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The Real Food Trip Across South Africa
As part of our mission to tell the food stories of South Africa we left Cape Town to travel across the country from February until May 2012. Along the way we photographed and filmed all the places we visited and the people we met. Over the next few months we'll be writing up theses stories and posting them on our web site, so stay tuned!
More about our real food trip across South Africa
Find Interesting & Ethical Food
View the featured food stories below or find more food products and services
Carmién Tea
If you’re from South Africa, chances are you’re had many a cup of delicious and nutritious rooibos tea. But have you ever wondered about the process of getting the tea from bush to cup? In fact, have you any idea what a rooibos bush even looks like?
African Relish recreational cooking school
If you have a desire to escape to the countryside, a passion for cooking, and a love of learning then consider visiting the African Relish cooking school in Prince Albert. Jeremy, the head chef and co-owner, invited us to join them for one of their weekend courses when we passed through the remote Karoo town as part of our Real Food Trip across South Africa.
Piket-Bo-Berg Farmers Market
This quaint little market at the top of the most magnificent mountain pass is a community building initiative. Good food and music awaits.
Oep ve Koep (at Die Winkel op Paternoster)
Kobus is a young, environmentally conscious chef who is creating a name for himself as a purveyor of west coast flavours. He includes local veldkos (wild food) in his menu.
Abalone Farm - Jacobsbaai Sea Products
You hear a lot about farmed mussels, oysters and other sea foods, but as abalone farms are something of a rarity it was a great opportunity for the team at Food With A Story to cover something a bit different.
Spier Biodynamic Farm
This is a farm in Stellenbosch that raises chickens, cattle and vegetables in a way that is healthy for the environment. Carbon-negative beef!
Bloublommetjieskloof Biodynamic Farm
More than 35 years ago, Jean Malherbe, a single woman farmer in a male dominated conservative Afrikaans environment, started Bloublommetjieskloof Biodynamic Farm. This was the first biodynamic farm in the South Africa.
Afrikara Co-operative
Hoekiesdam Farm near Wolseley was once a small-scale commercial dairy farm. Now it's a mixed-produce biodynamic farm, and co-operative.
Soaring Free Superfoods
Peter and Beryn Daniel, known for their Rawlicious cook book, also own and run the Soaring Free Superfoods business, importing high quality superfoods from around the world. In this interview, the second of a two-part series, they talk about growing a small business.
Rawlicious
Peter and Beryn Daniel are South Africa's leading raw foodists. Inspired by the growing number of people embracing the amazing transformative and healing potential of raw and living foods they wrote and created Rawlicious, recipes for radiant health in 2009 – South Africa’s first gourmet raw food recipe book. The recipe book has now been published internationally.
Charcuterie by Neil Jewell
Neil Jewell (of Bread and Wine restaurant) has a passion for knowing what is in the food he and his family eat. The same goes for his charcuterie which is authentically artisanal and chemical free.
Glen Oakes Pig Farm
Since he was a small boy, Charlie Crowther has had a passion for pigs. After farming cattle for fourteen years in the Hemel en Aarde valley, he started a pig farm two years ago. He supplies Richard Bosman and Neil Jewel. The farm also offers accommodation.
Buffalo Ridge
Mediterranean Water Buffalo are raised on this farm in Wellington, Western Cape, to provide the milk to make authentic buffalo mozzarella. Wayne and Michelle Rademeyer are the farmers behind this venture, and base their farming methods on biodynamic principles.
The Stone Kitchen
The Stone Kitchen, which opened in November 2010, is founded on the philosophy that sourcing food as local as possible results in the best possible flavours. This means that The Stone Kitchen’s menu changes regularly and with the seasons. Johan van Schalkwyk thrives on building relationships with local farmers and producers.
Jorgensen's Distillery
Jorgensen's are a husband and wife team passionate about creating premium handcrafted spirits, which include the well established Savingnac Potstill Brandy, the Primitiv Vodka, Field of Dreams Absinthe, Naked Lemon limoncello and Jorgensen’s Gin.
Willow Creek Olive Oil
Willow Creek’s oils have won numerous prizes both locally and internationally for both their Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Directors’ Reserve, amongst others. This can be attributed to their excellent quality control and precise farming methods.
