The Epicurean chopping board - Skaters dig cooking too

My second product review for the team over at Yuppiechef went out in their newsletter today. I see they have taken my photo off this one. I queried this with them and got answers that were too technical for me to understand. "Traffic overload", "Systems crashing". Something like that...

Anyway, read about it here. Who knew a chopping board could be that cool? 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Welcome "Unity", the newest addition to the &Union family

I read an awesome article in Monocle magazine a few months ago about Puma and part of their their branding strategy being to "own" African football. With Nike concentrating on technology and Adidas concentrating on performance gear, Puma decided African football was a great place to showcase the brand's unique flair and desire to push the envelope. One of the ways they chose to do this was to sponsor 12 African teams, including powerhouses Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana. Another aspect was their Africa Unity campaign, which involved teaming up with artist Kehinde Wiley as well as a partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme. The campaign is typified by the creation of a special kit that African teams playing in the world cup will have the choice of wearing as their away strip (for those that don't know, each team has a second jersey that they wear when playing a team with similar colours). The kit is inspired by the African landscape and uses a transition of brown to blue as a metaphor for our continent's soil and sky. The numbers and the badge are in yellow to signify the sun. The badge itself depicts two hands shaking. When I read about the idea I was immediately interested. When I heard a further part of the campaign was a collaboration with the &Union team I was even more interested. Last night I went to the press launch to learn a bit more.

While the campaign is a brilliant concept, I was most intrigued to see how and why two brands with no obvious connection would fit together. The cynic in me asked the question "how on earth did the Puma guys get the idea approved at top-level?" A sportswear brand teaming up with a brewing company didn't quite make sense. After listening to an explanation from Puma's Marketing Director, Brett Bellinger, it became clear. Pretty much anything is possible with like-minded people driving an idea. The key to success was a total commitment to uncompromising quality and the end result is a limited edition beer that carries all the qualities you'd expect from Collective Sao Gabriel, Brewers&Union and indeed Puma. How does it taste? Like summer in a bottle. Quite light, with strong florals and honey on the nose and a crisp green apple aftertaste. It would be ridiculously good with smoked duck and fig, but would work just as well with prawns straight off the braai.  

Wednesday sees the official launch. You would do well to get there. Lindiwe Suttle will be singing with a few of her friends and the vibe should be awesome. I might even have a word with The Big Guy to make sure the weather plays its part.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

The Joseph Joseph Elevated Utensil cooking range

So my lovelies I have finished my first review for Yuppiechef. Actually, I finished it a while ago but I had to put it on ice until their (very nicely designed) newsletter was ready. The good news is that today it went out. So click here to hear what I had to say. 

See what they did over there at Yuppiechef? They gave you a little pic of me. Naughty...

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Yuppiechef - Welcome

You'll know (hopefully) by now my stance on "freebies". I hate them. I get loads of brand managers, restaurateurs and even hotel groups calling me up and inviting me for a free stay/meal/product sample in exchange for a positive write-up. To me this is the complete opposite of what this blog is all about. I'm trying to give you honest advice. Sure, it's all just my opinion but at least it is an honest one. My usual answer to these offers is that I'll have a look but if things are shit, I will say they're shit. Surprisingly, this scares quite a few people off. How weird is that? Surely if you have any confidence in your brand/product/service at all you would be happy to stand beside it? Strangely this isn't the case. 

Anyway peeps, the reason I'm writing this entry is to introduce you to the first brand that I am going to endorse. And I feel it is necessary to explain why. Yuppiechef (check them out on the right) is a brand that I love. I always have. I love them so much that we had our wedding gift registry with them. I have always shopped through them. 

They will be sending me various products to review under the strict understanding that everything I write will be nothing but the truth. I won't sugar-coat it and if a product is inferior I will be saying so. (Although I'm fairly confident you - like me - will love their vibe)

What I love about Yuppiechef is the fact that they are selling premium products but doing it in a light-hearted, accessible way. They dig food and they want to make your life easier when preparing it. This goes hand-in-hand with my own philosophy of demystifying food. In addition to essential, practical cooking tools, Yuppiechef has funky, quirky gadgets that can make cooking fun and easy. That's why I picked them and that's why you should check them out. 

I will be endorsing a few other brands to this blog when and if I see fit. I will always write a rationale just like this one. Maintaining my credibility in your eyes is hugely important to me. 

