An impressive dessert is an integral part of Christmas tradition and we were inspired by the modern white beauty and the rich history of the Blanc Mange. This dessert has been written about in Europe from the middle ages. Initially a savoury dish setting white meat such as chicken in almond milk, it is the sweeter...

Pancakes are still one of the favourite traditional desserts. At school fêtes, street markets, public gatherings and sport events, the familiar sweet cinnamon smell of freshly cooked pancakes will lure you to the pancake stall, and many people take out the pancake pan at the first sign of the winter chills and rainy weather. During...

Every seventeenth-century cook at the Cape had a favourite recipe for boerewors (farmer’s sausage). During the twentieth century, many cooks began following recipes that predominantly used coriander and cloves seasoning. A possible reason for this preference might have been the Afrikaans cookbooks by Dijkman and D.J.H., which contain recipes with these spices as ingredients. It...

Passionate about heritage cuisine, food historian and La Motte Culinary Consultant, Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche shares her Ouma Malgas‘ recipe for a traditional raisin bread. Raisin Bread Recipe Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C and butter a bread tin. 1 ¼ k milk 30 ml butter (traditionally pork fat was used, and it stays my preference)...

Artichokes are part of the Cape Winelands culinary heritage, and as they are in season, we share this delightful recipe with fennel and spice. Although artichokes are notoriously difficult when it comes to finding a suitable wine match, the way they are cooked and served make all the difference. Acclaimed food and wine writer, Fiona Beckett:...

Waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyos), also known as Cape pondweed, are bulbous plants that thrive in slow- moving water dams, particularly in the Western Cape. The flowers or stems of these plants are used in traditional soups and stews (bredies). Sorrel is a natural accompaniment to waterblommetjies. Cultivated or wild sorrel can be used. If using cultivated...

It is seasonal and warming and the perfect recipe for a winter’s weekend. Try a traditional Game Pie from our Cape Winelands Cuisine Cookbook. The traditional method for making game pie by stewing the game with marrow bones and/or strips of unsmoked pork/bacon or mutton tail fat and a combination of spices- such as cloves,...

Before commercial curry powder was available at the Cape, every cook had his or her own recipe for a curry mix. In the Cape's oldest Dutch and Flemish manuscripts, many curry recipes were documented. We chose three of these traditional curry blends (read more below), which we only slightly adapted for use in the modern...

“A traditional terrine is something slightly different to what we as South Africans understand”, says La Motte’s Culinary spokesperson and Food Historian, Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche. “Most of us think of a terrine as a cold dish set with gelatine or jelly, but a terrine actually has more in common with a pâté!” Hetta shares this...

Breakfast in Bed is a traditional way to celebrate and we are all for tradition! But you can give your menu a deluxe makeover with duck eggs, truffle oil and La Motte Méthode Cap Classique... Let’s start with the fizz. Champagne and its South African interpretation, Méthode Cap Classique, are usually made from Chardonnay and...