Johannesburg - If you love good food and want to experience it in authentic surroundings, head to Cradock this month for the Karoo Food Festival.
The festival seeks to showcase local ingredients and producers, and give visitors a taste of what the area has to offer.
It is being held from March 19 to 22 in Cradock, situated in the heart of the Karoo. It’s the third time the town is hosting the food festival.
On offer:
* A nose-to-tail dinner prepared by well-known chef Heyla Meyer at the Victoria Manor hotel.
* Live music and potjies under the stars where you can sample potjies made with superb local lamb and game, a speciality of the region.
* The highlight of the festival is the Saturday evening dinner, where chefs will prepare a variety of buck dishes, including fallow deer, angora, boerbok and springbok. It’s a carnivore’s delight, accompanied by salads and vegetables produced by local farmers.
* A deli market will showcase the fare of local producers, and visitors will be able to see edible gardens created specially for the festival.
* In the food theatre, you can watch top chefs and foodie personalities share their knowledge on subjects such as growing and cooking oyster mushrooms, growing and cooking herbs, baking local specialities, biltong making, preparing a traditional farm breakfast, and even Karoo cocktails using local brew.
Venison expert Annatjie Reynolds will show you how to make venison sausage and how to cure and smoke it.
Gordon Wright, a restaurateur and author from Graaff-Reinet, will share his secrets for cooking local recipes.
Call 082 932 8864 or e-mail karoofoodfestival@gmail.com for more information. Also check their Facebook page for updates.
The Star