Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Meat
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos

South African Food & Wine Blogger Indaba 2012

by Jeanne Horak on May 28, 2013 9 Comments in South African Food Blogger Conference

SAFoodAndWineBloggerIndabaTitle ©

Yes, I am perfectly aware that it has taken me almost a year to get this post up… If I distract you with lots of pretty pictures will you pretend not to notice how long it has taken?

As I celebrated my nine year (!!) anniversary of starting his blog last week, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about blogging lately – about how we blog, why we blog, what we each get out of it, and how we motivate ourselves to carry on. The interwebs have changed a lot since I started blogging.  Most people who started out when I did stopped blogging ages ago started out with no game plan other than to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their words in a publicly visible forum.  When we discovered that there were other freaks out there just like us, beetling away at their computers in the dead of night to publish their recipes, we were genuinely thrilled and firm, lasting friendships were quickly formed. But since the discovery that blogging can be a way of generating cash/getting a book deal/kick-starting a new career, it seems that a lot of the whimsical fun has been sucked out of food blogging and that it has become a more unfriendly and competitive place.

But despite all the cliques, in-fighting and aggressive competition, I still believe passionately in blogging as a community activity – there is power (and much love and support) in a union, as they say.  So when I am given a chance to meet up and speak to other food bloggers and feel like a real-life, in-the-flesh community for a while, I always jump at the chance.  Why else would I have boarded a plane in the middle of London’s short summer last June and flown directly into the middle of Cape Town’s cold, wet and windy winter?  Of course, there had to be bloggers involved – I was returning to speak at the annual South African Food & Wine Blogger Indaba, which took place for the third time in Cape Town in June last year.

This event is the premier food blogging event in South Africa and I am proud to be one half (together with the fabulous Colleen) of the business partnership that organises it.  The event brings together food bloggers, wine bloggers, traditional media as well as social media specialists and people connected with the food and wine industry for a packed day of presentations, demonstrations and workshops.  The inaugural Indaba in 2010 was an intimate affair of 60 people; by 2011 attendance hit triple figures; and by 2012 we were heading for 130  attendees – which meant only one thing: a LOT of goodie bags to be filled!  I had barely dragged my luggage off the plane from London before being set to work at our venue, headline sponsor Pick ‘n Pay‘s snazzy conference centre, just one person on a veritable production line of goodie-bag assistants, filling our three (!) bags to bursting point with items from the super-generous sponsors.

 

SAFoodBloggerIndaba2012Bags © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndaba2012FillingBags © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPackingBags2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndaba2012GoatsDoRoam © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SA Food BloggerIndabaPackingBagsDiptych © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaCandiceWine © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

The next morning Colleen and I were up surprisingly early, given the fact that we had been up, talking, laughing and playing with the dog  completing last-minute preparations the night before.  Just to start the morning off with a bang, we received a text message from one of our speakers, Alida, saying: “Don’t panic, but I’ve had a very bad fall and can hardly walk. Are there lots of stairs at the venue?”.  Nothing like adrenaline first thing in the morning to sharpen the senses!!  Registrations were already underway when we arrived at our sponsor Pick & Pay’s conference centre and soon the lobby was buzzing with bloggers and squeals of recognition (“Oh – you look JUST like your profile picture!”). While attendees were mingling, Alida managed to arrive safely and the fabulous Mark from Pick & Pay put on his emergency medical technician hat and tended to her ankle.  “Oh, don’t worry about me,” said Alida “I’m flying high after all my pain meds!”.  And on that note, the 2012 Indaba kicked off.  After coffee, pastries and general chatter, we moved to the auditorium where our super-professional master of ceremonies Paul Raphaely (affectionately known as NoMU Paul, a.k.a. the sheepdog) welcomed us all and officially started the day’s proceedings.  Both Mark from Pick ‘n Pay and Paul Galatis (affectionately known as Yuppiechef Paul, a.k.a. Luigi) from co-headline sponsors Yuppiechef had a few words for attendees and then the blogging presentations kicked off.

 

SA FoodBloggerIndaba2012Lobby © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndaba2012Nametags

 

SAFoodBloggerIndaba2012Yuppiechef  © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAuditoriumFilling © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPaulRaphaely © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPaulGalatis © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

First up was… erm… me, with a keynote speech on Ethics, Etiquette and Why We Blog, followed by a host of other talented speakers:  Alida Ryder on Monetizing Your Blog; Linda Harding on Building Your Blog Brand with Social Media; Carine Visagie on Writing for the Web; and John Gardner on Pinterest for Bloggers. It was wonderful to see all the speakers sharing their specialist knowledge so freely – often people are so scared that sharing somehow diminishes their own success, but I think that the morning’s sessions proved quite the opposite.  We also had a brief demo before lunch from the infectiously enthusiastic Sanjai, showing off what the Zoku Quick Pop maker can do – truly impressive! But of course, man cannot live by blogging alone and after a morning’s learning we were ready for lunch – a  spread from the team at Source Management caterers washed down by wines from Van Loveren’s newly-launched Tangled Tree range of wines.

