Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2019 i go! Platteland

Just like in 2014 when we had to deliver the third issue of Platteland to the printers, we are sending to print this 23rd issue you’re holding in your hands on the day that South Africa’s 26,7 million registered voters (hopefully) go to the polls. And, just like five years ago, we experienced again this morning the sheer joy of walking the 400 m to Koringberg’s VGK hall – the voting station – and then arriving at 07:30 to wonder for a moment whether the rapture had perhaps taken place overnight. From start to finish, the process took two minutes. Who dares to complain when they’re afforded more time to live more slowly – and significantly better? (Or is a never-ending queue or too few ballot papers a small price…

The Last Elephants compiled by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell An elephant is killed every 15 to 20 minutes, on average – a situation that signals the demise of these intelligent, extraordinary animals within the next three decades. This magnificent hardcover book with photographs by some of Africa’s best wildlife photographers features input from top conservationists (and a foreword by Prince William), in the hope of creating awareness of the devastating loss of elephant lives in Africa and stemming the tsunami of poaching and hunting. May the title not be prophetic! R490 Struik Nature penguinrandomhouse.co.za 011 327 3550 WIN 1: Elephants Cape, Curry & Koesisters by Fatima Sydow and Gadija Sydow Noordien Allow these twin sisters to help you master Cape Malay specialities like spice blends, curries, sambals, atchar, cakes,…

Few places are as spectacularly vast and still as the Springbok Flats north of Pretoria. Take the R516 from Bela-Bela on a sunny winter’s day and head east. Keep going, across the N1, and then pull off next to a cultivated field. Look ahead, to the left and to the right, and behind you. Can you see to the edge of the earth? Here, where sunflowers recently turned their bright-yellow heads to track the sun’s movement across the sky, pitch-black stubble-fields stretch to the horizon. Between the fertile soil and the blue sky stacked with cumulus clouds you can see almost beyond the slot in the east from which the sun appears in the morning and the one in the west into which the sun slips in the evening. The…

During the turbulent eighties, the late Dr Matie Brink, an NG dominee in Paarl, converted many South Africans to the gospel of potjiekos. In the furthest corners of the country and in Namibia, he would cook for up to 3 000 people at a time. It was under his guidance that inexpensive stewing meat and fresh vegetables were patiently simmered into a tasty meal in a legion of No 25 potbellied cast-iron pots. Matie’s wife, Cheryl, and their five children often had to lend a hand with peeling and chopping vegetables. Today, the Brink family is still cooking up a storm – and, says Walter, each one of them has a particular “speciality”. (Last year, his youngest sister, Martelize of RSG fame, even published a cookbook.) “I remember those childhood…

Skuinskoek This is a Hantam speciality. Karien uses instant yeast in her short-cut recipe. Makes 5 dozen YOU NEED • 2 packets (10 g each) instant yeast• 1 kg cake wheat flour• 1 cup (210 g) sugar• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) aniseed• 5 teaspoons (25 ml) sunflower or canola oil• 2 eggs• 2-3 cups (500-750 ml) lukewarm water• sunflower or canola oil for deep-frying THIS IS HOW Mix all the dry ingredients. Now beat the oil and eggs with 500 ml lukewarm water and mix this into the dry ingredients to form a soft, manageable dough. Add more water if necessary. Knead it well until the aniseed seems to separate from the dough. Allow the dough to rise until double in size. Knock back the…

It is a privilege to share a house with pets while you are growing up. I remember every animal from my childhood years: my first dog, Woefie, was a brownish wirehaired mutt and we were inseparable. During the day we would tire each other out while playing, and in the evening we would fall asleep snuggling together, happy and content. Quite a few animals followed in Woefie’s paw-prints. I especially remember George, a cross between a German shepherd (fur and colour) and a St Bernard (size and head shape); and Kallie Kieterkat, a gangsterish stray cat who controlled, and sometimes terrorised, every member of our household, but also crept into all our hearts. He lived to be as old as the hills. Then, in 1979, I bought my very own…

Zigi says... We used MDF board, namely SupaWood, to make this table because it is sturdy, smooth and much cheaper than solid wood. But it is fairly heavy and large pieces would be difficult to handle, so ask your wood supplier to cut it according to your measurements. We bought one board of 2,7 m x 1,8 m at Plaza Board Centre (there are branches in Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Gauteng and North West), and they cut our pieces exactly according to our measurements at a small extra cost. Get everything ready SHOPPING LIST • 1 piece MDF board (22 mm thick) of 2,7m x 1,8 m, cut into the following pieces: 1 piece of 556 mm x 1 156 mm (tabletop) 2 pieces of 644 mm x 600 mm (2…

