THE ART OF CHARCUTERIE WITH RICHARD BOSMAN

A VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY – NOT TO BE MISSED!

African Relish is very excited to offer you a special and unique opportunity to spend a weekend with charcutier Richard Bosman and be part of a master class in learning the ancient art of curing and preserving meat. Richard will be conducting a series of basic lessons in various charcuterie techniques.

Richard Bosman’s Quality Cured Meats is committed to producing excellent cured meats using traditional methods. After five successful years running the Deli in Hermanus, owner Richard Bosman decided to set up a factory to produce Italian and Spanish style cured meats. With input from fleischmeister Walter Haller, the factory uses traditional salting and drying techniques to create something special and unique. The two most important ingredients in the process are the pork and time.

The company has developed a special relationship with pig farmer Charlie Crowther in the Hemel and Aarde valley outside Hermanus. Charlie is cross breeding Duroc and Large White pigs specifically to our requirements. They are raised free range and their diet is supplemented with acorns during the last month of their breeding. Due to their active lifestyle the quality and flavour of the meat is superior.

Richard’s philosophy is to do as little as possible to the meat and rather to rely on the quality of the raw material and let time do the rest.

We will be making some traditional provencal sausages, chorizo, pancetta, and numerous other mouth watering meaty delights.

Book now to ensure your place, there is limited space.... this course will fill up very quickly!

REZA - SPICE PRINCE OF INDIA

THE STAR OF INDIA RETURNS TO PRINCE ALBERT

OLIVE FESTIVAL - a celebration of the olive harvest

SPECIAL SHORT DEMO SESSIONS TO CELEBRATE THE OLIVE FESTIVAL
Join us to celebrate the olive harvest and the arrival of the fresh peppery new season’s extra virgin olive oil. We will explore the versatility of a noble and ancient fruit, treat the senses to exotic spices and make things a little saucy

PROGRAMME

Creativity with olives - Exploring this versatile noble and ancient fruit

Spicing it up - Experimenting with evocative and exotic spices

Taking Stock - The vital importance of stocks and sauces

Morning sessions from 09:00 to 12:00.

R250 per person (Booking essential as space is limited)

Email virna@africanrelish.com 

Phone +27 (0)23 5411381

BREAD MAKING MASTER CLASS

Flavours of the East

We bring the Far East to our doorstep with some intoxicating dishes, simple fresh flavours and the rule is simplicity. We will look at an overview of the flavour profiles of China, Vietnam and Cambodia and explore the use of exotic ingredients and how to conjure up an Eastern Feast in no time at all. Subtle balances and delicate fusion are the secret to eastern cuisine and we will experiment with creating some of the classic dishes and some not so well known. Spring rolls, Vietnamese rice paper rolls, fish baked in leaves, flavour bursting salads and an array of wonderful dishes prepared in minutes will give us an insight into a new way of eating, using centuries old traditions.

The cuisine from these three countries covers a very wide geographical and cultural spectrum and we will endeavour to give you as comprehensive an insight into each countries’ wonderful flavours as possible.

Kids in the Kitchen

Fun-filled half-day cooking for families 

Get the family into the kitchen for some creative culinary capers this summer in Prince Albert. Create that perfect family meal together and discover who REALLY is the real cook in the family. Let us package some great ideas for you to spend time together cooking up a storm. No previous cooking experience is necessary and children of all ages are very welcome. 

Join us for a fun packed day with lots of laughter and good food.  Choose a half-day morning or afternoon class.

Price excludes accommodation.

Gourmet Karoo Cycle Tour

Unwind in Prince Albert with some gourmet cooking and adventurous calorie burning!

MICHAEL OLIVIER COOKS

South African Classics

A true melting pot of culinary cultures and heritage has resulted in South African cuisine as we know it. An eclectic mix of traditional cuisine from far off lands which have been ‘nationalised’ and given a new identity, all now proudly South African. 

Come and celebrate these unique and colourful dishes and learn about some quirky names and the history behind them.

TRUE KAROO

GOURMET KAROO CYCLE TOUR

Unwind in Prince Albert with some gourmet cooking and adventurous calorie burning!

PICKLES AND PRESERVES

Johanna Luttig, Great Karoo culinary legend shares her knowledge passed down over generations.

Let's celebrate nature's bountiful abundance!

BREAD MAKING MASTER CLASS

SUMMER BISTRO WITH STEF MARAIS

LET'S GET SAUCY! Back by popular demand

. . . ' in the orchestra of the kitchen, the saucier is the soloist . . '

A FEAST OF FIGS (postponed due to figs not ripening. A new date will be announced as soon as possible)

Mid-summer is fig time in the Karoo and the honey sweet, sun-ripened, mouth watering Adams figs are heavy on the trees. This ancient fruit hails from Middle-Eastern origins and has graced the tables of kings, shahs and sultans. The fruit is evocative of feasts and signals times of great abundance and prosperity.

