Celebrations and Love this Valentine’s Day

Yesterday I walked past colourful Valentine’s Day decorations in my local shopping centre. It’s quite a shock to the system to get rid of the festive feel of a few weeks ago, just to get into the new spirit of “Love is in the Air”!

However, some people take it more seriously than others. A young couple who walked passed me could not hide their affection for each other, while another young couple was looking at carefully crafted gemstones in one of the heavily-decorated-with-hearts-and-red jewellery stores.

Although I have been married to the same wonderful man for nearly ten years, Valentine’s Day always had been one of my favourite days of celebration. Although very much impossible, my idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day is to turn back the clock to a time where I can spend my day wafting around a country garden, having a picnic between lavender and listening to Norah Jones’s “Come away with me”. Okay, a bit unrealistic perhaps, but still perfect in my mind!

For others, Valentine’s Day has a totally different meaning and they can come up with many (sometimes valid!) reasons why this day is foolish and totally futile – overcrowded restaurants, artificial affection, and the sudden longing to be single after looking at the prices of a simple Hallmark Valentine’s Day card (also heavily decorated, almost an art project!)

Having said that, this day can be turned into a day of fun, embrace and laughter. In today’s already complicated existence, it can have many positive outcomes altogether. To think… even if Valentine’s Day will give you and your “Valentine” a chance to communicate over a deliciously prepared dinner in today’s hurried life – after all, conversation is the simple but powerful act that leads to connection at the end of the day – isn’t that something that we can all embrace and what Valentine’s Day should portray?

At Grande Provence we try to set the scene and create an ambience for you to connect with your loved one – in your own unique way.

Our Valentine’s Day menu is specially put together to honour our guests by treating them to a truly fantastic meal. The setting is an elegant and intimate – with indoor and outdoor seating – depending on the weather. For any romantic setting – the flickering of candles are a must – not to mention the dried apricot and cream aromas of a Grande Provence Viognier Chenin Blanc – a perfect match for many dishes on the Valentine’s Day menu!

Please join us for a truly special day.

Book a table by either calling us, or email.

Barbara at (021) 876 8600 or

reservations@grandeprovence.co.za

The perfect poached Egg!

I always enjoy a good poached egg. Problem:  Mine is usually not very “good” or “poached” with no silky firm whites and runny warm yolks in sight!

In my pursuit to create a decent poached egg, I collected quite a few recipes and kitchen utensils in the past. Unfortunately all very disappointing.   My attempts never look like the picture, and the special little pan I bought, was the worst attempt of all!

Grande Provence Heritage Estate Chef – Darren Badenhorst – explained  the secret to success when it comes to the “perfect poached egg!”

A poached egg is actually a very simple thing to make, as long as your ingredients and method is correct.

Firstly, you must have a pot big enough to hold the egg and have space around it and deep enough to submerge it.

Fill it with water and about 50ml of white vinegar, a pinch of salt then bring to a simmer.

Using the freshest eggs you can find, crack the egg into a tea cup, taking care not to break the egg itself.

Take a large spoon and swirl the water in circles until a whirl pool forms in the middle.

Next carefully drop the egg into the middle off the water.

The water will slow down and the egg will be firm enough to remove from the water after 3-4minutes for soft poached. 5-7 medium and 8-10 hard poached.

Note- if you are doing a large amount of poached eggs and want to serve them at the same time, simply cook your poached eggs until soft poached then remove and place in an ice bath of cold water to stop the cooking process. Cook the rest of the eggs doing the same thing and when you are ready to serve simply pop them back into the hot water( still water) to reheat.

Good luck and enjoy!

Christmas Storage Tips

By Karien van Heeren  and Storage Tips by Chef Darren Badenhorst.

Is it only me, or is Christmas approaching fast?  Even the shopping mall starts to look and smell different!  It smells like tree decorations and sweet blends of fruit cake and liqueur.  Not that I am complaining….  Then the vast numbers of people who  appear out of nowhere – clearly on a mission to start the big “shopping” now  to miss the Christmas rush later.

I decided to bite the bullet, and just go with the (massive) flow this year.  Last year I also tried the “lets-buy-everything-in-November-plan” which turned out to be a total disaster, only to find myself back in the shops two weeks later, not to mention the two kilograms I gained as I sadly ate all the beautifully wrapped Lindt chocolate balls – supposed to be Christmas table decorations!

