Planning our spring of salads

The main reason I wanted to do this challenge was to incorporate more veggies into my diet. I’m by no means a salad dodger, but I do default to the same veggies (hello, spinach and spring onions). But a baby spinach side salad at dinner is not enough. Not only is it important to get a good variety, but adding more plants to your diet is also really good for your gut. I am in my thirties now and must think of these things. For Matty, who loves salads and veggies, this challenge was an opportunity to get out of her comfort zone and into a more creative place with her eating.

ALSO READ: Make these changes to improve your long-term gut health

Fortunately, both Matty and I are planners. My new appreciation of meal prep and bulk cooking has turned me into a proper planner and Matty loves a good spreadsheet. A shared Google doc was created and the spring of salads began. We looked at everything from the weather to what’s in season. There was plenty of inspo from social media and TASTE’s top-notch salad recipe collection.

Matty focused on salads and I did the accompanying proteins. I did panic a little at the start, because I thought that our meals would only consist of salad – but fortunately, this was not the case. We aimed to have exciting, varied salads that were inspiring and satisfying, and for the most part, we succeeded. But there were a few hiccups on the way.

Proof of our meticulous planning:

Note that the lists were much longer than shown below, and Matty added notes to the different salads we had.

CHECK OUT: Our salad recipe collection 

How it started

As with any new project, we were very enthusiastic at the beginning (I’m sure you can tell from our spreadsheet!). We made big salads for dinner and had leftovers for lunch the next day. We selected salads that were as different as possible so we wouldn’t get bored. We tried recipes we never would have considered if it weren’t for the challenge. We had leafy salads on warm days and roasted salads on chilly days (spring is not all sunshine, after all).

At dinner, we’d have spirited discussions about our meals. What worked, what isn’t that great, how we would make things differently. I discovered that I really like French-style potato salad. Matty’s favourite herb – rocket – betrayed her in a rocket salad we found on NYT Cooking (I think she got all rocket while I got a nice balance). Rocket will not be entering our house for a while. Both of us loved the dressing in Khanya Mzongwana’s Bloody Mary salad. In fact, when I opened my Blood Mary salad jar in the office, more than one person commented on how good it smelled. This process helped us add new veggie regulars to our weekly shopping list.

Bloody Mary salad in a jar recipe.

Learning to improvise

Needless to say, we were buying a lot of veggies during this challenge. But we didn’t use up all the ingredients in the recipes. This resulted in many half-empty bags of veggies and herbs. Since we were doing this challenge in September, we hadn’t yet seen Khanya’s fridge clean-up videos that were posted in October. She made a herby roast chicken complete with herb oil and her fridge-dive giardiniera. But a fridge clean-up was our strategy. We did it by improving salads with whatever ingredients were left in the fridge at the end of the week. One of these meals was a yummy bacon-and-broccoli pasta, which technically counts as a salad because we ate it cold… #PastaSalad!

Another area where we had to get creative was with ingredients. As much as we checked what was in season, we couldn’t find some key ingredients. We used our collective knowledge of food and flavours (and Google) to come up with good substitutes. Sadly there were some salads we had to scrap completely. I was determined to try Kate Wilson’s cheat’s burrata and blood orange salad. But we couldn’t find burrata anywhere and we missed blood orange season by two days! Fortunately, there were salads we loved so much, we didn’t mind having them twice.

Cheat’s burrata and blood orange salad recipe

The flu that almost veered us off track

After two weeks of going strong, Matty was struck down with a cold. Part of us wanted to power through and keep on the salad train. Veggies are healthy after all, and since the weather was colder we’d be in our roasted salad era. But no matter how motivated you are, when you’re sick, you need comfort food. So I made soup. I did load it with veggies since the whole point of this challenge was to eat more of them. I also think that soups and salads are in the same WhatsApp group, so I didn’t feel too bad going in this direction. But there were one or two nights where takeaways were bought  . Like I said, you need comfort food when you’re sick!

ALSO READ: How making tomato chutney for a year taught me to cook

This break in our challenge had the potential to derail us completely. We just weren’t as excited to make the salads anymore. Fortunately, Woolies was there to save the day. They have such a great range of salads, which we leaned on when we were lazy. Khanya’s Caesar chicken schnitzel recipe is the perfect crossover of convenience and at-home prep. Almost every part of this recipe, down to the dressing, made use of convenience products. But putting it together still feels like you achieved something. And it’s delicious!

Caesar chicken schnitzel recipe

Another thing that got us back on track was social media recipes – and (healthy!) fads. At the time, everyone was eating a whole cucumber, so we had to eat one too. Matty made the viral spiral Asian cucumber salad that was popular a few years ago and it was so good. We also made the viral dumpling salad, which wasn’t bad. But I prefer my dumplings the old-fashioned way. Now I know.

ALSO READ: Social media made me do it: how “FoodTok” influenced my cooking

How it ended

While we set out for 28 days of salads, in the end, we only managed 20 days. But that is still impressive, so IMO, the spring of salads was a success! This is especially true because two months later, we’re still buying more veggies than before. These days, we’re adding them to smoothies in addition to making good salads. Now there’s more than just spinach and spring onions in my fridge, and I’ve learnt to appreciate salads more.

Broccoli and sugar snap salad recipe 

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All the honours we received at the Eddie & Ozzie Awards 2024

The TASTE team was named team of the year. This award honours all the hard work the team has put in across various platforms, from the beloved magazine to its online communities.

“Being recognised at an international level for the work we do for Woolworths across print and digital is incredible, but getting the special award for Editorial Team of the Year, after a year of such immense change and so many milestones is what makes me proudest. This team deserves to be seen.” – Kate Wilson, head of content

Above: Part of the TASTE editorial team

Fresh from receiving the legacy award at the FOOD XX Awards, food director Abigail Donnelly won gold in the Series of Articles in  Custom Content Marketing category. Our deputy food editor Khanya Mzongwana was also a finalist in this category and received an honourable mention at the awards ceremony. The May/June issue of TASTE also won gold in the Full Issue section of the Custom Content Marketing category. This was our “cosy issue”, which was filled with recipes for soups, autumn veg, coffee and bistro classics.

ALSO READ: 2 TASTE members scoop prestigious FOOD XX Awards

The remaining honourable mentions were for our photographer Jan Ras in the Photography Consumer category, The TASTE Loadshedding Cookbook in the Supplemental, Annual or One Shot Consumer and Custom Content Marketing category, and the TASTE TikTok channel in the Social Media Online Community Consumer category.

“The Eddie & Ozzie Awards are the most prestigious recognition programme in the publishing community. They receive thousands of entries from around the world. I am extremely proud of our team for all the wins. It’s incredible to be a part of a team of such passionate, creative and hard-working (they will stop at absolutely nothing) people.” – Katharine Pope, head of digital content.

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Baby steps with breakfast meal prep

In my youth, I couldn’t batch-cook and freeze food even if I wanted to. All I had was a bar fridge, plus I had to share it with roommates. When I lived with my best friend, Matty, life was great. We had a similar philosophy about home cooking. We took turns making meals, so the burden wasn’t always on one person and we made sure to eat all the food, so there was no waste. This all changed when I moved out to live on my own. The cooking habits I had acquired over the years had to be modified. Everything changed from shopping (no more bulk sales on fresh produce) to portion size (so hard to cook for one). Many people told me to cook a big meal and eat it over a few days, but I didn’t want to. I can eat the same meal twice, but having it three times or more in a row is not for me. I want to eat different things daily. I may be stubborn about this, but it brings me joy and I don’t want to compromise for convenience.

