Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 i Fairlady

If it’s the Christmas holidays, it must be camping. Over the years it’s turned into a tradition for us – together with a bunch of family and friends (so close they’re basically indistinguishable from family), we always spend some time on the banks of a beautiful black river in the middle of an indigenous yellowwood forest, and it’s fantastic. But it’s also quite hard work. My husband, who is of the view that there is nothing more relaxing than heading out into the boondocks with a sleeping bag and his Venter trailer, of which he is very fond, has never been able to understand how I can think that. And, until I read the illuminating interview with Jackie Burger on page 32, I never really understood how he could possibly…

Chloé Love Story is a continuation of a tale told through magical scents: the story of a woman who dares to step into love freely and confidently. Fresh and floral mingles with dew, and the poetry of the connection evokes an alluring sensuality. Chloé Love Story comes in a glass jewel, a lucky charm that the Chloé woman always carries with her. YOUR HAMPER INCLUDES: Chloé Eau de Parfum 75ml and Chloé Love Story Eau de Parfum 50ml…

JUST START, EVEN IF YOU’RE FEELING NEUTRAL It’s okay to have sex even if you don’t feel a physical desire for it right from the start. It’s completely normal to allow foreplay to cause arousal, which only then triggers desire. Think of it like chocolate… Some women crave chocolate spontaneously and would drive to the shops late at night to buy it. It’s the same with sex: Some crave it spontaneously and access it assertively. Then there are women who never have chocolate, mostly because they have had a bad experience with it or have a medical condition. Likewise, some women never want to have sex. It’s not only that they never feel like doing it (a normal low libido), it’s that they actively avoid it because it has negative…

For our honeymoon, we chose the, crisp air and undulating hills of Ireland over the blues and warm waters of the more traditional tropical island destination. The fiddlers, banjo player and flautist seated around a table strewn with half-drunk pints of Guinness shot irate glances at the guitarist who had joined the evening’s jaunty session of traditional Irish music at Fealty’s bar. The jig’s closing note rang out and we applauded eagerly, though my husband’s uncle was less enthused. ‘Thoan’s desperate,’ he said as he set his banjo down. It was my first night in Northern Ireland in a large coastal town called Bangor, where my recently acquired Irish spouse, Ronan, was born. ‘Thoan… isn’t that a character in Game of Thrones?’ I thought. ‘That one is desperate,’ Ronan whispered…

‘Nothing happened as I’d planned. I read my business plan a year later and just laughed.’ ‘I just completely fell in love with this country,’ says Kat, who visited for the first time in 2000 and moved here permanently in 2006. ‘South Africans tend to take the light for granted; in Europe one can never experience the same brightness, even on the most beautiful summer’s day. ‘The lifestyle in Cape Town is so different; South Africans seem to smile even though many of them have no reason to. Europeans really guard their privacy and avoid small talk – perhaps due to the fact that the cities are so densely populated.’ Kat has a background in PR and experience as a diamond grader, but becoming a fashion designer is something she…

Smoked oysters and smoked trout on pumpernickel bread Makes 24 Prep and cooking time: 15 min (+ cooling time) • 1/3 cup (80g) crème fraîche • 1 tbsp horseradish cream • 4 slices pumpernickel bread • 1 x 859g packet (10) smoked oysters • 1 medium-sized (140g) lemon • 4 small pickled onions, quartered lengthways • 50g smoked trout, cut into 14 pieces • fennel fronds or dill sprigs, to serve 1. Place the crème fraîche and horseradish cream in a small bowl; stir until just combined. 2. Toast the bread and leave to cool. Cut each slice into six squares. 3. Divide the crème fraîche mixture between toast squares. Top 10 of the squares with an oyster. Finely grate lemon zest over the oysters; top with a little freshly…

ROAST PORK BELLY WITH ROAST POTATOES AND SWEET APPLES Serves 6-8 • 2kg boneless pork belly, • 2 tbsp coarse salt • 2 tsp white pepper • 2 tbsp olive oil For the potatoes • 1kg floury potatoes • vegetable oil for deep-frying • sea salt and black pepper For the sweet apples • 2 tbsp butter • 3 tbsp honey • 2 red apples, quartered • 3 tbsp frozen cranberries, defrosted • fresh mint to garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Place the pork on a board. With a sharp knife, score the fat, making sure not to cut all the way through to the meat. Sprinkle the scored fat with salt and pepper and rub with oil. 2. Place the pork skin-side down on a roasting tray,…

WIN! A LE CREUSET SORBET COLLECTION HAMPER, WORTH R3060 Le Creuset’s The Sorbet Collection evokes a summertime palette of sweet sorbets and soft candy floss. It’s everything you need to set your imagination on a delicious retro-styled journey with a collection of whimsical stoneware gift sets. Includes ice-cream bowls, cappuccino mugs, mini bowls and more. Keyword: SORBET WIN! MRP HOME PREMIUM RANGE BEDDING, WORTH R3000, INCL. EGYPTIAN COTTON TOWELS! This premium range duvet set is made from 100% cotton percale with a classic woven matelassé front. The 200TC duvet is breathable by nature, making it crisp and cool for the hot summer days ahead. Keyword: MRPHOME WIN! AN ISSEY MIYAKE PURE HAMPER WORTH R3685! For Issey Miyake, water is a key element; his first fragrance was called L’Eau d’Issey. Now,…

