{"id":50908,"date":"2013-11-12T11:01:45","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T09:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=50908"},"modified":"2013-11-12T16:23:14","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T14:23:14","slug":"karoo-farmer-wins-2013-stellenbosch-hills-freddy-hirsch-droewors-maker-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/cape-town\/karoo-farmer-wins-2013-stellenbosch-hills-freddy-hirsch-droewors-maker-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Karoo farmer wins 2013 Stellenbosch Hills Freddy Hirsch Dro\u00ebwors Maker of the Year!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Stellenbosch<\/a>A few months ago we were invited to the offices of Freddy Hirsch in Maitland, where its vast array of spices are packaged for use in large scale food preparation, including making boerewors, biltong, and dro\u00ebwors. \u00a0 The visit was to teach us how to make Dro\u00ebwors<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, in preparation of the annual Stellenbosch Hills Freddy Hirsch competition, this year dedicated to finding the best Dro\u00ebwors Maker of the Year, the competition alternating between the dry sausage and biltong \u00a0annually.<\/p>\n

More than 30 entries were received for the competition, in its second year, and the judges had a tough time to select the top three winners. \u00a0 PG Slabbert, Stellenbosch Hills winemaker and manager, said that the wine estate was the first to pair dried meats and wines, which they have called ‘Biltong & Wine Adventure<\/em>‘, and which can be enjoyed at their cellar. \u00a0Its pay-off line is ‘Distinction through Diversity<\/em>‘. \u00a0He said that making biltong and dro\u00ebwors, using the right blend of spices, is as specialised an art as winemaking. \u00a0 Getaway<\/strong> magazine was the media sponsor, the competition dried meat \u00a0products being ‘quintessential padkos for South Africans’<\/em>, its editor Cameron Ewart-Smith said.<\/p>\n

In the competition, a different Stellenbosch Hills wine is chosen every year, and the competition meat product pairing with the wine is evaluated. \u00a0The 2013 competition choice was the 1707 Reserve 2010. \u00a0 The meat selection was the contestants’ choice. \u00a0The panel of judges who tried and tasted the 30 entries were PG, Stellenbosch Hills director Philip Kriel, media braai celebrity Jan Braai, MasterChef SA Season 1 Finalist Ilse Fourie, Silwood trained cordon bleu chef Sue von Hirschberg, and journalist Samarie Smith.<\/p>\n

Hugo Human from Durbanville came second and Leonard Lotter from Kraaifontein came third, each winning a cash prize and Stellenbosch\"Stellenbosch<\/a> Hills and Freddy Hirsch products. \u00a0It was Loxton garlic and sheep farmer Martin Scholtz’s unique meat mix of kudu, springbok and Afrikaner sheep, all reared on his farm, and a unique spice blend that the judges chose as the winning entry, winning him R15000 in cash and \u00a0an equivalent value in Stellenbosch Hills wines and Freddy Hirsch spices, received on his behalf by his wife Marianne and daughter Mattie Scholtz.<\/p>\n

\"Stellenbosch<\/a>The function was held at 96 Winery Road, and the starter of pan-fried prawns and apple, wood bacon, enoki mushrooms, and fennel pur\u00e9e was colourful and tasty. The highlight was the perfectly prepared brandy flamb\u00e9ed Hollandse fillet served with a black \"Stellenbosch<\/a>peppercorn sauce, soft and tender when cut with the serious steak knife, and served with crispy chips and vegetables. \u00a0Dessert was a collection\"Stellenbosch<\/a> of creme br\u00fbl\u00e9e, \u00a0peanut butter ice cream, and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate\u00a0from their menu.<\/p>\n

It was the start to a busy Friday and weekend, and the writers that attended thoroughly enjoyed themselves, catching up on the latest industry news and guessing who would make 2014 Platter’s 5 stars<\/strong><\/span><\/a> later that afternoon and Eat Out Top 10 Restaurants<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Disclosure:<\/strong> \u00a0We received a pack of Freddy Hirsch Dro\u00ebwoes spices as well as a bottle each of Stellenbosch Hills 1707 white Reserve 2012, 1707 red Reserve 2010, and Muscat de Hambourg 2012 with our media pack.<\/p>\n

Stellenbosch Hills<\/strong>: \u00a0Vlottenburg Road, Stellenbosch. \u00a0Tel (021) 881-3828 www.stellenbosch_hills.co.za <\/a>\u00a0Twitter: @STBHills<\/p>\n

Freddy Hirsch<\/strong>: \u00a0 Voortrekker Road, Maitland, Cape Town. \u00a0Tel (021) 507-4500 \u00a0www.stellenbosch_hills.co.za<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 Twitter: @FreddyHirsch<\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com <\/a>\u00a0Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few months ago we were invited to the offices of Freddy Hirsch in Maitland, where its vast array of spices are packaged for use in large scale food preparation, including making boerewors, biltong, and dro\u00ebwors. \u00a0 The visit was to teach us how to make Dro\u00ebwors, in preparation of the annual Stellenbosch Hills Freddy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t