You've all heard the saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same", right? Well, I do believe it's true. You change jobs; you change size; you change partners; you change your taste in music; you change countries; you change hair cut/colour; you change your wardrobe. But despite all these changes, some things about you stay the same - the irreducible things that make you who you are.
To prove my point, here's a little game for you: A couple of posts ago, I shared with you the story of my and Nick's wedding vow renewal on the beach at Cape St Francis. I also might have told you that this was in fact my fourth wedding ceremony and over the course of those four ceremonies, a lot has changed - but a lot has also stayed the same. To brighten your Monday morning (and fulfil a dare made be Marisa to share these!), I am posting a few pictures of each of the four ceremonies below. Look closely - what's changed? What's stayed the same? (To skip to the recipe, scroll directly to the bottom of this post.)
CEREMONY 1 - HOME AFFAIRS, PORT ELIZABETH
CEREMONY 2 - BELVIDERE MANOR, KNYSNA
CEREMONY 3 - LAS VEGAS
CEREMONY 4 - CAPE ST FRANCIS BEACH
Spot the differences? OK some are more obvious than others.... I no longer live in the same country as when I had my first ceremony, nor do I do the same job. By the third ceremony I no longer had my mother (and shortly after the fourth I also lost my father). I have gained two fantastic nephews since the first ceremony and also (mysteriously!) a couple of extra kilograms ;) But some things have not changed at all. I wore the same dress for this year's renewal as I did ten years ago. I am still best friends with both my fabulous bridesmaids and they both came to the beach ceremony (in fact, one of them is the only person who has been to all four ceremonies!). And most importantly of all, the groom has remained constant in all four ceremonies.
Something else that has changed yet stayed the same is my love for salads. Like all kids, I was not a huge fan of most vegetables and my father aided and abetted this by refusing to eat salad because lettuce was inherently dangerous. (Oh, how he would have loved to live to see the current E-coli outbreak in Germany - which would have proved his long-held beliefs!). Suffice to say, my mom faced an uphill battle and a family of greenery-dodgers. But then there came a change. One day back in 1981 at Cranzgots restaurant in Plett, my mom decided to pick up some cheese salad together with our takeaway pizza order. It was a brave move, but I reckon she thought that nobody would be able to resist the lure of the thick tangle of grated cheddar and mozzarella on top of the salad; and that in making a grab for said cheese we might actually snag some leafy bits too. She was right. Slowly but surely, the Cranzgots cheese salad broke down my resistance and soon I could not get enough salad as long as there was cheese on top: it was the think edge of the wegde.
For many years my very fixed idea of salad was iceberg lettuce, onion rings, cucumber slices, tomato wedges and cheese - nothing else would do. These days you are far more likely to find me experimenting with asparagus and halloumi cheese; or chickpeas and feta cheese; or baby spinach and pine nuts - but the fact remains that I love salad. So when I was browsing through this blog's review of Bocca di Lupo restaurant, the one thing that caught my eye was a salad, of course. There was no recipe, but the description so intrigued me that I immediately set about creating my own. I added no black radish (which the restaurant does) but other than that, it seems a fairly faithful recreation - and I have to say I loved it. There is a lot of flavour going on here (sweet, salty, earthy, tart) as well as a lot of texture but it all comes together on the tongue in a happy marriage. So to speak :)
RADISH, CELERIAC & PECORINO SALAD WITH TRUFFLE OIL & POMEGRANATE (serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
about 16 medium radishes
half a large celeriac bulb
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
80g Pecorino cheese
arils from 1 small to medium pomegranate
truffle-infused oil
Fleur de sel or Maldon salt
Method:
Wash, top and tail the radishes. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, shave into thin slices. Roughly chop the parsley and use the vegetable peeler again to shave the Pecorino cheese. Lastly, peel the celeriac and using the vegetable peeler, shave into thin slices.
In a wide, shallow dish, toss together the shaved radishes, celeriac, parsley and cheese. Scatter the pomegranate arils on top and drizzle with truffle infused oil to taste. Season with salt and serve.
Jeanne you wore the same dress for this year's renewal....I am so jealous...cant even fit into my clothes that I wore 4 yrs back...and you say you gained a couple of extra kilograms mysteriously??You look absolutely stunning gal!!
Posted by: arthi | June 13, 2011 at 09:16 AM
So many things change and so many things remain the same. You guys look so happy from one end of your voyage to the other and more romantic than renewing ones' vows every couple of years I don't know! I love looking at these photos over and over again - I am a big sucker for love and romance! I am so sorry I missed that last ceremony but I plan on making it to the next one!
