Too few cooks to spoil the broth

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Two fairly experienced cooks, a brand-new test kitchen, recipes by an award-winning chef, fabulous ingredients, fantastic wine to match, and six hungry colleagues. How could it not be a success?

Let's start at the beginning... Kleine Zalze wine estate in Stellenbosch is recruiting wine ambassadors (see details below) and the Eat In team decided to join in the fun. We love wine (perhaps more than most people), and we love to cook (definitely more than most people), and would make fabulous wine ambassadors. So we decided to take up the challenge of doing a proper food and wine pairing - well documented and in full view of the camera.
The cooks? Myself (new editor on the Eat In block) and my able-bodied web-editor sidekick, Malu Lambert. The venue? Our lovely in-house test kitchen and photographic studio. The other ingredients? A recipe from Terroir's Michael Broughton, wine from Kleine Zalze, bags full of beautiful produce from Woolworths, Melissa's and Giovanni's - and six willing Eat In team members. Read more

Do you know this kitchen tool?
Identify it correctly by searching www.yuppiechef.co.za, and you could win a R250 Yuppiechef gift card.
Nice hey? Enter here.

Comfort (Quivertree Publications) by Tina Bester is said to offer recipes the equivalent of a lovely long hug. Three lucky Eat In readers stand the chance to win this book. Enter here.

Three lucky Eat In readers stand the chance to become Kleine Zalze Wine Ambassadors and to win some amazing prizes. Find out more.

Going like a Boeing
Renowned KZN wine producer Stables Wine Estate recently opened its own cellar at Durban's spanking new King Shaka International Airport.

Veggies rule!
Cape Town is the first African city to jump on the international Meat-free Mondays bandwagon.

Amarula is ayoba!
In celebration of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Amarula has created a three-in-one soccer shooter called AmaShibobo.

• Always make sure your pan is smoking hot before the steak goes in.
• Oil the steak and not the pan. Rub olive oil into the cut of meat, making sure it's well covered.
• Once the steak has hit the pan, don't touch it until you need to turn it.
• Don't cook more than two steaks at once; this will cause the temperature of the pan to drop.
• Let the steak rest for about three minutes under tin foil before serving to allow the juices to draw back into the steak. Pour the remaining juices over the steak before serving.

• Blue: One minute on each side
• Rare: 1½ minutes one each side
• Medium rare: Two minutes on each side
• Medium: 2¼ minutes on each side
• Medium-well done: 2½ to 3 minutes one each side.

Wine and Dine Stellenbosch-style
Now in its ninth year, the annual Stellenbosch Wine festival will take place from 1 to 5 July. If good wine, music, and picnics are your thing, you won't want to miss it.

Bastille day celebrates freedom
When Franschhoek commemorates the 20th anniversary of Mr Mandela's release from prison, locals and visitors can also join in the Bastille Festival celebrations as it celebrates its centuries-old French Huguenot heritage on 17 and 18 July.

Breedekloof Soetes and Soup Winter Weekend
Soup lovers can look forward to the highly anticipated Breedekloof Soetes & Soup event, which will take place on 23 July and 24 July. What better way to warm up this winter than to enjoy a weekend filled with home-made country soups and great entertainment?

Prawns in Komatipoort
If you're crazy about competitions, live South African entertainment, food and beer, then you should head to the Komatipoort Prawn Festival, which will be held from 24 to 26 June.