HarryReginald talks Dinner for 6

31 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in BFFs, CTG, Parties, bloggers, cape town, characters, food, wine, 0 Comments

You all got Frances Sauvage’s take on Dinner for 7 million. Believe it or not, the purpose of Dinner For 6 is actually to try and set up some sort of wine pairing adventure. The trick to this is to not open the wine before the guests come, take my word for it. Also try not to drink up most of the wine while the dinner is being prepared. That would be the second trick. So anyway, we did the best with what we had left and I hand over to to CTG’s Wine Expert and No 1 Independent Wine Blogger in SA, Harry Reginald, to spew forth his opinion on the evening…

Firstly, let me tell you what was on the menu, bearing in mind the theme was celebrity:

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Starter:     Antonio ‘Gazpacho’ Banderas

Mains:     Milla ‘Chicken Kiev’ Jovovich

Dessert:     Queen Elizabeth ‘Strawberry Drop Scone’ the Second

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Writes Harry: “There was a challenge to my pairing with KWV’s 2009 Mentors Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend whose attractive grassiness – it was suggested – could be a good partner to the fresh green soup. Alas, the wine was like a big fat kid sitting on the skinny computer nerd in the class. The soup was smothered by the almost aggressive acidity and green flavours of the KWV wine. Without the soup it was a very pleasant wine, with the Sauvignon Blanc leading the blend whilst the Semillon adds to texture and mouth feel more than anything else.

The KWV Mentor Range

The KWV Orchestra – a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cab Franc and Shiraz - after having been decanted, was supposed to go with the main course but its freshness and sheer drinkability made all of us keep going back for more. We savoured the tobacco, spice, and bright raspberry fruits, until it was all gone (about 10 minutes). So without the Orchestra we turned to the bigger boned KWV Mentors Shiraz for some help. Not quite as clean and fresh as the orchestra, it flexed its muscle with some serious oak, deep dense fruits with dash of black pepper, and a decently elongated finish. This however didn’t pair so well with the wine trampling all over Frances’s more delicate chicken Kiev.

The newly launched Fairview La Capra range

We also tried a bunch of Fairview’s new brand La Capra. A fun range whose labels show more  concern for how many horn blowers can you balance on top of a cheese at the end of a fork supported by a cello resting on an atlas atop of some barrels that are being carried by a goat, than how many angels you can balance on the head of a pin. Very wise. The wines were all easy going. A fresh and fruity Chenin, that should be consumed in the sun whilst sitting on a hay bale with a sexy gypsy. The Chardonnay is gently oaked with a crisp lemon and lime finish. The Viognier impressed as it offered a fragrant nose of orange peel and furry peach skin, with a vibrant acidity that keeps the wine from being goupy. This wine balanced well with the chicken Kiev, light enough not to overpower the dish, but with enough fruit and oak and acidity to stand up to some of the bigger flavours like the bacon and parmesan. The dessert, strawberry drop scones with jam and cream, while delicious was not able to be paired with anything very successfully. If we hadn’t quaffed all the Genie that might have worked.

A closer look at the fabulous La Capra labels

So with the food gone all that was left to do was drink. And drink we did. We gave the KWV Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 a go. It was typical, easy going and full of cassis and blackberry with relaxed tannins. Good, but not exciting. The KWV rose was, well  . . . . we also tasted the La Capra reds. Their Shiraz is a safe bet to take to parties – anything with a balancing goat is good for parties. Quite plump fruit with a softish palate spiced up by some peppery notes. The Merlot was fair, with stewed prune vibe and plush texture. Good for having with your gypsy in front of the fire when you are done with the Chenin and hay bale.  I think I also drank some sauvignon Blanc, some Pinotage perhaps, and then with nothing left turned back to the KWV rose and it was, well ….. We finished with a splash of 30yr Famous Grouse, which was peaty, and quite dainty, like a peaty fragrant doily.” – Harry

The end-of-the-night Salti-Crax

Just a note: biggest thanks must go to Frances Sauvage, who opened her home, her kitchen and her cats to us, as well as Harry Reginald for being so on top of the wine. An even bigger thanks to our sponsors, KWV and La Capra, for kindly supplying us with their wine for review. We’ll be doing more of Dinner for 6, but we’re going to modify it slightly to make it easier on the host, preferably by making it Wine Farm Adventure For 6, or something similar. Drop me a mail if you love wine and would like to be invited to the ‘dinners’.

