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Out of Africa
by
Carole Kotkin
The favorite way
of cooking in South Africa, (as well as in South Florida) is on the
braai(BRA-ee), or grill. And nowhere can it be better appreciated than on a
Gametrackers Safari in Botswana. This style of cooking originated in the late
17th century by Dutch and Huguenot settlers who had no choice but to cook over
open fires as they traveled into the heart of the country. Today this style of
cooking is no longer uniquely Dutch-African: all South Africans love it. On my recent safari trip, tables were set
out under the stars and a parade of wonderful foods was served. Peri-peri chicken
that was marinated in fresh lime juice, hot pepper sauce and minced garlic was
placed on the grill. When the chicken
was just about done, skewered chunks of lamb, pork and beef (sosaties) and
vegetables that had been marinated in a spicy paste were arranged on the braai
for a quick sizzle. Then came native dishes like maize-meal porridge (pap),
traditional stews (Bredie and Potjiekos), coarse flavorful sausage (boerewors)
accompanied by chili dipping sauce, and bread baked in cast-iron pots set on a bed of coals (potbrood). All was
served with a South African pinotage wine. Botswana is a dream come true for
26-year old Heather Schnell, executive chef and food and beverage manager for
Gametrackers. This New Zealand native, who was schooled in London, arrived a
year and a half ago to run the food operations at the three Gametracker lodges.
She flies between the camps, putting in 18 hour work days (and she calls this a
laid-back lifestyle). Her job includes
training unskilled local women to cook professionally; even to bake bread, and
they in turn have taught her their native recipes. She can't rely on her staff
getting to work on time because they might run into a lion or buffalo on their
way to work and have to wait until the animals move out of the road. And,
there's always the chance that a hippo the size of a Volkswagen will decide to
visit the kitchen. Despite the fact that most everything is shipped into
Botswana she manages to turn out extraordinary foodchicken and asparagus
ravioli with garlic beurre blanc and arugula; freshwater brim with wild rice
and bell pepper salsa, homemade breads and rolls; and strawberry mousse with
white chocolate sauce.
If you Go
The Food &
Wine Safari "Behind the Vines" package is the inspiration of Cape
Classics, a South African wine import company; Classic Encounters Southern
Africa, a New York based travel specialist; and Orient-Express Hotels African
Collection. This package includes visits to Johannesburg, Cape Town, The Wine
Country, and Gametrackers in Botswana. Rates are available on request from
Classic Encounters at 1-888/808-1999. The South African Tourism Board can be
reached at 1-800-822-5368. Safety:
Although there
is crime in Cape Town it rarely affects tourists. You'd be well advised to be
cautious here as in any other large city where the poverty level is high. The Wine Route:
You can tour
about two wine estates in the morning, have a leisurely lunch; and visit three
more in the afternoon. Most are open on Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. until
5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Many of these wines are
available in South Florida wine shops. If calling from the United States, first
dial 011-27-21, then the number listed below. Some Suggested
Wineries:
Buitenverwachting,
Constansia, 794-3522, Excels in Sauvignon Blanc, Christine (a Cape red), and
Riesling. Cabriere Estate,
Franschhoek, 876-2630 . Pierre Jourdan
sparkling wine, named after its founder, is their specialty. Delaire,
Stelenbosch. 885-1756. Called the
"Vineyards in the Sky," this small beautiful estate produces
multi-layered complex wines. Breathtaking views. Excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and dry Rhine Reisling. Kanonkop Estate,
Elsenburg, 884-4656 Their Paul Sauer Cabernet Sauvignon blend has twice been
judged the top red blend at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in
Britain. They also produce an excellent Pinotage. Meerlust Estate,
Stelenbosch, 843-3587 They specialize in Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Bordeaux-style
Rubicon and recently began offering a Chardonnay. Mulderbosch
Vineyards, Stellenbosch, 882-2488, known for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Their Bordeaux-style blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot with Cabernet Franc)
called Faithful Hound is a recent offering. Rustenberg
Estate, Stellenbosch, 809-1200. A 300 year old estate with a beautiful Cape
Dutch manor. Selections include award-winning reds (Rustenberg Peter Barlow),
whites (Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay) and Bordeaux blends (Rustenberg
Stellenbosch). Thelema Mountain
Vineyards, Stellenbosch, 885-1924. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are impressive.