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaJeanne © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Photo © Browniegirlblog

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAlida © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaLindaHarding © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaCarina © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBoggerIndabaPinterestTalk © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaSanjai © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaTangledTree © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

After lunch, a fabulous buffet spread laid on once again by Source Management catering, participants could select two from a range of available workshops to attend – one early afternoon and one late afternoon – covering a wide range of topcs.  Workshops included:

  • Food Writing by Sam Woulidge
  • Food Styling and Photography by Sam Linsell & Tasha Seccombe
  • Photography Basics by Jeanne Horak-Druiff
  • WordPress and Plugins by Mark Forrester
  • Writing and Publishing a Cookbook by Sarah Graham 
  • A hands-on Cake Decorating Workshop by Grace Stevens
  • Basics of Food Styling and Props by Sam Linsell
  • SEO and a live blog audit by Neil Pursey
  • Post processing in Photoshop & Lightroom by Alida Ryder & Jeanne Horak-Druiff
  • a Grappa and Food Pairing by Jacqui Thatcher of Profumi d’Italia
  • a Gorgeous By Graham Beck Bubbly and Canapé workshop by cellarmaster Pieter “Bubbles” Ferreira himself

The pics below are a presenter’s eye view of my photography workshop 🙂

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPhotoWorkshop1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPhotoWorkshop2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

A tough choice, wouldn’t you say!!  My only regret is that because I was teaching two workshops back to back, I was unable to attend any myself (and I did so desperately need bubbly and canapés…) – but by all accounts, all the workshops were hugely informative and and enjoyable.  After a brief break to catch out breath, it was time to charge our glasses with a little more Tangled Tree wine 9I was particularly smitten with the spicy Shiraz!) and get comfortably seated for the Indaba charity auction.  This year, we selected the Lavender in Lavender Hill,  a social enterprise which aims to plant 1,000,000 Lavender Plants in Lavender Hill, a deprived community in Cape Town, South Africa. The vision is to create an urban farm for the production of lavender products, bringing skills, jobs and recognition to the area. The auction highlights included a fantastic Banquet-in-a-Box giveaway from Pesto Princess (represented on the podium by the lovely Candice, complete with tiara).  With able help of auctioneer Damon and his able assistants Devin and Donald (who even modelled some of the auction items for us!) we were able to raise an amount of R15,600, and CEO of the charity Marcelle van Zyl was in the audience to see the amount raised.  A KitchenAid mixer sponsored by the lovely folks at Yuppiechef was won by a clearly thrilled Roxanne.

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAuctionItems © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaColleen © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAuctionDiptych © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAuction © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBlogger IndabaCandice © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerndabaKitchenaid © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

But after you strip away all the teaching, the learning, the eating, the drinking and the fundraising, you are left with the most important part of the day – THE PEOPLE.  Without the tireless support and encouragement of every single person who worked on, assisted with, sponsored, talked about or attended the Indaba, it simply would not take place.  And so my favourite part of the day was the people-watching during the auction, when the hard work was over and we could just enjoy being a community of like-minded people.  See if you can spot yourself 🙂 (there are also a few extra photos in my Flickr album of the day)

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaAuctionAudience © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaDiptychPeople1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaMichaelO  © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SFoodBloggerIndabaPeople3 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPeople1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIdabaDiptychPeople2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPeople2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPeopleSam © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SFoodBlogger1IndabaDiptychPeople3 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPeople5 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPeopleTandy © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaDiptychPeople4 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPestoPrincess ©  J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaPestoPrincessCrew © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

 

SAFoodBloggerIndabaColleenJeanne © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 

I think I speak for all the attendees when I say that we had a fantastic day – there really is no substitute for meeting people face to face and I do believe that every year lasting friendships are formed at the Indaba.  I also feel that the breadth of topics and calibre of speakers is world class – and just to whet your appetite… this year’s Indaba is provisionally scheduled for mid-August 2013 and I can think of no better reason to plan a visit to Cape Town – or, indeed, South Africa. (The Indaba represents even more fantastic value for money if you are paying in foreign currency!).  Keep an eye on the SA Food & Wine Blogger Indaba website for news of the next event.  And if the stellar line-up of speakers did not persuade you, take a look below at what I found in my bulging goodie bags – thank you to each and every generous sponsor who made the day possible! (Fellow-blogger Nicola George even recorded herself unpacking her goodie bags!)

