What is so hot right now in Bouf's world?

Creamy vanilla white chocolate indulgence

Vanilla is my flavour of the month, organic peanut butter is so 2008, and vanilla is the new thrilla! I use vanilla seeds straight from the pod in my bakes, desserts and hot chocolates lately! But Lindt's Madagascan Vanilla White Chocolate has become my ultimate indulgence and on their website it is paired with a Pinot Noir, well then, nuf said...I love it and I already had two blocks today. Bad bad Bouffie! Easter bunnies is at the top of my list this past weekend - people say that chocolate lovers goes for the bunny's ears first but I like the little tail :)

Poor little chocolate Easter bunnies

Our new Weber, is so hot! In that I spend time with my Sweetheart outside, him grilling those sweet meats, us sharing a wine, a chat, next to a warm and cosy fire it is the best and must for autumn. I did not think I would be a girl who would be voting for the Weber, but it is really great and hey I stay in Sasolburg. What were you expecting?

A bird on the grill

I think it really necessary to take the time to focus on self improvement, reflection, gaining a winning mindset, working on your mind chemistry, re-focus on your goals, and reminding yourself to walk the straight and narrow like Jon M. Huntsman no matter how difficult or hard it might be. It is simply about doing the right thing and we all know what that is, even though we ignore it or side step the responsibility. It is about re-energizing, finding inspiration and directing all one's creativity, intelligence, and desire into an organized effort to achieve your own success. Thank you Mr Hill and thank you Mr Huntsman!  So hot right now reads, get it.

Winners never cheat - Jon M Huntsman

The Law of Success - Napoleon Hill

To be bedazzled and entertained is hot on my list, as I felt like a child going to the circus for the first time...this past weekend my Sweetheart got us tickets to watch Cirque du Soleil in Jozi, with the theme comprising of two of my favourite beasts - a dragon and a lion called Dralion! The performances were breath-taking, amazing, humanly impossible (well for me), beautiful, it was an over-stimulation of the visual, sound and magic! It was a once in a life time experience and a must if you have not seen them perform.

Cirque du Soleil's Dralion

Tigers and wolves prints on shirt is a must have. I am still looking for the right tee and I shall find it... I must say, I am enjoying this new enchanted forest theme with these printed tees that take you on a journey into the Wildnerness. On that journey through that Wilderness, I will be taking a pair of ankle boots with me in burgundy for the winter season. Black and gold is still rocking my world and my new black little cinched waist low back lace dress with the gold zip, is the BIZ-NIZZ. I wore it to Cirque du Soleil, my Sweetheart was liking it very much so I will invest in another soon ... Oh and pinnafores dresses and sheath dresses are all over, with houndstooth and fairisle the print of the day. I shall have them at once! Along with flannel jammies that I will get for winter in animale!

Wolf print shirt (btw mustard also hot colour)

My lace LBD

Bouf's pick of game for this week is Starcraft that the Sweetheart has been playing, you have got to love the characters and their sayings. The whole Protoss and Zerg alien thing with the Queen of Blades still confuses me, but you gotta love Swann and Jimmy and Tychus. My best quote: "In the rear with the gear". What does that mean?!
But a game must have that I cannot wait to get is Bio Shock Infinite, I loved all the Bio Shock games and sooo looking forward to this one!


So that is what is hot right know in my corner of the world here in the Sasolburg,
Till next time ...

Bouf
xx

Anna's Kitchen - a little gem of the Triangle

Entrance to Anna's Kitchen

So, like I promised I would share the events of our celebratory evening... We went to nicest restaurant so far in the Triangle called Anna's Kitchen situated in Three Rivers. 

Our bottle of  wine went down very well with some venison, Springbok carpaccio, a trio of salmon and chocolate torte. 

What was really cute was the little pot breads they bring to the table in the beginning of the evening, It is actually served in little pot plants (clean off course :) along with sun dried tomato pesto.

It is really a great little gem here in the Vaal, value for money and good quality! Wine list not great though and not so sharp on service but the food is good, you won't be disappointed. 

They also serve breakfast and lunch and have a beautiful area outside where you can sit under the trees.

