Flight or Fight

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"I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples and there beside me is the Stern Fact, the Sad Self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from.|"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples Dar es Salaam and there beside me is the Stern Fact, the Sad Self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from."

Andizi

The Book of Love

My little sis got engaged! Such wonderful, glorious tiding! Reasons as to why this is such an eventful event to follow:

1. The festive celebrations of a marriage has eluded our family for a while now. Being the eldest, I will have to take most of the blame for that. In an extended family where most of my cousins got married between 21 - 25 the standard was not easy to follow. Add to that my ability to fall in love with guys that are great, but not great marriage material and you start understanding the grandparents' anxiety. Luckily, I never got any pressure from my parents, for the most part I think because my dad was hoping to be spared the expense of at least one modern day wedding.

I remember the first time he spoke to my uncle about the cost of my cousin's wedding - he choked on his Amstel and nearly fell straight into the braai...not the careful constructed introduction us daughters would have preferred! At least he has had a couple of years after the near fatal conversation to mentally prepare himself and the bank.

So, even if my dad finally has to steel himself and face the financial terror of his first wedding, I am very happy to get rid of (for a little while at least) the anxious glances to my wedding finger at every single family occasion, or the annoying questions that usually goes something like "you are such a lovely girl, why can you not find a husband?"...?!

2. Weddings are the MOST fun! I really do love weddings...Gin love (aka Hibiscus)! To me, weddings are a joyous occasion! Everyone is in a celebratory mood! Even the times that I have gone to a wedding as a date and did not know the happy couple that well, I mostly shed a few tears at the pure happiness that surrounds all!

For this special wedding I am part of the planning committee and although I suspect there will be some contentious points down the line, for now, my mom and my sis and me are enjoying every minute of the wedding talk! My sister is a wonderful creative soul and I know that this wedding will be something remembered and enjoyed by all present!

3. Last but not least of all...the engagement is enchanting, because I am so, so, SO happy for my little sister. She has truly found the love of her life. Syrupy I know, but I can say that because it has not always been moonshine and roses. They went through some tough times but this guy patiently stuck it out and in the end...got his girl! I don't believe in the perfect man or the perfect woman, but I do believe that R&N are perfect for each other! My sister is a beautiful, creative soul that has found her future life partner in a gentle and very funny farmers son that knows exactly how to handle her, even when she has only just woken up. And that is an art that I, having spent a lifetime with her, have still not mastered!

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they make each other very happy and love each other for the rest of their lives! Considering that their introduction was carefully planned (by R's best friend that married N's cousin) and that they where introduced to other people as each other's fiance before they even met, this really comes as no big surprise!

R&N...congratulations and celebrations! I love you both!

Andizi

There's always a moment

The best thing about being in South Africa is catching up with old friends. Last night was such an encounter. The reunion took place in the academic town of Stellenbosch where this friendship started many long years ago.

The 1st time I met Fernando was at a friend's wedding, where he mistook me for my sister - the latter he tried to woo at a previous matrimony. This happened during what I fondly refer to as my "depression" years (dark and twisty ala meredith grey) but Fernando made me laugh and we danced the night away.

I accompanied Fernando to his wine club's end of year function where, very appropriately, I was introduced to Floors.
Remember - "There's always a moment"...(from the movie Closer), which became an infamous wedding quote?!

What followed was (in no specific order) card tricks in De Akker, Romulus and Remus in Rome, the Nederburgh Auction, smokey jazz bars in Prague, Hidden Cellar party crashers, Elvis in Paris, cultural nights at Dorpstreet theater/Oude Libertas, Botticelli in Florance, Chianti in Italy, lectures and debates on love, woman, men and Isis, Isis, Isis...

My two great friends both found the love of their lives in Londres...the grey city that holds so much promise. It was in Paris where Fernando and I sat on a bus behind Floors and the beautiful M and we knew - our friend is hopelessly in love.
Fernando followed M(II) back to Cape Town and when she lifted the skirt of her creamy wedding dress to reveal cheeky red shoes, I knew for sure she was the perfect match for him!
Floors and M have just settled in the picturesque Paarl with their little boy, whom I am dying to meet! From what I have heard he has his dad's mischievous nature...little ladies beware!

And that is how we found ourselves last night having a drink together after many years and a few life changing events. Much has changed and little has changed and it was good.
This post was requested. It is not easy to compose under the scrutiny of two such gifted writers. So the less said the better. To Floors and Fernando, to France and Firenze...

Andizi

Taste-bud tantalizing BOBOTIE!!

(Photo: www.thecnj.com)

OOHHHH oohh Bobotie!

None of you have had a proper good, wholesome meal until you’ve had “Bobotie en geelrys met rosyntjies” (yellow rice with raisins). 

We went to a friend the other night for supper. And I tell you, my mouth started to water when I heard we were going to have Bobotie. She of course had a great East Africa twist to it and we had coconut rotis with the bobotie – oh my soul!!  (Will have to beg her for the recipe!)