 

 

IndabaGoodieBags1 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Three goodie bags per attendee – count ’em! 

IndabaGoodieBags5 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 An apron and a truly amazing Wuesthof knife from Yuppiechef

IndabaGoodieBags2 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Cheese and wine from Fairview wine estate; a copy of Fresh Living magazine and an item from the Finest range from Pick ‘n Pay.

IndabaGoodieBags9 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

Olive oil from Saint Sebastian Bay; balsamic reduction from Verlaque, truly addictive Wasabi sauce from Bistro Products; and Ina Paarman’s glorious chutney.

 

IndabaGoodieBags12 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Fresh pesto from the fabulous ladies at Pesto Princess

IndabaGoodieBags3 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Fresh juice from Sir Juice; BOS iced tea; and rice as well as a recipe booklet from Spekko

IndabaGoodieBags7 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Fresh Clemengolds clementines and an adorable mini-cool bag from Clemengold

 

IndabaGoodieBags6 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Tea samples from Dilmah; chocolate from Cadbury’s, Caotina hot chocolate, and an adorable pocket-sized notebook

 

IndabaGoodieBags4 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Sweet and savoury store cupboard essentials from Rhodes

IndabaGoodieBags10 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Knorr stockpots and cooking bag, chicken bouillon cubes from Massel, seasoning spice mix from Chisa Faya, and Falksalt flavoured salt flakes

 

IndabaGoodieBags8 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

 Decadent soft toffees from Sweet Temptations

 

IndabaGoodieBags11 © J Horak-Druiff 2013

Wine from The Wolftrap (Boekenhoutskloof) and Welmoed (who also donated very snazzy picnic backpacks to the charity auction)

 

 HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE FOOD & WINE BLOGGER INDABA 2013!

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Asparagus and smoked salmon pastaAsparagus and smoked salmon pasta
  • Twice-cooked oxtail stewTwice-cooked oxtail stew
  • HeartsoreHeartsore
  • Salmon tagliatelle and a Cirio product reviewSalmon tagliatelle and a Cirio product review

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday Snapshots #248
A spiced strawberry & rhubarb upside-down cake to celebrate 9 years of blogging »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Tami says

    May 28, 2013 at 9:10 am

    Memories…all alone in the moonlight… ahem, sorry. Yes, memories of FBI2012 made me smile. My first indaba and definitely not my last. Lovely post SAFWIBI team. Looking forward to August 2013 🙂 xx

    Reply
  2. Kit says

    May 28, 2013 at 9:41 am

    Well done for such a comprehensive run-down of the event – it was a great day! I think the South African food blogging community is still a lovely friendly place, even if there is more competition and less of the early days stick-together rarity value.
    Looking back at the early days of my blog, it seems that a lot of my first blog friends and regular commenters have stopped blogging now, but it’s great to make new friends along the way.

    Reply
  3. Andrew says

    May 28, 2013 at 3:16 pm

    What a fantastic sounding event; always found such things as great fun – meeting all those people you tweet to/comment on etc is always a joy

    Reply
  4. Sally - My Custard Pie says

    May 28, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    I just recognised some of the South Africans whose blogs I visit regularly 🙂 Sounds like great fun

    Reply
  5. Colleen says

    May 28, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    What a fabulous, mammoth blog detailing the whole Indaba. Thank you so much Jeanne for sharing. It was worth the wait 😉 Looking forward very much to the next one! xx

    Reply
  6. Betty Bake says

    May 29, 2013 at 9:38 am

    see you in August – yay!!! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Gail says

    May 29, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    This looks like so much fun! Couldn’t agree more about blogs becoming less fun – the ones I still try to make time to read are the ones with the personal voice, where the author has a story to tell (or can spin one out of seemingly unremarkable facts!)
    I see you’re speaking at Britmums, hope we can catch up then! x

    Reply
  8. Rosa says

    May 29, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    It loosk like you had a lovely time there. Great gifts.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  9. se7en says

    May 30, 2013 at 12:23 am

    Oh this just brings it all back… thank you!!! What a special day that was – despite the Cape Winter. I made so many blog friends in that one event… it was just uplifting to discover this lovely corner of the blogosphere full of support and encouragement… loved every second of it, thank you so so much to you and the whole team, especially Colleen, for the incredible job you did putting that day together… Just can’t wait for August!!!

