Authentic South African Braai in the Winelands - Day Trip from $84

Jaatje and her husband, Willem are easy-going hosts that love sharing stories from their culture as well as South African staples from their kitchen. Jaatje (pronounced Yaatya) grew up on a farm in the Kalahari desert and moved to the Winelands where she has lived for several years now. Jaatje is a color consultant by day who changes spaces such as offices and homes with color to improve people's well-being. At night and on weekends she and her husband love hosting guests in their Stellenbosch home and love pairing proudly South African wines with their food. Jaatje and her husband Willem love cooking and are on a quest to make cultured butter at home. Jaatje particularly enjoys the colors and textures that create delicious meals. They enjoy taking traditional Afrikaans and other African dishes that they grew up eating, into a healthy and colourful modern taste sensation – tradition re-visited but loved all the same! Their residence is a very open cottage-style home situated near a farm at the base of a mountain range. You will be greeted by Jaatje and Willem as you enter their cozy and comfortable cottage home. You will then enjoy a braai, South Africa's national obsession of barbecuing on an open wood fire. Dishes you might try include authentic springbok meat from Jaatje's family farm in the Kalahari, lamb chops, boerewors (sausage), steak and seasonal grilled vegetables on the open fire. These vegetables change according to seasons but aspatat (sweet potato) is a favorite, along with charred, baked and seeded eggplant mixed with cumin and yogurt or chakalaka. In addition, Jaatje loves serving raw vegetable salads with a blend of fresh herbs and spices, such as a carrot or beet salad dressed with her friend's homemade botanical vinegar that is made on the farm. These dishes can be paired with wine if you choose the optional alcohol add-on. You will also enjoy some traditional desserts with a twist at the end of your meal. If you'd like to try other traditional home-cooked South African dishes instead such as bobotjie (curry spiced meatloaf) or pap and wors (corn porridge and sausage), let Jaatje know ahead of time. Please note that there are two large but very friendly dogs on the farm property that roam outdoors. If you prefer that the dogs stay outdoors, let Jaatje know so the dogs can be kept out of the house. Hanneke is a great friend of the couple who might join when guests book a wine pairing with their food experience.