Tag Archives: food

Share Your World 31 August 2025 – The Changing Seasons

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Here are my answers to this weeks SYW from Di

Is your home heated by radiators, underfloor heating or an open fire?
We have a portable gas heater that can be placed in any room. In our lounge we have a wood-burning stove.


What is a comfortable temperature in the colder months for your home?
Setting a comfortable temperature in our home is not possible – no air-con – no central heating. If it’s too hot, an inadequate fan tries valiantly to cool us, but otherwise it’s down to wearing light clothing, drinking iced drinks and heading to the beach for a swim.
If it’s too cold we light the fire or add layers of clothing.

Our grandchildren keeping cool in Struisbaai!

What is more appealing, a mug of hot coffee or tea, a bowl of warming soup, or stew and dumplings?
Coffee is my beverage of choice, but in the cold weather, I love a warming bowl of soup. Biltong soup is my favourite. I buy it ready-made from a Checkers or OK Foods. It’s made with finely chopped biltong—South Africa’s beloved dried meat—milk, cream, cheddar cheese and beef stock. The spices include coriander, nutmeg, and pepper. It’s like a hug in a bowl, with a bit of a protein punch and a whole lot of local pride.


Would you prefer to share the dawning of a new day or a beautiful sunset?
Early mornings are the best time of the day in the bush, and I am always thrilled to see the sun rise during a game drive. At home, I seldom rise early enough to enjoy a sunrise, but sunsets are stunning.

Sunrise in Kruger National Park

Gratitude:
We’re back in Cape Town for a visit—a city that once held our nine-to-five lives before we swapped it for the slower rhythms of Struisbaai. It’s been a heartwarming reunion tour, catching up with old friends and beloved family, and I’m deeply grateful to each one who carved out time for us. One of the most meaningful moments was celebrating what would have been my father’s 100th birthday with my siblings. We gathered for breakfast at a beautiful restaurant tucked into a golf estate. I remain profoundly thankful for the gift of a father who was always loving and supportive to his children and who adored his grandchildren,

Dad with five of his beloved grandchildren – November 2002

Spring has arrived in the southern hemisphere, and on this first day of September, the skies are clear and the air is soft enough to shed a jacket. Soup will be replaced with salads, and hopefully, sunrise drives will feature in the near future.
During the past cold months, we often entertained our friends in front of log fires and indoor braais, but now we look forward to sunshine, beach walks, outdoor braais, and trips to nature parks.
It is in the laughter of old friends, the legacy of a loving father, and the quiet joy of being exactly where we’re meant to be that gives me joy.

Share Your World 11 August 2025 – Charming Cafés and Breakfast Delights in Small Towns

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Here are my answers to this weeks SYW challenge from Di

Do you prefer bar food, a restaurant, cafe or tea rooms?
I have a soft spot for coffee shops with character. Breakfast is my favorite meal to enjoy when eating out—especially on a road trip. Here in South Africa, our small towns (or ‘dorps’) often surprise us with the most delightfully unique cafés and tearooms. The photos below are from a quaint spot in Britstown, once a working mill, now lovingly transformed into a shabby chic haven filled with memorabilia.


Do you always have the same thing, or try something different from time to time?
“I love the feeling of walking into a place where they know my name. In my hometown, we often visit a coffee shop called Shipwreck, where the owner knows us so well that all I need to say is, ‘My usual, please!’ Her coffees are exceptional—and if you’re in the mood for something sweet, there’s simply no better spot.

The best eggs and bacon in town
The omelettes are to die for
Delicious cheese cakes
Best of all is the chocolate cake


Have you ever had to send something back to the kitchen because it was substandard?
It’s only happened a handful of times, but recently—while visiting a town more than an hour from home—I ordered creamed spinach with my breakfast. It arrived looking like a green dream… until I took a bite. Crunch! Gritty as a beach picnic gone wrong. Thankfully, it was served in a separate bowl, sparing the rest of my delicious breakfast from leafy sabotage. The place was bustling, so I only managed to raise the alarm after polishing off my plate. The owner was wonderfully apologetic and handed me a voucher for a free coffee,

(Image AI generated) Creamed spinach: now with extra gravel for that authentic garden experience


If you have a complaint, do you make it in writing after you have left, or before you settle your bill?
It’s always best to speak up right away—no one should have to pay for food that misses the mark. In my experience, a polite complaint usually leads to a replacement dish or, as in my spinach saga, some form of compensation

(Image AI generated) One bitter remark earns one sweet reward.

