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South Africa - Food -

The South African cuisine is a mixture of different influences – traditional African food meets Asian and European dishes. This creates a very interesting “cross-cultural” cuisine, which is probably pretty unique in the world.

Braai
The Braai is the South African answer to a Barbeque – but never call a Braai a Barbeque in South Africa. At least for South Africans it is not the same. You can put everything on the braai – as long as you can braai it. But South Africans prefer Boerewors, Sosaties and decent piece of steak.
Having a braai is a national institution which is popular throughout all South Africans. It is more than just cooking food – a braai in South Africa is a social happening.

Cape Cuisine
The “Cape Cuisine” is reflecting the multi-ethnic society of the Cape region of South Africa. People from almost everywhere in the world settled here – and they all left their marks on the so-called “Cape Cuisine”.
“Cape Cuisine” means a blend of the fruity sweet and sour tastes of the Malayan people with the different European and African dishes.

Potjiekos
"Potjiekos" - (poy-kee-kawse) directly translated "pot food" or food prepared in a pot. A "Potjie" is a 3 legged round bottomed cast iron pot where you put your ingredients in. It simmers merrily over coals while everyone sits around it chatting away and sipping you know what. Everyone usually has his own "secret" ingredients and "Potjie" competitions are very popular at fairs.

Biltong
Biltong is a Southern African dried meat typically made from raw fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is similar to beef jerky in that they are both spiced dried meats, but differs significantly in typical ingredients, taste, and production process. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("rump") and tong ("strip" or "tongue").

Check FoodTv of The Times for recipes, videos, restaurant reviews etc.!

South African recipes:

The South African Menu | Boerewors | Sosatie | Monkey Gland Sauce | Chakalaka | Bunny Chow | Lamb Curry | Bobotie | Buttermilk Rusks | Ostrich Potjie

South Africa - Drinking -

South African wines are becoming more and more popular in Europe, South African Breweries (SAB) just bought Miller, which makes SABMiller one of the biggest breweries in the world - quite a booming sector at the moment.

Wine
eWine eWine is a South African Wine portal. Not only will you be able to buy your favourite South African wine, but you will also find interesting information about our winemakers, wines, restaurants, accommodation in the winelands and almost everything related to South African wine.
The South African history of wines goes back to the early days of Cape Town. Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town and its first governor, planted a vineyard in 1655 – just 3 years after the “refreshment station” Cape Town was established. The first wine was produced in 1659.
The French Huguenots came to the Cape between 1680 and 1690 and took over the winemaking from the Dutch, who had almost no wine tradition. From this time on the wine industry started to flourish.
Today the wine industry is one of the most important business sectors in the Western Cape .
When you go to Cape Town take a day or two and visit the wine growing areas. You will find an amazing landscape, wine estates and loads of lekker wines.
Ask at your hostel for wine tours – daytrips through the wine growing areas of the Western Cape.

eWine - eWine is a South African Wine portal. Not only will you be able to buy your favourite South African wine, but you will also find interesting information about our winemakers, wines, restaurants, accommodation in the winelands and almost everything related to South African wine.

Beer
Like almost everywhere in the world beer is most popular alcoholic drink. You get a couple of international beer brands like Heineken, Amstel and Becks and Southern African beers like Castle, Castle Milk Stout (which is the 2nd most sold stout in the world) and Windhoek Lager from Namibia (which is my personal favourite).
South African Breweries bought Miller in 2002. This made SABMiller the second largest brewery in the world. You can actually visit the South African Brewery Museum in Johannesburg. Nothing really special, but quite nice - and you get a free beer after you have been in the Museum.

In October every year (for almost 40 years now) the German Club of Port Elizabeth hosts the second biggest beer event in South Africa. The Oktoberfest visitors can look forward to traditional Bavarian sing-along’s with German and Austrian Oompah Music provided by a band imported from Germany for the weekend. The Band will have everyone dancing on the tables, beer in hand, singing "Ein PROSIT", while enjoying true German fare, hospitality and more than 12 000 litres of beer.

Namibia - Food -

The Namibian Food is not as multi-ethnic as the South African cuisine, but it has a strong German influence. Especially Swakopmund seems to be a good example for German-style food - Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte meets tarts, bread meets Milie pap. Like in South Africa the Namibians love to have a Braai and to make a Potjie.

Namibian recipes:

Baked Beans Salad | Ostrich Goulash | Country-style bread with sunlower seeds and sesame

Namibia - Drinking -

Namibia is one of the driest countries in the world, but for some reasons they have a couple of great breweries.

Beer
The story of Namibian beer started when the German colonists came to the then called South-West-Africa in the 19th century. As they came to Namibia they had to import beer (and other alcoholic drinks) by ship. But this was not a very German kind of dealing the problem - they founded a brewery to get a adequate supply with beer.
Till today Namibian beers are mostly brewed after the old German "Reinheitsgebot" (purity law), which is allowing only barley, hop and water in the brewing process.
Most of the Namibian beers, like Windhoek Lager, Tafel or Das Pilsener are brewed by Nambia Breweries in Windhoek.

Zimbabwe - Food -

For some reasons Zimbabweans seem to love Peanut Butter more than any other African country does. A good example for this bold statement is Dovi. Dovi is probably the most typical Zimbabwean dish. Enjoy!

Zimbabwean recipes:

Dovi

Mozambique - Food -

The Mozambican food is well-known for its spicy taste in Southern Africa. Almost every second hot and spicy dish you can find on a restaurant's menu is called "Mozambican Piri-Piri". The most typical version is the "Piri-Piri Chicken" (or "Piri-Piri Prawns").

Mozambican recipes:

The Mozambican Menu | Piri-Piri Chicken