Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
February 25th, 2010 by Tracey
Food fundi Hilary Biller met up with Jean-Pierre Rossouw, author of Tasting the Cape and the man behind Rossouw’s Restaurants, to chat about his increasingly popular restaurant guide, good food and the scarcity of high-end eateries in Gauteng.
What did you have for dinner last night?Sushi at a fantastic little joint called Genki Sushi in Stellenbosch. There’s so much poor sushi around now, it’s good to find a gem.
Your very first dining-out experience. where was it and what did you eat?
I’d say my love affair with food and restaurant dining began when, as a young child, our family travelled to the UK on a Safmarine liner. The elegance and ceremony of the dining room impressed me immensely. What I ate is lost to memory, probably sole meunière!
Book details
Cats: Food,
South Africa Tags: English,
Food,
Great Meals Fast,
Guide to the Cape Winelands,
Hilary Biller,
Jean-Pierre Rossouw,
Lekker Vinnige Etes,
Non-fiction,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Rossouw’s Restaurants,
South Africa,
Struik Lifestyle,
Tasting the Cape
February 8th, 2010 by Tracey
Tasting the Cape is a guide and travelling companion to the world-renowned Cape Winelands. Filled with insights from one of South Africa’s most influential food and wine critics, the book offers the wine lover a new and accessible approach to South African wines by grouping the featured estates by character – the formal types, the wacky ones and the quiet achievers.
Tasting the Cape will not only introduce you to the legends of the Cape Winelands, and the history of the estates they call home, but will also show you how to navigate your way through the region depending on your interests and the type of wine you are interested in tasting – suggesting routes that combine wine with scenic drives and history.
About the author
Jean-Pierre Rossouw has been a wine columnist for the Cape Times, Condé Nast House & Garden and BestLife and is the creator, author and editor of Rossouw’s Restaurants, an independent guide to dining out in South Africa. He decided to get serious and write about wine and food after law and literature studies and a career in advertising.
Book details
Image courtesy Channel 24
Cats: Food,
Non-fiction,
South Africa Tags: English,
Food,
Guide to the Cape Winelands,
Jean-Pierre Rossouw,
Non-fiction,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Rossouw’s Restaurants,
South Africa,
South African Wines,
Tasting the Cape,
Wine,
Wine Guide
February 4th, 2010 by Tracey
Cooked in Africa author Justin Bonello has an adventurous spirit that’s captured in both his cooking and his travels. Fellow foodie Hilary Biller recently chatted to him about his favourite vacation. If you have it in mind to experience something enticingly different – have a look at his responses:
Where did you spend your last holiday? On Koh Phangan in Thailand. It was part honeymoon, part family get-together.
What was the best thing you did while there? My wife and I caught a ferry across to Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park. We hired a tent and a kayak and spent a couple of days kayaking around completely deserted islands. Brilliant. No tourists and complete freedom.
Your favourite city abroad and why? Bangkok. Whether you’re a foodie looking for a gastronomic eye-opener or a photographer looking for good deals, Bangkok, once you get used to the hustle and bustle, is brilliant.
Book details
Cats: Food,
Non-fiction,
South Africa Tags: BBC Lifestyle,
Cookbooks,
Cooked in Africa,
Cookery Books,
Food,
Hilary Biller,
Interivew,
Justin Bonello,
Non-fiction,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Recipe Books,
Seafood,
South Africa,
South African Cuisine,
South African Food,
South African Recipes,
Sunday Times,
Thailand
November 17th, 2009 by Tracey
Author Sally-Ann Partridge, who writes for film industry publication The Call Sheet, caught up with chef, author and television producer Justin Bonello recently to trace the history of TV show and new cookbook.
Justin Bonello is the Creative Director of Cooked in Africa Films, a production company that produces local television series mostly for the international market. The company has a wide variety of shows including Cooked in Africa, a cooking show that sees him travelling to interesting locations around South Africa, and preparing the local favourites while he’s there. As well as being the director, Justin is also the presenter of Cooked in Africa. In fact he’s also the driver, PA and cook. “Everybody does their part when were filming,” he says, “to produce television content in South Africa, you have to be really quick on your feet and think out of the box… otherwise you’re dead in the water.”