Gratitude

I truly appreciate the privilege of dining out as often as I do. Most of the time, the restaurants are exceptional—offering great service and consistently delicious food.

(Image AI generated) Two seasoned souls, one shared table—proof that good food and great company only get better with age.

Share Your World Easter Monday

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Here are my answers to this week’s questions from Di

Have you had any Easter Eggs this weekend?
We are spending the Easter Weekend with our family in Plettenberg Bay—a lovely time, though these days we’ve traded egg hunts for a more laid-back celebration. Small children aren’t in the picture anymore, so no frenzied races for hidden treasures. Or so I thought.

Easter Sunday, bright and early, 7:30 a.m.—a casual bathroom trip turned into the ultimate plot twist: the bunny had struck! There, glistening in their glory, were two Lindt Easter Eggs just waiting to be discovered. I mean, avoiding chocolate is one thing, but on Easter Sunday? That’s sacrilege.

 Is today a holiday in your country?
Yes, Easter Monday is now called ‘Family Day’. This change was made in 1994 to create a more inclusive holiday that could be celebrated by everyone, regardless of religious beliefs

Are you familiar with Cadbury Creme Eggs, and if so, which is your favourite?
These eggs are available in South Africa, and although I would kill to try them, they do not make their way into my shopping basket. I am a recovering chocoholic so I limit myself to Lindt dark chocolate only. My favourite flavours are ‘touch of salt, ‘chilly’ and ‘mint’.

Do you prefer a bar of chocolate, a box of chocolates, or something with chocolate flavouring (ice cream, cake, etc).
All of the above in my chocoholic days. Breakfast? That was often a slab of chocolate, paired with coffee for balance. Bad day? Chocolate to the rescue! Hungry? Chocolate! Not hungry? Still chocolate. Supermarket queues were a nightmare with those chocolates begging to be popped into the shopping basket. Many a time I couldn’t resist and one would be half-eaten by the time I reached the check-out.

Chocolate-coated peanuts became my therapist—every packet a session, every bite a revelation. And when I found myself neck-deep in peanuts for three months, I decided drastic action was required. I quit my job. A bold move, but hey, a chocoholic knows when to take a stand (and when to sit back with some chocolate cake).

Now that I am older, wiser, and digestively humbled my chocolate cravings have been tamed. I now enjoy petite, polite portions of dark Lindt chocolate —just a square or two to enjoy with that cup of Nespresso. This maintains a semblance of sanity and provides a sweeter life without overdoing the sweetness.

Gratitude:-

On this Family Day, I am grateful that I am part of an awesome extended family. Even though we are scattered around the country and the world, we are always there for each other and always have a fabulous time when we are together.

Enjoying Braaied Yellow-tail with our Plett Family

Share Your World Monay 13 January 2025

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Here are my answers to this week’s Share Your World

1. Of all the household chores (laundry, dusting, hoovering, washing up, cooking etc) which is your least favourite?
I can’t say that I am particularly fond of any household chore but I don’t mind doing the general tidying and cleaning up. I have a dishwasher and other labour-saving devices as well as a weekly helper to do the major cleaning so I can’t complain. Perhaps the least favourite chore is dusting which is a thankless task when the wind blows constantly.

2.  With food prices going up all the time, do you buy less, find substitutes, or don’t buy at all?
I often face challenges regarding my food choices. I have a health problem which requires that I avoid certain foods. Maintaining a healthy diet is important to me, so I prioritize purchasing foods that I believe are best for my well-being. I don’t include pasta, rice, breakfast cereals or other processed foods on my shopping list. Additionally, I avoid junk food entirely—I don’t buy biscuits, baked goods, chips, or fizzy drinks.

When responding to my critics, who tell me they cannot afford to eat my way, I ask them to consider how much they spend on rusks, biscuits, Coke, and flour for baking and desserts. What I save by not buying junk food I choose to spend on more expensive fruits and vegetables.

3.  Do you enjoy meals with leftovers?
We often have leftovers, and I ‘recycle’ them. Recently, I cooked a leg of lamb for six people. There was enough left over to heat up in a pan and serve again the next evening. I served it with stir-fried cabbage, roast potatoes, and salad. Our guests brought 3 mini Eisbeins which we divided up to add to the dinner. There was still too much for six of us to finish so the following day I minced it all together and made a moussaka which served three of us. Thus a 1.7 kg leg of lamb which cost about R 320 (14 pounds) went quite a long way.