I welcome any of your thoughts on this. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Hedonist - Watch out

I'm part of a very special club. If you're reading this then so are you...

Foodies. We're quite a strange bunch aren't we? We get genuinely excited when we talk about food. We pick up vegetables and cradle them like they're puppies. We devour cookbooks and grab the latest copy of the Taste magazine as if our favourite celebrity crush is lying naked in the centre-fold. We plan weekends away around restaurants and we list eating out as a necessary item instead of a luxury one when sorting out our finances. We're basically nerds but instead of Dungeons and Dragons we eat and drink. The best part about being a foodie though? Meeting another one...

This happened to me the other day when I bumped into a fellow blogger who is now making his own wine. He left me with a bottle from his first batch and I sat down last night for ONE glass. It was always going to be one glass. I didn't really need it but in the name of research I thought I would just have one. It was raining outside...perfect weather for one glass of wine. ONE. 

45 minutes and an empty bottle later, I was left speechless. What a cracker. Now, it's no secret that I am no wine expert. I don't pretend to be. What I can do though is tell you when something tastes good and when something tastes shit. This one was the former. Strong hints of black pepper and dark cherries were offset beautifully by a smoky aftertaste. The feeling in your mouth was smooth and elegant but the wine held its shape just long enough to coat all the right places before you swallowed. All in all, I found it sexy as hell. 

The wine is an unusual red blend made up of syrah, grenache, carignan and viognier (which I found particularly interesting) grapes from the Swartland area. The end result is fantastic in my opinion and I love the passion these guys have. In a similar vibe to The Real Beer campaign, the focus seems to be on selecting the highest quality grapes and concentrating on smaller volumes. Less clients. More personal attention. Very Jerry Maguire.

The wine is called Hedonist by the way. As far as I know the only place it is available at the moment is &Union. I'm pretty sure that won't be the case for long but next time you're there keep it in the back of your mind. I know it's tough not to order a beer straight away but hey, it's always good to keep your options open. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Cooked In Africa by Justin Bonello

In Cooked in Africa by Justin Bonello we find a cook and a cookbook that showcases the simple pleasures in life: food and friends. Justin has travelled the country shooting his TV series Cooked and the book shows us this journey. His overriding philosophy is that if you surround yourself with some good mates finding the actual source of food and enjoying the end result together can be an amazing experience. 

He is clearly extremely proud of South African culture and our food heritage and the recipes featured reflect that. So expect things like waterblommetjie potjie, koeksisters, roosterkoek etc. Get the picture? This is rustic, traditional, get-your-hands-dirty kind of stuff. He also celebrates nature and the outdoors in general with this book and as a result quite a few of his dishes are full of theatre. The Tarzan Roast, for example, involves a huge chunk of meat being hung above a fire in a wheelbarrow! 

In terms of look and feel I really like what the design team has come up with. The book is shot beautifully but put together in a way that creates a real sense of the laid-back style of Justin's cooking. So the paper is thick. The font is haphazard. The images are never glossy. The photography is often more about the journey and the amazing scenery than the food itself. 

All in all the book is one that I like because of the fact that at least it has a personality. Odds are that you would NEVER have seen some of the crazy shit he does. The food might not be the type of stuff you'll serve when the in-laws come round but for a braai and a few beers it's perfect. Food is supposed to be fun and Justin Bonello does a good job reminding us not to take it too seriously. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Bramon bubbly -Why the hell not?

When I'm not in my adopted home city of Cape Town, or visiting old friends and family in Jozi, chances are you'll find me knocking around the Garden Route. I've been going to Plett for about 12 years now and consider it a little "home away from home". Knysna is another favourite part of the country to spend some time in, and with The Princess's folks based in Wilderness we stop in there occasionally too. Basically...The Garden Route is tough to beat. You can swing a golf club, suck back on a cold beer at The Deck, enjoy some beautiful beaches, eat at amazing restaurants, waterski, throw down some oysters and go to a wine farm. Huh? Yip, you heard me. You can go wine tasting 10minutes outside of Plett. Allow me...

A few months ago I heard a little whispering rumour that there was a farm outside of Plett that made Cap Classique as a speciality. Well, by the time I headed down there last weekend the whispering had turned into a "Kaizer Chiefs supporter with a vuvuzela" kind of rumour. I was intrigued to say the least. The Princess and I pulled in there looking for a taste.  

