Day 18 of 35 days in quarantine

Halfway? I certainly hope so. I'm going shopping tomorrow morning, there's something to look forward to! Sad isn't it? Under normal circumstances I try to avoid going shopping. Will we ever get back to the old "normal" again? I think things are going to change.

Let me tell you about the braai we had yesterday, I haven't got anything else to talk about and it was a good one even if I do say so myself. I would have loved to have had a couple of mates around too though.

Cheers, happy Easter!

Fire on the go, ons gaan nou braai

I should have been smiling in that picture, but with concentrating on setting up the camera, getting back to my chair, picking up my glass and holding my stomach in I just didn't have time!

First on the coals some lamb's tails, with garlic, lemon pepper and rosemary and braaiied crispy.

These make a delicious starter which we had with our second last bottle of Fernskloof Pinotage Rose' which we bought a long time ago on one of our trips, I cannot remember exactly where we bought it but on the back label is it states;

"Fernskloof cellar is situated in the arid Prince Albert Valley. The name takes after a shady kloof that is abundant with beautiful ferns and stalactites. This has been the home of the Le Grange family for the past six generations. Our wish is that this wine will be an enjoyable experience for you. Here's to health and to all things significant and worth toiling over."

It certainly is a lovely wine, a medium dry rose', neither of us enjoy sweet wine. I know the Prince Albert Valley area having ridden there many times, I hope I get to go there again.

I built the fire back up and went to the kitchen to make up a batch of "Sadza", it is made with maize meal and elbow grease and was a Rhodesian staple, now Zimbabwean if they can get it. When I say "elbow grease" I mean that the traditional way of making it requires stirring small quantities of the powder at a time into boiling water until it gradually thickens up. You have to stir continuously while adding the meal as well as other flavouring, a good bit of salt and I also use Aromat spice. 

The idea is that the sadza is stiff enough to take a bit in your hand, roll it into a tight lump without it sticking to your hand, that is the test of a good sadza, and then you dip it into the gravy. We eat a bit like that before putting it on a plate, it is particularly good with boerewors and a tomato and onion relish, which is what we did.

 Karoo lamb chops on the coals and some nice local boerewors on the flame, time to eat.

The finished meal, a collaboration between us, clockwise from top; Karoo leg chop, pork and beef boerewors, bottom centre an egg/mayonnaise salad - a particular favourite of mine and bottom left the sadza doused with a tasty tomato and onion relish. It really was good, we love a braai and let me tell you that is not unusual here in South Africa, the braai is a way of life.

Cheers for now, stay home. If you want to see the pictures full size, click on them.