South Africa’s Best Home Cooked Meals Revealed

Samsung Electronics South Africa’s ‘For the Love of Food’ competition encouraged South Africans to share their original recipes and the stories behind them. The recipes were divided into six categories with a grand prize of their share in R300 000 worth of Samsung products for the winners and products to the value of R150 000 for the runners-up.

 

The winners were chosen from thousands of entries and their recipes were showcased at a glitzy Gala event held at The Royal Elephant Hotel. The winning recipes were prepared as part of the six course meal to honour the winners. The illustrious judging panel was also in attendance and included Samsung ambassador and celebrity Chef Reuben Riffel, Carmen Niehaus long-standing food editor of Huisgenoot and You magazines, Chef Tiaan Langenegger, blogger and well-known TV personality Nina Timm and Sam Woulidge columnist and author. The judges chose winners across six cooking categories: Fancy canapés, Quick snacks, Fish and seafood, Braai dishes, Slow cooked meals and Desserts.

 

“We wanted to appeal to the hearts of South Africans, by tapping into their passion for food and cooking and we received truly inspiring anecdotes, relating to the culture, tradition and passion that inspired each recipe. We were overwhelmed by the response. ‘For the love of Food’ is the first of many Samsung initiatives that will enable us to celebrate South Africans and the great dishes and good memories that are close to their hearts,” says Michelle Potgieter, Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Samsung Electronics South Africa.

 

South Africans had to enter their favourite recipes, preparation methods, and a story that the dish brought to mind. These entries were all uploaded to Samsung’s ‘For the Love of Food’ website, to showcase all the beautiful stories and scrumptious recipes. The campaign received exposure on television and digital media and throughout the campaign period, nearly 12 000 requests for recipe downloads were received. The ‘For the Love of Food’ website received in excess of 123 000 unique visitors who shared the passion for delicious food. Chef Reuben cooked each winning recipe on the Expresso breakfast show, and his demonstrations were shared on YouTube to help viewers make the dishes in their own kitchens.

 

The amazing response that we received to the campaign is testament to how much South Africans love food and how food unites our nation.

 

“We have found some of the most original and unforgettable dishes prepared with passion and infused with heart-warming memories and these winning dishes stood out to our judges and for this very reason the ‘For the Love of Food’ campaign was centered on celebrating South Africa’s uniqueness and embracing our love for food and home-cooked meals. Given the sheer variety of entries we received ’For the Love of Food has shown how much South Africans value and celebrate where we come from!” concludes Potgieter.

 

Each winner was handed a certificate for their winning recipe and Chef Reuben Riffel, closed off the night and treated guests to a book signing and photo opportunity of his cookbooks ‘Reuben on Fire’ and ‘Braai’.

 

 

The lucky category winners are:

Braai Dishes:                             Lloyd Griffin

Fancy canapés:                Zuri Roos

Fish and seafood:            Gresham Madhan

Quick snacks:                   Kelly Nair

Slow Cooked Meals:         Tasneem Jaffer

Desserts:                         Heather de Bruin

 

All the recipes are on www.theloveoffood.co.za for you to download and enjoy!

 

The Geneva Ballet debuts at Joburg Theatre

The Geneva Ballet (Grand Théâtre de Genève) debuts in Johannesburg in June at the Mandela, Joburg Theatre.  

After recent visits to Cape Town and the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, the world-renowned Geneva Ballet, under the direction of Philippe Cohen, opens on Wednesday June 17 with Roméo & Juliette at The Mandela, Joburg Theatre and runs to Sunday June 21, 2015 for a limited season of 6 shows only.

During its Johannesburg season the company will celebrate the anniversary of the 100^th performance of this production of Roméo & Juliette.

Established in Switzerland at the start of the 19th Century, the Geneva Ballet is known for its rich repertoire of neo-classical and contemporary dance styles featuring highly skilled classically trained dancers and top choreographers.  

Joëlle Bouvier, one of several guest choreographers invited by the Geneva Ballet to enrich its repertoire, has with this production of Roméo & Juliette, re-imagined Shakespeare’s classic tragedy as a contemporary piece, re-visiting the ballet in an inventive way.  She has taken the essence of the story, its fundamental characteristics and choreographed around that rather than sticking strictly to the details of the play.  She turns the sequence of the traditional classic upside down - conversely beginning with the funeral ceremony and working retrospectively back to the beginning. It is driven musically by the strong, stirring music of the composer Prokofiev.

“Together, we unite our bodies into the gentleness and fury of this music; we let ourselves be inspired by the rhythm and its poetic nature to compose body movements, lifts, motions and fractures. All describe the passionate adventure of the two lovers”, says Bouvier.

 

The elegance of the costumes and the stage decor is offset by the vitality of the fight scenes, as the 22-dancer strong company creates a dynamic energy and an eye-catching aesthetic.

