Wild fungi forage at Delheim to open 2012 Mushroom Week
The usual shroud of secrecy over the Delheim forest, when the Sperling family forage for delicious wild mushroom species will be lifted for the first time on 2 July 2012, for the official opening of the wine farm's annual Mushroom Week.

Indulge in heavenly winter soups at picturesque Constantia Glen
A selection of delicious, homemade soups, enjoyed with freshly baked baguette and rooibos smoked butter amidst breathtaking vineyard views, is an essential staple this winter at the picturesque Constantia Glen boutique wine estate.

Wonderful Winelands Winter specials
Winter in the winelands is a time for enjoying all the wonderful specials offered by the local restaurants. Here are a few of our favourites.

Magical mushrooms and wines for winter
Last month I joined Neethlingshof winemaker De Wet Viljoen and a group of adventurous journalists for a wild mushroom hunting expedition. The day was extremely educational and I learnt that there is a lot more to this versatile fungus than meets the eye.

Eagles' Nest soup and wine pairings
Eagles' Nest wine estate in the Constantia Valley has just launched an exciting and innovative offering of "Soup and Wine Pairings", just in time for winter!

Food and wine
Not that I live on a farm, but I have been known to eat food and drink wine at the same time, so thought I was qualified to write a bit about wine and food pairing.

Pair wine like both a pauper and a prince at Durbanville Hills
Surprise your senses by matching Durbanville Hills' wines with food that speak of both simplicity and sophistication. Join white-wine maker Gunther Kellerman for a 'Rich Man Poor Man' wine pairing at The Eatery at Durbanville Hills Wines on Thursday, June 21.

Spice Route food and wine evenings warm up the chilly season
The Goatshed restaurant at Fairview Wine Farm and the neighbouring Spice Route Restaurant, in Paarl, are adding some warmth to the chilly season, offering an array of Food and Wine evenings during June through to September.

Taste of the Helderberg adds food element
Wine lovers from the Helderberg region can treat themselves to some of South Africa's top wines and specially prepared dishes from gourmet winery restaurants during the "Taste of the Helderberg" wine show at the NH Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West on Thursday, 7 June from 17h00 to 21h00.

Every little helps
This month marks the third anniversary of selling my restaurant and wine bar, The Nose in Green Point. Although we had a fabulous seven years and I wouldn't have changed them for a second, I also cannot tell you how hugely relieved I am not to be in the restaurant business today.

Winter time and the living's still easy, says Two Oceans
Who says easy living is just for summer? Try this quick and elegantly simple recipe devised for Two Oceans by well-known foodie Justine Drake. She reckons the chilli sauce will raise the temperature just enough to counter the cooler weather and suggests pairing it with the newly released 2012 Two Oceans Pinot Grigio. Light, aromatic and very food-friendly, it’s one of the few wines produced from this cultivar in South Africa.

Sensational winter cuisine at Franschhoek Kitchen at Holden Manz
A new menu infused with exotic flavours of the orient and a passion for cutting edge cuisine with a strong Pacific rim twist is what new Executive Chef Cheyne Morrisby is serving up this winter at the Franschhoek Kitchen at Holden Manz Wine Estate.

Grande Provence appoints new Executive Chef
Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate in Franschhoek has appointed Darren Badenhorst as it's new Executive Chef.

Neethlingshof Wine Maker goes Mushrooming
Autumn has been good to Neethlingshof wine maker De Wet Viljoen. "Just after a demanding but excellent 2012 harvest, we were rewarded with a lovely crop of mushrooms that grow wild on the estate and are absolutely delicious to eat, paired with wine," he says.

La Motte's Chardonnay: Elegant and exceptional with food
With the release of La Motte's ever so elegant 2010 Chardonnay, it is time, once again, to appreciate the beauty of this varietal when it is made as an intricate and well-balanced wine.

Round the World at Bosman's Restaurant with Simonsig Wines
A culinary evening with an international twist! That's what guests can expect on Friday May 25 when the Grande Roche Hotel hosts their next "Culinary Innovations" evening. What better way to start the weekend than enjoying great food and wine at a hotel that promises a treat with every reservation.

Tokara's Richard Carstens - more rock star than magician?
Lunchtime service is finished and Richard Carstens, chef at Tokara in Stellenbosch, is sucking on a beer. I have come to quiz him on the topic of food and wine pairing but insights will prove elusive.

Food of the Farm
Do you know where the food that you eat comes from? Are you aware of how it is produced? How far is it transported before it actually gets into your kitchen and onto your dining room table or the restaurant table for that matter? Do you care? Should you care?

Cassia's Winter menu a seasonal feast
This winter sees Cassia restaurant, located on the scenic Nitida wine farm in the Durbanville valley, boasting warming comfort food favourites on its brand new winter menu.

Launch of Weltevrede's Cherychoc Merlot 2011
A simplistic approach to a multifaceted wine...

