The World Cup and the South African limelight

As the crowd’s roar and the deafening drone of thousands of vuvuzela play wildly, a sea of yellow is dancing the Toyi-Toyi and singing the Waka Waka.  It can only be the World Cup, and this can only be South Africa! 

For the first time in the history of the tournament, the world’s most followed sporting-showdown is being hosted on the African Continent, a momentous feat after a long journey that was started many years ago by Nelson Mandela.  251 countries and over a billion people will tune in to the month-long tournament, time zone differences mean that we are kicking off the opening game in the early hours of a Friday morning with a bacon roll in one hand and a Bloody Mary in the other.  Let the games begin.  

I should tell you now that I am not a particularly vigilant football fan, nor do I have any desire to watch any regular football matches.  I am however, a huge fan of international frenzy and nail-biting competition and the World Cup, much like the Olympics, brings out a certain sense of merriment in me.  This World Cup also gives me a chance to see a Country that I’ve come to love, have their time in the limelight.  Ten months ago, when I moved to America, I started working on an initiative called The 46664 Bangle (copper, silver, gold and platinum bracelets that raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Foundation and provide opportunity for those affected by HIV/AIDS) the numbers relate to Nelson Mandela’s prisoner number: 466, and year of imprisonment, 64 and together they are now his global symbol for humanitarian work.  The 46664 Bangle is a perfect antidote to this blog; one focuses on food and culture and the other reminds me that finding enough money to feed a family, is a daily struggle for some communities across South Africa and throughout the world.   

That’s the thing about South Africa, its history and struggles are omnipresent but they should never overshadow the natural beauty and pride of the people and the place.  As countless braais (barbeques to you and I) are sparked up tonight and thousands of people pop open a bottle of prized South African wine or a cold beer in celebration of the post-game draw against Mexico, they will inevitably congratulate themselves on a good match and a spectacular opening ceremony.  Which brings me back to the World Cup, for me, it is not about the football; it is about the host Country showing eager audiences around the world what they are capable of.  Cheers to South Africa!  


Recipe Idea
If you fancy cooking up a South African feast this weekend then Bobotie could be the dish for you (pronounced Buu Boo Tee), this is a spiced meat dish (not a curry) made from ground beef or lamb that is a contender for South Africa’s National dish.  With a spicy influence and a custard top similar to a Mousakka it sounds like the perfect antidote to the ecstasy and agony of the World Cup. 


Recipe links: 
BBC Good Food 
Epicurious 

Feasting on Sex And The City

I have been dreaming in Manolos and Middle Eastern Delights after watching Sex And The City 2 last night and now I am suffering with a one-too-many-Cosmopolitan-head, but a girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do!  You have to hand it to Sex And The City (SATC), love it or loathe it, it is a phenomenon and for many it has shaped fashion, friendships, and how we spend our free time. 

I was in New York recently with a group of friends, all seasoned tourists of the Big Apple, and on more than one occasion the motivations that drove us around Manhattan had less to do with guide books and more to do with Sex And The City.  From cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery in the West Village to SATC style dining at Buddakan in Chelsea.  If you are a fan of the show and you have visited New York then I am certain that at some point in your trip - most likely when you have a Martini glass in your hand and the New York skyline behind you – you have uttered the words: “This is so Sex And The City”.  It is impossible not to.   

Yet it is not just the city that is synonymous with the show, it is the style, the culture and the social life that is integral too.  Prior to going into the movie last night I started to think about the role that food and drink has had in SATC and without giving away too much, the Cosmopolitans are the same, the brunch is ever present and dining out on a nightly basis is a central feature of the whole movie.  The brunch has been a staple of the show since it started and it has acted as the backdrop for glistening one-liners, shared secrets and harsh truths.  Arguably, what is on their plate tells a story too: Charlotte eats fruit and counts her calories when she’s feeling threatened by another woman.  Samantha pigs out when she thinks she has lost her mojo and Carrie simply can’t eat after she has been left at the altar.  The beauty of it is, we can relate to it.  What is more, these girls can eat: pizza slices, cupcakes, hot dogs, frozen yoghurts – the star power of these food items and the restaurants that they are devoured in are boosted each time we see them eating something on-screen.  Then there is food and sex: most memorable of which involved Miranda, a glazed Krispy Kreme donut and the guy from her Weight Watchers class.  Need I say anymore?  And would the show be so much fun if it wasn’t for all of those Cosmos?  That single cocktail has become a bar staple the world over, thanks to four well-heeled ladies. 

