Melting pots

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Ultimately, it came down to the authenticity of ingredients and a simple acceptance of what works best.

Vying for the judges’ favour were 20 entries – from the Voor-Paardeberg and Stellenbosch’s Simonsberg wine farms. At stake were the hotly contested bragging rights to potjiekos supremacy in the annual cook off.

Fires were lit at 11am, with the wood provided by 30-year-old Chenin Blanc vines which had been uprooted and, in typical ‘waste not, want not’ farming fashion, recycled to make the perfect coals for a variety of three-legged cast iron pots.

The Wild Peacock entry from Simonsberg set the bar high with a Saldanha mussel pot redolent of garlic, herbs fresh from Sue Baker’s garden, cream and white wine. There were two Thai chicken potjies as well. One competitor avowed he had shot the kudu he presented nestled alongside some potato mash himself; while a veal ‘osso bucco’ style pot called Campher se Kalfie (another Muratie entry!) had impressive marrow bones that begged to be sucked. While there was no doubting the boozy element in the chicken pot from Delheim since it boasted brandy, old brown sherry and gewürztraminer in the sauce!

Two of the most charming entries came from the next generation – one from young Connor Rademan, all of 10 years old who listed the ingredients and cooking method with the aplomb of a Masterchef contestant, and the beautiful Melck girls with their Muratie Tamatie bredie.

The Eksteen’s of Uitkyk in the Voor-Paardeberg presented a ‘back to basics’ pot of lamb knuckle with figs harvested off their own trees and sun-dried. That got them second place. The Simonsberg got a look in with the tied third place with Muratie’s Francois Conradie admitting he’d attended a cooking class on Phi-Phi island in Thailand while on honeymoon last year. His fish potjie boasted red roman, mussels and alikreukel (giant periwinkle), all of which he’d taken to the Cape’s chilly waters to gather himself. Equalling the score was Vondeling’s winemaker Mathew Copeland with Tannie Keppie se Boerbok pot with Kakamas spices. The flavour and texture of the goat meat set the pot apart.

While the Simonsberg fielded 13 entries, the Voor-Paardeberg boasted just seven teams – three of them from Vondeling alone! What tipped the scales in the latter’s favour was the simplicity. They stuck to the basics but did them incredibly well. The winner was Willie de Waal of Scali. Best known for his impressive oxidative-style white blend and Pinotage, he spoke proudly of his side dish of wheat, grown in the same soil as his vines.

This potjie competition is something of an allegory for SA wines. Since the country’s acceptance to the international wine fold nearly two decades ago there’s been a lot of hype and hoopla, lots of glitz and glamour and much experimentation with things like oak and ripeness levels – all in an attempt to impress with the latest fashion. Yet what is being celebrated in local circles nowadays are wines which speak of their place, of an identity which is proudly South African and confident being what it is. Like a simple lamb knuckle stew. No frills, no fuss – just good, honest, tasty fare.