La pineda

This article was prepared for Fine Dining Lovers

BARCELONA, A CITY TASTING TOUR

Explore Barcelona by savouring every bite you encounter from tapas to sweet treats, drinks to chocolates – the Spanish city is a delight for cooks and eaters.

Two old men get up from their seats, making space for us when we enter La Pineda, a small old-fashioned grocery store and Xarcuteria in the Barri Gòtic in Barcelona. “Oh, don’t worry,” says Marta, our guide. “They are retired, they spend all day here.”

Over a platter of cold cuts including butifura d’ou, fuet, chorizo, butifura blanco and llangonissa, along with the ubiquitous pan con tomate (tomato bread), we assimilate the early morning’s food adventures. I’ve eaten my way around Barcelona several times, but today I’m in for a treat, as Marta and I spend eight glorious hours uncovering some well known and some lesser known food gems. I cover the rest of the itinerary over the next day without her.

Carrer del Pi, 16, Barri Gòtic

Sweet Start

La Colmena bakery

We start the morning with a pastry at La Colmena in the Barri Gòtic, a bakery, at least 100 years old. I buy coca de llardons (sweet bread with pig fat), a sweet and salty Catalan bread with pine nuts for later and candies that the bakery has been making for generations. Flavours include rosemary, pine and herbal – I send some of these in care packages to friends. The pastisset, a sweet crescent shaped pastry, filled with with pumpkin ‘angel-hair’ jam gets a second glance and we have a school-girl giggle about the cookie called pets de monja, or nun’s farts.

Plaça de l’Àngel, 12,  Barri Gòtic, visit their blog

coca de llardons

beautiful Catalan baked goods

Speaking of nuns, nearby Caelum is a beautifully laid out coffee shop and where can make a selection and sit down with a good coffee or choose from a large variety of sweet goods and alcohol made by nuns and monks. The panellet or marizpan coated with pine nuts is a speciality made for All Saints day, usually.

De la Palla 8, Barri Gòtic, visit website

Say Cheese!

Formategeria La Sue

Former Scot Katherine McLaughlin opened Formatgeria la Seu, a small shop specilaising in the best Spanish cheeses, in 2000 on the site of one of the city’s first butter making factories. Book for a cheese tasting and whatever you do, don’t forget to enquire about the ice cream fridge. We bought some of the best, creamy sweet-savoury cow and goat’s milk ice creams I’ve had to date.

Dagueria, 16, Barri Gòtic, visit website

Chocolate & Churro Wars

churros and hot chocolate

While we’re sitting at La Palleressa waiting for our churros and the thick molten hot chocolate I have over the years come to associate with Spain, Marta regales us with tales of family feuds and loyalties over one of two hot chocolate shops. This is her family’s chosen shop, but lovers have been known to dissolve ties or opposing loyalties. Hot chocolate is, after all, a serious matter. Choose with or without cream.

Calle Petritxol, 11, Barri Gòtic, visit website

Traditional Tapas

tapas at el eampanyet

After a walk around the neighbourhood, buying presents of egg-rich tourron (nougat) at Casa Columina, we’re ready for cava and tapas, and we head towards El Xampanyet. It’s busy, with barely any elbow room.  Marta ushers us to a seat in the back and she commences ordering our lunch-time spread of boquerones (marinated anchovies), peppers stuffed with cheese, artichoke flatbreads, marinated salmon and sliced of tortilla – the Spanish potato omlette served with more pan con tomate.  End the meal with my favourite Catalan dessert, xuixos (named after a sneeze), a deep fried doughnut with a creme anglais centre. I learn the story about the juggler, in love with the baker’s daughter, who spared his own life by giving up the recipe for this delectable treat. Pop into the Picasso Museum when you’re done.

tapas and cava

El Xampanyet: Carrer de Montcada, 22, close to Picasso Museum

Groceries

I buy smoked Spanish almonds and hazelnuts and sun-dried tomatoes from E & A Gispert, the roasting masters since 1851. To this day the nuts sold are roasted in the old method.

For oils, chorizo and charcuterie to take home, we venture into Can Ravell which is also a restaurant now.

Can Ravell: Carrer Aragó 313, Website

E & A Gispert, Sombrerers, 23, Website

Bread & Cakes

I’ve visited Bubo, the cake and coffee shop in Born a number of times, to buy chocolates and to sample the chocolate cake it’s so famous for. Marta encourages me to venture to Forn Baluart, a new-age bakery making waves in Barceloneta. We buy some pies to eat walking along the beach and savour each mouthful.

escriba

Escriba fuses both family history (the business startred in 1906) with pure fantasy. Staring at the displays of exquisite chocolate stilettos and handbags in the window, it’s no wonder that Escriba was tasked with making Ferran Adria’s wedding cake in 2002. Make sure you have a little space to visit for dessert.

