Eau de garlic

Having been in a recent pickle myself, I went on a mission to find the cure to garlic breath.

Garlic is an amazing food used to enhance the flavour and aroma of many dishes. Oven roasted vegetables with garlic wedges, sea salt and rosemary isn't the same without the hint of garlic. Italians love using garlic in their food, so it makes it hard to avoid garlic and that hint of garlic breath.

Garlic's properties range from healing colds and flu's, managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels to being seen as a natural antibiotic. So by no way should you be avoiding garlic, but here are a few remedies to hinder garlic breath:

• Lemon. Nibbling on a slice of lemon or drinking fresh lemonade can help to get rid of the odor.

• Parsley or mint. Chewing on a stick of parsley or mint works well as a breath freshener. 

• Green/ mint tea. Drinking a cup of hot tea after your meal will help wash away the odor.

• A good brushing of the teeth. This is the best and most obvious way of getting rid of garlic breath. Just make sure to brush thoroughly, with focus on brushing your tongue as well. 

So now you can put your lover out of his/her discomfort, or simply both embrace in a garlic eating binge so neither of you will ever know :) 

Happy Food. Happy Photo's. Happy Life. 

Tis the season of asparagus!

I have vowed to myself that whatever fruit or vegetable is in season, I must make an effort to include it in as many meals as possible. So with the arrival of abundant asparagus in markets and stores, here is a lovely way of eating it:

Lay your fresh asparagus on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and authentic parmesan cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

Another great idea is to wrap your asparagus in sheets of parma ham and a drizzle of a balsamic glaze. Delicious!

Go on and embrace whats in season :)


Happy Food. Happy Photos. Happy life.

Cute packaging ideas

I found these gorgeous packaging ideas whilst browsing on Pinterest and thought that I'd share them with you. Packaging is a huge interest of mine as it is the most powerful point of contact a brand has with a consumer. Its what drives the purchase so that is why packaging is a major leverage point.

Here are some lovely ideas to keep you inspired! Why don't you make something of your own like lemonade or macaroons as christmas gifts for family and friends? Even better would be to use recyclable products such as jars for home-made marmalade. The choice is yours, but remember it doesn't take a lot to make something look impressive.

Happy Food. Happy Photo's. Happy Life.


p.s. Experimenting is good for the soul and keeps you young at heart, so delve into make things of your own and don't be afraid to try something new.

The best breakfast in Durban

Mange Tout in the Dunkirk estate in Salt Rock, KZN, offers the most scrumptious and beautifully presented morning breakfasts you'll come across on the North Coast - in fact, in my opinion, the best in Durban.

The scrambled eggs are the creamiest and fluffiest I've ever tasted. It can only be achieved through that extra dollop of cream that is so worth the morning indulgence. The poached eggs are poached to perfection that you feel guilty breaking the skin to see the perfect ooze of the centre pour out.

The bread is freshly baked, the freshly squeezed juices are renowned for and the cappuccino's are ever so delicious.

Jacqui Rey is the head chef and is one of Durban's most loved and prestigious chefs. All her food is of such a high standard that it is hard to beat.

Mange Tout is nestled in the Dunkirk estate on the North Coast. The estate is a small, indigenous and eco living estate that gives Mange Tout a unique setting of tranquility and relaxation. Its a wonderful place to gather friends and family for a sunday morning breakfast where you can choose to sit outside under the fig trees or on the verandah over looking the beautiful view of the estate.

Mange Tout is open Wednesdays - Sundays 8am - 4pm, and Thursdays - Saturdays from 6.30 till 8.30pm.

To make a booking visit their website or email:  dine@mangetout.co.za 

You wont be disappointed :)


Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

My Portfolio Collective

Heres something a little different from food and photography however a huge apart of me ... 


I have recently just finished completing my Vega 3rd year portfolio. It includes all my work from the past 3 years I have spent at Vega that has been reworked for our showcase coming up in November in Cape Town. 


I am excited to say that in a matter of a few days I will be a graduate with a BA in Brand Building and Management. This course has none others like it and will hopefully hold me in a stable position in my future endeavors.


Vega has proven my ambition in life far beyond the rest. I have seen myself grow enormously over these 3 years to a determined and independent woman. I know what I want out of life and I know the kind of person I want to become. Thank you Vega for helping me realise this through the many hours of frustration, team work and challenges.


