There was no book contest last week so I had to remedy to that this Saturday.
I had a chance to grab a copy of the wonderful Cape Wine, Braai Masters book at the Great South African Wine Show presented by Wines of South Africa in New York on May 11 and got an education in the South African art of barbecuing.
It combines a showcase of various estates with their favorite recipes.
The book starts by offering those of us who never visited South Africa are offered 3 definitions of Braai (pronounced brye).
1) a meal cooked over an open fire outdoors
2) a party at which food is prepared in this fashion
3) an appliance on which food can be grilled over coals outdoors
Clocking at a little over 150 pages, Cape Wine Braai Masters shares a wide range of recipes from Sosatie Marinated Chops (page 39) from Durbanville Hills to an Ostrich and Blue Cheese Burger (page 52) courtesy of Excelsior Estate. It's not all meat as shown for example by Monika's West Coast Seafood Potjie (page 123). If West Coast winemakers might disagree on their favorite dishes they all go for Sauvignon Blanc it seems.
How can you win a print copy of this book, you might ask?
Simple, answer the 2 questions below:
-What is the single most planted grape varietal in South Africa
-What is the name of the region where most South African wine is grown and why is 'sustainable' agriculture important in this area?
Send your answer to info [at] njconcierges [dot] com by May 23rd, 2010 (Midnight, Eastern US Time).
Since there is only one copy to win, this contest is on a first come, first served basis.
Now I have no excuse. I need to get my tasting notes out and share a few things I learned at the Great South African Wine Show.
It is on next week's to do list.