We’re particularly excited about the Cape’s Route 62, which we see as an up-and-coming area for wines, spirits and arts and crafts. In fact, we’re so intrigued by the area that we’ll be travelling there next month and getting together a whole lot of exhibitors for a dedicated ‘Route 62′ space at the Fair.

Watch this space for more info, but for now, picture ports, brandies, woven blankets, recycled chandeliers, honeys and more.

PS – In case you haven’t already, please diarise the dates for this year’s Fair: 8-10 November 2013. See you thereQ

We recently discovered these amazing mohair products by Hinterveld, who are based in the Eastern Cape. Mohair is revered as one of the world’s most beautiful and sought-after sustainable natural resources and Hinterveld pays homage to this with thoughtful, inspired design and meticulous attention to detail in the crafting of all their mohair products.

Read more about this luxurious range of blankets, scarves and throws at hinterveld.com

Ingredients:
1 orange, organic
800g loin of venison
330ml Guinness beer
125ml Cassis
1T caster sugar
1t cinnamon
salt, pepper
3T olive oil
(preparation time: 10 min, marinating ca. 12 hrs, cooking 20 min, resting for 5 min)

Method:
1. Rinse orange with hot water, dry and cut into chunks. Rinse the meat, pat dry and put it into freezer bag together with orange, Guinness and Cassis. Close it and leave it in the fridge overnight to marinate.
2. Preheat oven to 120°C (fan: 100°C), remove meat from marinade and put aside. Boil the marinade together with sugar and cinnamon for about 15 min, reducing it to a thick sauce.
3. Season the loin with salt and pepper, sear all sides in hot olive oil. Cover a baking tray with a layer of heavyweight kitchen foil, place the meat in the middle and brush it with the sauce.
4. After 20 minutes cooking switch off the oven and leave the meat to rest for another 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe and image courtesy of Joburg’s fabulous Braeside Butchery. Visit them on the corner of 4th Avenue and 7th Street, Parkhurst for a wide selection of free-range, organic meat.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Vodka

• Mint leaves crushed

• 1 strawberry cut length wise and not through

• 120 ml Graham Beck Brut Rose NV

Method

Pour the vodka and crushed mint leaves into a cocktail shaker. Shake well.

Pour into a champagne glass and top with the Graham beck Brut Rose.

 Ingredients

350g dried spaghetti
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-2 large red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Stir well and boil rapidly until the pasta is al dente.

Meanwhile, combine the oil, garlic and chilli in a pan. Cook over a low heat for 7-8 minutes to allow the oil to absorb all the flavors. The garlic should become golden brown but don’t allow it to burn.

Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan over a very low heat (so as not to dry out the pasta), mixing the oil into the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Artlogic is very excited to announce that we will be working with a new curator for the Fair – watch this space to learn more about this gifted person…

In our early research for the 2013 FoodWineDesign Fair we have become interested in a new culinary stop-over on the South African map. Route 62 is blossoming into a food, wine, spirits and craft destination of note. Our curator will be doing some foraging in this area and we hope to have a section of the 2013 Fair focused on these delights.

So don’t forget to save the date now for this year’s Fair on the rooftop of the Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre in Johannesburg: 8–10 November 2013.

Before we give you a taste of last weekend’s Sanlam Investments FoodWineDesign Fair, a hearty congratulations to Nikita Brocco who was drawn as the winner of the ‘Good taste of Tuscany’ competition! Nikita and her guest will spend three nights in Tuscany in June next year learning more about Italian cuisine. Enjoy it Nikita!

Hyde Park Corner’s rooftop parking was once again transformed for the Sanlam Investments FoodWineDesign Fair . Residents of Johannesburg and surrounding areas visited the Fair to stock up on Christmas presents and to take in the jovial atmosphere as the finest food, wine and design creations were appreciated.

The handpicked South African artisans presented their creations and engaged with the public sharing their passion and stories about perfecting their skills.

