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Transcript of Cheers - Sept/Oct 2014 (Vol. 14)
complimentary
Rum tasting | Low
-alcohol wines | W
ood & whisky | W
eissbier | w
ww.topsatspar.co.za
Sep|Oct 2014|14
brought to you by T t www.topsatspar.co.za
Sep|Oct 2014|14
complimentarySep|Oct 2014|14
brought to you by T t www.topsatspar.co.za
weiss
Wood & whiskySherry, Port or Bourbon casks
Low-alcohol wine – calori� c & terri� c?
Ginger, more than just a sushi partner
WHITE OR WHEAT – the case for weissbier
TASTING PANEL:A rum review
Day by day, one woman’s braai quest
win!• Copies of Emma Dean’s
A Homegrown Table• A Vrou Soek
Boer DVD or The Fault In Our Stars CD
• A Highland Park whisky gift pack
Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.
Who says a beer can’t be flavoured?
New fl avoured beer.
OG
ILVY
CA
PE T
OW
N 6
2895
/E
62895-Flying Fish 275x210.indd 1 2013/10/29 9:40 AM
Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.
Who says a beer can’t be flavoured?
New fl avoured beer.
OG
ILVY
CA
PE T
OW
N 6
2895
/E
62895-Flying Fish 275x210.indd 1 2013/10/29 9:40 AM
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 1Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 1
contents
4 EDITOR’S LETTERWords & meanings
6 NEWSMagic brewing in Stellenbosch
with new Alchemy wines; Glenfi ddich release 26 year old
single malt; more whisky, wine and world news.
12 TINUS TALKSRaise your glass in a toast
15 LIGHT WINESKilojoules, calories and fl avour
20 AFTER DINNER DRINKSMedicinal aid or a sweet treat?
26 BREWING TRADITIONWhite or wheat explained
30 GINGER JOBSGetting to this root
34 WHISKY AGEINGWood’s infl uential role
39 SPICY RUM CHEERS tastes and rates a lineup
44 TOPS AT SPAR BIERFESTSneak preview of October fun
20
2639
30
34
30 GINGER JOBS GINGER JOBSGetting to this rootGetting to this root
34 WHISKY AGEING WHISKY AGEINGWood’s infl uential roleWood’s infl uential role
39 39 SPICY RUMCHEERS tastes and rates a lineupCHEERS tastes and rates a lineup
44 TOPS AT SPAR BIERFESTTOPS AT SPAR BIERFESTSneak preview of October funSneak preview of October fun
303026
20
12
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 142
win 50 Stand a chance to win
a copy of the A Vrou Soek Boer DVD or The Fault In
Our Stars CD!
Publisher | Shayne [email protected]
Editor | Fiona Mc Donaldfi [email protected]
Art Director | Megan [email protected]
Advertising | Shayne [email protected]
Jess Nosworthy | [email protected]
PR & Promotions | Ashlee [email protected]
Photography | Jess Nosworthy and Thinkstock.com
Contributors | Tinus van Niekerk , Teresa UlyateEmile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Cliff ord Roberts.
Head Offi ce | Cape TownTel: 021 685 0285
Suite WB03 Tannery Park23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700
Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701
Printing | Paarl Media Cape
Published by | Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR
TOPS at SPAR | Jess Nicholson, Group Promotions & Advertising Manager - Liquor
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONSCompetition submissions should reach us no later
than 10 October 2014. The Prize/s is as indicated,
no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision
of Integrated Media will be fi nal and no
correspondence will be entered into. Under no
circumstances shall Integrated Media, TOPS at SPAR,
SPAR or its appointed representatives and the prize
donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize
Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever
arising which may be suff ered in relation to the Prize
Draws. By entering these competitions you make
yourself subject to receiving promotional information.
Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms
and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is
only open to consumers who must be over 18 years
of age and resident in South Africa. Employees of
Integrated Media and TOPS at SPAR, SPAR and their
respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well
as the family members, consultants, directors,
associates and trading partners of such organisations
and persons are ineligible for the draw.
SPAR Good Living items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets.
www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za
KIN (kinshop.co.za), L’Emile et Son (000) 000 0000, Green Elephant Collective (000) 000 0000
stockists:
68 NEXT ISSUEWhat to expect from Issue 15
68 COMPETITION WINNERS
Who won what
win a copy of A
Homegrown Table
pg52
contents cont...
48 THINGAMAJIGSWhatnots, gizmos and gadgets
52 BOOK GIVEAWAYAustralian Masterchef, Emma Dean
57 TOPS NOSHSilwood Kitchen’s take on
fresh fare
62 BLOGSPOTTeresa Ulyate’s tempting treats
64 A BRAAI A DAY...Emile Joubert meets a
BBQ fanatic
cont...
48 48 THINGAMAJIGSTHINGAMAJIGSTHINGAMAJIGS
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 142
BBQ fanatic 64
48 win 69 A Highland Park
whisky gift pack
71 GROCERY LISTStocking up made simple
72 LOOPDOP Heimwee oor inryteaters
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 142
win 50 Stand a chance to win
a copy of the A Vrou Soek Boer DVD or The Fault In
Our Stars CD!
Publisher | Shayne [email protected]
Editor | Fiona Mc Donaldfi [email protected]
Art Director | Megan [email protected]
Advertising | Shayne [email protected]
Jess Nosworthy | [email protected]
PR & Promotions | Ashlee [email protected]
Photography | Jess Nosworthy and Thinkstock.com
Contributors | Tinus van Niekerk , Teresa UlyateEmile Joubert, Gerrit Rautenbach, Cliff ord Roberts.
Head Offi ce | Cape TownTel: 021 685 0285
Suite WB03 Tannery Park23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700
Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701
Printing | Paarl Media Cape
Published by | Integrated Media for TOPS at SPAR
TOPS at SPAR | Jess Nicholson, Group Promotions & Advertising Manager - Liquor
COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONSCompetition submissions should reach us no later
than 10 October 2014. The Prize/s is as indicated,
no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision
of Integrated Media will be fi nal and no
correspondence will be entered into. Under no
circumstances shall Integrated Media, TOPS at SPAR,
SPAR or its appointed representatives and the prize
donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize
Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever
arising which may be suff ered in relation to the Prize
Draws. By entering these competitions you make
yourself subject to receiving promotional information.
Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms
and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is
only open to consumers who must be over 18 years
of age and resident in South Africa. Employees of
Integrated Media and TOPS at SPAR, SPAR and their
respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well
as the family members, consultants, directors,
associates and trading partners of such organisations
and persons are ineligible for the draw.
SPAR Good Living items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets.
www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za
KIN (kinshop.co.za), L’Emile et Son (000) 000 0000, Green Elephant Collective (000) 000 0000
stockists:
68 NEXT ISSUEWhat to expect from Issue 15
68 COMPETITION WINNERS
Who won what
win a copy of A
Homegrown Table
pg52
contents cont...
48 THINGAMAJIGSWhatnots, gizmos and gadgets
52 BOOK GIVEAWAYAustralian Masterchef, Emma Dean
57 TOPS NOSHSilwood Kitchen’s take on
fresh fare
62 BLOGSPOTTeresa Ulyate’s tempting treats
64 A BRAAI A DAY...Emile Joubert meets a
BBQ fanatic
cont...
48 48 THINGAMAJIGSTHINGAMAJIGSTHINGAMAJIGS
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 142
BBQ fanatic 64
48 win 69 A Highland Park
whisky gift pack
71 GROCERY LISTStocking up made simple
72 LOOPDOP Heimwee oor inryteaters
4
Editorial
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
� ona
ArticulationArticulation: n. 1. The action of articulating. Music – clarity in the production of successive notes. Phonetics – the formation of a speech sound by constriction of the air � ow in the vocal organs. 2. The state of being jointed.
The above description indicates
two things: � rstly, how one word
can have several quite di� erent
meanings and, secondly, how I love
words! It’s not often that I’m at a loss
for them…
In my high school yearbook, the quote
attributed to me was: “Words are, of
course, the most powerful tool known to
mankind”. And in researching this
(because the yearbook was lost in one of
my many moves…) I see either they got
the quote wrong or I su� ered a memory
lapse, substituting a crucial word! This is
one of author Rudyard Kipling’s most
famous quotations – and should have
read: “Words are, of course, the most
powerful drug known to mankind”.
Kipling was addressing the Royal
College of Surgeons in 1923 and he
was likening the e� ect that words can
have on another person to that of a
drug. He went on to say: “Not only do
words infect, egotise, narcotise and
paralyse, but they enter into and colour
the minutest cells of the brain…”.
For me words have a physical
sensation when you say them and their
meaning evokes a speci� c image. I
search out new ones and try to � nd how
they can be used in the correct context.
It’s not often one can casually toss the
word ‘crepuscular’ into a sentence – but
its de� nition is just so beautiful that it
automatically creates a picture in one’s
mind. Oxford’s Concise Dictionary states
that it’s an adjective, “of, resembling, or
relating to twilight”. (And I sidetracked
myself for a few minutes looking at the
meanings of other words around
‘crepuscular’. How about this one that
caused an involuntary spasm and shiver
to run up my spine: crepitus – ‘a grating
sound or sensation produced by friction
between bone and cartilage or the
fractured parts of a bone’. Eeuw!)
But back to my point – which is that
during Cheers magazine’s rum tasting I
was stumped to try and � nd the right
words. I do a lot of wine and whisky
tasting – and I have my lexicon (‘the
vocabulary of a person, language, or a
branch of knowledge,’ Oxford states…)
for both. Tasting is not so much about
what you are experiencing but how
you describe it – the words you use.
And your brain is the organ that’s vital
to the process: it has to provide the
words for the association you’re
making with what your nose and
tastebuds are experiencing.
I found it frustrating casting about
trying to � nd the right word to describe
my experience. There was a sense of
recognition but remembering
speci� cally what it was created a
problem initially. Banana and maple
syrup, caramel, butterscotch, spices,
Fiona McDonald is a trained journalist who has spent the last 20 years writing about wine – and more
recently, about whisky too.
oaky toast… I don’t know if those are
accepted rum tasting descriptions, but
it’s what the spirit evoked for me.
And it reminded me that so much of
what we experience when tasting – be
it beer, wine, whisky, gin, brandy or rum
– is personal. What was banana and
maple syrup to me might have been
something entirely di� erent to someone
else. But the point is that the next time I
get bananas and maple syrup, I’ll be
reminded of one particular rum…
Some new friends to add to my
pirate’s chest of words!
Cheers!
Fiona McDonald
vocabulary of a person, language, or a
branch of knowledge,’ Oxford states…)
Cheers!
Rum Tasting,see pg 39
Grant Clark, Shayne Dowling, Bernard Gutman, Craig Doré,
Dave Hughes, Fiona McDonald & Grant McDonald.
4
Editorial
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
� ona
ArticulationArticulation: n. 1. The action of articulating. Music – clarity in the production of successive notes. Phonetics – the formation of a speech sound by constriction of the air � ow in the vocal organs. 2. The state of being jointed.
The above description indicates
two things: � rstly, how one word
can have several quite di� erent
meanings and, secondly, how I love
words! It’s not often that I’m at a loss
for them…
In my high school yearbook, the quote
attributed to me was: “Words are, of
course, the most powerful tool known to
mankind”. And in researching this
(because the yearbook was lost in one of
my many moves…) I see either they got
the quote wrong or I su� ered a memory
lapse, substituting a crucial word! This is
one of author Rudyard Kipling’s most
famous quotations – and should have
read: “Words are, of course, the most
powerful drug known to mankind”.
Kipling was addressing the Royal
College of Surgeons in 1923 and he
was likening the e� ect that words can
have on another person to that of a
drug. He went on to say: “Not only do
words infect, egotise, narcotise and
paralyse, but they enter into and colour
the minutest cells of the brain…”.
For me words have a physical
sensation when you say them and their
meaning evokes a speci� c image. I
search out new ones and try to � nd how
they can be used in the correct context.
It’s not often one can casually toss the
word ‘crepuscular’ into a sentence – but
its de� nition is just so beautiful that it
automatically creates a picture in one’s
mind. Oxford’s Concise Dictionary states
that it’s an adjective, “of, resembling, or
relating to twilight”. (And I sidetracked
myself for a few minutes looking at the
meanings of other words around
‘crepuscular’. How about this one that
caused an involuntary spasm and shiver
to run up my spine: crepitus – ‘a grating
sound or sensation produced by friction
between bone and cartilage or the
fractured parts of a bone’. Eeuw!)
But back to my point – which is that
during Cheers magazine’s rum tasting I
was stumped to try and � nd the right
words. I do a lot of wine and whisky
tasting – and I have my lexicon (‘the
vocabulary of a person, language, or a
branch of knowledge,’ Oxford states…)
for both. Tasting is not so much about
what you are experiencing but how
you describe it – the words you use.
And your brain is the organ that’s vital
to the process: it has to provide the
words for the association you’re
making with what your nose and
tastebuds are experiencing.
I found it frustrating casting about
trying to � nd the right word to describe
my experience. There was a sense of
recognition but remembering
speci� cally what it was created a
problem initially. Banana and maple
syrup, caramel, butterscotch, spices,
Fiona McDonald is a trained journalist who has spent the last 20 years writing about wine – and more
recently, about whisky too.
oaky toast… I don’t know if those are
accepted rum tasting descriptions, but
it’s what the spirit evoked for me.
And it reminded me that so much of
what we experience when tasting – be
it beer, wine, whisky, gin, brandy or rum
– is personal. What was banana and
maple syrup to me might have been
something entirely di� erent to someone
else. But the point is that the next time I
get bananas and maple syrup, I’ll be
reminded of one particular rum…
Some new friends to add to my
pirate’s chest of words!
Cheers!
Fiona McDonald
vocabulary of a person, language, or a
branch of knowledge,’ Oxford states…)
Cheers!
Rum Tasting,see pg 39
Grant Clark, Shayne Dowling, Bernard Gutman, Craig Doré,
Dave Hughes, Fiona McDonald & Grant McDonald.
C
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Y
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SOCO RTD FULL PAGE ADVERT_19AUG_STP.pdf 1 2014/08/19 1:19 PM
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 146
News
news news news newsA � rst for KwaMashu The Ekaya-Multi Arts Centre was the venue for the � rst ever TOPS at SPAR KwaMashu Wine & Lifestyle festival – and eager novice wine consumers turned out in their hundreds to support the red carpet event.
“I’m proud to say that KwaZulu-Natal
has � nally experienced a TOPS at SPAR
wine festival and KwaMashu is set to be
the host for many more in the years to
come. Thank you to all whose vision
and passion made this possible,” said
Sharon Cooper, co-founder and
organiser of the event.
Some of the country’s best known
wineries attended – among them
Meerlust, Simonsig, Cederberg, De
Grendel, Ernie Els, Rupert & Rothschild,
Hartenberg, Robertson and Rietvallei.
Experts from each producer were on
hand to lead folks through the tasting
and appreciation process. All done in a
vibrant, fun – yet responsible – setting.
TOPS at SPAR Groups Liquor Manager
Mark Robinson said: “TOPS at SPAR is
also committed to local investment.
Before the festival, Ekaya-Multi Arts
Centre students received wine service
training and were employed for both
nights of the event, giving them
valuable work experience in the
hospitality sector. The festival also
employed several local service
providers, creating meaningful business
investment in the community and
surrounding areas.”
Adding lustre to the occasion was the
presence of one of the country’s most
noted house music legends, DJ
Euphonik who was behind the decks on
launch night.
hundreds to support the red carpet event.Wine & Lifestyle festival – and eager novice wine consumers turned out in their
news news
Zamandosi Cele and
Lindiwe Mbambo Jess Nicholson and
Taryn Van Rooyen
of TOPS at SPAR
Musa Mlambo, Mzokoloko,
Charles Mvemve, Bongu Musa
and Muzi MakhathiniOrganiser Viv Quann
and Robert Magwazi
Zanele Duma, Smangele Gumede, and Nonhlanhla Sithole
Nothando Nsele, Nomthi Mhlongo and Zomangvane Khanyle
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 146
News
news news news newsA � rst for KwaMashu The Ekaya-Multi Arts Centre was the venue for the � rst ever TOPS at SPAR KwaMashu Wine & Lifestyle festival – and eager novice wine consumers turned out in their hundreds to support the red carpet event.
“I’m proud to say that KwaZulu-Natal
has � nally experienced a TOPS at SPAR
wine festival and KwaMashu is set to be
the host for many more in the years to
come. Thank you to all whose vision
and passion made this possible,” said
Sharon Cooper, co-founder and
organiser of the event.
Some of the country’s best known
wineries attended – among them
Meerlust, Simonsig, Cederberg, De
Grendel, Ernie Els, Rupert & Rothschild,
Hartenberg, Robertson and Rietvallei.
Experts from each producer were on
hand to lead folks through the tasting
and appreciation process. All done in a
vibrant, fun – yet responsible – setting.
TOPS at SPAR Groups Liquor Manager
Mark Robinson said: “TOPS at SPAR is
also committed to local investment.
Before the festival, Ekaya-Multi Arts
Centre students received wine service
training and were employed for both
nights of the event, giving them
valuable work experience in the
hospitality sector. The festival also
employed several local service
providers, creating meaningful business
investment in the community and
surrounding areas.”
Adding lustre to the occasion was the
presence of one of the country’s most
noted house music legends, DJ
Euphonik who was behind the decks on
launch night.
hundreds to support the red carpet event.Wine & Lifestyle festival – and eager novice wine consumers turned out in their
news news
Zamandosi Cele and
Lindiwe Mbambo Jess Nicholson and
Taryn Van Rooyen
of TOPS at SPAR
Musa Mlambo, Mzokoloko,
Charles Mvemve, Bongu Musa
and Muzi MakhathiniOrganiser Viv Quann
and Robert Magwazi
Zanele Duma, Smangele Gumede, and Nonhlanhla Sithole
Nothando Nsele, Nomthi Mhlongo and Zomangvane Khanyle
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
what’s happening
7
news news news news
Musa Mlambo, Mzokoloko,
Charles Mvemve, Bongu Musa
and Muzi MakhathiniOnce again the event will take place
at the University of Johannesburg’s
Soweto campus and co-founder
Mnikelo Mangciphu promises the event
will top all nine that have preceded it.
“Those of you who thought 2013’s
festival couldn’t be topped should think
again. This year we are putting our
hearts and souls into creating the
biggest and best TOPS at SPAR Soweto
Wine & Lifestyle Festival yet. Watch this
space, Soweto!”
Food and wine play a big role in this
banner event which will see thousands
of locals flock to the UJ campus over
the first weekend in September to enjoy
all that’s on offer.Robertson’s Herbs &
Spices host the Tasting Theatre along with
Nederburg Wines, showing why they
have both taken ownership of this and
the Masterchef sphere. Perfect food and
wine pairings take a lot of effort to
manage – and local sommeliers and
chefs will lead their audiences through
the pitfalls to avoid as well as provide
perfect tips.
The festival now attracts more than
10 000 visitors over the course of the
three nights with more than 100 exhibitors
showcasing in excess of 900 different
wines and foods. It’s an exhilarating
experience as visitors explore their love of
wine, tasting top labels such as The
Chocolate Box, JC Le Roux bubblies,
Rupert &Rothschild, Nederburg, Meerlust,
Olive Brook and 4th Street to name a
handful of the exhibitors.
“This festival is synonymous with the
values of TOPS at SPAR and visitors can
expect to be captivated by the
experience from the minute they walk
in the venue,” said headline sponsor
and TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor
Manager Mark Robinson. “TOPS at
SPAR are heavily invested in the
education of responsible drinking and
will be promoting this at the festival as
well as showcasing our wine brands.”
“We’re immensely proud to once
again be headline sponsor.” In
celebration of 10 years of Stylin in Soweto,
this year the organisers are collaborating
with Elle and Elle Décor in an exclusive
partnership that promises glamour and
glitz for all visitors in which to luxuriate.
Publishing Director Gisèle Wertheim
Aymés, said the magazine was
“delighted to be media sponsors for the
Soweto Wine and Lifestyle Festival in
2014. Not only is Soweto the hometown to
many of our readers but, what makes this
event so special to us is that it embodies
our values of spirited women leading the
way. We look forward to sharing it with
our readers and enjoying all that our local
winemakers and food connoisseurs have
to offer in September. See you there!”
THE PERFECT 10Stylin in Soweto is the theme of the tenth TOPS at SPAR Soweto Wine & Lifestyle event, presented by Joburg Tourism.