I would dare to say that many Afrikaans-speaking South Africans could say that this is their “national” dish…… Well, I certainly think so. 

Bobotie is a tastebud-tantalizing meat dish that contains curry power, turmeric, lemon, raisins, apples, almonds and various other lovely ingredients. To tell you where Bobotie comes from, I quote from www.epicurious.com: “The spices are the contribution of South Africa's Cape Malay population, descendants of Indonesian slaves brought to the country by Dutch traders in the 17th century. As cooks for their Dutch masters, the Malays melded European and Asian cooking techniques, helping to create South Africa's culinary melting pot.” 

Here is one of my best Bobotie Recipes – ala Erica: 

BOBOTIE 

-       1 ½ thick slices white bread without crust 

-       ¼ cup cream/milk 

-       1 ½ tbsp oil 

-       1 ½ tbsp butter 

-       3 cups beef mince 

-       1 onion finely chopped 

-       2 garlic cloves finely chopped 

-       1 apple and 1 carrot peeled and grated 

-       2 tbsp curry powder 

-       1 ½ tbsp turmeric 

-       3 tbsp apricot jam/chutney 

-       2 tbsp almonds roasted and chopped 

-       1 tbsp raisins 

-       3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

-       salt and pepper 

-       ¼ cup cream

-       ¼ cup plain yoghurt 

-       2 eggs beaten bay leaves   

Soak bread in ¼ cup cream/milk 

Heat half oil and butter and fry mince until crumbly and dry, remove 

Fry onion in rest of oil and butter and add apple, curry powder and turmeric – stir for about 1 min 

Add this to mince and add apricot, almonds, raisins, lemon juice, salt and pepper – stir thoroughly 

Add bread and soaking liquid 

Spoon meat into greased oven dish 

Whisk cream, yoghurt and eggs and pour over meat 

Press bay leaves into meat and bake for 45 mins until golden brown on top 

Serve with rice (you can add 1 tsp of turmeric to your rice and it will go yellow)  and sambals 

SAMBALS: (I just mix it all up – it’s the best. Make it just before serving otherwise the banana will go brown) 

1 banana diced

2 tomatoes deseeded and finely diced 

½ onion finely chopped 

2 garlic cloves finely chopped chopped coriander 

1 tsp brown sugar (taste) 

2 tsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice 

2 tsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy enjoy my fellow foodies!      

~desert rose ~  

 

 

Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

AltoRougeSneakersRusksFamilyGreaseWooliesfoodFriendsBeautifulpeopleBeautifulMenBeautifulonenightstandCheesePongiepinkFriend'skidsDuvetMymom'sgardenMagazinesMarcellesfrozenyoghurtDenimjacketWinterGrapesWeddingsDroeworsWelbedachtChardonnayMamaMacsExclusiveBooksLayeringclothesCapeQuarterSkaaptjopsBookclub...

a few of my favourite things in SA

Andizi

When a plan comes together

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?! 2010 started really crappy, but people, I am happy to announce that things are finally starting to look up...


1. I have got a job! Signed, sealed and delivered!

2. I have sold my soul to the capitalists of the world for one more year, but that also comes with one more year of bush and beach...oh, and free wine...aka the deal breaker!

3. My landlord has agreed that we only have to pay two months rent upfront instead of the normal three. Where else in the world to you ahve to pay rent in advance?! We are even lucky, normally it is a year or six months upfront - and rent in Dar does not come cheap! So after being physically sick with financial worry, this is massively kind of him and Frangipani and me will be star tenants for the rest of the year!

4. My job is only starting in May. Under normal circumstances, this would NOT be the plan coming together. In fact, it would be the plan unraveling faster than my dwindling T shilling supply! But thanks to a brainwave from a friend, this is the best part which means I AM GOING HOME BABY!

One whole month in SA with my family, Woolies hot cross buns and Alto Rouge...things are definitely, definitely starting to look up!

Andizi

Heart vs Home

What was once a far removed possibility now suddenly fills my every thought with it’s reality. The fact that I might have to leave Tanzania looms larger than life in my every day and it makes my heart weary.

I am reminded of a passage from Out of Africa when Karen finally had to say goodbye to Ngong farm: “It was a curious thing that I myself did not, during this time, ever believe that I would have to give up the farm or to leave Africa. I was told that I must do so by the people round me, all of them reasonable men; I had letters from home by each mail to prove it, and all the facts of my daily life pointed to it. All the same nothing was further from my thoughts, and I kept on believing that I should come to lay my bones in Africa. For this firm faith I had no other foundation, or no other reason, than my complete incompetence to imagine anything else.”

Unlike Karen, I would never leave Africa. If, next week, my fate is decided and I have to pack my bags, I will head to the southern most tip of Africa, not leave her. But my stay in Tanzania has come to represent a CERTAIN Africa for me. An Africa so different to my childhood.

