Two Long Tables - towards an authentic fine dining experience.

Two Long Tables inspired this blog post.

The first being a fine dining experience I enjoyed twice in the passed six months. A local celebrity, television presenter, Rita van der Heever, is the mastermind of a private dining experience, presented to close friends and associates in the comfort of her own home.  By invitation only, one receives a menu and the address and all you have to do is arrive to enjoy a fun filled evening with deliciously prepared and much loved comfort food with likeminded individuals. 

Surrounded by art and seated at a one-of-a-kind, bespoke Bloukrans Table, created and manufactured by Pierre Cronje, already makes for a unique dining experience.

This iconic design was inspired by Pierre’s experience working on the Bloukrans as a civil engineer. Seating 18 hungry stylish folks creates for a festive interactive dining experience like no other. (as sited at the Pierre Cronje website - follow the link above)

Rita van der Heever serves a three-course meal with panache, catering for all the senses. Homemade dishes are the best – tried and tested they are legendary – shaped and reworked over time - to perfection - and so it should be. For the love of food, wine and style - at the core of a fine dining experience. For more information to join the SMULPAPE  - send though your request to ritavandenheever@gmail.com and you to can enjoy the fine dining experience.

What should one expect from a contemporary hospitality dining experience – albeit a home-industry setting and or your favourite restaurant downtown.

Food and design is experiencing far greater synergy as we embrace design and thinking through craft in the design and manufacture of innovative products for a holistic dining experience. Thinking through drawing, in developing concepts and design ideas, it is important to gain knowledge of the type of food and the products that support the envisaged dining experience.

  

The recipes that will make up the menu are as important as the design style of the ceramic serving dishes. Having knowledge of the history and an understanding of ceramic traditions as well as ceramic manufacturing techniques and methods all contribute to an authentic product development in support of the dining experience.  

The Ceramic discipline is deeply rooted in a broad range of art, design and craft traditions; extending from the east to the west, including Europe and more importantly Africa in between – laying the foundation for product development no matter the menu and or recipes to be cooked.

Fine dining and wining is a stylish affair; catering for all the senses, including visual, smell, touch and taste. However ergonomics and tactile qualities are as valuable as complimentary surface decoration. All-important applied ingredients in defining the gestalt of a contemporary designer maker approach to creative cultural product options (Concepts and ideas). 

Knowledge and an understanding of craft traditions is an advantage in the design for manufacture products, especially if we celebrating the handmade. It is even more important when we redefine food and design related products from a home-based cooking and dining experience. 

This needs to be seen in the context of the envisaged choice of ceramic dishes, its forms, shapes and surface development. Decoration is no longer a crime as we embrace an authentic approach to product design development and manufacture (in direct contrast to Modernism’s expressed view – ‘that decoration is a crime’).

Whether one is a ceramist, developing a new product range and or a passionate chef or confectionist, it is essential that both sides of the spectrum are addressed - to plan and implement a successful entrepreneurial business proposal. 

The restaurants interior (place – tables, chairs and textiles), the dining style; the food, wine and serving dishes (the space) and the ambiance, all contribute to a holistic eatery – an integrated authentic approach to wining and dining.  

Making money cooking at home is an option considered by a number of individuals at a time when cash is tight and extra income is required to combat tough times – cost increases on all fronts. However when it is your passion and you consider yourself to be the next master chef – then this might just be a creative way forward to generate extra income. Selecting the right dinner service and serving dishes are all part of the integrated fine dining experience.

100% Design South Africa held in association with Decorex 2014 Johannesburg, this passed weekend, presented the right opportunity to gain knowledge and insight into a wide range of product design options for your dining room table. For more information see alternative blog FADAGallery administered by the blogger.

This brings me to the second Long Table, a collaboration of 14 SA ceramists including well-known ceramists Nic Sithole, Andile Dyalvane, Mervyn Gers and the talented and master craftsperson Anthony Shapiro, that took first prize in the category Best Product Design. The stand was coordinated by ART in the Forest and incorporated a broad range of ceramic products in a wide variety of ceramic techniques and methods of construction, including surface decoration. The unique display consisted of wallpaper images of forests emulating the surroundings of the Cape Town based studio, ART in a Forest (images seen above).