ALSO READ: I got an air-fryer and it did not change my life

Find the recipe for overnight oats with brûléed bananas here. 

One thing I’m not so uppity about is breakfast. It’s what started my meal-prep journey – carrot cake overnight oats in particular. I saw the recipe on “FoodTok” and had to try it.  You add carrots, nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg to your oats and let it set overnight. It’s so good! The thing is, one grated carrot is enough for two or three portions for me. To avoid having awkward half-cut carrots in the fridge, I started meal prepping my oats. I prepped a variety of flavours so I wouldn’t get bored. Peanut butter and jam, fruit, tiramisu (add coffee to the oats and top with yoghurt dusted in cocoa in the morning). Having a variety ready in the fridge made my mornings so much easier.

To keep my easy mornings going, I started prepping more. I start each morning with lemon, ginger, turmeric and pepper in hot water. After seeing a content creator make this combo and freezing it in an ice tray, I started doing the same. Now I just put a block in my cup and top it with hot water. In summer, I like to have smoothies for breakfast. I measure the smoothie ingredients in my Nutribullet cup, put them into bags and freeze them so I have the exact amount ready. Then I simply grab a bag, dump it into the blender, add my liquids and powders and go. No cleaning, cutting or wasting fruit in the morning. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure my fruit doesn’t go off.

ALSO READ: I cooked with canned food for a month to save money – and here’s how it went

Find the recipe for get-up-and-go green smoothie here. 

Freezer bags for the win

Using freezer bags for my smoothies opened my eyes to their potential. They come in different sizes so you can portion nicely. They’re flat so they save space, too. But the best thing about them is they’re transparent. No more trickery from re-used ice cream, yoghurt or margarine containers (these go straight to the recycling in my house). I still don’t have a solution for the biscuit tins filled with sewing stuff though, sorry! Freezer bags made me more open to freezing leftovers, and once I started I was hooked. I could batch-cook my favourites! This may seem obvious, but I was resistant and stubborn for so long that this realisation was so great.

All the things I can’t really cook for one suddenly were open to me. Curries, Bolognese, dhal (I do like it – just not when it’s a Trojan horse!); I can cook all this and more. This allows me to spend more time cooking on the weekends, which I find very therapeutic. It also frees up my weeknights, which is amazing when work is tiring or overwhelming. It also ensures I always have good food available. This comes in handy on the days when money is tight, I’m lazy or I’m tempted to get takeaways when I shouldn’t. I can hear my mom’s voice in my head saying: “There’s food at home.” She’s right.

ALSO READ: The ultimate guide to freezing food

Find the recipe for dhal curry here.

Batch-cooking also lets me get in on some of the fresh produce bulk deals, and saving money is always a win. Speaking of saving, I’ve invested in reusable silicone bags to cut down on my plastic waste. This also saves money and I highly recommend it if you’re a regular batch-cooker. A pro tip from my parents is to batch-cook and freeze food to take on holiday if you’re self-catering. This way you’ll spend less time cooking on your holiday and still save money on food!

Just a note on rice. I do batch-cook, portion and freeze rice. It’s easier than making a small amount each time I need it. I know there’s concern about reheating rice on social media, so I did some research. It’s fine to do this as long as you store and reheat it correctly. Here’s a comprehensive guide with expert advice from Martha Stewart’s site.

ALSO READ: How cooking East Asian food (kind of) made my dreams come true

Find the recipe for golden fried rice with duck here. 

It’s not all about batch-cooking

On days I do want to cook a midweek meal, I opt for a freezer staple paired with a salad or veg. Schitnzels, Woolies’ braai range, fish and sausages are my go-to proteins. I pop them into the air-fryer and make my side while it cooks. But these meals can be a little uninspired. Enter Hajar Larbah and her platfrom Moribyan. I saw a video of her prepping five different marinades for chicken and just had to try it.

 

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She uses roughly 5 kg of chicken for 5 meals. This made 10 portions for my household of one. She did a follow-up with steak, plus gave suggestions on what to make with it. It’s brilliant! Now I have more delicious options that are still speedy. Rice bowls, quesadillas and sosaties entered the chat. I also keep a stash of rolls and wraps in my freezer to use for sandwiches and wraps. I still have the freezer staples, but it’s nice to have more home-made options.

ALSO READ: Social media made me do it: how “FoodTok” influenced my cooking

I also meal-prep treats. I’m still stuck on the chocolate-covered stuffed dates that went viral a few years back. They really help with sweet cravings. Choc-chip oat biscuits are a great snack. And if I’m in the mood, I may even freeze cake or pancake batter, so I can have a freshly baked treat when I want. But my number one freezer treat is the Woolworths’ Frozen Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake. I may not prep it, but it’s so nice to grab a slice when I want. Plus, it’s cheaper than buying the single cake slices in the long run.

Find the recipe for spiced dates here. 

Meal prep forever!

I’m not going to lie. It’s a mission to meal prep and batch-cook. Planning, shopping, prepping, cooking, dishes – it takes a lot of time, effort and energy. But for me, the results are worth it. I feel so accomplished on my meal prep days. I cook and prep a lot of food, feed my love of cooking and I’m taking care of future me, who will really appreciate all the meals, drinks and treats.

I get to shop more bulk deals for my household of one, without fear of waste or food going off. The best part is the flexibility it gives me once it’s done. I cook when I want to. I don’t when I’m not in the mood. And I have a variety of meals on hand so I don’t have to eat the same pot of pasta for three days in a row. It’s awesome.

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It shouldn’t be surprising that I want to go to Japan because I’m a huge anime fan. There are other motivations, but anime is the biggest one – particularly anime food. If you’ve watched anime, you know how amazing the food looks. Like seriously, it’s enchanting. Don’t believe me? Check out this video:

Cape Town has some amazing restaurants that serve East Asian food. Some of my faves include Downtown Ramen, Tjing Tjing, HeSheng KimChi and Tomo. I also find good options at Asian stores (so many great frozen dumplings!). When the anime food cravings hit, I frequent these places. But there was one dish I couldn’t find anywhere. So I decided to make it.

ALSO READ: I cooked with canned food for a month to save money – and here’s how it went

It started with a pork cutlet bowl

Whenever I’m feeling some type of way, I watch anime. So naturally, when my trip fell through, that’s what I did. But instead of being comforting, it became a constant reminder of all the food I wouldn’t get to eat. One anime in particular tormented me. Yuri!!! On Ice is about a competitive figure skater who loves pork cutlet bowls and uses them as motivation. As a result, they mention this dish in every single episode. I’ve spoken of my intense food envy before. Seeing pork cutlet bowls in Yuri!!! On Ice was one thing, but they kept popping up in other animes and that pushed me over the edge. I needed to eat one. But I couldn’t find them anywhere in Cape Town.

I am South African Indian, so my cooking fundamentals are rooted in this culture. Thus, the idea of cooking East Asian food was intimidating. I knew that all Asian cooking had similar principles – a set of basic ingredients that are commonly used in most dishes – but East Asian cooking uses 5 ingredients, while Indian cooking uses like 500. My best friend and former roommate Matty spent a year in Thailand and was my first teacher in this area. I watched as she cooked dishes she learned while she lived there, and she took me along to our local Asain market to stock up on ingredients. This, combined with my newly found confidence from cooking social media recipes, gave me the push I needed to make the highly anticipated pork cutlet bowl.

