Neighbourgoods Market - open tonight (15.06.10)

A quick one here my lovelies. A quick one to let you know that the Neighbourgoods Market will be open tonight. What? You knew that already? Well, that's nice. Off you go. Go buy yourself a samoosa. 

For those of you (like me) who didn't actually know the good news until recently, let me break it down:

The usual suspects like Kitchen Cowboys and Piroschka will be there, as will the stand selling ridiculously good seared tuna burgers. Curries and paella will be piping hot to battle the cold and the fashion wing will be there too, sporting a distinctly winter offering. So think scarves, beanies, hats, gloves, coats etc. Get something yourself, get something for the missus. Get both...

I have it on good authority that the Von Geusau hot chocolate is the stuff of legends so grab a cup of that if you're trying to be responsible. If not, I'm sure the Jack Black team and other local micro-breweries will be there. Maybe a glass of red from one of the wineries? Yes? No? Come on, I know you want to. Tomorrow is tomorrow's problem. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

The Neighbourgoods Market antipasti platter

I was at The Neighbourgoods Market in Woodstock on Saturday when I got the call from Mr Awesome looking for a place to watch rugby later that day. Coming off a long week of eating, drinking, cooking and reviewing I was pretty tired and wasn't really feeling the pub vibe so I suggested my house. I wasn't in the mood to cook so I threw together a little antipasti platter, with tasty things I found at the market. All I had to do was sautee the wild mushrooms I found, mix some mashed avocado into the hummus I bought and make sure it all looked good. Obviously what you buy is up to you, but a good place to start is with the following:

• A tub of hummus, with an avocado to mix in.
• A jar of olives (I bought some marinated in chilli) 
• A jar of pesto
• Cheese (I got a phenomenal brie and camembert)
• A bag of mixed wild mushrooms
• Chorizo and Merguez sausage
• Smoked trout fillets
• A few figs
• A handful of mixed nuts
• 300g of free-range, Namibian biltong 
• A loaf of ciabatta and a loaf of sourdough

Okay, so all you need to do is sautee you mushrooms in some thyme, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix a mashed avocado into your hummus and cut your figs into quarters. Throw some nuts over the figs and drizzle with the best honey you have. Make sure you have plenty of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the bread and hot english mustard for the sausage. 

A platter like this is a brilliant way to entertain when you don't feel like cooking. It's also a cool way to eat with everyone getting their hands dirty and experimenting with different flavour combinations. Nice. For me, the sausage and hot mustard washed down with some Berne from &Union was a winner. (Yip, you buy your Jack Black and &Union beer at the market too.) Pretty skoochie. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Two shitakes walk into a chopping board

These are two shitake mushrooms. I bought one of them at a market and one of them at a grocery store. That's why I love markets. 

What's that? I'm getting lazy. No, no, this has nothing to do with the day I've had. I swear. I'm not busy doing other things instead of this blog. I swear. I love you. Honestly. Wait, come back...

Cheers,

Jamie Who 

Sedgefield Wild Oats Farmers' Market - We have a winner

You should know by now how excited I get at food markets. I've written about a couple before and what I love about them is that while they might all look the same, they are definitely not. Each market has a personality and each market has slight variations on what they are selling. The people behind the stalls make the biggest difference though. And of course, the actual quality of food. Let me say this out loud (you can read it and then say it out loud too): The Sedgefield Wild Oats Farmers' Market is the best I have ever seen. Let's skip past the fact that it's in Sedgefield. Everything else about it is awesome. 

We arrived there at 08h15 on Saturday morning. After getting up ridiculously early for a little trot I was pretty sure we had beaten the rush. I was horribly wrong. The place was already crawling with Sedgies (do you like that word? Sedgies? I quite like it. You can use it if you want). We took a stroll through the place and I was blown away. More than once I had to check that the prices were in fact correct. I bought a tub of beautifully thick sugar-and-fat-free yoghurt for five rand. Five rand?!! That's normally what I tip the car-guard OUTSIDE the market. I couldn't believe it. Nevermind the fact that it was delicious, organic and topped with sweet strawberries that almost made me cry they were so good. Another stall was selling organic duck portions and free-range chickens bigger than some Japanese cars. There were oysters, mushrooms, cured hams and meats, biltong, vegetables, breads, blocks of cheese like I have never ever seen, fresh fish, chocolate and a lot more. The amazing this was the standard of food. Basically every stall was the best of it's kind. The people were friendly, authentic farmers. And the pride they had in their produce was almost as obvious as the hunger I had for it. 

