A sunset date with Krone

Krone recently sent me a beautiful picnic basket filled with mouth-watering hand made treats and two bottles of their still Chardonnay/Pinot Noir.

This blend is my absolute favourite wine so the arrival of said basket delivered great excitement for me.

I thoroughly appreciated the crisp, fresh bouquet and I foresee that this wine will accompany me to many occasions in the future.

“An unexpected twist” - I had to appreciate the playful double entendre that Krone had (I’m assuming, intentionally) provided; the theme of the basket and the innovative helix cork, which lets be honest, really gives this bottle of wine the spirit of spontaneity.

This is a wine that is ready to be enjoyed wherever, whenever.  

I had to decide on a setting that would compliment the idea of innovation.

Something a little different…

I must admit that my first thought was stuck on the notion of romance, however since my partner does not drink, I was forced to really expand on my initial idea. I had an epiphany;

Why do we maintain that the notion of romance is exclusively reserved for a lover or significant other?

Google tells me that, aside from being a noun, “Romance is a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life.”

I can definitely say without a shadow of doubt that my very close friends offer me exactly that.

Spoiling my friends in this way can be a bit self-indulgent but the beauty of it? I get to share in the fun unashamedly without the need of a corkscrew or clean-shaven legs.

That’s the kind of spontaneity I can really get behind.

-Melissa

*This blog post was sponsored by Krone. All opinions are my own.

Lourensford Harvest Market

This past weekend I opted for something a little different for Easter weekend. Instead of the usual feast at home and a full on food coma afterwards, I decided to load my family up and take a drive to the much talked about Lourensford Harvest Market.

The market is on every Sunday and this time round was an Easter theme.  They even had an Easter egg hunt for the little ones. With over 70 stalls filled with food, clothing and arts, there is something on the go for everyone! Of course my main focus was food and tasting as many morsels as possible. I always feel at markets committing to one single big meal isn’t the way to go. Either that or my food FOMO really shines! Get there early as the food starts to sell out later on and you will want to get the cream of the crop and of course grab a bottle of wine!

The atmosphere is relaxing and with cold beers and live music I found myself sitting at the table in a mellow mood that I would recommend to anyone.  Puppies are welcome and of course there are enough children to keep them busy!

Lourensford is one of the biggest producing estates in South Africa and has so much to offer! They have coffee roasting, galleries, the market and Mill House restaurant. A must try if you are in the area, bookings essential.  The food is outstanding and I have been lucky enough to eat there on a previous occasion.

So if you are wondering what to do and want to venture out of the noisy city, I recommend taking a drive to this beautiful estate and exploring it with camera or loved one in hand!

-Melissa

Vegan Chocolate Tart

This is my friend Rose. She is one of the few people in my life that I will willingly spend hours in the kitchen cooking and talking about life. In fact, we have probably clocked enough time in the kitchen between us to open a café (hint, hint). Rose is a vegetarian who is flirting with Veganism. Why? Simply because she cares about animals’ lives and doesn't believe their lives are ours for the taking.

Spending time with Rose has not only been soul enriching as a friend but it has also been very educational. When she comes over, we cook only vegetarian dishes because I have recently decided not to include meat in any of my meals. I haven't crossed over to become a full-fledged vegetarian. I have simply decided to be a flexitarian. What exactly is flexitarian you ask? When I feel for meat I eat it, as long as it is free range and ethically raised. If I don't trust the source or if I don't feel for it, I eat vegetarian.

The one thing Rose has taught me is that there is no limit when it comes to tasty, healthy and protein packed vegetarian options. Together we have created dishes that are mind blowing and I will definitely be sharing them with you on The Truffle Journal.

For now, I wanted to share this vegan chocolate tart recipe that is quick and simple to make. I must admit that regardless of your food choices this one is a win.

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Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

3 tablespoons shredded coconut

7 pitted majool dates

2 tablespoons coconut oil melted

1 cup of coconut milk

175 grams dark chocolate

3 tablespoons agave nectar (optional)

Berries and figs to decorate or crushed sea salt

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Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Add dates, coconut and almonds to a food processor and blend until it forms fine crumbs.

Add coconut oil and blend until the mixture is sticky. You might need to use a spoon to make sure it has all mixed through.

