We hope you are well and have been eating some delicious food...if you have, tell us where, or pop us a recipe to sample.
New year...well suppose it’s not so new anymore...but that means new products from us:
Plum sauce – with tamarind, chilli and star anise – a fantastic marinade when combined with red wine. I’ve cooked a lovely lamb roast and chicken dish with it so far. It is also delicious, mixed with Oded’s Kitchen mayo as an original and different dip for prawns or fish.
Apricot and Rosebud jam – a twist on the classic apricot jam with rosebuds, rosewater and we have left some pieces of the apricot pips to give it a subtle, bitter almond flavour
Flavoured butter - so far a garlic butter with black pepper and lemon wrapped in a beautiful display container...almost looks too good to eat...but has to be as its is bloody marvellous! Use it to top steaks, baste fish, Make garlic bread or just spread thinly on toast or bread.
Tapped – a range of bottled, CT, filtered, flavoured tap water. In an attempt to highlight the beautiful taste of our own CT water and to stop people from buying imported bottled water (food miles = bad) we have come up with a range of flavoured waters. Currently we are doing a hibiscus and a second one with lemon. We’ll also give you a refund on your bottle to promote recycling.
There will always be a few new products on the table on Saturdays...lately we have been making a tahini sauce with garlic and it’s great as a dip. We have also been making a sweet pepper, caper and anchovy salad which is great on its own a part of your mezze/tapas platter or serve as topping for braaied fish.
We do a lunch service every day of the week (chorizo hot dogs, steak rolls and our herb omelettes (see recipe below)) and also do the following specials:
Monday – 15% discount on cheese
Tuesday –3 for the price of 2 on olives
Wednesday – Tapas special – buy 4 and pay for 3
Thursday – Lasagna for R20 and savoury strudels 2 for R15
Friday – half price on the sausage and meat range
Cooking classes:
Date: Sunday 20 Feb
Time: 11am – 3pm (depending on cooking time)
Cost: R400
Limited to a max of 7 people – this is a very hands on class where participants will learn how to make some of our products i.e. preserved lemons, a marmalade (something seasonal) and a three tomato salsa. If time permits we may try and squeeze a pickle in.
Participants will get to take home whatever they make in the class and everything will be provided for you i.e. aprons, utensils (if you have a favourite knife, please bring is along), recipes and a snack lunch. The classes are loads of fun but also very educational – you should know how to cook everything by the time you leave.
We need your help:
Delis -If you know of a deli in your area where our products are not stocked and you would like to see us there, please let us know about them. If we end up doing business with them we will happily give you a bottle of your favourite product!
Bottles – if you have old bottles that you think we can use, please bring them to the shop – if we can use them, we will give you a discount on your next purchase
Fruit/Produce – if you have any decent produce/chilli/vegetables that you think we can use and you don’t know what to do with them...please bring them to use before throwing them away. If we can use it you will end up with some of the finished product.
Catering:
Last year saw us doing several catering jobs – if you have a special function coming up or an office meeting, we would love to do the catering for you. Generally speaking we can work to any budget and will offer you something a little different. Phone or contact us for a quote.
Markets:
We are still doing loads of markets:
Biscuit Mill – still CT’s biggest and best market held on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Come early to avoid the crowds...or come late and be part of the scene! The variety and quality of vendors is pretty impressive and Cameron and Justin do a great job of keeping this market fresh and exciting.
We trade from the shop and there is always something new on the table – if you don’t see it, just ask. Oded is always in the shop and we have decided to continue our lunch service on Saturdays as well – so you can get our chorizo hot dogs or aged sirloin rolls all day long.
Stellenbosch – another must on the market scene. As good as the Biscuit Mill market, just spread out over a bigger area and a lot more relaxed. Some great local vendors there and the type of market you can go to for lunch and stay for the whole day. From Woodstock it is exactly 46.2km...so no excuse that it is too far away!
Tokai Earth Fair – this market takes place on a Wednesday evening from 3pm-8pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm and is one of my favourite markets. On Wed, we do a lot of cooked food and have perfected lasagne (if I say so myself!). There is also normally something new and we also take our ginger-lemonade but spike it with a bottle of vodka! The market has some great local beers and while small, is well worth a visit.
Hout Bay – one of the newer markets around and found at La Cuccina restaurant. Saturday from 9am to 2pm and a little gem of a market. Some great small producers and if you like berries, there is a fantastic berry vendor there. We take our cheese range, olives and again, a few surprises.
Newlands – Wednesday from 9:30-2:30pm in the Dean St (Woolworths) arcade. No need to go to the supermarket now when you can pick up most of your grocery needs here. We’re doing cheese, olives and pickles.
Kirstenbosch - the last Sunday of the month and CT’s oldest market. I have heard conflicting reports, but I believe the market has been going for over 21 years now. It’s big, with over 100 stalls and a huge variety of goods to be found there. It’s mainly craft, but a fair amount of food can be found.
Nitida - the last Saturday of the month and found in the beautiful Durbanville Hills area of CT. It starts early – 8am and is pretty much done by noon. A proper farmers market with several farmers who retail only at this market. Also a great selection of wines on offer from Nitida itself.
Canal Walk in Central Park – a smallish market to be found in the grounds of Century City. It’s the first Sunday of the month from 9am to 2pm and a great Sunday out. Bring the kids as there are activities for them and ample grass to set up your picnic with goodies you buy in the market. There is also some interesting bird life to be found in the area...if you are a bird spotter, quite a treat.
Constantia Waldorf – normally the last Friday of the month but dependant on school terms. The market kicks off at 5pm and goes until 9pm. We do a big range of cooked foods and bring our pickles and preserves as well. We normally try and do one new dish at this market and if it sells, you’ll find it at other markets we do.
NEW NEW NEW – St George’s Mall Market – starting on Thursday 17 February from the organiser of the Tokai Earth Fair Market comes a fantastic European style market. You can get lunch or dinner (the market hours are 12:30 to 6:30pm) as well as stock up on your favourite grocery items.
Work for us:
We’re always on the hunt for food knowing, fun loving people who want to make a bit of cash helping us to sell our range. The markets are loads of fun and with a product that pretty much sells itself. If you are interested please get in contact with me on the details listed below and we’ll send you some more info.
Recipe - Herb omelette with oven dried tomatoes and yogurt serves 4
Easy, light and superbly delicious summer dish, serve either as a first course or with chunks of bread for a quick lunch.
For the omelette:
100g herbs mix (parsley, celery leaves, basil and dill)
4 spring onions
4 eggs
1 tbsp semolina or flour
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil for frying
For serving
12 Oded’s Kitchen oven dried tomatoes
12 tbsp yogurt
4 sprigs of basil or mint
Place the ingredients in a food processor and process into a smooth batter. Rest for 10 minutes to allow the semolina or flour to swell.
Grease a small frying pan and pour in a quarter of the egg mix. Fry for a few minutes until the omelette is set and lightly browned. Turn the omelette over and fry the other side.
Place the omelette on a plate, arrange 3 of the tomatoes and top with 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Decorate with a sprig of basil.
That’s all for now...eat, drink and be merry. Happy cooking and hope to see you in the shop or at a market soon.