If you would like to read some of my portfolio pieces, I have included links. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. 


To see my portfolio work, click on the following links:

• Blog report:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/blog%20report%20copy.pdf

• Business plan:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/BUSINESS%20PLAN%20copy.pdf

• Green home:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/final%20Green%20home%20ash%20britt%20copy.pdf

• Complete business strategy review for Reach to Recovery:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/Final%20R2R%20Document.pdf

• Systemic thinking:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/IBM%20insperience%20copy.pdf

• Logistics of Island Tribe:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/LOGISTICS%20copy.pdf

• New age prostitution:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/New%20Age%20Prostitution%20copy.pdf

• NoMu vs. Ina Paarman healthy brand analysis:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46885477/PRINT%20NOMU%20DOC%20copy.pdf



Enjoy!

The Test Kitchen

I dare say that this is undeniably the BEST restaurant in Cape Town.

What more can one expect from none other than Luke Dale Roberts? Situated in Woodstock, where the trendy biscuit mill market comes alive on a saturday, there lies a small restaurant that seats no more than 30 fortunate guests. The first thing you see as you walk in is the open kitchen where chefs graciously move about creating works of art. I was amazed at how quiet they were.

The restaurant boasts a very elegant and professional atmosphere, with exceptionally well trained waiters and waitresses. The decor is also modern with an earthy flair. On seeing Luke Dale Roberts for the first time, I was itching to go up and shake his hand. You can see his passion for food as he swiftly moves around the kitchen.

The menu is so over whelming. Everything sounds amazing that I found it so hard to choose! Its gourmet and fine dining to the extreme. Thank goodenss I was out with my parents :) I have never tasted flavours like I tasted at the Test Kitchen in my life. They were so new to my taste buds that I was puzzled as to what was inside the food! The menu has a 3 course (R345) or 5 course (440) option to choose between. This also includes the many appetizers and palate cleansers.

The bread they give you is a kind of ciabatta that tastes like buttermilk its so delicious. We then got given a complimentary mushroom broth that blew my mind! For starters I had the trout tartare, green apple, lime, creme fraiche, caramelized cured aubergine, flat parsley and creamy miso dressing. It was incredible. Unfortunately I was so consumed with what I was tasting that I forgot to take a picture.

As an appetizer between our starters and main course we were given a lemon sorbet with crushed apple, gin jelly and mint.

My main was the line fish with marjoram, calamari, tomato fondu, chick peas, zucchini and pastis hollandaise. I've been craving it since!

Then to finish off, I had the frozen pine nut parfait, chestnut crumble, roast persimmon with tonka and yoghurt foam!!! I was blown away by the whole experience and felt so inspired. I truly felt as if I was on the set of Masterchef tasting what the contestants had cooked.

I truly recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting an out of the ordinary experience of fine dinning. What a night!

Until then...

Happy food. Happy photo's. Happy life.

Ragu alla bolognese

This morning in Cape Town was rather chilly, with my car thermometer reading 10.5 degrees! With winter fully in season, no more salad lunches but more heartier and warm meals.

I cooked a lasagna, yes again, for my digs mate and I last night. This time round it was creamier, stood up straight on the plate and tasted like a real Italian home cooked 'Ragu alla bolognese'.

But I couldn't help thinking how I could make it taste even better? How does top chef like Giorgio Locatelli make his traditional Italian lasagne? So here's what the food God says...

• It is a dish thats much misunderstood. The classic lasagne alla bolognese is meant to be a sturdy, quite dry pasta dish, with a little bit of meat sauce and bechamel sauce (cheese sauce).
• In a true lasagne all the elements come together as one.
• Commercial lasagne's bought in the supermarkets is not proper lasagne, but more like a version of shepherd's pie. This is because consumers expect to get good value for money.
• Its better to cook your lasagne the day before then put in the oven for a second serving. This will help to enhance the flavour. 
• Its one of the easiest dishes to make to feed many mouths and you can do all the work in advance!
• Pasta is blanched before so as to not soak up too much moisture. 
• If you want to make the dish more luxurious you can sprinkle some grated Parmesan over each layer of bechamel sauce, together with a few pieces of mozzarella and a couple of knobs of butter (maybe after a gym workout!)