Next time you are in Vereeniging or Three Rivers area and you are hungry, go to Anna's Kitchen - it's really worth it!

Till next time,

Bouf

xx

Celebration time!!!

Neighbours ... all you need is a good neighbour ... with a little understanding ... not batshizzzz cra-cra neighbours from a different down under, as in an underworld! Like a Zerg investation ... Starcraft in 3D type realm. YOu just want to shout: "Die die die" ..."In the rear with the gear". Wait, what? No!
A person can tolerate a naked neighbour, a nosy neighbour, but Vaal Park neighbours is a different kind of inbred, I mean breed... 

I was going to write to you about my sad sad story of crazy-ass, nasty-ass and just down right strange neighbours here in Sasolburg. Those mofo's who move furniture around and re-decorate at 12pm at night and wee hours of the morning. The ones that scream, beat each other up and drink outside their homes beside their cars listening to their Boom '98 CD in the pimped out VW 1990's Golfs. But screw that! Honey Badger Bouf don't care...

My baby just got news that his PhD has been accepted with minor changes!!! Months of waiting, uncertainty, anticipation and anxiety is over...the bad days are over. Just good and bright days await us! So proud of him!!! Well done!!

I have dressed up, slapped on some make up and got him a little sweet choc bunny :)

Celebratory Chocolate Bunny!

Tonight we celebrate like there is no tomorrow. Finally opening our bottle Hamilton Russel Pinot Noir that we have been saving for this moment for almost a year now, but the moment has arrived. I don't have a plan for tonight, was gonna bake croissants but screw that tooo, tooo excited.

The HR Pinot Noir we shall be smashing tonight!

I will let you know what we made or did!

Yay!

Bouf
xxx

PS Don't make eye contact with the cra-cra neighbours...just don't and stay safe :)

Bouf's culinary rendezvous ... Le Cape Town ala Vaal

Le Cape Town (View of Lion's Head from Table Mountain)

I really did not know much about anything regarding food prior to moving to Cape Town. I just knew about my momma's food, average at best restaurants (I did not eat whole fish as seafood was a disappointing disgrace) and a lot of dodge fast food places. My palate was used to everything being fried in butter, deep fried, heavily spiced, a lot of garlic & parsley, way too salty and served in large quantities - not to mention I looked like a little Heffalump (cute but helluva chubbo's as in the elephant in the room that could not be ignored).

Love cocktails and sushi at Beluga

There are so many places in C Town that specialise in making just one thing really good like cheese or bread or coffee or wine (there's too many to mention) and they do, do it really well with such a passion that this inspires you. So, after exploring many restaurants with my Sweetheart, reading my first issue of Taste Magazine (by Woolworths) and watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations - I discovered a whole new world that grabbed my culinary curiousness and allowed me to be creative in another avenue of my life not only fashion...I learnt about risotto, pastries, how cheeses are made, what makes a good steak awesome, what fish really should taste like (and sourced sustainably). I had come to appreciate well prepared food (thoughtfully prepared through use of correct cooking methods), fresh ingredients, seasonal produce, dishes from different cultures and became conscious about what I eat where and that these are from sustainable sources.

Ice Cream at St George's Mall Market 

I then started my own experimentations and began to write about my culinary adventures on my blog called Bouffilicious at Food24: http://blogs.food24.com/supernbe/.

The view from my morning hikes on Lion's Head

Now, looking back it was a great experience and we were very, very fortunate to have spent 5 years in C Town. With all that said, I have learnt how to make things at home, always seeking to make it as authentic and best as I can with the ingredients at hand (as if you were to have it at a restaurant). This is a necessity, as we have very limited options of dining out in Sasolburg and try to avoid being disappointed. It is sometimes just a waste of money and often it is just better to stay home, make it yourself. I even started my own herb garden on my windowsill in the kitchen. I've even found a butcher ( that's well big on steak and nothing much else but they won 7 cleaver awards - whatever that means). Another town close to us is Meyerton and there's a company called Nature's Choice that specialise in alternative/health foods. So I can buy straight from their factory shop at cheaper prices. Which means Bouf has everything that she needs here to be baking and cooking up a storm.