Without getting too technical about the qualities of the bubbly, let me say this: It was f-ing delicious. The packaging is beautiful too. The fact that it was 11h00 seemed insignificant as we enjoyed a few glasses. To cut a long story short, we ended up getting it for our wedding. How cool is it that we can support a local initiative and chalk one up for the little guy at the same time? Very cool is the right answer. 

Chatting to Lacey (great name) - the marketing manager - about Bramon we discovered that they also have a BEE label called Vukani. The deal here is that 5% of the profits are pumped back into the local community. This money is then spent on educating the staff on wine manufacturing, soil conditions etc. Some of the money is also spent on housing projects for the staff and their families. How awesome? Very awesome is the right answer. 

It gets better. It turns out Bramon have a restaurant on the farm. We took a drive and although we didn't eat there I can safely I say I will be spending a bit of time there in December. The vibe is good. Like...really good. A black and white, modern building offers a funky shell, and tables are literally amongst the vines. It is quality guys. The food could taste like feet and I'm pretty sure I would go back. 

So there you go my lovelies. Something a bit different to check out next time you're in the Plett/Knysna area. Maybe I'll see you there? I'll be the guy in the straw hat, above-the-knee swim shorts and white vest (Country Road). Tom Ford shades. What? 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

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

On A Plate launch - Jamie Who slumming it with some big dogs

10 years ago if a room filled with my heroes would have been a room full of sportsmen. Bob Skinstad, Robbie Fleck, Eric Cantona and others. Today if you asked me to fill the same room with my heroes they would be chefs. People like Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal, Margot Janse, Gordon Ramsay etc. Yesterday was probably the closest I will ever come to that.

I was lucky enough to get invited to the launch of a book called On A Plate. Written by a guy called Jess Watts - who has no professional training - the book is part recipe book, part restaurant guide. Showcasing some of South Africa's top restaurants (Myoga, La Colombe, Rust en Vrede, Terroir, Bread and Wine, Roots, 9th Avenue Bistro, Jardine etc), On A Plate shows you how to cook some of their signature dishes. With beautiful photography, a list of suppliers and step-by-step instructions on basic things like knifework and stock-preparation the book is awesome. And the most awesome part of all is that all proceeds go to StreetSmart.

So back to yesterday. The launch was at Myoga - Mike Bassett's restaurant in the Vineyard Hotel. We were served canape-sized portions of some the dishes featured in the book and as I lounged on a white, leather chair staring out at Table Mountain and sipping Moreson bubbly I had to wonder if someone was taking the piss. I was surrounded by people like Richard Carstens, Mike Bassett, Chris Erasmus, Philippe Wagenfuhrer, Topsi Venter (arguably Soth Africa's favourite food icon), Luke Dale-Roberts and more. And the food. Bloody hell. 8 bite-sized courses that were unreal. I won't get into them too much, but humour me for a minute:

• Salmon with avo and cauliflower puree
• Langoustine & quail fricasee
• Salad of avocado and buffalo mozzarella with grapefruit dressing
• Prawn risotto with shellfish sauce (my favourite dish)
• Salad of baby beetroot and orange
• pork and apple sausages with parmesan gnocchi
• Slow braised lamb neck
• Springbok wellingtons with caramelised red cabbage

Did I mention the Moreson bubbly? I think I did. How bout the Grande Provence Chenin Blanc? No? Or the Kleine Zalze shiraz? Yeah, we had some of that too. Look, it could have been worse.

But back to the book. A phenomenal amount of time and effort has gone into it, with nobody taking a salary. Everything was paid for by sponsors. It's for a good cause and it's awesome. Buy one.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

P.S. We were given a brief talk by a StreetSmart ambassador. She asked us to do our bit by asking restaurants if they were affiliated to StreetSmart, or indeed if they had even heard about it. I will be doing that from now on. So should you.

We love gogo - yes we do, we love go go...how bout...yo

I try and prepare lunch at home every morning before I head off to work. I usually make extra dinner and mix it into some quinoa, chickpeas, whole wheat pasta or lentils. If it's an extremely rare occasion and I can actually see the sun, I'll bang out a nice salad with tinned salmon or tuna. Sometimes I just can't be bothered though... and it's on these days that I start thinking about lunch at about 10am! 

