CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S AT HARTFORD HOUSE

Click above to enlarge your invitation...

"Spoil your loved one..."

Spoil your loved one with a delectable Valentine's Day dinner.
Enjoy a 5 course meal with a romantic flair.
Receive a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival and enjoy the sultry sound of Jeff Judge's
saxophone playing live in the background.

Date : 14 February 2012

Venue : Hartford House

Time : 19h00 for 19h30

Cost : R395 per person

RSVP : Emma
reception@hartford.co.za
033 263 2713

Contact us today
to make your reservation.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za

EATING IN, DEFINED BY EAT OUT

Head Chef Jackie Cameron
(Photo : Cooked in Africa)

"Small Producers / Suppliers to the Culinary Trade"

Turn up at the front gates to Summerhill Stud, home of Hartford House, on any given day, at 12 noon and a little beyond, and you'll see them; a stream of gleaming SUV's and smart cars, all headed for one of the nation's top eateries. They know their stuff, and they know it doesn't get much better. She's regularly in the news these days, but she takes nothing for granted. Every moment of recognition in a competitive world, is graciously acknowledged. Head Chef, Jackie Cameron, has been recognised once again by the publishers of Eat Out magazine. Their associate publication is Eat In (as most "foodies" know) and of all the experts in the nation, Jackie has been invited to join a panel of just four to assess the nation's premier small producers / suppliers to the culinary trade. To illustrate the extent of the compliment, she sits alongside revered critics Anelde Greef, (Content Director of Eat In) Abigail Donnelly, Anna Trapido and Pete Goffe-Wood, quite a team, and she's the youngest by half! (forgive the observation, guys!)

Judging takes place in Cape Town on the 19^th and 20^th January, so watch out for the outcomes in Eat In's 2012 edition, particularly if you're keen to know the tricks of the trade, and where the country's leading kitchens get their secret ingredients from.

www.eatout.co.za

OUT AND ABOUT : KZN MIDLANDS

Food & Home Entertaining

Food & Home Entertaining magazine has just released their top list for 'OUT & ABOUT : KZN MIDLANDS' by Clifford Roberts where Hartford House features in the category 'Best for Fining Dining' :

Hartford House
Summerhill Stud Farm, Hlatikulu Road, Mooi River
033 263 2713

Renowned chef Jackie Cameron weaves culinary magic in the restaurant, situated in a large colonial sandstone building featuring vistas of hills and dales. Cameron travels regularly and applies what she learns in her kitchen.

Food and wine evenings are a regular event, with dishes such as seared beef fillet served with fresh horseradish, horseradish potato creme, green beans and roasted garlic on offer. For breakfast, don't miss the oast and Irish whiskey with grated apple, raisens and cream.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za

STEVE AND NICKY FITZGERALD : HAIL CAESAR

Hartford House Restaurant
(Photo : Cooked in Africa)

"Steve was lyrical about Jackie Cameron's food"

There are no more recognisable faces in the hospitality trade, than Steve and Nicky Fitzgerald, past bosses of And Beyond (or CC Africa, as it was previously known). Their tenure at And Beyond saw them build that business into the biggest and most innovative safari and wilderness operator in the world. In our own encounters with Nicky, (head of marketing), through our mutual affiliations with the Land Of Legends (www.landoflegends.co.za), a visit to "headquarters" in Johannesburg was like spending a semester at Harvard.

This past weekend, we were privileged to host them at Hartford, together with their dynamic young daughter, Kate. Unsurprisingly, they were their usual ebullient selves; enterprising, interesting and wildly enthusiastic.

The one thing you know about the Fitzgeralds, is that they are forthright and constructive, and so when they say you are doing something right, you should know the size of the compliment. Steve was lyrical about Jackie Cameron's food, and they were generously complimentary about Hartford and its atmosphere. While you'd expect them to notice these things, coming from whence they do, they were quick to remark on the vibrancy of our guests, and especially on the demographic. They couldn't get over the fact that Hartford was packed with young visitors from the corporate, professional and financial sectors, all about "twenty years younger than us!".

By their standards, the "Fitzes" have been quiet of late, but it's a sure bet they're not done yet. Steve loves nothing more than a good deal, and Nicky loves to make it work.

EATING OUT GUIDE : TOP OF THE POPS

Entrance to the Hartford Estate, Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
(Photo : Nicholas Goss)

Hartford included in Anne Stevens' Eating Out Restaurant Guide

Whatever they may say about the troubles of the world, there are still pockets of excellence which continue to stand out despite the gloom. Hartford House is one of those, maintaining its position as one of the most decorated hospitality businesses in the land this year. We never take these things for granted, but we're always grateful for the recognition and the encouragement they bring to our team. Hartford is something of a miracle story, in a district short on skills and job opportunities. Few of our people know the look of a school leaver's certificate, yet they are born of a natural talent for making people feel at home, and they're among the few in the world who still regard service as a dignity.

It's great to be recognised by the country as a whole, and we thrive on the acclaim of those abroad, but it's as gratifying knowing that you're appreciated in your own neighbourhood. Anne Stevens, the most revered of KwaZulu-Natal's food critics is our senior journalist, who has eateries living in anxious anticipation of her approval at this time of the year. Last Friday her annual Eating Out guide appeared for the umpteenth time in decades, in The Mercury. Remarkably, for a city which ranks as the third largest in the country, Durban doesn't celebrate a restaurant in Anne's top echelons. There are some fine restaurants in South Africa's premier holiday playground, worthy of mention in any collection of the country's best, but if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, the leisurely drive in the Mooi River direction of the Drakensberg, is essential. Hartford was once again one of only two in the province to enjoy her coveted four-star acknowledgment; coming from Anne, that's some compliment. Like everything else on this property, from racehorses, horse feeds, equine insurance to hospitality, the motto is : "World class and beyond". "Auntie Anne's" endorsement that we've been faithful to our creed, is heartening.

For more information please visit :
www.hartford.co.za