The 10th TOPS at SPAR Soweto Wine Festival takes place from 4 to 6 September 2014. For further details or to book tickets go to www.sowetowinefestival.co.za.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 148
News
news news news newsWorld dominationAt the conclusion of the 2014 Diageo World Class Bartender of the
year competition in London it was announced that the Mother City
would be the venue for the 2015 event.
American Charles Joly of The Aviary in Chicago beat o� 47 of
the best mixologists from around the world to be crowned the
world’s best bartender. He was praised for his craftsmanship and
skill as well as unrivalled creativity and exceptional cocktails.
“This journey didn’t start today at the ceremony, the week at the
� nals, or even last year when I entered the heats,” Joly said, “it
started many years ago when I � rst started working in a local bar. The
� avours, the smells, the sounds, the techniques, the history, the
theatre – I realised I didn’t want to create just another drink. I make
drinks with my heart and it makes me happy to see customers happy.
The possibilities open to a bartender are limitless, not just in terms of
your career but your creations – the only limit is your imagination.”
Voted one of the world’s top travel destinations by the New York
Times, the city situated on the scenically magni� cent slopes of
Table Mountain will see the cream of the crop vie for top honours
to be named the best bartender next year.
Carl Schultz
Alchemy is usually associated with bearded druids and wizards in pointy hats and � owing robes – but renowned Stellenbosch producer Hartenberg has adopted this name for a brand new range of blended wines.
with � avour. The vibrant, youthful range
is instantly accessible, courtesy of a
screw cap closure – and is suited to any
and every occasion, from picnics and
braais to intimate dinners.
The three blends that currently make
up the Alchemy range are easy drinking
but maintain Hartenberg’s quality
reputation. Alchemy White 2014 is a
blend of Chenin Blanc, Semillon and
Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Bordeaux-
style blend mixes Merlot, Malbec and
Cabernet Franc while the Rhone blend
comprises Syrah, Mourvèdre and
Grenache.
The wines will be available nationwide
from September.
Alc
hem
y
Cellarmaster and Cape Winemakers
Guild member Carl Schultz and his team
have used their knowledge and skills to
create the perfect blend of art and
science in the range which is intended
to augment the critically acclaimed
classic wines, which are mainly focussed
on single varietal expressions.
Blends allow the winemaking team
greater creativity and experimentation
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 148
News
news news news newsWorld dominationAt the conclusion of the 2014 Diageo World Class Bartender of the
year competition in London it was announced that the Mother City
would be the venue for the 2015 event.
American Charles Joly of The Aviary in Chicago beat o� 47 of
the best mixologists from around the world to be crowned the
world’s best bartender. He was praised for his craftsmanship and
skill as well as unrivalled creativity and exceptional cocktails.
“This journey didn’t start today at the ceremony, the week at the
� nals, or even last year when I entered the heats,” Joly said, “it
started many years ago when I � rst started working in a local bar. The
� avours, the smells, the sounds, the techniques, the history, the
theatre – I realised I didn’t want to create just another drink. I make
drinks with my heart and it makes me happy to see customers happy.
The possibilities open to a bartender are limitless, not just in terms of
your career but your creations – the only limit is your imagination.”
Voted one of the world’s top travel destinations by the New York
Times, the city situated on the scenically magni� cent slopes of
Table Mountain will see the cream of the crop vie for top honours
to be named the best bartender next year.
Carl Schultz
Alchemy is usually associated with bearded druids and wizards in pointy hats and � owing robes – but renowned Stellenbosch producer Hartenberg has adopted this name for a brand new range of blended wines.
with � avour. The vibrant, youthful range
is instantly accessible, courtesy of a
screw cap closure – and is suited to any
and every occasion, from picnics and
braais to intimate dinners.
The three blends that currently make
up the Alchemy range are easy drinking
but maintain Hartenberg’s quality
reputation. Alchemy White 2014 is a
blend of Chenin Blanc, Semillon and
Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Bordeaux-
style blend mixes Merlot, Malbec and
Cabernet Franc while the Rhone blend
comprises Syrah, Mourvèdre and
Grenache.
The wines will be available nationwide
from September.
Alc
hem
y
Cellarmaster and Cape Winemakers
Guild member Carl Schultz and his team
have used their knowledge and skills to
create the perfect blend of art and
science in the range which is intended
to augment the critically acclaimed
classic wines, which are mainly focussed
on single varietal expressions.
Blends allow the winemaking team
greater creativity and experimentation
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
what’s happening
9
news news news newswhat’s happening
news Bascule’s Bunnahabhain boxTo inaugurate their customised display cabinet housing a showcase of the
Bunnahabhain range of premium whiskies, South Africa’s “Mr Whisky”,
Pierre Meintjes took a select group of guests through a tasting of the
un-chill ltered range that is fast building a cult following amongst
whisky a cionados.
The range of gentle, unpeated single malts is made at the Bunnahabhain
Distillery on the northern tip of the Isle of Islay, o the west coast of Scotland.
The whiskies are un-chill� ltered for the purest expression of colour, aroma
and � avour.
Taygan Govinden, the brand’s SA marketing
manager, said: “To contrast the unpeated
pro� le of the range, Meintjes gave guests the
rare opportunity of tasting a peated single malt,
made in very limited quantities at
Bunnahabhain. This rare peated Bunnahabhain,
named Toiteach, is not available in South Africa,
but provided a fascinating comparison.”
Scotch whisky ambassador, Pierre Meintjes
presenting the Bunnahabhain range of single malts
Meat is meat, and man must eat… goes the popular saying. South Africans love their meat which is why steakhouses are amongst the most popular venues in the country.The Wolftrap wine brand recently
sponsored the popular Steakhouse of the
Year competition – and attracted a
whopping 140 entries. Public votes
counted with a Top Five list then
compiled on the basis of popularity. The
judges – Pete Go e-Wood, Reuben Ri el
and Arnold Tanzer – then visited them to
critique their respective o erings.
Cape Town boasted two of the Top
Five in HQ and Theo’s of Mouille Point
while Centurion weighed in with The
Godfather and Johannesburg
contributed The Local Grill in Parktown
North and Fahrenheit in Edenvale.
Bragging rights went to The Local Grill
for the second year running. The Local
Grill’s expertise in all matters meat,
consistent service and accurate grilling
gave it the edge with The Godfather in
Centurion as the worthy runner-up.
Champion steakhouse
The Local Grill team left to right: Lance Phiri, Reason Ndlovu, Steve Maresch, Oscar Chatsika and Siphiwe Khumalo
� e Local Grill’s 90-day aged
Charolais Sirloin from Karan Beef served with � e Wolftrap wine
Guests are shown how to evaluate
the colour of a whisky
Scotch whisky ambassador, Pierre Meintjes; Bunnahabhain SA brand manager, Lizanne Mouton; and Bunnahabhain SA marketing manager, Taygan Govinden, in front of the brand’s display cabinet at the Bascule Bar
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1410
News
news news news news
BOOK NOW: 021 200 [email protected]
RESTAURANT
NIGHTCLUB
BEACH
TRADING HOURSMON - SUN: 11AM - 4AM
Old OakWith the country’s oak trees now
wearing their springtime garb of bright
green new leaves, it was appropriate
that Glen� ddich introduced a new
expression to whisky lovers in South
Africa recently: the 26 year old.
Global Brand Ambassador Ian Millar
impressed upon guests in both
Johannesburg and Cape Town that the
“new” whisky was an old one… which
had been maturing in cask for 26 years.
“What sets this single malt whisky
apart is that it has been matured
entirely in ex-Bourbon barrels,” he said.
“There is no European oak or sherry cask
which formed part of this whisky’s
maturation – which makes it quite
unique. The 18 year old, for example,
has 80% American oak and 20%
European oak.” Millar said the American
oak barrels, used just once to mature
Bourbon, imparted a lighter, sweeter
vanilla and spice character to the
Scotch spirit and also provided a
unique, more honest expression of the
individual distillery’s style.
News
news On yer bike!Günter Brözel retired years ago -but the legendary Nederburg cellarmaster’s heritage lives on in the Paarl winery’s Motorcycle Marvel, a Rhône-style blended red wine.Appropriately, it’s part of Nederburg’s
Heritage Heroes collection. The wine is a
blend of Grenache, Carignan, Shiraz,
Mourvèdre and Cinsaut and is silky-smooth in
texture but full of vibrant juicy fruit � avour.
“(Günter) is an icon in South African
winemaking,” said current cellarmaster
Razvan Macici, “and has been an inspiration
to me and our cellar team.”
Something of a maverick and free spirit,
Brözel, who led the winemaking team from
1956 until 1989, was renowned for zooming
around on his 250cc BSA motorcycle. Being
German, he was meticulous and didn’t stand
for any mediocrity – something which was
ultimately recognised with the highest honour
of any winemaker’s career: the title of
International Winemaker of the Year from
the International Wine & Spirit Competition
in 1985.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
in 1985. in 1985. in 1985.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1410
News
news news news news
BOOK NOW: 021 200 [email protected]
RESTAURANT
NIGHTCLUB
BEACH
TRADING HOURSMON - SUN: 11AM - 4AM
Old OakWith the country’s oak trees now
wearing their springtime garb of bright
green new leaves, it was appropriate
that Glen� ddich introduced a new
expression to whisky lovers in South
Africa recently: the 26 year old.
Global Brand Ambassador Ian Millar
impressed upon guests in both
Johannesburg and Cape Town that the
“new” whisky was an old one… which
had been maturing in cask for 26 years.
“What sets this single malt whisky
apart is that it has been matured
entirely in ex-Bourbon barrels,” he said.
“There is no European oak or sherry cask
which formed part of this whisky’s
maturation – which makes it quite
unique. The 18 year old, for example,
has 80% American oak and 20%
European oak.” Millar said the American
oak barrels, used just once to mature
Bourbon, imparted a lighter, sweeter
vanilla and spice character to the
Scotch spirit and also provided a
unique, more honest expression of the
individual distillery’s style.
News
news On yer bike!Günter Brözel retired years ago -but the legendary Nederburg cellarmaster’s heritage lives on in the Paarl winery’s Motorcycle Marvel, a Rhône-style blended red wine.Appropriately, it’s part of Nederburg’s
Heritage Heroes collection. The wine is a
blend of Grenache, Carignan, Shiraz,
Mourvèdre and Cinsaut and is silky-smooth in
texture but full of vibrant juicy fruit � avour.
“(Günter) is an icon in South African
winemaking,” said current cellarmaster
Razvan Macici, “and has been an inspiration
to me and our cellar team.”
Something of a maverick and free spirit,
Brözel, who led the winemaking team from
1956 until 1989, was renowned for zooming
around on his 250cc BSA motorcycle. Being
German, he was meticulous and didn’t stand
for any mediocrity – something which was
ultimately recognised with the highest honour
of any winemaker’s career: the title of
International Winemaker of the Year from
the International Wine & Spirit Competition
in 1985.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
in 1985. in 1985. in 1985.
what’s happening
news news news news
BOOK NOW: 021 200 [email protected]
RESTAURANT
NIGHTCLUB
BEACH
TRADING HOURSMON - SUN: 11AM - 4AM
news news
The Hills in summerDurbanville Wine Valley is once again hosting its Season of Sauvignon on the weekend of 25 and 26 October.
Wineries in the Durbanville area pull out all the stops to celebrate the zingy
fresh � avours of the new vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa’s favourite
white wine grape.
Durbanville Hills Winery has something
for everyone – fun for the kids and food
and tastings for parents. They have
even ensured that there will be a big
screen for the die-hard rugby fans to
watch the Currie Cup rugby nal live!
The restaurant is open from breakfast
and picnic baskets can be pre-booked,
meaning that all you have to do is arrive
and sprawl out on the lawns of the olive
grove and listen to the live music.
Bookings are essential for picnics, the
sensory wine tasting and are
recommended for breakfast and lunch
in the restaurant. For more information or
to book contact Simone Brown on 021
558 1300 or [email protected]
12
Tinus talks
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
tinus
a toast!It’s an ostensibly simple thing – to raise one’s glass and propose a toast, be it to absent friends, King and country or the bride and groom. But do you know where it all started?
It is springtime again with all kinds of
festivities on the go. In the South
African world of wine it means
having our eyes focussed on the
vineyards to observe how the vines
have shaken o� their winter sleep and
what promise they hold for the 2015
vintage. Quite the opposite in Europe,
where the vineyard programme is
gearing up for its zenith – the highpoint
of harvest in September, with
everybody hoping that the 2014
vintage will bring new hope after the
disappointments of 2013.
Celebrating wine and its enjoyment is
almost a national pastime to the
French and they do so with great
fanfare, festivity and merriment. Two
particular annual highlights are the
� owering of the vines – Fête de la Fleur
– and the arrival of the harvest. These
activities are all initiated by a number
of wine fraternities of which the
Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc
et des Graves, de Sauternes et Barsac,
one of France’s oldest and largest wine
associations, is internationally
renowned and acclaimed.
Throughout the year, this
Commanderie organises numerous
meetings, receptions and investiture
ceremonies in the various winegrowing
areas and even far beyond the borders
of Bordeaux. These prestigious events
such as the Fête de la Fleur, Ban du
Millésime and Fête des Vendanges are
attended by guests from all over the
world, special wines are served,
accompanied by the best cuisine that
top chefs can dish up. Phenomenal
wines, sometimes from forgotten
vintages, appear on the tables from
where passionate wine lovers will � nd
any possible reason to drink to each
other’s health and to carry on imbibing
until the early hours of the morning.
True to the words of the investiture
ceremony, the Commanderie and
other similar brotherhoods represent,
celebrate and preserve not only wine
but also the cultural values with which it
is closely associated: friendship,
cheerfulness and loyalty to the land.
One of the most civilised social
customs that we have is to drink a toast
to the well-being of someone, whether
this is a family member, a friend, or an
institution. Why the word “toast”? Taken
at face value, that’s a roasted slice of
bread most commonly found on the
breakfast table…
It is known that the Greeks, as early
as 6 BC, were “toasting” the health of
their friends for none other than a
reason of consideration, speci� cally to
assure them that the wine they were
about to drink was not poisoned. Let’s
face it, it was quite common to spike
wine with poison as a means of dealing
with social problems, eliminating an
enemy, silencing the competition,
preventing a relationship from
becoming nasty, and so forth. It thus
became a symbol of friendship for the
host to pour wine from a common
beaker, savour it in front of his guests,
and – satis� ed that it was good – to
raise his glass to his friends and invite
them to do likewise.
In old Italy, things were initially not so
good when wine socialising took place.
One of the most notorious games
allowed participants to drink as much
wine as possible, stopping at intervals
to insult each other. To keep things
joyful, each player was allowed to
carry a knife, and so a good time was
probably had by all those who survived
a drinking match.
The word “toast” originates from the
Roman practice of dropping a piece of
burnt bread into the wine cup. This was
done to somewhat soften the rough
nature of the bad wines the Romans
sometimes had to drink. The charcoal
of the toasted bread apparently
reduced the acidity of wine slightly,
making it marginally more palatable.
Over time, the Latin “tostus” meaning
roasted or parched, came to refer to
the drink itself. Much later, during the
1700’s, party-goers started toasting the
health of people not present, usually
focusing on celebrities and especially
12
Tinus talks
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
tinus
a toast!It’s an ostensibly simple thing – to raise one’s glass and propose a toast, be it to absent friends, King and country or the bride and groom. But do you know where it all started?
It is springtime again with all kinds of
festivities on the go. In the South
African world of wine it means
having our eyes focussed on the
vineyards to observe how the vines
have shaken o� their winter sleep and
what promise they hold for the 2015
vintage. Quite the opposite in Europe,
where the vineyard programme is
gearing up for its zenith – the highpoint
of harvest in September, with
everybody hoping that the 2014
vintage will bring new hope after the
disappointments of 2013.
Celebrating wine and its enjoyment is
almost a national pastime to the
French and they do so with great
fanfare, festivity and merriment. Two
particular annual highlights are the
� owering of the vines – Fête de la Fleur
– and the arrival of the harvest. These
activities are all initiated by a number
of wine fraternities of which the
Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc
et des Graves, de Sauternes et Barsac,
one of France’s oldest and largest wine
associations, is internationally
renowned and acclaimed.
Throughout the year, this
Commanderie organises numerous
meetings, receptions and investiture
ceremonies in the various winegrowing
areas and even far beyond the borders
of Bordeaux. These prestigious events
such as the Fête de la Fleur, Ban du
Millésime and Fête des Vendanges are
attended by guests from all over the
world, special wines are served,
accompanied by the best cuisine that
top chefs can dish up. Phenomenal
wines, sometimes from forgotten
vintages, appear on the tables from
where passionate wine lovers will � nd
any possible reason to drink to each
other’s health and to carry on imbibing
until the early hours of the morning.
True to the words of the investiture
ceremony, the Commanderie and
other similar brotherhoods represent,
celebrate and preserve not only wine
but also the cultural values with which it
is closely associated: friendship,
cheerfulness and loyalty to the land.
One of the most civilised social
customs that we have is to drink a toast
to the well-being of someone, whether
this is a family member, a friend, or an
institution. Why the word “toast”? Taken
at face value, that’s a roasted slice of
bread most commonly found on the
breakfast table…
It is known that the Greeks, as early
as 6 BC, were “toasting” the health of
their friends for none other than a
reason of consideration, speci� cally to
assure them that the wine they were
about to drink was not poisoned. Let’s
face it, it was quite common to spike
wine with poison as a means of dealing
with social problems, eliminating an
enemy, silencing the competition,
preventing a relationship from
becoming nasty, and so forth. It thus
became a symbol of friendship for the
host to pour wine from a common
beaker, savour it in front of his guests,
and – satis� ed that it was good – to
raise his glass to his friends and invite
them to do likewise.
In old Italy, things were initially not so
good when wine socialising took place.
One of the most notorious games
allowed participants to drink as much
wine as possible, stopping at intervals
to insult each other. To keep things
joyful, each player was allowed to
carry a knife, and so a good time was
probably had by all those who survived
a drinking match.
The word “toast” originates from the
Roman practice of dropping a piece of
burnt bread into the wine cup. This was
done to somewhat soften the rough
nature of the bad wines the Romans
sometimes had to drink. The charcoal
of the toasted bread apparently
reduced the acidity of wine slightly,
making it marginally more palatable.
Over time, the Latin “tostus” meaning
roasted or parched, came to refer to
the drink itself. Much later, during the
1700’s, party-goers started toasting the
health of people not present, usually
focusing on celebrities and especially
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 13
Tinus van Niekerk
beautiful women. Incidentally, this also
gave rise to the expression of being
“The toast of the town” as the special,
absent person (usually female…) who
was the object of such toasts.
By the 1800’s, the custom of toasting
was the proper thing to do. To such an
extent that in 1803 a British duke wrote
that “every glass during dinner had to
be dedicated to someone,” and that to
refrain from toasting was considered
“sottish and rude, as if no one present
was worth drinking to”. You can imagine
the merriment that resulted if you had to
consider how many glasses of wine one
would have had to put away if there
were 10 and more guests present!
Furthermore, to effectively insult a dinner
guest was to omit toasting him or her; it
was, as the duke wrote, “a piece of
direct contempt”. Well, now we know
how to politely insult a person – just do
not toast him or her.
In South Africa we tend to salute the
health of a person by serving a glass of
sparkling wine or Champagne, the
glorious elixir of Aphrodite. During
Napoleonic times mounted cavalry
Tinus van Niekerk is TOPS at SPAR’s wine consultant and has been
instrumental in refining the grocery chain’s wine offering. But wine is not
the only thing that fascinates this Northern Cape-bred nature lover.
He’s as au fait with bush lore, animal behaviour and geology as
he is about wine.
riders used the blunt side of their sabres
to ingeniously break open the neck of
a stubborn wine bottle, a procedure
called “sabrer la bouteille”, all to
ensure that no imbibing opportunity
was missed.
Fortunately nowadays opening a
bottle of sparkles usually poses no
problem. Next time when you serve a
glass of fizz, also remember that one
750ml bottle contains around 58 million
bubbles – so enjoy the experience.
One of the most civilised social
customs that we have is to drink a toast to the well-
being of someone, whether this is a family member, a friend, or an
institution.
Low-alcohol or lite winesLow-alcohol or lite winesLow-alcohol or lite winesConsciously healthy
Like paying your TV licence, following a healthy lifestyle is the right thing to do: eating and
drinking in moderation, consuming the requisite � ve portions of fruit and vegetables a day, getting enough exercise and sleep, drinking enough water… but the truth is that we all fail miserably.
At the end of a day, many a mom opens the fridge and reaches for a glass of wine. And a glass of low-alcohol wine is healthier for you isn’t it? After all, it contains fewer kilojoules – and when you’re watching your weight, you count the calories and watch the kilojoules, right?
