By Katherine Graham
May 8th, 2008
There's no doubt that a weekend away in Franschhoek is a culinary delight, writes Katherine Graham.
It touts itself as the food and wine capital of South Africa, although Cape Town gourmands may dispute the food claim and Stellenbosch may take on the wine claim.
Operation Vetkoek
My husband Gavin and I are both dangerously close to the underweight end of the BMI scale – so much so that my mother is continually reminding me that being so thin is not boosting her chances of having another grandchild.
Even my mother-in-law mentioned in the anniversary card she sent us that she doubted we would ever be as broad as the two bulldogs featured on the front. So we’ve decided to embark on the reverse of a diet: we’d like to put on a kilo or two, which is quite a nice “problem” to have.
And it seems perfectly fitting that our weekend away in Franschhoek, which proudly touts itself as the food and wine capital of South Africa, should coincide with the start of what we informally termed “Operation Vetkoek”.
A grand entrance
First stop is
Topiary Wines, Franschhoek’s newest boutique winery. Owner Roy Andrews and wine maker Chris Albrecht are waiting for us as we arrive. We are greeted by a collection of topiaries at the entrance: everything from San hunters to a proud rooster.
Click here to check out the gallery.
Roy’s border collies Jenna and Jack are also eager to make our acquaintance. Unfortunately load shedding prevents a visit to the cellar, so we make ourselves comfortable on the stoep of the tasting room.
Topiary inspiration
Roy tells us his story – how he bought La Tramontane in 2005 and converted it from a grape farm to a winery. The former business consultant wasted no time in adjusting the viticultural practices: he planted white grapes as well as the existing red grapes and he focused on three key areas to enhance fruit quality – soil fertilisation, irrigation and canopy management.
In this respect he’s been greatly helped by Albrecht and viticulturist Malcolm Pemberton. (Incidentally, it was Malcolm’s topiary hobby which inspired Roy to rename the farm. And who needs another “La”, “Le” or “Les” establishment in Franschhoek, anyway?)
Proof is in the pudding
There seems no better way to test whether Chris’s techniques are having effect than to taste Topiary’s launch wines themselves.
The Chenin Blanc 2007 with hints of guava and kiwi fruit is light and refreshing, perfect for summer days on the terrace, while the Chardonnay 2007, which is lightly oaked, is slightly fuller.
I’m fond of the Rosé 2007, which is made solely from red grapes – the skins are removed as quickly as possible, explains Chris. The Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is rich and full bodied and would prove a suitable companion for a hearty red meat dish.
In terms of accessibility, Roy says the wines will be sold through boutique wine shops and selected restaurants in Cape Town, Durban and the Southern Cape. He also plans to launch a more premium wine label in a few years’ time. But he’s hopeful for the future.
“Franschhoek has always been known for its food, while Stellenbosch has been ahead of us in terms of its wines. In the past five years, that has been changing, and Franschhoek is really taking off,” adds Roy.
Artwork on a plate
Our appetite having been whet, we visit Le Bon Vivant for dinner. Here Dutch chef and owner Pierre Hendricks whips up beautiful artwork on your plate as diners gaze at the inner workings of the kitchen through the glass window (thankfully you’re spared the noises and shouting from within!)
My husband opts for the five-course “surprise” menu for R300 and is suitably impressed with the variety and exquisite appearance of the dishes. I settle on the chicken and duck main course with pineapple salsa and potato tortilla for R75.
The portions are dainty and the pairing of different flavours is subtle and thoughtful. We leave having had an elegant sufficiency, as opposed to an elephant sufficiency.
The one thing I love about being away from the city is the night sky and being able to see the stars so clearly. As we get out of the car at La Cabrière Country House, we glance at the heavens and gasp. “A shooting star!” We are fortunate to have spotted it at the same time.
That night, as we snuggle in bed, we listen to a chorus of hiccupping frogs outside, and I’m reminded how wonderful it is to be in the countryside again.
Indulging your sweet tooth
The next morning we soaked up the majestic splendour of the Huguenot Mountains with its olive trees in the foreground, while eating a leisurely breakfast on the terrace at La Cabrière. We then decide to amble down the main road in Franschhoek.
Of course, it’s not without a purpose: we are heading for a demonstration at Huguenot Fine Chocolates. A black empowerment initiative, it’s owned and managed by Denver Adonis and Danver Windvogel, who studied for 18 months abroad thanks to the Belgian NGO Livos.
They employ about 20 people in a nearby factory which produces up to 7 000 chocolates a day. Some are even exported to Saint Helena and San Francisco.
For those with a sweet tooth, a visit to this shop is a must. Demonstrations can be arranged and cost only R18 a person (and yes, you do get to sample the chocolate during the talk!)
Dining delight at Reuben's
That evening we dine at Reuben’s, named after chef Reuben Riffel who opened the stylish restaurant in 2004. Again, it’s great to see another local man of colour making his mark on this town, whose properties – let’s be honest – are still owned by a privileged section of the population. The restaurant’s atmosphere is unpretentious and relaxed, with elegant décor touches.
We are curious to see if Reuben, who scooped top honours in the 2004 Eat Out Johnnie Walker Restaurant Awards (he won both Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year), will live up to our expectations.
Needless to say we are not disappointed. Gavin tucks into his bresola-wrapped goat’s cheese starter, while I savour the delicate taste of sweetcorn soup with parmesan and popcorn as garnish (it took me a while to work out what it was).
For mains Gavin sticks to red meat with the grilled beef sirloin. I order the pan-fried Santer which, we are relieved to find out, is given the thumbs up by the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative as far as availability is concerned. (SMS the name of the fish to 079 499 8795 the next time you want to make sure you’re not depleting fish stocks when eating out.)
We are now both approaching “elephant sufficiency” by the end of our meal, but throw caution to the wind and order dessert.
I’m happily tapping the top of my muscat brûlée when I catch a glimpse of Gavin. He pops a morsel of passion fruit panna cotta in his mouth, closes his eyes appreciatively, and proclaims: “Operation Vetkoek is going quite well.
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