Branson practises streaking with plebs

31 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in Celebrity, south africa, sport, 0 Comments

Was going on the other day about that Mass Streak where Richard Branson was rumoured to be appearing? Well he certainly pitched up at the Practise Streak!

Look at old blondie there!

What’s going on guys? Is he really going to streak with the rest of us plebs on 3 June? Don’t really know much more than this, and I’m getting all my info from here, so if you’re interested go check it out.

Autumn Afternoons

31 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG recommends, cape town, lifestyle, south africa, 1 Comments

in Cape Town. Hello Lion’s Head.

How would you wear your D&Gs?

31 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG, competitions, fashion, south africa, sponsors, 1 Comments

Ltd Edtn by Dolce & Gabbana

Happy Monday friends. Today we kick off a super fun D&G giveaway where you could win one of 2 pairs of limited edition Dolce & Gabbana Aviators sun, courtesy of Sunglass Hut, designed especially to commemorate the 2010 Soccer World Cup. They’re silver and green – an unusual colour set for a pair of shades which, in my opinion, just makes them more desirable. If you’d like to win yourself a pair, simply send me a pic of how you’d wear these babies. I ask because generally, people are quite conservative when it comes to choosing colourful shades, but colour is NOT scary – you just need to know how to wear it. Here are a few ways I’d wear these D&Gs:

I’d pair them with something light and summery. Think they’d go great with one of those Chanel quilted black leather purses (knockoffs currently in-store at Woolies, FYI). I’d also accent other green accents with them. Green, I think we can agree, does very well as an accent colour because it is not as obvious as, say, red. I definitely think Aviators are a GREAT alternative to the paedophile shades that seem to crop up everywhere, another case in point where a pair of these D&G Aviators would work better:

Another case of bad glasses happening to an otherwise awesome outfit. And then there’s this vibe (below) which takes itself way too seriously. However, had she the sense to pick herself up some green D&G’s to temper the severity of the whole affair, it could actually be quite fun. Actually, it couldn’t, this outfit is just bad.

Anyway you get the idea. Drop your D&G look in a mail to editor@capetowngirl.com before next Friday 11 June 2010 and you could have a pair of Limited Edition D&G Aviators in your hands. All this talk of World Cup soccer is getting me a little excited. Are you feeling it yet? Dare I say it… it’s… here… ! Good Luck! PS check out lookbook for some references to get you inspired.

The Friday Dance

28 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG recommends, photography, things to do, 0 Comments

Been doing these nifty weekend moves all morning here at CTG. Y’all should join in! Do it with me…

Zazz!

Zaazza!

Zazzu!

the way macarons *should* come packaged

28 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG, Design, food, 0 Comments

I know we’re taking a break from macarons, but it’s been like a week – is that enough? Besides am not sure sloths proved themselves to be an adequate substitute for macarons. Not nearly as pretty-coloured and severely lacking in squishy delicious almond centre. And all smelling like moss and very slow. Not that ‘mossy smell and slowness’ are bad, just not really ‘edible’. Please enjoy this beautiful macaron packaging by Theurel & Thomas pattisserie, sent to me by Raoul (thanks! x). More about it here.