The winemaker is Gyles Webb, a former
employee of Heitz in Napa. Where to Eat:
Buitenverwachting
Restaurant and Winery, 794-3522rated second top restaurant in South
Africa. The Afrikaans name means
"beyond expectations" and it truly is. The Cape Colony,
Mount Nelson Hotel, 483-1875Garth Stroebels rendition of Modern South African
Cuisine. Delaire
Vineyards Green Door Restaurant, Stellenbosch. 885-1756Rated top 10 of 100 best
restaurants in South Africa. Emphasis on Cape Cooking using fresh local
ingredients. Gorgeous outdoor setting. Haute Cabriere
Estate Celler Restaurant, Franschhoek, 876-2630. Features Modern South African
Cuisine with a Mediterranean spin. Hildebrand
Restaurant, Cape Town. 425-3385. Housed in an historic waterfront site at the
Pierhead of the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. The menu offers a selection of Italian dishes featuring seafood. Where to Stay:
Gametrackers
Game Lodges, Botswana, 1-800-490-4989
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TM
South
Africa's
magnificent landscapes, friendly people and sun-drenched skies are just
becoming known to people around the world since international sanctions against
South Africa ended in 1991.After nearly a century of anti-apartheid struggle,
in which the country has been portrayed almost solely as a source of violence,
Western tourists are flocking here in increasing numbers. They are drawn
to South Africa for its physical beauty and adventure, but also to experience
the post-apartheid democracy-in-the-making. I can report that it is an impressive experience I will never forget.
The southern regions of Africa remain unsurpassed in their capacity to awe and
surprise at every turn. To tour South Africa is to experience a vast array of
contrasts, from the luxurious Mount Nelson hotel of Cape Town to squatter
shacks; from small tribal villages seemingly untouched by the 20th century to
vast wine estates and plantations built by colonial-era European settlers; from
wildlife in the game parks to the hustle of city life in the shadows of towering
skyscrapers. Africa, Europe and Asia all blend together in this polyglot
nation of 11 official languages. This is a great time to travel to South Africa
because the local currency, the rand, is so weak that at the present time the
dollar yields 6 rands. As a result, prices of food and lodging, as calculated
in dollars, are very affordable. 
Cape Town is
truly blessed with easily accessible natural splendorsuch as the breathtaking
drive along scenic Chapmans Peak or the astonishing views from Cape Point where
the mighty, cold Atlantic and the warm Indian Oceans converge. Cape Town
can be compared to San Franciscohilly streets, a wide choice of world-class
museums, waterfront shops and restaurants, and outdoor jazz cafes. The city
itself is very cosmopolitan, enhanced by an incredible variety of culinary
traditions and superb local wines. 
Skilled
winemakers have been producing
world-class wines here for over 300 years. The Cape vineyards were devastated
by the parasite phylloxera in the 19th century and it took years to
re-establish them. Since the collapse of apartheid, South African wines are
being rediscovered by consumers who enjoy their quality and value. The more
than a dozen officially designated wine-making districts around the Cape have
made this an important tourist destination. The areas best known, most
historic, and closest, are Stellenbosch, Constantia, Paarl, and Franschoek.
Both the wines and the scenery rival
that of California. The mild Mediterranean-type climate, cool ocean breezes and
rocky soil are perfect for grape growing. There are 315 wine producers in the
Western Cape province, and 20 wineries have opened in the past year alone.
French, Italian, California and Australian wine makers have bought farms here,
and small wineries are popping up everywhere. Rich Bordeaux type blends from
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet franc to Shiraz, Cinsaults, and
fragrant Pinotage, (South Africans own grape--a cross of pinot noir and
cinsault) have become a Cape hallmark. One can savor a wide variety of
excellent white wines made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Chenin blanc, Cape
Riesling, and Colombard. The good news is that these excellent Cape wines are
extremely affordable.
