Hog House Brewing Company

This year has started off with quite a bang. We started with moving house and it simply hasn't stopped. Did you know that this year is the universal year of one in numerology? This means it is a year for growth, progress, and change. So I know it is going to be a good one! 

On the note of the change. I don't often venture out of the city for dinner. I seem to have become the typical Capetonian that finds any 20-minute drive very far away. Which for the better part is ridiculous. Most places are less than 15km from my house and not quite the Cape to Cairo journey I imagine it to be. 

One of these places is Hog House Brewing Company in Pinelands Ndabeni, a smokehouse with an elevated experience. It is an awesome spot that I recently ventured out to. I always have their pasteis de nata's at the Granger Bay city farm market. If you follow me on Instagram stories or snap chat you will see that every Saturday morning before I do my organic vegetable shop at the market, my first stop is coffee and pasteis. It is a religion and I cannot go without one if I am at the market. Regardless of the sugar curbing vibe, I might be on. They are simply spectacular. 

Now on my adventure 'out' of the city (I'll have you know it takes all of 15 minutes to drive there) I discovered the restaurant behind the perfect pasteis and to be honest, the food isn't far behind on the perfection. They offer phenomenal dishes that simply are mouth watering. The Hog House does slow smoked meat using rooikrans wood, that is cooked in its natural flavour without sauce. All meat is free range and locally sourced and homage is paid to the smokey texas style of cooking. They have a full brewery that on a busy day can bottle up to 2000 bottles of fresh, crisp beer brewed with different flavours such as caramel. Now, who doesn't want a cold one? 

The menu is extensive and offers meat lovers a full variety of delectable ribs, pulled pork, burnt bacon bits, braai brootjies, chili poppers and more. The flavours are spot on and the meat is tender and juicy. What about the vegetarians? It is not often you go to an establishment where the sides shine as bright as the mains. Hog House offers sides that will allow any vegetarian to feast and be happy. From cheesy baked aubergine to roasted cauliflower topped with cheese and crisp capers there will be a meal for everyone! The cherry on the cake was definitely the ice cream cone for dessert along with the pasteis (yes I did both)! 

Booking is essential and spends per head would probably average R250. Executive Chef PJ Vadas has truly created a great establishment that I would rush back to although the cooking is low and slow!  

If you want to book (and you should) here are the details: 

bbq@hhbc.co.za
bookings 021 810 4545
office 021 531 0721

-Melissa 

Black Forest Trifle for Christmas

Nostalgia is a very strange thing. It pops up when you least expect it. A taste or a smell can take you right back to a moment.

The lease on my apartment wasn't renewed this year, which means its time to move out and move on.

I have been in my apartment for 9 years. It has been my home, a place that has hosted countless dinner parties, a place that holds many dear memories.

I have lived in this apartment with my best friend talking endlessly about life, our hopes, ambitions, dreams, and fears.

In between these walls; I have made new friends and said goodbye to old, built a career in food while navigating the tiny kitchen and have lived here with my love and our beautiful Piglet; my little family whom I cherish.

Funny how I have become so attached to a house that I have made into a home, a safe haven. 

I have celebrated many a Christmas whilst living here, have cooked for my tribe and shared my special family recipes.

Today I am going to do the same.

Today; I give you my grandmothers Black Forest trifle recipe which has been present at every Christmas celebration for as long as I can remember. To be honest it just wouldn't be the same without it.

It makes a magical appearance once a year, stays for a few days, all the while the flavour deepening into something truly extraordinary. 

I suppose it takes me back to so many memories a lot like my apartment. I can remember the face of every person that has tasted it for the first time. That moment of bliss as their eyes close and the mmmm that follows.

The dark chocolate paired with cherries and condensed milk are a match made in heaven. 

I hope you will share this and make beautiful memories of your own whilst doing so...

As for me? I am off to pack and although I am sure there will be many tears shed while saying goodbye to my home, at least I will have a bowl of chocolate trifle to cover the pain.

Merry Christmas.

Here's to new beginnings.

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Ingredients:

• 2x 397 grams condensed milk 
• 125ml lemon juice 
• 1 x 425 grams tinned pitted and halved cherries 
• 120 grams grated quality dark chocolate 
• 500 grams smooth cottage cheese 
• 1 dark chocolate swiss roll 600 grams
• 150 grams flaked almonds 
• 200 grams fresh pitted cherries 
• Whipped cream and cherry liqueur

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Instructions: 

Mix condensed milk with cottage cheese and lemon. Whisk until smooth. 

Slice swiss roll and place a layer on the base of the serving dish. I made the individual in the images but you can also make it in a large serving bowl. 

Sprinkle with cherry liqueur. 

Dot with pitted cherries. 

Sprinkle with flaked almonds 

Spoon a layer of condensed milk mix over cake and sprinkle with dark chocolate. 

Repeat until all your layers are in, ending with cottage cheese mixture and grated chocolate. You can top with whipped cream and fresh cherries! 

-Melissa

Lion Heart - Have your cake and eat it

I first came across Lion Heart through Nikki Albertyn. She is a local baker and creative with an Instagram that caught my eye. I knew from the get go that I had to share what she was up to. Her business partner Karmen, is her lifelong friend and the two have created a little magic with their baking skills and creativity. After much stalking, I decided to contact the Gurl's and shoot the exciting bakery and magnificent cakes! 

Situated in Woodstock this team of two work on making cakes that are minimal in design yet make a statement with their bold colours and unique textures. I was taken aback when I saw the limited space that they work out of. To create these little pieces of art with such limited space is commendable! Trust me, I know because I am in a tiny kitchen and although it's great that everything is at arm's length, it can get tiring! 