� ere’s no doubt that low-alcohol wines are big business and according to Wine Intelligence research conducted in 2012, in the United Kingdom, had grown by 27% and the value of the sector was £38 million – or R684 million in South African terms.
Around 30 years ago TJ Light from Twee Jongegezellen in Tulbagh was about the only light or low-alcohol wine available on the South African market. Fast forward three decades and consumers are spoiled for choice. TOPS at SPAR have two of their own wines which are low-alcohol, Van Loveren has a Weigh-Less approved product, Drostdy-Hof has Extra Light… � e 2014 edition of the Platter Wine Guide lists no fewer than 109 light or low-alcohol wines!
Less than
It’s sad but true that alcohol is packed with
calories. That dirty word – carbohydrates – is often to blame, but surely low-alcohol wines are the healthier option?
Fiona McDonald researches the issue.
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 15
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1416
Consciously healthy
WHAT IS A LOW-ALCOHOL OR LIGHT WINE? To legally comply with local regulations, a wine needs to be less than 10% alcohol by volume.
Dave Hughes is a seasoned wine taster and international wine judge who has been involved in a number of sensorial evaluations of light or low-alcohol wines versus those with levels in the more normal 13 to 14.5% range, and even beyond. � is was done at the International Wine & Spirit Competition some years ago when alcohol levels, particularly on red wines from the New World – America, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Chile – started to reach 15% and 16%!
At low concentrations it appears fairly easy to discern di� erences in alcohol, Hughes said. “When really low, like at six, seven or eight percent, you can tell
the di� erence sensorially – but at higher levels such as 14, 15 and 16% it’s far harder to taste the alcohol.”
Hughes warned that there was a perception that lower alcohol wines are automatically healthier. “Just remember, that many of the lower alcohol wines on the market are actually not dry. Many are sweet or labelled natural sweet. � ey contain a healthy dollop of residual sugar – and those higher sugars translate into kilojoules so the wines are not in fact any healthier or better for you if you’re on a diet.”
On the topic of kilojoules and calories, something new on the market and TOPS at SPAR shelves is from Adoro whose winemaker Ian Naudé said � avour and quality sets the Flirt and Slim apart – that and the eye-catching, slim-waisted bottle specially imported from China!
At low concentrations it appears fairly
also availablve
in a box
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available from SPAR and TOPS at SPAR stores
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1416
Consciously healthy
WHAT IS A LOW-ALCOHOL OR LIGHT WINE? To legally comply with local regulations, a wine needs to be less than 10% alcohol by volume.
Dave Hughes is a seasoned wine taster and international wine judge who has been involved in a number of sensorial evaluations of light or low-alcohol wines versus those with levels in the more normal 13 to 14.5% range, and even beyond. � is was done at the International Wine & Spirit Competition some years ago when alcohol levels, particularly on red wines from the New World – America, Australia, South Africa, Argentina and Chile – started to reach 15% and 16%!
At low concentrations it appears fairly easy to discern di� erences in alcohol, Hughes said. “When really low, like at six, seven or eight percent, you can tell
the di� erence sensorially – but at higher levels such as 14, 15 and 16% it’s far harder to taste the alcohol.”
Hughes warned that there was a perception that lower alcohol wines are automatically healthier. “Just remember, that many of the lower alcohol wines on the market are actually not dry. Many are sweet or labelled natural sweet. � ey contain a healthy dollop of residual sugar – and those higher sugars translate into kilojoules so the wines are not in fact any healthier or better for you if you’re on a diet.”
On the topic of kilojoules and calories, something new on the market and TOPS at SPAR shelves is from Adoro whose winemaker Ian Naudé said � avour and quality sets the Flirt and Slim apart – that and the eye-catching, slim-waisted bottle specially imported from China!
At low concentrations it appears fairly
also availablve
in a box
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available from SPAR and TOPS at SPAR stores
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 17
Low-alcohol or lite wines
“Yes it’s a gimmick but it immediately makes an impact on the shelf.”
Because it weighs in at just 8.5% alcohol, an average glass of Adoro Slim wine translates into 68.6 calories or 287 kilojoules – whereas an equivalent 120ml glass of a wine at 15% would be 126 calories or 522 kilojoules.
SO HOW DO YOU GET LOWER ALCOHOL WINES? One way is simply to pick the grapes earlier or less ripe. � e lower the sweetness or sugar level of the grape, the lower the potential alcohol in the wine. A drawback of this is that the acidity level is higher, potentially leading to a more tart, acidic and leaner wine.
� is is the philosophy followed by Distell when making Drostdy Hof Extra
Light white and Fleur du Cap Natural Light. “� e grapes come in early,” said cellar master Andrea Freeborough, “at between 17.5 and 18.5 Balling in order to have a lower potential alcohol. � e winemaking team keeps it really simple and the aim is to make a dry white wine rather than one with sweetness on it. We’ve made a conscious decision to use Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc because low alcohol or light wines can be thin and bland. Both these grapes give you some varietal character and � avour.”
Uitkyk winemaker Estelle Lourens said she makes Flatroof Manor Sauvignon Blanc Light the same way – and she chose Sauvignon Blanc because of its typically pungent green pepper and lemon vibrancy.
One winery renowned for its vast range of low alcohol wines – sweet and dry,
We’ve made a conscious decision to use Chenin Blanc
and Sauvignon Blanc because low alcohol or light wines can be thin and bland. Both these grapes give you some varietal character and � avour.”
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1418
Consciously healthy
18 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
bottle, combibloc and bag-in-box – is Robertson. “We saw a gap in the market and wanted to exploit its potential,” said winemaker Francois Weich.
Robertson researched low alcohol winemaking quite extensively, running a variety of trials and experiments, including putting wines that had been de-alcoholised by means of reverse osmosis up against wines that had simply been picked earlier and then sweetened up.
what comes out on the other side are the undesirable alcohol, water and some solids. � e alcohol, being more volatile, is distilled o� while the water is returned to the rest of the batch of wine, thus decreasing the overall alcohol level of that batch or tank.
But the use of this technology is controversial and expensive and while it’s useful to take a top end wine from 16% or 15% to a more acceptable 13.5% or 14.5% it’s not really an option for a wine of around 9%.
� e � nal word goes to Dave Hughes: “In a ‘normal’ glass of wine at 14 or 15% alcohol, there will actually be about one teaspoon of alcohol so you can basically lower its percentage and make it low-alcohol by popping a block or two of ice in the glass!” he said. And there’s lots more � avour that way too!
“Consumers preferred the natural wine, not the wines that had been manipulated by means of reverse osmosis,” said Weich.
Every year, Robertson produces hundreds of thousands of litres of low alcohol, varietal wines. � eir method in making Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage Rosé and Merlot is also to press the grapes early – and then add some juice to the � nal wine to boost sugar levels. Doing so makes the wine more palatable, Weich said. “If you do a taste comparison between wines at 9% and 12%, the low alcohol wines lack body and can be quite thin.”
� e other way of reducing the alcohol level is to use spinning cones or reverse osmosis. It essentially de-alcoholises wines by means of � lter technology. When putting a small portion of wine through the reverse osmotic procedure,
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1418
Consciously healthy
18 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
bottle, combibloc and bag-in-box – is Robertson. “We saw a gap in the market and wanted to exploit its potential,” said winemaker Francois Weich.
Robertson researched low alcohol winemaking quite extensively, running a variety of trials and experiments, including putting wines that had been de-alcoholised by means of reverse osmosis up against wines that had simply been picked earlier and then sweetened up.
what comes out on the other side are the undesirable alcohol, water and some solids. � e alcohol, being more volatile, is distilled o� while the water is returned to the rest of the batch of wine, thus decreasing the overall alcohol level of that batch or tank.
But the use of this technology is controversial and expensive and while it’s useful to take a top end wine from 16% or 15% to a more acceptable 13.5% or 14.5% it’s not really an option for a wine of around 9%.
� e � nal word goes to Dave Hughes: “In a ‘normal’ glass of wine at 14 or 15% alcohol, there will actually be about one teaspoon of alcohol so you can basically lower its percentage and make it low-alcohol by popping a block or two of ice in the glass!” he said. And there’s lots more � avour that way too!
“Consumers preferred the natural wine, not the wines that had been manipulated by means of reverse osmosis,” said Weich.
Every year, Robertson produces hundreds of thousands of litres of low alcohol, varietal wines. � eir method in making Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage Rosé and Merlot is also to press the grapes early – and then add some juice to the � nal wine to boost sugar levels. Doing so makes the wine more palatable, Weich said. “If you do a taste comparison between wines at 9% and 12%, the low alcohol wines lack body and can be quite thin.”
� e other way of reducing the alcohol level is to use spinning cones or reverse osmosis. It essentially de-alcoholises wines by means of � lter technology. When putting a small portion of wine through the reverse osmotic procedure,
90904_DH print ad_1.indd 1 2014/08/13 8:44 AM
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1420
Liqueurs
One doesn’t often associate brown-robe clad men of God with the sinful delights of
sweet, alcoholic treats. But we should, because we have ancient monks to thank for liqueurs.
The gentle yet heady whiff of citrus which announces a small glass of Cointreau is joined by a gentle sweet, orange zest and light spirit tang when it hits your tastebuds. With Amaretto it’s a distinct aroma and flavour of almonds – and with Drambuie, whisky.
While their flavours might differ dramatically, one thing they have in common is that they are the undisputed classics when it comes to liqueurs. No self-respecting drinks trolley the world over would be without them. In fact, there would also have to be Cassis, the blackcurrant liqueur so closely associated with France’s Dijon area while Italy would be represented by the stylishly tall bottle of Galliano. The bottle shape is apparently supposed to evoke a Roman column – perhaps because it was created
as long ago as 1896 by the Italian brandy distiller, Arturo Vaccari of Tuscany. The evocatively bright yellow liquid contains star anise, vanilla, lavender, ginger, juniper and musk yarrow among its many flavourings.
One of Agatha Christie’s most famous characters, the slightly effete Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, was partial to crème de menthe - something the fictional creation had in common with famous composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff. Known for his devilishly
in vogue?
Hemlines rise and fall with the fashion of the times. So do
hairstyles – and colours. Just look
at the current trend towards bushy beards
for (hipster) men… But whatever
happened to liqueurs being trendy?
Fiona McDonald looks at the category.cin
nam
on
laven
dar
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1420
Liqueurs
One doesn’t often associate brown-robe clad men of God with the sinful delights of
sweet, alcoholic treats. But we should, because we have ancient monks to thank for liqueurs.
The gentle yet heady whiff of citrus which announces a small glass of Cointreau is joined by a gentle sweet, orange zest and light spirit tang when it hits your tastebuds. With Amaretto it’s a distinct aroma and flavour of almonds – and with Drambuie, whisky.
While their flavours might differ dramatically, one thing they have in common is that they are the undisputed classics when it comes to liqueurs. No self-respecting drinks trolley the world over would be without them. In fact, there would also have to be Cassis, the blackcurrant liqueur so closely associated with France’s Dijon area while Italy would be represented by the stylishly tall bottle of Galliano. The bottle shape is apparently supposed to evoke a Roman column – perhaps because it was created
as long ago as 1896 by the Italian brandy distiller, Arturo Vaccari of Tuscany. The evocatively bright yellow liquid contains star anise, vanilla, lavender, ginger, juniper and musk yarrow among its many flavourings.
One of Agatha Christie’s most famous characters, the slightly effete Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, was partial to crème de menthe - something the fictional creation had in common with famous composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff. Known for his devilishly
in vogue?
Hemlines rise and fall with the fashion of the times. So do
hairstyles – and colours. Just look
at the current trend towards bushy beards
for (hipster) men… But whatever
happened to liqueurs being trendy?
Fiona McDonald looks at the category.cin
nam
on
laven
dar
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Sweet treats
21
complex “Rach 3”, the technically challenging Third Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff was a renowned teetotaller - but he was known to sip on a glass of crème de menthe to steady his nerves and fingers, particularly before playing the twenty-fourth variation of his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Wikipedia reports that he even named it “the crème de menthe variation”!
SO WHAT ARE LIQUEURS, WHAT’S THEIR HISTORY AND WHERE DO THE MONKS COME IN?The name, as with so much of modern language, is rooted in Latin, from the word liquifacere, which means “to liquefy”. The broad definition of a liqueur is that it’s an alcoholic beverage from distilled spirit which has then been seasoned or flavoured with either cream, herbs, spices, nuts, fruit or even flowers – usually with the addition of syrup or sugar or some sweetening agent.
As far as the history goes, liqueurs started off as herbal remedies or medicines – often prepared by monks. Historic records reflect that in Italy these herbal elixirs were made as far back as the 1200s. With the great explorers travelling further afield and returning with exciting new spices, herbs and flavoured products, so the ingredients made their way into the herbal infusions the monks made. Ginger was added, chocolate too. Some were renowned for their anaesthetic or pain relieving
saffr
on
ging
er
min
t
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1422
Liqueurs
properties and women used them in childbirth, for example.
The culture of liqueur drinking was apparently adopted by the French court after Henry II adopted the practice following his marriage to Catherine de Medici in the mid-1500s.
Two of the most famous examples which typify this monastic liquor tradition are Chartreuse and Benedictine, both French. Carthusian monks made the former since 1737, and it apparently contains 130 herbs, flowers
With the great explorers travelling further afield and returning with exciting
new spices, herbs and flavoured products, so the ingredients made their
way into the herbal infusions
and plants. Benedictine was - as the name suggests - made by Benedictine monks at the Fécamp Abbey in Normandy until it was razed during the French Revolution. Interestingly, every bottle of Benedictine produced to this day (now part of the Bacardi liquor empire) contains the large letters DOM prominently displayed on the label. That stands for Deo Optimo Maximo - or ‘To God, most good, most great’.
choc
olate
almon
ds
citru
s
black
curr
ants
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1422
Liqueurs
properties and women used them in childbirth, for example.
The culture of liqueur drinking was apparently adopted by the French court after Henry II adopted the practice following his marriage to Catherine de Medici in the mid-1500s.
Two of the most famous examples which typify this monastic liquor tradition are Chartreuse and Benedictine, both French. Carthusian monks made the former since 1737, and it apparently contains 130 herbs, flowers
With the great explorers travelling further afield and returning with exciting
new spices, herbs and flavoured products, so the ingredients made their
way into the herbal infusions
and plants. Benedictine was - as the name suggests - made by Benedictine monks at the Fécamp Abbey in Normandy until it was razed during the French Revolution. Interestingly, every bottle of Benedictine produced to this day (now part of the Bacardi liquor empire) contains the large letters DOM prominently displayed on the label. That stands for Deo Optimo Maximo - or ‘To God, most good, most great’.
choc
olate
almon
ds
citru
s
black
curr
ants
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Sweet treats
23
But the tradition was not purely European: Japan, for example, has Ume – a plum based liqueur which is a staple in almost every home; Voortrekkers all had a bottle of buchu brandewijn in their wagons – and in America Southern Comfort was born in the 1800s. Spirit historian Chris Morris chronicled the recipe for the taste of Mississippi as vanilla bean, lemon, cinnamon stick, cloves, cherries, oranges and Bourbon with honey as the sweetener.
The general perception is that liqueurs
belong to a bygone age – like those chronicled by Agatha Christie, the 20’s and 30’s. However, the truth is that some liqueurs have successfully made the transition into popular culture – and yet we don’t think of them as liqueurs.
Take Jägermeister, for instance. What would a skiing holiday be without at least one Jägerbomb? (Jägermeister and Red Bull) The spirit digestif, with its 35% alcohol level, is known as a sure-fire party starter when served ultra-chilled as a shooter! Yet it didn’t start out that way.
Among the 56 different herbs, roots and spices Jägermeister contains are citrus peel, juniper berries, ginger, saffron, anise and liquorice, ginseng and poppy seeds. It was originally intended as an after-dinner drink, to settle the stomach and promote digestion – hence the term ‘digestif’.
Any dinner party in the 60’s and 70’s would have ended not with an espresso or coffee, but the offer of a little liqueur, a sweet alcoholic something to send guests off home – because it was believed that these digestifs harked back to their medicinal tradition.
Somewhere along the line, liqueurs fell out of favour in that format. They’re still as popular as ever. Crème de menthe still sells - but it’s generally used to make Springboks or Peppermint Crisps, layered drinks downed as shooters, all of which are lipsmackingly delicious!
In the 90’s it was aniseed-flavoured Sambuca that was the liqueur shooter du jour, invariably set alight with a coffee bean floating in it. Many is the bar counter that had to hastily be mopped up and blue flames extinguished when they spilled! That was followed by a schnapps craze, initially peach but that rapidly migrated to grapefruit or pampelmousse schnapps.
Who doesn’t love a Frangelico in a glass with crushed ice or a little bit of chocolaty Nachtmusik over vanilla ice-cream? Or even a Kahlua Dom Pedro or coffee?
So liqueurs are still around, and going strong – just in a different form, as sweet and deliciously tasty as ever.
clove
s
vani
lla
cher
ries
popp
y see
ds
Before tea took over as the English breakfast drink of choice, it was beer that had
steadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for breakfast is not frowned upon while Bavarians in particular are partial to a little Weissbier at cock-a-doodle-doo.
In South Africa, Weissbier is something of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
A similar situation exists in the US, one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
Bsteadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for Germany the drinking of beer for breakfast is not frowned upon while Bavarians in particular are partial to a little Weissbier at cock-a-doodle-doo.
of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to
Bsteadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for
growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
growth in premium categories, but
of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
growth in premium categories, but
a hot hard day working in the � elds, a light, tart wheat beer is very refreshing. � e most popular style of wheat beer at the time was patterned after the tart Berliner Weiss beers of Germany.”
Weissbier is believed by some to be among the oldest styles of beer. � e name apparently hails from its earliest days – the � rst time it was brewed, the colour varied to such an extent from the traditional dark ales people were used to that it was referred to by its hue – white, or Weiss beer. � ese days, the terms Weizen, meaning wheat, and Weiss have become interchangeable.
At its most basic, the beer is traditionally made using at least 50% wheat with the remainder of the grain bill comprising barley. � anks to creativity of brewing, that’s just about where the similarities end. Brewers tweak their recipes, adjusting, for
Weiss squadIf you’re looking for something completely di erent, give Weiss beer a try – especially if you’re not keen on the bracing bitterness of lager, says Cli� ord Roberts.
26 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Fermenting
Before tea took over as the English breakfast drink of choice, it was beer that had
steadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for breakfast is not frowned upon while Bavarians in particular are partial to a little Weissbier at cock-a-doodle-doo.
In South Africa, Weissbier is something of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
A similar situation exists in the US, one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
Bsteadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for Germany the drinking of beer for breakfast is not frowned upon while Bavarians in particular are partial to a little Weissbier at cock-a-doodle-doo.
of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to
Bsteadied nerves for the day ahead. But across the pond, so to speak, it was a di� erent story. � e habit has persisted to this day and overcome any attempts at temperance. Unsurprisingly perhaps, in Germany the drinking of beer for
growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
growth in premium categories, but
of a niche category. � e style is most prevalent on the craft brew scene and big prevalent on the craft brew scene and big in liquor stores where expatriates shop. At around double the price of run-of-the-mill lager, it’s undoubtedly pro� table thanks to growth in premium categories, but certainly won’t become everyone’s favourite thirst quencher in a hurry.
one of the biggest beer markets, where a century ago Weiss was one of the most popular styles thanks to the abundance of wheat and the in� uence of new, brew-loving immigrants. John Palmer writes in his book, How To Brew: “After writes in his book, How To Brew: “After
growth in premium categories, but
a hot hard day working in the � elds, a light, tart wheat beer is very refreshing. � e most popular style of wheat beer at the time was patterned after the tart Berliner Weiss beers of Germany.”
Weissbier is believed by some to be among the oldest styles of beer. � e name apparently hails from its earliest days – the � rst time it was brewed, the colour varied to such an extent from the traditional dark ales people were used to that it was referred to by its hue – white, or Weiss beer. � ese days, the terms Weizen, meaning wheat, and Weiss have become interchangeable.
At its most basic, the beer is traditionally made using at least 50% wheat with the remainder of the grain bill comprising barley. � anks to creativity of brewing, that’s just about where the similarities end. Brewers tweak their recipes, adjusting, for
Weiss squadIf you’re looking for something completely di erent, give Weiss beer a try – especially if you’re not keen on the bracing bitterness of lager, says Cli� ord Roberts.
26 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Fermenting
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 27
Bavarians in particular are
partial to a little Weissbier at
cock-a-oodle-doo.
Beer
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1428
Fermenting
example, the levels of hops, to suit their own particular tastes although Weiss beers are often slightly fruitier and less bitter than their cousins.