The decision on what to get for lunch is a BIG deal for me. Knowing how grumpy I get when I get a bad meal, there really is a lot of thought that goes into where I'm going to go. Osumo is my most popular choice, Kauai might feature every now and then, sushi is up there, the food lover's market pops up on occasion but what I am digging at the moment is a crowd called GoGo. They make salads and sandwiches and the cool part is they bring it to your office. They have partnered with Knead so you know the bread is going to be amazing, and their salads, while not being overly creative, are made of high-quality ingredients with no additives or preservatives. 

They've got a good vibe going with "boardroom boxes" which are aimed to cater for 10 - 12 people. These are a nice idea and I personally would love to arrive at a breakfast meeting to granola and fruit skewers instead of sugary muffins and pastries. 

Another nice touch if you are involved at an office with more than 120 employees is their vending machines which they stock daily. These are filled with fresh sandwiches and juices and make a nice change from chocolate bars and crisps. If you are reading this and you're the boss...well done. I like you. If you're reading this and you aren't the boss...well, keep on trucking I guess? But, in the meantime, tell your boss to get one of these. 

For a full menu check them out on www.welovegogo.co.za - I'm a big fan of the chicken, pesto and avo on country seed. (There's no sign of rye yet...)

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Banks - An online kitchen playground

I started this entry to point you kids towards the coolest wholesale retail catering shop I know. Honestly, the place is like a Jamie Who candy store. I was going to tell you to get your asses to Banks which is in Sir Lowry Road. What number? Jeez, must I do everything? Ok, chill. It's number 77.

So, annnnyway, I was going to tell you about how much time I can actually spend there. Strolling through the shop and looking at everything. Appliances, pots, pans, crockery, glassware...it's all there. And it's all awesome. Look, I know I'm a bit of a kitchen nerd but the stuff is for everyone to appreciate. Power is a regular there and buys glassware by the bucketload for various tours and promotions he does with his brands (Bacardi, Bombay Sapphire, Dewars and more) so you know the quality is good. Novices can get entry-level equipment, professional chefs get uniforms and specialist knife sets, tourists buy presents, interior designers go there to get inspiration for restaurants. The place is pretty cool. So, I was going to tell you all about this until I found their website. It's friggin' awesome. You can shope from your seat. Your boss won't have a clue. They've got a full-on inventory of all their products, a breakdown of the various brands they stock, a list of specials and more. You should check it out on http://www.banks-shop.co.za/

Again I seem to have done the work for you. Again, I do it with a smile. Because that's how much I care.

One of my earliest posts on this blog was about yuppiechef (http://jamiewhatshisname.blogspot.com/2009/06/yuppiechef-who-me.html). Now, Yuppiechef to me has the coolest stuff out there and I notice Banks is stocking some of the same brands. So...they must be doing something right. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Roxanne Floquet - Seriously beautiful food

In my opinion, the line between art and food has become blurred. In a good way. Presentation has reached the point where sometimes you just want to hang a plate of food on a wall instead of eating it. Food photography and styling is so beautiful that cookbooks are the new coffee table books. The thought processes of people like Heston Blumenthal and Adria Ferran are nothing short of genius. (Google them...you will be fascinated). In fact, Adria Ferran was a speaker at this year's Design Indaba. A cook! Inspiring the most creative minds in the country. It's awesome.

I am telling you all of this because I want - no, I NEED - you to check out the following site:

http://www.roxannefloquet.com/

I stumbled across her work looking for someone to make our wedding cake (yes ladies, I am getting married. Calm down, get yourself off the floor and back on your seat. Everything will be fine) and I was blown away. Honestly, her work is stunning. (too gay? stunning? Should I have gone with gorgeous? Not much better really...)

Anyyyyyway, after working in London and training under some HUGE names she has returned to SA and works from Cape Town. If you need a cake for a special occasion, or cupcakes, or petit-fours, biscuits, cookies etc. check her out. She's pretty good. Did I mention she made cupcakes for Elton John? Yeah, not bad.

I wonder... if Elton John was a blogger, would he write "This chick is making Jamie Who's wedding cake. She is brilliant." Probably.