Come and celebrate this delicious gift of nature and demonstrate its culinary versatility. Summer salads, canapés, soups, casseroles, desserts.... jams, sauces and more!

Don’t miss this opportunity to feast on fabulous figs!

Liezl de Klerk, whose family has been farming in the Weltevrede valley for six generations will join Jeremy Freemantle at African Relish to share some figgy magic with you.

SPICE ROUTE EXPLORED - Hosted by Jeremy Freemantle

SCINTILLATING VEGETARIAN

Vegetarian

South African Classics

A true melting pot of culinary cultures and heritage has resulted in South African cuisine as we know it. An eclectic mix of traditional cuisine from far off lands which have been ‘nationalised’ and given a new identity, all now proudly South African. 

Come and celebrate these unique and colourful dishes and learn about some quirky names and the history behind them.

Vegetarian

Comfort Food

Slow, warm and deeply reassuring.... comfort food is all about spoiling yourself and letting the life’s little indulgences have a look in. Create your own culinary creature comforts with Prince Albert’s abundance of seasonal produce. 

Spices

CHRISTMAS IN THE KAROO

Karoo Classic

Authentic traditional country cooking - celebrating our culinary heritage

We will illustrate to you that there is more to Karoo cuisine than our famous lamb. There is such a wealth of traditional culinary heritage in the Great Karoo that has been passed down over centuries, some written down and some passed on through the oral tradition. Fascinating ingredients and combinations, most of which are virtually unknown or forgotten and age old cooking methods resuscitated for a culinary experience of a lifetime.

One full day of cooking starting at 09:00 break for lunch and then cook again till 17:00. Dinner served from 19:30. Price only includes cooking course, lunch and dinner. Excludes drinks and accommodation.

Karoo Classic

Authentic traditional country cooking - celebrating our culinary heritage

We will illustrate to you that there is more to Karoo cuisine than our famous lamb. There is such a wealth of traditional culinary heritage in the Great Karoo that has been passed down over centuries, some written down and some passed on through the oral tradition. Fascinating ingredients and combinations, most of which are virtually unknown or forgotten and age old cooking methods resuscitated for a culinary experience of a lifetime.

One full day of cooking starting at 09:00 break for lunch and then cook again till 17:00. Dinner served from 19:30. Price only includes cooking course, lunch and dinner. Excludes drinks and accommodation.

SUMMER HARVEST FEAST

Join us at African Relish in Prince Albert to celebrate the bountiful summer harvest. The first flush of summer fruit beckons us into the kitchen to prepare some deliciously fragrant dishes. Learn about the many ways that fruit can be incorporated into unusual combinations and interpretations of old classics. Learn about the art of preserving and pickling fruit and vegetables and discover some local family secrets passed down through the generations. 

Price includes two nights accommodation with breakfast, one full day Saturday cooking course inclusive of lunch and dinner. Price excludes all drinks and optional excursions.

MIDDLE EASTERN DELIGHTS WITH AMIT RAZ

Culinary Crusade

Karoo Classic

Authentic traditional country cooking - celebrating our culinary heritage

We will illustrate to you that there is more to Karoo cuisine than our famous lamb. There is such a wealth of traditional culinary heritage in the Great Karoo that has been passed down over centuries, some written down and some passed on through the oral tradition. Fascinating ingredients and combinations, most of which are virtually unknown or forgotten and age old cooking methods resuscitated for a culinary experience of a lifetime.

One full day of cooking starting at 09:00 break for lunch and then cook again till 17:00. Dinner served from 19:30. Price only includes cooking course, lunch and dinner. Excludes drinks and accommodation.

RELISH THE KAROO WITH SONIA CABANO AND MICHAEL OLIVIER

Indian fusion in the Karoo

A creative and contemporary interpretation of ‘East meets Karoo’ with a weekend of spices, sambals and heavenly sweets. Join us on a journey through the spice spectrum and treat your senses to a feast of exotic proportion as you learn the subtle art of blending and tempering spices, making a selection of Indian breads and the real skill of creating unusual sambals. Using local Prince Albert seasonal produce, including a range of fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and of course the famous fragrant Karoo lamb, we will be cooking a colourful and spicy array of South African Indian dishes, including curries, breads, spiced rice, sambals and traditional desserts.

