Franck's Foodbarn in Noordhoek Village

Franck Dangereux has a fabulous restaurant, The Foodbarn, nestled in the quaint Noordhoek farm village.
As legendary as Franck was at La Colombe, I couldn't be more grateful that he has his own place- fine dining, freshest quality ingredients, all in a relaxed space with affordable prices and staff you wish could migrate with you to every restaurant, the last part probably has a lot to do with partner Pete de Bruin- front of house man.
We usually go during Winter as his specials can't be resisted. The menu is changed weekly and when I spotted tripe on the menu, we knew this was the week.

Just sweep your eyes over the Steenberg winter special blackboard below.....3 courses with wine pairing for R165...for heavens sake- we might just have to move to Noordhoek.

Don't worry, between the two of us we had the entire board covered except for the mussels, which I'm now sorry I didn't order, as delicious as the lamb chops were, well they were lamb chops.

The goats cheese and brinjal tart and that sauce, I could have licked the plate

I keep thinking of those duck livers and THAT sauce

The two starters, literally no words- absolute heaven, both the highlight of the meal.  The duck livers had a suprising light crispness outside, then creamy softness and the delicate crunch of the praline and hazelnuts...Aaah.
The 'art teacher' started to look a bit sad,  it was his realisation that in his lifetime he'll never be able to cook sauces like he's tasting- men and their sauces!

Tripe- the hint of chilli without the burn, just the heat and flavour

Needless to say, I won't be doing lamb chops for dinner anytime soon

The tripe's sauce of course, was perfection and the tripe melting tender, my lamb jus with garlic cream...say no more, I don't want to upset the 'art teacher' again.

Date pudding with homemade ice-cream

Must buy quinces today and make that compote

The desserts picture perfect, loved the quince compote with goats cheese, just look at that gorgeous old plate.

We were stuffed by the time we finished, next time (the special runs for the whole of the long Cape Winter) I'm doing 2 starters and a dessert....or maybe 2 starters and main....

We drove back home over Ou Kaapse Weg, in a blissful quiet- all our senses satisfied.

Mad about oranges

This seasons juicy ripe oranges are now in abundance and I couldn't resist using them in everything this week.
Broccoli, green bean and orange salad, I tossed in a homemade honey, mustard, olive oil dressing and for the carrot, beetroot, orange salad I went honey, olive oil and balsamic scattered with black sesame seeds.
Love the colours and the burst of orange juice with the veggies- yum!

Take one handful of red wrigglers.....

Camera shy little wrigglers- even they must earn their keep

This was much less than we should have got, but 9 months later - they are breeding like.......well probably pretty much like worms actually.
If you're squeamish for wriggly things, I apologise- you'll be safe reading my blog again tomorrow, I promise.

'Freshest' tray of wrigglers doing their thing

Small confession-  the little wrigglers have taken on pet status in our home, and as such, are fussy eaters enjoying only the tastiest of snacks, we're talking avocado peelings and pips (which they love) paw-paw skins, apple skins, they fight the bunnies for the cabbage-  all intermixed with egg cartons and crushed egg shells (they have such tiny mouths!)  top that with a warm layer of freshly mowed grass cuttings-  Oh the life of a worm....

Home made worm farm- the 'art teacher' added the tap and drilled holes in the bottoms

The bottom tray contains the worm tea and 2nd from bottom tray almost completely composted casing and the other 2 trays full to brim, weighing in at 18 kg a tray- we're talking sold compost, these little chaps are composting machines.

nectar for the plants

The delicately named 'worm tea' that we use for the veggies, we're doing a little experiment with the barrels, I'm using worm tea and 'the art teacher' is using volcanic ash.....but more about that later...

Salad leaves

Very shortly we'll have an abundance of wrigglers, so if anybody needs any?

Drive by pictures- Hospital bend

The fabulously talented 'art teacher' has been compiling a collection of  quite unique 'drive-by' pictures.
I'm excited to share a few of them with you, starting with my favourite 'hospital bend' ones- these are taken from the M3 highway on that notorious bend, with beautiful Devil's peak mountain on the left.

Stunningly graphic pictures, all fluid motion and shifting light.

I see large vivid tryptych's on spacious white walls....

An abundance of greens

I never tire of taking my colander into the garden and harvesting the greens, the delight and satisfaction can only compare to when I was a kid clutching my dimes searching for chocolates...hmmm.....what to choose.
Thanks to the 'art teachers' constant sowing of seeds,  we now have rocket, red spinach, giant spinach, a baby spinach, tatsoi, various red, leafy and frilly lettuces and sprouting watercress.
The above harvest transformed into a scrumptious dinner- wilted spinach with olive oil and squeezed lemon-  they are so fresh and sweet its really all that is needed.
The lettuces and rocket simply tossed with our best olive oil and balsamic, crumbles of feta cheese and sliced red onions.
We ate it with seared sirloin dripping with anchovy/caper butter and chunks of potato tossed with creme fraiche, horseradish and freshly picked marjoram and origanum.

Weekend farewells

Gorgeous house, I love their stoep with the sweeping stairs

Friday night was suspiciously balmy-  just perfect for a drinks party, the Gallerista is off to exotic and distant  destinations, soon to return- an inspiring collection of friends assembled to bid her farewell.
I caught up with old friends and made new- heard of some successes, a few disappointments, exciting planned expeditions, and interesting recent outings -with a small amount of gossip in between (I told you Cape Town is quiet in winter) - I love parties....

the beach was empty- drizzling, cold and a little wild

Saturday was work, and another farewell, I delivered to Hout Bay, a beautiful house with a spectacular view of the valley from Constantia Nek to the beach, my client moved to Cape Town from Johannesburg 8 years ago, after the death of her husband and now, having met her new love was completing the circle by moving back to Johannesburg- I also love happy endings..

A little compost farm in Tokai

Beautiful rustic entrance to the farm

 The sun was shining  yesterday, so we excitedly drove to get potting soil for the barrels- (remember those hungry little bunnies and guinea pigs?) We have trays full of very eager spinach and broad bean seedlings that need to grow fast and safely, without fear of being munched.
You'll struggle to find a more picturesque place to buy your compost, just past Uitsig wine farm and bordering Tokai forest.

Mountains of  steaming ocmpost

Massive mountains of steaming compost,  with a border of  the tallest Blue gums in the distance.
In addition to the compost and excellent potting soil (only R12 per big bag),  they also sell fragrant bunches of beautiful old -fashioned roses, a delicious mix of  lilacs, oranges, pinks and reds- at the old-fashioned price of R10 per bunch!

Some of the many rose bushes

row upon row of poppy seedlings

In six weeks this field will be full of colourful Poppies and below, more seedlings in trays to replace them.

On the way out we wave to the workers, some 30 in total between the compost and the flower side. I think the land is owned by the local Rotary and its recent success and expansion is due to one very sharp young man who was unfortunate to spend some time in Pollsmoor prison, but had the tenacity to change his life, a great  inspiration.

the workers taking a break from bagging the compost

this bird intend on catching a frog

Ruins of  old building on the farm with bags of compost ready for loading