by Jeremy Freemantle
African Relish is a recreational cooking school situated in the historic village of Prince Albert in the Great Karoo of South Africa. The village is nestled at the foot of the mighty Swartberg Mountain range. African Relish offers cooking vacations and culinary getaways where guests are introduced to the South African culinary culture and its heritage developed over centuries from indigenous, colonial and migratory influences.
South Africa has only recently come into its own as a major culinary destination; the culinary traditions run very deep and haves evolved out of a complex and diverse history of colonialism, slavery and migrant population influences. The modern South African cuisine is a blend of all these exotic and ethnic ingredients which all retain their own identity and regional significance. In particular, great emphasis is placed on rediscovering indigenous culinary customs and discovering how they have been incorporated into modern South African cuisine. Many traditional dishes and ingredients have been forgotten or omitted from contemporary cooking as a result of the oral traditions of the Khoi-Khoin people, early inhabitants of the sub-continent, and no written record exists of these treasures. Fortunately there is sufficient retained information in the older generations to now record these time-honored practices, methods and ingredients from centuries before. Many ingredients are wild plants known as veldkos (field food) which was gathered in the wild and never cultivated. The Khoi-Khoin people were semi nomadic and although they did keep livestock were essentially hunter gatherers and depended on the veld for their sustenance. There is still a wealth of traditional ingredients growing wild that are being rediscovered and experimented with in the African Relish kitchen.
The African sub-continent is now officially regarded as the cradle of mankind and so too should be taken seriously for its ancient culinary customs and traditions. All the ingredients are in place and the table is set for the great South African culinary adventure to begin.
by Debra Fioritto and Kathy Morton
The French have no end of celebrations in May! The calendar is full of days where businesses are closed and some manner of fete is in progress. We were lucky enough to be in Saint Remy de Provence the Monday after Pentecost, which is religious holiday throughout France. We got the inside word from a local guide, Marlene, that there would be a special not-to-be-missed event in the village - the transhumance - the seasonal movement of the sheep. Always listen to the local guide!
As we walked around the colorful market in Saint Remy, we politely asked a straw-basket vendor when this happening would take place. "Oh, pretty soon," she said. "Just look down that narrow street, you'll see the sheep - but you'll probably hear them first." We did. At the sound of the bleating and bells we rushed to the street to see wave after wave of hundreds of sheep. Shepherds holding their staffs, herded them along. It was quite a sight!
This age-old custom of the transhumance is the migration of sheep and shepherds from low pastures to higher ground. Traditionally, shepherds begin to move their flocks up into higher pastures in May or early June before that hot, sunny Provencal weather dries the grasses and water becomes scarce. The sheep and other animals spend the summer in the cooler, lusher pastures of the Alps before migrating back down to the low land, usually sometime in October.
In years gone by, the trek would take 10 to 15 days. But in many places the sheep are now transported to the high pastures by truck. The old tradition of watching the sheep migrate through the town is still celebrated in Saint Remy de Provence on Pentecostal Monday. Usually, the migration includes over 3,000 sheep, together with donkeys, goats, sheep dogs and shepherds.
Ah, la belle France - serendipitous events like this happen to us everywhere we go. Our travel plans this fall take us back to Saint Remy de Provence. Will we be there to watch the sheep come back down from the mountains? On verra! We hope so!
by Connie Walsh
The Forks can never stay away from Italy for too long and I am just back from a lovely, lovely off-the-beaten-path trip to Tuscany. I was pleased to be hosted by the Pisa Tourist office who came to us to say "Come see,
there is more to this province than the Leaning Tower." Which by the way, is quite a sight. We visited the charming town of San Miniato - in the heart of the region - and famous for white truffles found in its hills. San Miniatans celebrate their prized bounty in a festival held the last three weekends in November. Stalls dispense truffled salami and pecorino and cafes serve up truffled pasta and risotto. And for dessert? The area produces a divine dessert wine, Vin Santo.
Our itinerary included a pilgrimage to Martelli Pasta in the tiny medieval hamlet of Lari (about18 miles from Pisa). The Martelli family has been producing their exquisite pasta for generations - since 1926. It is family run and they continue to employ artisanal methods including longer kneading and bronze dies. The over 50 hours of drying time happens on the top floor of their little factory - which sits just below a 12th century castle - and offers spectacular vistas of Tuscan hills and valleys. Bellissima.
Lest you think truffle and pasta were all we had on our mind, we sourced some unique properties for your next Tuscan adventure: little hideaway hotels, agritourismi and old country villas transformed into idyllic resorts.
And on to Florence. Who can resist? We worked in one fabulous day there (just an hour's train ride from Pisa) and lunched at the Trattoria Toscana Gozzi Sergio. Tucked away in the midst of the crazy-busy Piazza San Lorenzo, Da Sergio, as it's known to its regulars, was a 17th Century wine bar and became a trattoria a hundred years later. The Gozzi family has operated it for generations. Vegetable soup, pastas, tripe, Florentine steak...wonderful fish...platters of white Tuscan beans are all on the menu, which is handwritten daily (dishes are crossed out when they are gone.) Frugal foodies take note: The bill for an utterly delicious 2 course lunch for four, including a carafe of the house red wine, mineral water and ending with a glass of rich, sweet Vin Santo served with a pile of the traditional Cantucci biscotti for dipping, was just under 100 euros.
You can't beat that with, well, one of those leather belts that line the flea market stalls outside its door. Piazza San Lorenzo, 8r, Florence, 50123.
Are you ready for a Tuscan adventure? Contact us to plan a special itinerary with lots of insider experiences.