Other Awesome Eats & Drinks

oriol balaguer

• I tracked down master pâtissier Oriol Balaguer in my quest to understand why we associate Barcelona with popping candy. I suppose this isn’t a well known association but I had seen so many references over the years and was keen to uncover the answer. Oriol, slightly amused at my questions told me that he has a fond memory of his mother handing him pop rocks (popping candy) well over 20 years ago, when he was a child. His hazelnut chocolate with popping candy is a extremely popular in Japan. I walk out of the chocolate lab with boxes of posh chocolates embedded with popping candy, tempted to eat it all on the street.
• La Cova Fumada (the smoking cave) has a hefty, old door that virtually screams that behind it lies a mutiny of tattooed goths. Even so, it’s easy to miss, and we really went on a hunt for it. You can’t make a booking but it’s a quirky spot, 5 minutes from Barceloneta beach for a drink and snacks. Yes, you’ll get out alive. 
• Monvinic  is stylish wine bar, with very knowledgable staff and a local and international wine menu. Pair your wines by the glass with delicious by pricey morsels.
• Tapas dinner: Adria brother’s Tickets Tapas Bar would be my top pick, though getting a table is very tricky.  Click on the link for more about my dining experiences there. Another favourite is Cal Pep - queue at 7 30 pm for the 8 pm opening. Portions are large and service rapid. The idea is to eat and leave, seats are filled on a rotation basis in this small bar-style restaurant. I recommend the crisp squid, clams, veal and potato and the quatro of mousse desserts. Click here to read about Tapac 24. 
• Chocolate: Cocoa Sampaca, Rajoles and the Chocolate Museum.

La Cova Fumada: Carrer Baluard 56, Barceloneta

Oriol Balaguer: Visit Website for locations.

Monvinic: Diputació 249, Website.

Spanish turron

turron shop

beautifully packaged chocolate

I highly recommend Marta of Forever Barcelona -she is an fantastic, fun guide with a wonderful, compassionate nature. Great source of info on art, history and architecture too. 

This piece was featured in Fine Dining Lovers

‘This liquor contains alcohol, sugar, lemon….and can you guess the last ingredient?” asks the sommelier playfully as he pours our third drink for the evening, if you don’t include the glass of champagne we started with. “It’s milk. 3.8 % fat milk’” he smiles, glad that we are surprised.

We are at Atelier Amaro, set in the very lovely Agrykola park in Warsaw, and built on what was formerly a public bathroom, it’s hard to believe. At the time of my visit last year Atelier Amaro was on the Michelin Rising Star list. Just recently, the restaurant received its and Poland’s first Michelin star, a truly remarkable achievement for Chef Wojciech Modest Amaro and for the dining scene in Eastern Europe.

Chef Modest Amaro: courtesy Atelier Amaro

Our dinner, with a dear Polish friend comprises eight plates or moments, paired with Polish vodkas and other hard liquors, something that is still very new to me. Amaro’s philosophy, as elaborated in his award winning cookbooks is about the fusion of nature with science. Utilising a special calendar that he created, the restaurant only serves ingredients that obey the principles of time, place and tradition.

The menu is set out with just three ingredients listed per moment, and Polish ingredients, in season, are punted as the stars combined with unusual flavours and served in the elegant style of French-trained chefs. I’m particularly taken with the deer, blueberry and juniper dish paired with old and young potato vodkas. Great care is taken by the sommelier in explaining the differences and nuances of each chosen liquor.

It’s interesting to note that Amaro studied elecrtonics and political science before finding himself in the London kitchens of top chefs, including his mentor Nigel Davies. From there, it was a leap into the upper echelons and in 2009 he was awarded the Chef De L’avenir award (chef of the future) by the International Academy of Gastronomy. Within three months of opening in 2012, Atelier Amaro was awarded a Michelin rising star.

Amaro intends to place Polish ingredients and cuisine, beyond the pierogi, on the map, based on an interest in old Polish royal dishes and a desire to showcase long forgotten ingredients. It isn’t an easy task, translating these in a modern way, respecting these origins and carrying the weight of Poland’s first Michelin star – but for now, it’s all eyes on Modest Amaro.