Most South Africans know Aponogeton distachyos by its Afrikaans common name, waterblommetjie. In English, this delicacy is called Cape pondweed or water hawthorn. You’ve probably had the traditional waterblommetjie bredie, or stew, but unfortunately too many cooks get this unique South African recipe completely wrong. So much so that there are countless gourmands out there who won’t let a morsel pass their lips, because they have visions of an overcooked grey-green mush. “A bredie is a combination of meat and vegetables that are slowly stewed together to allow the meat to absorb the flavours of the vegetables thoroughly, while the vegetables absorb the juices of the meat… neither the meat nor vegetables dominate, but together they become a satisfying whole in which the combination triumphs!” wrote C Louis Leipoldt in…

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Write to us and tell us about your move to the platteland, the characters in your town, the things that bug you… Send an email to helloplatteland@gmail.com or post your letter to Platteland Letters, PO Box 526, Moorreesburg 7310. We give preference to letters of fewer than 300 words. Remember to include your name and surname and, very importantly, the town where you live. Platteland reserves the right to edit and shorten letters at our discretion. Winning letter Food and an income from our garden Congratulations! I am happy to hear you are now independent. Yes, the whopping increase in your magazine’s cover price made my eyes water. I hope your magazine won’t become unaffordable, like so many others. What would we read then?…

GAUTENG The TOPS at SPAR Wine Show, Sandton 6-8 JUNE Spoil your taste buds at this popular wine show, where you’ll get to sample and buy wine to your heart’s content. Where? Montecasino Cost Ticket prices vary – visit the website for more information and bookings Contact wineshow.co.za WESTERN CAPE Napier Wine & Patatfees 14 & 15 JUNE Plan a weekend escape to the Overberg for this celebration of food, wine, art and the good life. Contact napierwinepatatfees.co.za Napier Wine & Patatfees WESTERN CAPE Vries Jou Gat Af Fees, Sutherland 15 JUNE “Freeze your bum off” – the name says it all. Naturally, don’t forget to dress warmly for this festival of bright stars, good food, Karoo hospitality and music, now in its second year. Visit the website for the…

Just like SAWAU (the South African Women’s Agricultural Union) in the rest of the country, there’s one abbreviation that Platteland always encounters on our trips through the towns of the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape: the WAA (Women’s Agricultural Association, or VLV, Vroue-Landbouvereniging, in Afrikaans). These days it’s known as the CWAA (Cape Women’s Agricultural Association). This non-profit organisation, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year despite challenging circumstances and dwindling membership, was founded in Franschhoek on 15 October 1929 and soon became a “university” that empowered “ordinary” women and the (mostly platteland) communities it reaches out to by equipping them with knowledge and practical skills. Or, as the CWAA puts it in a brochure: “The CWAA is an association for personal growth, self-fulfilment and community service with six…

1Annual examination and inoculations Your vet examines the animal and suggests how you could help it remain healthy. Inoculations prevent nasty diseases. 2 Deworming Worms can cause a variety of health issues. They steal the nutrients your pet needs, which can result in diarrhoea and anaemia. Your pets (and you) should be dewormed every three months. 3 Flea and tick treatment These parasites live on your pet and can cause life-threatening illnesses such as biliary fever. These days, there are excellent products on the market that combat fleas, ticks and all types of worms. Ask your vet and remember to follow the directions carefully – usually every six weeks. 4 Teeth Most of us don’t brush our pets’ teeth (for totally understandable reasons) but your vet should examine and clean…

WE CHAT TO FILIPA DOMINGUES Rare and unusual plants in the spotlight Cape-based film producer Filipa Domingues has always been fascinated by strange succulents. She told Maja Palm she just needed the encouragement of a friend to turn her passion into a popular Instagram account. Tell us when and why you started @CheckMyPlants on Instagram. When my friends and family visit me, the first thing I want to do is show them my succulent collection. I always say: “Come check my plants!” One day a friend suggested I take a photograph of a plant every day and post it on Instagram. At first I thought the idea was quite far-fetched, but a few days later, when I was bored and alone at home, I decided to take a photo with…

When you are next in the West Coast town of Lambert’s Bay, make a point of visiting Alle Dingen in Burrel Street to see the proteas made from mussel shells collected on the beach. “It took a number of attempts before the flowers we attempted to make eventually started looking like proteas,” says Heidi Eshmade, co-owner of Alle Dingen, who says she got the idea from her friend Elsona Elstedt from Graafwater. “Elsona and I were walking on the beach admiring the colours and textures of the mussels when we decided to do something with them.” It takes about one morning to make one of these proteas by hand, and every one is different. “You build them like a jigsaw puzzle,” says Heidi. They cost R160 per protea to buy…

Waterblommetjie bredie My grandmother was a very good cook. She put a lot of heart and care into everything she made, and liked to use fresh ingredients. This dish bears her stamp. She never browned the meat beforehand for this simple bredie. Serves 4 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 2 hours YOU NEED • 600 g – 800 g lamb shanks, cut into 3 cm – 5 cm lengths• 1½ cups (375 ml) water• 1 garlic clove, crushed• 2 x 25 g sachets Ina Paarman’s Concentrated Liquid Beef Stock• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Ina Paarman’s Vegetable Stock Powder• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Ina Paarman’s Rosemary & Olive Seasoning• 1 red chilli, finely sliced• 1 large onion, chopped• ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice• 2 large potatoes, cubed• 500g…