Rosetta Roastery
Rosetta Roastery is all about fine coffee - and coffee re-education. Through their scrupulously selected speciality coffees, they aim to move the coffee-drinking public away from an obsession with blends, and show them the true characteristics of single origin coffees.
The Drift Farm
This organic farm in Napier specialises in heirloom vegetables. They also make wine, olive oil and honey!
Napier Brewery
A micro-brewery specialising in English style ales and lagers. Based in Napier. The micro-brewery trade is slowly picking up and with festivals like We Love Real Beer finding huge popularity, Napier Brewery envisions this will grow from strength to strength.
Renéessance & The Larder
A fabulous restaurant and "working" deli in Napier. With a slow bread-making process that takes two days, it’s no wonder this deli’s slogan is “we experience bread everyday”. The restaurant menu changes weekly and the deli specialises in bread, cheese and wine.
Strictly Coffee
Artisan gourmet coffee roasters based in Robertson. High quality expertly roasted coffee with a socially responsible attitude.
Naturally Organic
Naturally Organic is a small organic farm based in Phillipi, on the outskirts of Cape Town. Skye is its young farmer.
The Charcuterie
Richard Bosman, Steve and Teri Jeffery have formed a charcuterie partnership, based on the highest quality - from farm to table.
Oded's Kitchen
Based at the Biscuit Mill, Oded has been making amazing preserves for over 40 years. He used to supply the exclusive Fortnum and Mason, while living in London.
Honest Raw Organic Chocolate
The name says it all – Honest Chocolate is 100% pure, unadulterated chocolate. Raw and with nothing to hide, everything it shows is deliciously good. Hand made in Cape Town!
African Gourmet Mushrooms
Grey oyster, pink oyster and shitake mushrooms grown in converted shipping containers in the Western Cape; fresh for the Cape Town market place.
Chrisna's Olives
Olive products made in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town. As well as divine olives Chrisna also makes pastes, pesto’s, infused vinegars and oils.
Puglia Cheese
Puglia Cheese make authentic Italian style mozzarella, caciotta, caciocavallo and other cheeses. The founders of the company are both from the Puglia region of Italy.
Earthshine Raw Food
Earthshine raw food is all about making it easy for you to attain your health goals by eating highly nutritious, organic, raw and living foods. They aim to make a raw diet accessable, fun and simple to implement.
Constantia Cheesery
The Constantia Cheesery is situated in the heart of Constantia, Cape Town. The cheesery offers a selection of cheeses sourced from all over South Africa and includes an excellent range of organic cheeses.
The Grapevine Coffee Shop
The Grapevine Coffee Shop in Citrusdal has a fresh design and wonderful homebaked delights. Owner Salome tries to incorporate rooibos in her menu. The shop has a wi-fi facility.
City Bowl Market on Hope
City Bowl Market on Hope is becoming the place where Cape foodies meet. After a tremendously successful Grand Opening they are growing incredible fast. Based in Gardens, Cape Town. Because every garden should have a market!
Gogo's Deli
Specialty deli in Newlands, Cape Town stocking speciality and free range meat, wild meat and other treats. Products include Karoo lamb, kudu, springbok, gemsbok, warthog, impala and other wild meats.
Neighbour Goods Market (Woodstock)
This is Cape Town’s premier gourmet market, featuring specialty traders, gourmet products, organic food, fine-food purveyors, artisan goods , local farmers, seasonal items, plants & herbs, fresh produce, boutique wine estates, micro-breweries just to mention a few. It is open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm at The Old Biscuit Mill.
Green Life Store Food Packaging
Green Life Store distribute a full range of completely compostable food packaging and catering disposables. The eco-friendly food packaging range, Vegware, is made entirely from renewable or recycled plant sources, and can be composted in around six weeks.
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Food Blog
Following are the latest entries in our regular food blog covering South African food topics.
Watch out wine glasses - your days are numbered!
Posted on 14 May 2012
Gone are the days when food could only be paired with wine. Tea is making a foray into the food pairing world, thanks to Carmien Tea and their quest to change the face of rooibos tea...
The Food Movement, Rising - an excerpt from Michael Pollan's essay
Posted on 09 May 2012
The modern marketplace would have us decide what to buy strictly on the basis of price and self-interest; the food movement implicitly proposes that we enlarge our understanding of both those terms, suggesting that not just “good value” but ethical and political values should inform our buying decisions, and that we’ll get more satisfaction from our eating when they do.