I grew up in the Boland, surrounded by wine farms and fruit orchards. It is green, lush and beautiful. Summer days are filled with glasses of crisp Sauvignon and winter evenings with a sultry Merlot. In South Africa everything works (ok, most things but compared to here – everything!) and there is a Woolies food around every corner. Most importantly, there is my home, where friends and family gather around a large wooden table and talk long into the cool evenings.

But here, in Tanzania I have fallen incurably in love with an Africa much wilder, much more exotic, much more chaotic, much more intoxicating. You will either hate living here, or lose your heart forever in the dusty corners of Dar. I have done the latter and this blog is partly a testimony to that. If you have been journeying with us, you would have discovered some of the reasons that people come here for a month or two, but end up staying years.

At this stage, I can only hope that my time here is not done. I will know for certain next week. In the meantime my mind is horribly torn between holding on to this place that I have come to love so much, or slowly letting go and embracing the idea of heading home.

Andizi

Poeding

Rest in Peace beautiful, fat, loving, darling Poeding...

Please, enough bad news for one week!

Andizi

Almost 2010

Photos: Ryan Wienand Photography

I hope that everybody had a GREAT Christmas and that the time with family and friends were very special!

After a lovely visit in Kenton and St. Francis with my in-laws and their immediate family – at one stage I counted 29 people! – we arrived at a small coastal town called Kleinmond.

Since I can remember, my family has been coming to Kleinmond for the December holidays.  Driving into Kleinmond, familiarity strikes as I recognized the little coffee shop on the corner, the pharmacy – where I always bought all the Christmas gifts on my parents account – the one and only Spar and all the places from my childhood.

So special, so fortunate to be able to come back to this and show our little Moo where I grew up.

And as per always – with summer holidays you’ll find us (and about 24 other friends) on our stoep enjoying seafood and wine in abundance! I’m hoping to get Impi’s famous Crayfish Termidor recipe and send it on to you!

Watch this space for further developments……

I wish you and your families a WICKED 2010!

 

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

Today is my mom's birthday. I am so glad that I am at home for this event!
My mom is one of the strongest, most amazing women that I know! The older and wiser (!) I become, I realize the many many sacrifices she has made over the years for her children! We never had loads of money growing up, but me, my sis and my brother had a wonderful childhood never needing anything!
And when times became really though, my mom rolled up her sleeves and started baking rusks on the kitchen table for some extra mola. Today, she employs 7 woman, together with my sister in her own bakery! You will find her rusks (under the Melissa's label) in most Pick and Pay's or Spar shops around South-Africa. How amazing is that for a little plaas vroutjie (farm lady)!

I talk a lot, and I always have something to say, but when I get really emotional, my words tend to fail me...I can never express the admiration, respect and love that I have for my mother...
Happy happy birthday mom!

It is so wonderful to be at home! All of us girls are in sunny South-Africa at the moment, so we are signing off for a while. We wish you and your families a wonderful and blessed festive season! We are going to enjoy our time with our loved ones and will be back soon enough to keep you informed of love and life in general...

Andizi

My Kind of People

{Image from africanhistory.about.com}

Maisha wrote a post about “home is where the history is”. My history and my home is in a small town in the Western Cape called Ceres. Until last year it was actually on a farm in the Koue Bokkeveld but then my parents moved into their dream home in town.
I arrived in the land of milk and honey late Saturday night after a day of traveling from Dar to Zanzibar to Johannesburg to Cape Town. Since then, I have been relishing all the things that I have missed living in Dar especially speaking my mother tongue 24/7.

I have an interesting love/hate relationships with my past. Being back in my parents' home and reading Max Du Preez's book “Pale Native” has made me think about that again. I am “trots Afrikaans” (proudly Afrikaans) but the history of the Afrikaans people, what they stood for and what they believed in has never endeared me much to my forefathers. I do not wish to go into that now.
What I would like to talk about is what I love about my people and what will always make me miss home in the country side. Last night, sitting around a big table loaded with good food and wine, surrounded by friends and family embodies that for me completely.
Around here people don't call weeks in advance to arrange a social gathering. These happen often and unplanned and usually the intension is only a cup of tea after church which inevitable ends in a lazy Sunday lunch.
People greet you on your name in Pick and Pay and inquire about the health of a relative or how business is doing. If someone new moves into the neighbourhood they will receive before the end of the day a bunch of freshly picked flowers or a jar of apricot jam. Children still play in the street and grown ups sokkie (dance) to celebrate the end of the harvest season.
Very dear friends of mine from here have been going through a tough time recently. The husband is sick and has been in and our of hospital for the past year. The way that the community has rallied around them has left me once again appreciate where I come from. The sense of community, the sense of friendship, the sense of family run deep in the veins of these people.

I grew up in a very liberal household, but the above was imprinted on me from a young age. When you are a teenager it is not very cool to hang out with the parents. Now, my favourite thing to do is sit on the stoep with my mom and dad and talk about life in general. I tell them about Dar and talk longingly about the bush and the palm trees, but they also know that I miss my people every day that I am away.

Andizi