ALSO READ: The nostalgic, but slightly terrifying, task of setting up my first spice cupboard

I researched various recipes and watched many videos. I decided to follow both Marion Grasby’s YouTube video (her left-hand wet hand, right-hand dry hand method for crumbling food changed my life) and Just One Cookbook (which is now my Japanese cooking bible). A pork cutlet bowl (Katsudon), is a golden crumbed pork chop placed in egg, simmered in a sweet and savoury sauce, and served on rice. It’s glorious and I can’t describe how incredibly happy I was when I made it and finally got to eat it. This was the start of my dedication to learning more East Asian recipes.  P.S. Here’s a pic of my pork cutlet bowl next to one from Yuri!!! On Ice:

An exercise in restraint

When I first started trying my hand at East Asian cooking, the urge to add ingredients to the recipes was strong. As I mentioned, I learnt to cook South African Indian style. I was taught to add loads of different spices and to measure with my heart. I use Indian aromatics and spices in virtually everything – even Western dishes. Pasta sauces taste amazing with a little bit of masala thrown into the mix.

One of the reasons I prefer cooking to baking is because I can riff recipes without fear of disaster. But East Asian cooking demanded discipline *cue training montage music*. I’d never tasted the dishes I was making, so I had to follow the recipe to a T. It was the only reference I had to ensure I was making the dishes correctly. I did feel validated when I made onigiri (which I couldn’t find initially) and then tried some at How’s Your Oni (thanks Clem Pedro for putting me on!).  I was definitely on the mark.

While I’m confident enough to change up some dishes (I have made various types of onigiri and have “Indianfied” my version of Korean veggie pancakes with turmeric, chilli and garam masala), I’m still learning. So I still have to restrain myself when making certain dishes, and that discipline has helped shape how I cook now.

ALSO READ: How making tomato chutney for a year taught me to cook

The never-ending sources of inspiration

The reason I talk about East Asian food as a whole rather than just Japanese food is because I’ve started to cook more broadly. Anime is not the only thing that inspires me. K-dramas, social media and food experiences all drive me to learn more about this cuisine. The K-drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo had me obsessed with kimbap, and now it’s one of my favourite things to make. I’ve made both ham and tuna kimpap (from my Korean cooking bible My Korean Kitchen) and am gearing up to try my hand at bulgogi kimbap.

Social media turned me onto mayak eggs (marinated eggs), also known as Korean drug eggs. I can also try all the cool food trends using East Asian ingredients because I have a stocked pantry. Rice paper dumplings, nori sheet “wraps” and all the chilli oil noodles are whipped up almost immediately after seeing them online. Plus, my dipping sauce game is pretty good. My team at TASTE was also kind enough to gift me cookbooks (Bao Family by Céline Chung and Hong Kong Food City by Tony Tan) to help me on this journey.

ALSO READ: Social media made me do it: how “FoodTok” influenced my cooking

The dream continues

A few years ago I was doing a story on Prince Albert’s hot spots. Real Food Company (now Jeremy’s restaurant and wine bar) was on my list and I had the pleasure of interviewing owner Jeremy Freemantle, who told me something I will never forget. He told me that there are many ways to learn about countries and cultures. You can do it through language, history, geography or religion. He prefers to do it through food.

I know that cooking East Asian food is not the same as going to these countries. But by learning about the food, making it and eating it, I feel like I’m exploring these countries in my own way; a way that excites me and (let’s be honest) that I can afford. I’ve been lucky enough to go to Thailand and Hong Kong, and I’m still dreaming about Japan and Korea. But until that day comes, pork cutlet bowls, kimbap, onigiri and all the dishes I still have to learn will tide me over. And for now, that’s enough.

Find three recipes from Bao Family here. 

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I admit, I was nervous. I do like canned food, but I mostly stick to the bean, lentil, fish and tomato categories. I’m not a big fan of the pastas and meats; there’s way too much trauma from school aftercare when it comes to these. With my preferences and somewhat fussy tastes, I didn’t think I could make exciting, interesting meals all month long. Fortunately, I was wrong.

ALSO READ: I got an air-fryer and it did not change my life

Getting nostalgic

Like with most things, I started with what I know. And the thing I know most about is tomato chutney. I spent years making chutney with my dad when I was young. It was the beginning of my love affair with cooking (read all about that here). I used canned tomatoes to make a chutney base that I used for shakshuka, spicy pasta sauces and creamy chickpea curry with coconut milk. Pro tip: use leftover coconut milk in smoothies.

ALSO READ: The nostalgic, but slightly terrifying, task of setting up my first spice cupboard

I rediscovered how much I love sausages, baked beans and mash. It’s honestly one of my favourite meals, especially since I curry the baked beans, Indian-style. I hadn’t made this in ages, and it instantly transported me to my childhood.

The “poor man’s paella” I invented at university also holds up after all these years. It’s made with leftover rice, tuna, canned mussels and bacon. It’s more of a fishy fried rice than paella, but I didn’t know better when I named it. And it tastes good, which is all that matters.

Find the recipe for 20-minute chickpea curry here. 

I contacted my parents for some recipes I loved but never made for myself. Sardines braised with onion and chilli on toast. Fish cakes made with pilchards. I even got the recipe for my mom’s canned-fish biryani, which is always a hit. I haven’t made it yet, but I can’t wait to try. All these nostalgic dishes got me excited to follow through on my challenge and gave me the confidence to try new recipes.

Thank goodness for TASTE

TASTE has an excellent canned food recipe collection, which was perfect for moving out of my nostalgic bubble. One recipe I had to try was Hannah Lewry’s one-pan pork chops. Since I manage the TASTE website and social media, I have a good sense of what recipes you all love. This one is very popular – and for good reason. Quick, easy and delicious, it’s the perfect midweek meal.

Find the recipe for one-pan pork chops here. 

Hannah’s chicken frikkadels with creamy beans and spinach is also perfection. I couldn’t find chicken frikkadels, so I used Woolies’ smoked paprika and coriander chicken steaks, and the marinade made the beans deliciously spicy. Another Woolies product that made my canned food challenge easier was the Easy To Bake Mexican Style Cornbread Kit. Made with canned sweetcorn, it was great for lapping up creamy beans, or enjoying on its own, with butter melting into it. Plus, it freezes well, which is great in a household of one.

Find the canned food recipe collection here. 

I was already a fan of Abigail Donnelly’s 3-ingredient mussel pasta and it was a lifesaver on days when I did not want to cook. Instead of ordering food, I whipped this up. Trust me, you need to save this recipe – it’s ready in under 10 minutes, and it’s a great loadshedding recipe. Abi’s sardine pasta is also amazing. It’s a reminder of how simple dishes can be the most satisfying.

Find the recipe for sardine pasta here. 

I’ve also become obsessed with Abi’s butter-bean mash. I knew about it in theory, but I’d never tried it before because of my deep love for potatoes. Now my life is forever changed. Not only is it delicious, it’s the perfect serving size for just me, and it tastes great cold or warm. This will definitely be made on repeat.