SPICE GIRL

SPRING TO LIFE

Shake off the shackles of winter and celebrate the season of perfumed splendour and succulent new produce.

There is nothing more exciting than the arrival of the new season’s produce, tender young peas, broad beans and new potatoes drizzled with olive oil and young asparagus dripping with lemon and butter. We celebrate spring with some exciting and very innovative creations to prepare you for summer. We will explore new combinations for chilled soups and vegetable terrines, crunchy granitas and smooth and silky ice creams. 

A whole new world of culinary creativity awaits - guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

Gourmet cycle tour in the Karoo

Unwind in Prince Albert with some gourmet cooking and adventurous calorie burning!

Gourmet Cycle Tour in the Karoo

Unwind in Prince Albert with some gourmet cooking and adventurous calorie burning!

REUBEN RIFFEL RELISHES THE KAROO

We are delighted to announce a rare opportunity for you to cook alongside Reuben Riffel one of South Africa’s most admired chefs. Well known for his signature restaurants, Reuben's in Franschhoek, Robertson and at The One & Only Hotel at the V&A Waterfront, Reuben has become synonymous with cuisine of style, elegance and creative flair along with a big helping of honest simplicity.

Reuben joins us at African Relish for a weekend of culinary inspiration and, one that we are sure will be an unforgettable experience.

Space is very limited so be sure to book your place early for this amazing opportunity to spend time in the kitchen with Reuben and the African Relish team.

BISTRO COOKING KAROO STYLE WITH SOCIETI BISTRO'S STEFAN MARAIS AND JOUBERT TRADAUW WINES

Stefan Marais, head chef at Societi Bistro in Cape Town is coming to African Relish to do some Bistro Cooking – Karoo Style. Stefan will be conjuring up some bistro magic using local Karoo ingredients and applying his creative flair to inspire us with mouth-watering fare.

Joubert-Tradauw will be pairing their exceptional wines with Stef's bistro menu to give us a culinary experience to remember. 

Join us at African Relish for this unmissable opportunity to cook alongside one of Cape Town’s most talented chefs and spend a weekend soaking up the flavours and the inspiration.

Booking is essential as space is limited, so reserve your place in the kitchen and we will have your apron ready!

Loafing Around!

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" Julia Child

Mastering pastry with Jacques Erasmus

Jacques Erasmus, master chef and style guru takes the pain out of pain au raisin.

The pastry chef is an envied and revered member of the culinary team. Pastry making is sometimes perceived as difficult, impossible and many suffer from fear of failure when attempting to make it. So if the terms puff, choux, short-crust, filo and hot water paste fill you will dread..... then the time has come to put aside those feelings of inadequacy and conquer the art of pastry and open a whole new world of culinary pleasures. Master chef Jacques Erasmus shares his skill and delicate touch as he guides us through the simple steps of this perceived minefield.

The Craft of Wine Blending with Bergwater Vineyards

Create your personal wine blend and design a menu to pair perfectly.

African Relish and Bergwater Vineyards present a unique opportunity for you to join us for a fun filled weekend of cooking and wine blending. You will have the opportunity to blend your own personal wine straight from the tanks in the cellar. Under the watchful eye of the winemaker we will guide you through the process of creating your personal blend. We will then challenge you to create a dish that perfectly pairs with your wine. 

VEGETARIAN – Exploring scintillating super foods

REZA MAHAMMAD IS BACK!

THE STAR OF INDIA RETURNS TO PRINCE ALBERT

REZA MAHAMMAD IS BACK!

THE STAR OF INDIA RETURNS TO PRINCE ALBERT

MEAT – A more conscious approach

FLAVOURS OF THE EAST with Jacques Erasmus

Jacques brings the Far East to our doorstep with some intoxicating dishes, simple fresh flavours and the rule is simplicity. We will look at an overview of the flavour profiles of China, Vietnam and Cambodia and explore the use of exotic ingredients and how to conjure up an Eastern Feast in no time at all. Subtle balances and delicate fusion are the secret to eastern cuisine and we will experiment with creating some of the classic dishes and some not so well known. Spring rolls, Vietnamese rice paper rolls, fish baked in leaves, flavour bursting salads and an array of wonderful dishes prepared in minutes will give us an insight into a new way of eating, using centuries old traditions.

The cuisine from these three countries covers a very wide geographical and cultural spectrum and we will endeavour to give you as comprehensive an insight into each countries’ wonderful flavours as possible.

Loafing Around!

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" Julia Child

Comfort Food

Hearth warmers and hearty fare

Think snowy peaks and icy nights.... think wholesome and hearty comfort food to chase away the chill.