Cheers,

Jamie Who

P.S. If you liked that, check out this site too: http://www.peggyporschen.com/ (yeah, it's pretty cool when Stella McCartney is your point-of-reference quote on your homepage)

Red Espresso - The healthy coffee alternative

Do you know what an ORAC is? If you do, bra-bloody-vo. If you're part of the 99% who don't, let me enlighten you. ORAC is the measurement used to measure antioxidants in food and drinks. Obviously the more ORACs you have per 100ml the healthier the item is. Why am I telling you all of this? Because I'm not at the office today and am instead chilling at home sipping a Red Espresso. A Red Espresso you ask? Indeed. Let's get straight into it...

Red Espresso is a tea espresso. The world's first actually. Made from ground rooibos, the espresso is caffeine-free and has a ridiculously high ORAC count. 5 times more than green tea. 6 times more than beetroot juice. 20 times more than carrot juice. Pretty impressive stuff. And you use it as you would normal espresso. (So you can make normal espresso, americano, macchiato, cappuccino, latte, etc). In summer you can even make iced-tea and frappes. I like to add some honey and/or cinnamon to mine, depending on what I'm making. They work well together. 

Red Espresso has done so well that it even won 'Best new product' in the specialty beverage category at the American Specialty Coffee Awards. It was also a top 10 product at the World Tea Expo. 

According to their website, other health benefits of Red Espresso include soothing headaches, hypertension and insomnia, relieving nausea, relaxing stomach ulcers and increasing your IQ by 50 points. (Not really, I made that last one up). It also promises you will have a six-pack in 3 days. (Nope, I made that up too.) But, in a nutshell, it's gooooood for you. It can be made at home with an espresso maker or instead of filter coffee so - really - there's no excuse. Otherwise, look out for it next time you're at a cafe, health shop or deli. More places are definitely stocking it.   

Obviously true coffee-heads might not take to it straight away but even substituting one or two cups a day with this product is a good start. Personally, I love it and don't touch coffee at all anymore. Try it. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Super Meats - proper meat

So, tomorrow is National Braai Day and something to do with our heritage too apparently. Far be it for me to tell you how to celebrate your heritage, (I didn't want to tell you what and how to cook) I thought instead I would think outside the briquette and point you in the direction of where to buy whatever it is you are going to cook. I buy my meats from a place in Kenilworth that The other guy who can cook told me about. called Super Meats, it is an authentic butchery. A place that actually smells of meat, but in a good way. 

The guys who work there are passionate about what's on offer and are always willing to help. If you can get past the fact that they call you sonny or bud and insist on telling you how to cook your meat the place is a winner. Expect stuff like lamb shanks, frozen duck, kudu biltong, venison fillets and man-sized ribeye. 

Find them at 274 Main Road, Kenilworth or call them on (021) 797-5595 to pre-order (which is a really good vibe by the way.)

Cheers,

Jamie Who

P.S. Because I love you I have included below a list of other butchers in South Africa. Courtesy of www.eat-in.co.za

http://www.eat-in.co.za/static/directory/list.php?cats=13&cities=0&provs=0

Lindt with a touch of sea salt - Good luck friends

I had some Lindt morphineheroincrackcokepainkillersboozeuppersecstacyandeverythingelseaddictive last night but there was a typo on the package. It said Lindt with a touch of sea salt.

Honestly, good luck with this one. Good luck trying to control yourself. I felt like a fu*king animal tearing the packet and looking for more. Getting up this morning to go for a run I kept asking myself..."was that chocolate really worth it?" I'm afraid it was. I'm afraid there are a lot more extra runs in my near future.

Get it but don't say I didn't warn you.

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

Dalewood Fromage- Cheese or slice of rainbow?

Since I started this blog about 4 months ago I've been blown away by how many restaurants/bars/brand managers have contacted me basically looking for me to punt their venue or product. OBVIOUSLY it was all really tempting but that is the complete opposite of what I'm trying to do here. That would be like an anti-blog. Like a backwards blog. Like a golb.What I'm trying to do is to give you my honest opinion of all things food. What I like and what I don't. 

The reason I'm telling you this is because I want to tell you a story about a package of delicious food goodies that Eat-In magazine delivered to me. The reason I accepted it was because I understood they weren't punting themselves. They were punting the amazing people who work so hard to produce the foods that they feature. It is very important to make this differentiation.