ALSO READ: How my quest to make the perfect masala chai reconnected me to my heritage

Social media continues to serve

It’s no secret that I am fully hooked by “foodtok”. Luckily for me, there were plenty of recipes on social media that made this month exciting. The viral rice bowl of 2020 is still a fave, and I make it with canned tuna or canned salmon. Pro tip: keep single portions of rice in the freezer so you can make rice bowls faster. This is also great for loadshedding.

ALSO READ: Social media made me do it: how “FoodTok” influenced my cooking

One of my favourite food creators, Carolina Gelen, did a video making three meals with versatile tuna fishcakes. I made small versions of the fishcakes for breakfast and rice bowls, and a slightly bigger version to make tuna burgers. They were so good! I will always make my own tuna burger patties from now on.

 

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While this challenge was mostly for meals, social media showed me I was limiting myself. Crispy air-fried chickpeas and butter beans are top-notch snacks. Three-ingredient lemon ice cream made with lemons, coconut milk and maple syrup helped with my dessert cravings, so I bought fewer treats. This is just the tip of the iceberg of epic canned food recipes. There is so much more to make.

Verdict

I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had making these recipes over the month. Getting creative, reminiscing about my younger days and trying new things – it really was lovely, and I will take the lessons I learnt and apply them in my life going forward.

Another bonus was spending less time actually cooking. I know this is obvious, since canned food requires little to no cooking, but I didn’t think about it at the start, so it was a pleasant realisation. I know now that I can add more canned food recipes to my midweek rotation in a way that fits my tastes and lifestyle and will help me save money.

I shaved between R1500 – R2000 off my food costs in total. This was done by bulk-buying canned food and checking out specials for non-perishables to save even more. Plus, there were plenty of items in my pantry already, like pasta and rice. And I cut down on the takeaways by a lot. This was an all-round win.

The post I cooked with canned food for a month to save money – and here’s how it went appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

Banana loaf (or bread if you prefer) was always popular, and then the great banana bread craze of 2020 hit. You’d think we’d be over it, but that’s not the case. We totally get it. It’s a great way to use up bananas (the most perishable of fruit), is super-easy to make and is great for lunchboxes, picnics, tea time or just as a treat. This recipe by Clement Pedro is the ultimate easy recipe. It needs just seven ingredients, but you can customise it by adding chopped pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips.

Find the recipe for banana loaf here.

2. Creamy leftover gammon Alfredo

One thing we know for sure is that many of you love a gammon for Christmas. And Hannah Lewry’s leftover gammon Alfredo is the gift that keeps on giving! Transform those leftovers into this delicious pasta while you’re still in the mood for something rich and delicious, or freeze the gammon and save this recipe for when the craving hits.

Find the recipe for creamy leftover gammon Alfredo here.

3. Easter-egg studded cake

While we’re on the subject of special occasions, this epic Easter-egg studded cake by Hannah Lewry got a shoutout! We think this might be because it’s startlingly easy – it’s made using Woolworths Easy to Bake vanilla cake mix, and Nutella for icing, so you can spend time and energy decorating it with candy-coated milk chocolate eggs. You can also make this using your favourite cake/icing combo, or (if you’re feeling extra lazy) decorate a store-bought cake with the Easter eggs.

Find the recipe for Easter egg studded cake here. 

4. One-pot chicken, mushroom and samp

A one-pot dinner that’s ready in just 40 minutes? We totally get why you love Keletso Motau’s one-pot chicken, mushroom and samp! The secret to this recipe is Woolworths’ canned samp and beans. It may taste like this dish took hours to make, but you can get it on the dinner table during the week with minimal effort.

Find the recipe for one-pot chicken, mushroom and samp here.

5. Custard slice

It may take some effort to make this custard slice by Abigail Donnelly, but it’s 100% worth it. It’s filled with nostalgia and is the stuff of sweet treat dreams. Abi shows you how to make the rough-puff pastry from scratch, but you can also use store-bought puff pastry and focus your efforts on making the perfect filling.

Find the recipe for custard slice here. 

6. Rough-puff pastry 

If you’re interested in trying your hand at making rough-puff pastry, you can feel assured that TASTE readers have tried this recipe and loved it. Hannah breaks down the steps in detail to make it easier for you. Plus, this way, you can freeze the portions to your liking instead of thawing a whole roll of store-bought pastry that you may not finish in one go.

Find the recipe for rough-puff pastry here.

7. Easy butter-roasted tomato-and-sausage spaghetti

This recipe by Jacqueline Burgess completely elevates spag bol, plus it’s really easy to make! The recipe is like a mash-up of roast tomato soup and pasta sauce. You make the sauce in the oven, and while it’s roasting you cook up some pork bangers that have been removed from their casings. Combine with cooked pasta and enjoy!

Find the recipe for Easy, butter-roasted tomato-and-sausage spaghetti here.

8. The fluffiest flapjacks

Why settle for flapjacks when you can have the fluffiest flapjacks? Whenever we post this recipe for Hannah’s fluffiest flapjacks on social media, the likes flow in. There are a million flapjack recipes out there, but this one really delivers on fluffiness! No wonder this is one of your favourite TASTE recipes of all time!

Find the recipe for the fluffiest flapjacks here.

9. Snoek with sticky apricot glaze 

Braaied snoek is one of those distinctively South African dishes many of you love, and Siba Mtongana’s version, with a spicy apricot glaze, has to be the gold standard. This recipe works for a special occasion or a weekend braai and often appears in our top recipes, so it’s no surprise to see it’s one of your favourites.

Find the recipe for snoek with sticky apricot glaze here.

10. Peppermint Crisp tart

Another proudly South African recipe that’s a social media sweetheart is Sam Woulidge’s Peppermint Crisp tart. The TASTE reader who chose this recipe said that this recipe is “ALWAYS a go-to”. This is a classic that will always be a favourite for everyone.

Find the recipe for Peppermint Crisp tart here.

11. Puttanesca baked fish

This is not only one of your favourite recipes, but it’s an insider fave, too. Many TASTE team members make this recipe on repeat for dinner. Hannah popped off with this puttanesca baked fish. It comes together in just 25 minutes.

Find the recipe for puttanesca baked fish here. 

12. Individual malva puddings

To be transparent, the person who shared this suggestion just said “malva pudding”, but we have several recipes for this. So we went with the most popular one on our site (Hannah wasn’t joking when she said that this is the ultimate malva recipe). While the title does say “individual”, you can make one big malva pudding.

Find the recipe for individual malva puddings here.

13. Lamb curry pie 

Inspired by a great Durban lamb-and-bean curry, Abigail created this lamb curry pie and it’s become one of your favourites. The lamb curry is tweaked to make it the ideal pie filling and it’s made extra delicious with a side serving of yoghurt and Woolworths’ jalapeño atchar.

Find the recipe for lamb curry pie here.

14. Cherry tart

Another Christmas recipe makes the list. This tart definitely brings the festive vibe and it has the flavour to back it up. If you’re not a fan of cherries, or you just want to mix things up, you can use any berry to make this treat.

Find the recipe for cherry tart here.

15. Peppermint Crisp tsunami cake

This recipe was created when the tsunami cake technique went viral on social media. Abi made a version of this using Peppermint Crisp tart flavours (which already made an appearance on this list). We have to admit that the lekker flavour combined with the novelty of seeing the tsunami effect of the icing running down over the cake is a fire combo.