The Carpenter’s Alley featured beautifully crafted furniture from the likes of James Mudge Studio, Pierre Cronje and Koop Design.  Wine enthusiasts had an opportunity to taste new varietals and meet the wine makers from some of the most popular wine estates in South Africa.  Bubbly lovers were not disappointed as Graham Beck Wines hosted a champagne bar over the weekend to ensure the Fair felt like an ongoing celebration.

For the foodies in Gauteng, a visit to the Fair offered home-made styled confectionary, macaroons, and chocolates.  Those veering towards more savoury foods could indulge in wine and Dim Sum pairings, an opportunity to enjoy food prepared by popular chefs, Luke Dale-Roberts and David Higgs.

Celebrity chef, Peter Goffe-Wood, and his team ensured visitors could enjoy the wine, craft beer and pizzas designed on the BlenderBakerBeermaker Facebook application next to the Sanlam stand at the Fair.  Not only was the page very popular with over 15000 fans, it also offered one fan an opportunity to win a trip to Italy in 2013.

The Sanlam Investments FoodWineDesign Fair is becoming more and more popular, and promises to amaze and enthrall visitors as it grows from strength to strength.  A clear indication that South Africans understand and appreciate the artisanal skills being honed to produce wines, food and design products that are not mass produced but rather created over time.

View and share images from the event here.

The Spanish dual-function oven and grill has been around since 1970, but it's had a recent spike in popularity, as chefs around the world are realising just how versatile it can be. An all-in-one griller, braai, oven and smoker, the Josper is a closed barbecue oven fired by coals that are spread across the base. An adjustable air inlet controls the temperature and the dual-function oven and grill can be used to cook practically any type of food. One of its many perks is that it has a front door that, when closed, ensures none of the natural moisture or flavour escapes from the food cooked in it.

Marcelo will be using the oven from 23 to 25 November on the rooftop of Hyde Park Corner to fire up Spanish delights for Joburgers. Expect dishes such as grilled hake and tomatoes, baby chicken and tomatoes, and a locally inspired Spanish wors roll. Also on offer at the stand will be an assortment of traditional tapas such as patatas bravas, pata negra ham, manchego cheese and, of course, chorizo.

Gourmet tea company YSWARA offers a collection of top-quality rare tea blends, refined tea accessories and fine living goods, created exclusively by African artisans from African materials. There are 23 hand-selected tea blends in the collection, all of which have been composed by YSWARA’s tea masters, and many by founder Swaady Martin-Leke herself.

Their signature blend, Or des Anges, is a fusion of rare peony white tea from southern Malawi’s Satemwa Estate, blended with precious 22-carat edible gold petals. Can’t imagine it? YSWARA will be performing tea tastings at FWD from 23-25 November, where they’ll also be selling their loose leaf tea and teabags in various formats.

Over and above the 23 luxury teas, YSWARA also comprises porcelain tea sets, or Sankofa, gilded teaspoons and seven scented candles.

The Secret Garden spoon collection is the artwork of South African Pamela Schroeder, who crafts her works from organic materials. The teaspoons were inspired by Rooibos tea bush twigs, jacaranda pods and honey dippers, and are gilded in a gold finish.

The Sankofa tea set collection is by South African ceramicist, Adrian Lombard, and is made from black-glazed African earthenware rimmed in extravagant gold detailing. ‘It was my dream to capture true African luxury, and produce a luxury brand that is truly African in origin, nature, and tradition,’ says Swaady.

To read more about this new luxury product, visit the YSWARA website at yswara.com.

‘We’ve had a relationship with the fair for the last three years,’ says National Sales Manager Anneke Van Rooyen, ‘and while we started out as a tiny table loaded heavy with glasses, this year we have something really special planned.’ Anneke let slip that at the third annual FWD fair, Graham Beck will be doing something rather more showy – by serving bubbly off a baby grand piano. ‘We’re coming in with all guns blazing,’ she says, and she’s convinced the stand, designed by Andrew Kock, will be something ‘different and exciting’.

Graham Beck will be  offering three bubblies at the fair – Brut NV, Brut Rosé NV and Bliss Demi Sec – by the glass and by the bottle. Pop over to FWD on the rooftop of Hyde Park Corner from 23-25 November to sample some of the country’s finest bubbly for yourself.