Aaaaanyway, I felt I HAD to tell you about Dalewood Fromage and the cheese/slice of rainbow that they are responsible for. Holy monkey. I had some of their 6 month Huguenot and it was ri-dic-u-lous. I grated some onto a frittata but I could easily have just eaten it with chutney and a good glass of red. It was so, so, so, so, so, so good. 

They won an award at last year's Eat-In Awards ceremony and I can see why. You can check them out on www.dalewood.co.za.  

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Women's Health - Coming soon

So, Women's Health have (finally) arrived in South Africa. The first edition is not yet on shelves (I've left a subtle clue somewhere in the picture above as to when it will be) but they have launched a killer website in the meantime to get the ladies in the vibe. They have a "Hot bloggers" section and would you believe it they have listed Jamie Who on there. Now, I have no idea how they knew how exactly how hot I was but let me tell you, I'm pretty stoked. What's that? You don't think they were talking about physical appearances when they said "hot". Whatever. 

The mag is going to be awesome and I'm chuffed to be a small part of it. Just doing my best to make sure you stay healthy ladies. Just doing my bit. Like a soldier. 

Check out the site on www.womenshealthsa.co.za

Cheers,

Jamie Who 

Sinn's Deli - Wembley Square is still killing it

Remember S-Bar in Wembley Square? Remember a few years ago when the whole of Cape Town used to head there for after work drinks? Fridays were PACKED. You struggled to find parking. That was years ago though. As is always the case in this city, something new popped up and people moved on. I moved on. I figured Wembley Square would fade and tenants would be replaced. It seems the joke was on me.

I was astonished on a recent trip to Wembley Square to find that not only are the restaurants doing ok, but in fact they are absolutely humming. Knead? Packed. Crush? Packed. Vida? Well, obviously that was packed. But what was most interesting was the expansion of the Sinn's brand within Wembley. As well as S-Bar and Sinn's restaurant, Thomas Sinn (the owner) has opened one of his Sinnfull ice-cream shops - albeit a small, portable version - and a brand new deli.

The deli is what interested me. With so many of these kinds of places opening up, I wanted to know what made this one different. And the truth is...not much. There are cold meats, cheeses and pre-cooked meals. There are chocolates, sweets, wraps, sandwiches and much more. Pretty standard stuff. The quality is high though, and the space is sexy. Most impressive though, is their wine selection. It shows a nice range and plenty of variety for such a small shop.

It is interesting. Obviously Thomas has confidence in the deli. He now has control over literally half of Wembley Square and he wouldn't keep expanding if he did not feel there was a demand. Perhaps his deli is a goldmine for those working in the area. Time will tell...

Get hold of them on (021) 465-0967

Cheers,

Jamie Who

Pussy - edgier than the guy who plays guitar with Bono

Jeez, that's a bit hectic hey? I'm all for pushing the envelope a bit but these guys have gone a bit far haven't they? After doing some investigation, apparently not...

You see, it turns out Pussy energy drink is aligned with the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, which was launched in 2005 in an effort to educate the youth about HIV/AIDS. The campaign has raised more than $500 000 worldwide to date, and continues to grow. The Staying Alive brand is respected and champions a good cause so it makes sense for these guys to use the drink to deliver their message to the target audience. With a background in PR and a fascination for branding I find it all extremely interesting but maybe that's for another blogger to write about. I'm here to answer the burning questions that I know you're all thinking.... (1) It tastes awesome. Passion fruit and litchi come through nicely. (2) You can get it at HQ in Heritage Square. It will also soon be stocked at The One & Only Hotel (O&O, I like to call it) and Caprice. (3) My favourite movie is Finding Neverland (4) They cost R25 each (5) Yes, they work. 

The stylish packaging (and places where you can find them) is a clear indication that Pussy wants to position itself alongside premium brands, but what really impressed me was what is inside the can. Milk thistle, guarana, Ginseng and Ginko are just some of the natural "boosters" that are mixed with grape juice and pressed limes to leave you with a drink that really does taste good. 

You can't help but appreciate how ballsy these guys are and I think the drink will smash through stereotypes and break down a lot of misconceptions. People will talk and the power of word-of-mouth will be very evident here. 

I always like backing something where a good cause is involved so hats off to them. And hats off too to the establishments that are going to stock them. 

Cheers,

Jamie Who