Hefeweizen or hefe-weissbier is traditionally an un� ltered wheat beer that is cloudy with yeast, or “hefe” in German, and wheat proteins.
BeerAdvocate, the US-based website and magazine, points out how German Hefeweizens “are barely touched with hops, so as to not bring harshness to the
delicate balance of esters, phenols (fruity fusel alcohol and a medicinal by product) and the fermented wheat � avour”.
It also makes an important di� erentiation. “Belgian Witbier or White Ale is similar in many ways to un� ltered wheat beers but the addition of unmalted grains like wheat, barley and oats as well as a variety of spices, sets them apart from the rest.”
Fortunately for South Africans, the interest in micro-brewing and craft beer
has brought vast diversity to the availability of Weissbier. In addition to imported varieties, many local brewers are now tinkering with their own recipes with some of the brews enjoying a cult following.
Boston Breweries produces Johnny Gold Weiss, a full-bodied, lightly hopped beer with a touch of sweet fruitiness. Turbid in the glass, the beer’s name was apparently inspired by the 1930s actor who played Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.
� en there’s Steph Weiss, one of the early arrivals in South Africa’s craft beer revolution. � e un� ltered Bavarian wheat beer is more on the amber side of the traditional Weiss colour scale with its own full � avour.
“After a hot hard day working in the elds, a light, tart wheat beer
is very refreshing.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1428
Fermenting
example, the levels of hops, to suit their own particular tastes although Weiss beers are often slightly fruitier and less bitter than their cousins.
Hefeweizen or hefe-weissbier is traditionally an un� ltered wheat beer that is cloudy with yeast, or “hefe” in German, and wheat proteins.
BeerAdvocate, the US-based website and magazine, points out how German Hefeweizens “are barely touched with hops, so as to not bring harshness to the
delicate balance of esters, phenols (fruity fusel alcohol and a medicinal by product) and the fermented wheat � avour”.
It also makes an important di� erentiation. “Belgian Witbier or White Ale is similar in many ways to un� ltered wheat beers but the addition of unmalted grains like wheat, barley and oats as well as a variety of spices, sets them apart from the rest.”
Fortunately for South Africans, the interest in micro-brewing and craft beer
has brought vast diversity to the availability of Weissbier. In addition to imported varieties, many local brewers are now tinkering with their own recipes with some of the brews enjoying a cult following.
Boston Breweries produces Johnny Gold Weiss, a full-bodied, lightly hopped beer with a touch of sweet fruitiness. Turbid in the glass, the beer’s name was apparently inspired by the 1930s actor who played Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.
� en there’s Steph Weiss, one of the early arrivals in South Africa’s craft beer revolution. � e un� ltered Bavarian wheat beer is more on the amber side of the traditional Weiss colour scale with its own full � avour.
“After a hot hard day working in the elds, a light, tart wheat beer
is very refreshing.
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Beer
29
Some of the diversity of the Weiss beer style is displayed by two beers in the portfolio of CBC (Cape Brewing Company), the brewery near Paarl formed through a joint venture between Charles Back and a Swedish brewer. CBC’s Krystal and Amber Weiss beers are distinctly di� erent although both have the same grain composition – 50/50 barley and wheat malt – and use the company’s own top fermenting yeast cultures.
Krystal Weiss is typical of beer that is � ltered to bring clarity to the liquid, and displays a hoppy aroma with some citrus. In contrast, its twin is distinctly fruity, aromatic and cloudy when poured. As the name suggests, Amber Weiss has a red-brown colour.
A short scout around South African craft beer will o� er rich reward to the Weiss enthusiast.
Copper Lake Breweries in Gauteng makes a traditional Weiss, with prominent � avours of banana and spicy fruit. Bananas and cloves are also prominent in the Brauhaus Am Damm Weizen, produced near Rustenburg. Moritz Kallmeyer of Drayman’s Brewery and Distillery in Silverton, Pretoria, is known as a pioneer. � is producer of a Highveld single malt whisky also makes the Alstadt Weiss using the original Bavarian wheat beer yeast strain.
Specimens from Durban include Robson’s Weiss and another from Standeaven Brewery while down South, near Kommetjie in Cape Town, Lakeside Brewery makes a hefeweizen whose aroma shows notes of bubblegum along with the typical banana and spice. � ere’s even Weiss in Cullinan – at the Cockpit Brewhouse, which produces the Cockpit Fokker Weiss.
Beer
Weiss beer style is displayed by two beers in the portfolio of CBC (Cape Brewing Company), the brewery near Paarl formed through a joint venture between Charles Back and a Swedish brewer. CBC’s Krystal and Amber Weiss beers are distinctly di� erent although both have the same grain composition – 50/50 barley and wheat malt – and use the company’s own top fermenting yeast cultures.
Krystal Weiss is typical of beer that is
Now, drink up!
Of course, any bartender will tell you that going to the trouble of acquiring a special Weiss, or any beer for that matter, wouldn’t be worth it if you failed to bother with the proper decant. So, here’s some advice:
Keep it in the fridge, stored vertical rather than laid down - if the bottle is horizontal, the yeast is likely to shift when the bottle is opened, causing a sudden release of carbon dioxide and too much froth. Before pouring, rst rinse your glass well in cold water to get rid of any detergent that may collapse the head. Hold the glass at a slight angle and pour slowly along the side. Do not completely empty the bottle; leave a little at the bottom. Then, swirl the bottle gently to agitate the yeast and pour the remaining beer into the glass. This ensures that the optimum carbonation is retained along with its � avour. If you’re partial to add a slice of lemon – go ahead, but do so at the risk of killing the head of the beer. It’s up to you.
the name suggests, Amber Weiss has a red-brown colour.
craft beer will o� er rich reward to the Weiss enthusiast.
makes a traditional Weiss, with prominent � avours of banana and spicy fruit. Bananas and cloves are also prominent in the Brauhaus Am Damm Weizen, produced near Rustenburg. Moritz Kallmeyer of Drayman’s Brewery
aromatic and cloudy when poured. As the name suggests, Amber Weiss has a the name suggests, Amber Weiss has a red-brown colour.
craft beer will o� er rich reward to the Weiss enthusiast.
makes a traditional Weiss, with prominent � avours of banana and spicy fruit. Bananas and cloves are also prominent in the Brauhaus Am Damm
and Distillery in Silverton, Pretoria, is known as a pioneer. � is producer of a Highveld single malt whisky also makes the Alstadt Weiss using the original Bavarian wheat beer yeast strain.
Specimens from Durban include Robson’s Weiss and another from Standeaven Brewery while down South, near Kommetjie in Cape Town, Lakeside Brewery makes a hefeweizen whose aroma shows notes of bubblegum along with the typical banana and spice. � ere’s even Weiss in Cullinan – at the Cockpit Brewhouse, which produces the Cockpit Fokker Weiss.
and Distillery in Silverton, Pretoria, is known as a pioneer. � is producer of a Highveld single malt whisky also makes the Alstadt Weiss using the original Bavarian wheat beer yeast strain.
Robson’s Weiss and another from Standeaven Brewery while down South, near Kommetjie in Cape Town,
Some of the diversity of the Weiss beer style is displayed by two beers in the portfolio of CBC (Cape Brewing Company), the brewery near Paarl formed through a joint venture between Charles Back and a Swedish brewer. CBC’s Krystal and Amber Weiss beers are distinctly di� erent although both have the same grain composition – 50/50 barley and wheat malt – and use the company’s own top fermenting yeast cultures.
Krystal Weiss is typical of beer that is � ltered to bring clarity to the liquid, and displays a hoppy aroma with some citrus. In contrast, its twin is distinctly fruity,
and wheat malt – and use the company’s own top fermenting yeast cultures.
� ltered to bring clarity to the liquid, and displays a hoppy aroma with some citrus. In contrast, its twin is distinctly fruity,
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1430
Taste and � avour
root pickledroot pickledroot liqueur pickled liqueur pickledsyrup liqueursyrup liqueur cocktailssyrup cocktailssyruppowder cocktailspowder cocktailsgroundpowdergroundpowder spiceground spiceground
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1430
Taste and � avour
root pickledroot pickledroot liqueur pickled liqueur pickledsyrup liqueursyrup liqueur cocktailssyrup cocktailssyruppowder cocktailspowder cocktailsgroundpowdergroundpowder spiceground spiceground
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Spice it up
31
We all take ginger for granted. It’s time to sit up and pay attention to this Thor of the spice world,
reckons Clifford Roberts.
ginger
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1432
Taste and � avour
There are some things in this world that make one wonder about their � rst moment of
discovery. Take ginger – the subject for this feature, and why not? We’ve got time. Like all the things that we can enjoy and which haven’t killed us, that � rst revelation had to be an interesting chance meeting – perhaps the knuckles of jungle-ambler accidentally scraped the exposed rhizome, releasing the pungent odour and inviting a nibble. Or a hungry scavenger observed it in the diet of some animal. Quickly enough though, the genie was out of the bottle.
And here it is – source of one of the oldest spices and all the way from across the oceans – in pink slices alongside your prawn-and-avo handroll. Maybe you’re sipping it in your hot toddy, trying to banish the � u; or, smelling it in the cookies baking in the oven.
� at’s because ginger is quite amazing – especially for something that looks like a serious under-achieving food. I reckon if parents are going to name their children after something organic, it has to be good. We’ve encountered enough Gingers, but how about Potato Smith or Turmeric Dludlu?
Taste and � avour
ginger toddy
Ginger was once a drummer for Cream, another the former lead singer with the Smashing Pumpkins, an American star, a chain of budget hotels in India, the lead protagonist in Chicken Run, a Disney Fairy, an island, a political group, a hurricane, a software package and even a genuine mummy.
And that’s because since the beginning of the ages, ginger (the humble root grandly known in circles other than these, as Zingiber o� cinale) has been cultivated and harvested then, in no particular order and not exclusively: puréed, skinned, grated, sliced, baked, boiled, sautéed, fried, infused, dehydrated, powdered, re-hydrated, brewed, distilled, bashed, pulled and thrown. (Google returns “about 14 700 000” results on how to do the latter.)
No surprise then that its name hails from ancient English for “spirited temper” and that the spice is now used even in energy drinks.
If you remember nothing else and want to save time, cut this out and stick on the fridge: Ginger is an underground stem that originated in Asia and spread thanks to the early spice traders. How it is grown, harvested and
stored has a signi� cant e£ ect on its � avour. Among the biggest ginger producers today are India, China, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines and � ailand – like tax dodgers, war criminals and exiled dictators, this fella thrives in humid, partly shady places in the tropics and sub-tropics. It is a multi-billion dollar industry thanks to the popularity of ginger in food (sweet and savoury) and drinks, medicine and cosmetics around the world. It’s also consumed as a veggie in some parts.
Get this. � e global production of ginger is over 2.02 million tons per year. As a matter of interest, in China – the biggest producer, supplying some 75% of the world’s needs – the rhizome is harvested in November. � ey are then stored to cure until January.
Japan has been one of the biggest importers of ginger, for the very reason it’s in that little white bowl beside your chopsticks. � e growth of sushi (and ginger by implication) is the subject of the 2007 book � e Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy by Sasha Issenberg.
verb [ with obj. ]1 (usu. as adj. gingered) � avour with ginger:2 (ginger someone/something up) stimulate; enliven:
she slapped his hand lightly to ginger him up.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1432
Taste and � avour
There are some things in this world that make one wonder about their � rst moment of
discovery. Take ginger – the subject for this feature, and why not? We’ve got time. Like all the things that we can enjoy and which haven’t killed us, that � rst revelation had to be an interesting chance meeting – perhaps the knuckles of jungle-ambler accidentally scraped the exposed rhizome, releasing the pungent odour and inviting a nibble. Or a hungry scavenger observed it in the diet of some animal. Quickly enough though, the genie was out of the bottle.
And here it is – source of one of the oldest spices and all the way from across the oceans – in pink slices alongside your prawn-and-avo handroll. Maybe you’re sipping it in your hot toddy, trying to banish the � u; or, smelling it in the cookies baking in the oven.
� at’s because ginger is quite amazing – especially for something that looks like a serious under-achieving food. I reckon if parents are going to name their children after something organic, it has to be good. We’ve encountered enough Gingers, but how about Potato Smith or Turmeric Dludlu?
Taste and � avour
ginger toddy
Ginger was once a drummer for Cream, another the former lead singer with the Smashing Pumpkins, an American star, a chain of budget hotels in India, the lead protagonist in Chicken Run, a Disney Fairy, an island, a political group, a hurricane, a software package and even a genuine mummy.
And that’s because since the beginning of the ages, ginger (the humble root grandly known in circles other than these, as Zingiber o� cinale) has been cultivated and harvested then, in no particular order and not exclusively: puréed, skinned, grated, sliced, baked, boiled, sautéed, fried, infused, dehydrated, powdered, re-hydrated, brewed, distilled, bashed, pulled and thrown. (Google returns “about 14 700 000” results on how to do the latter.)
No surprise then that its name hails from ancient English for “spirited temper” and that the spice is now used even in energy drinks.
If you remember nothing else and want to save time, cut this out and stick on the fridge: Ginger is an underground stem that originated in Asia and spread thanks to the early spice traders. How it is grown, harvested and
stored has a signi� cant e£ ect on its � avour. Among the biggest ginger producers today are India, China, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines and � ailand – like tax dodgers, war criminals and exiled dictators, this fella thrives in humid, partly shady places in the tropics and sub-tropics. It is a multi-billion dollar industry thanks to the popularity of ginger in food (sweet and savoury) and drinks, medicine and cosmetics around the world. It’s also consumed as a veggie in some parts.
Get this. � e global production of ginger is over 2.02 million tons per year. As a matter of interest, in China – the biggest producer, supplying some 75% of the world’s needs – the rhizome is harvested in November. � ey are then stored to cure until January.
Japan has been one of the biggest importers of ginger, for the very reason it’s in that little white bowl beside your chopsticks. � e growth of sushi (and ginger by implication) is the subject of the 2007 book � e Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy by Sasha Issenberg.
verb [ with obj. ]1 (usu. as adj. gingered) � avour with ginger:2 (ginger someone/something up) stimulate; enliven:
she slapped his hand lightly to ginger him up.
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Spice it up
33
Ginger that makes gari, typically the pickled variety for serving with sushi, is harvested young. (And while we’re on the topic, you’re not supposed to eat gari in your sushi – it’s simply not the done thing.) Moving on, ginger has been co-opted into a myriad of cross cultural recipes and imbued with powers both “miraculous” and proven. When your tummy ached, what did Gran give you to drink? Yip. And when you discovered it was actually something a little more… substantial; that you were actually pregnant? You were given more. Popular belief says it helps with nausea, unless of course you’re sensitive to it, in which case ginger may make you nauseous.
Something that has been around as long as ginger naturally has plenty stories to tell. Amy Stewart describes in her book, � e Drunken Botanist, that the invention of the Moscow Mule cocktail in 1941 revitalised ginger beer sales, “but also introduced Americans to vodka, helping sales of Smirno� triple in just a few years”. She also highlights ginger ale as the star of many cocktails; the shandyga� , a mix of beer and ginger beer; and, the Dark and Stormy – a combination of two parts rum and three parts ginger beer, served on rocks.
If you’re keen on making your own ginger syrup to add to cocktails, hot drinks or just soda, try this: make a
simple syrup by dissolving sugar in an
equal part water over a low heat, then
add fresh, chopped ginger. Let it
simmer for a while; remove from the
heat and cool, before putting it in the
fridge to steep overnight.
ginger mistINGREDIENTS:
30ml Scotch whisky15ml peated whisky
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice15ml ginger syrup
METHOD:Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ices cubes. Shake and
strain over fresh ice in a whisky tumbler. A small piece of candied
or preserved ginger, skewered on a cocktail stick is the
perfect garnish.
An alcoholic alternative would be to buy one of the locally available products such as the King’s Ginger – a liqueur speci� cally formulated in 1903 for King Edward VII “to stimulate and revivify His Majesty during morning rides in his new horseless carriage – a Daimler”.
Distell’s Oude Meester range of liqueurs was launched in 1965 and includes a ginger variant. Butlers too have it in their extensive portfolio and like the King’s Ginger website, o� er cocktail recipes as well.
� ere’s a potent ginger beer with 5% alcohol called Dragon Fiery Ginger, which is apparently made in Cape Town.
Ginger has also been employed by South African brandy makers. Dys Grundlingh of Grundheim, outside Oudtshoorn, buys bags of fresh ginger from a local grocer, and macerates it for ¢ avouring spirits and liqueurs. In the same region, Kango ginger brandy is also produced.
Of course, brandy and ginger ale is all the rage as a custom mix.
pickled ginger sushi rose
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 33
pipip cici kckc lklk elel dede gd gd igig nini gngn egeg rere susus susuhshsihihrororsosoeses
ci� o
rd
Award-winning journalist Cli� ord Roberts loves researching
topics such as beer - especially the practical side of the subject!
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1434
Walking into the warehouse where the coopers are reconditioning oak barrels
is an assault on the eardrums. Initially it just seems like a loud racket with lots of loud banging taking place… until your ears pick up the rhythm. Each cooper, or barrel maker, has his own barrel music, a special tune and unique rhythm he taps
out with chisel and mallet as he forces the restraining steel hoops around the curved wooden staves.
It’s a joy to watch, not only because of the melodic tapping and thunking of mallet on wood and iron but also because it’s an uncommon sight nowadays. As a result, Speyside cooperage is one of Scotland’s most visited tourist attractions.
These coopers are genuine craftsmen. There’s a special skill to raising a barrel – knowing exactly how to position the curved oak staves, the combination of narrow and broad planks and precisely how to align the hoops. And, once it’s all shaped, the toasting and charring of the inside. And it’s this element, along with the type of wooden barrel used that is so important to the whisky industry.
But whisky consumption is on the rise the world over. In April this year, the Scottish Whisky Association reported that exports of Scottish whisky were up from 1.2 billion bottles in 2012 to 1.3
It can be seen for miles around: the barrels are stacked 10 or more high. It’s the Speyside
cooperage and it specialises in wooden barrels, all of which are essential to the
flavour of whisky. Fiona McDonald reports.
finishing school
Whisky
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 35
billion in 2013. And those exports are worth £4.3 billion (R77 billion) to the Scottish whisky industry. And the thirsty South African market accounts for £163 million (R2.93 billion) of that total. Two years ago Diageo announced it would spend a billion pounds on increasing whisky production to meet the growth in demand. � at includes building new distilleries as well as opening up old facilities that had been mothballed.
Crucial to the production of whisky is the ageing and maturation process. Once it comes o� the stills, the spirit has to spend at least three years in barrel before
it can be deemed Scotch whisky. Speak to any distiller or whisky expert and they’ll tell you that between 60 and 70% of the � avour of a whisky is derived from the cask. � at’s why the barrels used are so important. � e main decision facing the master distiller is whether to let the spirit mature in European oak or American – with the distinction generally being narrowed down even more to ex-Sherry casks or ex-Bourbon casks.
Whisky and its American counterpart, bourbon, di� er markedly in their use of oak. In America, they char the barrels quite heavily, creating a blistered
crocodile skin e� ect on the inside of the barrel. A scientist could comfortably ba� e you with a description of the interaction of heat on lignins, tannins and vanillins. What it means is that American oak tends to impart a sweeter, vanilla � avour to spirit. Bourbon producers also only ever use a barrel once – and their used barrels tend to then be shipped over to Scotland. Let’s face it, the canny Scots are renowned for their thrift, and they reuse the American oak casks to mature their spirit, also adding a sweeter character to it than that which European oak gives.
Maturation
The all important task of lling the barrel
with a few hundred litres of new make
spirit, ready for a few years of maturation.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1436
Whisky
Casks which have previously been used for making Spanish Sherry are generally the most sought-after. One distillery known for its use of sherry oak is Speyside’s Macallan, coincidentally just a short drive away from the Craigellachie cooperage. Setting this single malt apart from others is the high proportion of sherry casks (apparently between 70 and 80% of all sherry casks nd their way to e Macallan!) but also the way in which it’s used. e whisky not only spends years (10, 12, 15, 17, 18 or 25 years) maturing in them, but once the whisky has been reduced from cask strength to bottling strength through the addition of water, the nal product then has at least six months marrying in cask – an unusual practice as most distilleries simply bottle as soon as the marriage has taken place.
Casks which have previously been
Whisky
new Glen ddich single malt by global brand ambassador Ian Millar. e spirit is the Glen ddich 26 year old and what makes it unique is that it has spent its entire maturation in ex-bourbon casks.
