A World of Spices at the Cape

I miss the old pink building of Atlas Trading in upper Wale Street in Cape Town. One could still scoop your basmati rice into a brown paper bag from the wooden boxes filled with different kinds of rice.  From plain Basmati, brown Basmati to Jasmine and Fragrant rice. The shop has now moved a bit higher up in the Bo-Kaap to 104 Wale Street.  It is now housed in a bright red and yellow painted building.

One can smell the shop from the corner of Rose Street. The fragrance of a thousand different kinds of herbs, spices and incense comes to meet you on the corner and seduces you into a world of wonder.

Entering the shop one gets a glimpse of the history of exotic spice trading. The senses are overwhelmed by sight and smell. It’s a different world of flavours and ingredients that greets one. If you do not know specifically what you want, you could get lost in the selection of exotic ingredients. There are spices, oils, curries, henna, masala, incense, dried legumes and fresh ingredients for curry, and much more.

Atlas Trading has been selling spices since 1946. Most of the spices are bought whole and imported from India. They are then ground here ensuring that one will always buy the purest spices. One product that is sourced locally is the special sugar bean that is grown in South Africa.

Atlas Trading is a treasure trove of flavours with Saffron, Kasoori Methi, Javitri, Chakra Phool, Jaiphal, Nag Keshar, Safed Mirchi, and so on. The names on the rows and rows of packets, comes and sits on your tongue like enchanted words from an exotic land.

Wahab R. Ahmed, his brother and two cousins are the second generation to run the shop. Wahab explains that the best Basmati rice comes from India. The thing about basmati is that the older the rice is, the better it cooks.  If Basmati rice is too fresh it cooks soft, so it needs to lie for a few years. 

Okra or 'lady fingers'

One can buy whole spice to grind and blend your own if you know how, or you can buy the trusted 12-in-1 Leaf Masala that can be used with any meat, vegetables or fish curry. You can even get a free recipe to guide you in making a delicious curry if you don’t know how.

Atlas Trading is a part of Cape Town’s history as much as the colourful houses around it that line the streets of Bo-Kaap.

Karipatta or curry leaves

As usual, I leave the shop with much more than the aged basmati rice that I came to buy. I walk down Wale Street with a trail of exotic fragrances following me out of this vibrant and exciting experience.  When I turn into Bree Street I can still savour masala, nutmeg, star aniseed, cinnamon and a hint of rose incense. 

Tussen Seisoene

Dit was die tweede naweek  waar ons by die huis kom en die werk staan en wag  vir ons. In plaas van afpak en ontspan begin ons werk prioritiseer vir Saterdag oggend. Shawn is met verlof vir twee weke en ons moet inspring en die kritiekste werk van die week op 'n Saterdag in pas.

Saterdag oggend trek ek die slaapkamer gordyne oop om die boord in ‘n landskap van laat somer te sien staan, waar die vorige nag se reën  koel klam kolle tussen die bome gelaat het. Met die lug grys en wolke wat duidelik nog reën bui beloftes inhou, besef ons dat dit genade gaan neem om alles gedoen te kry in die tuin.

Die bome in die boord staan verveeld rond en wag vir herfs. Met die meeste vrugte wat al gepluk is, is hul werk klaar vir die somer. Daar is gerugte van herfs in die blare wat nie meer hul diep somergroen is nie.

Die huis is koel van die nag se reën wat klam op die plante blink. In die stil kombuis met Engelse ontbyt tee en gemmer marmalade op roosterbrood luister ons waar die voëls in die bome gesels. Met skerp kort twiets van die Kaapse witogies tot die somber koer van die Tortelduiwe ,  ‘n twee-dood, twee-dood van die Laksman in die groente tuin en die rol fluit van die Tiptol paar in die kweperlaning.

Die Natalse boslelies is in volle blom en hul soet eksotiese reuk kompeteer met die heuning soet reuk van die Vioolhout blomme. Die bye se bedrywige versameling van nektar in die Vioolhout laat die blommetjies neer reën op die ou skoolkar onder die boom.

Ons dag verdwyn in gras sny en ander tuin take in 'n tuin wat duidelik einde se kant toe staan met die somer seisoen. Daar is tekens dat die herfs by die hek staan en wag. Die vallei ruik na druiwe wat geoes word en die mos-suur strepe lê op die teerpaaie wat lei na die verskillende wynkelders.

Met ‘n groente tuin wat tussen seisoene is is die mandjie gevul met ‘n bietjie van alles. Boontjies, knoffel, kruie, baba murgpampoentjies, baba mielies en tamaties vir ‘n tussen seisoense gereg sorg met vars somer geure gekomplimenteer met die herfs smaak van chorizos.

