Did I mention I love a good road trip?  Our food-inspired road trips started well before our love affair with the Garden Route (or risotto, for that matter).  Back in the last 1980's when we lived on Canada's west coast, we used to drive the 510 km's to Portland, Oregon just to visit the nearest location of our favourite pizza chain, California Pizza Kitchen (aka CPK).  Six hours of salivating on the drive down, we could barely get the words out to place our order, but somehow we managed.  Then, after gobbling up our gourmet pizzas, we'd wait a few minutes for our eyeballs to roll back to the fronts of our heads, pay the bill and clamber back into the car for the return drive home - another 510 km's.

So, whether it was a flash of inspiration or nostalgia, when the missus pulled our our faded CPK cookbooks this afternoon, it was a foregone conclusion:  I'd be braaiing pizzas tonight.

We cheated a bit this time - we didn't make our own pizza dough like we have with previous patio pizzas.  Instead, we bought a bag of bread dough (which does tend to rise a bit more, BTW).  But all the slicing and dicing of various toppings is time-consuming, so this was a handy shortcut.

Tonight we had two different types:  prosciutto with figs and rocket; and buffalo wings chicken (using chicken breast, not wings, of course) with blue cheese.  Both delectable!

So, how do you do it?  Well, first you roll out your dough - thin is good (though rather wobbly when using bread dough...).  It helps if you stick it in the freezer for a few minutes to help firm it up while you're working on organizing your toppings.

Each year we have a bit of a holiday tradition with a couple of other fun-loving Islanders:  a bottle (or 2 or 3 or ...) of champagne and a raw oyster fest!  It's a shame to have to wait a year between these events (okay, I admit it, sometimes I resort to some secret shucking in the intervening months...) - we always have a lot of laughs, and well, yes, a lot of oysters (and champagne - did I mention the champagne?).

My usual mission is to secure the oysters.  David's is to pop the champagne corks into the garden (he can hit a yucca at 15 meters even on a windy day).  And the e-mails start to fly back and forth a month or two in advance.  "We'll be there on such and such date - you're getting the oysters ready, right?  Don't forget the champagne!"  The anticipation builds...

They are located near the Bolton Shoe Factory and the Great Brak Hardware Store, just before the Amy Searle bridge in the village.  Make your way through the parking lot and you'll find them situated on the river bank on your right.

​Enjoy!

I didn't have time to post this earlier, but we were running low on coffee grounds, so it was time to head out to Mossel Bay's, Blue Shed Coffee Roastery and then try out a new place for brunch: The Merchant.  A kilo sack of coffee in hand, it was back to 78C Bland Street to "The Merchant" (it's immediately adjacent to the old sandstone Searle Building).  It's set well back from the street, so it's easy to miss (I did) - watch for it.

A decadent Christmas brunch!

Had 6 large and 6 jumbo (wild) oysters from Oyster World, served with a fresh mango-cilantro-chile salsa and a drop of tabasco - yum!

With load shedding scheduled to hit at 8:00 p.m., I hardly needed an excuse to get creative on the lighting front.  Here's my old standby, it's simple, cheap, fun and it's guaranteed to wins points with the missus!  

Here's what you'll need:

• Some small paper bags (I got a pack of 100 for next to nothing a few years ago at Vredebest Packaging in Mossel Bay - I am still working my way through them...)
  
• Some tea lights
  
• Some sand (hey, that's free!), a bucket and a trowel - or your kid's pale & spade beach set
  
• A lighter
  

In George and looking for some excellent food?  Then head over to The Bench at Shop 5, 107 York Street (see the reviews on tripadvisor and their Facebook page).  Had their fantastic burger (one of the best I've had in a long while), while the missus had their "pizza pastry" - also delicious.  And easy on the wallet, too.

We dropped by The Blue Shed Coffee Roastery on Bland Street in Mossey Bay earlier in the month, but I didn't get a chance to load the pics.  The coffee is pretty darn good - they have about half a dozen varieties - and price-wise, they are on par with what you'd pay at the Spar if you buy the beans or have them ground.  You can also grab a small bite to eat (quiches, pastries) if you're feeling peckish.

Not a bad thing to do after you've picked up your fresh fish at Viking Fisheries (one block further as you head towards The Point)

If you feel like a great craft beer experience, then head on over to Zucchini's at Timber Lake Farm Village. With 42 different craft beers from around the Cape - and a tasting menu - it's the best selection I know of in the region (dine-in only).   The little wine shop opposite also carries some local beer as well as locally-made Inverroche gin and a pot stilled brandy - well worth a trip to the distillery in Still Bay behind Olyven Houdt  Farm Restaurant/Cafe which is also great for lunch out that way...

We decided to take a trip up the coast to Keurboomstrand on the other side of Plettenberg Bay, dropping by a few of our favourite places along the way.

First stop was Timber Lake Farm Village (where we discovered the large craft beer menu at Zucchini's), then on to Tottie's Farm Kitchen in Rheenendal for a delicious lunch in their wonderful garden (definitely worth a  visit) as a bit of a side-trip on the way to Knysna.

First stop in Knysna was to see Cheryl who has her refinished furniture at Frame by Frame on Gordon Street now (she moved from her original location next to Firefly Eating House last year) and then a quick pop into the Knysna Art Gallery which is housed in the old Knysna gaol.  We picked up a couple of ceramic birds (2 for R100) and stuck them in an old bird cage we brought back from Jakarta a couple of few years ago.  Works pretty well, I think!

From there it was onward to the Leisure Isle Art Gallery (which is co-housed with Leisure Isle Antiques) there before carrying on our way.

On the N2 about 7-8 km's before Plett, there's a fantastic little place called, "The Heath", where you'll find a cozy cafe, and a really great bespoke wood furniture & design shop called ilovani (together with Amoeba Concepts), where you'll find all sorts of cool and original items.  Definitely worth a stop if you're into original, natural design.

Then it was past Plett to the Old Nick Village where we ordered a couple of good coffees from the friendly (American) barrista.  Had a bit of a wander around there looking in the shops before moving down the road to our destination:  Keurboomstrand.

We were last there several years ago, but after hearing good things about Ristorante Enrico (check out the reviews on TripAdvisor), we decided it was worth a visit - besides, we're always up for a road trip.

We had an antipasto platter and a couple of craft beers (can you sense a theme?), as we were saving ourselves for the big event later in the evening (the antipasto was good and the service very friendly, but I have to admit my bias: La Locanda in George is still my favourite!).  Meanwhile, there were a few dozen dolphins swimming by, putting on a real show - the viewing was great right from our table (sorry, no pics - not really worth the attempt with a mobile phone).  It's definitely worth a trip to Enrico's if you're into a bit of a drive.

The big event?  Dinner at Kilzer's Kitchen back in Knysna for their weekly "Cook & Look" which are held Wednesday evenings (see reviews on TripAdvisor).  It was fun and something a bit different.  They aren't licenced, so if you go, bring your own bottle - or bottles.  Here are a few photos:

Left the women to continue their browsing & buying at the Bliki Tin Shak and walked down the R102 to the Mooi Uitsig Kroeg & Kombuis for a beer (I figure it's about time after passing it on the bike numerous times).

The draft Carling Black Label brought back memories - it's an old school beer whose origins date back to the founding of Carling Breweries in Canada by London,Ontario farmer Thomas Carling in 1840, having since been bottled under license in the UK, the USA and of course, South Africa, where it's one of the country's best-selling beers.

The Mooi Uitsig serves food during the week and offers a popular Sunday lunch from 12:30 p.m.