Atelier Amaro

www.atelieramaro.pl

Book: reservations@atelieramaro.pl

I was contacted by the lovely folk at the Irish Food Board earlier this year to assist them in putting together a week-long, fairly intense culinary tour of Cape Town for a team of 12 of their members. Daunted but thrilled with the challenge, I roped in my dear friend Dawn Jorgensen, who creates safari and dream holiday packages to Southern and East Africa. Little did we know that in addition to crafting an itinerary we’d be invited to accompany our guests too. So, out went the plans of hiring a regular tour guide. It was us and them, and did we have a fun week!

I trawled my little black book and along with Tom Collins, the insight and innovation analyst at Bord Bia, we fashioned an itinerary that showcased the best, tastiest and industry-related experiences that the Board was after for their inspiration and scouting mission to the Mother City. Dawn and I wanted to share as much of the Mzanzi spirit with our guests as we could. The best feedback we received, unanimously from everyone, was that they wanted to return with their families to Cape Town and surrounds to enjoy and savour at leisure.

Meeting the cooks in the townships

We were met with the hospitality South Africans are rightfully known for and nothing was too great or too small a request.  An example: one restaurant generously opened way before trading hours especially for us, having taken our orders in advance so that we could be in time for the next appointment.

Farmer Angus and his chooks

The experience, for both Dawn and I, was a combination of rewarding and educational. We were forced at times to look at the local food scene in a new way, and to think about habits, trends, the price of labour, all the while discussing and comparing Irish and South African produce, production methods and technology as well as ethics.

Learning about ostriches

Many of our guests come from families belonging to a trade or farming concern for generations – butchers, farmers, bakers and so on. The collective expertise of our group was humbling and as we shared our local experiences, we lapped up the insight they continuously shared, sometimes bursting into song. Them, not us. As can be expected from the fun-loving Irish.

Sampling snoek and jazz

A highlight for us, was the midweek South African braai (barbeque) we held on the roof top of the Grand Daddy Hotel, where we were adressed by our charming, erudite host Michael Oliver . Sharing the stories about their journey in the food industry Julie Carter of Ocean Jewels, Richard Bosman of Richard Bosman Quality Cured Meats, Matt Allison, urban farmer and ever-evolving stay at home dad and Jason Lilley, artisan baker whom we visited at his Bree Street store earlier in the week. Over peppermint tart and more wine, in the early hours of the morning, we listened to stories about home and melodious song after song. A very special night.

With our inspirational locals

These are some of the images from our week together. There were meetings, strategy sessions, supermarket and market visits scouting for innovative packaging and design, in between the eating and drinking. All work, all play!

A heartfelt thank you to all our people who gave us their time and expertise, as well as those who answered our our cold-calls and emails, making many important meetings and experiences possible. And thank you to Tom and Helen King for assigning us with this task. It was the impetus Dawn and I needed for a project we are working on as a result, and we will share more as soon as we can.

Roger Jorgensen educating us about herbs and spirits – the kind you drink

learning about trout farming and processing

a seafood feast in Kalk Bay

charcuterie and wine pairing

fresh ingredients, well prepared

relaxed fine dining

In the May 2013 issue of Mango Inflight magazine, I share my top tips for hosting a special dinner party, or brunch or lunch.

A diary count-down from 4 weeks before on what you need to do. Most importantly? Cook simply for people whom you really want to spend time with and enjoy!

Dinner Party Diary

If the idea of throwing a dinner party has you frazzled and clutching a copy of Miss Manner’s guide in desperation, fear not. Ishay Govender-Ypma shares a stress-proof diary to planning a fabulous and unforgettable dinner party

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s to plan my dinner parties. No matter how casual your approach, come the day of the dinner party when there are 30 minutes to the first knock on the door and no food ready, it’s easy to fall apart. I use this simple guide to plan fun, memorable meals with my guests. It works for any special meal, brunch, lunch or dinner.

3 weeks to 1 month to go

• Send out invites. Out of town friends may need a longer notice.
• Weekends are usually easier for everyone.
• Ask guests to RSVP within a reasonable timeframe. Double check that emails and sms’s have gone through.
• Think of a theme – this will allow you to plan ingredients, drinks, music and table settings.