Winter is the time to experience the true value of Terroir
The upcoming months in the Cape call for modern comfort food and satisfyingly earthy flavours. With an inviting fireplace and warm, knowledgeable service, Terroir situated on the Kleine Zalze estate offers foodies that rare thing in winter: a real deal.

Add flavour and vitality to your cooking with poppy seeds
If your tried and trusted recipes are getting long in the tooth, it's time to experiment and pep up your menu with poppy seeds. Pouyoukas Foods' Poppy Seeds add delicious flavour, healthful fibre and a host of nutritional benefits to a wide range of dishes.

Warm-up for the winter chill with Durbanville Hills Wines
As part of the Durbanville Wine Valley's annual Soup, Sip and Bread Festival to be held on the weekend of 2 and 3 June, The Eatery at Durbanville Hills Wines will offer a soup buffet at lunch time on the Saturday and the Sunday. The menu includes four different soups each paired with Durbanville Hills' wines and served with a selection of oven-fresh breads.

De Grendel - unlocking new ways to enjoy food and wine
The newly-opened De Grendel Restaurant unlocks new ways to enjoy food, wine and produce from the region's earth, sky and sea. Meaning 'the lock' De Grendel, once a gateway to the interior, is now the first destination on the Durbanville Wine Valley, literally unlocking the region's bounty.

Clos Malverne comforts the cold with Winter Warmer Menu
The Restaurant at Clos Malverne, nestled in the Devon Valley outside Stellenbosch, welcomes winter with a feast of comforting classics, conjured up in an exclusive Winter Warmer Menu which alternates weekly to rekindle the mid-year slumber with a myriad of wholesome tastes, unique to the season.

Dine your way around the world at Simonsig's Cuvee this winter
Join Simonsig's signature restaurant, Cuvée, on a culinary journey around the world with their Saturday winter food and music evenings inspired by the diverse cultures of different countries and paired with statuesque, full-bodied Simonsig red wines.

Bask in the autumn glow at Haute Cabriere
The Franschhoek valley is seldom more beautiful than in its autumn hues of orange, gold and pink, and as we move slowly into our mild winter, the Haute Cabrière Restaurant is planning some very special menus to entice visitors.

Celebrate Mother's Day at Rhebokskloof Wine Estate
Spoil your mom this Mother's Day at Rhebokskloof Wine Estate with a dining experience guaranteed to show your appreciation for everything she has done for you.

Farm Fare
Neil Pendock says SA crashing out of the San Pellegrino Top 50 Restaurant List is a disaster for SA wine.

Why Blend?
Pure is not necessarily best. But if you're confused by the proliferation of wine blends on retail shelves, think in foodie terms. A blend is rather like a recipe that combines ingredients. In this case, a mix of grape varieties, with a winemaker as 'chef'.

Change your relationship with food for good
Now that your New Year's resolution is so distant a memory it's hard to even recall what you resolved to do, it's time to get off the treadmill of unhealthy eating and take charge of your relationship with food for once and for all.

Building brand synergy at the Cellar-door
Graham Howe reports on the role of signature chefs and signature varieties, hospitality and heritage values, in building cellar-door destinations at four iconic Cape wine gateways.

Home grown produce on the Cape Country Meander
Day trippers and weekend explorers looking for laid back country food, home produce and farm stall fare will find it all on The Cape Country Meander.

Slanghoek Valley entices with its winter "Travelling Dinners"
Excellent wine, glorious food and good company, not to mention some of the most picturesque surroundings and hospitality second to none. With its rugged beauty, this small valley is fast becoming a draw card to visitors for whom its gorgeous scenery, surrounding winelands and family-run cellars are all very appealing.

Trunks full of flavour!
At Balance Bistro in the picturesque Breede River Valley, hearty hospitality, a cosy ambience and fabulous food await you. And then of course there's the terrific wine list comprising Overhex Wines' impressive portfolio - all in all an 'elephant's sufficiency'!

How to pair wine with vegetables
Pairing wines with vegetable-focused dishes - including vegan and vegetarian foods - is easy, but it's also a way to flex your creative muscles.

Flip the switch on your nutritional habits
There are a host of myths relating to nutrition formulated over the years by crash diets, food crazes and now perpetuated by the Internet. But what makes for a good nutritional dietary map and what can you do to set yourself on the path to a healthier lifestyle?

Elegant Asparagus Risotto
Asparagus has been part of food culture for millennia, which is borne out by its inclusion in an Egyptian frieze dating back to 3000BC. And asparagus is the singular, not the plural, which would otherwise have to be asparagu!

A feast of culinary delights
This month saw us venture out into the winelands on a culinary expedition, armed with an empty stomach and our expert film crew. I hope you are hungry as this month's mouth watering videos will certainly leave you salivating.

Top 10 tips for pairing food and wine
Many people are intimidated by the thought of pairing food and wine. In fact, it's not as hard as you think. While experts can pair subtle flavors in wine with the distinct taste of a dish, you can still pair wine with food without years of experience.