LET'S GET SAUCY - Back by popular demand

. . . ' in the orchestra of the kitchen, the saucier is the soloist . . '

IT’S A WRAP!... Moonlighting unwinds in the Karoo

End of a busy season in the world of film commercials and what better place for Moonlighting to regroup, recharge and rejuvenate than in Prince Albert. The Moonlighting Commercials team is descending on this Karoo village for some team building, good food and well deserved chill out time.

A wrap party and some mystery activities await the crew and they are destined to have a whale of a time.

The Artistry of Cake Making with Roxanne Floquet

An opportunity not to be missed

JamieWho 'Cooks' in the Karoo

OLIVE FESTIVAL - A celebration of the olive harvest

Join us to celebrate the olive harvest and the arrival of the fresh peppery new season’s extra virgin olive oil. We will be creating some delectable dishes with olives and a variety of olive products. Pick your own olives, watch them being pressed and take away your own bottle of fresh extra virgin oil.

Local Prince Albert seasonal produce, including a range of fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and venison and of course the famous fragrant lamb will top the menu as we cook a colourful and delicious array of South African and Karoo dishes.

FLAVOURS OF THE EAST with Jacques Erasmus

Jacques brings the Far East to our doorstep with some intoxicating dishes, simple fresh flavours and the rule is simplicity. We will look at an overview of the flavour profiles of China, Vietnam and Cambodia and explore the use of exotic ingredients and how to conjure up an Eastern Feast in no time at all. Subtle balances and delicate fusion are the secret to eastern cuisine and we will experiment with creating some of the classic dishes and some not so well known. Spring rolls, Vietnamese rice paper rolls, fish baked in leaves, flavour bursting salads and an array of wonderful dishes prepared in minutes will give us an insight into a new way of eating, using centuries old traditions.

The cuisine from these three countries covers a very wide geographical and cultural spectrum and we will endeavour to give you as comprehensive an insight into each countries’ wonderful flavours as possible.

DUE TO THE ENORMOUS POPULARITY OF THIS COURSE WE ARE REPEATING IT LATER IN THE YEAR. FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT VIRNA GOUWS AT virna@africanrelish.com

KOEKEMAKRANKA – A word we should all know

A peep into our culinary and cultural past with Renata Coetzee

Renowned cultural researcher and author, Renata Coetzee, who recently published her latest book Koekemakranka is the inspiration for offering this rare and exciting opportunity to peep into the culinary customs of the Khoi-Khoin people, the original people of our sub-continent. Africa is recognised as the cradle of humankind and therefore we could call it the crucible of cuisine. We will be experimenting with indigenous wild herbs, local seasonal vegetables and regional venison and lamb. We will learn about veldkos’ with strange and unusual names such as anyswortel, bokmelk-suringpap, askoek, t’Kwabrood, roosterkoek, suurvytjie, t’samma and noem-noem jam will become familiar as we discover what a wealth of ingredients lie in the veld around us. So do not miss this fantastic opportunity to learn about our ancient culinary heritage and the modern derivatives that have evolved from it. 

Leipoldt the legend

A celebration of a culinary genius

Throughout his life, C Louis Leipoldt was fascinated by the preparation of food – from his youth in Clanmwilliam and the Cederberg in the 1880s until his death in Cape Town in 1947. He is well known as the celebrated Afrikaans poet, writer, bushveld doctor, medical specialist, botanist and chef, but it is only in the trilogy of culinary works, Leipoldt’s Food & Wine, that the extent of his knowledgeable, delightful and adventurous approach to food and wine can be fully appreciated.

African Relish invites you to spend a weekend exploring the wonderful culinary traditions left by this fascinating man for us to enjoy. We will recreate some of his dishes and delve into the past to rediscover some of his culinary secrets.                     

Loafing Around!

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" Julia Child

A Culinary Crusade with Bokkie Botha

Wine Harvest

Pick, stomp, blend and drink! Join us to celebrate the new grape harvest as we get creative with the fruit of the vine. Get to pick your own grapes and press them old fashioned style with bare feet in a wine vat at Bergwater Vineyards in the Prince Albert Valley. Experience the process of wine making from vineyard to glass. We will be conducting a series of courses involving this noble and ancient fruit and experimenting with some traditional and vintage recipes involving the fruit of Bacchus. Medieval dishes and indigenous delights will be the order of the day.