2 weeks to go

• Your guests should have replied. Make adjustments if necessary
• Decide on an approach: casual, formal or in between.
• Use the theme to decide on dishes – I gather inspiration from current favourite ingredients, magazines, cookbooks and blogs. Visit a food image aggregate site like Food Gawker to see what the latest popular dishes are.
• It’s permissible to mix styles, just make sure they don’t clash. You can make a variety of South East Asian dishes in one meal but a sashimi starter and a boeuf bourguignon main, may not work.
• Test out dishes or techniques you haven’t already mastered
• Make a list of the ingredients you need- I stick it to the fridge.
• Order speciality ingredients – Give butchers at least 1 week notice for special cuts

1 week to go

• What drinks will you serve? Wine pairings can be tricky, if you know your guests are wine buffs, tell them what you’re making and ask for recommendations.
• Examine your napkins for stains and crockery and stemware for chips. Replace what you need to
• Haul out ice buckets and water jugs
• If you’re setting up a formal dinner at the table, check that it and the chairs are in good nick. If using cushions around a low table, make sure they are suitable.
• How will you serve dinner? Individually plated, buffet style, all on the table. What suits your space?
• Purchase dry ingredients, canned goods, spices and candles.
• Consider a welcome drink – I love watermelon martinis in summer or a glass of bubbles. Keep it simple

2 days before

• Put together some neutral, easy going music. When in doubt,  go with Edith Piaf
• Send a courtesy reminder to guests – you can still plan around last minute cancellations
• Put a list out for any remaining ingredients to fetch the next day

1 day before

• This is your essential planning day.
• Chill drinks.
• Buy or fetch remaining ingredients, usually meat and fresh produce.
• Pre-prepare as much as possible. I wouldn’t advise preparing salad ingredients, but you can section meat, clean chicken and fish, chop onions and garlic (store in airtight containers in fridge), prepare desserts like ice cream or puddings. Whip cream just before serving.
• Stews and curries can be prepared today
• I buy flowers a day before – gives them a chance to open up.
• Before you go to sleep, make a list of the order of the dishes you need to make the next day.

On the Day

• If you only have an hour after work available, factor more tasks into the days before or get help from a friend or your partner.
• Dust and clean all the areas that your guests will be visiting
• Make sure the guest bathroom has fresh towels and soap. Hand cream is a nice touch
• Set the table, arrange the flowers. Make sure guests can see above the flowers or candles
• Lighting is important – I use dimmed lights and candles.
• Work through your list of dishes to finish. Keep those that are ready warm. Keep ingredients to be prepared when guests arrive, like steak, neatly covered and cool.
• Arrange salads and larger dishes on platters, unless plating individually
• Clean up work surfaces, sinks and the stove
• Remember to serve a jug of cold water
• Take a few minutes to get yourself ready
• Most importantly: smile, enjoy the dinner and spend time with your guests.

This vegetable curry to my surprise, is one my brother the carnivore, adores. He even asked for the recipe a few times, though I don’t see him making any culinary efforts to date.

It’s really versatile: use a combination of what you have, and also useful for using veggies reaching their sell-by dates. It’s hearty and filling and I serve it with some pickle and rice – easy dinner, any day of the week.

Ingredients

Serves 6

25 ml olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1 t yellow or black mustard seeds

1/2 t fenugreek seeds (optional)

2 green chillis, cut down the centre

1/2 t turmeric

2-3 t medium masala

1 t ground cumin

1 t ground coriander

3 medium carrots, diced 1.5 cm cubes

4 medium potatoes, diced 1.5 cm cubes

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow or green pepper diced

2 T tomato paste

1/2 t sugar

250 ml vegetable stock, plus extra water

300 g French beans, trimmed and cut into 3-4 cm pieces

salt, to taste

Method

1. Heat a medium sized saucepan to medium, add olive oil and onions. Fry for three minutes or until translucent and starting to soften, stirring. Add cinnamon stick, bay leaf, mustard seeds and fenugreek.  Stir.

2. Add green chillis and powdered spices, stirring so they don’t burn. Add a little more oil if needed.

3. Add carrots, peppers and potatoes, mix to coat in spices. Add tomato paste, sugar and some salt. Fry for a minute. Turn heat up slightly.

4. Add stock and cover. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring and checking liquid. Add more if looks like it’s drying  and sticking to bottom of pan. Check veggies for tenderness. Turn heat down to medium-low.

5. Remove lid and add beans in last 10 minutes, depending on how thick the beans are. Adjust seasoning.

Finer beans will cook quicker and you want them to remain a little crisp.  The curry should thicken and not be watery, so allow to cook down if needed.

Serve with chopped fresh coriander and basmati rice or rotis.

Come follow me on Vine, Twitter’s 6 second video app: Food and the Fabulous.