My Kitchen herbs

A whole windowsill full of herbs

Johannesburg is also about an hour away, and we go on little rendezvous regularly to discover new places/ideas. But I do miss the Town ...

My first ever bolognaise I ate at The Cousin's

Here is list of Bouf's favourite places in Cape Town that are missed :(
Honest Chocolate (for best Hot Chocolate at R15, what a baargain! Love their choc spread also)
EspressoLab (Best coffee EVER served by Jeremy, he has been our Barista for 5 years...)
Southern Cross (Best priced and tasty fish&chips with a fresh seafood shop)
Hudsons-The burger joint (Best burgers, love the one with jalapeño poppers on it!)
Hiking up Lion's Head - having sundowners, snacks while watching the sun set over the sea
Vida at Camps Bay (Involving a ride on on our scooter to the beach for a croissant and caffe mocha)
Gogo's butchery (I miss fresh duck! And a friendly butcher)
Cassis (Best damn patisserie ever - Je mange du pain, donc je suis)
Jaqui Daya's (They closed down but had they served the best omelette and chocolate ganache cake)
Ice cream at Thursday St George Mall market (With real vanilla seeds!)
Real Italian pasta at The Cousins Trattoria
The Aquarium (On a rainy winter's day. The Kelp tank is my favourite, I can stand there for hours and just stare)
Beluga (For best half price sushi and cocktails)
Raith German butchery (Best bract worst and landjaeger)
Wine concepts (Wine shop with a huge variety)
Buzby Grill (Best T-bone and malbec wine, it is always packed)
Dynasty and Mr Chan's (For the best Chinese food - Pecking duck, lemon chicken and fried banana)
Woolworths Cafe at V&A Waterfront (They served the best cheese platters over a harbour view)
Calcacchio's (Though a franchise they make the best wood fired pizza's as well as Burusso's)
Knead in Pylmera (Love their breads and giant choc cookies)
A drive in the sun to the Winelands stopping at Meerlust or Van Ryn's
A visit to my aunt&uncle in Gordon's Bay and having way too much whiskey with my uncle
A quick cap or mocha dark at BMH
And friends (who make make magazine covers with your mugg on it :)

I am this month's issue of Glamour, according to my friend :)

Here is list of Bouf's new hangouts in the Burg :)
Nature's Choice Head Office in Meyerton (Get from almond flour to carob chunks there, shop is open on weekdays)
Woolworths Food Riverside Boulevard Vanderbijlpark (A variety of fresh produce and products)
Butcher Boys Butchery (Big on meat and have a smoke house)
Sushi @ Gary's in Vanderbijlpark (Best fresh sushi in the Vaal, no lie)
The Forest Grill (Best value sirloin with potato rosti's at R75, baargain!)
Feast in Parys (Really nice restaurant to take friends to with lots of variety. Love their frozen honey cheesecake)
Deli One in Sandton City (Giant olives, great sarmies and desserts ... nuff said!)
Salvation Cafe in Joburg (Great Burgers and juices)
Bean There in Joburg (Our coffee supplier now)

Until next time ... happy cooking, exploring and baking - where ever you may find yourself :)

Bouf
xx

Te amo Pedro!

It was love at first sight, the moment I saw Pedro Almodóvar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - I was hooked on his films. I went to my dvd store and rented as many of his films that I could and watched them back to back. Over and over, it was a Pedro-thon. I love all of Pedro’s films with his eccentric and colourful characters, funny and melodramatic stories about people but especially the beautiful music, wardrobe and décor that’s sometimes a bit kitsch but so much fun  !!

 Pedro Almodóvar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

I even have a set of Pedro Almodóvar inspired Illy espresso cups that my sweetheart got me, it’s so precious to me! The designs on the set, are inspired by his most famous films.

My Illy Pedro set of espresso cups

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (the Spanish title of the film) was the first ever film of his that I watched. In the film the lead character, Pepa, throws a handful of sleeping pills into a freshly prepared gazpacho for her ex-lover but instead many of the characters in the film unknowingly drink it and fall into a deep sleep while Pepa is caught in a world of cra cra chaos…I always wanted to make gazpacho and today I made my first jug of gazpacho! But boy it's some strong stuff right there, not just a hoot and a half but it's got a kick without a drop of alcohol in it...just sayin'.

