THE KZN BUBBLY CELEBRATION

Piggly Wiggly Country Village
Midlands

The KZN Bubbly Celebration

28 April 2012

12:00 - 17:00

Piggly Wiggly, Midlands

R180pp

Includes a complimentary tasting glass, 10 wine tasting coupons and live entertainment.

For enquiries 082 909 1116 or email info@dnaevents.co.za

Bookings :

www.webtickets.co.za

KWAZULU-NATAL MIDLANDS PRODUCE SUPPLIERS

Sunday lunch at Hartford House
(Photo : Hartford House)

"The rest of the country is becoming aware of the
excellent produce available here in KwaZulu-Natal."

Albeit slowly, the rest of the country is becoming aware of the excellent produce available here in KwaZulu-Natal.

Earlier this year I was in Cape Town as a judge for the EAT IN Awards. The panel included Anelde Greeff (EAT IN editor), Pete Goffe-Wood (Master Chef SA judge), Abigail Donnelly (EAT OUT editor), Anna Trapido, (editor of Food to Freedom, featuring Nelson Mandela), Deon van Wyk (head buyer for Melissa's) and myself. Two days of intense tasting lead us to experience the extremely interesting quality of ingredients in and around South Africa. I was pleased to note the local KwaZulu-Natal suppliers who had entered. Here's to next year and to putting even more KZN products on the map.

Back to 'local is lekker' and the suppliers I am currently using. Pork pies, sausages, sliced gammon and well-smoked, streaky bacon from Caz, of Dargle Valley Pork, are top class. They help make breakfast memorable. Pork mince balls with chunky barbeque/pineapple sauce is an unusual dish and worth a try.

From Dargle Valley Ducks I order Serene and Dean's whole birds and they also sell the thighs separately, which is good to know should you want to make confit. I recently tried their sausages and duck liver pate and was very favourably impressed. We make our own at Hartford House but I recommend this pate for home use. Serve with crispy, thin Melba toast and sweetened strawberry-and-rosemary relish.

Nothing can compare when it comes to goat's cheese from Fran's Swissland Cheese. If you live in KZN I suggest you visit her farm on the Midlands Meander. Her St Maure, slightly warmed on a bruschetta with home-marinated beetroot, is a delicious snack.

Chrissie's farmhouse cheddar is on my list of favourites. I always include a serving of this with Christmas cake. All her cheeses tickle the taste buds - and look out for her Stilton; it's full of character.

La Petite France camembert, made in the classical French tradition, oozes creaminess. Try it on a water biscuit with their rose syrup, which includes delicate pink petals, or with their fig preserve.

Croft Farm Chickens are free-range, happy hens. I use Candy and Chris' delicious, plump livers and their whole chickens and can also recommend their pies, rolls, spatchcocks and stuffed roasts too. What is a tasty roast chicken without a super crispy roast potato? Try the accompanying recipe. It promises to please.

Sue's trout from Wayfarer Trout can only be explained to the initiated - once bitten you won't go anywhere else. Hers are pin-boned and tastefully presented - seared with lemon is my choice, alternatively you could use the smoked trout in a spread.

I would like to see more rabbit dishes on our country-restaurant menus. It is often our best seller on a Sunday at Hartford House. Try Ziggy's New-Zealand rabbits and make a superb hot terrine or casserole.

Speak to Greg from Greg's Farm Stall for anything a little unusual with regards to vegetables. Think micro herbs, coloured carrots, Jerusalem artichokes and fresh horseradish.

I look forward to judging the EAT IN competition next year and to welcoming many more KZN entries - olives, pickles, preserves; in fact all things edible. Remember to send your whole range because that gives a better overview. Should you produce something special or know of someone making or producing something unique, please let me know. The better informed I am the better I can inform the rest of the country.

KZN MIDLANDS PRODUCE SUPPLIERS

Dargle Valley Pork - Caz - 0824570987

Dargle Ducks - Dean - 0824220806

Swissland Goat's Cheese - Fran - 0824183440

Chrissie's Farmhouse Cheddar - Chrissie - 0825586049

La Petite France Camembert - Geri - 0824916623

Croft Farm Chickens - Chris or Kandy - 0823398892 - www.croftfarmchicken.com

Wayfarer Trout - Sue - 0824153780

Ziggy's Rabbit - Ziggy - 0827353821

Greg's Farm Stall - Greg - 076674552

Take these recipes and try them.