4. Do you prefer bagels, crusty bread, or toast?
Bread and baked goods are rare in my home. However, I find it hard to resist croissants and will have one occasionally. (I am not such a goody two-shoes!)

Gratitude:
I am grateful for the abundance in my life—delicious food, wonderful friends and family, and the good health to enjoy it all. Since returning from a holiday with my family, our home at the tip of Africa has been filled with visitors. How lucky I am!

Share Your World 16 December 2024

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Here are my answers to this week’s SYW from pensitivity101

1.  Is it your birthday today (or a friend, family member, anyone you know?)
It is not my birthday but it is the birthday of a very close late friend of mine.
In South Africa, it is a public holiday – The Day of Reconciliation.


2.  What’s the worst part about the festive / holiday season for you?
I don’t mind the festive season. The worst part is not being able to find a parking space in our usually quiet town at the tip of Africa. To escape the trebling of the population at this time of year we ‘escape’ to our kids in Plettenberg Bay. Ha! This is also a big holiday destination, but it doesn’t seem as busy because it’s bigger. Parking spaces are at a premium though!


3.  Do your Decembers have a hot, cold, or moderate climate?
We are in the southern hemisphere so December is warm. We’re in shorts and t-shirts and visiting the beach.


4.  Would you like to hibernate when it’s cold?
I don’t think so. Life is too short to sleep it away. Sitting by the fireside with a good book is most enjoyable. It can get very cold and wet where we live but we also get lovely sunny days during the colder months and then it is great to go out for long walks or to visit a nature reserve. We usually spend a few weeks in a game reserve further north where the days are warm and dry but the early mornings are extremely cold! This year, we went to England in June, and it was freezing! However, after two weeks of chilly London, we went on a cruise to thaw out.

Our Cruise Ship, Splendida, in Trieste

Gratitude
I have been dealing with an attack of Diverticulitis for 20 days! I was recovering nicely and then had a relapse when I got to Plettenberg Bay. Finally, after a second round of antibiotics, I am getting better. I love modern medicine! My kids have been awesome putting up with a usually energetic mom/gran. I am so grateful for my amazing family.

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Splendida Day 2

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Friday, 14 June 2024

Today was a sea day. After all the excitement of embarking yesterday, we only got up at 09:30, and by the time we were ready to face the day breakfast at the restaurant was over so we went to the buffet. It was quite busy but there was an enormous variety of food from which to choose.

We have the Easy Drinks Package which allows us unlimited orders of a variety of drinks costing 7 Euros or less. This means we don’t have to drink the dreadful on-tap coffee in the buffet but instead get an Americano or cappuccino from the bar. These coffees are amazing and as good as one would get in Italy.

We have the MSC For Me app which means we can access all the cruise information and also without purchasing a data package, make contact with other passengers if you scan them in. We can message our kids but unfortunately, their phones don’t ping and unless they keep checking they don’t know that a message has come through and vice versa!

The weather today was warm but the wind was blowing and it was not pleasant outdoors. We spent most of the day chilling in the cabin and on our balcony. We did not see land for a while, but eventually, there was land ahoy and we guessed we were passing some Greek Islands.

Being close to land meant that our mobile data kicked in and we were able to check messages, log into social media, and blog!

The Earl has been struggling with back pain so he decided to book a massage at the salon. Lisa showed him how to register his credit card so that it would be linked to our cruise cards. When they returned to our cabin he told me he’d booked one for me too!

At 14:15 we reported to the salon and were assigned the most amazing masseuses. My lady was South African and what a brilliant job she did. The massage included the back, neck, head, arms, legs, hands feet, face, and head. It was wonderful!

After our massages, we went to the buffet for a snack and drink and later met up with Lollz and Sasha for pre-dinner drinks.

The food on the ship is amazing. You have the choice of early or late sittings, or you may go to the buffet at any time. I prefer to have dinner in the restaurant although the choices are more limited. It’s just lovely to be served and to enjoy a good wine with your meal. Sasha and Lollz feel the same but Lisa and Dominika prefer to either eat later or to go to the buffet at a time of their choice.

I had spanakapita for a starter this evening, Lasagne as a main, and baklava for dessert. Ear and Sasha had calamari and prawn starters, then a grilled seafood main followed by ice cream. Lollz had a salad to start, veal as a main, and ice cream for dessert. She also had red wine while the Earl and I had white and Sasha stuck to water. Lollz thought her wine was splendid and we enjoyed the white too.

During the dinner, the staff entertained us with a march through and some dancing which was great fun.

