Early summer is a wonderful time in Prince Albert. Our garden is blooming and the cooking courses take full advantage of abundant produce.
Resident chef – Camilla Comins
We are thrilled that country style restaurant Eat Out award winner Camilla Comins has joined African Relish full time from the beginning of August. As well as her inimitable talents as chef and food development specialist, she is totally engaging as teacher and host. Working alongside chef Camilla in the kitchen are Rowina, Shamiela and Michelle.
Camilla’s Kitchen Restaurant is now located within the African Relish cooking school courtyard. Here Camilla runs our very own Kitchen Confidential cooking course on a Friday or Saturday, where she imparts her secrets and restaurant tips while guests learn hands-on, prepping in our kitchen prior to service.
The Kitchen Confidential cooking course offers a menu of bread, two starters, two main courses and two desserts. This class allows you to dive into the action and learn about restaurant kitchens and create each recipe served that evening on the menu.
Chef Camilla will also be running the popular Kids classes during the September-October school holidays.
Summer Freshness
The school gardens are full of bounce for summer. Our new vegetable planters are sprouting ready with produce for cooking course ingredients and restaurant. The stone spiral at the entrance had a facelift and graces our walkway with a myriad Karoo succulents.
The courtyard has been enclosed with new sliding doors on both sides. The space is more convivial and suited for events and weddings. Foodie images, captured by Russel Wasserfall, grace the walls along with paintings by Deborah Bell amongst the kitchen paraphernalia.
Our accommodation has had its annual overhaul. Beautiful new images taken for our website. Donovan and Alicia manage the cottages.
New courses and tours
Besides the new Kitchen Confidential course and School Holiday classes, we are ready with a Christmas in the Karoo course.
The African Relish Foodie Tour is proving popular. Join a small group for a friendly and exclusive guided tour of the culinary food producers in the town of Prince Albert. African Relish recreational cooking school sources some of the area’s best local and seasonal produce for our classes. We are happy to introduce you to these producers and creators.
Whether it is tasty artisan breads and pastries, ginger-beer, vetkoek, or roosterkoek, pickled olives and oil, figs, cheeses, wines and witblits, biltong, sausage, charcuterie you are in for a charming tour of the towns’ food and culture. Take the option of a stroll along with a drive in the African Relish Tuk Tuk or a leisurely cycle option. We accompany you on this fun and tasty tour. Produce also on sale at various food suppliers at good prices.
Also new under activities is the African Relish Foraging tour with local field guide and photographer Gita Claassen. Our foraging excursion will produce all the seasonal goodies the humble Great Karoo at the northern foothills of the Swartberg Mountains has to offer. We will enjoy a picnic brunch in the veld. On your return to the African Relish Cooking school resident chef Camilla will take you under her wing to show you how to use the morning’s treasures in cooking. The foraging excursion is also great for kids.
#TheDarkSide
Much fun was spent with chef Camilla developing a range of black confectionery for Neil Roake and his new curated space #TheDarkSide . Visit it at ‘Now Showing’ The Space Cape Town. Delicious.
We have extended this sweet range and now sell fudge, nougat, caramel popcorn, various relishes, marinated olives and cordial according to the seasonal fruit and nuts available. These are available through the school and at the Saturday Morning Market in town.
Pizzas
@karoocrust has made their home on the Langhuis verandah and will be serving gourmet seasonal pizza with locally sourced ingredients. Join Karoo Crust Pizza during the summer for pizza, salad and beer on the lawn of African Relish.
Eatsplorer
We are thrilled to be in collaboration with the new foodie curators Liezel and Kara of Eatsplorer, through them we promote our African Relish Experience 2 night package and inform clients of upcoming masterclass weekends.
Heritage Day September 24
We decided to celebrate over the week. On offer are full day cooking sessions with chef Camilla in the kitchen. We will be at the Moonlight market on Friday 22nd serving roosterkoek stuffed with charred Karoo Lamb, topped with local cheese, delicious apple and date chutney plus rocket from the garden. Braai-broodjie-style. The restaurant will be open from 18:30 for bookings on Saturday.
Forthcoming Masterclass
20 – 22 October
A masterclass weekend in pastry skills. Presented by well known pastry chef Theresa de Vries, runner up in Kokkedoor, author of pastry cookbook Deeg. The course includes learning to make rough puff and flaky pastry, shortcrust – sweet and savoury, hot water pastry, strudel and phyllo pastry in different variations. Recipes are available in both Afrikaans and English.
We are counting down the days for a summer extravaganza with Karen Dudley in our kitchen for a long weekend early 2018. Watch this space for more details as we include old friends and new in our Masterclass schedule.
Staff update
Shayne has joined our kitchen team as a permanent member. Owen has left to join chef Jaco in Plett. We wish them well.
Gravel Grinder & Cycle tours
The allure of the Swartberg Pass, or wide open spaces attract many cyclists every year. We still offer the 5 day culinary cycle tour and also collaborate with MTB Africa for their new Gravel Grinder package. Check out their spectator offering in our kitchen, so if you want to taste the Karoo and take a rest from cycling we’ll make sure you have a tasty day.
Please note due to storm damage the Swartberg Pass is being upgraded and cycle tours now include Klaarstroom and De Rust. The Pass should be open for one way traffic if all goes well by December 2017.
Pencil into your diary a visit to Prince Albert this Summer and come and join us in our kitchen.