I left with bags full of stuff. I could have stayed there for hours. Luckily we had other things to do or I probably would have. If ever you are passing by on a Saturday trust me, pull in. You will be amazed. They are open from 08h00 - 11h30.

Cheers,

Jamie Who 

The Slow Foods Market - Well worth a drive

Last Saturday I had a business meeting in Stellies (can I still call it Stellies? Do you mind?) and after a good brunch at Nook I stopped in at The Fresh Goods Market at Oude Libertas. I had heard good things... 

As I took my first step into this market I was impressed. I digged the range of stalls - Indian curries and spices, handmade pasta, mushroom stands, organic salads, bakers, roasted coffee beans, fresh seafood, bright cocktails, a range of organic honey, moist cakes, delicate tarts, biltong, jams and chutneys, smoothies, art and more. What I was most stoked about though was the amount of people. Unlike other markets (like The Biscuit Mill) I was able to walk around without being bumped. I get grumpy when I spill my Jack Black. Here I was also able to actually talk to the people who were selling stuff. This is the main reason I go to markets and the intimacy has been lost at other venues. I met an awesome lady who showed me the most beautiful mushrooms I have ever seen (yes, I do excited about vegetables. Yes, I am a food nerd), I chatted with a girl selling fresh Saldanha oysters ("just the six for me please") and generally enjoyed a really good vibe. 

The quality on offer here was as good as anywhere I've seen in Cape Town, the prices were fair and the variety was awesome. I highly recommend it. And for those of you who say it's too far, I say shame on you. You're reading the wrong blog. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

P.S. To get there, take the Stellenbosch turn-off from the N2. Travel past Spier on your right and when you come to a traffic light turn right. At the next set of traffic lights, directly opposite the entrance to Distell, turn left. Look for cars. 

All Manna of Mushrooms - Creating opportunity and selling awesome shrooms

On Saturday, browsing through the Oude Libertas Market in Stellenbosch (full review still to come), I stumbled across a real "feel-good" story. I stopped at a mushroom stand, and was busy shooting the beautiful things, when I got into a coverstaion with the lady at the stall. I was telling her about Jamie Who and asked her about where her farm was, how she distributes etc. She explained that what her company (All Manna Of Mushrooms) does is take old shipping containers and clean them out. These are then insulated and the end result is perfect mushroom-growing chambers. Kind of like portable micro-farms. How cool? But the best was still to come. She then takes these containers and places them in townships allowing the less fortunate to get involved an giving them an opportunity to earn a regular income. Awesome.

The mushrooms themselves are incredible and I walked away with Enoki, Oyster and Porcini varieties. I thought I'd give you a little run-down how I like to use the different types. If you thought a shroom was a shroom, then shame. That's why I'm here my luv.

Okay, so in a nutshell:

• Enoki - Best used as funky garnishes in soups and salads. You can also use them in stirfries or as snacks at cocktail parties (Try wrapping parma-ham or salmon around them.)
• Porcini - These are quite "meaty" so are good gently sauteed in garlic and parsley or added to a risotto.
• Oyster - King Oysters are more common and are amazing with strong, robust dishes like lamb and pork. The more delicate pink, golden and grey oysters are an awesome starter served raw with a vinaigrette dressing.
• Shitake - These guys are tough and can handle slow cooking so roast them, stew them, stuff them with cheese or use them in soups.
• Button mushrooms - Piss off. We don't do boring here.

If you would like to mail Heike from All Manna Of Mushrooms drop her a line on heike@mushroom-manna.co.za or call her on 082 657 2428. It could be perfect for a corporate sponsorship. Otherwise, you might just want some amazing shrooms.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Borough Market - A reader's review

Another new addition to the Jamie Who blog today in the form of a new tag. This one is called "Readers' adventures and inspirations" and is basically a celebration of you guys. What I want is for you peeps to e-mail me any interesting stories/pictures/reviews etc. that you have experienced in the food scene. If they're any good I will turn them into stories and post them.