Not again!

Doesn’t matter your age, gender or culture – food is always a big point of discussion when the Festive Season is approaching.  My neighbour – for example – is putting together a three-page menu for his Christmas lunch.  He obviously likes the saying “go big or go home”….!

I thought it would be a good idea to ask our Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Grande Provence  for some Culinary Tips.  Specifically on food storage!  I always find my fridge to be an absolute disaster after Christmas – with the gentle reminder that New Year is around the corner…. more lists and planning!  On a more serious note – to waste food is really not very “festive” in today’s times anyway.

Storage is something that often goes by without much attention paid to it.  It is vital to the health and hygiene of your food and therefore for your family.  Various food items are stored in different ways depending on their protein content, shelf life and what the optimum temperatures for storage are.  The first step that needs to be taken is to ensure that whatever you are storing, in and out of the refrigerator, is covered adequately, and is labelled with a date so you know how long it has been stored for.  Furthermore, a food product’s shelf life and storage time will vary if it is cooked or raw.  Always take note when purchasing fresh and frozen foods of the “use by date” , “sell be date” and “best before date” These are put there for a reason, so never purchase after these guided dates – they are not stating that if you eat something after this recommended date you will become ill, but they do give you the optimum times for consumers and the earlier the product is purchased before the guided date means the shelf life and storage is prolonged for you home usage.

Furthermore there here a couple of helpful tips when storing food.

◾First In, First Out (FIFO) means rotating your storage with the newest products at the back and older at the front

◾Cooler is better for refrigerated products

◾Drier is better for cupboard stored goods

◾Less oxygen exposure means more shelf life so cover up

◾Don’t shed direct sunlight light on your food, sunlight aids in the breakdown of proteins and the growth of micro organisms.

Here are various temperatures for storing fresh and frozen food products and their storage life. Follow the link.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/FreezerChart.htm

Happy planning!

Guilty Pleasures

Today was one of those days where I could not stop thinking about food.

I made the further mistake to spend some time in the Grande Provence kitchen, and the mouth watering fresh salads, succulent meat dishes  and decadent puddings  gave my brain the wrong signal that I was “hungry”! Highly unlikely, as my “not-long-ago” breakfast consisted out of whole wheat bread, fresh salmon with cream cheese and finely cut spring onion.  a Good square meal that should be brain and body fuel for at least a good couple of hours!  Well, not today..

At 11:00, that tiny voice – like a little devil on my shoulder – started harassing me again, and reminded me of the Karoo lamb chops in the fridge – begging to be cooked and smothered in honey and mustard.  As if that was not enough, I was also reminded of the Red Wine chocolate cake in the house.  I jumped up to get rid of the little creature on my shoulder.   He was holding on for dear life!  Needless to say, the lamb chops really hit the “spot” that never existed in the first place.  Talking about guilty pleasures..  did I mention the Red wine Chocolate Cake?

Herewith the recipe for that very special cake – I thought this Moist Chocolate cake is also appropriate as Grande Provence has a world class selection of Wine, and our Angels Tears “Red” is really working well.

ENJOY!

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

 3/4 cup (179 grams) dark brown sugar

 1/4 cup (50 grams) white granulated sugar

 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

 3/4 cup (177 ml) red wine- Angels Tears Red is working well -

 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (133 grams) all-purpose flour

 1/2 cup (41 grams) Cocoa powder

 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 1/4 teaspoon table salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Topping

 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

 1/2 cup (118 grams) chilled heavy or whipping cream

 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar

 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F or 160.C Line the bottom of a 23cm round cake pan with parchment, and either butter and lightly flour the parchment and exposed sides of the pan, or spray the interior with a nonstick spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat well, then the red wine and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, right over your wet ingredients. Mix until 3/4 combined, then fold the rest together with a rubber spatula. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake should be shiny and smooth, like a puddle of chocolate. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 minutes, then flip out of pan and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack. This cake keeps well at room temperature or in the fridge. It looks pretty dusted with powdered sugar.

Make the topping: Whip mascarpone, cream, sugar and vanilla together until soft peaks form — don’t over whip.  Dollop generously on each slice of cake. It can also be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

This recipe is from the well-known www.smittenkitchen.com website.