Ripe Figs & Witblitz

For the wild at heart…
If you enjoy syrupy ripe figs and the intense rustic taste of local grappa (Witblitz or White lightning)), this is the midsummer gourmet treat for you. Prince Albert’s famous Adams figs are ready for picking and they make a perfect partnership with the local Witblitz. Find both on the shelves of the African Relish pantry. Indulge your culinary repertoire with a delicious array of recipes using ripened figs either wrapped in locally produced Serrano style ham or served as starters or desserts, baked in tarts or conjured into an intense relish to take home with you or used as an accompaniment to meat and veg dishes. While you sip the fruity-fiery grappa and feel its warmth doing its magic, learn how it works in recipes using regional pork, in fine risotto and pasta sauces. Take a walk on the wild side. 

Pickles, Preserves & Relishes

Pots of pickles, piles of preserves and ramekins of relishes. 

School's out for Summer

Fun-filled half-day cooking for families 

Get the family into the kitchen for some creative culinary capers this summer in Prince Albert. Create that perfect family meal together and discover who REALLY is the real cook in the family. Let us package some great ideas for you to spend time together cooking up a storm. No previous cooking experience is necessary and children of all ages are very welcome. 

Join us for a fun packed day with lots of laughter and good food. Includes cooking lesson, ingredients, lunch or dinner and soft drinks. Choose a half-day morning or afternoon class.

Christmas in the Karoo

The craft of wine blending - with Bergwater Vineyards

Create your personal wine blend and design a menu to pair perfectly.

African Relish and Bergwater Vineyards present a unique opportunity for you to join us for a fun filled weekend of cooking and wine blending. You will have the opportunity to blend your own personal wine straight from the tanks in the cellar. Under the watchful eye of the winemaker we will guide you through the process of creating your personal blend. We will then challenge you to create a dish that perfectly pairs with your wine. 

Summer in a bottle

Celebrate nature's bountiful abundance!

Reza Mahammad returns to Prince Albert

THIS COURSE IS FULLY BOOKED BUT REZA WILL BE BACK SOON! WATCH THE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS

Mumbai and London come to the Karoo

The Art of Preserving with Oded Schwartz

Oded Schwartz, the maestro of preserves and all things bottled, shares his magic touch and wisdom with a master class in the art of preserving. Cape Town based Oded is an award winning food writer -specialising in food history, anthropology and education...he is also a superb cook. Oded is best known for his skill at preserving as well as his knowledge in the history of food 

Preserving abundance is a prudent pastime so make hay while the sun shines, as the cliché goes. The art of preserving goes far beyond the humble jar of apricot jam. The world of preserving opens up an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures to fill up your pantry for the lean months, so come and learn how simple it is to master this craft. Oded Schwartz is the wizard who will guide us through the steps to bottled utopia.

The Crucible of Cuisine

Real Food

Rediscover the delights of real cooking and country comfort food

In the modern age with fast food insinuating itself into our lunch boxes, with pre-made meals and over packaged supermarket anonymity pervading our lives and the age of ‘no-name-brands’ becoming the fall back choice, it is time to rediscover what REAL FOOD is again. Rediscover the joy of cooking with real fresh ingredients bought at the local farmers’ market or green grocer, meat from a real butchery where you can ask about its origin, or better still go to the source. The re-emergence of the independent speciality shop where the customer has a name not a number is rekindling our interest in eating and cooking with REAL ingredients and making REAL food again. Come and play with some real food at African Relish and meet the farmers, producers and artisanal specialists producing the real ingredients. 

Heritage Karoo

Loafing around!

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" Julia Child

Gourmet Cycle Tour in the Karoo

Unwind in Prince Albert with some gourmet cooking and adventurous calorie burning!

True Karoo

Mastering Pastry with Jacques Erasmus

Jacques Erasmus, master chef and style guru takes the pain out of pain au raisin.

The pastry chef is an envied and revered member of the culinary team. Pastry making is sometimes perceived as difficult, impossible and many suffer from fear of failure when attempting to make it. So if the terms puff, choux, short-crust, filo and hot water paste fill you will dread..... then the time has come to put aside those feelings of inadequacy and conquer the art of pastry and open a whole new world of culinary pleasures. Master chef Jacques Erasmus shares his skill and delicate touch as he guides us through the simple steps of this perceived minefield.

Spice Girl II with Dornier Wines

Spice Girl

Potjies & Praatjies

A Culinary Crusade

The Gourmet Book Club

Olive Festival

Join us to celebrate the olive harvest and the arrival of the fresh peppery new season’s oil. Create some wonderful dishes with olives and a variety of olive products. Pick your own olives, watch them being pressed and take away your own bottle of extra virgin oil. We will use local Prince Albert seasonal produce, including a range of fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and of course the famous fragrant lamb and will be  cooking a colourful and delicious array of South African and Karoo dishes with olives.

