You’re either one of those people who buys into the whole Valentine’s thing or absolutely loathes it and all it’s attendant commercial hype. I’m somewhere in between.
I’m up for any special occasion and when it involves food, flowers and romance, well I’m a bit of a sucker. But then there’s the part when you feel it’s all staged - too forced, too obvious – like the ‘must have a good time’ pressure of a matric dance or New Years Eve party.
One way of getting around much of the negative is to stay IN rather than go out. Sometimes we cook, sometimes we order in but we avoid the table for 2 restaurant thing like the plague.
I got to thinking about what to cook for on Feb. 14 this month and what with Eskom’s less than stellar delivery I think raw food might be the way to go.
Other than the obvious oysters and perhaps sushi the most sensual starter I know is the Thai dish, Meang Khum.
It really is a feast for the senses, the pure strong flavours of garlic, lemongrass, chilli, lemon and ginger, among others, rolled in raw spinach leaves and popped into your mouth. If you’ve never tried it, trust me, it’s a heady explosion of flavours that will make the most perfect Valentine mouthful. After that, keep it simple, perhaps a bowl of noodles (hopefully you have a gas hob) studded with the odd prawn, loads of bubbly and the ice cream eaten straight from the tub…well that’s what we’re gonna do .
On that note have a wonderful February and a scintillating Valentines day…
Justine |
Meang khum
 Ingredients:
Finely chop equal quantities of ginger, garlic, lemon grass, lemon flesh, chilli, toasted peanuts and/or coconut and place in bowls
Remove white stalk from spinach leaves.
Pour Asian plum sauce into a bowl
How to eat it:
Place a spinach leaf in the palm of your hand
Sprinkle a bit of each ingredient into the leaf
Drizzle with plum sauce
Roll up and pop the WHOLE parcel into your mouth
Go to our Recipe and Fresh ideas sections for more fabulous ways to cook up a storm. |
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Cape Country Picnic Festival - 22-24 February 2008
This year's festival takes place at the beautiful Bien Donne Farm in Simondium.
Read more… |
Cuvées Classiques Champagne tasting - 26-28 February 2008
The next Cuvées Classiques Champagne tasting will take place at the Palms Decor and Lifestyle Centre in Woodstock, Cape Town and will focus on Bland de Blancs.
Read more… |
Taste of Cape Town 2008
If you love eating out al fresco style and fancy sampling the fare of 16 of Cape Town’s top restaurants, get along to Taste of Cape Town from the 3rd to the 6th of April 2008. The festival, which promises to be the most exciting food and drink event of the year, has rounded up some of the cities most talented chefs who will personally prepare and serve up sample sizes of their signature dishes.
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 green goddess
In this day and age, once you’ve distinguished yourself as a domestic goddess, there’s only one way to go – green.
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 Cupids Pick
We’ve had to go a little cheesy and soppy - it’s Valentines Day soon and however much we say we don’t believe in Cupids arrow, we all like to be treated like a princess for a day - or a Prince for that matter!! Here are some great ideas:
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 Fall in love with Simonsig... & win more than her heart on Valentine's Day!
Make your way to this legendary cellar for on-the-spot exuberance and revel in the refreshing taste of three luscious oysters and a flute of sparkling Simonsig Brut Rosé for only R30. And should you visit Simonsig prior to or on Valentine’s Day, you’ll be entered into a lucky draw and stand the chance of winning six bottles of Simonsig Brut Rosé.
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Create memories with a special Picnic this Valentine's Day
Dial-a-Picnic is once again helping Capetonians to create memorable experiences this Valentines Day.
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Taking him out
Eating In is more our thing but if you doubt wether he will do the cooking on Valentines Day (and you are not in the mood) then taking him out might just be your best bet. Our sister-website Eat Out has some sterling suggestions on how to treat your loved ones to some decadent dining this Valentine's Day.
Read more… |
New “roast-to-order” coffee at Casalinga Ristorante Italiano
The first “in-restaurant” coffee roastery was launched at the Casalinga Ristorante Italiano in Muldersdrift recently. The Green Bean African Coffee Roastery is one of very few “direct-to-consumer” coffee roasteries in Gauteng, which aims to bring the finest, “roast-to-order” coffee to South African consumers, “while they wait”…
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Diploma in Food Studies - a first for South Africa
Rebecca Hurst, Head of The Culinary Academy situated on the Backsberg Wine Estate near Paarl in the Western Cape, has announced yet another first for the Hospitality industry, the launch of the Academy’s Diploma in Food Studies programme. This exciting programme was developed by The Culinary Academy’s team for the local as well as international market.
Read more… |
Parmalat launches yumchums Fortified
With the launch of yumchums Fortified Parmalat has taken another step to ensure that children get their daily vitamin and mineral requirements packed into food that’s fun.
Read more...
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 We have two very yummy giveaways for both our Johannesburg and Cape Town readers this month:
For the Jo’burg crowd:
One of our regional winners for Outstanding Outlet (Northern region), Tapenade Olive Shop is giving away an Olive Hamper to one lucky reader. The hamper includes:
Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250ml, Olyven Houdt Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250ml, Morgenster Green Nocellara olives & NoMU Tomato & Chilli Stir.
TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION SEND AN EMAIL TO eatin.web@newmediapub.co.za WITH “TAPENADE” in the subject line.
About Tapenade Olive Shop: This award winning shop – situated in Cresta Shopping Centre, Randburg - is where here everything that has everything to do with olives comes together: the best South African extra virgin olive oils, olives in any form imaginable, beauty products based on olive oil and much more.
Go to http://www.tapenade.co.za for more. |
 For you Southerners:
Another Eat In Outstanding Outlet winner, Main Ingredient, is giving away a food hamper to one lucky Capetonian. The hamper includes: a gift pack from Chefs@Work
(a jar of Cape Figs in Balsamic Syrup, packed with a white china bowl and matching spoon), together with a bottle of Protea Hill Farm's award winning Balsamic Raspberry Vinegar.
TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION SEND AN EMAIL TO eatin.web@newmediapub.co.za WITH “MAIN INGREDIENT” in the subject line.
About Main Ingredient: If you love food, living in South Africa can sometimes be a challenge. We don’t yet have access to all the exciting ingredients and products that we all see in recipe books or on the food programmes. But things are changing. Main Ingredient was set up to fulfil that need - to find the best and most unusual ingredients customers were looking for and put them in one shop.
Go to www.eat-in.co.za for more. |
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