“ e Latin name for American white oak is Quercus Alba – and Alba was also an ancient name for Scotland,” Millar said. “American oak doesn’t overwhelm whisky as much as European oak or sherry casks do.
“It also allows for a better expression of the individual distillery’s style,” Miller said. “It doesn’t mask the unique character. If you were to take ve di� erent distilleries and put each of their spirit into European oak and American oak – and then compare them after they’ve spent years maturing, you’d nd that the American oak lets the whisky speak loudest.” Millar was of the opinion that sherry oak dominated, nullifying any individual di� erences.
Even to a novice whisky drinker, the di� erences between a spirit aged in ex-bourbon and sherry casks is noticeable with the American one being sweeter and showing more overt vanilla notes.
Ultimately, anyone’s choice of whisky is a highly personal one but one can walk a long and fascinating road exploring the di� erent expressions and � avours – all the result of its time on oak nishing school.
ree years ago e Macallan had to build additional storage warehouses to accommodate an increase of two million litres per year. is year it announced a
£100 million expansion of the distillery and visitor centre which will only be completed in 2017.
If anyone wants to taste the di� erence that barrels and nishes can make to a whisky should look no further than Glenmorangie which o� ers a variety of di� erent nishes. ere’s Quinta Ruban which spends 10 years in American oak with a nal two years in old Port pipes. is two year “ nishing school” imparts subtle notes of Port to the nal whisky, a distinct sweet raisin � avour. e Lasanta, which spends time in barrels previously used for sherry o� ers up creamy, orange, ripe apricot sweetness while the Nectar d’Or is nished o� in old Sauternes casks. Sherry or Burgundy nish, each one imparts a distinctly di� erent � avour to the nal whisky.
Cape Town’s Pot Luck Club was recently the venue for the unveiling of a
(If anyone’s interested in following the journey of a cask from start to � nish they
should visit The Macallan’s Masters of Photography exhibition by Albert Watson
– www.themastersofphotography.com/previous-editions/albert-watson –
who snapped the journey from Spain’s forests to the distillery.)
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Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 39
rumTasting
island spirit
Cocktails just wouldn’t be the same without it. The
daiquiri uses it, the mojito and pina colada need it
and the Long Island iced tea wouldn’t pack quite as
much of a punch if it were omitted.
Rum is probably best summed up in this great quote from
spirits writer Dave Broom in his book, Rum, published by
Mitchell Beazley in 2003: “Every time I taste rum I am amazed
at what a remarkable spirit it is. Never forget that it is there to
be enjoyed. It’s a drink which puts a great big stupid grin on
our face. Maybe it’s the sugar; maybe it’s the sunshine
trapped in the cane. Maybe it is because, when you close
your eyes, it takes you to the place of its birth: a distillation of
There’s something about rum. Perhaps it’s the association with tropical islands, pirates and sailors, buried treasure and other tales that spice up our childhood story time. Fiona McDonald reports on a recent tasting.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1440
Tastinggr
ant
gran
tcr
aig
bern
ard
dave
dave
turquoise seas, pounding surf, and clear skies,
of a relaxed pace of living, of a love of life.”
There was a palm tree gently waving its
fronds, there was super ne white sand and on
the water beyond, boats – but it wasn’t quite
as idyllic a picture as those words might have
you believe. The venue was the Shimmy Beach
Club, located at the entrance to Cape Town’s
Victoria & Alfred basin – but it was winter and
the skies remained grey and the water was
choppy and far from sparkling blue.
Not that it bothered any of the characters
assembled at Shimmy’s for Cheers magazine’s
rst tasting. They were all metaphorically
licking their lips at the prospect of tasting 13
rums and, impressively, everyone successfully
resisted the urge to talk like a pirate! Nary an
“Aaar!” was heard.
South African spirit and wine expert Dave
Hughes, a trained distiller, was leading the
tasting. He was joined by maritime lawyer
Grant Clark, a spirit lover and the 2007 runner-up
in Survivor: Malaysia, fellow whisky a cionado
Bernard Gutman, RGBC’s (Really Great Brands
Company) head of marketing Craig Doré, Grant
McDonald of Mudl magazine, Cheers publisher
Shayne Dowling, Jessica-Jane Nosworthy, Cheers
ad rep and myself.
”This is quite a unique experience,” Clark
said, ”I’ve never been given the opportunity of
tasting more than one or two rums at a time.”
A sentiment that was echoed by all except
Hughes and Doré. The former has travelled the
world, tasting and drinking all sorts of products.
He’s been to the Caribbean and visited many
a distillery as well as having judged rum at the
International Wine & Spirit Competition for
many years. With rum one of the products
making up RGBC’s portfolio, Doré has been
exposed to many previously. “We’re not yet
seeing the interest in rum that is developing
internationally, but there’s de nitely potential,”
he said.
Locally, a number of popular international
brands are available – the biggest of them
being Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Havana Club
and Red Heart rum which is tailored speci cally
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
rum
41
Flight OneBacardi white rum
Jack Tarr blended dark rumBacardi Gold
Havana Club Añejo 7 AñosSailor Jerry spiced rum
Bacardi Oakheart
to the South African palate. Rum is not
like wine where the soils and weather
can have a marked impact on the
� avours – but there are appreciable
di� erences in the � avours of Jamaican,
Haitian, Cuban, Trinidadian and
Guyanan rum, for example. Spirit lovers
are discovering rum and falling in love
with it all over again.
Dave Broom states in his book: “There
is no single thing as ‘rum’. There are
rums for sipping, others for mixing. Aged
rums, overproof rums, pot-still,
continuous-still, single-casks, � avoured
or spiced. No other spirit has this
� avour, depth and breadth of quality.”
Rum is made from molasses, the
by-product of sugar production. The
sticky black syrup is watered down and
then fermented using yeast before being
distilled, either in a pot-still or a continuous
still. Then it’s transferred to wooden barrels
for ageing – usually used Bourbon barrels.
It’s essential that the oak casks are
charred as this encourages the � avour
and colour development of the rum.
Two interesting things to note here:
very few rums are not blended and
secondly, that the rate of evaporation
– the so-called ‘angel’s share’ was and
is higher in the Caribbean islands than
if the barrels were shipped to the UK for
maturation, which it used to be. The
rate of evaporation is around 6% in the
hotter islands versus only 2% in the
cool UK cellars.
“Rum de� nitely has potential – but
everyone thinks of it as a mixer,
something you have in a cocktail or
with cola,” Doré said. In South Africa,
the reality is that it’s seen as a bit of a
blue collar drink, generally mixed with
cola and “something that brings out
the hooligan in you!”
“The thing to remember is that
white rums are generally low in
� avour and aromatics,” Hughes
said. “They’re intended for mixers
or cocktails – but the � avour
should remind you what it comes
from, which is molasses.
“That character is ampli� ed in the
dark rums which also have the
advantage of having spent time in
American oak barrels which adds
another dimension of � avour in the
vanilla or cream from the charred oak.”
Flight TwoInverroche
Ron ZacapaPyrat XO Reserve
Mount Gay Black BarrelMount Gay Extra Old
Kraken black spiced rumGosling’s Black Seal
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 41
“That character is ampli� ed in the
vanilla or cream from the charred oak.”
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1442
Tasting
between voting with one’s head and
one’s heart. Everyone opted for the
Mount Gay Extra Old, recognising that
it was a seriously re ned and elegant
spirit – much like a top single malt
whisky. And barring a few exceptions
the panel were enamoured by either
the Pyrat XO or the Ron Zacapa.
Pyrat’s heady citrus aromatics were
reminiscent of Southern Comfort or
Cointreau – which Hughes said was
because it was blended from a variety
of distilleries. Zacapa was more tropical
and bright with a spicy entry and a
slightly hot, alcoholic feel.
Both have interesting packaging,
Ron Zacapa – a Guatemalan rum
which has a nifty straw waistband and
Pyrat which comes in a beautifully
squat, square bottle with a wide neck,
stoppered by a fat cork.
The truth is that there are some
wonderful rums on the market that
would actually be spoiled if they were
mixed. They are smooth, nuanced,
complex and, yes, intellectual enough
to quietly sip on their own as you
ponder their origins and how it was
made – much as you would with a
single malt whisky.
Panel choice: Mount Gay Extra Old
Deep spicy re ned and elegant rum with
layers of � avour. Heaps of cinnamon,
clove, caramel and butterscotch, raisin
and molasses. Genteel and smooth, it
keeps on going, lingering long after the
mouthful is gone.
Gutman made the point that his
takeout after the tasting was that there
are proverbial ‘horses for courses’. “If
you take a whisky analogy – Johnnie
Walker red label is not meant to be
drunk neat, the way a black or blue
label is. The Walker red carries a mixer
really well but you won’t sit next to the
re, late into the night sipping it. The
two � ights of rum we tasted are like
that – some are for mixing and others
for sipping.”
The rst � ight, the commercial rums which retail for
below R200 at your local TOPS at SPAR
outlet were generally seen as mixing or
cocktail rums, but not that they lacked
� avour. Hughes’s favourite in Flight One
was the Havana Club, describing it as
the quintessential rum. ”It’s got
everything that you look for in a rum.”
Panel choice: Sailor Jerry
The rest of the panel were seduced by
Sailor Jerry’s spiced charms, with its
crème caramel, butterscotch and vanilla
ice-cream overtones.
Flight Two was an altogether more serious
prospect. There was a disconnect
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1442
Tasting
between voting with one’s head and
one’s heart. Everyone opted for the
Mount Gay Extra Old, recognising that
it was a seriously re ned and elegant
spirit – much like a top single malt
whisky. And barring a few exceptions
the panel were enamoured by either
the Pyrat XO or the Ron Zacapa.
Pyrat’s heady citrus aromatics were
reminiscent of Southern Comfort or
Cointreau – which Hughes said was
because it was blended from a variety
of distilleries. Zacapa was more tropical
and bright with a spicy entry and a
slightly hot, alcoholic feel.
Both have interesting packaging,
Ron Zacapa – a Guatemalan rum
which has a nifty straw waistband and
Pyrat which comes in a beautifully
squat, square bottle with a wide neck,
stoppered by a fat cork.
The truth is that there are some
wonderful rums on the market that
would actually be spoiled if they were
mixed. They are smooth, nuanced,
complex and, yes, intellectual enough
to quietly sip on their own as you
ponder their origins and how it was
made – much as you would with a
single malt whisky.
Panel choice: Mount Gay Extra Old
Deep spicy re ned and elegant rum with
layers of � avour. Heaps of cinnamon,
clove, caramel and butterscotch, raisin
and molasses. Genteel and smooth, it
keeps on going, lingering long after the
mouthful is gone.
Gutman made the point that his
takeout after the tasting was that there
are proverbial ‘horses for courses’. “If
you take a whisky analogy – Johnnie
Walker red label is not meant to be
drunk neat, the way a black or blue
label is. The Walker red carries a mixer
really well but you won’t sit next to the
re, late into the night sipping it. The
two � ights of rum we tasted are like
that – some are for mixing and others
for sipping.”
The rst � ight, the commercial rums which retail for
below R200 at your local TOPS at SPAR
outlet were generally seen as mixing or
cocktail rums, but not that they lacked
� avour. Hughes’s favourite in Flight One
was the Havana Club, describing it as
the quintessential rum. ”It’s got
everything that you look for in a rum.”
Panel choice: Sailor Jerry
The rest of the panel were seduced by
Sailor Jerry’s spiced charms, with its
crème caramel, butterscotch and vanilla
ice-cream overtones.
Flight Two was an altogether more serious
prospect. There was a disconnect
rum
tasting notestasting notesFlight One
Flight Two
BacardiColourless. Light and
spirity nose, slight oral note along with hint of
treacle and even banana. Light and dry
in the mouth with slight, spirit sweetness yet � nish is bone dry.
Inver RocheLight nose with
treacle the main aromatic. Hints of prune and some
raisin, fynbos note too. Dry in the
mouth with hint of oak and lots more
treacle. Clean, short � nish
Ron Zacapa Centenario
Very attractive coppery/red colour. Nutty character at
start of the nose with citrus,
chocolate and an odd, dry herby
note. Slight smoke too. Somewhat
sweet in the mouth with hints of
molasses. Caramel and brown sugar on
the � nish.
Pyrat XODistinctly citrus nose – Terry’s
chocolate orange – with light molasses
note. That same expressive citrus and orange rind can be found in the mouth but
decidedly smooth and � nely
textured. Light and re� ned.
Mount Gay Black BarrelTo� ee apple
nose with some burnt sugar.
Round and sweet in the mouth with tropical fruit and light, toasty oak.
Despite sweetness in the mouth a very dry
and refreshing � nish.
Mount Gay Extra OldDistinctly deeper in
aromatics with mature characters and some
development. Appealing chocolate, tobacco, toasty nuts, banana , prune and some spicy oak. Rich and full in the mouth
yet re� ned, well structured and
balanced. Rich and full and no doubt it’s
an aged rum.
KrakenButtery caramel and cinnamon
spice with to� ee on the nose. That
same buttery spice and
caramel comes through in the mouth. Gentle and smooth.
Gosling’s Black SealPrunes and raisins on
the nose with treacle. Slightly
mature character. Soft and full in the
mouth. Hints of treacle and oak on
a long � nish.
Jack Tarr“Sweet” nose with
light charry note. Hint of to� ee and treacle.
Fairly simple in the mouth with � ne
warming alcohol. Note of caramel and
distant molasses note. Some prune.
Bacardi GoldVery pale gold. Fair,
fruity impact with hints of prune and
light molasses. Banana and
molasses in the mouth with light nutty grip. Soft and gentle.
Havana Club Añejo 7 Años
Dark colour. Espresso and cinnamon with hints of nutmeg and
caramel. Fairly powerful in the mouth with distinct oak and
hints of tobacco. Crisp and fresh � nish
with aftertaste of molasses.
Sailor Jerry Strong vanilla nose
with hints of cinnamon. Sweet in
the mouth giving good body. Fairly full
and well rounded body. Long,
perfumed � nish.
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
Panel choice
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
Panel choice
✤ Grateful thanks to Shimmy Beach Club for providing the
venue for the rum tasting.
Bacardi OakheartInitial nose of molasses
covered quickly by vanilla and a oral
note. Not totally dry in the mouth and the little creamy fudge
sweetness makes for very smooth ow
across the palate.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1444
Festivals
Brewing beer is an age-old tradition. One of ancient Rome’s most
accomplished historians and senators, Publius Cornelius Tacitus wrote an entire book all about German customs and traditions – De Origine et situ Germanorum.
According to the German Beer Institute’s website, Tacitus wrote (with some contempt) that Germans were “pro� cient imbibers” who sought any excuse or opportunity for a drinking party.
“� e germanii,” he wrote, “serve an extract of barley and rye as a beverage that is somehow adulterated (presumably he means: fermented) to resemble wine.”
More than 2000 years later, not much has changed – and the annual Oktoberfest tradition has spread from Germany to be celebrated with gusto throughout the four corners of the globe. South Africa is no exception and once again the TOPS at SPAR Bierfests will be held countrywide – from September to November.
� e sun rises earliest on the east coast of the country – and so it is that Durban Ge
mütli
chke
it A celebration of golden amber ale and lager, with steins � lled to the brim is a dream come true for lovers of beer. Thirsty folk in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town have much to look forward to!
Oktoberfest tradition has spread from
globe. South Africa is no exception and once again the TOPS at SPAR Bierfests
� e sun rises earliest on the east coast
rewing beer is an age-old tradition. One of ancient
Beer Institute’s website, Tacitus wrote (with some contempt) that
imbibers” who sought any excuse or opportunity for a drinking party.
“� e germanii,” he wrote, “serve
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1444
Festivals
Brewing beer is an age-old tradition. One of ancient Rome’s most
accomplished historians and senators, Publius Cornelius Tacitus wrote an entire book all about German customs and traditions – De Origine et situ Germanorum.
According to the German Beer Institute’s website, Tacitus wrote (with some contempt) that Germans were “pro� cient imbibers” who sought any excuse or opportunity for a drinking party.
“� e germanii,” he wrote, “serve an extract of barley and rye as a beverage that is somehow adulterated (presumably he means: fermented) to resemble wine.”
More than 2000 years later, not much has changed – and the annual Oktoberfest tradition has spread from Germany to be celebrated with gusto throughout the four corners of the globe. South Africa is no exception and once again the TOPS at SPAR Bierfests will be held countrywide – from September to November.
� e sun rises earliest on the east coast of the country – and so it is that Durban Ge
mütli
chke
it A celebration of golden amber ale and lager, with steins � lled to the brim is a dream come true for lovers of beer. Thirsty folk in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town have much to look forward to!
Oktoberfest tradition has spread from
globe. South Africa is no exception and once again the TOPS at SPAR Bierfests
� e sun rises earliest on the east coast
rewing beer is an age-old tradition. One of ancient
Beer Institute’s website, Tacitus wrote (with some contempt) that
imbibers” who sought any excuse or opportunity for a drinking party.
“� e germanii,” he wrote, “serve
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Oktoberfest
45
kicks the festivities o� over the weekend of the 19th to the 21st of September. � e venue for the German-style revelries is the renowned Suncoast complex.
Johannesburg, the continent’s city of gold and � nancial hub, does everything bigger and better – and consequently has not just one weekend of beer, but two! Montecasino will
reverberate to the sound of oompah bands, brass instruments and clinking biersteins on the successive weekends of 17 – 19 October and 24 – 26 October.
And since the sun sets latest on the southern and western coastline of Africa rounding o� the celebrations is Slaapstad – or Cape Town. � e famous Newlands Brewery precinct is home to the rejoicing festival of beer from the 14th to the 16th of November.
“TOPS at SPAR is immensely proud to once again be headline sponsor at the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest,” said Mark Robinson, TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor Manager. “� is festival is synonymous with the values
of TOPS at SPAR. Visitors can expect to be captivated by the experience from the minute they walk into the venue.”
kicks the festivities o� over the weekend of the 19th to the 21st of September. � e venue for the German-style revelries is the renowned Suncoast complex.
Johannesburg, the continent’s city of gold and � nancial hub, does everything bigger and better – and consequently has not just one weekend of beer,
reverberate to the sound of oompah bands, brass instruments and clinking biersteins on the successive weekends of
southern and western coastline of Africa rounding o� the celebrations is Slaapstad – or Cape Town. � e famous Newlands Brewery precinct is home to the rejoicing festival of beer from the 14th to the 16th of November.
“TOPS at SPAR is immensely proud to once again be headline sponsor at the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest,” said Mark Robinson, TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor Manager. “� is festival is
of TOPS at SPAR. Visitors can expect to be captivated by the experience from the minute they walk into the venue.”
Johannesburg does everything bigger and better – and consequently has not just one weekend of beer, but two!
TICKETSThere are four tiers
of tickets: the premium o� ering will set you back R906.30 a head, with the next few options
available for R450.30, R195 and R125 each.
All tickets can be booked through the
Bierfest website www.bierfest.co.za or through Bierfest’s
Facebook page, SABierfest.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1446
Festivals
Robinson reiterated the message that TOPS at SPAR is “heavily invested in the education of responsible drinking and will be promoting this at the festival”.
As in previous years, no money will change hands in the brauhaus: only plastic tokens or ‘crowns’ may be exchanged for beer. And the beer will once again be specially brewed for the event. South African Breweries is one of the founding partners and their
Master Brewers will not only have crafted three limited edition Bavarian-styled beers – the Royal Bavaria Oktoberfest bier, traditional Krystal Weiss Protea Edelweiss and the King Ludwig Munich Dunkel dark ale – but they will also be on hand in the Brewmaster’s corner, dispensing both wisdom and golden nectar.
Potential patrons need not fear that there will be a surfeit of porcine meat products; vegetarians are well catered for as well. Last year, the roast chickens, pickles and pretzels almost beat the eisbein and
sauerkraut in the popularity stakes.It goes without saying that the event is
not open to anyone under the age of 18.
#DrinkSmart,
TOPS as SPAR Bierfest’s responsible consumption program,
o� ers visitors a number of alternative transport options.
Spearheaded by TOPS at SPAR’s groundbreaking mobile phone
app DRYVER, with support from Good Fella’s, Uber, Redline
Breathalysers and JIGUJA detox drink, #DrinkSmart provides TOPS
as SPAR Bierfest patrons with a range of safe and a� ordable
choices to drink responsibly and get home safely. Rehydration
stations and a Designated Driver Rewards Program, Good Fellas
memberships and preferred rates with UBER has seen TOPS as SPAR
Bierfest’s #DrinkSmart initiative be o� cially endorsed by the
Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (the ARA).