Find the recipe for Peppermint Crisp tsunami cake here. 

16.  Traditional home-made hot cross buns

There are a few buzzwords that we know get you excited to try a recipe. “Traditional” and “home-made” are two super ones. So we totally get why this recipe for traditional home-made hot cross buns is one of your faves. Plus, everyone who loves baking should make these at least once in their lives!

Find the recipe for  hot cross buns here.

17. Carrot cake

Carrot cake needs cream cheese icing. At least that’s our humble opinion. You may agree as you selected carrot cake with cream cheese-and-lemon icing as one of your favourites.

Find the recipe for -carrot cake here. 

18. 4-ingredient chocolate mousse

As the name indicates, you need just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make Abi’s chocolate mousse – though it’ll take a little longer to set. Yet, it’s still one of those desserts that will definitely impress!

Find the recipe for 4-ingredient chocolate mousse here. 

19. Lamb ragù pasta

This recipe was on our August 2020 cover, plus Abi made it on Expresso. With its immaculate styling and live TV demo, it’s no wonder this recipe stuck in your mind and became one of your favourites. It’s rich, it’s unctuous – a real spoil of a meal.

Find the recipe for lamb ragù pasta here. 

20. Home-made Cape Malay-style pickled fish

Every year during Easter this recipe shoots to the top of our most searched list. It’s derived from an old Cape recipe, with a few additions and subtractions and has earned its spot in the TASTE recipe hall of fame. If it’s your first time making pickled fish, this is the one to try.

Find the recipe for pickled fish here. 

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As you can imagine, the algorithm constantly feeds me food content. Well, food and anime (BTW anime food content is top notch!). I was fine at first, but when “FoodTok” exploded in SA, I couldn’t help but be influenced. The 20% of hipster in me is appalled. For those blissfully unaware, FoodTok is the name given to food content shared on TikTok and subsequently Instagram, Facebook, etc. It’s a weird and wonderful space where home cooks, celebrities, professionals, and almost anyone, shares recipes, hacks, tips, fails and more. It’s simultaneously inspiring and overwhelming.

ALSO READ: The nostalgic, but slightly terrifying, task of setting up my first spice cupboard

 

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How it started

I joined TASTE during the pandemic. In my first year, I didn’t meet my team members or try any of the food we shot. But I still had to write about the recipes. My manager suggested I cook them to get a better sense of the brand, but it took a while for me to try. A lot of the recipes are for four to six people and I was a in household of two. I was also trying to wrap my head around the new job and Covid (2020 feels like a collective fever dream, doesn’t it?). When we started making reels, I finally made some TASTE dishes. There’s just something about the short video format that makes recipes seem more achievable. I think it’s a combination of food porn and short videos. I know it doesn’t take one minute to make the recipe, but seeing it made in that time makes it look easier, which persuaded me to try them.

 

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FOLLOW US! @wwtaste on Instagram and TikTok.

I’ve made Khanya’s 3-cheese roast potatoes and broccoli, cheese and potato croquettes (because, cheese). Hannah’s balsamic pork sausages are on constant rotation in my house (which is now a household of one, but I still devour these). My most recent TASTE obsession is Abigail’s three-ingredient mussel pasta. My version has five ingredients – I couldn’t resist adding garlic and bacon. The funny thing is I am involved in this content creation. I pitched the 3-cheese roast potatoes and balsamic pork sausages to be made into reels. I edited the three-ingredient mussel pasta. I knew it would be compelling, and I fell for it anyway!

@wwtaste This pasta is the perfect dish to make before loadshedding hits! Find the recipe on taste.co.za #foodtiktok #3ingredientsrecipes #pastatiktok ♬ original sound – WWTaste

Under the influence

My FoodTok game ramped up after getting an air-fryer. I’m not really impressed by the appliance (read all about that here) and I struggled to use it well in the beginning. So I turned to social media. It’s full of easy recipes with precise air-frying settings. My confidence was boosted after this. I believe I can make almost any recipe I see on social media. I have a list with 52 recipes (and counting) that I saved and I’ve made around 10% of them. These include the viral Big Mac tacos (average), tiramisu overnight oats (obsessed), rice paper tacos (crispy and fun),  and cheesy potato pancakes (so good!).

@wwtaste Digital editor Annzra tried these cheesy potatoes at home! Recipe: TASTE TESTS: Cheesy potato pancakes Makes approx. 7 2 medium potatoes or 3 small potatoes 45 g cornflour salt, to taste 100 g mozzarella oil, for frying 1 Boil and mash the potatoes. Add the cornflour and salt and mix to form a dough. 2 Roll roughly 1/4 cup dough into a ball and flatten. Place some cheese in the centre and encase with dough. Flatten and shape with your hands. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese. 3 Shallow-fry for 5 minutes on each side over a medium-low heat until golden. #potatotiktok #potato #recipe #cheese ♬ 美食 好吃 开心 – 背景音乐小助手

Some recipes have changed my life. I make Korean veggie pancakes all the time. They’re so easy and a great way to use up veg. Chocolate-covered nut-stuffed dates are always in my house. Frozen lemon turmeric ginger shots are now part of my daily routine. I don’t just recreate recipes. If creamy, spicy or cheesy dishes fill my feed, I will make that type of dish within the week. I pack epic lunchboxes because the IG moms do this for their partners and kids (I have neither). I drink a lot of iced coffee and bubble tea, despite how costly they are. I’ve even baked a snacking cake, and baking is my least favourite thing to do in a kitchen. Seriously, I’d rather wash dishes than bake, but social media is just too powerful!

ALSO READ: How my quest to make the perfect masala chai reconnected me to my heritage

FoodTok forever

I may be addicted to FoodTok, but I can’t escape it. As I said, it’s part of my job. And while I may be spending more money on food than necessary (damn you dates, dark chocolate and iced coffee), I have no regrets. FoodTok made me braver in the kitchen. I’ve experienced new flavours. It’s easier to decide what to make for dinner. I’ve learnt hacks that I will always use. I’ve made recipes from outside my culture and country. I share my creations with those around me. I feel inspired and proud. And the best part is, there is no food envy. I see it, I like it, I make it. It’s awesome!

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@wwtaste These are 5 of the best street foods on offer in Port Louis, Mauritius. Travel vicariously with online ed Annzra Denita as she tastes her way through a street food tour with Taste Buddies. #mauritius #streetfood #foodtok ♬ original sound – WWTaste

1. Dholl puri

According to our guides, dholl puri is the favourite street food among Mauritians. Judging from the long line of locals outside Ramsahye Maraz Palace, we believe them. Dholl is the Mauritian way of saying dhal, and this version is very similar to the South African Indian yellow dhal. Puri is a type of flatbread the dholl is served in and it’s delicious. We also got to have farathas at Ramsahye Maraz Palace, which are essentially roti rolls filled with vegetarian curry. What’s interesting is the curry had tamarind in it. While tamarind is used in some South African Indian cooking (most notably fish curry and rassum), in Mauritius it’s used in all curries. The faratha was also amazing.  This is a must-try when in Port Louis, especially if you love spicy food. P.S. You can choose your spice level when ordering.