The Prince Albert Olive Festival will be in full swing during this weekend and guests will be able to browse the stalls, sample wonderful food and olive products and pick up some bargains and crafts. Join us for the festivities and fun. 

Cooking in the Karoo with Ciro

The Italian legend of Johannesburg cooks Karoo style!
Ciro Molinaro, one of South Africa’s most admired chefs and a culinary legend in his own lunchtime,brings his flair and infectious personality to African Relish for a weekend of great food and laughter. Join him on a culinary journey while he gives an Italian twist to true Karoo cuisine.

Let's get Saucy!

. . . ' in the orchestra of the kitchen, the saucier is the soloist . . '
The foundation of any culinary skill is the ability to blend and conjure sauces that create the marriage of food and flavour. The saucier is the soloist in a culinary symphony and JACQUES ERASMUS - Saucier extrodinaire and consultant chef to Cuvee Restaurant at Simonsig Wine Estate, will demystify the art of sauce making and demonstrate how this subtle art can transform ordinary food into fine dining.

Escape to Culinary Karoo

Escape Cycle Tours and African Relish invite you to get on your bicycle and head for Prince Albert in the Great Karoo. Come and unwind with some creative cooking and cycling up the mighty Swartberg Pass and down into The Hell. Spend a few days on a culinary adventure while you work off the extra calories on your bike.

Mosbolletjies & Moonshine

The new vintage is put to bed and the young wine begins its magic journey from grape juice to ambrosia. We explore some traditional recipes involving grapes, wine and brandy. The wonderful Witblitz (white lightning), a local equivalent of Grappa. Mosbolletjies, bread buns made using fermented grape must as a leavening agent. Korrelkonfyt (grape jam) and many more wonderful true Karoo specialties using new harvest grapes.

Wine Harvest

Pick, stomp, blend and drink! Join us to celebrate the new grape harvest as we get creative with the fruit of the vine. Get to pick your own grapes and press them old fashioned style with bare feet in a wine vat at Bergwater Vineyards in the Prince Albert Valley. Experience the process of wine making from vineyard to glass. We will be conducting a series of courses involving this noble and ancient fruit and experimenting with some traditional and vintage recipes involving the fruit of Bacchus. Medieval dishes and indigenous delights will be the order of the day.

Ripe Figs and Witblitz

For the wild at heart…
If you enjoy syrupy ripe figs and the intense rustic taste of local grappa (Witblitz or White lightning)), this is the midsummer gourmet treat for you. Prince Albert’s famous Adams figs are ready for picking and they make a perfect partnership with the local Witblitz. Find both on the shelves of the African Relish pantry. Indulge your culinary repertoire with a delicious array of recipes using ripened figs either wrapped in locally produced Serrano style ham or served as starters or desserts, baked in tarts or conjured into an intense relish to take home with you or used as an accompaniment to meat and veg dishes. While you sip the fruity-fiery grappa and feel its warmth doing its magic, learn how it works in recipes using regional pork, in fine risotto and pasta sauces. Take a walk on the wild side. 

The Fig Eaters Book Club

Long established Cape Town based book club 'The Fig Eaters' is visiting African Relish for their annual Christmas year-end function. They will be preparing some sumptuous and very typical Karoo dishes to celebrate summer and the abundance of Prince Albert's fresh produce. They will be reviewing new South African cook books including Bernadette le Roux & Marianne Palmers' Prickly Pears & Pomegranates.

Christmas in the Karoo

Create your own traditional South African Christmas cuisine.Bokkie Botha – Prince Albert’s very own culinary crusader will be our host while we conjure up some new and creative ideas for a Real South African Christmas Feast. No more turkey, misseltoe and snow covered steamy plum puddings – we bring you true Karoo Christmas fare for those hot lazy summer days when we gather together to feast and give thanks. This is a perfect opportunity for families to get into our kitchen in Prince Albert to have some pre-Christmas fun. This course is specifically designed with children in mind so that you can start off the family holiday with a wonderful creative Christmas experience. We will explore new ways to create summer soups, the perfect Christmas braai (Karoo style), Christmas Tapas for long languid lunches and some festive drinks to try out in preparation for the New Year bash. All our courses include master class demonstrations, hands on cooking and of course savouring the fruits of your labours.

Mid-Summer Fiesta

December continues the summer fruit season and we will be conducting ongoing courses during the month in between our scheduled themed programmes, to celebrate this abundance. Stone fruits of area include apricots, plums, peaches and pears. Let us design a special cooking programme for you. Fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs from the garden can be gathered daily and added to the recipes for summer soups and salads you will be learning. This summer course can be designed to include dishes for vegetarians. Skills include how to prepare and pickle vegetables and summer preserves. It is not important what your level of skill or experience, you will have fun learning how to cook a wide variety of South African summer recipes.