Dutched Cocoa powder and the chemistry of baking

Chocolate Blancmange tartlets with figs and honey made with 'Dutched' cocoa powder

Our friend Susan introduced me to ‘Dutched’ cocoa powder when she was telling me about the “Blackout Cake” that she wanted to bake. I was willingly roped into the search for a supply-source for this darker cocoa as something I enjoy is finding new products. I extended my search to include Pretoria and in the process discovered a baker’s heaven but alas, my request was met with blank stares from the staff.

Susan did eventually find a supplier and I was the lucky recipient of a bag of the Dutched cocoa. As with all new products that I have never used before, I first had to go and read up about it. This especially after Susan explained the difference between normal and Dutched cocoa. In my research I discovered the chemistry of the related baking ingredients.

'Dutched' cocoa powder on the left and natural cocoa powder on the right

Dutch process cocoa powder or alkalised cocoa powder is washed with a potassium carbonate solution that neutralises the cocoa's acidity to a pH of 7. Cocoa powders can vary in colour from light reddish brown to a richer dark brown but the Dutch process makes the powder noticeably darker.

Dutch process cocoa has a smoother more mellow flavour that's often associated with earthy, woodsy notes. The heavily Dutched "black" cocoa powders bring the cocoa powder to an alkaline level of 8 and this is the kind of bittersweet cocoa you'll find in ‘Oreo cookies’.

'Dutched' cocoa powder

Since Dutch process cocoa isn't acidic, it doesn't react with alkaline leaveners like baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. That's why recipes that use Dutch process cocoa are usually leavened by baking powder, which has a neutral pH.

If a recipe relies on chemical leaveners like baking powder and soda (as opposed biological ones like yeast), as is the case with most cakes, biscuits, and quick breads, it's written in such a way that the natural acids and bases in the ingredients balance each other out so that the dough can rise. In buttermilk biscuits, for example, alkaline baking soda is there to neutralise the acidity in buttermilk, which lets the baking powder in the recipe take care of the rise.

Natural cocoa powder

If a cake or biscuit recipe only calls for baking soda, it likely uses acidic natural cocoa. If it only uses baking powder, it'll probably ask for Dutch process cocoa instead. If a recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda, you'll need to follow the recipe to get the proper balance of acid and alkaline. Recipes that use baking powder will likely rise regardless of tweaking, but not as well; it's best to stick to the cocoa that a recipe calls for.

'Dutched' chocolate Blancmange tartlets with figs and honey

For dessert sauces, stirred custards, ice-cream, pudding, and the like, the question more comes down to personal taste. Dutch process cocoa has a more intense "chocolaty" flavour while natural cocoa looks lighter in colour and tastes slightly astringent. But since you're not dealing with any chemical leaveners, your choice of cocoa won't have much impact on the dessert's texture. Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/08/difference-dutch-process-natural-cocoa-powder-substitute.html

'Dutched' chocolate Blancmange with figs and honey

Perfect Imperfection

Still Life with fruit and pumpkin - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)

With a fruit season of more losses than gains, I am reflecting on the wisdom of organic gardening more and more often. With most organic pest-control products on the market being more expensive than general pesticides, it seems that somebody is making money off the back of the organic ‘trend’. Is organic gardening seen as a luxury pastime or practise?

We have lost most of the fruit to fruit-fly infestation. I have taken some drastic measures to reduce their numbers, like picking all the fruit from a tree when I notice any infestation, just to break the life-cycle of the fruit-flies.  The organic traps did not seem to help much, even though I put one in each tree.  One trap should have been enough for the whole orchard based on coverage data.

I have discovered that fruit-fly management must happen throughout the year. After studying the life-cycle of the fruit-fly, to the point where I can write a thesis on it, it is time to put my annual fruit-fly management plan into practice.

I do not want to use chemicals in our garden. For us, gardening is more about biology than chemistry. If gardens could produce fruit 300 years ago without chemical intervention I need to find out how.

Still life with figs and bread - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)

I love beautiful vegetables but this year my harvests have resembled Luis Egidio Meléndez‘s paintings. I had to ask myself to what extent we have been brain-washed into believing that fruit and vegetables must be without blemish to be enjoyed.

I love Luis Egidio Meléndez’s still life paintings for their honesty and reality. I decided to embrace our less than perfect fruit and vegetables and discovered that they taste delicious, even in their imperfection. It only takes a bit more time to ‘prep’ because of the insect bites and blemishes.