2. Sesame balls

With a large Chinese Mauritian population, there are lots of Chinese dishes to sample on the island. In China Town, we headed to Mister CHU, which sells Asian products and artisanal Chinese cakes. Mister CHU has been in Mauritius since 1942 and the sesame balls they sell are a great reflection of the multicultural island. While sesame balls are traditionally filled with red bean paste, these were filled with pineapple and nuts! They were the perfect fusion of Chinese and island flavours: chewy, fruity balls of delight.

ALSO READ: What it’s like being on a press trip in a luxury hotel in Mauritius

3. Dumplings

Another example of Chinese Mauritian fusion is the dumplings at B Don B Snack. A massive pot of steamed dumplings with various fillings is on hand to serve people as they order. We sampled five different dumplings, a.k.a at boulettes, as they are known on the island. The dumplings are served in a delicious clear broth, and the fillings include chicken, cheese and chayote (or chu-chu as we say in SA). Chayote is common in Mauritius and works perfectly in these dumplings.

4. Fresh pineapple

Is it even an island trip if you don’t have tropical fruit? Our tour mostly took us through the city and away from tourist hot spots, but they couldn’t leave out the bustling Central Market. We went to the fresh produce side of the market where we got to sample beautifully cut pineapple. With so many parallels between food you find in Durban and Mauritian food, we couldn’t help but ask whether they also have masala pineapples. They didn’t, but they did have chilli salt to add to your pineapple. The salty, sweet, spicy combo was out of this world!

ALSO READ: The bite-sized Indian street food you’re going to want to try ASAP

5. Sugar cane juice

After three hours of walking, ice-cold sugar cane juice was the perfect way to cool down. Also located in the Central Market, Coco Cabbanna extracts the juice from the sugar cane on the spot so you get the freshest juice possible. Sugar cane is the most cultivated plant in Mauritius, so this is probably the most Mauritian beverage to drink (well, this and local rum!). Since the juice is very sweet, it’s mixed with other fruit juices and served with lots of ice. Our juice included citrus and guava.

Disclaimer: This experience was courtesy of La Paulée wine event hosted by the Constance Hotel group. The event encompassed six days of fine wine and dining, and this street food tour of the island’s capital city, Port Louis, was included in the experience. 

Curious about La Paulée? Read 6 interesting facts about wine for your next dinner party

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What is Food Dialogues 2023?

Before we get into the dinner, let’s give it some context. The Polycrisis Pantry event kicked off Food Dialogues 2023. Organised by the SA Urban Food & Farming Trust, Food Dialogues aims to discuss local and global food systems and the challenges they face. It brings together a wide range of speakers involved in shaping the food system. Food growers, academics, activists, writers, nutritionists, policymakers and food lovers interested in sustainability get to come together and share their knowledge. This year the event is happening from 4–18 July at various venues in Cape Town.

Polycrisis Pantry was hosted by food justice worker Zayaan Khan with local chef Maria van Zyl and farmer-artist Maya Marshak at Maker’s Landing at the V&A Waterfront. The aim of the dinner was to “explore several interrelated and compounding crises through satire and an artistic lens on the plate”. I had no idea how this would play out and was completely unprepared!

Feeling the discomfort

I had not realised it before, but I rarely go into a food situation without knowing what I’ll be eating. At events, you’re usually asked for your dietary preferences and given information about the type of food that will be served. Even if I go to a restaurant, I look up the menu, read reviews and by the time I arrive, I already know what I’m going to eat. For Polycrisis Pantry, there was virtually no information given about the food at all. We weren’t asked about our dietary preferences. We had no idea what to expect.

The evening started with tea made from different herbs. Large sprigs of herbs were placed in jugs of warm water to steep. We helped ourselves to the various teas on offer, enjoying the unique flavours. It was only when we sat down and read the menu, that we realised that the tea represented the exploitation of our land’s rich diversity and how indigenous knowledge is stolen and gatekept by foreign pharmaceutical companies. Zayaan Khan told us that they wanted us to confront our feelings as we sat through the dinner and learned about the uglier side of food. While these truths were not shoved down our throats, they were ever present in the carefully chosen words on the menu and the way the food was presented. We even got a note reminding us that the very place we sat was the site of forced removals of communities during apartheid, so urban development could happen. Heavy!

Confrontation

It’s one thing to read about the crisis surrounding the food you’re eating. It’s completely different seeing it physically represented. The first course was “oysters à la microplastique”. The description read: “Fresh oysters served simply to allow the inorganic profile of the microplastics to shine”. We were presented with unseasoned oysters topped with tiny colourful beads. We didn’t know whether they were plastic or not. When we asked, no one said anything. For a while, we just looked at the oysters, unsure whether we could eat the “plastic”. Finally, one brave diner bit the bullet and ate one. It was her first time eating oysters and she didn’t like them. But she did let us know that the “plastic” was a sweet. Side note, I have never had sugary oysters before – they weren’t bad!

The courses continued in a similar way. From pollution and agrichemicals to consumerism and racism, we confronted various issues while eating delicious food. Oil spill and “smoke” in sea broth. Out-of-season vegetables served with a “supplement” (capsule with seasoning) for nutrients. Fermented preserves that are more alive and diverse in their death than when they were alive. This is the food we ate throughout the night. I did feel some guilt, but also really enjoyed the food. It was a strange, conflicting range of emotions. Since dietary requirements were not catered for, some people skipped courses. They also skipped courses because they were too nervous to eat some of the dishes and that also added to the discomfort but sparked conversations. In case you’re wondering, I ate everything.

Ending on a sweet note

After all the learnings, reflections and discomfort, the evening ended in celebration. To celebrate people who spend their birthdays alone during lockdown, we had a make-up party. The organisers brought their mothers’ tablecloths to make the space feel homey. We all dressed the tables together and were given our own little banana bread birthday cake. We lit the candles, sang happy birthday to everyone and enjoyed the cake with some home-made pineapple “beer”. It was a sentimental end to a strange evening and an experience I will never forget.

If you want to experience the Polycrisis Pantry, it’s being held again on 15 July at Maker’s Landing at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Book your tickets here. Food Dialogues is hosting various talks, events and experiences in Cape Town until 18 July. Learn more at fooddialogues.info.

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Yes, we know that we said we went to La Paulée in Mauritius, but this was inspired by the original event that happens in France. According to lapaulee.com, the tradition started in the Middle Ages, when Cistercian monks invited their vineyard labourers to a celebration at the end of harvest. This tradition was revived in 1923 by Jules Lafon, one of Burgundy’s most respected wine growers at the time. In 1932 it became an official annual event and has evolved to include anyone who is interested in wine, not just winemakers and labourers. The celebration takes place over a few days and ends in a gala event where wine and food take centre stage.

La Paulée in Mauritius is hosted by the Constance Hotel group and involves a week of wine classes, wine-pairing dinners with winemakers, an in-house sommelier competition and a grand gala night complete with wine auctions.

ALSO READ: What it’s like being on a press trip in a luxury hotel in Mauritius

2. In Burgundy, winemakers taste red wines before white wines

It’s common practice around the world to start your wine tastings with white wines, but apparently, that is not always the case in Burgundy. According to Aurore Devillard, the fifth-generation owner of  Domaines Devillard, in Burgundy, the winemakers start tastings with red wines. This is because red wines tend to be more complex than white wines, so they prefer having a fresh palate when tasting so they can discern all the notes and flavours better. The white wines refresh the palate after tasting the reds.