Pour the mixture out into a 24cm quiche dish and flatten it with your fingers packing it down evenly.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Once ready set aside to cool.

For the filling mix the chocolate and coconut milk in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. As soon as the chocolate melts remove it from the heat and allow the remaining heat to melt the rest of the chocolate.

Add the agave and mix until all is combined.

Pour the filling into your dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter to knock out all the bubbles.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Just before you serve your tart you can slice up your figs and berries and decorate. If you have chosen to leave them off you can also crack some salt on the tart before serving!

-Melissa

Luck o' the Irish Leek and Pea Pie

Recently I have been all about going green and trying out flexitarian options. For those new to the blog, I am trying to mostly eat vegetarian. So for this st paddy's day I decided to do something a little different to the usual Guinness stew filled with meat. Its amazing how certain ingredients sing if you give them the space to do so. This pie is a prime example of simple flavours at their best. The combination of greens makes for a sweet tasting pie with the perfect saltiness from the stock. Lets not even go there about the beautiful buttery puff pastry that flakes off and reveals the gooey filling. This pie is surprisingly easy to make and don't feel guilty about the store bought puff pastry. I don't.

It might not sport Guinness, but in true Irish spirit, the green more than makes up for it.

As Irish poet Samuel Beckett so eloquently puts it (and in my mind, wise words that lay the foundation to great, venturesome cooking)
"Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better."

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Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 garlic glove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon thyme

6 leeks, chopped

1 cup of tender stem broccoli, chopped

50 grams asparagus, chopped

1 cup of peas

2 tablespoons spelt flour

2 cups of vegetable stock

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 rolls of puff pastry

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Instructions:

Add the diced onion to a frying pan over a medium heat until softened.

Add the garlic and thyme.

Add the chopped leeks and let them cook down for 15 minutes until they are soft and sweet.

Add the chopped tender stems, peas and asparagus.

Add the spelt flour and stir the greens.

Add the vegetable stock and allow simmer down to a gravy.

Remove from heat and add the lemon zest.

Roll out your puff pastry on a floured surface. Make sure it is big enough to fill a 20cm pie dish. Once you have filled the pie dish trim the edges off the puff pastry. Allow a little excess as the pastry shrinks when baking. Place a sheet of grease paper on the pie dish and add your baking beans. I used rice to hold down the puff pastry during a blind bake. Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Once your base has baked fill the pie with your filling. How you top the pie is up to you. I did lattice work on mine but you can also roll out a solid top. The lattice isn't perfect but it was my first time and it was a lot of fun making my pie so pretty!

Whisk an egg and egg brush the top of your pie before popping it into the oven to bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

-Melissa

Inside and You're Out

If there is one thing I am a huge fan of, it is a good burger! Marked by a bright orange door on Bree Street next to the Red Bull Studios is a burger bar that not only has an inspirational story but also serves up one of the tastiest burgers in town! Inside & You’re Out is a unique name. Their burgers are pretty unique too - the artisan cheese of your burger is on the inside of the patty, making it a juicy mouthful with a different spin. But, where did the idea for IYO come from?

The owners Jonah Lewis and Jean-Marc Lenferna de la Motte started the company in 2013 at the tender age of 22. Inspired by wanting to serve ethically sourced food and creating a business that gives back in terms of being eco-friendly, the pair set out to create one of the best burgers in Cape Town and that is exactly what they did winning the Mercedes Eat Out Best Burger in the Western Cape 2015.

The atmosphere is chilled and the menu varies from small bites to burgers, salads, sides and sweets. The burgers are forever changing, as the Chef Jean-Marc likes to keep things fresh in the kitchen. My personal favourite is the Dew Truffles (R98) and sweet potato fries , and do not get me started on the Oreo cheesecake served with the perfect side of milk! (R50) IYO stocks a great variety of local beers and now has a deli with delicious local products! Get the theme? Support local!

So next time you are around Bree Street pop in and try these burgers! With exciting developments, such as expanding the restaurant and opening a bar, these guys are the ones to watch! I look forward to a bright future, one as bright as the orange from Inside & You’re Out!

Here are the details: 103 Bree Street upstairs, Cape Town CBD 8001

-Melissa