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Enter your address to subscribe via e-mail

Search over 500 recipes

35 CHRISTMAS RECIPES!!

Christmas Recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
  • Myristica Grenadian supperclub
  • 8 favourite Singapore food experiences
  • Sticky spiced plum upside-down cake and 16 years of blogging
  • IT restaurant
  • Plum and peach flapjack crumble [GF]
  • The White Horse Inn, Sutton
  • Patron Cave a Manger (Review)

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
Mamma's coconut tart (klappertert)
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

cooksister

Jeanne | Stylish food & travel


Are you a cook... or a baker?
I fall firmly into

Are you a cook... or a baker? 
I fall firmly into the "cook" category. Baking is too precise, too fiddly - and best left to those with an affinity for it, I always say! But every now and then, only a cake will do. Say, for example... when you celebrate your blog's SIXTEENTH birthday!! 🎉🍾 Yes, last month Cooksister.com turned sweet sixteen, and to celebrate I baked this sticky spiced plum upside down cake. It's a very forgiving recipe and it's worth every single calorie 😁. Click on the link in my profile to see the recipe or save this post so you can find it later: https://www.cooksister.com/2020/06/sticky-spiced-plum-upside-down-cake.html

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappoint
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

Anybody else got Lockdown Itchy Feet Syndrome...?? If it isn't an official disorder,  it certainly should be!

I have always been a dreamer, a planner, an explorer. Few things excite me more than stepping onto the soil of a country I have not visited before. When I am going through tough personal times, my go-to self-help therapy has always been to arrange a trip - to throw off the metaphorical bow lines and sail away to a new adventure. 
But then... Corona 😞  I can honestly say that I am enjoying working from home; enjoying having the time to run every day; enjoying cooking proper meals; enjoying my own company; enjoying the lack of FOMO. But OH MAN, I miss travel. 
This image was taken 2 years ago in St George's, Grenada - my first visit to the Caribbean but  certainly not my last. This photo has me dreaming of the day I can throw off those bow lines and travel again... How are you dealing with the lack of travel during this time?

Am I the only one feeling faintly sad at all the S
Am I the only one feeling faintly sad at all the Spring bulbs that were planted last year that have been flowering in parks and public gardens with nobody (or fewer people, anyway...) around to admire them? Spare a thought for the gardeners at Holland's famous Keukenhof who planted SEVEN MILLION bulbs last winter in preparation for the garden's annual 2-month opening... but because of Covid-19 Keukenhof did not open at all in 2020. 
But the good news is that for the first time in its history, Keukenhof was virtually open this year, meaning you can enjoy the best of the Spring flowers virtually, from the comfort of your armchair.  Keukenhof posted an amazing series of videos to their YouTube channel featuring magnificent 360 degree tours of the 2020 flowering bulbs; a run-down of the best photo spots; talks by various Keukenhof gardeners; and even a visit from Spongebob Squarepants!  You can check out their YouTube channel here https://bit.ly/2WWkahW. Or you can visit my blog  https://bit.ly/2zMgrLL  to see more of my Keukenhof images like this one of a river of tulips from when I visited a few years ago.

Have you visited Keukenhof?  What were your favourite Spring flowers? ⚘⚘⚘

When people tell me they don't like Brussels spro
When  people tell me they don't like Brussels sprouts, my inner voice always cries out the same response: oh honey, you're just doing it wrong! Sesame ginger sprouts are nutty, zingy and delicious - the opposite of the overcooked grey stinky sprouts of your youth, and so easy to make! 🔖 Remember to save this post so you can make the recipe later! The recipe is also on my blog - click the live link in my profile. 
For 4 people you need:
500 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and cooked (I roast mine in a hot oven)
1 x 2cm piece of ginger cut into fine matchsticks
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Salt & pepper 
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the ginger till fragrant. Add the sprouts, mix well and heat through. Remove from heat, add the sesame oil, season and serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Did you know that 6 February is Waitangi Day, the
Did you know that 6 February is Waitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand? .