Hon’s Mhaans Kari / Lamb curry – with a spoonful of Garam Masala

Curry dishes are absolutely delicious. Especially if you add a spoonful of roasted spices – your own personal touch – the mystery ingredient that makes your curry recipe an unforgettable culinary experience. Garam Masala takes time to prepare, but can be stored in an airtight container, if you produce a large batch. 

It is recommended that you add this special mix of roasted spices to your curry dishes towards the final stages of cooking (an additional option to the spices). It can also be sprinkled on to vegetables as a final seasoning or added towards the end of cooking. It adds to my limited knowledge a mature spice flavour to your curry dish.

According Larouse Gastronomique, Garam Masala is  a spice mixture mainly used in Indian cookery. The exact mix varies according to the cook’s taste and requirements, but warm-flavoured spices are used, typically cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and black pepper. The whole spices are roasted together before being ground. Because it is roasted, unlike raw spices, which are cooked in the first stages of preparation, garam masala is one of the spice mixtures that may be added to dishes in the final stages of cooking or sprinkled over as a final seasoning before serving. The spice mix may be prepared especially for each dish, or a slightly larger quantity can be made and stored in an airtight container. Larouse Gastronomique (Hamlyn – first published 2009)

The spice mix that I have used for many years includes a spoonful of Garam Masala. It is best suited for a Lamb Curry (Mhaans Kari). According to the Encyclopedia of Asian cooking (editor Jeni Wright), goats meat is as popular in the sub-continent of India, if not more than lamb and mutton. I have however used this recipe for lamb knuckles and for boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into cubes (both illustrated here)

Ingredients

450 grams boned lamb shoulder or leg cut into cubes

or lamb-knuckles - two to three per guest (depending on their size).

Slice a few onions (or one large onion)

Finely chop one red chilly (remove the seeds)  

Also chop two to three garlic gloves (or peeled and sliced).

300 ml of water (enough to cover the meat)

Spices (adjust the recipe according to the quantity of meat used)

2 teaspoons coriander powder.

1 teaspoon turmeric powder.

1 teaspoon cumin powder.

half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Half a teaspoon chilly powder.

1 teaspoon of Garam Masala (optional).

1 teaspoon of salt.

Garam Masala Recipe.

• 1 and half spoons whole cardamoms.
• 5 spoons coriander seeds.
• 1 spoon cumin seeds.
• 1 and half spoons whole cloves.
•  6 spoons whole black peppercorns.

There are many variations on this recipe.

Too roast remove the seeds from the cardamoms, then place all the ingredients on a baking tray – bake in a preheated very hot oven (240 C for 10 minutes. When cold, grind to a fine-powder using a old coffee grinder or electric blender or pestle and mortar.

Cooking the lamb curry

Heat a small quantity of oil in a ovenproof casserole dish or heavy pan. Swiftly fry the lamb-knuckles and or cubes until brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

Gently fry the onions until almost soft and golden (sautéed). Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the garam masala, the water and the salt and fry for 3 minutes – stirring constantly. Enjoy the spicy aroma.

Return the lamb to the pan or ovenproof casserole, add the salt and the water and simmer for an hour and a half. I use my oven mainly – set on a 150 degrees Celsius and cook the dish slowly for about two hours.  Cover the dish if you prefer lots of sauce, or uncovered for a dry curry. A half and hour before you serve the dish, add the garam masala and cook through. Serve and enjoy.

For this particular meal I served broccoli (vegetable) and mash – seasoned with lemon rind. 

The Rosendal Experience; up very close - earthly delights.

Every time I visit Rosendal, in the Eastern Free-State, I experience the place from a different angle and perspective. It is because you look past the obvious touristy landmarks, the typical sandstone mountain landscape scenes, looking for an experience beyond the obvious. Different guests, different homes and walks and chats along the way, make each weekend a unique and valuable experience.