One of the first videos I ever made:

on the edge – looking out over Roussillon

I’m just short of a week since arriving in France, having travelled from Toulouse in the South West of France, through cassoulet country, onto oysters and then olives, goat, lamb and herbs in St Remy de Provence where I will be until tomorrow morning. Some French fries, and pizza, a dish I never associated with the South of France before, have also been added to the mix. And strawberries, the first of the spring harvest. They are glorious!

strawberries in Aix en Provence

Geographically, foods aren’t isolated to a region or necessarily ‘best eaten’ in specific areas to attain the oft futile goal of authenticity, but I have tried to eat the foods from the source (like oysters that are grown and harvested in Bouzigues, €14 for 12 huge, plump beauties).

Bouzigues

I researched that Castelnaudary claims that cassoulet was invented in the town and so I went to sample some there. I’ve made (well, technically we assisted the patissier) 10 kg of nougat using almonds from Provence, a product that’s both insanely expensive and one they’re really proud of here and saw my first one day old spring lamb.

a town called Castelnaudary

Waiter, there’s a cassoulet above my head! In Toulouse

So far we’ve met warm and interesting people, a few madmen and the odd genius too.

flowers at market in Coustellet

We will be headed to the lesser known Verte region tomorrow and I’m excited to see what (foods) and stories await.

I have been sharing my adventures and stretching the limits of my data package on Instagram, Vine  and Facebook – do say hello!

If you want to know more about Vine, and a 101 on how to, read my post here. 

Here’s a compilation of my week on Vine – my 6 second videos, in a 3 minute montage:

This article was featured by Fine Dining Lovers:

 http://www.finedininglovers.com/stories/douro-valley-popular-port/

We inch up the serpentine bends, pulling the car precariously close to the side of the narrow road closer to the river, as an SUV returning from the mountain, hurtles down in haste. We draw in deep breaths, keeping our eyes as wide open as the glare of the sun will allow. Below us lies a latticework of vines growing in schist rock terraces, arranged at pleasing angles.

As if splitting the mountain interface, the mighty Douro river carves its way, flowing between Portugal and Spain. The river has witnessed the efforts of man and vine for more than 2000 years; in 1991 the Alto Douro was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the long tradition of Port production and the resultant development in infrastructure in the area.

We stop off to the side of the road as safely as we can, one of us keeps an eye out for possible oncoming traffic, the other takes a few photographs. The Douro wine valley is as spectacular as they say, but even in the heat of summer, there are very few tourists. There are a number of rural houses across the river, some with a noble edge, and they cast ethereal shadows in the flat green waters. The terrain is unique and I feel a growing curiosity about the history and people who live and work here.

While the grapes for some incredibly good table wines, of which we have had the pleasure over three months of living in Portugal to sample, are grown here in the Douro, the region is most famous for excellent Ports or fortified wines. In picturesque Oporto, one of our favourite Portuguese cities which lies at the basin of the Douro, you will see prominent signs advertising the names of Port wine cellars. Port is stored in these cool cellars, but in order to get there, trucks must traverse the precarious journey down. We are told that it isn’t uncommon during harvest season for more than one collision or for a truck to tragically take a tumble over the side.

In the old days, barrels of pressed grapes were transported by rabelo along the unpredictable Douro.

At various estates or quintas, you may still find rudimentary chapels built in the old style – these were houses of worship where the stewards of those small vessels would come to pray for safe passage.

view from Quinta do Crasto

At Quinta do Crasto, we are taken up to admire the views of the valley from the pool area before our tasting commences and the eye is tricked into believing the pool flows into the Douro river.

It is here that we are reminded what we have been told before, that as popular as Port is, it isn’t so with the Portuguese. Rather, it’s an English custom that seems to live on; naturally much of the port produced is for export. The Douro developed the first appellation system, a wine classification to distinguish the three regions in which the grapes are grown. This was developed 200 years before the French system!

Later on at Quinta do Nova, we both agree that this could be the very spot for a renewal of wedding vows, except we both know we have family who wouldn’t commit to scaling the hills to get here. Lunch is an elaborate affair paired with the estate’s wines, under the shaded pergola.

wine and lunch Quinta do Nova

After a day of exploring, wine tasting (the driver must opt for sensibility, the roads aren’t worth the risk), and taking in views we head back to the beautiful CS Vintage House Hotel for a nap and a shower before dinner at Rui Paula’s DOC, a sleek and modern restaurant with an excellent reputation, on the water’s edge.

relaxing at the CS Vintage Hotel

And tomorrow? We’ll blissfully do it all again.

a rabelo ride on the Douro

Balcony of room at Vintage hotel

UPDATE: WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Taste of Cape Town is an event I eagerly look forward to every year. I’ve been attending Taste for far longer than I’ve been writing about food. It’s always a fun and delectable evening out (usually evening, though I did attend an afternoon session once)

What’s Taste of Cape Town about?

