followed barbecued lobster served with a delicious liquid garlic sauce, paired with Grande Provence Chardonnay 2009 and New Zealand Clearview Reserve Chardonnay 2009. The main course was the lamb neck as well, served with Grande Provence Shiraz 2007 and New Zealand Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah 2005, and Chef Michel described the Karoo lamb he used for it as ‘bloody awesome’. Dessert was a ‘deconstructed Snickers’, consisting of malt, caramel, chocolate and peanuts, which was paired with Frangelico. Chef Michel wants to try the local restaurant highlights, and went to The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français, saying it was ‘worldly’ and he liked that they served local wines. He also went to Pierneef à La Motte, where he had Bokkoms. In Holland they have a similar dish, made from air-dried herrings. He wants to get to The Test Kitchen, and we suggested Tokara, given his admiration for Ferran Adria of El Bulli.

The charity lunch dessert was prepared by Rudi Liebenberg and his pastry chef from the Mount Nelson Hotel and their Planet restaurant. It was a collection of ‘chocolate stuff’, including peanut and chocolate sable, chocolate créme, dark chocolate sorbet, and a thin slab of Valrhona chocolate. This was paired with Grande Provence Shiraz 2007. The final course was a cheese plate served on a slate plate, beautifully presented by Chef Darren Roberts of Grande Provence. It contained a stilton, roasted cashew nuts, preserved fig, olive biscuits, compressed melon goats’ cheese sorbet, balsamic foam, Welsh Rarebit, and a refreshing raspberry aniseed puree, and was paired with Grande Provence Chardonnay 2010.

Grande Provence has re-positioned itself as one of the top restaurants in Franschhoek, with the two excellent top food events it organised over the past weekend. It was announced by Grande Provence GM Amanda Roberts that they plan to bring out more guest chefs from Australia and Asia. The collaboration with top local chefs in preparing food for the Multiple Sclerosis Society charity lunch is a great opportunity to see the creativity of the chefs under one roof, so to speak, whilst supporting a worthwhile cause.

Grande Provence, Main Road, Franschhoek. Tel (021) 876-8600. www.grandeprovence.co.za

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter:@WhaleCottage

I had heard about the Long Table Restaurant and Cafe on the Haskell Vineyards outside Stellenbosch on Twitter, and tried it out recently. I left overwhelmed by the unexpected quality of the food, matching the stature of the wine estate. However, not all is perfect. With some better-polished service staff, and some attention to its table presentation and housekeeping, it can rank with the best Stellenbosch restaurants.

Haskell Vineyards is at the end of the Annandale Road near Mooiberge Farmstall, high above and beyond Rust en Vrede. I was impressed how three competitive wine farms (Rust en Vrede, Haskell and Bilton) have a collegial co-existence in sharing the security for the communal entrance to their farms.

One cannot see the entrance to the restaurant from the parking area, as the restaurant signage is set back too far above the entrance door. One enters a reception area, that of the restaurant on the left, and that of the winery on the right. I was greeted by Corli as I entered, but I did not realise that she was the chef. Using the bathroom first (door lock does not work on the middle door), I then connected with Werner Els, who does the wine tasting and sales, and he answered my question about the relationship between Dombeya and Haskell.

Dombeya was originally the name of the farm, and was known as a mohair wool farm and factory. It also had grapes, and the wines made were branded Dombeya, a Latin family name for the wild pear, which is found on the farm. Preston Haskell bought the farm earlier this decade, and introduced the Haskell wine label from 2007, when highly regarded winemaker Rianie Strydom started making the wines. The Haskell wines are super-premium ones, selling at high prices. The wine estate also represents PHD Wines, selling their Australian and New Zealand wine brands from the wine estate and from select retailers such as Caroline’s Fine Wines and Norman Goodfellow’s. Werner told me that the new restaurant is pulling in feet through the door, and leading to wine sales since it opened five months ago. Previously one had to make an appointment to taste the estate’s wines.

Werner showed me around the restaurant, demonstrating the collegiality that exists between the restaurant and wine sales, and I only learnt afterwards that Corli Els (no relation) is the chef and owner of Long Table, and leases the restaurant space from the winery. The long table is in the last section of the restaurant, a beautiful wooden table that can seat about 20 persons. Here they host regular Winemakers’ lunches. Blackboards list the wines and menu items inside. I noticed some odd looking lampshades, made from beads, but preferred to focus on the view from the terrace outside on a lovely summery winter’s day.

The outside area is large, with many tables and chairs, the trees providing shade if required. The wooden tables and chairs are garden furniture, and the waiter brought a cushion for my chair after I had sat down. The waiter was an irritation – he kept wanting to talk to me in Afrikaans. I found him extremely lightweight, and not a credit to the restaurant nor the wine estate. I found it hard to understand what he was trying to tell me, and the pork belly which I ordered without chickpeas was served with chick peas! It took him forever to bring the bill (there were only 2 tables in total booked for lunch).