Summer Harvest Festival

Join the people of Prince Albert as they celebrate their bountiful harvest.  The town will share their fresh produce in a Grand Saturday Market, with lots of apricots, plums and nectarines. The first flush of summer fruit beckons us into the kitchen to prepare some deliciously fragrant dishes. Learn about the many ways that fruit can be incorporated into unusual combinations and interpretations of old classics. Learn about the art of preserving and pickling fruit and vegetables and discover some local family secrets passed down through the generations. Here is a sample of what you will be making –

Green fig preserve
Artichoke hearts preserved in olive oil
Boeremeisjes
Green apricots in syrup
Spiced apricots
Summer soups and salads using unusual combinations
Creative summer dishes with local seasonal produce

Summer in a bottle

Preserves, puddings and pies. A celebration of early summer abundance. ODED SCHWARTZ – Food historian and preserve guru gives us a wonderful insight into the old world of preserving and pickling. The first flush of Summer fruit beckons us into the kitchen to prepare some deliciously fragrant dishes. Learn about the many ways that fruit can be incorporated into unusual combinations and interpretations of old classics. Learn about the art of preserving and pickling fruit and vegetables and discover some local family secrets passed down through the generations.

Early Summer Fiesta

November is the beginning of summer fruit season and we will be conducting ongoing courses during the month in between our scheduled themed programmes, to celebrate this abundance. Stone fruits of area include apricots, plums, peaches and pears. Let us design a special cooking programme for you. Fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs from the garden can be gathered daily and added to the recipes for summer soups and salads you will be learning. This summer course can be designed to include dishes for vegetarians. Skills include how to prepare and pickle vegetables and summer preserves. It is not important what your level of skill or experience, you will have fun learning how to cook a wide variety of South African summer recipes.

Green Figs & Cheese

The time for fig preserves and cheese creates great excitement at this time of year as the Cape Brown and White Genoa figs are ready for preserving and bottling.The Koorts family has been running the Weltevrede Fig Farm in the Prince Albert district for six generations and it is one of the largest fig producing farms in Southern Africa. A very closely held family secret recipe for preserving these green jewels will be shared in part with us as we explore delightful traditional recipes using local seasonal produce. The perfect partner to the sweet fig delicacy is the award winning local cheese hand made by Gay's Guernsey Dairy. Come and spend a few days during October to discover how to preserve and pair these two local delights. The local cheeses all have quirky and appropriate names like Prince Albert Royal, Regal, Parma Prince and Queen Vic. Make this a memorable experience and enjoy some of the secrets of the Karoo.

Indian fusion in the Karoo

A creative and contemporary interpretation of ‘East meets Karoo’ with a weekend of spices, sambals and heavenly sweets. VANIE PADAYACHEE SHARES THE SPICY MYSTERIES OF THE EAST. Join us on a journey through the spice spectrum and treat your senses to a feast of exotic proportion as you learn the subtle art of blending and tempering spices, making a selection of Indian breads and the real skill of creating unusual sambals. Using local Prince Albert seasonal produce, including a range of fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and of course the famous fragrant Karoo lamb, we will be cooking a colourful and spicy array of South African Indian dishes, including curries, breads, spiced rice, sambals and traditional desserts.

A long weekend of Chocolate & Wine

How to make delectable chocolates. How to pair desserts and wine. Hands on course and demonstrations by chocolatier Nontwenhle Mchunu.
A long weekend with chocolatier Nontwenhle Mchunu. Highlights include an introduction to and history of this delicious and mysterious confection, a demonstration and Welcome dinner, chocolate and wine pairing, visit to the dairy to collect fresh thick Guernsey cream and a day making your own treats and truffles to take home.