Personally, I would like to see an episode that discusses a hangover cure for a Cosmopolitan induced headache but I guess that is why brunch is so necessary…

Carrie: There are very few things this New Yorker loves as much as Sunday brunch. You can sleep until noon and still get eggs anywhere in the city, alcohol is often included with the meal, and Sunday is the one day a week you get the single woman's sports pages: the New York Times wedding section.

                                                          Images from HBO

Taco-licious treats on a Tequila hazed night!

Like many a good idea, this one took shape on a grey afternoon that was lit up by a stiff drink and a good plate of food.  The idea was simple: friends, a casual gathering in our courtyard and a Mexican theme in honour of *Cinco de Mayo. We were kindly rewarded with a star lit, steamy night that ended some time around 3am in the Atlantic Ocean with a bottle of tequila.  More on that later…

With around 25-30 guests having RSVP’d we opted to serve up tacos and all the fixins’.  Not only are they relatively easy to do for a big group but the fact that people can assemble their own taco means that everyone can create something delicious for themselves.  My friend, the talented chef, John Paul from John Paul Custom Cuisine, kindly gave me a huge platter of pulled pork and that became the centrepiece of our taco-feast.  Proper pulled pork is a labour of love and 30 hours of cooking and smoking transforms pork (the shoulder or butt are the most commonly used cuts) into tender, fall-apart-meat.  The pork was an absolute treat and worked perfectly in a warm taco with all the other fillings on offer.  Also on the menu: fresh corn on the cob with chipotle butter and melon and mint salad to cleanse the partygoers palate.  The food was delicious and perfect for soaking up the margaritas, beer, wine and shooters.  (Note to self: a combined shot of tequila, beer and a squeeze of lime does not constitute a new cocktail creation no matter how much you try and convince your guests). 

Just after the party I read an article in Food and Wine magazine claiming, first it was burgers. Then pizza. Now, American chefs are obsessed with tacos. Not only was it a reason to believe that our recent gathering had been “on trend” but I also love tacos.  From childhood memories of Old El Paso corn tortilla shells that mum would fill with chilli, cheese and salad, to the roadside taco huts we grabbed sustenance at when we were partying in Mexico.  I simply can’t get enough of them.  And I’m not the only one.  Professor Jeffrey Pilcher, one of the world’s leading authorities on Latin American foods and food migration, believes that the taco is one of the most globalized foods in the world with tacos being found in locations as diverse as “…outer Mongolia - to - outer space (the latter thanks to NASA)”. 

For some of the most interesting and cheapest eats in America, look to LA and the taco truck culture that’s been booming there since the 1950s.  For as low as $1 people can grab a whole range of taco toppings on freshly made tortillas.  I’m delighted to report that taco trucks have been spreading across America and steadily into other parts of the world though unfortunately the price isn’t always as competitive as it can be in LA. 

As for our party, I believe our pulled pork tacos were as good as anything sold in LA but I’m biased like that.  For a large party a taco-centric menu worked really well, not only is it fairly economical but also people get to create their own thing so it keeps those fussy eaters happy.  And what about that 3am tequila party on the beach?  Well dear reader, that’s a story that’s better told in person…  


Extras

• Thank you to my friend and neighbor Nancy Dockerty, for her Queso dip, eye for detail and a bucket load of alcohol that kept the party swinging all night long!   
• Thank you also to Stephanie Miskew, a fellow blog-enthusiast that brought her delicious Firecracker Chili Cheese Pie.  For the recipe check out her delicious wine and food blog here
• If you're inspired to make tacos this weekend then I love this selection from Food & Wine magazine and you'll also find a recipe for making your own authentic corn tortillas which is handy if you live in the UK as they're hard to come by.  
• If you are in America and looking to hunt down a taco truck near you then check out this link
• * May 5^th, Cinco de Mayo, often cited as Mexican Independence day is in fact a commemoration of Mexican forces over the French in 1862