Chef Corli was previously from Pretoria, and last worked at Ernie Els’ (no relation) Guardian Peak restaurant close by. She has also worked at Hazendal, and owned the Fusion Cafe’s in Observatory and in Stellenbosch, but sold them.

Corli bakes her own bread (I loved the whole wheat bread), and is excited that the farm is creating an organic vegetable and herb garden for her. I ordered the Avocado and papaya salad served as a stack with Black Forest ham, with a yummy dressing, and finished off with a pansy – I have not seen one on food for years. I loved the salad, and the look of it, and I would come back again just for it alone! The main course choice was pork belly, costing R98, served with a generous portion of creamy mash, crispy fresh vegetables, a tangy orange sauce and fine orange rind (and the unwanted chickpeas!).

The menu and winelist are attached onto unattractive clipboards, and could be more attractively presented. The menu has an eclectic mix and a good number of dishes to choose from. For Starters one can have beef carpaccio; lamb kidneys; fresh corn, or pear and camembert soup; a “super foods” salad or crunchy Caprese parcels, costing between R 50 – R60. There are 14 “Light Meals and Main Courses”, in what seems a waste to have all ingredients available for so few people. One can have a chicken salad; Beef Burger (with all sorts of yummy-sounding additions like wild mushrooms, prosciutto, onion confit, mustard bearnaise, for R70); beef strips; cajun chicken sandwich; farfalle pasta; mushroom ravioli; lamb medallions; duck breasts; spiced quail; fresh linefish; grainfed sirloin steak; Moroccan lamb shank, and oxtail braised in red wine. All of these range from R 59 to R 105 for the last two dishes. Two specials were also available, kingklip at a reasonable sounding R85, and Springbok at R108. When speaking to Corli, she told me that preparing venison is one of her food favourites. I did not have a dessert, but will do so on a next visit, most costing a reasonable R35. Chocolate fondant, pecan nut praline cheesecake, confit apple tart and malva pudding are some of the options. There is a Kiddies Menu, with “Foodies”, and “Goodies”(the sweets) to choose from. The menu is changed every 2 -3 months.

The winelist is disappointing, only having one page of local wines, with unforgivable vintage corrections made by pen (commendably though the vintages have been changed to older rather than younger ones!). “Riesling” is incorrectly spelt. The remainder of the five pages lists imported wines, which are the Australian and New Zealand PHD wines. The Australian wine brands are Hoddles Creek, Kalleske, and Spinifex, and are in line with South African prices, the Spinifex Shiraz Viognier being most expensive at R 435. The New Zealand wines sold are Craggy Range, Felton Road, Lawsons Dry Hills and Wild Rock, the prices not being unreasonable – the Craggy Range The Quarry Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend the most expensive at R475. No vintages are specified for the PHD wines. Dombeya wines can be bought from R60 upwards (Sauvignon Blanc), the Shiraz being most pricey at R 96. The Haskell wines are far more expensive, the Aeon Syrah costing R 290, and the Pillars Syrah R 400, both being 2007 vintages. The Dombeya wines are marked up by R20 each in the restaurant, the Haskell ones are not. A glass of Dombeya Sauvignon Blanc costs R25, and the Samara costs R30.

The “Cafe” part of the restaurant name refers to the freshly baked cakes, muffins, scones and tarts that are served before and after lunch.

I will come back in a flash for the Avocado and papaya salad, and was most impressed with Chef Corli’s food, and good value. I found a number of dissonances between the high quality of the Haskell Vineyards’ brands and the image they are creating, and Long Table’s far more casual decor, the laid back and less than adequate service from the waiter, the lack of table coverings, and the unattractive and unprofessional winelist, making the Long Table feel amateurish in almost all respects, other than in the high quality of Chef Corli’s food.

Long Table Restaurant and Cafe, Haskell Vineyards, Annandale Road, Stellenbosch. Tel (021) 881-3746. www.longtable.co.za. (The website is a model website for a restaurant – lots of beautiful photographs create appetite appeal and demonstrate Chef Corli’s food presentation skills, winelist and menu available, and I even saw some recipes on the Haskell website. Beautiful presentation of information – a pity this appetite appeal is not reflected in the actual menu and winelist). Tuesday – Sunday 8h00 – 17h00. Breakfast and Lunch. On the Stellenbosch Restaurant Route.

POSTSCRIPT 8/8: I returned to the Long Table for lunch today. Disappointingly, the winelist still has handwritten changes, and the Avocado & Papaya Salad did not have the salad dressing, which made the salad so tasty on my last visit. I had a taste of the Mushroom Ravioli, which was outstanding, and I loved the presentation and taste of the Apple Tart, even though the portion was small. The winelist did have vintages for the imported wines offered today, but the copy I saw on my first visit did not.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com