I will also say that I talk about your 4 weddings to JP and he huffs and puffs fearing that I will start wanting the same! But you have inspired me!
Beautiful salad - almost too pretty to ruin by digging a fork into it!
Posted by: Jamie | June 13, 2011 at 09:35 AM
Jeanne ... What a beautiful beautiful story and how lovely to see
the photos of all four ceremonies with the 'same' groom.
The salad looks lovely and I love all the ingredients swill be making this
one ... I hope mine looks as pretty as yours!
Móna
Posted by: Móna Wise | June 13, 2011 at 09:44 AM
the hair Jeanne, the hair! the hair-dos are different every time-how can you not see that??? Love that top photo of the salad!
Posted by: ilva | June 13, 2011 at 10:02 AM
Lovely lovely pictures, the ceremony ones, the food looks good too.
Posted by: Clare Hampshire UK | June 13, 2011 at 10:34 AM
your story and photos are absolutely lovely. I never thought of renewing my vows but am constantly pestering my husband to go on another honeymoon.
Pretty, colorful salad!
Posted by: Sarah | June 13, 2011 at 11:03 AM
You look so pretty and that for sure hasn't changed at all. Love the pictures. Love your story.
The salad looks just perfect. :)
Posted by: Baker Street | June 13, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Well you definitely haven't gained any extra years, the 2 of you look exactly the same
Posted by: Hila | June 13, 2011 at 12:21 PM
enjoyed the photos - you don't really look liked you have changed that much - seems like your surroundings have and that just makes you look a little different every ceremony - one important constant is how much you look like you are enjoying each ceremony
Posted by: Johanna GGG | June 13, 2011 at 01:17 PM
My goodness, you haven't aged a bit! I enjoyed your photos, thanks for sharing.
I am going to a vow renewal next year in Bali. All this love is inspiring me, maybe in two years we'll have to do this too. :)
Posted by: Erin | June 13, 2011 at 03:24 PM
I love the pomegranite in this - it makes it look so colourful, sweet and fresh.
Posted by: Corina | June 13, 2011 at 10:35 PM
That's certainly an unusual combination of flavours but I can imagine it really works! Love all the wedding photos too - wonderful memories for you I'm sure!
Great blog, by the way, and I have a South African connection myself so am looking forward to reading more.
Hannah @ Love to Dine
http://lovetodine.wordpress.com
Posted by: Hannah @ Love to Dine | June 13, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Loved looking at all the wedding photos. Your salad is beautiful.
Posted by: Coco Cooks | June 14, 2011 at 12:43 AM
What certainly looks the same is that you both look gorgeous in all the ceremonies ! I love those renewal vows. Not something that is ever done here but it's insanely romantic I think. And that salad too is looking fabulous! Gonna make it for sure !
Posted by: Simone | June 14, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Glad you kept the groom, and he you! You two look equally happy in all four sets of photos.
Posted by: Charlotte | June 14, 2011 at 10:01 AM
I presume ceremony 1 is legal, ceremony 2 in church, ceremony 4 to celebrate 10 years I know... but where does Las Vegas come in? Did you always wish you'd got married in Las Vegas and decide let's just do that as well?! Whatever the reason it's a fabulous set of pictures and I love how you've recreated some of the same poses in the more recent one.
I'm wondering whether there's a guinness world record for number of times a couple have got married? Possibly it's within reach if you do it a few more times?!!
Xx
Posted by: Sarah, Maison Cupcake | June 14, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Loving the pics! And I must say, I particularly love the Vegas wedding. This salad looks phenomenal, although I must say I'm a bit apprehensive re the celeriac - does it taste a lot like celery?
Posted by: Marisa | June 14, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Not sure if it's a change or not but you looked more radiant in the fourth wedding. The one thing that definitely stayed constant is the joy and love you have for each other. I can't wait to see your fifth, sixth and many more of your wedding vow renewal ceremonies.
Posted by: Ken⏐hungry rabbit | June 14, 2011 at 12:05 PM
Wow; congratulations again - it's nice to see you treating yourselves. Salad looks fab too!
Posted by: S | June 14, 2011 at 12:13 PM
@Arthi - Thank you! I vowed in 2001 that I would wear the same dress and renew my vows ten years later - and apparently I don't like to break vows ;o) What can I say - it was a clever cut!
