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.