There are few better ways to spend a weekend than around a table with good food, good wine and a group of people who are just as enthusiastic about both.
This year’s Gourmet Weekend at Kurland Estate brought together a lovely group of foodies for three days of eating, cooking, arranging flowers, and appreciating the local produce. With beautiful, sunny and crisp August days in the Crags, the weather played along just perfectly.
Friday – From Plett to Kurland
The weekend began at The Deli Factory in Plettenberg Bay, where guests gathered from different parts of the country, some flying in via George and others driving to Plett.
The first order of business was food sourcing – which, for this particular group, was hardly a chore. A tempting selection of local treats had been laid out to taste, including olives, cheeses, smoked salmon and biscuits.
Following that, everyone headed off to Robberg Fine Foods to indulge in a generous spread of oysters. With the sea nearby, and clear, blue skies, it was a very good introduction to the weekend ahead.
Then it was off to Kurland. At the Homestead, a light lunch was waiting on the veranda for anyone who still had room to snack. Cold meats, fresh breads and salads were enjoyed at leisure, and the afternoon was left to the guests to spend as they wanted. Some headed off for a treatment at the spa, while others simply relaxed and settled into the slower pace of country living.
Later, drinks were served in the sitting room before everyone made their way to Katarina’s for a much-anticipated Leopard’s Feast dinner. Sandra (Sandy) Wood had (of course) planned a beautiful and exotic menu, with Greek-inspired dishes filling the table.
To start, guests tucked into four different salads: a Greek salad with roasted grapes and whipped feta; a watermelon and feta salad with chilli-lime and crispy Parma ham; a barley and herbed Greek salad with roasted lemon and crispy chickpeas; and a classic avocado and shrimp salad.
Mains were grilled Dorado with citrus and herbs; Greek lemon chicken with crispy potato fondant, olive tapenade and whipped feta; and Greek lamb chops with pomegranate-mint yoghurt.
And, if anyone had space to spare, dessert was a delicious pistachio and orange baklava with honey-lavender syrup. What a feast for absolutely all of the senses!
Saturday – Cooking, flowers and a long lunch
Saturday began with a hearty, home-cooked breakfast in the dining room before everyone gathered in the Homestead kitchen for Sandy’s morning cooking demonstration.
There was plenty to watch, taste and learn, and the demonstration of 10 dishes continued through to lunchtime. Highlights included deconstructed Niçoise salad, a duck breast with Cherry Gastrique, a Coq au Vin Blanc Modern, a carrot tart with whipped feta and hot honey, and a zesty whole lemon cake – the pièce de résistance and end of a wonderful and awe-inspiring cooking demo.
Afterwards, the guests sat down together in the dining room to enjoy the much-anticipated dishes Sandy had prepared, accompanied by a wine pairing from a local winery.
An afternoon snooze might have been tempting, but not when acclaimed florist DP Ferreira is in the house to host a sought-after floral demonstration. DP showed the group how to put together their own arrangements, and everyone had the chance to create something of their own. Later, the arrangements were taken over to the Villa, where they became part of the table decor for that evening’s supper.
For Saturday night’s feast, Di moved the table into the pink sitting room, creating a warm and intimate setting for the delectable, Italian-themed supper that lay ahead. After a busy day of cooking, tasting and flower arranging, it was time to sit back, pour a glass of wine and enjoy the spoils together.
The menu had everyone tickled pink – serving dishes such as wild mushroom risotto with porcini and aged pecorino; handmade lobster tagliolini with Champagne butter; chicken Saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto; tender lamb shank slow braised in red wine, tomato, pancetta and rosemary, and culminating in an utterly decadent tiramisu al pistachio with dark chocolate.
Sunday – The final feast
On Sunday morning, the group made their way to Sandy’s home in Plettenberg Bay, with some taking the opportunity for a walk along the beach before the day’s cooking demonstration began at 10am.
The final demonstration was planned along an Asian theme, bringing a different set of flavours and dishes to the table. Think Thai green papaya salad (Som Tam); steamed mussels with lemongrass-ginger broth; Hainanese chicken rice bowl with ginger-chilli dip; crispy pork belly with green apple chutney; and a light, airy Thai coconut Panna Cotta.
Naturally, the best part was sitting down together to sample everything Sandy had created for themselves. Yet another regional feast to bring new inspiration, flavours and ideas to everyone’s palates.
Parting is such sweet sorrow…
At the outset, these weekends seem to be all about the food, but in actual fact, it’s about much more than that. What made this year’s Gourmet Weekend particularly special was the way in which a group of people who had arrived as strangers gradually became friends. There was as much chatting, laughing and sharing, as there was eating and cooking – the sort of easy companionship that develops when people come together over something they all love.
And so, another Gourmet Food Weekend of foodies becoming friends came to an end – a recipe of success which we hope to repeat again soon.