Sun� owerTOPS at SPAR Bierfest has
partnered with The Sun� ower Fund in 2014. The objective is to raise awareness of the Fund’s good
work as well as educating members of the public about the work it does while also recruiting potential bone marrow stem cell donors to the South African Bone
Marrow Registry. Every Sunday of Bierfest, the raised VIP deck area will be transformed
into a veritable ‘Sun� ower garden’, with special décor and
Sun� ower Fund initiatives.
So keep an eye out for #Sun� ower Sundays.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1446
Festivals
Robinson reiterated the message that TOPS at SPAR is “heavily invested in the education of responsible drinking and will be promoting this at the festival”.
As in previous years, no money will change hands in the brauhaus: only plastic tokens or ‘crowns’ may be exchanged for beer. And the beer will once again be specially brewed for the event. South African Breweries is one of the founding partners and their
Master Brewers will not only have crafted three limited edition Bavarian-styled beers – the Royal Bavaria Oktoberfest bier, traditional Krystal Weiss Protea Edelweiss and the King Ludwig Munich Dunkel dark ale – but they will also be on hand in the Brewmaster’s corner, dispensing both wisdom and golden nectar.
Potential patrons need not fear that there will be a surfeit of porcine meat products; vegetarians are well catered for as well. Last year, the roast chickens, pickles and pretzels almost beat the eisbein and
sauerkraut in the popularity stakes.It goes without saying that the event is
not open to anyone under the age of 18.
#DrinkSmart,
TOPS as SPAR Bierfest’s responsible consumption program,
o� ers visitors a number of alternative transport options.
Spearheaded by TOPS at SPAR’s groundbreaking mobile phone
app DRYVER, with support from Good Fella’s, Uber, Redline
Breathalysers and JIGUJA detox drink, #DrinkSmart provides TOPS
as SPAR Bierfest patrons with a range of safe and a� ordable
choices to drink responsibly and get home safely. Rehydration
stations and a Designated Driver Rewards Program, Good Fellas
memberships and preferred rates with UBER has seen TOPS as SPAR
Bierfest’s #DrinkSmart initiative be o� cially endorsed by the
Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (the ARA).
Sun� owerTOPS at SPAR Bierfest has
partnered with The Sun� ower Fund in 2014. The objective is to raise awareness of the Fund’s good
work as well as educating members of the public about the work it does while also recruiting potential bone marrow stem cell donors to the South African Bone
Marrow Registry. Every Sunday of Bierfest, the raised VIP deck area will be transformed
into a veritable ‘Sun� ower garden’, with special décor and
Sun� ower Fund initiatives.
So keep an eye out for #Sun� ower Sundays.
AMSTEL LITE IS HERE
OKLB
/423
5K
4235K Cheers210x275mm FP.indd 1 2014/07/21 1:56 PM
48 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Thingamajigs
Sunny skies and warmer weather mean days spent
outdoors ‒ and making sure the day out with the family is
a success comes down to having the right gear.
SPAR Good Living has a range of options to equip
you correctly.
1 Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
SPAR G
OOD LIVING AT WWW.SPAR.CO.ZA
1. Fresh and functional, SPAR Good Living cooler boxes come in a range of colours and will keep your picnic or braai goodies safely stored and well cooled with
their 26-litre capacity.
2. Sitting pretty takes on new meaning with SPAR Good Living’s range of camping chairs. Available
in khaki, green or black they all come with a cup holder and handy storage sleeve.
2
48 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Thingamajigs
Sunny skies and warmer weather mean days spent
outdoors ‒ and making sure the day out with the family is
a success comes down to having the right gear.
SPAR Good Living has a range of options to equip
you correctly.
1 Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
SPAR G
OOD LIVING AT WWW.SPAR.CO.ZA
1. Fresh and functional, SPAR Good Living cooler boxes come in a range of colours and will keep your picnic or braai goodies safely stored and well cooled with
their 26-litre capacity.
2. Sitting pretty takes on new meaning with SPAR Good Living’s range of camping chairs. Available
in khaki, green or black they all come with a cup holder and handy storage sleeve.
2
49
thingaCall the
TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
SEE CONTENTS PAGE FOR A FULL LIST OF
STOCKISTS AND THEIR CONTACT DETAILS.
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
useful items3 Colour mini red & yellow lamps
- R795 each, Green Elephant Collective. 4 Thermo Pot ‒ R510,
L’Emile et Son. 5 Copper Piping table lamp ‒ R745, Green Elephant
Collective. 6 Buff alo leather journals ‒ R160, Wessel Snyman at KIN.
6
7
10
3 5
thinga9 101099
thinga7
‒ R160, Wessel Snyman at KIN.
3
thinga
64Colour mini red & yellow lamps
Thermo Pot ‒ R510, Copper Piping table
Buff alo leather journals
5
4
10101010
8
7 iPad tablet sleeve ‒ R365, Wren design at KIN. 8 ‘Brrrrr’ Polar Bear ice
tray ‒ R220, L’Emile et Son. 9 Buddy book ends ‒ R335, L’Emile
et Son. 10 Wooden Scrabble coaster set ‒ R160, Mocholoco at KIN.
Neil Diamond: All-Time Greatest Hits – R114If you’re expecting a collection sequenced chronologically, you’d be
disappointed but this compilation has the vast majority of the big hits on a single
disc, and that’s been hard to � nd in Diamond’s catalogue.
All-Time Greatest Hits was released on Capitol Records, a label Neil Diamond
never recorded for, but Universal -- who owned the recordings Diamond made for both Universal
and MCA – selected this as the imprint for 2014’s All-Time Greatest Hits, a generous collection of 23
hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
The Fault In Our Stars: Music from the motion picture – R99As if having Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Nat Wol� hitting the screen for the
much-anticipated movie adaptation of John Green’s best-seller The Fault in Our
Stars wasn’t enough to be going on with, your ears are in for a treat from the
soundtrack too. The full track list for the � lm has now landed and with new songs
from Ed Sheeran, Kodaline, Jake Bugg, Charli XCX, Birdy and loads more, it’s set to be the perfect
accompaniment to the weep-fest the � ick is guaranteed to be.
CORNER
mus
ic
the
PAPE
RNeil Diamond is one of those evergreen artists who spans multiple generations. Sweet Caroline and Cracklin’ Rosie are classics. And as that irritating television show used to state, “but that’s not all…”
the
The Transkei Run: By Michael Taljaard – R200It is a painfully hung over Saturday morning for two incorrigible small-town scallywags. Jeremy ‘Spikes’ Vorster and his impulsive but charismatic sidekick, Zachary Post, decide to � ee their previous night’s regrets in search of adventure in the rural Transkei. A run-in with a local taxi gang sets in motion a series of events that unravels a tense and violent misadventure as the two young rebels are forced to defend themselves at all costs. What results is a gritty, uniquely South African undertaking, complete with sex, drugs and crawling paranoia.
Wars of The Roses: Stormbird: By Conn Iggulden – R170In the middle of the 15th century, a mentally unstable and physically feeble young King Henry VI makes a fateful bargain, under the in� uence of spymaster Derry Brewer, giving up a large swath of England’s hard-won territory in France in exchange for 20 years of peace and marriage to a young French princess.
But the deal quickly sours. As the newly reclaimed French territories slide into warfare, Henry’s nobles seethe, and thousands of his subjects revolt. Henry’s new queen, the remarkable and resourceful
cd’s
Margaret of Anjou, � nds that instead of enjoying a life of peace and luxury, she must save her weak-willed husband from multiple threats to his throne.
A rebel army attacks the heart of London, sons and fathers battle one another, and great men betray their king. It is the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, a bitter � ght to become the world’s most powerful and in� uential nation.
Is It Really Too Much To Ask? The World According to Clarkson: Vol. 5: By Jeremy Clarkson – R170In a world which simply will not see reason, Jeremy Clarkson buckles up once again and sets o� in his ceaseless quest to navigate a path through all the silliness and idiocy. And every
Forever in Blue JeansEntertainment
Neil Diamond: All-Time Greatest Hits – R114If you’re expecting a collection sequenced chronologically, you’d be
disappointed but this compilation has the vast majority of the big hits on a single
disc, and that’s been hard to � nd in Diamond’s catalogue.
All-Time Greatest Hits was released on Capitol Records, a label Neil Diamond
never recorded for, but Universal -- who owned the recordings Diamond made for both Universal
and MCA – selected this as the imprint for 2014’s All-Time Greatest Hits, a generous collection of 23
hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
The Fault In Our Stars: Music from the motion picture – R99As if having Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Nat Wol� hitting the screen for the
much-anticipated movie adaptation of John Green’s best-seller The Fault in Our
Stars wasn’t enough to be going on with, your ears are in for a treat from the
soundtrack too. The full track list for the � lm has now landed and with new songs
from Ed Sheeran, Kodaline, Jake Bugg, Charli XCX, Birdy and loads more, it’s set to be the perfect
accompaniment to the weep-fest the � ick is guaranteed to be.
CORNER
mus
ic
the
PAPE
R
Neil Diamond is one of those evergreen artists who spans multiple generations. Sweet Caroline and Cracklin’ Rosie are classics. And as that irritating television show used to state, “but that’s not all…”
the
The Transkei Run: By Michael Taljaard – R200It is a painfully hung over Saturday morning for two incorrigible small-town scallywags. Jeremy ‘Spikes’ Vorster and his impulsive but charismatic sidekick, Zachary Post, decide to � ee their previous night’s regrets in search of adventure in the rural Transkei. A run-in with a local taxi gang sets in motion a series of events that unravels a tense and violent misadventure as the two young rebels are forced to defend themselves at all costs. What results is a gritty, uniquely South African undertaking, complete with sex, drugs and crawling paranoia.
Wars of The Roses: Stormbird: By Conn Iggulden – R170In the middle of the 15th century, a mentally unstable and physically feeble young King Henry VI makes a fateful bargain, under the in� uence of spymaster Derry Brewer, giving up a large swath of England’s hard-won territory in France in exchange for 20 years of peace and marriage to a young French princess.
But the deal quickly sours. As the newly reclaimed French territories slide into warfare, Henry’s nobles seethe, and thousands of his subjects revolt. Henry’s new queen, the remarkable and resourceful
cd’s
Margaret of Anjou, � nds that instead of enjoying a life of peace and luxury, she must save her weak-willed husband from multiple threats to his throne.
A rebel army attacks the heart of London, sons and fathers battle one another, and great men betray their king. It is the beginning of the Wars of the Roses, a bitter � ght to become the world’s most powerful and in� uential nation.
Is It Really Too Much To Ask? The World According to Clarkson: Vol. 5: By Jeremy Clarkson – R170In a world which simply will not see reason, Jeremy Clarkson buckles up once again and sets o� in his ceaseless quest to navigate a path through all the silliness and idiocy. And every
Forever in Blue JeansEntertainment
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 51
CD’s, DVD’s and books
*cd’s and dvd’s available at kalahari.com
Vrou Soek Boer – R109A young woman from the city is successful in her
demanding career, although she has a problematic love life. After a confrontation with her boss, she decides to swop the city for the platteland and a bakery that she inherited from an aunt. Her new life in the small town is more than she expected, and involves trading her business suits for an apron. Things get complicated when she must choose between Mr Handsome and Mr Right.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier – R119After the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers, Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier � nds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, living quietly in Washington DC and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Rogers becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world
at risk. Joining forces with Natasha Romano� aka Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while � ghting o� assailants sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed,
once in a while, he � nds something absolutely blooming fantastic along the way.
Pithy and provocative, this is Clarkson at his best, taking issue with whatever is the latest nonsense to disrupt his search for brilliance. Why should we be forced to accept stu� that’s a bit rubbish? Shouldn’t things work? Shouldn’t someone care? I mean, is it really too much to ask? It’s a good thing Clarkson, without fear or favour, is still doing the asking ...
To Rise Again At A Decent Hour: By Joshua Ferris – R275Paul O’Rourke is a man of
contradictions: he loves the world, but doesn’t know how to live in it. He’s a Luddite addicted to his iPhone, a dentist with a nicotine habit and an atheist not quite willing to let go of God.
Then someone impersonates him online, and a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account are created in his name. An outrageous violation of his privacy soon becomes something more soul-frightening: the possibility that the online “Paul” might be a better version. As Paul’s investigation deepens, he is forced to confront his troubled past and life disturbingly split between the real and the virtual.
contradictions: he loves the world, but once in a while, he � nds something contradictions: he loves the world, but contradictions: he loves the world, but once in a while, he � nds something contradictions: he loves the world, but contradictions: he loves the world, but once in a while, he � nds something
dvd’s
DISCLAIMER Please note that prices of all books, cds and dvds are recommended retail prices and are correct at the time of going to press. They are, however, subject to change at the discretion of suppliers, without any prior notice. All books featured here are distributed by Penguin Books SA.
Double your chance of winning! Go to www.facebook.com/CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.
winStand a chance of
receiving a copy of the Vrou Soek Boer DVD or
The Fault In Our Stars CD
enter now!To qualify, send in a postcard or
e-mail clearly marked Cheers CD/DVD Giveaway and containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along with a
contact telephone number to qualify for the random draw. Entry deadline
is Friday, 10th October 2014. The address to send it to is
[email protected] or Cheers P.O. Box 259, Rondebosch, 7701.
Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon � nd themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Non-Stop – R109During a transatlantic � ight from New York City to London, US Air Marshal Bill Marks receives a series of cryptic text messages
demanding that he instruct the government to transfer $150 million into an o� -shore account. Until he secures the money, a passenger on his � ight will be killed every 20 minutes…
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1452
Recipe book
Masterchef momentSouth Africans love watching Australian Masterchef – and it was only a few months ago that the 2013 series � nished, won by the bubbly blonde Emma Dean.
Even when she was ustered and
scrabbling about trying to beat the
clock as taskmasters Matt, George
and Gary counted down the seconds,
there was never any doubt about Emma
Dean’s passion for food – or for how her
knowledge and pro� ciency grew over the
duration of the Masterchef series.
Now it’s captured between the pages of
her very own book, one of the prizes she
won as the top contestant in the series.
Dean grew up on a farm in Victoria, the
southern state of Australia, surrounded by
sheep, cows and chickens. When asked
what her food dream was during the
series she said it harked back to her
childhood, the farm kitchen table where
things were kept simple yet plentiful,
hearty and prepared with the utmost
integrity of � avour.
“I understood from a very early age where
my food came from, which really started
my interest in it,” she said. And the fact
that her parents grew much of their own
fruit and vegetables started that journey.
“One of my earliest memories was helping
Dad plant pumpkin seeds in the dry, hot,
central Victorian soil. Using my small hand
as a template, I spaced the precious
seeds 10 hands apart… needless to say, I
loved pumpkins when I was little, mainly
because I grew them myself.”
Having obtained a Masters degree in
Environment and Planning and working in
town planning, Dean decided to step
away from her career trajectory in order
to focus on food – particularly foraging,
edible weeds and mushrooms.
Her � rst book, A Homegrown Table,
published by New Holland and presented
in South Africa by Random House Struik
Publishers, combines all these elements in
80 recipes, beautifully photographed and
simply, yet elegantly, presented.
bubbly blonde Emma Dean.
Homemade Buttermilk
Crumpets
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
150ml buttermilk
225g plain � our
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
150ml warm water
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
(baking soda)
1 tsp butter, for greasing
Honey, fresh ricotta or Berry
Jam, to serve
METHOD
Warm the buttermilk to room temperature. Mix all the dry
ingredients, except for the bicarbonate of soda, together
in a large bowl. Make a well and pour in the warmed
buttermilk and warm water. Mix into a batter. Cover with
a tea towel or cling � lm and leave in a warm, draught-
free place. Leave it to rise for an hour, until it has doubled
in size and the mixture is light and spongy. Stir the batter
to knock back any air. Now add the bicarbonate of soda
and stir in well. Transfer the batter to a pouring jug and
leave in a warm place for 30 minutes. Heat a non-stick
frying pan on the stovetop over a medium-high heat.
Grease four egg rings with butter. Place the egg rings in
the pan and pour in enough batter to � ll the rings halfway
up the sides. Cook until bubbles form on the top—about
10 minutes. Lift away the rings, and � ip over the crumpets.
Fry for two minutes and remove. Place to one side and
cook the remaining crumpets. Serve warm with honey,
ricotta or Berry Jam.
Hom
emad
e But
term
ilk C
rum
pets
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1452
Recipe book
Masterchef momentSouth Africans love watching Australian Masterchef – and it was only a few months ago that the 2013 series � nished, won by the bubbly blonde Emma Dean.
Even when she was ustered and
scrabbling about trying to beat the
clock as taskmasters Matt, George
and Gary counted down the seconds,
there was never any doubt about Emma
Dean’s passion for food – or for how her
knowledge and pro� ciency grew over the
duration of the Masterchef series.
Now it’s captured between the pages of
her very own book, one of the prizes she
won as the top contestant in the series.
Dean grew up on a farm in Victoria, the
southern state of Australia, surrounded by
sheep, cows and chickens. When asked
what her food dream was during the
series she said it harked back to her
childhood, the farm kitchen table where
things were kept simple yet plentiful,
hearty and prepared with the utmost
integrity of � avour.
“I understood from a very early age where
my food came from, which really started
my interest in it,” she said. And the fact
that her parents grew much of their own
fruit and vegetables started that journey.
“One of my earliest memories was helping
Dad plant pumpkin seeds in the dry, hot,
central Victorian soil. Using my small hand
as a template, I spaced the precious
seeds 10 hands apart… needless to say, I
loved pumpkins when I was little, mainly
because I grew them myself.”
Having obtained a Masters degree in
Environment and Planning and working in
town planning, Dean decided to step
away from her career trajectory in order
to focus on food – particularly foraging,
edible weeds and mushrooms.
Her � rst book, A Homegrown Table,
published by New Holland and presented
in South Africa by Random House Struik
Publishers, combines all these elements in
80 recipes, beautifully photographed and
simply, yet elegantly, presented.
bubbly blonde Emma Dean.
Homemade Buttermilk
Crumpets
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
150ml buttermilk
225g plain � our
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
150ml warm water
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
(baking soda)
1 tsp butter, for greasing
Honey, fresh ricotta or Berry
Jam, to serve
METHOD
Warm the buttermilk to room temperature. Mix all the dry
ingredients, except for the bicarbonate of soda, together
in a large bowl. Make a well and pour in the warmed
buttermilk and warm water. Mix into a batter. Cover with
a tea towel or cling � lm and leave in a warm, draught-
free place. Leave it to rise for an hour, until it has doubled
in size and the mixture is light and spongy. Stir the batter
to knock back any air. Now add the bicarbonate of soda
and stir in well. Transfer the batter to a pouring jug and
leave in a warm place for 30 minutes. Heat a non-stick
frying pan on the stovetop over a medium-high heat.
Grease four egg rings with butter. Place the egg rings in
the pan and pour in enough batter to � ll the rings halfway
up the sides. Cook until bubbles form on the top—about
10 minutes. Lift away the rings, and � ip over the crumpets.
Fry for two minutes and remove. Place to one side and
cook the remaining crumpets. Serve warm with honey,
ricotta or Berry Jam.
Hom
emad
e But
term
ilk C
rum
pets
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
giveaway
53
Baked Farm Eggs with Wild Mushrooms, Spinach and ParmesanServes 4
INGREDIENTS2 knobs butter250g wild mushrooms½ bunch English spinach leaves1 clove garlic, to tasteSalt and pepper, to taste150g thickened cream4 eggs4 large shaves Parmesan (about 35g)
METHODPreheat the oven to 190˚C. In a deep frying pan, heat the butter and sauté the wild mushrooms with the spinach. Pierce the garlic clove with your fork and use the fork to stir in the mushrooms and spinach together, to give a hint of garlic. Cook until wilted and season to taste. Splash in the cream. Pour the mixture into individual ovenproof pans or ramekins or across the bottom of one ovenproof dish. Crack the eggs on top. Bake for 10 minutes or until the egg white is cooked and the yolk is still runny. You may have to watch this carefully so it doesn’t overcook. Once they are ready, remove the ramekins from the oven and add the Parmesan shaves over each egg.
Baked Farm eggs with Wild Mushrooms,
Spinach and Parmesan
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1454
Recipe book
Mussels My WayServes 2
INGREDIENTS1 shallot, peeled and sliced2 cloves garlic, � nely chopped1 Tblsp olive oil½ - 1cm long red chilli, deseeded and chopped1kg mussels1 cup white wine2 handfuls � at-leafed parsley, chopped2 Tblsp butter, to serveBread
METHODHeat a wok or a wide pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil. Add the chilli and sauté for a minute or two and then add the mussels. Turn the heat up and add the white wine. Put a lid on and shake the pan while still on the heat. As soon as the mussels open, remove the pan from the heat – this should take only a few minutes. Take out all the mussels that haven’t opened and discard them. Toss in the parsley and butter and serve with freshly baked bread.