Taste of Cape Town is a local food festival that showcases some of our top food talent (restaurants) as well as artisanal suppliers and selected retailers.

This is what the organisers say:

The Pick Pay Taste of Cape Town is the Mother City’s premier food festival and is coming to town from 11 – 14 April at the Green Point Cricket Club. 12 of Cape Town’s best restaurants will fashion special menus of starter sized dishes for the occasion, including signature dishes created by our featured chefs designed to reflect their philosophy and showcase seasonal and premium ingredients in an unbeatable alfresco gourmet setting.

Enjoy a feast for the senses with top chefs demonstrating live in the Pick n Pay Chef’s Theatre or learn how to create and pair simple, stylish and utterly delicious canapés with a wide range of fine wine to complement the balance of flavours in the Pick n Pay Wine and Canapé Experience. Plus over 100 boutique exhibitors, artisan producers, premium drink brands and award-winning wineries will provide a bounty of the country’s finest food and drink on offer, ensuring that you can sample and shop for a range of produce in the laid back atmosphere of a boutique food market. With world class restaurants, chefs and produce, Taste of Cape Town is a sumptuous, indulgent foodie day out.

Who should go?

Love food and booze? Of course you do. Or would you like to sample tastes of restaurant food you haven’t had time or pocket to try before? You can now, by purchasing a variety of small taster plates. It’s a great way to decide if you want to visit the restaurant to sample more. In most cases the answer will be: yes! Lots of wines and other drinks will be up for a sampling too.

I find it’s a lovely way to spend time with a bunch of food-loving friends. Hit the stalls arm-in-arm and when you tire of them, disperse for a walk with your lovie, share a kiss behind a stall (I’m not saying this is what I do!), and return to join the friends.

Taste of Cape Town is about our city’s food story. You should share in it.

When?

11 – 14 April 2013 at the Green Point Cricket Club. Check the Taste of Cape Town site for times and schedule.

WIN: An Exclusive dinner for two with Chef Bruce Robertson at his home **

Dinner at The Boahouse

When the Taste people gave me this to give to you, I took a long, deep breath. I’ve been meaning to book a very coveted table at The Boathouse but still haven’t! You’ll be eating a meal that food bloggers (i.e me) would love to get their grubby paws on. You can go on any date you choose, valid for a year.

We’ll also throw in 2 tickets to Taste of Cape Town!

Want?

1. Tell me what your favourite food in Cape Town is, in the comments section (please keep it brief) AND

2. Vist the Food and the Fabulous Facebook page and leave your name on the competition post (Like the page while you’re at it, please).

Winner will be drawn on Thursday morning, 11 April 2013.

**Terms and Conditions apply- note: Dinner at The Boathouse is available on Friday evenings only

Taste of Cape Town is about our city’s food story. You should share in it.

CONGRATULATIONS NIKiTA! You’lll hear from us soon.

(To be clear: I am a semi-technophobe but, miraculously, an ardent social media advocate. Read my piece on Social Media and the Food World here. I’m Food and the Fabulous on Vine)

Image from Google

“Hi, I’m Ishay. I cook, I eat, I speak a lot about food culture and nostalgia and sometimes I blog. I am utterly enamoured with six second videos too.”

Six second videos, you ask?

I’m speaking about Vine App, Twitter’s video application for iPhone and iPad. You’ve got six seconds to present your message and while at first you’ll be tempted to pan from one end of the room to the next, and consequently ‘spend’ your six seconds, what can be achieved is incredible! And, these videos play on a loop.

If they say a picture tells a thousand words (a concept, as a writer, I accept but don’t leap with joy at the thought of), then imagine what a combination of visuals, words and music, if correctly placed can do!

I’ve been using Vine for 57 days now and I believe it launched in mid January 2013. I have much to learn and am looking for a gadget to hook the iPhone to a tripod – steady hands make all the difference.

This is an example of a Vine video; I’m braising the spices for a yellow split pea dhal and show a few shots of the ingredients and preparation process.

For sound on the videos, open in separate window and unmute

In this video I share some of the ingredients I was using that evening: butter, chocolate, coffee granules, flour – I was testing about five different brownie recipes. It’s a spontaneous process in my case, and how it’s filmed evolves as I press go.   

I am inspired by the visionaries, creatives and comedians who have found themselves a new outlet for expression, and who are gathering followers and fans like it’s going out of style. Except, it’s only beginning. More about these inspirationals in a bit.

Twitter’s CEO Dick Costolo in an interview about Vine, told the Wall Street Journal, “We all agreed that this is the next thing down the road.”