But before you mix things up too much at your home tasting, it’s recommended that you start a tasting with white wine. As a general rule: white wines before red wines, young wines before old wines, and light wines before full-bodied wines.

3. More South African wines are being introduced to European restaurants

We know that South Africa has world-class wines, but that may not be the sentiment in Europe. This is because there is a lot of cheaper, mass-produced SA wine exported to Europe and placed in their supermarkets. This has affected the perception of our wine, but that is slowly changing. Donovan Rall, owner and winemaker at Rall Wines, says that people in Europe are being introduced to high-quality SA wine through restaurants. Restaurants that pride themselves on having diverse wine collections are including more of our wines and, because the standard is high, only the best of the best make the cut. According to Donovan, this exposure is opening people’s eyes to South African wine and helping smaller winemakers like himself break into that market.

ALSO READ: How to read wine labels

4. Sommeliers are more observant than you think

We all know that a sommelier’s main objective is to sell wine. Yes, they are equipped with a lot of knowledge of different wines and spirits and what will work best with your meal, and they happily share it with you. But this is all in the hopes that you’ll buy a bottle (or more). As we learnt during the sommelier competition at La Paulée, estimating what a customer is willing to spend is a big part of the job. Recommendations are based on the flavour profiles of the food, but sommeliers also look at your clothes, accessories, and how you present yourself all in a bid to estimate your wealth. Sometimes they will know the background of the guest they are serving. This is because they need to strike a delicate balance between recommending a good wine and something that fits the guest’s price range. Go too high and a guest won’t buy a bottle, go too low and the guest may be insulted.

5. Serine: the wine varietal you never heard of

Serine is a grape varietal that is found in northern Rhône in the Côte-Rôtie appellation in southern France. It was brought to our attention at La Paulée by winemaker Pierre Jean Villa, who makes wine in that region. Serine is a red varietal closely associated with Syrah. There is debate whether it’s a clone of Syrah, another name for it or if it’s a varietal on its own. But according to Pierre Jean, it’s a rare varietal that is used in the Syrahs of the Rhône Valley. Serine almost went extinct, but the Côte-Rôtie appellation association has worked hard to conserve and grow the varietal so it does not die out. Pierre Jean adds that it’s a tricky varietal to work with, so it’s rare to get a 100% Serine red wine, but some winemakers do make them.

6.  More French winemakers are producing wine in South Africa

One of La Paulée’s featured winemakers was Julien Schaal, a French winemaker who produces wine in Alsace, France and the Cape Winelands, predominantly in Elgin. Despite being French, he and his wife Sophie both fell in love with South Africa while working here. Julien says he knows of at least 12 French winemakers who are also producing wine in South Africa and that this number is likely to grow. According to him, the biggest attraction South Africa has is the cost. It is much cheaper to make wine here, plus the harvest season is opposite to that in France making it possible to produce in both countries. Another attractive factor is our soil. Julien says that South Africa may not have a lot of varied soil like in France, but it’s distinct. This is because the continent is old and this contributes towards making interesting wines.

ALSO READ: Which wine glass to use when

If you’re interested in the next La Paulée, hosted by Constance Hotels & Resorts, keep an eye on their website for information on next year’s event.

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Covering La Paulée in Mauritius was one of these assignments. La Paulée is a French festival in Burgundy that celebrates the completion of the harvest. Drawing inspiration from this, Constance Hotels & Resorts hosts its own version in which they invite winemakers and experts from around the world to share their knowledge with hotel staff. They also host exclusive pairing dinners with the winemakers that hotel guests can attend. Essentially, I spent six days in paradise, drinking wine (winning), but it was not all palm trees and vino. Here is my unfiltered experience of the trip.

@wwtaste When your job involves attending a literal wine festival in Mauritius! Constance Hotels & Resorts hosted their annual La Paulée in Mauritius and it was an incredible week of world class wine and great food. Read more about it on taste.co.za #wine #holiday #mauritius ♬ original sound – WWTaste

When the hotel room is bigger than your apartment

I wish I was joking – but it’s true and I enjoyed every bit of that room. After a five-hour flight that was delayed by an hour, I arrived in Mauritius in the early morning. The only South African winemaker in the programme, Donovan Rall of Rall Wines, arrived at the same time and brought his family along (including two daughters under 6 years old). We packed into the air-conditioned (thank goodness) transport, and after the kids settled down, began the one-hour drive to the hotel. To say I was exhausted is an understatement. I was certain I’d be too tired to fully appreciate arriving at the hotel – but boy was I wrong.

We stayed at the Constance Prince Maurice, a five-star hotel that is the epitome of island luxury. It’s as pretty as a postcard and you can’t help but be in awe of the views. My room had a massive bathroom, a king-sized bed, a day bed and a little terrace overlooking the private beach. I intended to nap for two hours and then explore the hotel, but I passed out for six! Not only was the room grand, it was comfortable and proved to be my safe space, but more on that later.

Winemakers and sommeliers are built differently

I’ve covered wine events before, but they’re usually an afternoon in the Cape Winelands, not a week in Mauritius. This was a whole new level. I’m not exaggerating when I say we drank wine constantly. It occasionally felt like I was on a wine Contiki tour – albeit somewhat classier! There were five wine-pairing dinners plus a gala night hosted at various restaurants at the Constance hotels. As this is a French-inspired event, every dinner began with an aperitif. The wine glasses were never empty and this continued for around two hours. We sat down for a four-course pairing dinner around 8:30 pm with even more wine. The dinners often ended around 11:30 pm, and then the sommeliers would bring out more wine for blind tastings. The journalists were often the first to tap out, but the winemakers and sommeliers carried on long after we left. Even on our one night off, the winemakers chose to drink wine, while I opted for beer to take a break (it was piña colada flavoured and perfect).

At 8:30 am we’d get a shuttle to the Constance Belle Mare Plage hotel, where we would go for sommelier training at the Blue Penny Cellar. We did tastings and learnt about the featured speaker’s businesses. I was a fool for not spitting more in these tastings. All the sommeliers would arrive fresh and eager to learn. The winemakers were energetic and enthusiastic. And there I was, oscillating between hungover and tipsy each day. I swear they’ve built up an immunity to wine as they drink it so often.

Just a note, the Constance sommelier team has curated an impressive collection of wine that will rival any restaurant in Europe (I know this because the Europeans told me). I got to sample some remarkable wines, including a  €400 and a €600 bottle of wine during the blind tastings. I wish I could tell you the names of the wines, but I was pretty buzzed at that point and my note-taking went out the window (don’t tell my boss ).

Pardon my (lack of) French

I’m just going to say it. I’m South African Indian. This means I pass for Mauritian. I also don’t speak or understand French. But French is widely spoken in Mauritius and the La Paulée was attended by mostly Europeans. This meant French was constantly thrown at me. From the airport to the hotel, everyone assumed I was Mauritian and addressed me in French. All I could do was look at them sheepishly and reply in English. The training sessions were also conducted in French, but I was kindly given English notes by the winemakers.

Sommelier tests are way more interesting than you think

The passion that the head sommelier, Jerome Faure, has for uplifting sommeliers in the Constance group (and in Mauritius) is incredible. He helps them study in France, brings them to South Africa and other winemaking countries and enters them in competitions. The La Paulée hosted an internal competition in which four sommeliers went head to head. I didn’t think I’d be invested in this, but gosh, it was like watching the Olympics. The sommeliers had to identify the domain of 20 wines from just the bottles in 5 seconds. They had to pair wine with cheese and explain their choices. They had to identify 10 spirits. They had a mock table to serve where they had to correctly carafe wine, serve it and present wine recommendations based on a menu. All these tests were timed. It was riveting.