I got the idea reading a pretty hilarious e-mail that the brother of The Other Guy Who Can Cook sent me. It was recalling his time in the Borough Market in London. (Google it). Now, I don't know what to call him so let's go with The Other Guy Who Can Cook's Brother, but this dude is PASS-ION-ATE about food and cooks better than some qualified chefs I know. He spoke so enthusiastically about the produce on offer that I felt I had to show you some of the pictures he took (they're the ones above by the way genius). So anyway, he went on to explain the parma ham, mushrooms and assorted organic meats. He explained the marbling, the different cuts of meat and the fresh vegetables. He told a story of standing in a queue for 30 minutes to get a roll with only three ingredients: Chorizo, rocket and roasted peppers. But he understood that the quality of food was worth it.

Here is a guy who understands Jamie Who. Here is a guy who understands how you can fall in love with food. And you know what? I'm finding more and more people out there who are the same. Lately when I'm out at dinner parties or having a few drinks I'm amazed at how often the conversation comes back to food. It's awesome.

So with that in mind, let me officially invite you to send me your food stories (jamiewhoblog@gmail.com) Make them good, I'm not going to use them if they're shit. That's not how we roll at Jamie Who.

And...just like that we have quietly reviewed a market overseas. Yip, we have gone global.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

The Jozi Food Market - I'm happy with their vibe

I always talk about how much I love food markets. What's not to like? Food? Gooooood. Booze? Gooooood. The outdoors? Gooooood. I'm obviously not the only one, as markets are sprouting up all over the place. One that stands out for me is the Jozi Food Market in the Parktown Quarter.

I know I'm always punting Cape Town and saying how beautiful the mountain is, the sea, the beaches, the winelands (there I go again) but one thing Joburg does have is weather. And that is what makes the JFM (see what I did there) so awesome. It has such a good vibe because everyone and everything is celebrating being outdoors. In terms of produce on offer they have killed it. Everything from gourmet boerie rolls to high-end kitchen appliances. The range of stuff available is ridiculous. There is a persian-themed stall, a halaal stall and a dude selling goat's cheese. What's so special about the goat's cheese? Well...the dude brings the goats. That's pretty cool. There is Polish food, Vietnamese food and Lebanese food. Bloody hell, the place is as cosmopolitan as it comes. What more do you want people???!!

As with all the good markets, its the people who make it and there are some real characters here. Grab a beer, take a stroll and interact with the vendors. I think you will be amazed at their willingness to talk. It's like they are itching for an excuse to tell you about what they are selling. You can't help but feed off that enthusiasm and passion. It's also worth mentioning that the owners have been supporting the African children's feeding scheme charity through the market and, while I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, let me just say this: if you don't go and buy something you're basically starving someone. I hope you're happy.

Aaanyway, the market turns 1 in October and they have a few events to celebrate. In fact, they seem to have something on the go all the time which I appreciate. With something like this it's so important to keep re-inventing yourself and the guys at JFM are well aware of this. You should check it out. If you don't....you're starving someone.

The market runs every Saturday from 08h30 to 13h30. Check out their site at http://www.jozifoodmarket.co.za/

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Wild Organics - Upped their game nicely

I stumbled upon this crowd a while ago and used to get my fruit and vegetables from them weekly. Basically, the vibe at the time was every Thursday they would send me an e-mail with organic fruit and vegetables that were available for the week. I would order what I liked and collect them on the Wednesday. They were packaged in a rustic, farm-style crate. It was pretty awesome. After renovating my house and losing plenty of numbers that were scribbled on bits of paper I lost their details and sort-of forgot about them. So...I was absolutely stoked when I got an e-mail about 2 weeks ago saying they had set up a permanent shop in Woodstock, open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday morning. 

The have upped their game too. They now offer delivery, as well as several collection points around the city where you can pick up your box of goodness. They still have the same system of sending a weekly ingredients list, but also have a whole lot of items you can add to your box. Rye bread, sourdough, eggs, cheese, olive oil, nuts etc. Also, if the weekly box doesn't have what you feel like you can throw in anything from fennel bulbs to king oyster mushrooms. Just pick the ingredients out of a list and add them. It's a beautiful thing.

And if, like me, you like to touch and feel the produce you're buying you can visit their shop on a Saturday morning and sit down for breakfast after your shopping. As well as the fruit and veg on offer they also have free range pork, duck and beef. 