“Bouvier has stripped everything down, creating movement which, while technically challenging, innovative, and incredibly beautiful, never feels forced, and a plot consisting of only the most integral events.  It is as if she were leaving it up to the viewer to decide the specifics of who these two people are, what defines them, and what draws them simultaneously together and apart; and, of course, these are the questions which make this story timelessly relevant.”     Ann Rogovoy, The Rogovoy Report (USA)

 

The company is considered one of the most original dance companies in Europe, excelling in variations of the classical ballet vernacular through innovative artistic collaborations. With an average age of 25, Geneva Ballet is a company that features youthful dancers from around the world and includes the South African Angela Rebelo, niece of well-known South African actors Nicky Rebelo and Jennifer Steyn Rebelo.

 

As a major component of its two-week long visit to Johannesburg, the Geneva Ballet company, with a focus on choreography in a variety of forms and expression, will be involved in a collaborative project with South African choreographers and dancers. This unique project will involve four local choreographers, Gregory Maqoma, Mamela Nyamza, PJ Sabbagha and Fana Tshabalala with Nathanaël Marie from the Geneva Ballet and will take place at the Soweto Theatre, the Dance Space in Newtown, University of Johannesburg Arts & Culture and at the Hillbrow Theatre from June 8 - 14. The creative result of this collaboration will be showcased in partnership at the Soweto and Wits Theatres on June 13 and 14 respectively.

 

The Geneva Ballet Johannesburg 2015 visit has been made possible thanks to the support of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. The Johannesburg season is as a result of the close collaboration between the Joburg Theatre, Geneva Ballet and Zelda Productions and with further support from the Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa and the collaborative effort of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in South Africa.

 

Roméo & Juliette performances are from Wednesday 17 June - Friday 19 June at 8pm, Saturday 20 June at 3pm & 8pm and Sunday 21 June at 2pm.

Tickets  range from R180 to R350 and are on sale via the Joburg Theatre website www.joburgtheatre.com  or by calling the theatre’s direct ticketing line on 0861 670 670.  

Discounted rates for groups of ten or more are available by calling 011 877 6853.

#PLAYWITHOREO CAFE

 

World’s most playful cookie brings South Africa the #PLAYWITHOREO POP-UP CAFÉ

LET YOUR IMAGINATION GO AND COME play #PLAYWITHOREO

 

This April, the world’s number one biscuit and milk’s favourite cookie, OREO, invites South African fans to the deliciously playful #PLAYWITHOREO café. The quirky cookie has proved to be the most playful snack in the world over the past 100 and some years and always aims to celebrate the kid inside us all and inspire moments of carefree fun. This year the playful biscuit is back with more fun and spirit to lighten fans’ moods. On the 2^nd April 2015 the #PLAYWITHOREO café will open to the South African public at The Zone @ Rosebank for a limited period only (closes 3^rd May 2015).

The experiential café, a pop-up store at its best, characterises the brand’s imaginative spirit. OREO’s attitude will be brought to life in the café as the store is built around the concept of ‘play’. OREO believes that ‘play’ enables us to see possibilities in the ordinary and that’s what it wants for its fans – moments of endless, imaginative play.  “OREO fans are used to playing with OREO, whether twisting, licking, dunking, rolling, stacking or dipping the biscuit to make various delicious treats,” says Grant Van Niekerk, Category Leader: Biscuits and Beverages at Mondelez SA, “Now OREO is on a mission to inspire imagination and play around the globe, not only with the cookie itself, but in consumers’ everyday lives.” “We are thrilled to open the #PLAYWITHOREO Café to celebrate playfulness and inspire more moments of joy,” explains Van Niekerk.

Fans visiting the cafe can take time out of their busy, serious days to enjoy the delight of the OREO ‘Cookie Conveyer’, a moving dessert bar with OREO inspired treats designed by the renowned patissiere Danielle Postma from Moemas. OREO dessert prices will vary from R10 to R40 and the menu is a mouth-watering list of OREO happiness; OREO popcorn snack, OREO sprinkle pops, milk & OREO, white chocolate OREO fudge, chocolate OREO slab, dreamy OREO chocolate truffle, crushed OREO milkshake, OREO cookie monster cupcakes, OREO cookie crumb parfait, rocking OREO white chocolate cheesecake, OREO shortbread sandwich with ice-cream and last but not least the OREO ice cream Sundae.

 

 

Whilst at the store, café goers can also let their creative sides free and play with the world’s number one biscuit via a variety of fun-tivities. Visitors can dream up amazing ‘OREO Selfie’ art at the OREO decoration station by choosing from a multitude of miniature and edible props and create their own ‘Cookie Characters’. There are three miniature OREO photo-studios where you can style your OREO for awesome mini photo opportunities. Additionally, there are life-size backdrops to take your own playful selfies or simply take five on our OREO see-sae or swing or café tables and relish in the playful spirit of the cafe.

