BEEN THERE DONE THAT

F and I we have an exit from the real world. It's called KAS, a small town in Antalya, Turkey.
We love combining buying trips with little (BIG) pleasure of escaping from tough Johannesburg winters or my beloved, most beautiful but impossible, busy-noisy Istanbul.



Let me show you why...



 Late October is the beginning of pomegranate season in Antalya. Kas' streets are full of beautiful pomegranate trees laden with coppery golden fruit of prosperity. F made this cocktail for us as an anti ageing health booster with a naughty touch.

F's Delicious Pomegranate Frozen Margarita


2 cups of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
2 shots of silver tequila
1 shot of triple sec
few drops of lemon juice
Shake everything together and chill in the freezer stirring every 20 minutes
untill looking like a runny sorbet. Serve in pre-chilled Margarita glasses. No decoration required!
Savour every single sip!

GOAT MILK YOGURT

If you can overcome the heavy smell of goat milk, please listen to this:

"Worldwide more people drink goat's milk than milk from any other animal, which account for an estimated 4.8 million tons of goat's milk annually.  Goat's milk is non-allergic as it does not contain the protein b-lactoglobulin, which is the main stimulant of allergic reactions.  Goat's milk also has a higher acid buffering capacity than cow's milk.  It would appear that naturally homogenized goat's milk is a safer alternative to the mechanically processed cow's milk, because there is very little absorption of the enzyme xanthine oxidase.  This enzyme is released during the mechanical processing of cow's milk and has been linked to scar damage to the heart and arteries on entering the blood stream.  This damage, in turn, stimulates the bodies release of cholesterol, laying a protective fatty material on scars, which causes arteriosclerosis."  Geluksfontein Goat Cheese Farm

I am not a big milk drinker.
That is actually my least favourite of all dairy...
A good ingredient to create some desserts of course...
But milk has a well deserved space in my fridge.
First because F. is very British when it comes to his tea. A cup of Earl Grey whitened with milk... Second; I am so Turkish when it comes to MY yogurt.
In Joburg it is almost a mission to find the real deal. There is a single make that I could find since I have been here. It is Olymbos. Proper Greek yogurt and you can also buy the strained one called Sakoulas. As far as I know it is only sold in certain Spars.
With this limited choice and endless need I learned how to make my own yogurt.
It all starts with let's say a litre of milk and 2 tablespoon of yogurt.
If you use any yogurt as a starter your yogurt probably will pick up  on the 3rd or 4th try as your starter will progress with each new yogurt.

-Boil your milk on the lowest heat possible for at least 50mn.And let it cool down to blood temperature, means to a degree that when you dip your pinkie in you won't feel it...
-Put your oven to 50' C. Smear your preferably ceramic or clay pot ( never NEVER plastic!!!)(a clean jar will also do...) with two tablespoon per litre of shop bought or kindly forwarded ( by your mate) yogurt.
-Pour the milk and tightly wrap with a CLEAN! tea cloth (yogurt is alive and wrong bacterias will make it sick and won't taste the way it should and may make you seriously ill).
-Let it rest in the previously warmed oven for over night or let's say 8 hours.
-When you take it out of the oven take a spoonful to taste (that will also help the yogurt to release some wey and set better) and wrap it with cling film or close the lid and put it in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours before you start using.
Now you are ready to tackle any Greek, Turkish or Indian recipe.

Bonne chance and bon appetit!

F’s CHORIZO PASTA
Oh this pasta is absolutely from heaven! When he cooked this for me I rated 14 out of 10 he couldn’t believe and thought that it was one of my amorous days. Second one was rated 11 and the last one was 16! Finally I had to ask his permission to use his recipe… So simple you wouldn’t believe.
-125 gr. chorizo, finely sliced
-1 green pepper, roughly chopped
-A handful o pitted black olives
-1 tin of whole tomato, San Marzano if you may, chopped
-2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-1 green chili, finely chopped, seeds or no seeds, as you like
-4 tbs olive oil
-1 ts butter
-Oregano, optional
-A glass of white wine or half a cup of water to stop things burning
-Salt and pepper to taste

Sautee chorizos in the olive oil until crispy, add the green peppers, chili and garlic, 3 minutes later add the tin tomatoes then when it starts bubbling add the fresh tomatoes, the liquid and the olives. Before you turn the heat off sprinkle the oregano, taste and season to adjust (the reason of seasoning in this late stage is: the chorizo and the olives are already very salty. )
F loves spaghetti so that is the only choice for us to serve this sauce on. He sprinkles some chopped parsley and grated parmesan on top. I put wild rocket and shaved parmesan on this occasion and changed green peppers to yellow ones just because they were available in the fridge.