Mus
sles M
y Way
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1454
Recipe book
Mussels My WayServes 2
INGREDIENTS1 shallot, peeled and sliced2 cloves garlic, � nely chopped1 Tblsp olive oil½ - 1cm long red chilli, deseeded and chopped1kg mussels1 cup white wine2 handfuls � at-leafed parsley, chopped2 Tblsp butter, to serveBread
METHODHeat a wok or a wide pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil. Add the chilli and sauté for a minute or two and then add the mussels. Turn the heat up and add the white wine. Put a lid on and shake the pan while still on the heat. As soon as the mussels open, remove the pan from the heat – this should take only a few minutes. Take out all the mussels that haven’t opened and discard them. Toss in the parsley and butter and serve with freshly baked bread.
Mus
sles M
y Way
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
giveaway
55
Double your chance of winning! Go to www.facebook.com/
CheersMag and LIKE the Cheers Facebook page.
Double your chance of winning!
winStand a chance of receiving
one of two copies of ‘A Homegrown Table’,
published by New Holland.SEE T&C’S ON PG 2
enter now!To qualify, send in a postcard
or e-mail clearly marked Cheers Book Giveaway and
containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a PO Box please!) along
with a contact telephone number to qualify for the lucky draw. Entry deadline is Friday,
10th October 2014. The address to send it to is
[email protected] or Cheers, PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701.
Honey Thyme Cake
INGREDIENTS
90g butter, melted
4 eggs
185g castor sugar
zest of 2 lemons
60 ml cream
90g self-raising � our, sifted
TOPPING
2 cups � aked almonds
90g butter
90g castor sugar
60ml cream
2 tablespoons honey
2 heaped teaspoons fresh
thyme leaves
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a
deep 20 cm round pan. Beat the eggs and sugar
in a large bowl until thick and pale. Using a
spatula, fold in the lemon zest, butter and cream
in batches. Fold in the � our. Pour into the prepared
tin and bake for 40 minutes until � rm in the centre.
When the cake is nearly ready, make the almond
topping by combining all the ingredients in a
saucepan. Stir over a medium heat and bring to
the boil. Turn o� the heat and pour the hot mixture
over the top of the cake. Put the cake back in the
oven for 10 minutes or until the topping turns
golden. Remove from the oven and allow the
cake to cool in the tin. Once cool, remove the
cake from the tin and place on a serving plate.
This is fabulous with whipped cream.
Honey Thyme Cake
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Silwood kitchen
57
TOPS Nosh
Dressed to thrillThe dark days of winter are thankfully behind us – and with longer,
sunnier and warmer days comes the desire to sup on lighter, fresher and more colourful fare. Photography by Ashlee Attwood
INGREDIENTS:Vinaigrette 100ml mild olive oil20ml red wine vinegar20ml lime juice½ lime, zestedSalt & Black pepper60 ml strawberry juice3ml sugar 14 prawns, cleaned with shell and head removed100g strawberries , hulled and quartered30g micro herbs10 Asparagus tips, blanched (added)90g wild rocket1 fennel bulb50g fresh peas50g sugar snaps6 radishes2 spring onion3 sticks celery � nely cut into ribbonsCelery leaves
METHOD:Peel, de-vein and remove the heads
from the prawns Make the vinaigrette:
place the mustard, red wine vinegar, lime
juice and zest in a bowl and slowly add
the olive oil. Add the strawberry juice
season with salt, pepper and sugar to
taste. The lime juice is also added to taste.
Prawn, Strawberry
SaladStrawberry
SaladStrawberry
Prawn, Strawberry Salad
PAIRING NOTES La Vallee Rosé is a delicate pink bubbly made in the traditional Champagne style. Predominantly Pinot Noir grapes were used to make this fresh, light � zz with just a touch of sweetness which will work well with both the strawberries and prawns.
to page 58
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1458
TOPS Nosh
Herbed Chicken BurgerMakes 4
INGREDIENTS:600g chicken mince
½ onion, grated
5g of rosemary, � nely
chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3cm root ginger, grated
½ chilli, chopped
30ml tomato paste
30ml chutney
30ml Worcestershire sauce
20ml soya sauce
100ml oats, to combine
8 ml salt
4ml pepper
40ml egg, beaten
TO SERVE:15g wild rocket
German style mustard
Mature cheddar
METHOD: Mix together all the ingredients.
Fry o� a tiny piece to taste for
seasoning. Shape into 4 hamburger
patties - brown in oil then put in oven
180°C to cook through. Top the burger
with wild rocket and a generous dollop
of mustard.
Sesame seed RollsINGREDIENTS:360ml � our + � our for dusting
3 ½ ml salt
8 ml instant dried yeast
3 ml sugar
160ml lukewarm water
20ml white sesame seeds
egg wash
METHOD:Mix � our, salt, yeast and sugar together,
add water. Knead for 10 minutes until
smooth. Cover and allow to double in
size somewhere warm. Knock back,
shape into 4 rolls, brush with egg and
top with sesame seeds, allow to double
in size again - bake at 200°C for
15minutes.
On a mandolin, thinly slice 6 radishes
and shave 4 baby fennel bulbs, making
sure to get them as thin as possible Cut
the celery into 10cm pieces and using a
peeler, peel celery ribbons. Place the
ribbons in ice water and allow them to
curl. Pick the baby yellow celery leaves
from in between the celery stalks.
julienne the sugar snaps (keeping them
length ways) Thinly slice the spring onion
on the diagonal as this looks more
appealing than rounds.
Pan fry the prawns: Allow the pan to get
nice and hot, put 5g of butter and a
drop of oil into the pan and quickly fry
the prawns, making sure it is cooked on
a high heat and that the prawns are not
over-cooked. Season with salt, black
pepper and juice from a lime. Allow to
cool before combining to salad.
remove the leaves from the strawberries
and thinly slice them. Mix the rocket
leaves (pick the stalks down), micro
herbs, pea shoots, nasturtium leaves
and fennel leaves together. Dress with a
drop of dressing just to ensure the leaves
are shiny. Add the celery ribbons, radish
slices, shaved fennel, peas, � owers and
sugar snaps. Mix together well and
place in bowl. Place the strawberries
and prawns evenly amongst the leaves.
Do not add with other ingredients as the
strawberries will become mushy if very
ripe. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
from page 57
PAIRING NOTESNederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Merlot is a richly-
berried mouthful which can stand up to and
complement the assertive � avours of the burger with
its ginger, garlic and chutney elements.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1458
TOPS Nosh
Herbed Chicken BurgerMakes 4
INGREDIENTS:600g chicken mince
½ onion, grated
5g of rosemary, � nely
chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3cm root ginger, grated
½ chilli, chopped
30ml tomato paste
30ml chutney
30ml Worcestershire sauce
20ml soya sauce
100ml oats, to combine
8 ml salt
4ml pepper
40ml egg, beaten
TO SERVE:15g wild rocket
German style mustard
Mature cheddar
METHOD: Mix together all the ingredients.
Fry o� a tiny piece to taste for
seasoning. Shape into 4 hamburger
patties - brown in oil then put in oven
180°C to cook through. Top the burger
with wild rocket and a generous dollop
of mustard.
Sesame seed RollsINGREDIENTS:360ml � our + � our for dusting
3 ½ ml salt
8 ml instant dried yeast
3 ml sugar
160ml lukewarm water
20ml white sesame seeds
egg wash
METHOD:Mix � our, salt, yeast and sugar together,
add water. Knead for 10 minutes until
smooth. Cover and allow to double in
size somewhere warm. Knock back,
shape into 4 rolls, brush with egg and
top with sesame seeds, allow to double
in size again - bake at 200°C for
15minutes.
On a mandolin, thinly slice 6 radishes
and shave 4 baby fennel bulbs, making
sure to get them as thin as possible Cut
the celery into 10cm pieces and using a
peeler, peel celery ribbons. Place the
ribbons in ice water and allow them to
curl. Pick the baby yellow celery leaves
from in between the celery stalks.
julienne the sugar snaps (keeping them
length ways) Thinly slice the spring onion
on the diagonal as this looks more
appealing than rounds.
Pan fry the prawns: Allow the pan to get
nice and hot, put 5g of butter and a
drop of oil into the pan and quickly fry
the prawns, making sure it is cooked on
a high heat and that the prawns are not
over-cooked. Season with salt, black
pepper and juice from a lime. Allow to
cool before combining to salad.
remove the leaves from the strawberries
and thinly slice them. Mix the rocket
leaves (pick the stalks down), micro
herbs, pea shoots, nasturtium leaves
and fennel leaves together. Dress with a
drop of dressing just to ensure the leaves
are shiny. Add the celery ribbons, radish
slices, shaved fennel, peas, � owers and
sugar snaps. Mix together well and
place in bowl. Place the strawberries
and prawns evenly amongst the leaves.
Do not add with other ingredients as the
strawberries will become mushy if very
ripe. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
from page 57
PAIRING NOTESNederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Merlot is a richly-
berried mouthful which can stand up to and
complement the assertive � avours of the burger with
its ginger, garlic and chutney elements.
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Silwood kitchen
59
Herbed Chicken Chicken Burgers Burgers
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL
GROCERY LISTCall the
TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1460
TOPS Nosh
Raspberries , Rose & Coconut crème brulee
INGREDIENTS:250 ml cream
250ml coconut
piece lemon grass
pinch cinnamon
1cm piece ginger
8 egg yolks
90 ml sugar
Pinch of salt
Castor sugar or sticky brown sugar
for topping
TO SERVE: 100g raspberries
Zest of 1 lime
25g castor sugar
METHOD:Scald the cream, coconut, bruised
lemon grass, cinnamon and ginger. Stir
the egg yolks and sugar together.
Remove the � avourings and stir the
warm cream carefully and slowly into the
yolks. Place the mixture over a bain
marie of barely simmering water and stir
until the custard is hot to the touch. Pour
the mixture into a bowl, stand the bowl in
a bain marie containing warm water
and bake the custard at 130°C for 45
minutes or until just � rm. Remove the dish
from the oven and leave to cool before
placing in the refrigerator to set. Just
before serving completely cover the top
with castor sugar and caramelize the
sugar until it just starts to catch.
Rose Ice creamINGREDIENTS:150g sugar
5 egg yolks
500ml cream
250ml milk
20ml rose syrup
2 gelatine leaves, softened and melted
METHOD:Scald the coconut milk and cream
together. Sponge gelatine leaves in
water and add to the warm mixture. In a
separate bowl, whisk together the egg
yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Add
a small amount of the warm coconut
mixture to the egg mixture and add the
rose syrup. Cool and churn in an
ice-cream machine. Top the crème
brulee with raspberries that have been
tossed in lime zest and castor sugar, and
a scoop of rose ice cream.
PAIRING NOTESLa Vallee is a demi-sec, or half-sweet style of
sparkling wine, again made like Champagne.
It’s sweeter and more tropical style � avours of
litchi and pear means it will complement the
� avours of this dessert.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1460
TOPS Nosh
Raspberries , Rose & Coconut crème brulee
INGREDIENTS:250 ml cream
250ml coconut
piece lemon grass
pinch cinnamon
1cm piece ginger
8 egg yolks
90 ml sugar
Pinch of salt
Castor sugar or sticky brown sugar
for topping
TO SERVE: 100g raspberries
Zest of 1 lime
25g castor sugar
METHOD:Scald the cream, coconut, bruised
lemon grass, cinnamon and ginger. Stir
the egg yolks and sugar together.
Remove the � avourings and stir the
warm cream carefully and slowly into the
yolks. Place the mixture over a bain
marie of barely simmering water and stir
until the custard is hot to the touch. Pour
the mixture into a bowl, stand the bowl in
a bain marie containing warm water
and bake the custard at 130°C for 45
minutes or until just � rm. Remove the dish
from the oven and leave to cool before
placing in the refrigerator to set. Just
before serving completely cover the top
with castor sugar and caramelize the
sugar until it just starts to catch.
Rose Ice creamINGREDIENTS:150g sugar
5 egg yolks
500ml cream
250ml milk
20ml rose syrup
2 gelatine leaves, softened and melted
METHOD:Scald the coconut milk and cream
together. Sponge gelatine leaves in
water and add to the warm mixture. In a
separate bowl, whisk together the egg
yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Add
a small amount of the warm coconut
mixture to the egg mixture and add the
rose syrup. Cool and churn in an
ice-cream machine. Top the crème
brulee with raspberries that have been
tossed in lime zest and castor sugar, and
a scoop of rose ice cream.
PAIRING NOTESLa Vallee is a demi-sec, or half-sweet style of
sparkling wine, again made like Champagne.
It’s sweeter and more tropical style � avours of
litchi and pear means it will complement the
� avours of this dessert.
62 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Blogspot
Teresa Ulyate is the writer of Cupcakesandcousc ous.blogspot.com and holds the bragging rights
as the winner of Two Oceans’ Simple Snacking Challenge 2013.
Cupcakesandcouscous.blogspot.com
Summer’s precursor, Spring, is just a few weeks away and with it we can look forward to plenty of sunshine, time outdoors
around the braai and some fresh and summery � avours! With National Braai Day just around the corner, I was inspired to make these easy and delicious steak sarmies topped with homemade tomato and ginger chutney, as well as a creamy, zesty lemon curd ice cream. Why not try them at your next get together? My serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in the sunshine with family and friends.
� e tomato and ginger chutney and ice cream should be made ahead of time, but both are very easy to prepare. � e chutney recipe will make more than you need, but pop the leftovers in the fridge and enjoy with crusty bread and cheddar cheese, roasted meat, veggies or just about anything really! When it comes to steak, I prefer using a thin, tenderised steak in this recipe, but use whatever you prefer. Happy cooking!
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
Lemon curd swirl ice cream
tere
sa
seasonal changeLonger days with more sunshine hours tempt folks outdoors, Teresa Ulyate writes. And with fun in the sun must come food. Here are a few of her tips for simple yet easy to prepare fare.
INGREDIENTS:500ml cream1 x 397g tin condensed milk1 tsp vanilla extract90ml lemon curd
Whip the cream until you have soft peaks. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract and whisk for a further minute or two to combine. Pour the
mixture into an ice cream maker and continue as per the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the mixture into an appropriately sized freezer container. Drop tablespoonfuls of lemon curd (evenly spaced) on top, and use a skewer to swirl through the ice cream. Cover and place in the freezer until completely set.
Note: allow the container to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
62 www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
Blogspot
Teresa Ulyate is the writer of Cupcakesandcousc ous.blogspot.com and holds the bragging rights
as the winner of Two Oceans’ Simple Snacking Challenge 2013.
Cupcakesandcouscous.blogspot.com
Summer’s precursor, Spring, is just a few weeks away and with it we can look forward to plenty of sunshine, time outdoors
around the braai and some fresh and summery � avours! With National Braai Day just around the corner, I was inspired to make these easy and delicious steak sarmies topped with homemade tomato and ginger chutney, as well as a creamy, zesty lemon curd ice cream. Why not try them at your next get together? My serving suggestion: Best enjoyed in the sunshine with family and friends.
� e tomato and ginger chutney and ice cream should be made ahead of time, but both are very easy to prepare. � e chutney recipe will make more than you need, but pop the leftovers in the fridge and enjoy with crusty bread and cheddar cheese, roasted meat, veggies or just about anything really! When it comes to steak, I prefer using a thin, tenderised steak in this recipe, but use whatever you prefer. Happy cooking!
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
Lemon curd swirl ice cream
tere
sa
seasonal changeLonger days with more sunshine hours tempt folks outdoors, Teresa Ulyate writes. And with fun in the sun must come food. Here are a few of her tips for simple yet easy to prepare fare.
INGREDIENTS:500ml cream1 x 397g tin condensed milk1 tsp vanilla extract90ml lemon curd
Whip the cream until you have soft peaks. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract and whisk for a further minute or two to combine. Pour the
mixture into an ice cream maker and continue as per the manufacturer’s directions. Transfer the mixture into an appropriately sized freezer container. Drop tablespoonfuls of lemon curd (evenly spaced) on top, and use a skewer to swirl through the ice cream. Cover and place in the freezer until completely set.
Note: allow the container to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
63Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za
Sarmies & stu� Sarmies & stu�
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:FOR THE CHUTNEY (MAKES 1 LITRE): 1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped 500g red onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 tsp (5ml) crushed garlic2 tsp (10ml) ginger paste200g white sugar150ml white vinegar1/4 tsp chilli � akes1 tsp (5ml) ginger paste, to add at the endSterilised jar(s) for storage FOR THE SARMIES :1 large ciabattaOlive oil for drizzling300g steakSaltPepper 15g rocket, rinsed
To make the chutney, place all of the ingredients, except for the � nal 5ml of ginger paste in a large pot. Bring to the boil while stirring, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for approximately 1.5 hours until the liquid has reduced and the chutney has thickened. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of ginger paste. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the chutney into your sterilised jar(s). Allow to cool before storing in the fridge.
Steak sarmies with chunky tomato and ginger chutney
Cut the ciabatta in half and slice each half lengthways. Open each ciabatta, drizzle the inside with olive oil and place oil side down on the braai grid to char slightly. (If you’re not braaing, you could use a griddle pan.) Drizzle the steaks with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks over the braai coals (or in the griddle pan) until done to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for a minute or two. Place the rocket on the ciabatta. Once rested, cut the steak into diagonal slices and place these on top of the rocket. Add a generous dollop of tomato chutney and serve immediately.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1464
Tuisnywerheid
If there is somebody who puts their
money where their braai is, it’s Lise
Beyers. The editor of the Paarl Post,
mother of two and serial meat-lover
makes hyped-up Jan Braai look like a
levitating Buddhist vegetarian. Oh yes,
and forget Braai Day. To underscore her
commitment to the grill, the ame and
the meat, Lise has decided to make
2014 Braai Year by, yes, braaiing 365
times, beginning 1 January. And so far
she has not missed a single day despite
work commitments, inclement Boland
weather and visits by vegan friends
from foreign shores.
Q Do men take women braaiiers seriously?
A Never. When seeing a woman
wielding the tongs, men feel obliged to
o� er assistance, Cave Man-speak for
interfering. I have a rule: I won’t o� er to
help them change their tyre, they
leave me alone when I braai.
Q What makes braaiing, for you, such a superior way of preparing food?
A For me it’s a really soothing,
relaxing way of cooking: From lovingly
Fire & brimstonePreparing food over � re or glowing coals is elemental. Some would say Paarl resident Lise Beyers has taken it to extremes. Emile Joubert, however, envies her dedication and commitment.
Fire & brimstoneQ&A
slicing through a bloody slab of meat,
making the � re, waiting for the coals to
reach the desired heat for what you are
going to braai, and then transforming
something as simple as a lamb chop or
a piece of wors into something really
delicious. And all this over the coals. It is
all as holistic, organic and ful� lling as the
queue at the salad bar at a Leonard
Cohen concert.
Q What do you think of gas braais?Hate them. There is de� nitely no art to
braaiing on gas and due to the lack of
wood and smoke, the � avours are bland.
My rules for my Braai Year are to make a
� re and braai on a grid over coals: no
pot, pan, foil or gas. Every day.
Q What is the trickiest thing to braai, and why?
A If you don’t know what you are
doing, everything is tricky. You have to
time everything perfectly to avoid a
piece of charcoaled meat. Chicken is
probably the one domain where most
people go wrong. Too often chicken is
chargrilled on the outside and then still
slimy raw on the inside. Know your heat
and know your meat. And practice.
Q Favourite braai?
A Everything I braai I thoroughly
enjoy – but something I love time and
again is a butter� ied leg of lamb,
perfectly braaied until pink in the
middle. Then serve with all the
Mediterranean trimmings such as
hummus and tzatziki, as well as my
Writer and PR guy Emile Joubert was a � nalist in the Men’s Health Braai King competition, uniquely
qualifying him for this column.
emile
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1464
Tuisnywerheid
If there is somebody who puts their
money where their braai is, it’s Lise
Beyers. The editor of the Paarl Post,
mother of two and serial meat-lover
makes hyped-up Jan Braai look like a
levitating Buddhist vegetarian. Oh yes,
and forget Braai Day. To underscore her
commitment to the grill, the ame and
the meat, Lise has decided to make
2014 Braai Year by, yes, braaiing 365
times, beginning 1 January. And so far
she has not missed a single day despite
work commitments, inclement Boland
weather and visits by vegan friends
from foreign shores.
