MID WINTER UPDATE - SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
July 2011

Along with the recipes, dishes, courses and classes from African Relish and the Karoo to warm and nourish this winter we have good news to share. For all of you who have shared a meal, stayed in our cottages, or attended a cooking course or demo at African Relish here is something to chew on.

Toffie Food Festival. The first Toffie Food Festival and Conference takes place in the Cape Town City Hall on Sept 3 + 4. African Relish is offering a discount price of R1200.00 per person (usual price R1500) to attend this sensational foodie weekend in Cape Town. A Ticket includes: 2 breakfasts, lunches and secret Home Dinner as well as access to the Spice Room, an exhibition dedicated to spices from around the world, conference, a cookbook and food shop, food stalls, and artistic food installations. The festival is for all food lovers, and buys an entire weekend’s immersion into many different food experiences, with meals, talks, workshops and food tastings, as well as the opportunity to mingle with interesting food personalities.

To qualify for the special discounted price, send e-mail to toffie@thepresident.co.za with African Relish in your e-mail's  Subject line.

African Relish will be hosting one of the home dinners at the residence of Lisa & Philip Key in Cape Town for delegates on the Saturday using Karoo ingredients and local Prince Albert fare such as figs, olives, olive oil, kudu salam, succulent lamb, pork, heirloom vegetables, and cheeses, Soet Karoo & Bergwater wines. African Relish will have a stall at the Festival selling these delicious products.

South African foodies are in for a weekend packed with surprises at the first Toffie Food Festival and Conference, which takes place at the Cape Town City Hall from Saturday 3 until Sunday 4 September. Speaking at the event along with other international and local food experts will be Julie Powell, the world’s most famous food blogger on whose life the movie ‘Julie and Julia ’ was based. Julie Powell, who documented her attempt to recreate an entire Julia Child repertoire of French dishes in her now legendary blog, will talk about her experiences as an intern with a Buenos Aries butcher while writing her second book: 'Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession'. She kicks off a line-up of speakers that reads like a Who’s Who of food insiders and trendsetters:

From Buenos Aires, Eloise Alemany is the former Managing Editor of London-based I-D Magazine now working as a food stylist, cookbook author and publisher in Argentina.

South African food critic and writer Anna Trapido who won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for her book "Hunger for Freedom - The Story of Food in the Life of Nelson Mandela" will preside over a tasting of the foods that matter most to Madiba, Chef Kobus van der Merwe of Paternoster restaurant jewel Oep ve Koep and food blog Sardines on Toast will share his love of local West Coast ingredients. Gastronomic traditions specialist and author of the award-winning cookbook, "Koekemakranka", Renata Coetzee, will speak about the culinary customs of the Khoi-Khoin people accompanied by a tasting from her "veldkostuin". Other speakers will be announced shortly.

Mornings begin with coffee and medialunas, the sweet glazed Argentine version of croissants. Crowning two full days of talks are two unforgettable dining experiences.
Day 1 (Sat 3 Sept.), attendees will receive an invitation to a randomly chosen Secret Home Dinner. That evening, they will attend one of 50 dinners held in private homes across Cape Town, hosted by stylish local personalities. Day 2 (Sun 4 Sept.), Argentinean meat expertise comes to Cape Town with a sizzling asado lunch, an authentic Argentine braai bound to show South Africans a thing or two about grilling meats.

“The Toffie Food festival is all about eating amazing food, but also talking about things like food memory and indigenous South African food culture. It’s as much about learning and forging food-based friendships and relationships, as it is about eating, ” Peet Pienaar, festival organizer and award-winning Creative Director of The President design agency.

For more details see the programme or follow the festival on Twitter @ToffieFood. Hannerie Visser at: hannerie@thepresident.co.za or 021 4626092 or 0827826707

Upcoming culinary weekend courses at African Relish. See below

UPCOMING CULINARY WEEKEND COURSES AT AFRICAN RELISH

1-3 July MEAT

15 - 17 + 22 - 24 July REZA MAHAMMAD IS BACK

29 - 31 July VEGETARIAN

5 - 7 August WINE BLENDING WITH BERGWATER VINEYARDS

12 - 14 Aug MASTERING PASTRY WITH JACQUES ERASMUS

19 - 21 Aug LOAFING AROUND WITH NIEL JONKER

26 - 28 Aug BISTRO COOKING KAROO STYLE WITH SOCIETI BISTRO’S STEFAN MARAIS

9 - 11 Sept REUBEN RIFFEL RELISHES THE KAROO

14 - 18 + 21 - 25 Sept GOURMET CYCLE TOUR IN THE KAROO

30 Sept - 2 Oct SPRING TO LIFE

7 - 9 + 14 - 14 October SPICE GIRL + INDIAN FUSION

Do not forget our Anytime courses and winter accommodation special: book a cooking course for two people mid week and receive a 50% discount on your accommodation.

For Details: Virna Gouws : virna@africanrelish.com +27 23 541 1381

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