CELEBRATE CULTURE, DIVERSITY AND TRADITION

Heritage Day, 24 September, was declared a public holiday in South Africa to encourage the nation to celebrate their culture and diversity of beliefs and traditions. Better known as Braai Day in many communities, it still presents an option for us to acknowledge origin and history and therefore, family.

THE TRADITIONAL BRAAIBROODJIE

Last week I entered a fruitful discussion about how one makes the best braaibroodjie – and I shared the ‘recipe’ for how my late mom made it. Two slices of white or light-brown bread with lashings of creamy butter on the outside, mature Cheddar, sliced tomato and onion, salt and pepper on the inside, but most importantly, braaied on an open fire, with those you love. Her legacy remains alive through many of the meals we eat.

A FAMILY TRIBUTE

Our team can be forgiven for when we are not eating, we are voraciously discussing or dreaming of food. Our brand manager, Natalie Brock, shared this family story when she gave me a bottle of extra-virgin, Frantoio/Leccino olive oil from Bain’s View Boutique Olive Estate to try. It was delicious, and I loved the story of its origin.

Bain’s View Farm in Wellington, at the foot of the beautiful Bain’s Kloof Pass, is where dentist Andrew Jackson’s legacy lives on, in olive oil. His dream was to retire in the country, so he purchased the farm in 2007. Andrew set about repairing, building and establishing a wonderful indigenous plant nursery where he propagated most of the plants that have been planted in the extensive gardens on the farm. In 2010 Andrew planted a variety of approximately 700 olive trees at Bain’s View – mainly Frantoio, with Leccino and Coratina making up the balance. He was set to retire at the age of 60. Sadly, Andrew unexpectedly passed away in 2018, one day before the start of his ‘official retirement’ and never had the opportunity to enjoy his retirement dream.

Andrew’s sister, Dianne Brock, and her husband Bruce decided to move to Wellington to keep Andrew’s dream alive and to share the love and passion with the community. They employed two workers, and together, four sets of hands, kept the farm running. This year was the first time the olive crop was picked for extraction and bottling, as a tribute to Andrew. A whopping 2 500kg of olives were picked and taken to The Olive Boutique in Riebeek Kasteel for extraction and bottling. The first extraction was a Frantoio/Leccino blend which was followed by a later harvest of Coratina. Surprisingly, for these novices, the yield of oil from olives was an encouraging 16%, resulting in 700 half-litre bottles. The labels were designed by the family and extended family. The well-balanced rating review from SA Olive was extremely heartening for the family, and the compliments from friends and family who have bought the oil, has been overwhelming.

For enquiries or to buy one of the remaining 300 bottles at R100 each, email nbrock08@gmail.com.

HERITAGE DAY FEAST

As an accompaniment to an impala fillet that will be braaied (with the broodjies), I will make a fresh and flavourful seasonal salad on the holiday, with a toast to absent friends and family. Allow me to share my recipe:

FENNEL AND BLOOD ORANGE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large or 2 medium bulbs fennel, well washed
• 1 large bunch radishes, topped and tailed
• 2 blood oranges
• 3T capers
• 15g fresh mint
• 15g fresh parsley
• 2T cumin seeds, roasted

Dressing

• 50ml olive oil
• zest of 2 blood oranges
• juice and zest of a lemon
• 1T Dijon mustard
• 1T honey
• salt, pepper

METHOD

1. Shave the fennel bulb and radishes finely on a mandolin.
2. Chop the stalks of the fennel, and some of the leaves, and add.
3. Place in a mixing bowl.
4. Zest the oranges and keep for the dressing.
5. Peel and segment the oranges, cut in half and add to the fennel with the capers.
6. Chop the herbs finely.
7. Mix all dressing ingredients together, shake well and mix with the salad ingredients.
8. Place the salad on a platter and top with cumin seeds.
9. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Beautiful wild olive board and salt pot by HM Creations.