Giorgio's ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) ... some ideas

• Add to the meat sauce: some finely chopped carrot, finely chopped celery, a clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary and sage tied together. 
• Before cooking allow the meat to come to room temperature so that it will sear rather than boil when it goes to the pan.
• Once the meat is cooked, add a glug of good red wine and let it reduce right down to virtually nothing.

P.S. Thanks to the Watkins family for Giorgio Locatelli's beautiful cookbook!

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.  

Butternut fritters

I couldn't believe how easy it was to make these! These delightful fritters are eaten with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar that give it a whole new dimension.

They great with a bowl of soup, a light salad or with a hearty roast.

I took this recipe from this months TASTE magazine, and it originates as the speciality of a little restaurant in Cape Town called The Alma Road Cafe. 

Recipe:

1 medium butternut

pinch of salt

60g self-raising flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

30g caster sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

canola oil for frying

Method:

1. Slice butternut in half lengthways and scoop out pips. Place skin side down in a saucepan and add a little water. Steam until the butternut is soft.
2. Place butternut halves in a colander (skin side up) and leave to cool.
3. Scoop out the flesh and mash using a fork. Measure 2 cups of butternut and add to mixing bowl with salt, self-raising flour and stir in lightly beaten egg. Mixture should drop easily off a spoon.
4. Combine the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl or sugar shaker.
5. In a frying pan, lightly fry tablespoons of the batter in a little oil. Fry on both sides till golden brown.
6. Shake cinnamon sugar on top and eat! 

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

A snippet of my 21st

So I had my 21st last month, and wanted to share with you some of my pictures. It was a day of indulging into italian foods, drinking loads of champagne and wine, catching up with friends you haven't seen in a  while and throwing our arms around each other as we sing and dance into the night...

I was nervous about the idea of throwing such a big party and having all the attention on me, but  looking back I wouldn't change it for the world. I was so grateful to have that time in my life when all the people that matter to me, join me in a celebration of life. Thank you parents for making it happen!



Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

NoMu sugar-free hot chocolate

I could't resist the elegant, slender silver-tin packaging of NoMu's new sugar-free hot chocolate. It just stands out on the shelf and catch's your eye.

Their packaging is always finely polished, sophisticated and chic. Its simple yet effective!

So with Cape Town's first winter spell, I decided to indulge in some hot chocolate... but the great thing is that its not that indulgent!

It's sugar free, low in calories and uses the finest imported cocoa powder.

Add one heaped teaspoon to 2 tbsp of water and add 250 ml of hot milk. The aroma and taste takes me back to being on the slopes in Austria!

Less calories, less guilt! So lets indulge :)

Happy food. Happy photo's. Happy life.

Ravishing Reuben's Restaurant

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to score a dinner at the well-known restaurant, Reuben's in Franschhoek. All thanks to my parents who were paying...

Having heard of Reuben's many a time, I was so excited to be finally eating there. For those of you who don't know, In 2004, Reuben won 'Chef of the year' and 'Restaurant of the year' in the Eat Out magazine's Johnnie Walker Awards, and is considered one of the most prestigious restaurants in South Africa.

I was completely blown away by the professionalism and attention to detail. Portions were perfectly satisfying and not too big. I cant stand feeling too full when leaving the table, and it also gives your taste buds a chance to try some dessert afterwards!

The setting is of a contemporary look with amazing art works on the wall and very high ceilings. The bar counter is made from the wing of an old DC10 airplane which makes a great feature.

The varied menu consists of dishes such as:

- Prawn and asparagus tempura, yuzu-shallot and sour cream dressing, dill and sweet wasabe

- Pork belly, potato, leek crème, spicy cucumber-lemongrass salad, chilli and ginger caramel

- French style onion soup with melting Epoisse on brioche toast

- Blue cheese, mascarpone, onion tart, rocket- salad, tomato jam

Enough to make your mouth water, right? I ended up choosing the ostrich steak that came with a butternut puree, creamy spinach, parmesan polenta drizzled with this amazing sauce that I have no idea what went into it! We all ended up passing around spoonfuls of our little treasures and I came to the conclusion that this has to be the best restaurant I've been to yet.

