For those of you who are wondering what “terroir” means, it is French for ‘soil or land’.
As we were staying with Nikki when this lunch was served, we decided to join the guests and try dishes that were not something either my wife or I had eaten before.
A new experience, which turned out to be a joyous occasion for all concerned.
Nikki presented the meal, one course at a time, and then left us to our own devices to interact and comment on the dishes and what they comprised.
Nikki and Bean are hard at work. Well one of them is.
Seeing we were in this AirB&B for the weekend, we could follow the food from forage to plate. A process that seemed to happen almost without any effort.
However, it was Bean who calmed Nikki down and kept her focused on the task at hand.
This is what Nikki had to say about herself:
“I live in Howick, near the river with my African dog, Bean. I write, grow veggies, take long walks in the hills, watch the moon and live as lightly on our planet as possible. Holidays are usually road trips in South Africa visiting small towns and nature reserves to share my passion for foraging. I enjoy finding local food and cooking delicious vegetarian meals that celebrate the area along the way“.
When asked for comment, Bean had nothing to add…
This was the menu for the Wild Winter Lunch.
I have to say that when I first saw it I was uncertain what to expect, but this uncertainty was quickly assuaged once I tasted the various dishes.
Especially the dessert, which I also had the following morning(for breakfast) before we left to go and explore Howick and its surroundings.
A table of wild canapes
Nikki, explained to Emma, one of the guests, what the starters were.
Nikki was a gracious host and Emma seemed to be excited by what was on offer.
A glass of African Hibiscus tea to start the meal with?
I don’t mind if I do.
It seems as if this tea has several potential health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, lowering “bad” cholesterol and weight management.
That being said research is still ongoing as there is not enough scientific evidence to corroborate this evidence.
African Horned Cucumber.
Did you know…
African Horned Cucumber can be eaten at any stage of development – young, mature green or when ripe.
The taste has been compared to a combination of cucumber and zucchini or as an alternative, a combination of banana, cucumber and lemon.
Chickpea hummus with dried dahlia petals and pickled sow thistle buds.
Sow thistle has a long list of medicinal uses: anti-inflammatory, muscle-relaxant, pain-killing, antiseptic – good for the treatment of kidney stones, fevers, hay fever, and high blood pressure amongst others.
An infusion of the leaf, flower or crushed root can be directly applied to the skin as a poultice.
Spekboom on baby tomatoes.
Not something I would normally try, but as it turned out, they were delicious and very more-ish.
The leaves of the Spekboom are edible and traditionally linked to the local culture and cuisine. The small juicy leaves are rich in vitamin C, and have a pleasant sour taste, similar to a lemon.
This was a plant-based lunch, but if there had been meat or stew on offer, whole sprigs could have been added as they perform a function similar to that of a bay leaf, to impart some acidity and freshness.
Carrots can come in various colours. Did you know that?
It seems that carrots are naturally a purplish colour and were genetically modified to be orange in homage to the House of Orange in the Netherlands.
I have yet to find an explanation as to why the gardener responsible thought that the Dutch royal family would be flattered by their newly established relationship with a root vegetable.
Carrots are found in many colours, including yellow, white, orange, red, and purple.
Orange carrots get their bright colour from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that your body converts into vitamin A.
Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. It also helps your heart, lungs, and other organs perform correctly.
I did not and now I do…and now you do as well!
Olive oil crackers with avocado
Grown in Karkloof and pickled magnolia petals (foraged on the streets of Howick)
Magnolia is used for weight loss, problems with digestion, constipation, inflammation, anxiety, stress, depression, fever, headache, stroke, and asthma.
A brightly coloured table was the setting for this unusual meal.
Not a plain white ANYTHING in sight. The table and crockery were a riot of colour and added to the wonderful nature of the lunch.
Possibly think Mad Hatter’s tea party type of vibe.
As seen from a different angle.
A pumpkin from the garden that was not quite ready to be eaten was turned in a table decoration as was the jar of Izindlubu/Jugo beans, which were sourced from a local store.
The beans featured in the main dish were truly delicious.
With my wife at the head of the table, the rest of the guests found suitable seating and the fun and joviality began.
Feral leaf and flower salad.
Red mallow, slender celery, dandelion, clover, mustard flower, chickweed, polygala bud, Aloe arborescens, clover, marigold petals, Cape gooseberry, shepherds purse, mallow.
Beetroot and ginger soup.
I was expecting this to be a cold soup like Borsht, which I am averse to, but it was unexpectedly warm and most enjoyable.
It is amazing how looks can deceive your brain and your taste buds have to adjust to what they thought they were going to taste.
A description that you will NEVER see on any restaurant menu…
Pumpkin grown at Dovehouse Organic Farm. Izindlubu/Jugo beans -indigenous African pulse. Sorghum – ancient African grain salad with homegrown celery, local pecans and apples. Salad- Fennel (grown by Chisomo Bean), pink grapefruit ( grown by Alex March), oranges (bartered), pickled radish and roasted radish (grown by Chisomo Bean).
This was the main course of the lunch!
Nikki knows where each and every ingredient comes from.
She shared that information with the guests at the table making the whole experience an immersive one.
It also became a lesson in being aware of what we were eating and how we should savour each mouthful.
Cashew, chocnut and Kumquat.
The ingredients are all bought from Nutting But Goodness.
Cashews, chocolate, coconut oil, peanut butter, dates. With Oryx Desert Salt and foraged kumquat
What a delicious dessert to end off an extraordinary meal.
Great food, interesting company and more importantly I learned that not every meal needs to contain a steak or wors.
Thanks to all at the table for making it a memorable afternoon and to Nikki for hosting the event.
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