Bigger than Instagram?

For three months I’ve been saying a little yes on the inside when I’ve interviewed local digital leaders, hoping their answer would be the same.  Mashable reported: 

“Vine’s secret weapon is a combination of being simpler to use than most video apps and the fact that it has one of the biggest social networks in the world as a parent company and platform. “It’s really beautifully integrated with Twitter and there’s a new level of simplicity around video capture that they hit on that has made it intriguing to people,” said Pam Kramer, president at Lightt and a former VP of consumer marketing at Twitter. “I think it moved a step ahead from integrating a still photo to integrating something more dynamic.” 

How’d they do that?

Without fail, Meagan Cignoli, has me cooing at her eye for the beautiful, her exquisite timing and perfectly lit Vines. She’s also most gracious about compliments and interacts with other users. Alright, end swoon now. Meagan is one of the Viners entering the Tribeca Film Festival, which has opened a section especially for these six second videos.

And here’s her clip entitled ‘Play Doh Swirls’.

Jason Coffee and his very photogenic family live in Hawaii, with their beautiful pup Bean and are winning hearts over with their perfectly timed lip-synching, wholesome skits and ‘puppetman’ Vines, where Jason’s hand seems to maneuver the kids like puppets. It’s amazing to watch – I haven’t yet figured out how it’s done. A magic lens, a special app, an old ‘blind spot’ trick. I know Jason isn’t the only one doing these now. Maybe someone email me the answer? I’ll be a’waitin’ by the phone!

Lip-synching – a reference to Sweet Brown, bless her

Check out the family’s entry to the Tribeca Film Festival called ‘Dream State’: http://jasoncoffee.com/6secfilms-tribeca/  

Funny Boys

Many of the more popular Viners like Chris D’Elia, a stand up comedian and Micheal LoPriore use part of the six seconds to set up a scenario and the last bit for the twist in the tale, punchline or aha moment when the viewer either sympathises, agrees or is shocked by the conclusion – all very funny, not all of it P.C though.

Chris D’Elia does, amongst other things, a series of observations called “Excuse me, Sir…”

Michael LoPriore, if he isn’t stumbling around the house, performing sketches with his brothers or playing ‘waffle frisbee’, he gets into charcater with Nerd Ned:

Other popular Vine follows include: Pinot, Khoa, Nick Mastodon ,Big Red, and Nicholas Megalis who created the hashtag #singwhatyousee – even got me to sing on Vine. These are their Twitter handles.

You can watch all my vines here.

Vine 101

A pause for the irony that I’m presenting you with Vine tips, as I’ve got much to improve. For what it’s worth here’s what I’ve learned through many hours and days of playing around:

• You shoot a Vine by pressing on the screen. For stop-motion and animation, you may like to know that you can press the screen a maximun of 140 times. These are tiny little taps. I shot a scene of waves moving this weekend, maximum of 50-60 taps. My fingers!

• It’s not a popularity contest. If you’ve built a following and identity on Twitter or Facebook, you will have to face starting from scratch again on Vine. Don’t stick to just your buddies from Twitter. Dive in, interact and make new friends.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment. If you don’t shoot your first few hit and misses, you’ll never start. You can always delete it after posting if you’re still not happy. Get in there!
• Vine is changing and improving all the time. Currently you can not edit, post shooting. While it encourages spontaneity, have a little plan. If it will take you 45 minutes from start to finish to cook a dish, have your phone fully charged. Bombing out due to a battery power fail is incredibly frustrating.
• If you are shooting a dish, quickly think of the interesting sounds, textures and ‘phases’ you can present and allocate time accordingly. Onions frying and bacon sizzling in a pan are very emotive.
• I love music, and including it takes a bit of planning, else all you hear are the sounds a strangled chicken would make. Not that I know what a strangled chicken sounds like, I swear…..