I am still aspiring to bowls and baskets of beautiful fruit and vegetables gracing the tables in the house. I am searching for the holy grail of healthy gardens but will always try to live in harmony with nature. I believe that nature tells us exactly what she needs. We need only to learn the art of listening again.

I am putting new battle plans in place to fight garden pests and diseases. My book on South African garden pests and diseases is dog-eared from frequent use. It has become my trusted companion for identifying and fighting the myriad of pests and diseases eating away at my gardening spirit.

I can still be creative with meals. Instead of using five zucchinis I now have to use ten. I am an exhausted gardener working towards perfection but for now I am embracing our garden’s perfect imperfection. 

Still life with pears and bread - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)

Bee Sanctuary

I fear for the future of the bee populations of the world. I feel helpless witnessing their destruction by disease and GMO crops. I read that about 37 million bees recently died in Ontario, Canada after GMO corn was planted. The neonicotinoids poison is apparently in the plants to prevent pests and diseases from infesting crops. The poison gets into the pollen and nectar and kills bees and other beneficial insects on a large scale.

South Africa is the 8^th largest producer of GMOs in the world. Currently it is mostly maize, soya and cotton. South Africa is the only country in the world that has allowed its staple foods to be genetically modified.  I personally avoid maize and soya grown in South Africa, and I feel sorry for people who do not have the luxury of choice.

There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence pointing towards severe potential health risks for humans associated with consuming GM crops. Apart from that it is also threatening the natural order by killing off bees.

Last year foul brood disease killed off 40% of the Western Cape’s bee population. I would hope that honey farmers will highlight all these threats to their industry, but I feel a need to do something as well.

We pride ourselves that our garden is a bee sanctuary but we have no control over what happens to them when they leave our garden. We are too close to town to keep our own hive. I would love to have my own hive to keep our bees safe.

When I walk out of the kitchen door the Fiddlewood near the garden shed is buzzing, as big as it is, with bees drawn to the small sweet flowers currently produced in bunches. They love the basil flowers as well and as I pick them, the bees continue working on the cut flowers following me to the compost bins.

We have a stock of stones earmarked for building the retaining walls of the pathway that leads to the cellar and another stock of cobbles reserved for the floor of the pathway. When we have used all the stones and cobbles, I plan to create a new permanent floral garden in that space for bees. This will augment the existing patches of flowers and herbs dotted all over the garden. The aim of these is to attract bees for pollinating our fruit and vegetables.

I do realise that my efforts to create a bee friendly garden does not ensure their survival, but if we all do the same we can at least give them a fighting chance.

For now I can relax in the knowledge that the Towerwater garden is a bee sanctuary.  

Traditional Towerwater Malva Pudding

Towerwater Malva Pudding with a Rose Geranium cream

After several requests for the Malva pudding made with malvas (rose geranium) recipe I decided to include it on the blog.

Traditional Towerwater Malva Pudding

For the pudding:

1 cup flour

1 Tbs bicarbonate of soda

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tbs apricot jam

1 Tbs vinegar

1 Tbs melted butter

1 cup milk.

1 Hand full of fresh Rose Geranium leaves rinsed and dried

For the sauce:

½ cup cream

½ cup milk

1 cup Rose Geranium Syrup

½ cup butter

(To make the Rose Geranium syrup: Heat  2 cups of sugar with 2 cups of water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add a hand full of washed and rinsed Rose Geranium leaves. Bring to the boil and let the leaves steep for 10 minutes. Be careful not to let the leaves steep too long because they become bitter)

Method:

For the Batter –

Preheat  oven to 180°C.

Grease an ovenproof glass or porcelain dish of 25 cm in diameter with butter.  Cut a piece of aluminium foil to cover the pudding. Grease it well with butter on one side.

Sift the flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and stir in the sugar. 

In another bowl beat the egg very well and add the remaining ingredients, mix to a smooth creamy texture.  With a wooden spoon beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.  Place the leaves facing down into the buttered baking dish. Pour the batter carefully into the prepared baking dish not to disturb the leaves, cover with foil, greased side down and bake for 45 minutes until well risen and brown. If the pudding is not brown enough you can bake it for a further five minutes without the foil. 

For the Sauce –

While the pudding is baking, heat the ingredients for the sauce, stir until all the sugar and butter are melted. 

When the pudding is done, remove from the oven, take off the foil and pour over the sauce.  The pudding will take up all the sauce.  Serve warm with vanilla pod cream or vanilla custard. 

The Rose Geranium in the herb garden