@Jamie - so sorry you could not make it... And we do look rather happy, don't we?? I never planned to be a serial bride, but I am rather liking the role. Tell JP just a restrained renewal ceremony at your next big anniversary will be fine, LOL! The salad was rather photogenic for very little effort ;)
@Mona - so glad you enjoyed the virtual trip through our ceremonies! As for the groom - he's a keeper. Really! The salad is dead easy and with those ingredients, you struggle to make it look less that gorgeous.
@Ilva - of course you are right - it's the hair that gives away the passing years hahahahah! than and the fatc that Nick looked approximately 12 when we first got married and no longer does!! Glad you like the pic :)
@Clare - thanks :)
@Sarah - four honeymoons... now THERE'S an idea! I only really had 2...
@BakerStreet - thank you :) The salad is full of such interesting colour and texture and flavour contrasts - just try it!
@Hila - you are too kind ;) It must be all that Oil of Olay hahahah!
@Johanna - I have to say this is the first time I have actually viewed pics form all four ceremonies side by side and we do look rather smiley in all of them! Glad you enjoyed the visial memories :)
@Erin - aah, flattery will get you everywhere ;) Vow renewal in Bali sounds magical. and I can't recommend multiple ceremonies highly enough - each one has been such fun and so meaningful in its own way. Persuade your hubby!!
@Corina - thanks! Pomegranate can turn the simplest dish into an occasion!
@Hannah - welcome to CookSister :) The salad is really a riot of flavours and textures - I love it - and a bonus that it is pretty too! Glad you liked the virtual wedding albums ;)
@Courtney - I'm just so sorry you guys could not make it. Next time, OK?? salad is lovely - give it a try!
@Simone - thank you :))) And actually, very few people do vow renewals in South Africa. I don't know why I decided on my sedding day to do it again - maybe because other friends had said they would and everybody kind of forgets to do it or loses interest. And it is surprisingly romantic - definitely a relationship booster ;o)
@Charlotte - phew - that's good to know hahahah! And yes, he is a keeper... ;) So when are you and Germany's Best Husband renewing yours??
@Sarah - LOL! Yes - 1st was legal, second was the full on white frock number with family and friends; and the 4th was pretty much planned from the day of the original white frock ceremony. Vegas happened to fall 5 years after the 1st ceremony and we were thinking what were the iconic things we HAD to do in Vegas. And obviously, getting married came up. Renewal seemed a more sensible option, seeing as we were already hitched! ;) It was also great because one of my bridesmaids happened to be on the trip with us, and a dear friend flew in from Colorado so we had an absolute ball in our white stretch limo to the chapel and celebrating poolside with margaritas after. Everybody should do it once!
@Marisa - see - you asked for it, you got the pics ;) The Vegas wedding was a ton of fun - see my comment above. We were en route to a wedding in Mexico and only had a TINY suitcase, so I just wore what I was planning to wear to the Mexican wedding - hence the splash of turquise colour & sequins! The purple silk rose bouqyet (included in the price) was... well, priceless! Celeriac does taste a lit like celery - kind of like the love child of a parsnip and celery, so less in your face. Don't you like celery?
@Ken - "more radiant" - oh you are GOOOOOD! ;o) As I said, I have never seen all the pics from all 4 ceremonies side by side but it is good to see the exuberance and joy in all of them. You should try to come to a future ceremony!!
@S - thank you!
Posted by: Jeanne @ CookSister! | June 14, 2011 at 12:47 PM
What's stayed the same? How happy you both look in all of them!
Posted by: Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen | June 15, 2011 at 07:56 AM
Lovely to see all the pics! You have hardly changed a bit! And they all look great fun.
Posted by: Kit | June 15, 2011 at 08:56 AM
Lovely and precious story and pictures!! You both still look the same as 10 years ago! I love this salad - use to go to Cransgotz often, but I haven't been to Plett for the past 4 years - I wonder if it is stll there?
Posted by: PinkPolkaDot | June 23, 2011 at 10:59 AM
@Sylvie and @Kit - thank you!! And yes, they were all different and all great fun :)
@PinkPolkaDot - you are too kind ;o) And yes - Cranzgots is still there, where it always was, on the corner of Main Street and the hill down to the Beacon Isle! Pizzas still smell as good, although I have not had one in a couple of year - we always end up at Cornuti instead! But have a huge soft spot for Cranzgots.
Posted by: Jeanne @ CookSister! | July 07, 2011 at 11:55 AM