WineCountry

Wine, food and lifestyle blog covering the best of Paarl and the Cape Winelands.

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5 hours 24 min ago

August 2, 2010

16:47

Africa’s prides, kings of the jungle

With the recent loss and subsequent recovery of Panjo, the tiger, I decided to ask Paul Hart of Drakenstein Lion Park for some information regarding the facility and to educate people about the need for sanctuaries like this one. Drakenstein Lion Park was established in 1998 to provide lions in distress with a sanctuary, where they [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

16:00

Baked Cheesecake

A very easy crustless cheesecake that is absolutely delicious. I had a problem finding ricotta cheese, but maybe it was just a slow delivery week so you shouldn’t have a problem. I found the recipe in one of those supplements that came with my groceries and it seemed easy enough, and it is! 4 x [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 22, 2010

11:36

Team building at Riebeek Valley Hotel

There’s nothing that quite dampens one’s spirit as a poor venue when you leave the office on a Friday afternoon to spend the weekend away with all of your colleagues on a company team building excursion. So when the Rocketseed team decided the time is nigh for such a weekend, I can only imagine that [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

09:17

Cradock Flower Shop Competition

Wine time again!! A new flower shop in Cradock in the Karoo, is looking for a name and you can win 6 x bottles of wine if your suggestion is the chosen one. Put your thinking caps on and let the creative juices flow. We will give you two weeks from today to come up [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 20, 2010

10:41

Saddle of Lamb Roast

Lamb roast reminds me of Sunday lunch during my childhood and believe or not, this was the first meal I cooked for a dinner party – after I phoned my Mother to find out how to cook it! Remember as I said before – if I can cook it, anybody can! This recipe serves about 4 [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

10:03

Storming the Bastille (Festival)….

After absolutely freezing weather, Saturday dawned; beautiful, sunny, blue skies and wind still. Living in Paarl, we are already out in the country but going through to Franschhoek for the day is always something to look forward to. We passed wine farms on the way all decked out in red, blue and white. The town [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 19, 2010

17:01

Turning Farm Workers into Shareholders

The wine lands do not have a glowing reputation for engaging in Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).Too often, young BEE wine companies are left to sink or swim and can quickly become isolated, with little capital or experience. Despite the view that nothing is being done, an increasing number of wine farms are engaging in transformation. [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 16, 2010

15:39

Nederburg is ….well, Nederburg.

Like the jingle about braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet, Nederburg has always just been there. My first “illegal” drinking experience happened with Nederburg wine at a fondue at the age of 17. The first bottle of wine I ever bought was a bottle of Nederburg Baronne and the first bottle I ever bought as a [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 14, 2010

12:30

My Wine Rack

I don’t always like all the wines that I taste or are offered to drink, but I only ever violently dislike a wine if there is something wrong with it. When that happens, I talk to the person in charge and see if I can’t taste a different bottle – only then will I decide [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 8, 2010

10:24

Writing History – World Cup virgins Netherland or Spain?

The Netherlands’ progress to their third World Cup final with the win setting up a showdown with Spain at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday 11 July. The Dutch lost both of their previous finals in 1974 and 1978 to hosts West Germany and Argentina respectively and Dirk Kuyt wants Holland to make history and win [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

09:05

Are we rip off artists?

We have come across the following article and were shocked at the cheek of the restaurant in question.  After checking the availability of the 1982 Vriesenhof, pricing The Chocolate Block and the KWV Roodeberg, we have come to the conclusion that this restaurant is trying to scare off tourists and to undermine the hard won [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 7, 2010

10:38

Walking, walking, oh, the joy of walking!

Swinging down the tawny lanes with head held high; The poem The Walkers, brought to mind an image of Sandra Kriek, striding up ahead while I was doing “Historical Stellenbosch on Foot” I must admit, walking will do in a pinch, but I am more of a stroller or an ambler type of person while window-shopping [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

09:36

A Traditional Feast for the World Cup Final

As we are in the final stretch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, let us go out with a traditional bang and have something for everyone with enough preparation time beforehand so everybody can sit and watch the final without having to tend to braai fires or stoveplates. Here goes and may the best team [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

July 1, 2010

15:03

Winner of our photoshoot!

This gorgeous photo of Janro and the Boerboel Ben was sent in by Mrs S Gerber of Hopefield. They were visiting her parents on their farm in Cradock, the Karoo, when this photo opportunity presented itself. With the lyrics to the Michael Jackson song – BEN – this was a sure winner! Ben, the two of [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

14:26

My Wine Rack

Let’s see, not really a Brandy fan but we received a really cool promotional item this week together with a recipe for a cocktail – yes, you guessed it – Cocktail Shaker. Unpacking the gift, we found a Cinnamon stick, 2 Rooibos Tea teabags, one Granny Smith Apple and a 50ml bottle of Flight of the [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

11:32

I am mourning the passing of a friend ..

While the black umbrellas drip silver raindrops and the grey clouds hang low and Oaks bleakly reach upwards and the vineyards wait naked for a Spring that is still ages away …. She died … in my arms. Shirma was 19 – old for a cat – and she was my friend. I would feel the [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

June 17, 2010

15:28

Restore, Renew & Recuperate body, mind & spirit …..

in the peaceful surroundings of Cathbert Country Inn, a spectacular Bed & Breakfast cum Guesthouse Retreat in Simondium, between Paarl and Franschhoek. Cathbert Country Inn, run by Aubrey and Lynne, is situated in a magnificent position high up on the slopes of the majestic Simonsberg with spectacular vistas across vineyards to the immense Boland Mountains. Follow the [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

13:37

…neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night,

nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay the fans from watching their teams go through to the semi finals and finals in the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup! Okay, so I am plowing with someone else’s oxen by using this amended phrase but what the hey … Soccer World Cup in South [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

June 15, 2010

13:09

Two days from the diary of Route 62…..

A group of us is on another trip with Cape Winelands, this time we will be exploring the Robertson Wine Valley and Langeberg Municipal area. I did not quite know what to pack, I am used to sunshine weather this time of year, but it is raining, so what now? I packed my gumboots, shorts [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

June 14, 2010

16:48

My Wine Rack

It is absolutely freezing here and me not a great fan of sweet and fortified wines, is having a bit of a problem. Not in the mood for a Red and too lazy to make coffee and too grown up for Hot Chocolate with little marshmallows…. Luckily I remembered a bottle of My Wyn Amber 2009 [...]

Categories: Wine Blogs from South Africa, Wine Blogs in English

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