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Good, Better, Best. From Next 48 Hours.
Fire Water is a smoky, hard-covered book on South African Brandy.
The Brandy Foundation has been hard at work elevating the spirit above simply something to mix with Cola by promoting a range that is awarded amongst the best in the world.
The book retails for R330 which is excellent value considering Craig Fraser’s atmospheric photographs and Wendy Toerien’s informative, but easy reading copy.
Best reason of all to get it though, is for the recipes by the aforementioned chef Margot joined by Kitchen Cowboy and Cassia chef patron Peter Goffe-Wood, The Foodbarn’s chef patron Frank Dangereux, Reuben’s chef patron Reuben Riffel and Kleine Zalze Lodge chef Nic van Wyk.
Rather than repeat the dishes in the book, they created something new for the meal that paired well with brandy.
Chef Margot prepared finely sliced smoked salmon with a pineapple sorbet and shredded bacon vinaigrette. The plate was bejewelled by wasabi caviar and paired with Van Ryn’s 20-year Reserve.
Chef Pete served smoked duck breast with green beans, macadamias and pancetta together with Sydney Back’s 10-year old but, it was chef Frank’s seabass served with veal trotter and cep “caillette”, that most excited me.
I’ve recently enjoyed fish with meaty accompaniments (dorado with springbok at Belthazar eats wonderfully together) but this dish (imagine the cailette as a skilpadjie, liver covered in caul fat) but far more delicious.
There was a heady fug of truffle when the dish came to the table. That was served with Avontuur’s 10-year Private Collection.
Chef Reuben presented stuffed quail with vanilla sauce while chef Nic battled unscheduled load shedding, to present intense chocolate soufflés with Oude Meester Reserve prune ice cream.
A bite sized “cheese course” (halved grape, blue cheese on a shortbread biscuit) followed and finally, tobacco-infused chocolate truffles with Imoya alembic brandy and coffee. If there is a culinary experience to be had, I’m willing to try anything.
I’m not sure what I expected from the tobacco chocolate but it wasn’t to my taste. Rather than deliver a rich, floating feeling like a cigar does, it screamed at my tonsils.
We had lunch at Cassia’s private dining room at Ntida hosted by SA Brandy Foundation and Quivertree Publications.
[25-May-08]
Brian Berkman
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