 

 

The playing doesn’t end there as the café also hosts a boutique OREO store where fans can purchase limited edition OREO merchandise and memorabilia. You can even share the fun with a friend by purchasing a dessert for them to come and enjoy when they visit the store next. The café is the perfect spot to bring family and friends to let your imagination go. So make your play date today!

The café will be open to fans 7 days a week from 10:00am to 20:00pm, including public holidays.

Don’t forget to sign the café guest book before you leave the happiest pop-up café in town and share the fun you had with us with #PLAYWITHOREO to @OREO on Twitter and Instagram  and Facebook at Oreo.

In The Purple Seat: ABSINTHE (feat. Cito & Paul E Flynn) in Sandton for One Night Only!

 

 

 

Absinthè is the acoustic rock collaboration between two of the country's finest powerhouse performers; Cito and Paul E Flynn; lead singers of WONDERboom and Sugardrive.  They have been teasing the South Africa audiences with very select shows from their group, Absinthè, over the past few years, taking them on an elaborate musical journey. 

Absinthè perfectly embodies the spirit of the project with a simple concept. No originals, just covers


Cito and Paul have taken an informal approach to some of their favourite songs from the last century. The duo is a laid-back fusion of two unique and diverse voices accompanied by both on acoustic guitars. Intended to charm those in an unplugged environment, Absinthè has entertained music lovers with an awesome show of great alternative classics to contemporary favourites.


Through jamming together, Cito and Paul found that they had similar taste in music. They thought it’d be a unique concept to keep them busy and having fun interpreting mutually admired songs by their great legendary influences such as Joy Division, the Verve, Pixies, Placebo, House of Love, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Johnny Cash, The Mission and many others. Cito and Paul have chosen this format to pay tribute to a way of life, and some great music, with their own unique signature.

Taken from their Double CD debut album "A Rendezvous at Nirvana", 2012 saw the group release their long-awaited Music Video for the Joy Division hit, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" to a great response and culminated in an MK Award Nomination last year. 

Watch the video, here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2C1Tz4aD5M

Says Cito, "We have been eyeing out The Library for a while, and as Paul and I have a great comaraderie on stage,  we believe the venue is ideally suited for the  Absinthè intimate experience. I really dig the library bookshelf backdrop, as it will make us look intellectual and well-read. It’s also been a while since we’ve performed as Absinthè in Joburg so we're look forward to hitting the stage again."

Should the patrons wish to, The Library also has an extensive a-la-carte menu for guests to enjoy a meal along with the inclusion of this beguiling music experience, thus ensuring it will be an evening not easily forgotten by those in attendance. 

ABSINTHE will be performing on Thursday 20 November at The Library at The Brazen Head in Sandton. 

Cover Charge : R50 payable at the door
Doors open at 7pm with Absinthe kicking their performance off at 8pm.
Advanced bookings are essential as its expected this evening will sell out ahead of time. 
Bookings are to be made with The Library at The Brazen Head directly by calling 011 783 6122

By Ghia ten Doeschate

In The Purple Seat: The Dining Room

Due to its popular demand, AFICIONADO POP-UP BAR has teamed up with foodie lover and caterer, Sasha Sonnenberg of Prep’ed By Sasha to bring you The Dining Room experience once again.

Together with Sasha, The Dining Room gives you a reason to reward yourself after a busy week with tasty drinks, mouth-watering food and lengthy conversation.

Expect to have your taste buds blown away with a 6 course fine dining menu that consists of starters like the Greek salad granita and deconstructed Taco. Mains include the 48 Hour Ron Zacapa Braised
Beef Short Rib and dessert is the Liquid Popcorn with caramel froth and
the Tres Leches (From Spanish, “Three Milks Cake”)

The Dining Room runs from the 30th October to the 13th December. This is
a semi-private pop-up restaurant in a pop-up bar with no more than 36
guests wining and dining at one time.

Definitely something worth experiencing!

By Ghia ten Doeschate

Dermologica: Anni King and Tusc events

On Wednesday the Anni King label launched their popup store in Rosebank's Dermologica store- Displaying their 2014/2015 summer range- the most beautiful leather handbags you have ever seen ! Not to mention the free skin mapping and consultation.

They will be at Rosebank again this weekend, so do yourself a favour and go have a look at what's on display.

Tusc in Sandton City also joined in the festivities, launching Dermologica's new BioSurface Peel, a less dramatic approach to having a Skin Peel, with almost not side effects! Stevie French explained the new product and also provided a live demo, which made from a very interesting day. 

By Ghia ten Doeschate