Savoring New Experiences:
African Style
Thoughts From A Self-Proclaimed Foodie
The morning coffee bar at Gannahoek. Nothing beats a hot cup of
coffee to start the day while planning and listening to the birds.
I’ve always loved cooking. I guess it’s in my genes. Both of my grandmothers and all of my aunts, along with my own mom, were wonderful cooks. They cooked from scratch without the aid of measuring cups or spoons. Sure, they had those utensils, they just weren’t needed. Through repetition and memory, they knew just how much of any ingredient was needed to make what they were cooking delicious. After decades of making the same dishes, they had them dialed in and fine-tuned to perfection.
When asked how much of any ingredient to use, the usual responses were “just enough, not too much, or don’t overdo it.” You just needed to watch and learn while they cooked. And it works! You just have to be bold, try it and adjust as needed. Over time, you’ll get it right.
Travel Treats
When traveling, I look forward to trying foods and beverages the locals enjoy. Be adventurous in your travels and try something new — you just may like it!
My most recent trip had me in South Africa visiting Tim and Kim Sundles at their Buffalo Bore Game Preserve, traditionally known as Gannahoek. The house and property are historically significant, serving as a field hospital during both Boer wars. The land was part of the battlefield.
Certainly, if the house could speak, it would have many tales to tell. The house talks while walking on the original squeaky, almost 200-year-old floorboards. Tim thinks of the floorboards as a pre-warning alarm for any intruders. I picked up several new “traditions” to keep this latest trip fresh in my memory long after returning home.
itch & Leedes Cheeky Cranberry tonic was a
surprisingly good tonic, adding flavor to the hunt.
Cheers
After a long travel and successful first day’s hunt, I was looking forward to a nice cool sundowner — a cocktail enjoyed outside to enjoy and appreciate the day’s events — along with the beauty of the setting sun. The traditional safari sundowner drink is a gin and tonic, but I learned from a professional hunter (PH) in Botswana that a vodka tonic is a nicer drink for me. At Gannahoek, they had flavored South African (ZA) tonics. One was called Cheeky Cranberry.
Admittedly, I’m not into yuppie, fru-fru drinks. I usually prefer straight tonic, but the Cheeky Cranberry was rather good and “cheeky,” as they say.
Tim, with his Cheeky Cranberry vodka sundowner and Scout,
the youngest Jag terrier on the ranch.
Drinks are always refreshingly cooler, and food is more tasteful after a long day’s dusty hunt. Doubly so after a successful hunt. It’s the final celebration of the senses after you’ve experienced the other four during the hunt. Add the Buffalo Bore pack of hounds to the mix, and it’s a hunter’s heaven. Behka, Taz(manian) and Scout are all Jag terriers. Mauser is an Aussie cattle dog, and Mij(Midget) is a feisty, petite Jack Russell. Watching the all-female packs antics of non-stop wrestling and tussling keeps you smiling for sure. I’ve never known a hunter who doesn’t love hounds.
How can 15-year-old Scotch whisky be bad? This stuff was smooth!
Drinking it will always bring me back to Africa.
Tank with a Jack Russell sandwich. Taz, on the left, and Behka, on the right,
are the bread and Mij is the meat. Dogs make everything better!
The second beverage I was introduced to was “a fine 15-year Scotch Whisky” called Glenfiddich. This is the smoothest whisky I’ve ever had the pleasure to sample (and they sell it in the States)! Thankfully, Tim brought two bottles since we visited Kobus and Elise’s home for supper. You might recall my mentioning them in my previous column.
Kobus and Elise’s dining room with their indoor braai oven in the wall.
Firewood and cooking racks ready to go.
How cool is that to cook with wood indoors? I want one!]
Elise’s dinner consisted of steaks cooked by Kobus on his indoor braai (ZA word for BBQ). It’s a wall-mounted wood oven for cooking indoors. We also had crispy roasted chicken and french fries (crisps) with amazing seasoning. Elise told me it was chicken spice and vinegar salt. It sure made those crisps extra good. A mixed vegetable dish, salad and potato/cheese casserole rounded out the delicious supper. For dessert, Elise made a scrumptious apple crisp dish topped with fresh sweet cream and custard. Boy howdy, was it ever good! I certainly had no risk of losing weight or going hungry on this trip.
Warthog tenderloin, ribs, and chicken cooking
over acacia coals gets no better.
Elise’s secret crisps (french fries) spices.
Monkey Sauce, Too!
Elise also made a traditional ZA steak sauce called “Monkey Gland Sauce.” It’s basically simmered down tomato, onion and Worcestershire sauce. It brings out the flavor of the beef and has a great name for the imagination. My wife made some with her recipe last night, and she loved it, too. It also goes great on baked potatoes.
Monkey Gland Sauce recipe. ZA steak sauce, it’s very good!
Peanut Brittle
While I’m on the subject of food, I’d be remiss to mention peanut brittle. As a kid, it was my favorite candy. I can’t tell you how many Planters peanut blocks, Nestle Munch bars and grocery store blocks of brittle I consumed. Thank God I never had peanut allergies!
Tim’s wife, Kim, has made delicious homemade peanut brittle a few times for dessert. She told me it was made with only two ingredients — white cane sugar and peanuts. She dumped around 3 cups of sugar in a frying pan over medium heat and stirred it until it melted. Then, she poured it over a pan of crushed peanuts, allowing it to cool before breaking it into pieces. It was both delicious and addictive — more like peanut crack!
Aromat is a ZA seasoning of a flavored salt. It is particularly good on
hard boiled eggs. Shown are Chris Jonker’s bean salad that was also delicious.
Braai, is ZA for BBQ, this flavored salt added much
flavor to our meal. I already have some at home.
Gastronomical Regurgitation
I discovered a lot of new recipes, spices, mixers and booze to help rekindle the flames of Africa. While partaking in their consumption, I’ll have an unknowing grin, making people wonder what I’m thinking about. It’s fun keeping secrets and reminiscing about faraway places, events, people and animals. You can share these thoughts if you choose or keep them to yourself to enjoy.
I still need to get recipes for PH Chris Jonker’s mixed bean salad and Kim’s homemade guacamole. More memory makers in the making.