Q Do men take women braaiiers seriously?
A Never. When seeing a woman
wielding the tongs, men feel obliged to
o� er assistance, Cave Man-speak for
interfering. I have a rule: I won’t o� er to
help them change their tyre, they
leave me alone when I braai.
Q What makes braaiing, for you, such a superior way of preparing food?
A For me it’s a really soothing,
relaxing way of cooking: From lovingly
Fire & brimstonePreparing food over � re or glowing coals is elemental. Some would say Paarl resident Lise Beyers has taken it to extremes. Emile Joubert, however, envies her dedication and commitment.
Fire & brimstoneQ&A
slicing through a bloody slab of meat,
making the � re, waiting for the coals to
reach the desired heat for what you are
going to braai, and then transforming
something as simple as a lamb chop or
a piece of wors into something really
delicious. And all this over the coals. It is
all as holistic, organic and ful� lling as the
queue at the salad bar at a Leonard
Cohen concert.
Q What do you think of gas braais?Hate them. There is de� nitely no art to
braaiing on gas and due to the lack of
wood and smoke, the � avours are bland.
My rules for my Braai Year are to make a
� re and braai on a grid over coals: no
pot, pan, foil or gas. Every day.
Q What is the trickiest thing to braai, and why?
A If you don’t know what you are
doing, everything is tricky. You have to
time everything perfectly to avoid a
piece of charcoaled meat. Chicken is
probably the one domain where most
people go wrong. Too often chicken is
chargrilled on the outside and then still
slimy raw on the inside. Know your heat
and know your meat. And practice.
Q Favourite braai?
A Everything I braai I thoroughly
enjoy – but something I love time and
again is a butter� ied leg of lamb,
perfectly braaied until pink in the
middle. Then serve with all the
Mediterranean trimmings such as
hummus and tzatziki, as well as my
Writer and PR guy Emile Joubert was a � nalist in the Men’s Health Braai King competition, uniquely
qualifying him for this column.
emile
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 65
Emile Jouberthomemade pita breads – also cooked
on the braai. I still believe there is a
guide to braaiing written by the Ancient
Greeks somewhere… I love their work.
Q Wood: the best braai wood.
A I have just come back from
hunting in Namibia where we keep a
huge � re going made from camel-thorn.
This is probably the best braai wood as
the coals remain volcanic for a long
time. But back in the RSA, rooikrans is a
favourite and then if I need to get coals
together quickly for the evening braai,
vine stumps. When using vine stumps,
remember red meat is best braaiied on
Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz stumps,
while Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
is for chicken or � sh.
Q Do you do braaibroodjies: with or without chutney?
A Without, I don’t have a sweet tooth
Q You make your own boerewors. What is the secret to good boerie?
A Today people have the
tendency to go ‘lean’. Boerewors must
have 25% fat in it and must not be
stu� ed in casings that are too thin.
There is never an excuse not to braai. And you can’t have a good braai with substandard meat.
Lise Beyers is Editor of the Paarl Post, The Voice of Drakenstein,
and an unrepentant devotee of the humble braai.
lise
Turn to pg66 for a recipe from Madam Braai
Q We are into the second half of the year. Has the Braai-a-Day regimen been hard?
A I thought I would throw in
the towel after day 100, mainly
due to the limited time I have,
being a full-time journalist. But now
I’ve passed the 200 day mark.
The onlydi� cult times really have
been the few days where I knew
I would have to attend a function
straight after work. Then I’d light
the � re at 6am and braai
something before going to work.
It is actually perfect – during the
summer you sit outside
enjoying the beautiful
evenings, and now in the
winter I sit next to a
roaring � re.
Q What have you learned through it all?
A There is never an excuse
not to braai. And you
can’t have a good braai
with substandard meat.
That is why the most intimate
relationship that I have, apart
from the one with my dog,
is with my butcher.
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1466
Tuisnywerheid
INGREDIENTS:1 butter� ied leg of lamb (+/- 2 kgs)¾ cup olive oil½ cup red wine½ cup balsamic vinegar3 tbs each: freshly chopped rosemary and thyme4 anchovies1 Tbsp Worcester sauce6 cloves of garlicFreshly ground salt and pepper
METHOD:Place herbs, anchovies and garlic in a pestle and mortar and grind until it forms a paste. Then blend this paste together with the rest of the ingredients until well mixed. Slash the leg of lamb on the fat side a few times with a very sharp knife. Then place it in a large enough plastic bag and pour the marinade over the meat. With clean hands rub the marinade well into the lamb. Refrigerate for at least a few hours but preferably overnight. Now for the braaiing: You are going to need pretty hot coals. This isn’t a lazy braai, because you are going to have to turn the meat regularly and keep basting it with the marinade. After half an hour over the coals, remove the meat from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. It should be perfectly medium pink on the inside. I serve the lamb with freshly baked pita breads, hummus, tahini and a simple Greek salad.
reci
pere
cipe
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
An old favourite when I have a few people around and I want to impress them around the braai is a well marinated deboned leg of lamb.
Marinated leg of lambServes 6 to 8
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1466
Tuisnywerheid
INGREDIENTS:1 butter� ied leg of lamb (+/- 2 kgs)¾ cup olive oil½ cup red wine½ cup balsamic vinegar3 tbs each: freshly chopped rosemary and thyme4 anchovies1 Tbsp Worcester sauce6 cloves of garlicFreshly ground salt and pepper
METHOD:Place herbs, anchovies and garlic in a pestle and mortar and grind until it forms a paste. Then blend this paste together with the rest of the ingredients until well mixed. Slash the leg of lamb on the fat side a few times with a very sharp knife. Then place it in a large enough plastic bag and pour the marinade over the meat. With clean hands rub the marinade well into the lamb. Refrigerate for at least a few hours but preferably overnight. Now for the braaiing: You are going to need pretty hot coals. This isn’t a lazy braai, because you are going to have to turn the meat regularly and keep basting it with the marinade. After half an hour over the coals, remove the meat from the heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. It should be perfectly medium pink on the inside. I serve the lamb with freshly baked pita breads, hummus, tahini and a simple Greek salad.
reci
pere
cipe
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
GO TO ‘IN THE BASKET’ ON PG71 FOR YOUR FULL GROCERY LIST
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
An old favourite when I have a few people around and I want to impress them around the braai is a well marinated deboned leg of lamb.
Marinated leg of lambServes 6 to 8
ARA whisky advert 210x275 18/11/11 12:34 Page 1
Composite
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1468
Rosé-tinted glasses: the case for pink drinksSummer cocktails – serve them with verve
Stock standard: cellars, fridges, racks or boxes?
what to look out for next issue
brought to you by www.topsatspar.co.za
Congratulations to all of last issue’s winners
NOAH DVD S.E. Denton, Deneysville
NOW67CD WINNER:Heidi Badenhorst, Universitas
GOURMET SAFARI BOOK WINNERS:1. Sihle Ngubane, Pietermaritzburg
2. Shirley van Rensburg, Roodepoort
GLENMORANGIE DISCOVERY HAMPER WINNERS:
1. Beverley de Beer, Amanzimtoti2. Anne Ford, Woodstock
3. Douglas Ainslie, Northwold enjoy your spoils!
NOAH DVD NOAH DVD NOAH DVD
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 1468
Rosé-tinted glasses: the case for pink drinksSummer cocktails – serve them with verve
Stock standard: cellars, fridges, racks or boxes?
what to look out for next issue
brought to you by www.topsatspar.co.za
Congratulations to all of last issue’s winners
NOAH DVD S.E. Denton, Deneysville
NOW67CD WINNER:Heidi Badenhorst, Universitas
GOURMET SAFARI BOOK WINNERS:1. Sihle Ngubane, Pietermaritzburg
2. Shirley van Rensburg, Roodepoort
GLENMORANGIE DISCOVERY HAMPER WINNERS:
1. Beverley de Beer, Amanzimtoti2. Anne Ford, Woodstock
3. Douglas Ainslie, Northwold enjoy your spoils!
NOAH DVD NOAH DVD NOAH DVD
69Sep|Oct 2013 Vol 08 www.topsatspar.co.za
Highland Park Gift Collections
Go to www.facebook.com/CheersMag, SHARE
the Cheers Facebook page and double
your chance of winning!
how to enter By entering you stand a chance to win one of three Highland Park Gift Collections.
1st Winner: Highland Park 12 year old, Highland Park 18 year old &Highland Park Dark Origins (limited release) valued at R 3200
2nd Winner: Highland Park 18 year old - R13593rd Winner: Highland Park 12 year old - R500
Send an email with the subject line Cheers Highland Park Giveaway containing your name, ID number, physical address (not a P.O. Box please!), name of the TOPS at
SPAR store at which you made any purchase from and the till slip number, along with a contact telephone number to qualify for the random draw
to [email protected]. SEE T&C’S ON PG 2
Stand a chance to win one of three Highland Park
gift collections.Highland Park 12 year old, Highland Park 18 year old &
Highland Park Dark Origins (limited release) valued at R 3200Highland Park 18 year old - R1359
Stand a chance to win Highland ParkHighland ParkHighland ParkHighland ParkHighland ParkHighland ParkHighland Park
gift collections.
win
Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Drink Responsibly.
Dark Origins is the latest whisky to join the historic and much awarded Highland Park range. One of the most isolated distilleries in Scotland, Highland Park was established in 1798 on Orkney, a chain
of islands in the Outer Hebrides. Five keystones make Highland Park distinctive: hand-turned malt, aromatic peat, cool maturation, use of sherry oak casks and a final cask harmonisation process, making for
a rich, smooth and unique whisky, named Best Spirit in the World more than once.
Grocery list
All ‘in the basket’ items are available at your nearest TOPS at SPAR and SPAR outlets. See www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.zaand SPAR outlets. See www.topsatspar.co.za and www.spar.co.za
Your complete list of ingredients for all the recipes in this issue.in the basket
Call the TOPS HOTLINE0860 313 141
Available at TOPS at SPAR and
SPAR stores
TOPS at SPAR
GroceriesAvailable from TOPS at SPARLiquor
250ml white wine
125ml red wine
15ml ginger syrup
30ml Scotch whisky
15ml peated whisky
Available from SPARDried Spices/Herbs/Stock
¼ tsp chilli � akes
¼ tsp salt
½ - 1 tsp salt
pinch cinnamon
Fresh Fruit/Veg/Herbs/Spices1kg tomatoes
500g red onions
1 brown onion
2 spring onion
1 shallot
50g fresh peas
50g sugar snaps
½ bunch English spinach leaves
1 pack of celery
150g rocket
10 Asparagus tips
6 radishes
250g wild mushrooms
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 limes
2 lemons
100g strawberries
100g raspberries
1 fennel bulb
4 sprigs of rosemary
3 sprigs of thyme
30g micro herbs
1 long red chilli
12 garlic cloves
2 handfuls � at-leafed parsley
3 sticks of fresh ginger
piece lemon grass
1cm piece ginger
Cans/Jars/Bottles/Cartons 1 x 397g tin condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
90ml lemon curd
15ml ginger paste
150ml white vinegar
20ml red wine vinegar
125ml balsamic vinegar
60 ml strawberry juice
370ml olive oil
1 bottle honey
1 jar of berry jam
30ml tomato paste
30ml chutney
45ml Worcestershire sauce
20ml soya sauce
German style mustard
4 anchovies
Baking/Dry goods1 large ciabatta
400g white sugar
250g castor sugar
375g plain � our
90g self-raising � our
15ml active dry yeast
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
100ml oats
20ml white sesame seeds
500ml � aked almonds
2 gelatine leaves
20ml rose syrup
Dairy2l cream
250ml milk
150ml buttermilk
250ml coconut
280g butter
150g thickened cream
24 eggs
35g Parmesan cheese
1 tub fresh ricotta
1 block of mature cheddar
Meat/Fish/Poultry300g steak
1 butter� ied leg of lamb (+/- 2 kgs)
600g chicken mince
1kg mussels
14 prawns
Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14 www.topsatspar.co.za 71
72
Loopdop
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
gerri
t
Sewe vir die prys van eenAl wat van inryteaters oorgebly het, is die heimwee en nostalgie...
Les bly nou al ’n hele klompie jare
in Sydney, Australië, maar het
besluit om sy 40ste matriek-reünie
van Ou Hoër in Rustenburg by te woon.
Hy kon nie wag om van die ou pelle
weer te sien nie. Hulle was ’n groep van
sewe wat altyd saam aangejaag het.
Hy het met die ou Johannesburg-pad
gery en besef alles lyk anders. Selfs die
buitelyne van die Magaliesberge. Soos hy
Rustenburg inkom, sien hy die ikoniese ou
Maanlig-inry is nie meer nie. Daar is net ’n
groot Mall en meenthuise. En ’n leemte...
Met heimwee dink hy terug aan die
keer wat hy en sy ses pelle sy ma se grys
dubbelkajuit-kombi Maanlig toe gevat het.
Dit was in die eindeksamen van matriek
en hulle het die tyd uitgekoop. Want
binnekort spat hulle vir altyd uitmekaar.
Geld was skaars en hulle het al hul
sakgeld vir ’n kas bier gebruik. Nou, die
kombi het ’n groot spasie, soos ’n
geheime ekstra plat kattebak agterin
gehad waarin jy waardevolle dinge kon
toesluit. Soos ’n kas bier, kampstoele en
ses pelle. Hulle werk met ’n plan.
Grootmeneer ry Les en gaan staan
dus man-alleen in die ry karre. Die kombi
was lekker hoog en Les kon so afkyk na
Dawie, die kaartjiesverkoper. Dawie was
in Bergsig wat die vyandskool was. Was
lekker om van so hoog af neer te kyk op
die vyand. Dawie was kort en het baie
laag in die klein kaartjiekantoortjie gesit.
Die plek was omtrent so breed soos ’n
tuinstoel. Hy het opgestaan op sy tone
om oor die rant van die venster te
bespied of daar nie iemand onder ’n
kombers wegkruip nie.
“Een kaartjie asseblief,” het Les
gevra. Dis besonders dat Dawie nie
verdag geraak het oor een skoolseun
alleen in ’n hele kombi nie. Tevrede
met wat hy gesien het, het hy
teruggesak in sy wit plastiek-tuinstoel en
’n kaartjie van so groot rol afgeskeur.
“Een... 65 sent asseblief.”
Les het ’n hand vol koper oorhandig.
Dis ses leë bottels se geld. Met die
wegtrek was hy dankbaar vir die
Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.
Freelance writer Gerrit Rautenbach is a man who knows how to spin a yarn, having been the editor of
Mooiloop and Wegbreek magazines.
FORO TOPS at SPAR Kinni and Nkoketseng Rangaka are the Owners at the FORO TOPS at SPAR
Address: FORO MALL,3602 Monareng Street,Tlhabane,0309 Tel: (014) 565 3495 Email: [email protected]
Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon - Fri: 09h00 - 20h00, Sat: 08h00 - 17h00 & Sun: Closed. SUPERSPAR Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00. Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00.
kinn
i &
nkok
etse
nf
grysklippers wat so lekker onder die
bande kraak en die ouens in die
geheime bak se lag toesmeer.
In die heel agterste ry is die kombi
met die gatkant doek toe geparkeer.
Met die oopmaak van die geheime
kattebak lyk die ses ouens of hulle
gestort het. ’n Someraand in
Rustenburg koel af tot so 28 – 30 grade
en die bak was stofdig. Én hul lêplek
was reg langs die enjin... Maar die
biere in die koelboks was yskoud.
Met die 30ste reünie 10 jaar tevore
het Les ook sommer by sy neef gaan
jag in Groblersdal. Hulle word genooi
vir tee saam met ’n klompie oud-
Rustenburgers. Daar aangekom besef
hy hy ken niemand nie. Tot ene Dawie
noem hy was die kaartjiemeester by
die Maanlig-inry.
Biegtyd het Les besluit, gelag en
vertel. Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop
geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.
“Ai, as Maanlig nog daar was sou ek
hulle graag 6 x 65c wou gee. Selfs 6 x
R65,” sê Les vir homself terwyl hy verbyry.
“Maar die Maanlig is nie meer nie...”
Gerrit Rautenbach
72
Loopdop
www.topsatspar.co.za Sep|Oct 2014 Vol 14
gerri
t
Sewe vir die prys van eenAl wat van inryteaters oorgebly het, is die heimwee en nostalgie...
Les bly nou al ’n hele klompie jare
in Sydney, Australië, maar het
besluit om sy 40ste matriek-reünie
van Ou Hoër in Rustenburg by te woon.
Hy kon nie wag om van die ou pelle
weer te sien nie. Hulle was ’n groep van
sewe wat altyd saam aangejaag het.
Hy het met die ou Johannesburg-pad
gery en besef alles lyk anders. Selfs die
buitelyne van die Magaliesberge. Soos hy
Rustenburg inkom, sien hy die ikoniese ou
Maanlig-inry is nie meer nie. Daar is net ’n
groot Mall en meenthuise. En ’n leemte...
Met heimwee dink hy terug aan die
keer wat hy en sy ses pelle sy ma se grys
dubbelkajuit-kombi Maanlig toe gevat het.
Dit was in die eindeksamen van matriek
en hulle het die tyd uitgekoop. Want
binnekort spat hulle vir altyd uitmekaar.
Geld was skaars en hulle het al hul
sakgeld vir ’n kas bier gebruik. Nou, die
kombi het ’n groot spasie, soos ’n
geheime ekstra plat kattebak agterin
gehad waarin jy waardevolle dinge kon
toesluit. Soos ’n kas bier, kampstoele en
ses pelle. Hulle werk met ’n plan.
Grootmeneer ry Les en gaan staan
dus man-alleen in die ry karre. Die kombi
was lekker hoog en Les kon so afkyk na
Dawie, die kaartjiesverkoper. Dawie was
in Bergsig wat die vyandskool was. Was
lekker om van so hoog af neer te kyk op
die vyand. Dawie was kort en het baie
laag in die klein kaartjiekantoortjie gesit.
Die plek was omtrent so breed soos ’n
tuinstoel. Hy het opgestaan op sy tone
om oor die rant van die venster te
bespied of daar nie iemand onder ’n
kombers wegkruip nie.
“Een kaartjie asseblief,” het Les
gevra. Dis besonders dat Dawie nie
verdag geraak het oor een skoolseun
alleen in ’n hele kombi nie. Tevrede
met wat hy gesien het, het hy
teruggesak in sy wit plastiek-tuinstoel en
’n kaartjie van so groot rol afgeskeur.
“Een... 65 sent asseblief.”
Les het ’n hand vol koper oorhandig.
Dis ses leë bottels se geld. Met die
wegtrek was hy dankbaar vir die
Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.
Freelance writer Gerrit Rautenbach is a man who knows how to spin a yarn, having been the editor of
Mooiloop and Wegbreek magazines.
FORO TOPS at SPAR Kinni and Nkoketseng Rangaka are the Owners at the FORO TOPS at SPAR
Address: FORO MALL,3602 Monareng Street,Tlhabane,0309 Tel: (014) 565 3495 Email: [email protected]
Business Hours: TOPS at SPAR Mon - Fri: 09h00 - 20h00, Sat: 08h00 - 17h00 & Sun: Closed. SUPERSPAR Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00. Mon - Sat: 07h15 - 20h30, Sun: 08h00 - 20h00.
kinn
i &
nkok
etse
nf
grysklippers wat so lekker onder die
bande kraak en die ouens in die
geheime bak se lag toesmeer.
In die heel agterste ry is die kombi
met die gatkant doek toe geparkeer.
Met die oopmaak van die geheime
kattebak lyk die ses ouens of hulle
gestort het. ’n Someraand in
Rustenburg koel af tot so 28 – 30 grade
en die bak was stofdig. Én hul lêplek
was reg langs die enjin... Maar die
biere in die koelboks was yskoud.
Met die 30ste reünie 10 jaar tevore
het Les ook sommer by sy neef gaan
jag in Groblersdal. Hulle word genooi
vir tee saam met ’n klompie oud-
Rustenburgers. Daar aangekom besef
hy hy ken niemand nie. Tot ene Dawie
noem hy was die kaartjiemeester by
die Maanlig-inry.
Biegtyd het Les besluit, gelag en
vertel. Groot fout. Dawie het net sy kop
geskud. Totaal de donner in na 30 jaar.
“Ai, as Maanlig nog daar was sou ek
hulle graag 6 x 65c wou gee. Selfs 6 x
R65,” sê Les vir homself terwyl hy verbyry.
“Maar die Maanlig is nie meer nie...”
Gerrit Rautenbach
Enjoy Responsibly. Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.
buy our winemaster’s reserve
fit for a masterchef.le creuset ramekin setgift set receive a complimentary
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