Overberg, Western Cape When it’s green in the Overberg, to me there is no landscape more beautiful anywhere in the world. The hills are covered in green crops that dance in the slightest breeze. When you drive from Cape Town via Sir Lowry’s Pass, past Grabouw and on towards Riviersonderend at the crack of dawn, dewdrops glisten on the hills along the N2, looking like diamonds set in an elaborate neckpiece. It’s my happy place. This is where my dad took us as kids to pick out a Christmas tree near the pine plantations in the Caledon area. It’s where I remember the smell of freshly baked cookies as my grandma took them out of the coal-stove oven. It’s in the soil of the Overberg that the bodies of my…

Sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise when a publisher rejects a manuscript. The first five versions of my new novel, Smit Motors, fortunately never saw the light of day. Fortunately? It was aimed at taking on the supposed small-town mentality. I sent my main character, Petra Smit, into the Free State to sort out the racists and homophobes. Moreover, just for the fun of it, she would make out with the mayor’s daughter. It was nonsense. It was arrogant. But, more importantly, it wasn’t a true reflection of my upbringing in the platteland. My father was a bank manager. So every five years my mother had to pack, move and unpack. I attended two primary schools and two high schools, and so far I have had to settle in 11…

Absolute Leisure Cottages This is accommodation with old-fashioned charm. Every cottage is equipped with a fireplace and firewood for chilly winter nights. There are expansive gardens, and you can buy organic vegetables from the staff gardening project. machadodorp.co.za 011 802 8076 Millys Autumn Festival In April, Millys Autumn Festival was held for the second time. Offering poetry, music and food at Millys of Machado, the organisers envision it as a boutique version of the Stellenbosch Woordfees. millys.co.za/autumn-festival Hog Pub & Grill As you drive into town from the N4, you cannot miss the quirky red building on your right with depictions of three warthogs on the roof and a wonderfully wild front garden. The Hog is a popular watering hole in town, with reasonably priced food (the pizzas are a…

The WAA head office was opened in 1979 (the association’s 50th year) in the annex of the former Grand Hotel on the corner of Dorp and Mill streets in Stellenbosch. The building, built in 1842 in the Georgian style, was renamed Jubilee House and declared a National Monument. Apart from the administration of the WAA, it also houses a complete archive (currently managed by Erica Lubbe, who was president between 2005 and 2014) and South Africa’s only textile museum. The Textile Museum opened in 1997. On display are prize-winning handicrafts by WAA members, 33 embroidered pieces by Hetsie van Wyk, the doyenne of South African embroidery, and 27 pieces from the Emily Hobhouse lace collection, on loan from the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein. • The Textile Museum is open…

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is an American activist group that conducts annual tests of fruit and vegetables to analyse traces of insecticides and other pesticides in produce. It has found that strawberries are the biggest culprits (see the list below). But luckily there is some good news: a recent study by the University of Massachusetts found that the simplest way of removing pesticide residue from fruit is also the most effective. The accepted commercial washing method that is used after harvesting involves placing the fruit in a bleaching agent for 2 minutes, but this is less effective in removing all residue from apples than a solution of bicarbonate of soda and water. Water alone won’t do the job. The secret lies in the bicarb. There is a legally prescribed…

STEWED Wash the flower buds and remove the stalks; put them in a stew pot with a lump of fat or butter, as well as salt, pepper, a little chopped onion, a few thyme leaves, and a bay leaf. Simmer gently, then add a handful of chopped sorrel leaves and allow to simmer for a little while longer; stir in a glass of sherry and serve. BREDIE Braise good fat neck or rib of mutton, cut into suitable pieces, and place in a pot with some onion slices, a pinch of ground ginger, a crushed chilli, a blade of mace and some salt and pepper. As soon as the meat is nicely browned, add the waterblommetjie buds and a handful of finely minced sorrel leaves; let it all simmer for…

Menu STARTER Lentil soup and grain-free baby-marrow muffins MAINCOURSE Butter cauliflower Golden-milk potatoes Curried chakalaka DESSERT Mandarin-and-thyme polenta cake Lentil soup Make this lentil soup as thin or thick as you like, and don’t be afraid to double the quantities, because the soup tastes even better the next day. Serves 6 Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1 hour YOU NEED • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or ghee (clarified butter)• 2 onions, chopped• 2 large carrots, coarsely grated• 8 garlic cloves, crushed• 3 cm-piece of ginger root, peeled and finely grated• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground turmeric• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika• 1 cinnamon stick• ½ teaspoon (2,5 ml) chilli flakes• 4 cardamom pods, crushed• 2…