THE DELICIOUS TEAM HAVE THEIR IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY IN FULL SWING FOR THEIR SPECTACULAR LANDJE 46 SEASONAL LUNCHES

By DIANE DE BEER

PICTURES: Your Chapter Photography

If you haven’t been to a Landje 46 lunch magnificently presented long table placed under trees, get together a party of friends or family and go.

The chefs are Rachel Botes assisted by Lulu de Beer, and these two women are magicians in the kitchen.

Whenever I read a Rachel menu, I’m already intrigued. She has an imagination when it comes to food that gets those tastebuds jumping.

Let me tell you about the last one. Always held on a Sunday (starting at noon) Landje 46 is out Lynnwood way almost opposite Lombardis, 2 kilometres on the right hand side from the Solomon Mahlangu crossing.

This time the delicious team started with a first course of what might have read like nibbles, but there were four of them, each with a different Creation wine which was the beverage du jour

In fact, on arrival, the welcome drink was the celebratory Elation Cap Classique (MCC), a real treat.

There was a degustation of macaron with a papaya filling (trust Rachel to set the tone of the day with a splash of her favourite colour) paired with sauvignon blanc; followed by a curry meatball flavoured with Cape spice and enhanced by the Viognier; and then a Norwegian salmon fishcake with wild mushroom ragu and a pinot noir; and completed perfectly with a crusted beef fillet carpaccio and a swish of merlot.

Rachel has always been a pairing queen, and this was no different. In fact, each event is with a different winemaker which then also determines that particular meal.

Thick roasted pear soup, a fruit she favours, was the star of the second course served with a chardonnay which worked extremely well. And then followed the yummy warthog tagine with flatbread with Syrah Grenache and what I found fascinating was the gentle taste of the warthog, which should be popular with even those who aren’t adventurous carnivores.

In conclusion, she served an apple cake with a slice of brie with a Creation Blend. It was a perfect meal with a slight Malay theme going and every mouthful was delicious.

Personally, I always grab the opportunity to sample a Rachel taste explosion.

I have always liked the way she does food. She’s adventurous without being extreme and her flavours are always so intriguing.

One of the joys of her cooking is that you’re constantly learning, which is something that I have always cherished when it comes to food. Macaron with papaya filling? Really? Not only pretty, but once you taste, also delicate and delightful. And then to serve it as part of the starter course? Genius!

Here are the details of the next event, this coming Sunday. You won’t be sorry:

Tables

Marliese van der Linde whose brainchild the glorious Landje 46 events are, with a niece and a few gentle family friends.

Every first Sunday of the month

SEASONAL MENU designed by Rachel Botes from @original.delicious finely curated to enjoy with wine recommendations by Vergelegen Wine Estate.  

6 AUGUST at 11:30 FOR 12:00 

Live acoustic music 

R 650 per person R 200 for children under 12 (Margarita pizza & ice cream)

Limited space available

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL
Email: landje46ongraham@gmail.com
Whatsapp: 083 250 4007
CASHLESS OR SNAPSCAN
BAR AVAILABLE to buy WINE, SODAS and BARISTA Coffee (from their famous coffee truck)

With this event’s wine partner, Vergelegen, it is part of Rachel’s challenge, but also the fun part of the event, when she starts working and playing with her imagination to come up with yet another perfect meal – and believe me, she always does.

This time the starter consists of shredded duck confit rolled in vine leaves, baked in pizza oven and drizzled with lemon sauce. (I could go just for that.)

Ice cream for the young ones and coffee for from the coffeetruck for the others as the perfect finalé.

The second course is a Mediterranean-style fish soup with the classic combination of fennel and orange served with a red pepper rouille and baguette (contains no shellfish).

Main or third serving of the day is African chicken cayenne served on spicy eggplant purée, oxtail pie with warm aromatic spices, red wine, orange and dark chocolate with seasonal vegetables.

If this doesn’t get all the juices flowing, her fourth course is one of Rachel’s magnificent specialities: a tasting of goat’s cheese nougat made with nuts and apricots.

To conclude what sounds like fantastic fare, a red wine cake will be served with guava ice cream.

Having been to two of these lunches, I know the quality of the space, the food and wine, and the ambience. It is something extraordinary, in my book. Gather a few of your favourite people and book. Take the day off, go and have a leisurely lunch under the trees, and get the uber ahead of time because the wine will be flowing – and enjoy.

We are blessed in Tshwane to have a handful of excellent chefs and Rachel Botes with her creativity and imagination in full swing (assisted by Lulu de Beer) is one of those.