Spending the morning with the team I watched how they work together with ease and let each other create with trust. Feeding off the fun vibe and with tunes playing in the background. Of course, this all would mean nothing without the matching Gurl Power T's. 

They created a new beautiful cake and mentioned that they will put it on the site and name it "Everest." It's the blue cake above and it took all of me to not run my finger through the buttercream! 

I believe you can never have too many good bakeries listed in your little black book and I will definitely be adding this team to mine. Their cakes are for all occasions. So whether you are celebrating a birthday or going to get married they are definitely worth a call! The flavours of the sponge vary from poppy seed to mud cake and the fillings from smokey salted caramel, lemon curd to rosemary buttercream! If you would like to see more click here to visit their site! It's pretty rad and will leave you drooling - just a warning! All cakes are made to order and you need to give them a heads up! 

I know for sure if I ever need to make a cake and I don't have the time, the Sweet Lion Heart Gurl's will be the first bakers I call for back up! 

-Melissa 

Cederberg Mountains and the Wolfberg cracks!

So my friend Julie has this boyfriend named Ian. He is a really great guy that loves adventure more than anyone or anything. I like Ian. I didn't like Ian when he chose to have his 30th birthday in the Cederberg which involved the dustiest dirt road that was horribly rough on my little car and entailed a giant hike that was 6 hours long. Kidding (not really).
My car had beeping lights the entire way and I was convinced it was going to fall apart.

A four-hour drive out of Cape Town and we arrived at our campsite in Krom Rivier. Julie and I, of course, decided that Ian deserved a giant Steri Stumpie cake. For those of you who aren't South African; it is a local strawberry flavoured milk drink. Needless to say, the cake barely made it intact to the campsite. I was very impressed it survived the journey. The heat was absolutely unforgiving on my perfect buttercream! Eventually, I was happy to be safe in the camp site under oak trees, eating cake. 

The main event of the weekend was, of course, the Wolfberg cracks. I will let you guys in on a little secret. I exercise because I have to. If I didn't I would be morbidly obese with my career. Julie had spent the better part of the Saturday morning telling me that the hike wasn't that bad. That I could totally do it. The question was would I be able to walk after I had done it?

The answer, no.

I couldn't walk properly for two days afterward. Was it worth it? Absolutely yes. It was simply spectacular. The cracks are unlike anything I have ever seen. If you ever find yourself in the area - it is a must. The cool part is that once you are down you can go wine tasting and swimming in a crystal clear river. I couldn't believe that something so beautiful was right in our back yard. Often with my life on social media, I have this wanderlust for travel. Have you seen the Utah slot canyons? Well if you dream of them then this one is for you. If you are local, it is so affordable. For R100 per person you can camp and for R50 per person, you can get a permit for the hike! What a win. I spent the week dreaming of going back and believe it or not, I am booking it for my birthday in January despite the wide range of emotions I had on that mountain.

So in closing. Thank you, Julie, for lying to me and Ian for turning 30. I will return to this magical place and I am dragging you with me! 

Click here for details if you would like to book or read up more about this adventure! 

-Melissa 

Brie stuffed artichokes

This week has been simply manic and I  must admit as grateful as I am to be busy it does make me miss my kitchen and question my sanity. Cooking by myself with some music on in the background is everything to me. Its like a zen meditation that I get to do. It doesn't happen often but I get these slight moment where I doubt myself. Im not sure if you get them? Where I have this chaotic life and then in the hast I think to myself, am I doing the right thing? Can I really create this food dream that I work so hard for. Do I have the talent in my kitchen to be creative and take on a dish that I haven't made before as well as develop it? All these questions come rushing in all at the same time when I have these moments. It is so hard with social media to not doubt myself. I find myself in a moment of hesitation comparing myself to other creatives which is creative death in my opinion, yet I still do it. 

Then I enter my kitchen and I can breath. I find a moment where everything makes sense and I know what I am doing is being done in the best way that I know how. I remind myself to take a second and acknowledge myself for how far I have come and how much I have learnt. I force myself to look up from my phone and away from my social media. To rather look inward at my talent and not at everyone else's. I know that no matter what happens, or how crazy life gets that I just need to keep cooking. 

On that note I found these amazing artichokes at the farmers market this past weekend and knew I wanted to be creative with them. They are so beautiful to shoot. I have never cooked with artichokes before but I know that I love to eat them. The result is juicy moorish cheesy artichokes that are the most fun to eat and delectable! They are best served with a great white wine as the richness of the cheese is perfectly paired with the wine! 

After I made these I had to remind myself that I've got this. That I can do this and that it isn't that bad if you have a good glass of wine in your hand and a delicious meal!  

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Ingredients:

• 5 medium artichokes
• ½ cup of cream
• 250 grams Brie cheese, diced with rind on
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Honey to serve

For the bread crumb topping:

• 2 slices of thick cut sourdough bread, torn into fine pieces
• ¼ cup pistachios
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions:

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Cut the stems of your artichokes so that they have a flat base. Trim the leaves slightly. The base of the leaf is edible so don’t cut it all off. Once trimmed, pop the artichokes into the pot and boil for 15-20 minutes. Once ready drain and set aside in the colander.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

In a small saucepan over a low heat add the cream, Brie, and Parmesan. Melt all the ingredients together until soft and creamy.  Remove from heat and while whisking add the egg yolk and cayenne pepper to taste.

Cut the artichokes in half or leave some whole if you prefer. Place them on a roasting tray lined with wax paper. Pull the leaves outward opening them up like a flower. Fill the artichokes with the creamy cheese sauce. Make sure you fill all the grooves!  

In a separate bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, pistachios, butter and oregano. Sprinkle over the top of the artichokes. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with fresh lemon zest on top! Of course, add a beautiful glass of white wine!

-Melissa