What inspired me to make gazpacho

My most favourite film of Pedro has to be Todo Sobre mi madre. It inspired me, thinking about for days afterwards and images flashing through your mind. The music haunted me and I wanted to Huma Rojo...her strong character inspired me not to mention her red hair. The story had so much emotion, it was sad, devastating, angered, unfair, there was love and friendship between the women in the story and it was just wonderfully shot...

Todo Sobre mi madre

So here is my gazpacho inspired by Pedro and all his fabulousness:

I hope you have a favourite Pedro film...if not go watch one of these at once! Then watch some more until you have a favourite... seriously do it. Now! And you will also want to make yourself some gazpacho.

Bouf
xx

Have a pajama day every once and a while...

I think it is very necessary to have a pajama day every once and a while...I get so excited at the thought of it! I love lazy pajammie dayz!!

My favorite Hello Kitty pajammies!

Reading on the couch and spending the whole day in my slippers

Now, a pajama day consists of a "me" day, where I just stay in my favorite pair of pajamas for the entire day or at least until late afternoon. I like to lounge around, lie on the couch or in bed and just read.

Spicy oat biscuits with chocolate, yumbolicious!

Wancakes is a must!

It is like taking a mental health day. You must have lots of sweet stuff, either bake some biscuits or get ice cream or "wancakes". As a tradition popcorn is enjoyed on these days and for supper a simple soup is slapped together. And something spicy, you just gotta have it on a pajammie day!

Lazy dayz zuppa out of a packet!

It is about just taking a day off and enjoying a bit of a break to re-group and re-gear. Sundays are the best pajama days or public holidays. Sometimes you just need to re-charge and then take over the world on another day...

Here's to pajama days that rule!

Hope you enjoy one soon, you deserve it!

Bouf
xx

Bouf's fab kitchen must have's

Bouf's Bonsai Zen inspiration of awesome kitchen things

I love to cook and have come to appreciate a few of my utensils that I just cannot go a single meal without!

First and foremost, my Samsung Galaxy S2, with its shocking pink metallic hard cover - The most important piece of technology that I need in my life all of hours of the day. I do everything with my phone from taking pics, Google searching, editing pics, to messaging and then blogging on the PC.

My stainless pan with a few of my favourite things!

My giant tweezer from Kuchenprofi. I mean a giant tweezer! I never thought there are so many uses for it - Taking out toast from the toaster, frying prawns or potatoes and come to think of it I use it now to cook any type of meat. I even use it for my stir fries! All my favourite utensils work perfectly with my stainless steal pan - I love my clamps from Chef 'n (I use it for all noodle or pasta dishes), my Chopula from Dreamfarm (it's a spatula that chops stuff while they're cooking in the pan: "Oh my soul!"), my Maxwell Williams bamboo wooden spoon, and a really loooong plastic spoon in bright orange is always handy.


Other utensils I use is an espresso cup - to measure with! What can I say I just love espresso so much!

Just 1 Espresso cup measurement makes the medicine go down...

My Tupperware strainer (I have used for 7 years now), my kitchen shears and cheese slicer always a winner. I only use Victoronix knives as they last the longest for me than all other branded knives I have used before.  My bright green Anzo oven mittens keeps me hands heat safe and I use clips to clip the shizzz out of all opened packets and it comes with a magnet as well. It rocks my world!

Tupperware is still the best!

Kitchen shears, cheese slicer and Victoronix knife

Oven mittens and clip with magnet - look, the mitten has little rubber fishies!!

And to season...my salt and pepper grinder set from Peugeot brings so much of enjoyment to a dish.

Peugeot S & P grinder set

As you should know I love and appreciate the vino and cannot go without my Vacu-vin set. It sucks the air right out of your bottle to keep your wine from lasting longer (and not taste like really expensive vinegar the next day). I have still my Delheim freebie bottle opener and it still works the best for me :)

Vino utensils

I hope you have a few kitchen favourites of your own that make your cooking and baking adventures a  pleasure!

Bon appetit!

Bouf
xx