Its well worth the drive to Franschhoek to dine in utter luxury at Reuben's. Why not stay the night out there and make an evening out of it?

I would recommend going in the evening with a good groups of friends and enjoy lots of wine and laughter.

Happy Food. Happy photo's. Happy life.

My first attempt at lasagna

Last night I tempted in making my first lasagna for my digs. After seeing my mum and maid make them since I can remember, I thought it was about time I made one. I thought I would be a master.. how hard can it be? However, an hour and 40 minutes later we only ate!

To warn those of you who haven't yet made a lasagna, these are the silly mistakes to avoid:

1. Read the label of the lasagna sheets box to check if the pasta needs pre-cooking or not. After getting my digs mates to help take the cooked pasta apart and pick at the semi-edible ones, I realized something terrible has gone wrong!

2. Know how to boil spinach properly. I embarrassingly had to phone my mum to double check. Also, don't forget to cut the middle stems.

3. Make sure you make enough cheese sauce so that the lasagna is creamy. The sauce mustn't be too thick.

Otherwise it was delicious and a real home-made meal. I got raving reviews from my personal audience, besides my silly mistakes. Next time, I'll cut my preparation time in half!

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

My 21st birthday lunch

So my 21st birthday lunch is coming up this weekend and I'm having an Italian lunch at a family friends wine farm in Franschhoek. The theme is Under the Tuscan Sun and its going to be a small gathering of close family and friends. I've got a jazz band playing and the most incredible lunch menu that I thought I'd share with you from the well-know chef Duncan Doherty of Rust en Vrede restaurant.

The excitement is building up this week with friends and family arriving from Durban. I will share with you all my photos of my lunch on the weekend. But for now have a look at this Italian lunch menu and let me know what you think..

(Manor house venue)

Under the Tuscan Sun Lunch Menu

Mezze platters

Parma ham

Coppa ham

Salami

Olives

Sundried tomatoes

Aubergine dip

Red and yellow compote

Tuscan salametti

Bread sticks

Olive ciabatta

Mains

Chicken cacciatore

Veal stuffed with olives

Orzo salad

Tuscan panzanella salad

Caprese salad

Baby wild mushroom and mozzarella pizzas

Dessert

Morag's white chocolate cake

Little bowls of tiramisu

Mmmm... now my mouth is watering.

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

Crush online magazine

Michael Oliver, one of South Africa's most respected food and wine experts, has launched an online food magazine called CRUSH. I only discovered it a few months ago, but have been loyal in reading his every issue.

It brings a new dimension to reading a magazine, with interactive features and icons. It makes reading a magazine fun and exciting. I love the layout and photography. There are some great recipes and foodie tips.

And have I mentioned it's for free?

If you're not already a subscriber... then visit www.crushmagonline.co.za to sign up.

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

Chicken pot pie

I found this useful recipe to make a delicious home-made chicken pie. It's a great way to show-off to your guests by presenting it in little Le Creuset pots.

Looks amazing and tastes amazing! A cozy and tummy-filling winter meal.

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

The kitchen in Woodstock

For those of you who haven't yet ventured into the Woodstock side of life, you're missing out!

Yesterday I grabbed the most delicious "love sandwich" from The Kitchen restaurant in Sir Lowry Road, opposite the Michael Stevenson gallery, Woodstock. It started out at the Biscuit mill on weekends making their famous all-in-one delicious sandwiches and due to its success, it is now a quirky, quaint little food haven.

You feel as if you've entered your grandmothers pantry, with vintage art pieces and quirky cutlery adorning the walls. A whole wall is filled with collectable old tea cups and saucers. Each cappuccino comes in a different cup and each plate of food is served on a different plate. The whole experience is delightful.

You can choose from a salad bar with an array of couscous dishes, salads and meats for R45 and up. You can also choose a sandwich prepared to your liking for R45. I battle choosing what to fill my roll with as everything just looks so delicious! Their chicken is free range and oh! so tender.

I suggest you pop into this trendy little food gem for lunch or meeting up with friends for a cup of coffee. You can't help but feeling inspired when you leave!

Tel: 021 462 2201

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

Thai watermelon and prawn starter

Being back at home in Durban is great. The weather is warm, family is close and the fridge is full!