After dinner Earl and I went to the Theatre and enjoyed a spectacular show of acrobatics, magic, song, and dance.

Watch this space for a report on our visit to Corfu.

A Travel Adventure with Our Children – Istanbul

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Wednesday 12 June 2024

What an amazing two weeks we have had in London. But the next half of our adventure is about to begin. After cold and cloudy England, we are now headed for the Mediterranean Sea where the sun shines brightly every day!

This morning we made an early start and took an Uber to Gatwick at 07:00 arriving an hour later. We checked in and then went to have breakfast. Our plane was delayed by half an hour so we had a long wait. It finally took off closer to 12 than 11. We landed at 17:30 Turkish time. We flew from Gatwick but Lollz’s friend Sasha flew from Heathrow and his plane was also delayed. By the time we had all gone through passport control and collected our baggage, it was almost 18:30. I messaged our hotel which was providing a shuttle and they were very accommodating. Finally, we made our way to Exit 8 and waited another few minutes for the shuttle to arrive, then it was about a 20-minute drive to Airport Hotel Melanj!

Istanbul reminded us of home. The vegetation is very similar and it was a welcome 30 degrees C. We left London’s 13 degrees C far behind us!

The hotel is in Arnavutkoy which is about 32 km from the city center. Our room is very small but clean and comfortable and we have aircon and free wi-fi. A cat has already made friends with us. The hotel has a few pet cats and a lovely dog.

A tiny room – Cheap and cheerful
And a cat who owned it
It has a balcony with a view!
He made friends with The Earl
And then settled on my lap for a nap.

At eight o’clock we went in search of a local Turkish restaurant and were delighted to find one a short walk away. The area is not elite. There are shops, motor mechanic workshops and other businesses in the area and they were all still open. A lot of the buildings were shabby and in need of maintenance.

We loved the restaurant we found. The photos will show exactly what it was like. The locals eat here and the food is excellent.

A very simple restaurant with a deli
Food is cooked over hot coals
The chef shows off his kebab

I had a lamb and aubergine kebab. The others all had the same – lamb but not with aubergine. Our meals were served with rice and a salad and they were very spicy. No alcohol was served at this restaurant so we just had mineral water.

The Turks are lovely, friendly people and it is clear that they want you to enjoy yourself. Considering that rice and vegetables were included the meal was not expensive.

We are only spending one night here and what a great experience it has been.

An Istanbul Sunset

Tomorrow we board the MSC Splendida! I will not have internet at sea so my blogging might not happen until I return to Struisbaai.

Share Your World for Monday 18 March 2024

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After a brief absence, I am participating in SYW again, Thanks to pensitivity101 for the questions.

Here are this week’s questions:
1.  Did you wake up in a good mood this morning?

I am recovering from a bout of diverticulitis which had me laid low for a week so when I awoke this morning (Friday – not Monday) I felt on top of the world for the first time in a while. I have been living on broth for a week and not missing food at all! This morning I was full of energy and quite hungry but not dumb enough to indulge in a big breakfast! That will have to wait another week. It’s clear liquids, jelly (jello) and mashed food for the next week or so.


2.  What was the first thing you thought of when you awoke?

Yay, I’m better in time for Shannon’s wedding! She is getting married on Easter Saturday which involves a six-hour road trip and a weekend in Saint Francis Bay. I need to be well because I am —


3.  Tea, coffee, or fruit juice/smoothie for breakfast?

I had my first cup of coffee in a week yesterday! Yes, Coffee is my choice of beverage in the morning. While I was sick it was clear apple juice.


4.  What topping do you prefer on your toast?

I don’t eat toast and generally limit processed foods – bad for my above condition. For breakfast I usually have eggs done in various ways with various accompaniments and no toast is required.

Most foods, that are served with carbohydrates such as rice and pasta, can be enjoyed without them. I substitute cauliflower, courgettes (zucchini) eggplant or cabbage.

In the days when I did eat toast, I liked soft fried eggs on top for breakfast. Another favourite was toasted bacon and banana. Melted cheese with apricot jam was another treat I very much enjoyed but I have not eaten that for eight years!

This is what Earl thinks of Opal’s substitutes!

Poor long-suffering Earl!

Gratitude:

I am grateful that I have not had an attack of diverticulitis for over a year and that I have recovered well after this bout. It is unknown what brings it on but from experience, I know that if I have not been eating my usual healthy diet, I get sick! It is also stress-related. I felt it coming on during our week in Cape Town to do Visa applications. We were rushing around catching up with friends and family so our diet went south and so did my gut!