South Africa is
a country blessed with an abundance of excellent raw materials and a diversity
of cultures. Langoustines, Cape lobsters, mussels, oysters, crawfish, tropical
fruits, baby lamb and game meats such as springbok (antelope), and kudu (larger
antelope) are found on many restaurant menus. Ostrich, showing up on
American menus these days, is prepared many different wayscarpaccio, in
terrines, dried like jerky (biltong), smoked like ham, and served sliced like a beef steak. Traditional dishes
such as boboties (flavored meat and custard dishes), bredies (vegetable and
meat stews seasoned with chili, rosemary, coriander and white wine), and
curries, date back to the days of Dutch, French, British, and German pioneers.
The Malays, who greatly influenced the cuisine of South Africa with ingredients
and spices (anise seeds, cumin, fennel seeds, and ginger) from the East , were
brought as slaves from Africa, India , Madagascar, and Indonesia by the Dutch
East India Company in the 17th century to work on the wine farms. The name
Malay comes from the language spoken by the early traders and the slaves. This
blending of Western and Eastern
cuisines is called Cape Malay cooking. Bobotie, the national dish of South
Africa captures its corea spicy minced lamb dish with plenty of curry, bay
leaves, nuts and dried fruits, covered with a baked custard. Today, the Malay
quarter where they once were confined, is a community of chalky pastel-colored
houses and Moslem mosques that climb up the hills above Cape Town.
South
African-born Garth Stroebel, the executive chef at the Mount Nelson Hotel in
Cape Town, and the leading proponent of Modern South African cuisine, says,
"Until recently the best ingredients were sent out of the country. Now we
are finding growers and buying from them directly." Modern South African
Cuisine is a mixture of fresh, indigenous ingredients and international cooking
styles. Stroebel says, "We know
exactly where were going with modern South African cuisine. The new cuisine
combines the traditional foods of South Africas culinary heritage with the
exotic new flavors and influences of the modern world." His goal is
to keep it simple so that the flavors can speak for themselves. He does this
with good taste, a respect for basic ingredients, properly integrated flavors
and a sure hand in dishes such as pan-seared ostrich--a fan of fork-tender
meat, with an Asian touch of black mushrooms, tied together with a mustard
sherry vinaigrette. The oceans are brimming with a rich source of lobster,
oysters and a wide variety of fish, abalone and mussels. Modern South African
cuisine and South African wines are on the threshold of a significant
renaissance, which will no doubt gain critical acclaim in the years to come.
Vast Botswana,
majestic, yet barely populated, presents even the most seasoned traveler with
spectacular sights. Located just north of South Africa, its roughly the size of
Texas with a population of only about 1.5 million, and two-thirds of it is
covered by the Kalahari Desert. Twenty percent of its land is set aside for
national parks and reserves. Botswanas
Okavango Delta is possibly one of the last places on earth where nature still
reigns supremewhere visitors are able to experience a wonderland of natural
splendor virtually unchanged for eons. Gametrackers is a collection of three small, intimate safari camps in
Botswana owned and managed by Orient- Express group of Hotels--Savuti Elephant
Camp in a semi-desert region of Chobe National Park, Eagle Island Camp in a
lagoon environment on the Delta, and Khwai River Lodge in the grasslands of the
Moremi Game Reserve. Each offers its own unique way to explore all of the
different and fascinating ecosytems that make up the Botswana adventure.
Gametracker lodges are linked by a regular schedule of short "bush
plane" flights, making it easy to experience the full diversity of the
Okavangos landscapes. The camps offer game drives in open Land Rovers early in
the morning and late in the afternoon. And, with any luck youll find tremendous
game-viewing and bird-watching opportunities. The spacious bungalows are
light-years away from the tented camps of yesteryear. All the creature comforts
are there, including electricity provided from a diesel generator. There's
plenty of hot water, big comfortable beds, private terraces, large showers, and
interiors decorated by the Orient Express Hotels French designer, Gerard
Gallet. There is a swimming pool, lounge, dining area, and open terrace
where guests can enjoy a view of the river and a procession of wildlife throughout the day. At night, the cabin is
firmly zipped up, not only against the mosquitoes but also against any
uninvited animals. We could hear Africa's evening serenade the roars of lions,
howls of hyenas, and the constant screeching of baboons throughout the night. 
Mount Nelson
Hotel, Cape Town, 483-1000, or Orient Express Hotels 800-237-1236. This
100-year-old luxury hotel known by the locals as "The Nellie" is in
the center of historic Cape Town at the foot of Table Mountain; recognized as
one of Africas finest hotels.