There is still time to get creative! This fabulous fudge is so simple and makes a gorgeous handmade christmas gift.Ingredients

Spray 'n cook

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

3 cups semisweet or white chocolate chips

1 teaspon vanilla essence

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Line a 23-by-33cm baking pan with two sheets of waxed or parchment paper in a crisscross manner (one lengthwise, one cross-wise) so ends overhang sides of pan; coat evenly with cooking spray. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, cook sugar, salt, butter, cream and marshmallows, stirring until butter and marshmallows are almost melted, 5-6 minutes. Bring mixture to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chips and vanilla; stir until chips are melted. Pour mixture into lined pan. Let fudge cool in the pan at room temperature, 3 hours. Use edges of paper to lift out fudge; place on cutting board and remove paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or cut fudge into bars. Sprinkle evenly with crushed candy.

Nigella Love

Makes you want to douse yourself in salted caramel, doesn't it?

We love her.

Year end Party time

Stunning venue

yummy food

full of fun and naughties

cheers!

what's was so funny?!

the three ladies

sweet!

our favourite lady

pretty girls

2 - 4 December

Taste some of France's best Champagnes alongside our finest Cap Classiques!

Local restaurants will be buzzing! Some of the participating restaurants are: Haute Cabriere, Le Quartier, Bread & Wine, La Motte...yummy!

Go the website for further info!

Thanksgiving

edible fashion accessories - we think it's a matter of taste

Vegetarian Falafel Pitas Recipe of the Day for a Meat Free Monday

440g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 small onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped mint

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

juice 1 lemon

1 egg lightly beaten

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1/2 cup sunflower oil

For serving: pita bread, sliced tomato, thinly sliced red onin, lettuce leaves and store-bought tahini sauce.

Place half of chickpeas in food processor and pulse a few times until chopped, transfer to a large bowl. Place remaining chickpeas in food processor with garlic, onion, herbs spices, baking soda, salt and lemon juice. Pulse to a thick, chunky paste about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with chopped chickpeas. Add egg and sesame seeds to bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill batter in fridge for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a large pan. When oil shimmers, drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan and gently press in patties. Cook turning once until deep golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes in total. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve falafel with pita bread, sliced tomatoes and red onion, leaves and tahini dressing.

Top 10 Restaurants

The Fleur du Cap Top 10 Restaurants in Cape Town - thanks to Spill for the information!

This was the first year of the awards and we love, obviously being from Cape Town, that they are local-centric!

With the season upon us, tourists are no doubt in for a culinary treat.

95 Keerom – Giorgio Nava

Aubergine – Harald Bresselschmidt

Bizerca – Laurent Deslandes

Dear Me – Vanessa Marx

The Foodbarn – Franck Dangereux

The Greenhouse – Peter Templehoff

Hemelhuijs – Jacques Erasmus

Planet Restaurant at the Mount Nelson – Rudi Liebenberg

Societi Bistro – Stefan Marais

The Test Kitchen – Luke Dale Roberts

Have you tried any of these?

Our favourite? 95 Keerom.

AMAZING Pumpkin Carvings for Halloween

The MasterChef SA Rules!

The time has come. Are you a cook? A talent? Enter!

1. You have to be 18 or over to enter.

2. You must be an SA citizen and have a green ID book to enter.

3. You may not enter as a team or couple.

4. You can enter online.

5. You cannot have taught cooking classes or have done cooking demonstrations or food preparation in any capacity be it casual, part time, full time or contract in the last 15 years.

6. If you have waitered before, you can enter, but not if you worked full-time in a professional kitchen at any time.

7. You have to be available for 3 months at the beginning of 2012. (Final dates have not been confirmed.)

how can you not love halloween when you get to eat things like spider cakes, I scream sandwiches, goulish petits fours, jack-'o-lantern tarts and orange jack-'o-lanterns with sorbet!

definitely brings out the kid in us....

for recipes visit www.marthastewart.com

Klippies

When all our Blackberries went down the other day, the creatives got thinking!

This one's from Klipdrift:

source: 10and5

bananas are in season! recipe of the day - the perfect banana parfait!

ingredients

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups milk

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 bananas, more for garnish

12 shortbread or other vanilla-flavoured cookes, crumbled plus more for garnish

sweetened whipped cream for garnish

have ready a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. in a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time), whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch; whisk in egg yolks. whisking constantly, cook mixture over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. reduce heat to low; whisking constantly, cook 1 minute. remove from heat, and immediately pour through sieve into bowl. stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding. let pudding cool slightly; meanwhile slice bananas. in glasses, alternately layer warm pudding with cookies and bananas, ending with pudding and covering bananas as completely as you can to prevent discolouration. refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour. to serve, top with whipped cream and more crumbled cookies and sliced bananas.

don't miss the annual "spring it on" constantia valley celebration taking place from the 14th - 23rd october.

expect to find warm hospitality, exceptional food and good old fashioned fun!

for more information go to www.spring-it-on-constantia.com

The Oktober Bierfest is here!

Limited edition Beers, traditional German food and Oompah bands...an authenitc Bavarian beer festival that promises to closely resemble the Oktoberfest in Munich!

Friday 30th September from 14h30 - 22h30

Saturday 1st October 12h00 - 22h30

Sunday 2nd October 12h00 - 20h00

Village Green, Newlands Brewery

Very cool and creative drinking glasses....

Happy Heritage Day - 24 September 2011

Here are some great braai ideas...Soy Marinated Flank Steak
Grilled Steak & Summer Vegetables
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Grilled Salmon Steaks

For more ideas and recipes...view http://www.marthastewart.com/

Big, beautiful beets are in season!

We believe that seasonal food is fresher and so tends to be tastier and more nutritious!

Warm Beetroot, Orange & Haloumi Salad This lovely light salad mixes salty haloumi with the sweetness of beetroot and orange....a perfect combination for a meat-free Monday.

Serves 4

3 medium beetroots, ends trimmed

3 oranges, peeled, white pith removed

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

150g baby spinach leaves

1 x 250g pkt haloumi, drained, thinly sliced crossways

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Wrap each beetroot in foil. Place in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour or until the beetroot is tender when pierced. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Wearing gloves to avoid staining your hands, peel the beetroot and cut into wedges. Meanwhile, holding the oranges over a bowl to catch any juice, use a sharp knife to cut along either side of the white membrane to remove the segments. Use your hands to squeeze the remaining juice from the flesh into the bowl. Add the oil and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the beetroot, orange segments and spinach in a large bowl. Divide among serving plates. Cook the haloumi in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes each side of until golden. Top the salad with the haloumi and drizzle the dressing to serve.

"Bent" Food Humour