Try both ways or your own way and let me know what is your favourite…
If you are not eating porc, replace the chorizo with any spicy sausage.

Potato and leek soup for the frozen soul

This is a great recipe to warm up your half frozen winter soul, but you can try the chilled version as a lighter option to Vichysoisse (same recipe plus the creme fraiche, minus the parsley). If you are in the northern hemisphere and ready the embrace summer try this soup with fully skimmed chicken stock and serve very cold.

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP (serves 4)
-3 or 4 potatoes
-3 leeks
-1 onion
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 cups beef stock
-3 cups water, hot
-2tbs. very finely chopped garlic chives

-2tbs. very finely chopped parsley
-2tbs. olive oil
-Salt and pepper to season
Finely chop the onion, garlic, leeks, and potatoes and try to make them look even in size. Saute all in 2tbs. of olive oil and don’t let them brown. Add 1cup beef stock and 1cup water, season and stir. Let it simmer until very tender. Add the rest of the liquid and bubble for 15mn. Blend the soup until light and creamy. Stir 1tbs. olive oil and serve with sprinkled greens.

GLOBETROTTER

Free State


Dullstroom

It has been a long time that I wasn't in touch with my blog. I have been asking myself, if I can not publish (almost) regularly what is the meaning of having a blog in the first place...
But I have a very good excuse! We have been travelling since March nearly non-stop... Actually it started in Feb. with India and ever since I could not spend one whole week sleeping on my own bed. My home, my helper (she is kind enough to say so) and my doggies missed me madly.. And I miss them a LOT.
When I moved to South Africa, after accepting my sweetheart's offer to live together under one roof instead of both of us commuting between continents to keep the relationship together, I thought that my packing-unpacking days are (almost) over... And the truth is I didn't know if I want to celebrate or mourn... Soon after moving in with my boyfriend, I discovered that it was very early to cheer up or cry down... In fact 4 and half years later I still have no idea why I was so sure about ending my heavy travelling life style. Being with F and living in Joburg means now I have to pack-unpack for two, and nearly as often as my professional days... Anyway if I start complaining about suitcase files I will get a severe backache and you will end up in a funny headache...So to cut the stupid stories off, here is a short! list of my travels:
-Celebrating our 5th anniversary at Makalali lodge, Hoedspruit
We were planning a little romantic escape, it was beyond our expectations...
-Trout fishing long weekend in Dullstroom
When we discover that we can not keep the trouts, have to return them in to the water, fishing was over for me. Why catching something alive if you can not eat it??? But the weekend was fantastic! Great fun with friends, nice comfy accomodation, beautiful surroundings, amazing pictures...
-Farm hopping in Freestate
That was an interesting holiday... I am still trying to figure out...
-Furniture delivering- opportunity weekend in Bela Bela
When ever we can, we'll blend a horrible business journey with some fun and relaxing stopover.
-Camping in Drakensberg
Camping is only fun in good weather.. I really don't want to talk about the misery we had to survive.
-Deep sea fishing in Canda Island Mozambique
That is our annual trip to freedom. Will talk about this trip a lot. Soon............
Will post you the pictures soon!

For some very strange reason I can not load any pictures to my posts since yesterday... Sorry for no picture recipes... Hoping to make this right soon...

Papardelle al Cafe Porte

Another easy recipe. If you don't eat porc or you can't find the parma ham, use the rest and enjoy as a vegetarian pasta. You may drizzle a spoonful of balsamic vinegar to jazz it up.

PAPARDELLE AL CAFÉ PORTE (INSPIRED BY MY FAVORITE PIZZA) (serves 2)
-250gr papardelle
-4-6 slices of Parma ham
-60gr thinly shaved parmesan (parmigiano)
-2tbs freshly grated parmesan
-a handful of rocket leaves
-4tbs extra virgin olive oil
-salt&cracked pepper to taste
Cook the papardelle in boiling salted water following the instructions on the pack. Drain roughly, try to keep some of the moisture on. Toss the pasta with 3 tbs olive oil and the grated parmesan, season according to your taste. Layer the rocket, parma ham and shaved paremesan on top and dress with 1tbs olive oil and cracked black pepper.