January Roundup Part 1

As promised, I said I would update you all on what's been happening the last while..

January brought with it new beginnings and a new frame of mind. I also decided to explore the new (well, not so new anymore) V&A Market on the Wharf.

Market On The Wharf

What I like about the Market on the Wharf, is that it is open Wednesday through Sunday, 09h30 - 19h30. This means that it is not as congested as many of the other markets that are only open one or two days a week. You are able to move around at you own pace, visiting each stall and even have the space to speak to each stall holder to discuss their wares.

Great selection of stalls to visit

That's Chocolate down there

And some wares! One of the standout stalls has to be 'Bubble Tea'. This Taiwanese treat seems to be taking Cape Town by storm. If you haven't tried it yet, GO NOW.. You can read more about it here.

I'll have some popping bobas, please

Another one not to miss is 'Bite Me'. Really tasty burgers with quirky names. My personal favourite is 'The Bad Joke'...because it's so cheesy.

If you insist

The Bad Joke

And what better accompaniment for a burger than an ice cold draught. They guys at Keg King have set up a great bar on the upper level with a good selection of the gold nectar on tap. They've also recently introduced TV's to the upper area, so book a table early to enjoy the rugby . Follow them on twitter to see what they're getting up to.

Beer and Burger. Yes please.

Keep an eye out on the show kitchen. There is invariably a demonstration taking place. When I was there, Sue-Ann Allen from Masterchef SA cooked up some Paleo inspired treats with the help of Chris Lenz from Think Food. Very interesting views on what is healthy and what isn't and how easy it is to change your eating plan.

Chris and Sue-Ann

And if chocolate is your weakness, you have stop by Jean-Pierre Fortain Chocolatier.. So many temptations to choose from. My recommendation? The hazelnut paste. Think Nutella for connoisseurs..

Amazing Hazelnut Paste

On your way out, don't forget to get some Ice Cream from The Creamery. The Sea Salt Caramel is fantastic.

If you're heading through, let me know. Maybe. I'll join you.
Let me know what else you've discovered at the Market On The Wharf.

N.

Long Overdue...Ice Cream for the masses

Halfway through the second month of the year and it's about time to resume normal transmission.. don't you think?

So, a while back (last year!) I mentioned that I was asked to make Ice Cream for our family Christmas gathering. Last time I made a batch, I used a basic Creme Anglaise recipe as my base. For Christmas, I wanted to make it decadent, so I chose a recipe which I multiplied. Suffice to say, I used a total of 2,5 litres double cream. Now that's rich!

Double Cream Overload

I had been pondering what flavours to make for a while and was toying with making a christmasy type of Ice Cream, you know, it being for Christmas lunch and all. I thought about an eggnog Ice Cream or maybe a spin on a fruit cake ice cream, but I eventually settled on making a Cherry Brandy Ice Cream. Not sure it's quite Christmas, but hey..

Lovely Fresh Cherries

12yr Old...why not

So after pitting all the cherries (bloody hell) I started to cook them off in a pan. After adding the brandy (a generous measure) and letting the alcohol cook off, I set it aside to cool down. I then used a hand blender to create a coulis of sorts and adjust the flavour with a touch more brandy. It was then into the Ice Cream machine which had been in the freezer for 2 days.

Churning Cherry Ice Cream

Ready for freezing

So with the brandy in the Ice Cream, I thought I should do a kid-friendly batch (for my nieces and all the big kids). I spotted these awesome jelly flavours at Woolworths and thought Jelly and Custard!

My Flavour Inspiration

To ensure that the jelly wouldn't just blend into the Ice Cream, I made it quite firm. In used half the amount of water so that I could create little cubes of jelly to drop into the Ice Cream as it churned.

Firm cubes of jelly

Lovely thick custard

Time to freeze

The finished product was thoroughly enjoyed by the family, but I wouldn't describe the process as sunshine and roses. I had a few challenges during production. If you know me at all, you will know that I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to my cooking..and if things don't go my way, I tend to lean towards the grumpy side of things. Even if the end product turns out fine, I'll still know it was a balls up..

The problem with doing a batch of Ice Cream so large is that when using the Krupps Ice Cream Maker (or similar) is that you are limited to churning a pint at a time. You also need to refreeze the bowl between batches, otherwise the mixture doesn't freeze properly. 

I made these two Ice Creams in 6 batches and being short on time, neither Ice Cream set correctly. We very nearly ended up eating chilled Jelly and Custard. Thankfully, after a little rest in my sister's freezer before lunch, both Ice Creams had set enough that you could scoop it, rather than ladle it. Will I be using this recipe again? Perhaps, but then only for a small batch.

Lunch was followed by the mandatory group photos. Thanks to my Uncle's awesome photography skills, we got some beauties..

Family Portrait

Crazy Poses

It may have been the brandy in the Ice Cream

My Cousins and My Sisters

 It's always a blast when this family gets together..you crazy lot, you.

N

Shameful Neglect

So, I sheepishly return to the blogosphere after an extended leave of absence. Where have a been? Well, nowhere really. Much like Monty Python's Brian, I've just been a very naughty boy. I will be making a concerted effort to keep the blog as up to date as possible.

A fair bit has happened in 2013 so far, so there is much to catch you up on. I will be working on a few summary pieces later this week, which should be up soon.

More market action, my Cape Town Tens experience and my return to the realm of outdoor sport (possibly linked to early signs of a mid life crisis) will all be covered.

So watch this space..

P.s. Special mention goes to Martha for (not so) discreetly reminding my that I haven't been on here in a while..

N