It all started in 2003 while he was watching an episode of Jamie Oliver and he realized that food was for him, so much more than just recipes. Soon after that he and friend Dale Rodkin decided to shoot a pilot episode based on the unique South African lifestyle. “We sent it off to, in amongst others, the BBC and had a positive response in two weeks. The rest, is history.”
The series was entirely self-financed. Justin, who says he’s not happy unless he’s on the road shooting, was not going to be outdone by the lack of support locally for export orientated producers. He and his business partners used their innovation to get the job done and today Cooked In Africa Films has delivered its 5th series. “We make large portion of our money through overseas sales,” he explains, “but every day is hard – we’re competing in a market that has thousands of producers… we have to make ourselves stand out.”
There is little surprise as to why Cooked in Africa is such a success. Justin is a natural in front of the camera and a seemingly effortless cook, who works almost unconsciously while he presents. “I’m used to preparing big portions. For me, food is about family and friends and sharing experiences,” he explains, “and I’m always the one doing it because I love it, the alchemy of food and friends… and that comes across and is I guess why the series is so popular. All I really do is celebrate a South African way of life.”
Penguin Books approached the company last year to do a cookbook based on the show, and Justin immediately handed over a 40 page draft. “We had been trying to publish our book for five years, so we already had something to show them,” he says gleefully. Justin has plans for a second book, based on his travels in Africa and Getaway to Africa, a travel show by Cooked in Africa Films.
The Cooked in Africa cookbook is already number 8 on the bestseller list and is being brilliantly supported locally. Exclusive Books has put it on the The List 2009 and Woolworths is stocking it on their shelves. You can see Justin cooking up a storm in their commercials over the festive season, a fact that certainly won’t hurt book sales.
Justin is about to start filming the 4th and 5th installments of Cooked, as well as the second season of Getaway to Africa.
Watch this space.
Book details
Cats: Food,
Non-fiction,
South Africa Tags: BBC,
BBC Lifestyle,
Cookbooks,
Cooked in Africa,
Cooked in Africa Films,
Cookery Books,
Dale Rodkin,
Food,
Getaway to Africa,
Justin Bonello,
Non-fiction,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Recipe Books,
Seafood,
South Africa,
South African Cuisine,
South African Food,
South African Recipes
October 28th, 2009 by Tracey
Hamilton Wende excels in writing stories of daring adventure – as proven by his latest book House of War. In fact, Wende, you might not be surprised to learn, is quite the adventurer himself – especially when it comes to culinary experiences across Africa. He regales readers with tales about some of his best, and worst, African meals in The Weekender:
My introduction to African food began when my South African stepfather took us and my American mother to a drive-in the 1960s. We were in pyjamas and slippers and we all lined up at the braai on the edge of the parking lot.
My stepfather put some strange-looking white stuff on our plates alongside the delicious wors and chops. “What is it?” my mother inquired.
“Just try it,” my stepfather rejoined. My mother put a miniscule helping in her mouth. She screwed up her face and burst out: “That is the worst mashed potato I’ve ever eaten in my life”
I don’t think she has eaten pap since, but she has learned to make the finest tomato and waterblommetjie bredie I have ever had.
Book details
Cats: Fiction,
Food,
South Africa Tags: Afghanistan,
Africa,
Alexander the Great,
Culinary Journeys,
Feature,
Fiction,
Food,
Food Writing,
Hamilton Wende,
House of War,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Roxanne,
South Africa,
Taliban,
The Weekender
October 6th, 2009 by Tracey
Penguin Books and Exclusive Books are delighted to invite you the launches of BBC Lifestyle chef Justin Bonello’s new cookbook, Cooked in Africa.
The Joburg launch is set down for 22 October, and the Cape launch for the 29th. We’ll see you there!
Event Details – Johannesburg
Event Details – Cape Town
Book Details
Cats: Events,
Food,
Non-fiction Tags: BBC Lifestyle,
Cookbooks,
Cooked in Africa,
Cookery Books,
Events,
Exclusive Books,
Food,
Justin Bonello,
Non-fiction,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Recipe Books,
Seafood,
South Africa,
South African Cuisine,
South African Food,
South African Recipes,
V&A Waterfront
August 28th, 2009 by Tracey
Justin Bonello’s Cooked in Africa will be released on the 1st of October 2009
Cooked in Africa is a unique compilation of places, spaces and flavours and combines Justin Bonello’s three favourite things: Southern Africa, food and friends. It’s the perfect “Proudly South African” gift, for culinary lovers, this festive season.
