We are in the last stretch of 2015 and with the December holiday’s a mere 9 weeks away, it is time to dust off your cake pans and stock up on ingredients for the festive season’s cooking and baking. Now is the time to try out new recipes!
The recipes included in this newsletter have been chosen with the upcoming festive season in mind and it will hopefully give your festive season cooking and baking a kick-start and also lead to a stress-free Christmas – on the food-front at least! I have included a few great beef recipes courtesy of Karan Beef, as well as a few side dishes and desserts that are sure to let the complements roll in. They are: Dominique Ansel’s Cronut Recipe, Gremolata, Tuna Salad With Olives, Green beans and Chickpeas, Peppermint Bites, Spicy Sweet Potato With Garlic Herb Sauce and Spinach Gnudi.
As usual, I have included recipes contributed by Carolié de Koster. They are mostly from her popular Art of Cooking recipe book. The recipes are: Asparagus Dippers, Chocolate Loaf Cake, Classic Baked Cheesecake, Croissants, German Stollen, Ginger Biscuits, Microwave Fruit Cake or Dessert, Ring Doughnuts, Speculaas Spice Biscuits and Swiss Picnic Cake. For the sake of first-time readers of my newsletter, Carolié de Koster, author of the Art Of Cooking recipe book, has been a mentor and friend to me for the past 11 years. Carolié contributes recipes to my website and newsletter on a regular basis. Carolié runs cooking demonstrations and hands-on cooking sessions in New Zealand under the name Carolié’s Culinaire. Since Carolié and her husband moved to New Zealand 3 years ago, I have been processing orders for the Art Of Cooking recipe book on her behalf. The Art Of Cooking Recipe book is by far my favourite recipe book of all time and I use it every day! It makes a great gift too! Contact me to order. Read more further down.
If you have never heard of, or tasted, a cronut, you are in for a treat! In my post Crazy For Cronuts I not only tell you what to expect when buying this pastry-based invention the world is talking about, I also provide you with the inventor of the cronut, chef Dominique Ansel’s recipe for cronuts (which he adapted for home cooks).
If you cannot bake to save your life, the good news is that you can get your hands on these sought-after pastries at a handful of bakeries in South Africa. My favourite by far is XO Patisserie. It is situated in the trendy 27 Boxes in Melville. Cooking Up A Storm subscribers get 10% discount, so what are you waiting for?
In the post Get Set … Bake! I tell you more about The Great South African Bake Off, a local version of the hit British reality series which will be aired in South Africa in October 2015. Following in the footsteps of the Afrikaans cooking competition, Koekedoor, the hunt is once again on for the best South African amateur baker. Read more further down.
If you are inspired to expand your culinary repertoire, but are not sure where the find the ingredients or equipment to make these recipes at home, be sure to pop in at Linda’s Bake & Pack in Melville for a unique shopping experience. Read more further down.
In my post Beef It Up!, I tell you more about the success story of South African Karan Beef, who produces only Class A beef. For the past few weeks, popular radio stations such as Jacaranda FM, 94.7 and 702 have been running Karan Beef competitions where listeners could win daily cash prizes or a grand prize of a meal prepared by a Chef for you and your friends! It had the whole of JHB salivating! Be sure to try the Karan Beef recipes included in this newsletter – there are many more on their website. Read more further down.
Seeing that quality meat comes at a price, in my post A Cut Above The Rest I talk about how important it is to choose the cooking method most suitable for a specific cut of meat to achieve a tender, succulent and juicy end result. Read more further down.
During the December holiday’s I will once again run Mrs Claus’ Kitchen at Bedford Centre in Bedfordview. This will be the 3rd consecutive year in a row, and it will be just as much fun (if not more!) than the previous two years! It will once again be a win-win for everyone seeing that mom’s can shop while we entertain their kids with a culinary activity! The event will run for 15 days, and we will be making a different festive-themed item on each of the days. Be sure to pop by! Read more further down.