For lunch yesterday, we made a delicious light summer salad that everyone raved about. We first tasted it at a restaurant called Umami at the Dunkirk Estate about 2 years ago before it closed down. We fell in love with this salad and decided to make our own version.

Ingredients:

3 big prawns per serving

1 watermelon

1 cucumber

1 medium red onion

4 cloves garlic

2 red chilli, de-seed and chopped

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

Coriander root, washed

2 stalks lemongrass, grate the white part only

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

Method:

1. Cook the prawns in a frying pan with a little oil, with the shell still on. Allow to cool, then peel off the shell.

2. Slice the watermelon into medium-sized squares per serving.

3. Grate the cucumber using a zester into fine long threads.

4. In a blender mix red onion, garlic, chilli, green pepper, red pepper, coriander root, lemongrass, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. If necessary add a little water.

5. Stack the prawns on top of the watermelon pieces. Top with cucumber threads and drizzle the sauce generously.

Enjoy as a tasty starter salad to get the taste buds rolling!

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

A tasty tuna snack

For those of you that aren't that mad about eating tinned tuna or who are looking for ways to incorporate natural Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, a friend recommended to me an easy and delicious recipe for tuna!

With the curry powder in it, you aren't over powered by the taste of tuna, instead you get left with a refreshing curried taste on your palate.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

1 tin of tuna, drained

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp crushed chilli powder ( whole dried chilli's chopped )

1/2 tsp mix dhania and jeera powder

1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced

Method:

1. Lightly brown onion in a pan with a little oil.

2. Add tuna, chilli powder, crushed chilli powder, dhania and jeera powder.

3. Let the flavour fuse till you start to smell the beautiful aroma. If it starts to burn, add a little water.

4. Then add your tomato and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Serve on crusty french loaf slices, or a healthier option is on whole wheat Pro-vitas. And I like to add finely sliced red onion on top.

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

And the day finally came...

Yesterday was my 21^st birthday. It was by far the best birthday, despite having no family around. My friends and digs mates became my family, and boy did they make my day an unforgettable one!

I was woken up to an incredible breakfast upstairs in my digs. Before I even got upstairs I could smell the croissants warming up in the oven and the sweet smell of fresh fruit being chopped. Then came the smell of earl grey tea being poured into teacups… my senses were awake and I was no longer sleepy.

From my dearest friend, Britt, I received an amazing Le Creuset dish to cook casseroles, lasagne, melazane, malva pudding etc. It’s my first Le Creuset item and the start of my collection. The heaviness and supreme quality of it assures me of its lifetime guarantee! How exciting?

And a subscription to TASTE magazine… pretty sweet.

There were hot savoury croissants with Gouda cheese and ham (simply delicious) and for the sweet tooth there were plain croissants with a homemade butter and honey spread (simply by mixing butter and honey together).

And there was a summer fruit salad with blueberries, raspberries and pawpaw…

… Champagne and orange juice…

… Hot cross buns with melted butter…

… The best homemade carrot cake from Britt…

What a truly great day it was. I ate like a queen for all three meals of my day! I could of died of happiness. Thank you everyone for making it so special.

Here’s us at Hudsons Burger joint last night – on the corner of Somerset and Portswood road, Greenpoint, Cape Town. I love their slider burgers, which are 3 mini burgers of different ingredients. Its reasonable and a very vibey spot to celebrate one’s birthday.

Cheers to being 21!

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.

The root of it all

I believe inspiration keeps a person living, breathing and excited about what they're doing.

With the many foodies around the world - from chefs to restaurateurs to food critics and bloggers, it's impossible not to find your source of inspiration and creativeness from around you.

I feed my hunger for the world of food by reading magazines such as Woolworth's TASTE magazine, which inspires me beyond words. As I page through in awe of the food styling, design layout and photography, I hear a voice screaming in my head... THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO ONE DAY!

I also find my inspiration by going to farmers markets, food-related events, looking at food brands in shops, the food channel and of course going out to restaurants (one of my favourite things to do).

And so I thought I'd share with you another source of inspiration I discovered. It's a food blog written by a women called Molly Wizenberg, and its called Orangette. How beautiful?

Have a look:

http://www.orangette.blogspot.com/

Happy food. Happy photos. Happy life.