Don’t miss Foodie Friday next week for one of our own Chef Darren’s recipe’s!

Delightful Food & Wine Evenings- Westcliff and Junipa’s

WRITTEN BY ANGELA JOYNER

Grande Provence wines continue to be enjoyed and collected nationally and internationally. In August we treated Johannesburg wine lovers to two incredible dinners where they could enjoy our delicious wines paired with outstanding food at locations that complement the elegant reputation that Grande Provence wines have. As Brand Ambassador, I hosted two wine events – one at The Westcliff Hotel in Parktown and the other at Junipas in Bryanston.

The Westcliff was a perfect venue to showcase our elegant Grande Provence wines. The hotel has an incredible view from the terrace of their restaurant, La Belle Terrasse. Guests arrived in time to enjoy a glass of crisp Angels Tears wine and watch the sun set over the city before they were welcomed inside to enjoy a delicious four course meal expertly prepared by chef Klaus Beckmann. A bisque of Jerusalem Artichokes and Lobster Croquette were paired with Grande Provence Chardonnay 2010, Mushroom Ravioli on Wild Mushroom Ragout and Truffle Fond with the Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Slow braised Rump of Lamb on Set Green Herb Jus, Kidney, Legumes, Mint and Yuzu Jelly with the Grande Provence Shiraz 2008 and a delicious dessert – Black Angels Tears in Three Flavours paired perfectly with the Grande Provence Pinot Noir 2010.

Junipas is a well known coffee bistro in the heart of Bryanston. A favourite breakfast choice by day and a vibey eat out place at night; the restaurant has a contemporary and classy ambience that pairs perfectly with Grande Provence wines. Diners were welcomed by the sounds of jazz and an inviting menu prepared by the culinary expert JeanPierre Smith. JeanPierre surprised the guests with his creativity and prepared a delicious meal including Beetroot Carpaccio with Strawberry Glaze, Szechuan Orange Salad and Sunflower Shoots paired with the Grande Provence Sauvignon Blanc, Pink Peppercorn Brioche with Passion fruit Salmon Tartar with the Grande Provence Pinot Noir, Citrus Beurre blanc Chardonnay Beef fillet, braised red cabbage, crispy sweet potatoes, blackberry and pine nut jus paired with the Grande Provence Shiraz. Vegetarians had the option of Wild Mushroom Ragout, Red Cabbage and Blackberry Strudel also paired with the Grande Provence Shiraz.

These are just two of the wine and culinary evenings we have presented and intend doing more in the coming months across the country so look out for updates on our website, Facebook and Twitter.

My winter’s Birthday at the Owner’s Cottage at Grande Provence

My winter’s Birthday at the Owner’s Cottage at Grande Provence

I was fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday at the Owner’s Cottage at Grande Provence.

My birthday is in June. How boring. My idea of having a fun day is a day at the beach, a romantic picnic with my loved one in some beautiful outdoor setting – or basically anything else that involves sunshine!

It is quite upsetting to think that I will have to travel yearly to the Northern Hemisphere to achieve this. I am stuck with a cold June-winter-birthday, and wondered if it’s even possible to have a slightly fun day in these circumstances.  After some thought, I decided to alter my preconceived notions. It would probably be easier as to travel to the Northern Hemisphere anyway.

We approached the Owner’s Cottage. Slowly and carefully. Mainly because my preconceived idea is still fresh in my mind, and secondly I am admittedly worried that we might miss something along the way.  Even for chilly and cold June, the farm looked spectacular. As we first approached the graceful Manor House, colors of orange and brown were blowing softly over our vehicle, birds singing away, obviously not concerned about the outside temperature, and the tranquil waters were flowing calmly – in perfect harmony with the big Koi fish that looked very content! (The expression “Lucky fish” might have just originated from these Koi’s in my opinion…)

On arrival, our room was ready, and a roaring log fire was burning in the Living Room.  We were presented with a whole lot of excursions and things to do, but after careful consideration, relaxing in the conservatory was the option of the moment.  While sipping on my Shiraz, the last sunbeams smiled through the window, and I felt content and definitely not older!

The room smelled of subtle lavender. The crisp white bed linen seemed extra white against the gun metal painted walls. I fell asleep before I could make any further observations.

Breakfast has always been a big event in my life. Not a six o’clock breakfast though.  Something closer to ten!  Almost like a brunch. See, then you don’t have to bother with lunch later.