Food Interrupted Chapter 4: Dinner Don’ts

28 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in BFFs, CTG, Parties, cape town, characters, food, food interrupted, s1mz, sponsors, wine, 5 Comments

Bloody hell.
Darlings, in many of our conversations I talk about what we MUST do.
“Do this darlings, bloody do this and that and don’t forget this and what about that other thing, here darlings smoke this and drink that and oh look there’s a cat on your back” and on and on bloody ad bloody infinitum. But darlings, this past week I have been thinking very little about the myriad of things that we bloody must NEVER do my darlings, never! And what brought on this meaningless drivel most interesting insight? Why the monumentally poor decision of honour of hosting the first Dinner for Six of course!

Mummy with her breasts and her James. Yes darlings.

Let’s start at the very middle darlings, the very beginning makes me nervous, reminds me of my real age vast experience and in any case I’ve run out of sedatives energy. You MUST NOT call the party Dinner for 6, set the table for six, arrange glasses for six, cook Gazpacho and Cheddar Paprika Cheese Straws for starters, Chicken Kiev on Asparagus and Tomato Jus for mains and Strawberry Drop Scones and Cream for dessert for six, and then invite seven. You MUST NOT leave preparations to the last minute. You MUST NOT meet your guests at the door with a toilet brush behind one ear, a hand up a chicken’s bum and a wild look of terror on your face, drunk.

The La Capra selection of wine for the evening. The real guests of this whole Dinner Debarcle. The ones who caused all the nonsense.

You MUST NOT at, any point, consider inviting anyone even mildly interesting or remotely attractive. Specifically if you were too drunk busy to prep most of the courses the night before. The reason being my darlings, is that the funnier, smarter or sexier they are, the more time you’re going to spend sitting outside smoking a piece of your own hair, bouncing on someone’s knee with a bottle of KWV Orchestra pressed to your bosom like your first born.

CTG and S1mz, being smart, funny, interesting and attractive, causing Frances to smoke her hair outside.

The KWV Mentors range. They brought dignity to the gathering. And they took ours.

You MUST NOT pretend that anything is serious. You MUST NOT have real, meaningful conversations. You MUST NOT engage with anyone on any kind of authentic level. This real waste of time will only result in quiet, sophisticated exchanges and delicate phrasing and things like people’s needs and feelings and consideration and other boring fuckwittage rewarding experiences that may or may not cause the host of Dinner for 75 to pass out face forward into the wine spittoon.

Frances puts on a brave face for you darlings while CTG demonstrates how she 'has Frances's back'.

You MUST NOT ever let a man through the front door carrying a bottle of 30 year old Famous Grouse. This is non-negotiable. Regardless of how innocent this man looks, if he is in the company of the Grouse you must barricade yourself inside and switch off all the lights so that he cannot see you are at home. But should you make the fatal error of allowing him entrance, do not be surprised if you find yourself, a good EIGHT HOURS LATER, propped up at the dining room table like the cadaver in all the Weekend at Bernie’s films, both elbows in a puddle of Gazpacho, rolling tea bags for cigarettes and speaking like Groucho Marx.

Mains: Milla 'Chicken Kiev' Jovovich on asparagus, darlings.

You MUST NEVER do anything that involves any of the above on a weeknight. HAH! You think you know that? You think, “Frances is a bloody fool darling for having Dinner for Six Hundred Thousand on a Thursday night, I on the other hand darling would never do such a thing darling me? Never. Me? Never. Me? Never. Me….” Sorry darlings, got a little carried away – but you’re thinking it aren’t you? You bastards clever little things.

Do you like mummy's knife darling's?

Well even if you aren’t, what you MUST NOT DO is make all of the above mistakes, because if you do, I can guarantee you will find yourself walking the streets of Cape Town in the orange smoggy light of dawn like a lone survivor of the Rage Virus, bare, bloodied feet stumbling, Ferragamo dress stained red with La Capra and feathered with tobacco, confused, scared and alone, plaintively asking for directions back to Tamborskloof and normality, all the while a lone Cheddar and Paprika straw clings to the back of your 100% wool Gerard Darel pea coat – a tacit reminder of a once civilized world.

