By Popular Demand - HUMMUS!

That good food and wine time of year has just come and gone, and this year I was lucky enough to introduce, promote and demonstrate a brand I really love!

BELLA.

For those of you who have not yet met Bella, it is a North American brand of kitchen appliances that has just been launched in SA by House IT Africa.

Amoung others, some of the really cool products I have been working with and demonstrating include a hot air popcorn maker, an ice cream machine, a cold press juicer and rocket blenders.

However there is one machine that stands out for me. It's just such a clever little thing...  The sports blender.

Anyone who knows me will know that I am somewhat obsessed with smoothies, which is why I absolutely had to have one. It's a single serve rocket blender that comes with a very cool to-go lid. Perfect for all of us morning haters, who can't pull ourselves out of bed early to make and eat breakfast.

Demonstrating sports blenders with future life

During one of my demonstration slots at the 'Well I Am' theatre I decided to make hummus in the SB to show how versatile this little machine is. Which by the way couldn't have been easier.

Hummus with Pita's

To say it was a hit is an understatement! Everyone at the show absolutely loved it. Some asked where they can buy it, and I even had an Israeli gentleman tell me it's the first good hummus he's had SA and that it's yummy enough to serve at a hummus bar. Yes hummus bar, did I'm mention I'm moving to Israel?

I'm thinking next year I'll be back with a hummus stand, but for now, as promised- here is the recipe!

Hummus!

Demming at the Well I am Theatre

I bought super garlic(like normal garlic on steroids), which is why I only use 1 clove. Feel free to add more or less as you like.

I love eating hummus for lunch with crudités, but it's also really yummy with pita bread and as a spread!

Happy Thursday all. Have a fantastic weekend.

Poitjie Night

Last weekend I made and ate my very first Poitjie... I've only been living in Cape Town my whole life, I thought it was about time.

Poitjiekos (POY-KEY-KAWS)- Literally translated to 'Little Pot Food', is a South African stew prepared in a three legged cast iron pot over coals.

After doing a little research I came to a conclusion... There is no right or wrong way to make poitjie. Everyone has a different opinion on how it should be done, and the only thing they all seem to be able to agree upon is that you ARE NOT ALLOWED TO STIR IT!

With this in mind I set out to create what I thought would be the best poitjie! Lamb and veggies with potatoes and red wine... There is no going wrong with a combination like that. 

Then came the tricky part- Controlling the fire. It took a lot longer than I thought to get the coals just right,but finally we got it there(with a secondary fire going for extra coals). However, I can't take credit for controlling the flaming beast, that goes to the boys! Thanks guys.

3 hours later than anticipated, 100% on time if you're running on South African Time or Braai Time, I got the poitjie going!

Girls on Braai Duty

At which point there were only 4 things left to do... Pop on the lid, grab a glass of wine, put the boys on fire control, and wait it out!

Lids on, Drinks out!

We cooked ours for about 3.5 hours(the time varies depending on which kind and cut of meat you use), and by about 21.30 we were finally ready to tuck in... Mind you, I have been informed that this is early in poitjie terms!

Holy crap!!! It was so worth the wait. The meat was so tender and the sauce was so tasty. Paired with some smokey braai rolls, we had the perfect combination!

3.5 Hours Later...

The only downside? There were NO left overs...

Have a look at this delicious recipe here: 

LAMB POITJIEKOS!

Happy Poitjieing!

Cheers!!!

Yes, I like ice in my wine... Get over it :P

Winter Warming Butternut Soup

Most people think this is weird, but I LOVE WINTER!

I love wearing boots, hoodies and scarves, I love sleeping in, running through the rain and cuddling on the couch, but most of all... I LOVE WINTER FOOD!!

Curries, stews and casseroles, roasts and potatoes with gravy, pastas, bakes and of course- SOUPS!

Sometimes the simplest things bring the most pleasure, and for me one of those things is soup. Especially simple soups, the kind of soups that take one or two ingredients and showcase them as they are... Unpretentious soup.

Spicy Roasted Butternut Soup

Yesterday I took a trip to Rodgers Fruiters on Kommetjie Road, where I found some beautiful(massive) butternuts that were still covered in soil, and immediately changed the dinner menu...

If there is one thing I miss all summer long, it's butternut soup. It's a winter staple in my house and couldn't be easier to make!

 

Try my recipe here:

SPICY ROASTED BUTTERNUT SOUP

The end result is a thick hearty soup, with a velvety texture and delicious spicy after taste.

Try it the next time the sky is grey, you won't regret it.