AFRICAN GASTRONOMICAL COOKING LESSONS

GASTRO DELIGHTS

At Rust De Winter Safaris, we don't just serve food; we serve an experience that lingers long after the last bite. Picture this: the golden African sun setting on the horizon, the aroma of sizzling spices wafting through the air, and you, not merely a spectator, but a creator of this culinary magic.

Everyone raves about our gourmet offerings, but we believe that true adventure extends beyond the hunt. For the discerning traveller who seeks not just to witness but to taste and create, we offer something extraordinary—free African gastronomical cooking lessons. This isn’t just a class; it’s an immersion into the heart of Africa’s culinary soul.

These dishes not only reflect the diverse culinary heritage of Africa but also offer a taste of the traditional flavours that have been enjoyed for generations on safari adventures. Here are some traditional safari dishes that are often enjoyed while on the Dark Continent:

• Bobotie: A spiced meat casserole with a custard topping, typically made with ground beef or lamb, mixed with spices, dried fruit, and sometimes nuts. It’s a flavourful dish that’s both sweet and savoury.
• Potjiekos: A traditional slow-cooked stew prepared in a cast-iron pot (Dutch oven) over an open flame. It usually includes a variety of meats, vegetables, and a mix of spices, layered to cook slowly and absorb all the flavours.
• Biltong & Dry Wors: A popular South African jerky type snack made from cured, dried meat, often from game such as kudu or impala, seasoned with a mix of coriander, pepper, and vinegar. A favourite camp snack.
• Vetkoek: A type of fried dough bread that is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s often stuffed with savoury fillings like curried minced meat or enjoyed with butter and jam (jelly).
• Sosaties: Skewers of marinated meat (kebabs), typically lamb or chicken, often combined with dried apricots or onions, grilled to perfection over an open flame.
• Boerewors: A type of traditional South African sausage made from coarsely minced beef, sometimes combined with pork or lamb, and seasoned with spices like coriander, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s usually grilled and served with pap (a type of maize (corn) porridge) and tomato relish.
• Malva Pudding: A sweet, sticky dessert made with apricot jam and served with a creamy sauce, often enjoyed warm after a hearty meal.
• Pap Tert: A layered South African dish made from creamy maize (corn) porridge (pap), often combined with savoury ingredients like cheese, bacon, and vegetables. Baked to golden perfection, it’s a comforting and hearty side dish that pairs beautifully with grilled meats and salads.
• Peri-Peri Chicken: A dish with Portuguese and Mozambican roots, featuring spicy chicken marinated in a fiery peri-peri sauce made from chili peppers, garlic, lemon, and spices. It’s grilled to perfection and served with sides like salad or chips.
• Mealie Bread: A type of sweet corn bread made from maize or cornmeal, often enjoyed as a side dish with savoury stews or as a snack. Always a hit at a braai (barbeque). 
• Oxtail Stew: A slow-cooked stew made with oxtail, vegetables, and rich broth, often seasoned with spices like bay leaves, garlic, and black pepper. The meat becomes tender and flavourful, perfect for a comforting meal after a day on safari.
• Koeksisters: A South African sweet treat, koeksisters are deep-fried dough twists soaked in syrup, resulting in a sticky, sweet pastry that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Shepherd’s Pie (Boerewors Pie): A South African twist on the classic shepherd’s pie, using boerewors (traditional sausage) as the meat base, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden brown.
• Melktert (Milk Tart): A classic South African dessert with a creamy custard filling made from milk, eggs, sugar, and flour, set in a pastry crust and often sprinkled with cinnamon.
• Pumpkin Fritters (Pampoenkoekies): Sweet, spiced fritters made from mashed pumpkin, flour, and eggs, often dusted with cinnamon sugar and served as a side dish or dessert.
• Skilpadjies: A traditional South African delicacy of seasoned lamb’s liver wrapped in caul fat and grilled until crispy on the outside and tender inside. The name, meaning "little tortoises" in Afrikaans, reflects their appearance and they are a savoury highlight of any traditional braai.

Under the expert guidance of our seasoned chef, you'll craft dishes that are as rich in history as they are in flavour. Imagine preparing bobotie, that subtly spiced symphony of ground meat and aromatic herbs, crowned with a delicate golden egg custard—Cape Malay’s gift to the world. Or perhaps you’ll find yourself stirring a bubbling potjiekos, a slow-cooked masterpiece of tender meat and farm-fresh vegetables, simmering together in a traditional cast-iron pot over an open flame, each layer a new chapter in this ancient culinary tale.

And what would an African adventure be without indulging in the art of biltong making? Learn the secrets of this beloved cured meat snack, perfect for savouring as you recount the day’s exploits by the fire. Don’t forget the vetkoek—those golden, doughy pillows, fried to perfection and filled with savoury delights, are sure to become your new favourite comfort food.

At Rust De Winter Safaris, we don’t just teach you to cook; we teach you to experience Africa, one bite at a time. This is more than a cooking lesson; it’s an invitation to engage with the spirit of the land, to touch, taste, and feel the rhythms of African life.

So, come, step into our kitchen. Let the flames of the open fire ignite your passion for cooking. Let the spices of Africa dance on your tongue. Impress the folks back home with your African culinary delights. And let the stories woven into every dish become a part of your own adventure. This is Rust De Winter Safaris—where every meal is a journey, and every journey, a feast.

“Nou gaan ons braai!” Well known Afrikaans saying, now we are going to barbeque!