I am marking the occasion with this photo was taken just over 3 years ago on the shores of beautiful Lake Pukaki on the South Island, looking across at Mt Aoraki.  I loved my visit and planned the trip completely independently – here are some tips for anybody thinking of visiting the South Island. .
🔖Click “save” to bookmark these tips for later! ➡️ 1) Take more time than you think you need. In a week you will barely scratch the surface of the South Island - I would say 2 weeks is a comfortable amount of time. ➡️ 2) Don’t assume that summer means hot weather! Even in December (the height of summer) temperatures peak at about 21C in Christchurch. Pack layers. ➡️ 3) Do spend time in Queenstown. It is stunning and one of my favourite places I have ever visited – great for hiking in summer, skiing in winter, sailing on the lake, adventure sports and a base for many surrounding natural attractions. ➡️ 4) Take day trips from Queenstown to Milford Sound and the Franz Josef glacier (but be aware that the weather is often not great). ➡️ 5) Take a road trip! The roads are excellent and generally empty – and it means you get to pose in places like the shore of Lake Pukaki 😊 .
Have you visited New Zealand’s South Island?  Would you like to?  Let me know in the comments!

"Don't just stand there, let's get to it: strike a
"Don't just stand there, let's get to it: strike a pose there's nothing to it!" (Madonna)

Nicole Kidman's is both hands on hips. Meryl Streep's is only left hand on hip. Victoria Beckham's is right hip out, left foot forward (and no smile!). Mine started as a joke many years ago - the earliest evidence I have is from 2005 😎 Do YOU have a signature pose? Tell me in the comments or DM me a pic!

This particular pose was struck on the @chateaulhospitalet estate in the Languedoc, looking out over @gerardbertrandwines vineyards all the way to the Mediterranean. You can read all about my stay there now on the blog - click on the live link in my profile

Even if you are not a French speaker as such, you
Even if you are not a French speaker as such, you may be surprised by the number of French words you already know: rendezvous, entrepreneur, souvenir and ricochet need no introduction. All have been adopted into English wholesale, with their original French meaning and spelling. Perhaps they should apply for settled status post-Brexit... But sometimes a word’s literal translation in French bears no resemblance to what the word has come to mean, such as canape. Although we know the word as meaning a small piece of pastry or bread with a savoury topping served at drinks receptions, the literal translation is a decorative antique sofa. When a clever chef first came up with the idea, the topping was thought to sit on the bread or pastry like a person reclining on a sofa, and the snacks came to be known half-jokingly as canapes. Fact! 
I enjoyed these very elegant canapes (LOVED the lacy little potato lattices!) with Code Rouge sparkling wine before a jazz dinner at Gerard Bertrand’s flagship wine estate Chateau L’Hospitalet in the Languedoc.  The dinner was as  spectacular as the canapes and you can read all about it on my blog now – click the live link in my profile above.

The Christmas decorations may be long gone, but Ol
The Christmas decorations may be long gone, but Old Spitalfields Market where this photo was taken is very much open and is one of my favourite London markets. Here are my top tips for visiting Old Spitalfields:

1.  The closest station is Liverpool Street which is only a 5 minute walk from the market.
2. It's open daily, with over a hundred stalls, but on Wednesday the focus is on fashion & on Thursday the focus is on antiques & vintage.
3. The busiest day is Sunday - get there early to beat the crowds!
4. Make sure you sample some of the excellent street food on offer - I love the 8-hour pulled pork bagels from Dirty Bagel, topped with cheese melted by blowtorch in front of your eyes; or the traditional raclette at Abondance.
5. Don't forget to check out the amazing Shoreditch street art in the area around the market, either on a tour or self-guided walk.
6. The Truman Brewery just east of Spitalfields hosts a massive collection of vintage clothes stalls, and more street food - don't miss it!

Thanks @meetakwolff for the 📸

"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Yo
"You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so... get on your way!" (Dr Seuss)

How are you starting the new decade? Staring at the mountains ahead, worrying about how hard they will be to climb and whether your shoes will be comfortable and whether it is going to rain along the way? Or striding confidently towards the mountains ahead, looking forward to the fresh air filling your lungs and the sense of purpose as your legs carry you ever higher, and relishing the prospect of an amazing view from the top?

There is no finer metaphor for life than a walk in the mountains and I have already made my choice as to how I plan to tackle the mountains of 2020. What's your choice? 
Wishing you all a very happy new year and amazing views from the top of every personal and professional mountain that you climb!

This particular mountain is in the Austrian Alps where I hiked last summer. Thanks to @thepassionatecook for the 📸!


Follow me on Instagram


This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Cooksister

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs

See my Recipes at Feastie

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts
Plum upside down cake
plum flapjack crumble
Sesame ginger Brussels sprouts
Jersey-royals-salmon-salad2 © Jeanne Horak 2019
Beef-Udon-noodle-stir-fry-title
P2PIrelandRhubarb © J Horak-Druiff 2013
Blood-orange-halloumi-salad-title

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2021 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2021 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.