It sounds like a GREAT deal of fun doesn’t it? But after the merriment of trawling the streets like a gin-soaked loony has passed, you have to come home and …
WASH UP.
Tonight darlings, I ask you all very graciously to fuck off and leave me alone.
I’m doing Wine for One.
A shadow of the foodie formerly known as Frances
xxx

Much anticipated Zoo City launches

27 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in BFFs, CTG recommends, Parties, book club, cape town, music, 1 Comments

We’ve been waiting with baited breath for SA literary cool kid Lauren Beukes to launch her follow-up to Moxyland, Zoo City, and on Tuesday it finally happened! The Book Lounge was packed for the event, people were literally squeezing into the venue and passive-aggressively jostling for space alongside the black zoo biscuits and the Witchdoctor popcorn.

Lauren and her very proud Dad

Lauren was interviewed by another local lit hipster Sarah Lotz (who wrote Exhibit A, Pompidou Posse) which was a nice touch to the usual reading proceedings. I can’t wait to get into Zoo City. Will have to turn the pages VERY CAREFULLY so can preserve pristine nature of my signed first edition.

Priceless. If you're wondering about the Kendra/Lerato reference, you clearly have not read Moxyland. And yes, I need to 'finish my fucking book'. Sigh. Thanks Lauren! x

Curious? Zoo City is set in Joburg. It’s about a young girl with a sloth on her back and murder in her past. And if you’re not convinced yet, THE William Gibson had this to say about it:

“Lauren Beukes is very, *very& good… it feels effortless, utterly accomplished”

Ja – can you handle! I’ll be starting it this evening. Read more on the launch here. You can buy the book in all bookstores. If you turn to the back page you’ll see that it also comes with an album and instructions on how to download it. Freaking awesome! Go get it!

CTG wins first Steri Stumpie Flavour-Off for team Bubblegum

26 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in CTG, advertising, cape town, hilarious, lifestyle, 0 Comments

It was a sunny day y’all, when CTG arrived to fight on behalf of Bubblegum Steri Stumpie and challenge fellow blogger Chris Rawlinson for the title of Flavour-Off Champion. The stadium was ready:

The tension in the arena was palpable.

Things started off pretty tense y’all. Chris had brought his special yellow hat to ‘bring his banana’. CTG had a rosette and a badge. And some hardcore Wayfarers (thanks Sunglass Hut).

CTG aka Bubblegum squares off with Chris, aka Banana

Chris tried to intimidate CTG with his banana, but it just made him look cute:

Mwah.

CTG put on her serious face so we could get down to some serious Hungry Hippo:

Srs.

We then got down to business. CTG’s hippos were in fine form, very hungry and very into munching their balls. There was much flurry and excitement and drama and tears and then CTG’s hippo ate Chris’s hippos balls and it was all over and CTG aka Bubblegum was crowned the winner! What a moment!

Victory. Totally sweet. And bubblegum-flavoured.

And the prize? CTG’s favourite flavour Steri Stumpie of course! Lots of it!

CTG with her bub

What a spectacular event! This is the first of many Flavour-Offs that Steri Stumpie will be holding – y’all can find out more here. If you want to challenge someone you know to a flavour-off, you should drop them a mail. Dreams can come true!

CTG’s resident Wine Expert does us proud

26 May 2010, Posted by Cape Town Girl in BFFs, CTG, characters, wine, 2 Comments

CTG is beyond thrilled to see her Wine Expert @HarryReginald ripping up the tweet streams by being named one of SA’s ‘Top Independent Wine Bloggers’! She could not be gladder that Harry tumbled into her apartment one fateful day in March, bearing frankfurters and an assortment of cheeses, and took charge of the Steenberg Twitter Tasting. Because it was on that day that she knew she was on to something special. Something special that smoked rollies and quoted 16th century religious poetry because ‘it’s quite fun’. Harry, you make CTG’s chest burst with pride! Click here to read the report, put together by Wine Times.