I'm an absolute food-nerd and maybe it's just me but butternut should not be in a plastic bag, cut into cubes. I love the fact that Wild Organics' tomatoes don't look identical. I love the fact that their sweet potatoes are weird and knobbly looking. It adds authenticity. And the difference in flavour is a joke. There is so much happening with these guys it's difficult to tell you about it all. Check it out for yourself on www.wildorganics.co.za. A box costs R130. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

The Riebeek Valley - They dig a market out here

When you think of winelands and weekends away the usual places come to mind. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl etc. Sometimes Wellington and Darling get a bit of airtime. Robertson could pop up in a conversation. But what hardly ever feaures is the Riebeek Valley. And I can't work out why...

With estates like Allesverloren and Kloovenburg it is obvious that the area can produce wines that can compete with the big boys but what I really love is the boutique farms. Farms with character and names you have never heard of. They're awesome. Olives are also a big deal in the valley. Like, a really big deal. Most estates have olive tastings and olive oils on sale and the quality is consistently good. There are plenty of cool places to stay too, ranging from rustic B&B's to hotels and luxury guesthouses.

And then there's the food culture. Riebeek Valley is packed with brilliant places to eat and if you ever make it out there for a weekend you would be a fool not to eat at Cafe Felix or Bar Bar Black Sheep, but preferably both. Cafe Felix is so awesome that Reuben (as in Reuben's restaurant) had his wedding there. Bar Bar Black Sheep is so awesome that...Jamie Who had dinner there.

And now I float seamlessly into the reason for this article...the Riebeek Valley Farmer's Market which runs on the first Saturday of every month. The market showcases the olives we chatted about earlier, the olive oils, preserves, herbs, cupcakes, cheeses, vruit and veg and general country produce. It is the perfect excuse to head out there. If you're keen, the next market day is on the 3rd of October from 09h00 to 12h00. You can call 084 601 3636 or visit http://www.riebeekvalley.info/ to find out more.

There is also a market on the last Saturday of every month. This one is in Short Street and includes wines and bubbly as well as the local produce. You can check this one out on the same site as above.

So...basically, they dig a market on a Saturday in the Riebeek Valley. The guys are doing their best to get you out there, you should stop making excuses and go .

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Earth Fair food market - do they sell dream catchers?

So, it seems there is another new food market to try. Dubbed "The Earth Fair Food Market" I must be honest I am a bit skepitcal. It sounds a bit hippy-ish for me. They do promise a wide range of goods though. Free-range meat, a fishmonger, organic fruit and vegetables, a baker and a wine merchant (great title to have on your business card, don't you think? Merchant. Jamie Who...Food merhcant. Nice)

There is a coffee shop, a sushi stand and sparkling wine apparently. It could be a worth a trip? It runs on a Saturday from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Find it in Tokai between the Builder's Warehouse and the Reader's Warehouse...

Cheers,

Jamie Who

This just in: It seems The Pom visited the above market last week. She tells me it was pretty average. It was their opening day though so maybe a few teething problems? If any of you go let me know your thoughts...

Triangle Square Food Market - There are two shapes in their name

I'm starting another new tag here for "food markets", as I believe they are the cornerstone of all would-be chefs. There is nothing better than cruising a high-quality food market checking out the amazing produce on show. The attraction for me is meeting the people behind the food and having a chat with them. In the modern-age of supermarkets and convenience shopping we are all guilty of buying vegetables already cut up and in a bag. We buy sliced fruit, peeled potatoes and cubed butternut. Are we really that lazy? Cheese shouldn't come in a tub, already grated and meat should be bought from someone wearing an apron. Here, breads can still be bought warm and watching a fishmonger fillet the fish you have chosen yourself is surprisingly pleasing. But what makes food-markets extra-cool is the way most of them punt the little guy. The small wineries and the microbrewed beer are always on offer and as a result you get to see and more importantly taste the effort that goes into preparing everything. I absolutely love it.

Now, let me introduce you guys to one that is new on the scene: the triangle square market. Located in Fish Hoek, this market has the usual vinegars, pestos, preserves, nuts and cheese. It also has a West Coast seafood deli, a Cape Malay section, spectacular biltong, and Guiness-and-steak pies. Not a kak idea for winter.

This is defintiely a place to visit after a good session in the gym, where you leave the guilt behind. It is open every Saturday from 9am to 2pm and can be found at 60 Main Road, Fish Hoek.

Cheers,

Jamie Who