PORK MINCE BALLS
STRAWBERRY AND ROSEMARY RELISH
MARINATED BEETROOT
CRISPY ROAST POTATOES
SMOKED TROUT SPREAD
RABBIT CASSEROLE

Send comments and food-related questions to jackie@hartford.co.za. I always look forward to hearing from you. For the latest on local foodie news add me as a friend on FACEBOOK. Find me on Twitter - jackie_cameron.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713

Assisted by Elaine Boshoff for recipe development and photography

KZN WINTER SNOWS - IN ALL THEIR ICY GLORY

Winter Snows
(Photos : Leigh Willson)

Greater Summerhill / Hartford Estate
Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal

The Winter Snows have descended upon the Drakensberg mountain range in all their icy glory. Here are a few photos of the greater Summerhill / Hartford estate; powder-covered.

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

COMFORTABLE BED-FELLOWS

Chef Jackie Cameron
(Photo : Land Rover / International Wine & Food Society / Hartford House)

OF LAND ROVER
AND THE INTERNATIONAL WINE & FOOD SOCIETY

Hartford was host to two completely diverse yet highly prestigious gatherings on the weekend. The one came in the form of two visits by Land Rover, who brought more than 59 guests to the hotel as part of a promotion of their exceptional new range of vehicles.

The other was the International Wine & Food Society, comprising some of South Africa's leading "foodies". Both, it seems were "happy campers", and judging by the compliments of the Wine & Food Society it was up there with the best outings ever. Katherine Reardon, Chairman, wrote :

"Jackie, your menu was superb and it was truly one of the finest functions that I have ever enjoyed in my 21 years of membership in the Society. The menu was a delight to us prior to the event. However, it was only at the actual dinner that we were able to appreciate the nuances and subtleties of the menu design.

Each course was a masterpiece and I will long remember the intensity of the mushroom soup with that Shitake Powder and the delicious pungence of the truffle oil. The loin of Springbok was perfectly presented and was so fresh and captivating. We were all very intrigued by the black lava salt!

I'm still salivating at the memory of the Salmon and your wonderful Midlands Beef was outstanding. Lastly, your delicious "Peanut Butter on Toast" was a complete triumph!

We were very impressed with the wines from Diemersfontein and the way each wine complimented the various courses.

Finally, thank you to you Paula and your team for providing us with such excellent service. It was a seamless affair and all the guests commented on the subtle and discreet service from your staff.

Thank you for making our Midlands weekend such a success - it was a real triumph thanks to Hartford House!".

ZANDILE NONTWANA MNCHUNU SAYS 'HOWZIT CHINA'

Zandile Nontwana Mnchunu
(Photo : Kulula.com) 

Zandile Nontwana Mnchunu
features in Kulula in-flight magazine

"Zandile is chef de partie at Hartford House, the multi-award-winning hotel in the Midlands. We caught up with her before a life-changing trip to Shanghai.

Q : Where did your love of cooking come from?

A : I don't know really, but my earliest memories are of making mieliepap with my mother. I loved those special occasions when she made curry and rice. I was always fascinated by how food can emphasise happy or sad moments in the life of a family.

Q : Did you always mean to become a chef?

A : It was not really something I thought would be possible. I started right at the bottom - I was in the scullery, but head chef Jackie Cameron noticed I loved to cook, and allowed me to take up the challenge of fine-dining cooking. I had no idea where my love of cooking would take me, but now I’m going with Jackie to represent South Africa and Hartford House at the Shanghai World Expo for a South African food and wine week. I can hardly believe it!

Q : What do you plan to do while you're in Shanghai?

I want to learn about the food and culture of the Chinese. I have already started researching how to say 'hello', 'goodbye' and 'thank you' because I want to be able to greet people. Most of all, I want to teach them to cook the way we're doing it at Hartford and in South Africa."

Extract from Kulula.com

Hartford House
Hlatikulu Road (off Mooi River-Giant's Castle Road), Mooi River, 033-263-2713

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