Pegasus | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Despite having been filmed in 2009 already, the 13-part reality TV series ‘Exploring the Vine‘ had not been aired on local South African TV until it premiered on SABC3 three weeks ago. Not only will the series stimulate interest in wine-drinking amongst local South Africans, but it has also received international exposure on the National Geographic Asia channel.

The series, produced by ‘Cooked in Africa’ Films, the company that made Charlie’s Bakery famous through their recent ‘Charly’s Cake Angels’ reality TV series, filmed three young winemakers for a year, living their passion for wine making. Howard Booysen, James Corder, and Stuart Botha met at Elsenburg Agricultural College, and each of the winemakers are featured at the wine estates at which they worked at the time. Filming was done on weekends over the period of a year, and covered all aspects of winemaking, including nurturing the vines, trellising, harvesting, making the wine, and winetasting. The three friends also share stories of the South African wine industry, and its history. The TV series was sold to National Geographic, and was flighted in 2010, achieving international coverage.

Executive Producer Justin Bonnello said about the series: Filmed in and around Stellenbosch, Constantia and Elgin, the Series provides a unique and entertaining showcase of what makes South African wines among some of the best in the world. Stuart, Howard and James represent a new generation of local winemakers who have each proven that the opposite is true when it comes to wine production: youth is not a handicap when it comes to making an excellent wine.”

Howard Booysen was one of the first to participate in the Protégé programme of the Cape Winemakers’ Guild after his Elsenburg studies. This led him to meet and work with a number of top winemakers. He has since started making his own wine, under the Howard Booysen Wine as well as Pegasus labels. He is the sommelier at Aubergine.

Stuart Botha started his winemaking career at Constantia Glen, and then went to St Emillion in France before joining Eagle’s Nest. His winemaking skills have already been recognised, having been named the Best Red Winemaker of the Year in 2010 for his 2008 Eagle’s Nest Shiraz. His 2009 Shiraz was named the Best Shiraz in the 5 Nations Wine Awards.

James Corder comes from a winemaking family in Elgin, and worked at Villiera as well as Domaine Grier before returning to the family farm. His Elgin Vintners Viognier 2009 won Best South African White Wine at the Nova Scotia wine show in 2010. He will launch a sparkling wine next year.

Wine drinking is receiving a welcome boost from the film industry, in the airing of ‘Exploring the Vine’ reality TV series, and the romantic comedy ‘Semi-Soet’, which is currently on the movie circuit.

‘Exploring the Vine’, SABC3, Saturdays, 16h00.

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

On a previous visit to Paternoster in January, we discovered Oep ve Eet, an informal lunch eatery as you come into the fishing village, inside the farm stall Oep ve Koep. Returning to Paternoster for a winter holiday, it was a pleasure to be spoilt at the eatery again, with interesting home-made lunches prepared with West Coast passion at the most surprisingly low prices.

Kobus van der Merwe is the owner of Oep ve Eet, and until about six months ago he was the webmaster for the Eat Out website in Cape Town. He loves his new lifestyle, being his own boss. More importantly, he is the West Coast restaurant reviewer for Eat Out, excluding Paternoster, so he is knowledgeable about food. Kobus tells me that in their household in Paternoster, his dad did a lot of the cooking, as his mom was a music teacher, and spent a lot of time away from home. Kobus is following in his dad’s footsteps, and loves baking the bread for Oep ve Koep, and making his specialities, mixed with some of the preserves and jams sold in the shop. His mom Sanita is the owner of Oep ve Koep, making this a family business.

The eatery is in an outside courtyard, surrounded by blooming bougainvilleas, and with traditional garden tables and chairs, covered with tablecloths. There are only five tables. Old ads for Pegasus and Bokomo adorn the doors one steps through into the courtyard A resident tortoise comes to greet guests on occasion. Old fishing boats make useful containers in which Kobus grows herbs for the restaurant. On rainy days, one sits upstairs, in an antique shop section of the shop.

The menu is written up on a blackboard every day, and only contains a handful of items. The menu items differ almost daily, some added, some retained. Some dishes have a strong West Coast feel to them. In the four days of lunching there, the following items were offered: Chicken pie served with a sprig of rosemary and the ‘soet’ quince jelly with Madagascar green peppercorns, and the ‘suur’ pickled cucumber, both of which are sold in the shop and adding the most wonderful contrast to the pie (R25), Cape Malay chicken curry (R 60), Vegetable lasagne (R 36), a tomato salad made especially for me, with the tomatoes marinaded in a delicious home-made dressing (R 18), Butterbean and rosemary soup (R 25), Lentil bobotie (R48), Tagliatelle with bokkoms (R30 ), Beetroot soup a la Luluraai (R25), Springbok ravioli with pan-fried quince (what a wonderful taste) and rocket pesto (R54), and Pasta-fresca with ‘duine-spinasie’ and beurre noisette (R45). It is simple uncomplicated food, yet with a ‘twist’, and one can taste Kobus’ passion for and creativity in cooking.

There is no winelist, and the eatery does not have a licence. However, Oep ve Koep has a grocer’s licence, and it sells wine.

Oep ve Eet, inside Oep ve Koep, Corner Vredenburg Road (R45) and St Augustine Roads, at entrance to Paternoster, Tel (022) 572-2105. http://blogs.food24.com/sardinesontoast Twitter @SardineToast. Open Mondays – Sundays for lunch.

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