• Businesses and brands should be using Vine. Show us behind the scenes, what your offices look like, how you engage with your staff. Share more than a few words or links to Facebook.  Restaurants, show us what the dish of the day is for lunch. YuppieChef locally have joined and I hope they keep Vining and leading the way.
• Accomplished Viners will advise you get a tripod. Keeping the phone still for animation and stop motion is key. I’ve been recently pining after the glif to attach to my gorilla tripod, but it isn’t even delivered locally. Will have to get my family in Europe to accept delivery on my behalf.
• Lenses – macro lenses will create an intense blow-up of beautiful visuals like flowers, insects and chocolate. Well, I had to add that.
• If Instagram and pictures gave us an insight into restaurants we want to try and beautiful sights we’d like to visit, imagine the power of a six second clip. Because the majority of Africa accesses the internet on mobile phones, this makes sharing easier – shorter videos also chew less data.
• Use hashtags. Vine has recently removed the main category hashtag ‘food’ and ‘howto’ which, for a food writer is pretty annoying. But they also removed ‘pets’, which is some comfort. Ha! Continue to hashtag as appropriate and check out the trending hashtags too.
• Exercise caution. Now your posts can be shared, without notice or attribution by strangers. If you’re running a brand or a business this will make no difference to you. If you often shoot vines of your children and your home address, their school etc, I’d be a little cautious.
• Unfortunately Vine works best on iPhone, the iPad is a little clunky – I am sure there must be plans in the works to open up accessibility to other users too.
• Promote your city. Social media has shrunk the world. We all want to see the best of where our new friends live. Destination marketing organisations should pick this up and post visitors’ and locals’ Vines on their pages. It’s six unique seconds of free exposure.

If you’re on Vine, come say helleh: Food and the Fabulous

Are you are food or travel blogger or writer on Vine? Let’s connect. Also, please add your tips – would love to learn.

This article on Kids and Cooking is featured in Mango Juice Inflight Magazine, April

We’re thrilled to have featured Josh Thirion, who’s book Cooking with Josh makes him the youngest South African author (9), and he recently won an award for the book at the World Gourmand Book Awards. We’re really proud of him too!

Josh – image Random Struick

The original piece:

COOKING SHOWS HAVE REACHED EPIC POPULARITY in South Africa at the moment. But it’s not just adults that are intrigued. Kids, inspired by MasterChef Junior and the Food Network channel are reclaiming the kitchen. Ishay Govender-Ypma is thrilled by this, and tells us why.

We want Real Food

It’s been a slow process, but the convenience food generation has finally grown up. Words like ‘organic’, ‘whole foods’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘local’ have become popular, not just with the foodie set. People are more aware now that cooking at home, while taking a bit of effort, is a way to better control what we, and our kids eat. Now that we have been exposed to what fast foods actually contains, there is very little to indicate it is a way to treat our kids.

The Benefits for Kids

Getting children involved in the kitchen and at meal times is a way to equip them for the future – it instills in children that good food consists of real ingredients, it takes some time to prepare but is rewarding.

Cooking teaches us:

• Self sufficiency. School leavers who can’t fry an egg? This must change.
• Cooking demonstrates economy, first hand – roasting a chicken for dinner, using the left overs for sandwiches for school for example.
• Measuring and maths
• Comprehension skills when reading the instructions,
• Organisation – recipes follow an order and cooking involves cleaning up
• Experimentation with flavours and textures – cooking from a young age educates palates
• Appreciation
• Confidence

Christine Phillips founded Little Cooks Club, a kids’ cooking school that has been franchised across the country, 7 years ago, inspired by her own children’s interest in the kitchen.

She says, “ Spending time in the kitchen making food together as a family gives you a chance to catch up. You pass down family favourites and traditions to your child – you are passing down special memories.  Let’s be honest, all children want to do is spend time with their parents and there’s no better place to do it than the kitchen while chatting, cooking and eating.”

Respect For Food

Naturally, you must exercise strict precautions with sharp objects and hot stoves, especially for kids under the age of 14.

John Torode, U.K restauranteur and MasterChef UK judge summarises it perfectly, “ Don’t assume your child understands that an oven is hot, or not to stick their finger in a boiling pot. Kitchens are dangerous, but try not to instill fear. Teach them to respect everything: a knife because it’s sharp; the oven because it’s hot; ingredients because they’re expensive.” 

Start Young

It makes sense that the younger you start teaching kids, the easier it will be for them to develop their skills.

The latest trend in kids’ parties involves baking and decorating sessions, and goodie bags of jars of layered cookie mix, cookie cutters and personalised aprons. A far cry from the birthday tables covered with plastic table cloths and bright snacks that I recall. And certainly an indication that cooking has joined the ranks of pony rides and dress up parties as a fun activity for children.

Josh

Josh Thirion, is South Africa’s youngest author at age 9 and says that his book, Cook with Josh (Random Struick) is based on his love of cooking, which he finds ‘creative and fun’. The MasterChef series, Jamie Oliver and local chef Tim Woodford are his inspirations and cottage pie pots his favourite dish to make.

KIDS COOKING SCHOOLS

1. Little Cooks Club – www.littlecooksclub.co.za (across the country)
2. Tots n Pots – www.totsnpots.com (across the country)

Image from Little Cooks Club