The Breakfast was spectacular. All my favorite things were there, topped by the smell of roasted coffee beans coming from the kitchen, floating to my nose with ease.

Then I saw it. Standing like a Steinway Grand Piano in an empty room. A decadent rich Chocolate Mousse birthday cake that screams “Eat me now”!  A gesture from Grande Provence to take with me, and enjoy with our family and friends later. (After eating some first!)

So, with my preconceived idea blown of the window, and my weekend bag and chocolate cake securely in hand, I felt satisfied with my reality. Another year ahead, and I felt ready for it.

The Owner’s Cottage now offers a Bed & Breakfast rate!

Please contact 021 876 8600 or email us at reservations@grandeprovence.co.za

A Warm Welcome to Karl Lambour – General Manager and Winemaker at Grande Provence

Making wine is a multi-step process which can span anywhere from six months to several years. However, how often do we stop and think about the very people whose talent and skill is behind making it all happen?

With over a decade of winemaking experience, Karl Lambour has also honed his business skills during his career in order to encapsulate the many facets of management and hospitality.

Career highlights include positions at the Bergkelder, Zevenwacht Wine Estate, Meerendal Wine Estate, Constantia Glen Winery and Holden Manz Wine Estate.

How did you get into Winemaking?

I studied for nine years at Stellenbosch University.  My first degree centred on Forestry.  As a Natal boy I had very little contact with wine and studying forestry only allowed exposure to wine in a limited fashion, mostly at parties.  Nearing the end of my first degree I joined a small group of wine tasters and travelled to different farms every Wednesday afternoon.  The bug bit, and after qualifying and working as a Forestry Scientist for two years I returned to Stellenbosch and completed a degree in Enology and Viticulture.

What are your future ambitions for Grande Provence Estate?

Grande Provence has already fashioned itself as a sophisticated destination for wines, hospitality, fine dining, and interesting art.  My aim is to uphold the superb level of service and to add value in terms of the wines and the experience that we offer guests to the Estate.

Food and wine pairing is big at Grande Provence – what are your favourite winter and your favourite summer food and wine combinations?

Winter, for me, is all about enveloping yourself in richness and warmth and my favourite dishes include generous cuts of beef or duck, richly sauced and paired with foraged wild mushroom risotto.  Paired, as one does in the depth of winter, with our sultry reds – Shiraz, Cabernet and the outstanding Bordeaux-style blend and our flagship wine, The Grande Provence.  In summer my mood lifts and I enjoy the lightness and delicacy of dishes using the Cape’s freshest seafood and farm fresh herbs all served with crisp, cool glasses of our Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Viognier wines.

There is renewed interest in growing more unusual/Old World grape varieties at present – where do you see this going as a trend?

Every dish needs salt and pepper and this is what these wines bring to the industry – spice and interest.  We will always experiment and offer our successful trials as special bottlings to our Wine Club members and visitors to our acclaimed Restaurant.

You are fortunate to have duel skill sets – as a renowned winemaker and also as a high-level manager.  How do you manage to balance both sides of your role?

It is impossible to manage an Estate of such splendour without a dedicated team both in the winery and vineyards and on the hospitality side.  I am privileged to have a young and energetic team that has been in place for some time now and that knows how to ensure a perfect visit for all of our guests, new or returning.

What do you see the future direction being for South Africa’s finest wines?

With the economy as it is, the best way forward for the South African wine industry is to focus on brand development and to ensure continuity in style and quality at a competitive price point.  At Grande Provence this is our mantra too, and we are working on developing our Angels Tears range into new and distinctive markets.

What was your proudest moment/greatest achievement in your career as a winemaker so far?

When a total stranger came up to me and said “Hey, I had your wine last night and it was amazing”.

Personally, what is your favourite wine?

I have a quiet passion for Bordeaux-style blends and Rieslings but will pass on both for a juicy Zinfandel.

What do you do when not at Grande Provence or the winery?

I am gregarious and love spending time with good friends and family usually over a few bottles of good wine and a homemade plate of food.  I am also the one who’ll stop the guide in the game park so that everyone can see the little brown bird sitting in the tree – birding continues to be a hobby of mine.

Grande Provence is proud to have Karl Lambour on board. By conducting my interview with him, I realize that Karl is a man of many talents!