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Patio Pizzas - Cooked on the Braai, of Course...

29/1/2016

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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.
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Then, when you're ready to go, pull the dough out of the freezer, baste one side with some olive oil, and then slap it on the ol' braai for about 3 minutes on med-low heat.
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​That done, you slide it off, oil the other side, flip it over to add the toppings (including any tomato sauce) and stick it back on for another 5 minutes. And voila, dinner is served!
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Fresh from the braai! Next, you flip it over and baste the other (uncooked) side
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Sprinkle some cheese (not all pizzas need a tomato base!)
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Toss on a few halved figs
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Add a few slithers of prosciutto (I actually think parma ham works a bit better...)
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Duelling pizzas!
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The final product - good enough to eat!
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Don't forget to add a few sprigs of rocket as a last step to the fig & prosciutto pizza!
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Absolutely Sensational Oysters from Oyster World!

19/1/2016

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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...
Well if you ever find yourself in this situation (I encourage it!), I can't recommend the oysters at Great Brak River's own "Oyster World" highly enough (see my post from when the first opened last season which includes some photos or check out what other people say on TripAdvisor - I'm obviously not their only fan!).  

​A call in advance call to owner Hein Eksteen (082 412 9754) ensures you'll have them open and waiting on the half shell when you get there.  They are clean - absolutely no grit or bits of shell - and they still have their slightly briney liquor which brings the flavour alive.  

​Hein knocks a bit of the price the more you order so the "per oyster price" for 12 is a bit cheaper than 6, and well, the 24 we had were a steal at just 15 rand a piece.  And they were absolutely sensational - each and every single one of them.  They had a soft but firm texture (I know that description seems incongruous, but somehow that's possible with oysters) and fantastic, fresh, mild flavour.  I think both oyster "veterans" as well as tentative "newbies" would love them (they are not "challenging" like some stronger varieties).

Before:

After:

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24 of our delicious large oysters, served on ice with a few lemon slices... Some purists have them as they come, others with a squeeze of lemon (or lemon and some freshly ground black pepper), or with a bit of tabasco. Or even with a teaspoon or two of champagne...
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Yup folks this is what 24 empty shells looks like...
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I am not sure what the carrots are doing there - I think oysters are healthy enough on their own, don't you?
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And three empty champagne bottles. Okay, so this little tradition of ours usually turns into as much a champagne fest as an oyster fest!
Of course, the champagne is optional - it does make it more fun though!  Here's this year's line-up:
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Thelema 2011 Blanc de Blancs (Chardonnay)
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Boschendal 2009 Grande Cuvee Brut (Chardonnay Pinot Noir)
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Simonsig 2014 Kaapse Vonkel Brut (53% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir & 2% Pinot Meunier)
After our oyster experience, I begged Hein if I could scan his menu to spread the word.  Hey, I admit it: I'm selfish (or is that shellfish?) - I want to make sure Oyster World are around for many more years of our little oyster fests.  And besides, I think it's great to support our local small businesses, don't you? 

Well, fortunately for you, after a bit of arm-twisting, Hein relented and handed over a couple of his menus which I brought home and scanned.

​Here's what's on offer as of 18 Jan 2016 (one caveat from me:  if you happen to have stumbled upon this blog post 20 years from now, the menu and prices may have changed slightly...):
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And here's a bonus:  if you're 65 and older (I'm assuming that's how old you have to be to be a pensioner around these parts...) and looking for a bit of mid-week romance, check out their Wednesday special for pensioners:  a glass of white wine, served with hake and chips or rice for just R49.

So, do yourself a favour, give Hein a call on 082 412 9754 and have your own oyster fest - or drop by and enjoy a meal or drink while you relax on their picturesque outdoor patio next to the river.  It's idyllic.
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This is from their opening last season - click the photo to read that post and for more photos
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!
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Bean Run to The Blue Shed Coffee Roastery and Brunch at The Merchant

11/1/2016

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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.
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Had the omelette, which was pretty good - and their shop has some pretty cool stuff, too (the missus tells me we're the proud owners of something I now have to hang on the wall.... no doubt after spending a fair quantity of time wandering around the house and holding it up in various locations before "we" agree on the perfect spot, of course!).

But not before a quick stop at Catchalot to pick up some Patagonian calamari (we had an old favourite for dinner: Jamie Oliver's Marinated Charred Squid with Cannellini Beans, Rocket and Chili).

I have to say, there's nothing like the rather unique aroma of freshly ground coffee plus seafood in a hot car for the ride back to Great Brak (the only thing missing this time was grassy golf shoes...) - you've got to really (I mean *really*) want these two things before you put them both in the car at the same time! :)


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Post-Church Christmas Brunch!

25/12/2015

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A decadent Christmas brunch!
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Panettone french toast, bacon and OJ - a bit of a Christmas tradition!
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And some Canadian maple syrup for the panettone french toast, of course!
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A decadent start to the day with some OJ & bubbly!
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Christmas on The Island!
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A Little Valentine's Romance - Thanks to Oyster World and Eskom

14/2/2015

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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!
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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
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Paper bags: check... Tea lights: check... Sand: check... Lighter: check. Looks like we're in business!
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Put a good trowel full of sand in the bag (wet or dry, it doesn't really matter), then set a tea light on top. Give it a bit of a press so it has a reasonably firm position in the sand.
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Light your tea lights, turn on some music (Gregory Porter anyone?) and you've just earned yourself the Boy Scouts "Instant Romance" badge! In the bags, these tea lights withstand a pretty good wind, too. If the wind is very strong, it may blow the paper bag over the flame - usually this puts the flame out, but you can also end up with a burned bag, so be careful. In no-wind situations, it's a piece of cake (we had 30 km/hr gusts tonight!)
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Best Burger in George?  You Be The Judge at The Bench

13/2/2015

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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.
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R55 for this delicious, cheese-stuffed, medium-rare burger which came with potato wedges
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Just R17, believe it or not.
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Blue Shed Coffee Roastery in Mossel Bay

30/1/2015

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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)
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Craft Beer Extravaganza

21/1/2015

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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...
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Road Trip to Keurboomstrand

21/1/2015

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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!
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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.
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If you squint, you just might see a school of dolphins frolicking in the background...
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These craft beers have a serious head on them - you'll have to pour slowly and carefully into your glass unless you want a lap full...
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:
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The appetizer: braised strawberries with rocket and parmesan, and sugar-cured kudu.
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The main: lamb with layered potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Also came with an indigenous spinach (marog) which was creamed - it was delicious, but I didn't take a photo...
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Dessert: Creme caramel and ice cream with meringues
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Living up to its Name - Nice Views from the Mooi Uitsig Kroeg & Kombuis

10/1/2015

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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.
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A bit of action at the kroeg
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Looking out towards Mossel Bay on a bit of a hazy (but clear) day
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