One sommelier mistook the pieces of cheese as different cheeses when there was only one kind served. Another forgot to do a taste test before pouring wine into the carafe. Only one sommelier served water to the guests at the mock table – all the details caught my eye and I found myself getting increasingly nervous for the participants. Varsha Halkhory, sommelier at Constance Belle Mare Plage, took the title of Best Sommelier of La Paulée 2023, and it was so sweet to see her hard work pay off.

Social anxiety is real – but being in Mauritius helps

The thing about press trips is that they are full-on. The hosts want you to experience as much as possible. The plus side is you get to take full advantage of their offerings. The downside is that it can be super draining. I am an introvert, so I have to mentally prepare for social interactions. With events every morning and evening, I did feel somewhat anxious. Luckily, the group I was with was really lovely.

In my free time, I camped out in the epic hotel room, doing work. I know this sounds lame. I was literally in paradise, why did I not unwind on the beach? I find doing familiar tasks helps centre myself, and the only constant while on the trip was working (I may also be a workaholic). Honestly sitting on the patio, listening to the birds chirp, and looking at the little private beach was so awesome. In this setting, it didn’t feel like I was working at all. I would love to go back to Constance Prince Maurice and experience it at my own pace.

Photographs: Constance Hotels & Resorts, Marcus Johst, Annzra Denita

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Of all the testimonials praising air-fryers, there was only one that swayed me. I saw a reel demonstrating how air-fryers use much less energy than ovens. In this economy, with the constant electricity tariff hikes (I’m looking at you 18% hike coming in April 2023), this video cracked my anti-air fryer resolve. I’d just moved into my own place (paying bills solo is no joke), and finally had the counter space to accommodate one. It made financial sense, so I caved. I waited for Black Friday because there was no way I was going to pay full price for an appliance I technically hated. I bit my tongue when people made fun of me for caving and told me how much better my life would be. I was going to be the judge of that.

ALSO READ: The nostalgic, but slightly terrifying, task of setting up my first spice cupboard

The first time

To be clear, I’m not anti-air fryer because I hadn’t seen what it can do. My parents have been team air-fryer since 2017. Colleagues who own one gush about it. I see amazing air-fryer recipes on social media all the time (which I successfully recreated in my oven). I just can’t get over how people talk about this appliance as if it were a miracle. So I had high expectations and slight hope that I would be proved wrong. I’d invested in one now – I didn’t want my purchase to be a waste.

The first thing I made was a butternut-and-chickpea salad. It’s one of my go-to recipes because it’s easy, delicious and quick to make. Not with the air-fryer though… I spent about an hour looking up the optimal times to air-fry butternut, chickpeas and bacon. I read blogs, and appliance websites and finally found a guide outlining cooking times for various ingredients for my specific model. This was tedious. Especially since the recommendations were off and I ended up with unevenly roasted butternut (yes, my butternut was cut to roughly the same size and was a single layer on the tray). This ruined my normally awesome salad and I was upset.

It took way longer to make than usual because I had to roast all the ingredients separately. SO annoying. Before you come for me, I know I could have made the dish in the oven where I roast everything once, but I was on a mission to test my air-fryer properly.

ALSO READ: Yes, I love my air-fryer (and I’m not afraid to admit it!)

I also hated how loud it was. This probably won’t bother you if you live in a big house where you can escape the noise (and heat), but I live in a tiny apartment. There’s also more clean up needed, compared to an oven.

All this made for a disappointing first experience. I don’t want to conduct research worthy of a thesis before doing something as simple as roasting vegetables. And I don’t have the patience for the trial-and-error approach, because I have to eat all of the errors.

Air-fryer successes and fails

After my first experience, I avoided making things without explicit air-fryer instructions. Thank goodness Woolies has those on many of their products – I don’t know how people managed before. Social media recipes were my best bet. There are hundreds of interesting recipes done in the air-fryer with exact instructions and visual references.

NEED AIR FRYER RECIPES? Check out our recipe guide.

The first social media recipe I tried was chicken breasts, stuffed with red pesto, mozzarella and salami. Initially, I thought the chicken was dry, because of that characteristic air-fryer crisp. But inside it was actually succulent and delicious. I have also successfully made sausages, meatballs and ribs – but they take roughly the same time as they would in the oven (which is much quieter, btw).

All these successes gave me a false sense of confidence. This resulted in the worst eggs I’ve ever made in my life. I had leftover tomato chutney and decided to make a cheat’s shakshuka in the air-fryer. At this point, I had seen many videos of people doing eggs in the air-fryer, and I did the dreaded research on cooking times. But I got half crispy, half raw eggs. I had to finish the dish in the microwave to avoid getting salmonella and, let me tell you, twice-cooked eggs are not a vibe.

ALSO READ: How making tomato chutney for a year taught me to cook

Yes, air-fryer baking is possible. It’s just not for me

Determined to test the air-fryer fully I had to bake something in it, despite not being a baker. I consulted my team and we agreed I’d try Louisa Holst’s air-fryer milk tart. We were fascinated by the idea of making this South African classic in the air-fryer. I should have known this was too higher grade for me. I’d never made milk tart before.

The pastry shrank. I put the filling into the crust too soon, making it doughy. I didn’t wait long enough for the filling to set. The milk tart was not inedible (the filling was actually really tasty), but it was an utter failure, and I can’t blame the air-fryer for this. I’m sure more experienced people will have better results. The jam turnovers I made with the excess pastry were good though, so it wasn’t a total loss.

I will say that baking in the air-fryer made me feel like a child playing with an Easy Bake Oven, and I’m not sure whether I love or hate that feeling… But that’s something I’ll dissect in therapy.

ALSO READ: How my quest to make the perfect masala chai reconnected me to my heritage

The grand finale

I ended off with a bang. I made Abigail Donnelly’s air-fryer roast chicken with all the trimmings. It was amazing! The chicken was crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. The crispy onions were a game-changer. I will make it often to add to salads, eggs (done on the stove), sandwiches… the possibilities are endless. The cauliflower was perfectly cooked, which was a relief because I had not made veggies in the air-fryer since the butternut incident. While I was super-happy with how this meal turned out, I was impressed by Abi and her incredible recipe – not the air-fryer.

Find the recipe for Abi’s air-fryer roast chicken here. 

Final thoughts on the air-fryer

I’ll admit that I had a distinct bias against air-fryers going into this. But I also took the time to thoroughly use all its features and make multiple things over months before coming to a conclusion. I am a journalist, these things must be done properly. After air-frying, roasting, reheating and baking, I can say this with absolute certainty, I was right. Air-fryers are just countertop ovens.

They may be (slightly) faster than ovens, but they are smaller and cook less food, so that’s expected. I will admit that reheating things like chips and fried chicken is great, much better than the microwave. But I barely make these things and I never have leftover takeaways (don’t judge me). My life is not better because of an air-fryer. In fact, it’s noisier. The appliance really is so loud. I don’t regret getting it, because it‘s better for me economically. But I will not spread the gospel of the air-fryer. It’s not a miracle. It’s just an appliance.

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