From teas to tonics … the ed’s eating and drinking pretty this October
This Black Rose Wildflower Flower Tea Potions is just lovely to sip at the end of a work day, while sitting outdoors and grounding. 100 per cent natural loose black tea with wild roses, it has a gentle rose fragrance and flavour. R100 from wildflowerstudio.co.za
Do the can-can … with the funky, eye-catching new Stellenbosch Hills Polka. This snappy new cousin of the easy-drinking, fun-loving Polkadraai range by Stellenbosch Hills includes a Chenin Blanc/ Sauvignon Blanc (bright, with grassy aromas and flavours of tropical fruit), a Rosé (a delicate salmon-pink wine, all red berries and floral blossoms, with a hint of sweet melon and stone fruit) and a Pinotage/Merlot (a crowd-pleaser with upfront berry fruit, plums and hints of chocolate and French oak spice) … all in convenient 250ml cans. Lightweight, easy to pack (so great for picnics), easy to dispose of when empty … or simply because you Polka can, can. Around R32.95 each from local bottle stores or stellenbosch-hills.co.za. Share your can-loving-moment on Facebook (StellenboschHills), and Instagram @stellenbosch_hills.
We’re keen to celebrate anything really … Spring, a birthday, the weekend. So we’ve always got a bottle of bubbles on hand. And a firm fave is this Krone Vintage Rosé Cuvée Brut 2020, from the Twee Jonge Gezellen Estate. A blend of 92 per cent Pinot Noir and eight per cent Chardonnay, this gossamer pink wine is a blend of cleansing citrus, blood orange and mandarin, followed by a bright-fruited core of raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and white peach. It’s gorgeous with a simple picnic of charcuterie, crusty sourdough bread and ripe, melty Camembert, and for a more formal meal, with salmon with crispy skin crackling and wild black rice or rolled porchetta, or duck with cherries. R190 a bottle from your local wine store or grocer, or online from kronecapclassique.co.za
This delish Barrett’s Ridge Olive & Rosemary Focaccia Bread Mix comes in a rustic enamel dish that can be kept and reused. And it’s so easy. Simply add 340ml water to the mix, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake. Voila … freshly focaccia bread at home. Keep a tin or two in the grocery cupboard. R139 from yuppiechef.com
Monin Rose Syrup has a rich aromatic flavour, and adds a light, floral accent to springtime, romantic cocktails, wine spritzers and pretty mocktails. R69
from takealot.comOh my. Our editor’s a bit of a ditherer over favourite flavours so imagine the joy when she discovered the newly launched Sally Williams (love the nougat!) Celebrate Assorted Turkish Delight box .. rose flavour along with orange, lemon and cherry. R50 from your local SW stockist.
Created by a Citrusdal family, this Cedarberg Aqua Original Rose Tonic uses water which originates from pristine peaks and flows down through layers of Cape Sandstone, nature’s own superior filter. Made with this pure mineral water, as well as juniper berries, blood orange and quinine then lightly flavoured with fragrant rose, it’s an all-natural tonic water bottled at a source up in the Cedarberg Mountains, and is as good on its own or as a mixer. There’s a sugar-free option, too. R79 for a pack of six from yuppiechef.com
This sweet scented Nielsen Massey Rose Water is a steam distillate made from the purest rose petals. We use it when we’re in a Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek kind-of-mood … baking baklava or making a fragrant rice pudding. You can use it to flavour cream (sensational when served with a French pastry), or sugars. Use it when you’re cooking with white chocolate or vanilla, and, on a more savoury note, goes well with soft cream or ripe Brie cheeses. R289 from yuppiechef.com
Compiled by: Kym Argo