Battlefields Come To African Relish With Rob Caskie

African Relish is proud to announce that Rob Caskie will be stirring up the pot at African Relish with tales of the epic Anglo Zulu battles of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift.  He will also give fascinating accounts of Anglo Boer conflict around Prince Albert during the early 1900s. Join us for a weekend of regional cooking and fireside tales in Prince Albert, brush up on your culinary skills and learn more about South Africa’s military history during the late 19th century. Your weekend will be filled with wonderful interactive cooking classes, sumptuous long lazy meals, luxurious accommodation and stories of old to entertain - all designed to allow you to unwind and forget the bustle of city life. The package includes two nights’ accommodation, welcome dinner on Friday night, breakfasts, lunch and a full programme on Saturday with a hands-on cooking session with our chef Vanie Padyachee. Gala dinner with wine pairing by an expert  Sunday with a breakfast picnic (weather permitting) will round off the weekend before you head home with soul and body replenished. Rob Caskie, historical orator, is the principal lecturer at Fugitives’ Drift Lodge in Kwazulu Natal. He understudied David Rattray for six years and presents balanced accounts of the events of these two epic battles with great passion and enthusiasm, entertaining audiences in the theatres of their imagination and transporting them through the power of a story well told. The group size is limited to 14 guests so book early to avoid disappointment. To introduce African Relish as a newcomer on the gourmet tourist route we are accommodating couples for the same price as would normally apply to two people. The price of R4900 (for two people) includes Bed and Breakfast, all meals and wine during the tasting.

Reza Mahammad

African Relish are happy to announce that we have teamed up with Reza Mahammad to present a cooking weekend in our recreational cooking school in Prince Albert. Resident chef Vanie Padayachee will be doing a duet with Reza showing their take of Karoo Cuisine in the beautifully appointed cooking hall set in our country garden and olive grove. Accommodation is provided in select Prince Albert Guest houses.The price includes two nights, a welcome dinner, breakfasts, lunch and a full program on the Saturday with hands-on cooking by the guests. This will culminate in dinner that will include a wine pairing. A breakfast picnic (weather permitting) will round of the experience before heading home. Reza MahaMMad is a food expert and restaurateur. He has been running his own highly successful and innovative restaurant, Star of India in Kensington, London for more than 25 years.  Following the success of his television series, Reza was invited to take part in food shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2007. The Sunday Times, South Africa, invited him back to Johannesburg in July 2008 for a repeat performance and shortly after visited Durban for the first Food and Wine Festival. He has proven to be immensely popular with South African audiences and was received as “Cuisine Royalty”.The group size is limited to 14 guests so book early to avoid disappointment.

Slow & Mellow with Oded Schwartz

African Relish invites you to join Oded Schwartz, food historian and culinary anthropologist, in Prince Albert, for a slow and mellow journey through the ages of culinary culture. Spend a weekend slowing down with us in the beautiful historic village of Prince Albert, cooking in our kitchen in the middle of an olive grove, with Oded Schwartz and our resident chef Vanie Padayachee and discover old culinary secrets. You will experiment with traditional preserving methods giving them a modern twist, and take a different look at regional Karoo cuisine from an historical perspective. Cape Town based Oded Schwartz is an award winning food writer specialising in food history, anthropology and education. He is also a superb cook. Oded is best known for his work on food preserving, global Jewish and biblical food roots and South African indigenous foods. He has appeared on television and radio in South Africa and the UK and is well known for his unusual and interesting food demonstrations where he personally brings historical and cultural perspective on food and ancient tastes to modern audiences. Your weekend will be filled with wonderful interactive cooking classes, sumptuous long lazy meals, luxurious accommodation - all designed to allow you to unwind and forget the bustle of city life. The package includes two nights’ accommodation, welcome dinner on Friday night, breakfasts, lunch and a full programme on Saturday with a hands-on cooking session with Oded  Schwartz. Gala dinner on Saturday night. Sunday with a breakfast picnic (weather permitting) will round off the weekend before you head home with soul and body replenished. The group size is limited to 14 guests so book early to avoid disappointment.

CHOCOLATE DECADENCE with von Geusau Chocolates

The Art of Preserving with Oded Schwartz

Oded Schwartz, the maestro of preserves and all things bottled, shares his magic touch and wisdom with a master class in the art of preserving. Cape Town based Oded is an award winning food writer -specialising in food history, anthropology and education...he is also a superb cook. Oded is best known for his skill at preserving as well as his knowledge in the history of food 

Preserving abundance is a prudent pastime so make hay while the sun shines, as the cliché goes. The art of preserving goes far beyond the humble jar of apricot jam. The world of preserving opens up an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures to fill up your pantry for the lean months, so come and learn how simple it is to master this craft. Oded Schwartz is the wizard who will guide us through the steps to bottled utopia.

FOOD BLOGGERS DO THE KAROO IN JUNE

FOOD BLOGGERS DO THE KAROO IN OCTOBER

FOOD BLOGGERS DO THE KAROO IN JANUARY

Bread

Bread making is as ancient as the culinary arts themselves and is an enormously satisfying process resulting in a warm and fragrant end product. The deliciously evocative aroma of freshly baked bread is hard to beat and making your own is a hugely rewarding pastime.

Join us for a bread making session/ course on any day of your choice at ANYTIME®

VELDKOS with Kobus van der Merwe