My “I made it myself!/Ek het dit self gemaak!” cooking parties for kids are very popular. The format is similar to the popular “I Can Cook” series on DSTV’s CBeebies. Each recipe is demonstrated to the children step-by-step and each child makes his/her own recipe from start to finish. Kids get to take the fruit of their labour home and tell Mom and Dad: I made it myself! Most of them eat it right away though!” It is also a fun activity to arrange for classmates or a group of friends during the school holiday’s. Masterchef cooking parties and hands-on cooking sessions for adults for e.g. team building or a special occasion offered as well. Read more further down.
I specialize in custom on-site cooking lessons – for yourself, your domestic worker, housekeeper or nanny. Regardless of what lifestyle you are following, your current level of skill, learning to cook will change your life. Once you know the basics, you will be able to make just about anything. The possibilities are endless! Please see the Testimonials page on my website for more info. Read more further down.
This is my last newsletter for the year – I will be posting recipes and foodie news on my Facebook page until December though, so like my facebook page and you will be the first to get info on foodie events, new ingredients, new restaurants to try, etc. in the following months.
Happy cooking!
Jeanri
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Note: Please click on each heading to read the full post.
October/November 2015 Recipes
As usual, the selection of recipes included in this newsletter will provide you with a variety of new and tasty recipes to try. There is something for everyone – whether you are a beginner or a seasoned cook! Be sure to try them all!
Beef It Up!
Karan Beef needs no introduction. It has a deep-routed South African heritage and once you’ve tasted it, you will return for more time after time.
A Cut Above The Rest
Meat is often the focal point around which meals resolves. The variety of types and cuts is vast and meat can be prepared in a myriad of ways. It is important to choose the cooking method most suitable for a specific cut of meat to achieve a tender, succulent and juicy end result.
Crazy For Cronuts
When New York City chef Dominique Ansel invented the Cronut®, a croissant-doughnut hybrid, it transformed him into a pastry superstar overnight.
Review: XO Patisserie
XO Patisserie in Melville, Johannesburg, is one of the few bakeries in South Africa where you can find a local version of the cronut, the popular croissant/doughnut hybrid.
Get Set … Bake!
The Great South African Bake Off, a local version of the hit British reality series will search for South Africa’s best amateur baker.
Review: Linda’s Bake & Pack
Linda’s Bake & Pack is as synonymous with Melville as the Melville Koppies! This popular establishment offers a wide range of quality, well-priced products. Their motto is to serve their customers, whom they regard as family, with friendly and expert advice to the best of their ability.
Mrs Claus’ Kitchen 2015
In just more than 9 weeks Mrs Claus’ Kitchen will start at Bedford Centre in Bedfordview. For the 3rd consecutive year, my team and I will entertain kids while Moms, nanny’s or grandparents can go for a cup of coffee or do some shopping.
Cooking Parties For Kids
My cooking parties for kids are very popular due to the fact that you can choose the language in which the party will be conducted and the party can take place at your house if you prefer, or at one of my venues in Gauteng. The recipes are age-specific and tasty!
Customised On-site Cooking Lessons
My cooking lessons are suitable for beginners, intermediate or advanced cooks – no experience required. I also teach domestic workers, house keepers, nanny’s and kitchen staff. The lessons take place in your own kitchen!
Art Of Cooking Recipe Book & CD
Carolié de Koster’s Art Of Cooking recipe book consists of more than a 1000 recipes and is the most comprehensive cookery book in South Africa. Written by a renowned food consultant it offers everything for everyone’s needs – from the beginner and home cook to the career chef, caterer and trainer. It is available exclusively from Cooking Up A Storm.
- Customised on-site cooking lessons – for yourself, your kids, your domestic worker or nanny.
- Cookery demonstrations on a variety of topics (in your own house if you prefer!)
- Cooking classes and parties for kids in Afrikaans or English
- Hands-on cookery sessions for social or corporate events or staff training
- Recipe development
- Consulting to Guest Houses, coffee shops, etc.
- Nutrition talks e.g. as part of Corporate Wellness Programs.
- Individual consultations on nutrition and healthy eating
- Custom-made healthy meal plans
- Supplier of a variety of quality cooking utensils & equipment, e.g. Wizbake sheets
- Kitchen accessory, bakeware and gadget demonstrations.