Finding food in the City of Gold - Johannesburg
Posted on 08 April 2012
Johannesburg is a city of many faces. from Houghton to Hillbrow you'll find manicured suburbia giving way to grungy urban dystopia. But we came here to find the food worth talking about, so here it is.
So much more than great food - the Midlands
Posted on 08 April 2012
The Midlands meander is well known for its arts, crafts, and some tasty treats. But we found more than we bargained for in the people, too.
Durban - fans of food security
Posted on 01 April 2012
Our second day exploring Durban took us to a couple of food security initiatives. The first was a grassroots project in Umbumbulu, while the second was a rooftop farm in the central city.
Durban - Food hunting on foot
Posted on 30 March 2012
On our first day food hunting in Durban we opted to go on foot. It was a good choice. The experience took us closer to culture than usual - an experience we'd highly recommend.
Organic farmers, friendly cities, community empowerment - a synopsis of the Eastern Cape
Posted on 28 March 2012
The Eastern Cape is part farmland, part wilderness. While we were there, we visited the Addo area, Port Elizabeth, and an area of the Transkei. Here's what we found.
A tiny town of tremendous spirit - Prince Albert
Posted on 21 March 2012
We knew Prince Albert was going to wow us with its food stories. Just how much though, we could not have imagined. Not only did the food impress us, but the people too. We'll definitely be back.
Real Food Tripping - The long road to Bulungula
Posted on 19 March 2012
Sometimes something that should be quite simple turns into a challenge. And these challenges usually teach us something valuable. In our case, paradise came with a price, that made us think...
Big spaces, small communities
Posted on 09 March 2012
Despite vast spaces separating many of the farms in the Citrusdal area, there is a strong sense of community, and people determined to ensure this grows.
Recipe Competition
Create the next cut&bake recipe
Just as Grandma-Eva inspired us to create the cut&bake range of cookie dough, we want your stories and cookie-dough recipes, to create a limited edition cut&bake flavour.
Food Events
Following are upcoming food events in South Africa.
Good Food & Wine Show 2012
24 May 2012 - 27 May 2012
South Africa
Western Cape
Cape Town
The Good Food & Wine Show® is Southern Africa’s most interactive show, one which gives exhibitors that rare opportunity to communicate directly with their target market. The Show is an exciting opportunity for members of the public to interact with local and global ‘foodie’ personalities who are showcasing their culinary skills and the latest in food and cooking trends. The Good Food & Wine Show caters to the whole family, including a dedicated children’s area, so bring the whole family and take part in this unforgettable experience.
See more upcoming events
Forum Posts
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View our food discussion forum
Following are the latest posts on the Food With A Story forums.
Cake Boss confirmed for the Cape Town Good Food & Wine Show
18 May 2012 06:56 AM
Make sure that 24 - 27 May 2012 at the CTICC in Cape Town is diarised as SouthAfrica’s biggest “Good Food & Wine Show” makes its mark on the social calendaras the quintessential authority of all t... more...
DEAR ME – BREAKFAST and ON-THE-GO
17 May 2012 06:39 AM
That early morning coffee run on the way to the office is vital, and it's even better if you can grab a quick, wholesome bite to eat at the same time. So take a turn past Dear Me in Longmarket Str... more...
The New Winter Menu and Harvest Table at Casa Labia
16 May 2012 04:49 PM
In keeping with the ethos of preparing dishes that are seasonally relevant by making use of the freshest ingredients in all her creations, consultant chef Judy Badenhorst, revealed some of her newest ... more...
The Old Schoolroom Caffé at Casa Labia Cultural Centre
16 May 2012 04:47 PM
In a space where two very competent young minds were shaped, where one, Joseph Labia was to go on to hold degrees in both Law and Medicine with a further specialization in Psychiatry and the other, Lu... more...
Mkholo Olive Shed
16 May 2012 07:24 AM
Good day Olive Lovers! We are pleased to announce that this weekend, Saturday 19 May, is the official end of our olive picking season, and a purely BRILLIANT reason to celibrate a bumper crop! We are ... more...