New guests bring something special to the table in terms of conversation and of course the menu and the available produce. We each take turns to cook and because there is no television and distractions, we have fabulous conversations on many inspiring topics. 

Hugh Frazer, seen above, made breakfast.

One also becomes a little blasé about that which attracted you to the place in the first instance. This is particularly true when you capture the quintessential of the quaint little town on camera and you post it on a blog, as I have done twice before. 

It is simply not good enough and of real value to just post more images of the same – from different angles, and at different times of the year, capturing the four seasons etc. This is not my style. As mentioned before – I like to cook there, for obvious reasons.  We always try out something will share with you here on my blog.

I therefore bring another dimension to the value adding experience of Rosendal; visuals of the place within the space (besides new recipes). Every effort has been made to get up very close to those things that inspire me most; making use of my creative eye, and embracing all of my senses to arrive at a visually enticing reflection of Rosendal. Hopefully this is a new an exciting way of revealing that which inspires me most about the place. 

Ultimately such experiences are in the memory of the past experiences of the place – fondest memories, but more importantly it is fundamentally in the detail. The effort you make in cooking a fabulous meal, serving it with an excellent accompanying wine to appreciating guests with meaningful conversation. Such is the things of which an enchanted life is remembered and cherished. Very special indeed.

The recipes are some of my favourites

Lamb-knuckles 

slowly cooked in red wine, 

with tomatoes, 

rosemary and marjoram, 

served with wild rice and a 

delicious vegetable salad 

with an amazing vinaigrette.

Slice, chop and or dice the onions (1 or 2 big, or a few small ones)

Also slice and or chop 250 grams of streaky bacon.

Also chop a few garlic cloves (preference).

Gently fry all the chopped ingredients in a pan, ovenproof dish and or pot. 

Remove with a slotted spoon.

Fry the lamb knuckles (750 grams) turning the meat after a few minutes, browning the knuckles on both sides (brown in two batches if pot is too small).

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

Season with salt and pepper, add the chopped Rosemary (a few sprigs), marjoram and pour over the red wine (300 ml) and simmer the meat until the wine is reduced by half (turn the meat once or twice).

Then add the tins of chopped tomatoes (from Woolworths) and some tomato paste (Italian from Woolworths). 

Add the chopped ingredients (onions, bacon, garlic and chilli) and add some water (if necessary) ; to cover the meat and finally place the dish in the preheated oven - cook for two hours (or until the meat is tender)

After an hour cook the rice, wild-rice this time.

My love for Salads.

Meanwhile cook the broccoli or asparagus in boiling water until almost cooked 10 – 12 minutes at most. Drain under very cold water and set aside.

Wash all the salad leaves and dry.

You could also fry eggplant after extracting the excess water; sprinkling it with salt and drying it on paper toweling. Also follow the process to extract excessive oil.

Arrange some of the salad leaves on a platter, then add some of the vegetables, the cheese (Feta or mozzarella) and some of the olives, then add more salad leaves, completing the salad adding the ingredients in layers (I never toss a salad). For the salad below, I grated blue cheese over the salad, after each layer.

For this particular salad, featured here, I used greens from Daniel’s herb and vegetable garden. Fresh lettuce is something else, not what you buy at Woolworths or your greengrocer.  

Believe me a crisp green salad with a fabulous vinaigrette will have you coming back for more; a second helping, especially with roasted pine nuts. I have made many salad dressings in the past, even made my own flavoured oils. I have added basil and other herbs, to obtain particular flavours to the oil, left in the bottle for a few days or a week (even combinations of herbs). 

Herb flavoured oil is very special during the winter months, when certain herbs like basil are not available (it gets freezing cold in Rosendal). One can also make a fabulous wine-vinegar by adding herbs. The combination of the oil, vinegar and herbs can give you many different combinations for dressings – really stunning, when adding sun-ripe tomatoes in your salad. Never ever make a salad with tomatoes straight from the fridge. Tomatoes should be juicy and sweet, and together with great cheeses (Feta or Mozzarella), the roasted pinenuts, the fresh salad leaves and a flavoured basil dressing, changes goats food, a salad into something very special indeed.