There is no better way to shrug off the pressures of modern living than to grab a bunch of mates and hit the road – immerse yourself in natural surroundings – and, while you’re out there, stop, cook up a storm and have a party. Eat, drink and lekker kuier, then next time pack it all up and do it somewhere else. Sound like a really excellent jol? It is. This is a freewheeling compilation of scrumptious food that you can enjoy on the rocks, on rivers and off the road; it comes courtesy of life enthusiast Justin Bonello, presenter of Cooked in Africa. You’ll find plenty of homespun wisdom, edgy views and fresh angles as the crew and company venture into the wilds where they capture it all – the scenery, the adventure, the interaction and, of course, the food.
Sample recipe
Homemade pasta with Tomato Sauce
Enough for two
If there’s ever a sauce that you have to know how to make… this is it. It forms the basis of a number of different dishes and for guys; this is the easiest way to stretch your culinary skills in the kitchen overnight.
What’s in it and how I make it.
2 garlic cloves – peeled and roughly chopped
1 onion – with the skin off, cut into thin slices
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
A knob of butter
2 anchovy fillets (they’re expensive but critical and a jar can last for months in the fridge)
4 vine-ripened plum tomatoes, washed, roughly chopped up, skin and all
1 tin whole peeled tomatoes.
In a saucepan, fry the garlic and onion in the olive oil and butter until the onions are translucent. Add the fresh and canned tomatoes. Using your fingers, break up the anchovies into the pan. Let this cook for about half an hour on low heat (it must simmer not boil) until the fresh tomatoes have disintegrated into the sauce. NB – give the sauce the odd occasional stir and break up any whole pieces of tomatoes with your wooden spoon. While the sauce is cooking up, make the pasta.
About the author
Local culinary genius, Justin Bonello, is the owner of Cooked in Africa Films and host of Cooked – the popular cooking adventure show, broadcast by BBC Lifestyle, Channel 180, DStv.
Justin’s love affair with cooking and wide-open spaces began with weekends and school holidays spent in the great outdoors either on the Breede River or on the Wild Coast. He learnt to embrace the land and all that it has to offer without taking away from it anything that nature could not replenish.
Bonello believes that the beauty of travel and cooking can be found in searching for fresh produce, making new friends and discovering foods you didn’t even know existed.
“Justin wants to dig deeper and introduce us to real people and societies and above all their culinary genius.”
– BBC Lifestyle
Book details
Cats: Food,
Non-fiction,
South Africa Tags: BBC Food,
BBC Lifestyle,
Cookbooks,
Cooked in Africa,
Cookery Books,
Food,
Homemade Pasta,
Justin Bonello,
Non-fiction,
Pasta Sauce,
Penguin,
Penguin SA,
Recipe,
Recipe Books,
Seafood,
South Africa,
South African Cuisine,
South African Food,
South African Recipes
June 9th, 2009 by Tracey
Cats: Biography,
Business,
Cape Town Book Fair,
Children,
Events,
Fiction,
Food,
International,
Lifestyle,
Misc,
Nature,
Non-fiction,
Parenting,
South Africa Tags: Adele Parks,
African Animals,
Beatrix Potter,
Biography,
Business,
Cape Toiwn Book Fair,
Cape Town Book Fair,
Cape Town Book Fair Programme,
Chief Hippo,
Children,
Choice,
Cool Spaces for Kids,
CTBF,
Events,
Exhibit A,
Fiction,
Fiona Coyne,
Food,
Going Green,
International,
Jacques Pauw,
John van de Ruit,
Kiki Theo,
Lifestyle,
Little Ice Cream Boy,
Love Lies,
Misc,
Money Alchemy,
Nature,
Non-fiction,
not Fate,
Parenting,
Penguin,
Penguin Books,
Penguin SA,
Peter Rabbit and the Easter Egg Hunt,
Pippa Green,
Rosemund Handler,
Sam Scarborough,
Sarah Lotz,
Simon Gear,
South Africa,
Spot,
Spud,
Tracy Going,
Tsamma Season,
Who Moved My Ladder?