@home home.co.za A Pets life apetslife.co.za Accessorize accessorize.co.za African Extracts available at Dis-Chem, Clicks, selected pharmacies and major supermarkets, and online at takealot.com and zando.co.za Baleia Wines baleiawines.com Benefit available at selected Edgars stores Biomedical Emporium available at selected salons and aesthetic professionals, biomedicalemporium.com Black Betty Design blackbettydesign.com Black Radiance exclusive to Dis-Chem Black-Up exclusive to Red Square and Edgars Chanel available at selected Edgars stores Clarins available at selected Woolworths, Edgars, Red Square, Foschini and Truworths stores Clicks clicks.co.za Colette by Colette Hayman 021 937 5465, colettehayman.com.au Cotton On Home cottonon.co.za Crabtree & Evelyn available at Dis-Chem, crabtree-evelyn.co.za Créma Design cremadesign.co.za Dior available at selected Edgars stores Diptique available at Skins Cosmetics in Sandton Dolce & Gabbana exclusive to Edgars Elie…

1 L’OCCITANE’S ULTIMATE PAMPERING COLLECTION Not only because the products are gorgeous, but also because for every collection sold, R50 is donated to improving access to quality eye surgery in under-served communities. It’s a cause close to my heart. 2 THE #METOO CAMPAIGN Within days of actor Alyssa Milano suggesting that anyone who’d been sexually harassed or assaulted use #MeToo as their status, millions did just that. Alyssa did it to show that the problem goes way beyond Harvey Weinstein. Now, for the first time, action is being taken against those men. Could this be an actual sea change in what we as a society accept and expect? We hope so. 3 LE CREUSET SORBET COLLECTION RAMEKINS I love the new colours, and the…

1 Buy a beautiful reusable takeaway coffee cup Choose a material that is not plastic: bamboo, ceramic, glass or stainless steel are best. Ecoffee has a beautiful range available on Yuppiechef. If you’ve forgotten it, try to buy your coffee from a café that uses compostable disposable cups (like EcoPack). And if you do take a cardboard cup, skip the plastic lid. 2 Say no to straws! Ask for a cocktail stirrer instead or use a knife to mix your drink. Once you say no it becomes second nature to sip without a straw. If you can’t go without, buy a reusable glass, stainless-steel or bamboo straw and carry it around with you in your handbag in a pouch – find them online at www.faithful-to-nature.co.za. 3 Don’t take plastic disposable…

Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder. IRON RULES Which metal is more precious: gold or iron? For the functioning of the human body, there’s no contest – iron, of course. It’s an essential trace element, which means it’s indispensable, as in, you cannot live without it. Testament to its importance is that scientists have long known the effects of its deficiency. Iron is called a ‘trace’ element because the amounts we need of it (and the 13 others identified so far) each day is minuscule. THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR IRON It may just be present in the tiniest of traces, but it’s hard-working, and its list of tasks is long. Number one on that list is helping carry oxygen round your body. Iron is a key…

Q: I am now over 30 – should I be taking a multivitamin, or any other supplement in particular? Or would it be better to focus on making sure my meals are healthy and contain all the nutrients required? A: I think you’ve answered your own question! Research recommends that nutritional needs should be met primarily through foods in a nutrient-dense form (i.e. healthy foods). I’d add that the money you save on packaged multivitamins can rather be used for natural vitamins like those found in fruits, smoothies and other foods. More than 40% of people use some kind of multivitamin regularly, making their manufacturers a booming R2.9 billion every year in South Africa alone. Health-conscious people often believe that vitamins can make them healthier, but actually, most…

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients – if you look closely, you’ll see they’re all easily available, and Kenneth assures us this recipe is deceptively easy to make. It’s a hot favourite at Punchinello’s, the restaurant he heads up at the Southern Sun Montecasino precinct in Fourways, and what we really liked about it was the imaginative combination of imported Norwegian salmon with local pap: fusion at its best. Plus, the pap is deep-fried! Indulgent, innovative and satisfying – perfect for a proper South African Christmas… Grilled Norwegian salmon with deep-fried pap, pea purée, cinnamon butternut & grilled fennel • a pinch of black kosher salt • a pinch of freshly ground black peppercorns • a pinch of freshly ground coriander seeds • a pinch of…

‘ There’s a metaphor in there, we’re sure, about things tasting all the sweeter when you’ve had to work just that little bit harder to earn them.’ Mont Blanc tarts Named after the snowy mountain they resemble, Mont Blanc tarts – with their white meringue, whipped cream and tan-coloured chestnut purée – can often taste more fabulous than they look, with all that beige and white. We wanted to see if we could improve their visual appeal – bring in some contrast by playing around with the colours, for example – but after various experiments (dark chocolate pastry, a lighter-coloured purée) we were beginning to think that the tried-and-tested route up this particular mountain was the only winning one. It was a moment of pure synchronicity, then, that at one…

WE TESTED: BONELESS GAMMON ❋❋❋❋ READY-TO-COOK MEDIUM GAMMON R79,99/kg; Woolworths Good shape, colour and marbling. The meat was succulent, just slightly chewy, and had a good balance of smoke and seasoning. It held its shape well, carved effortlessly and lost the least amount of weight during cooking. ❋❋❋ UNCOOKED BONELESS GAMMON R79,99/kg; Pick n Pay Juicy, with a good balance of salt. Some tasters would have liked more smokiness com through. It held its shape well after cooking and carved effortlessly. ❋❋❋ BONELESS GAMMON R76,99/kg; Game Neatly packaged, and it held its shape well. Our tasters were divided: for some, the meat was flavoursome, juicy and tender, with a lovely colour; others found it a little too salty. BONE-IN GAMMON ❋❋❋❋ READY-TO-COOK TRADITIONAL BEECH-SMOKED BONE-IN GAMMON R74,99/kg; Woolworths Succulent, with…

WINNING LETTER Food for thought I picked up the latest FAIRLADY (October 2017) because of Emilia Clarke. (I should confess I’m a bit of a Thrones fan.) And once I got into it, I truly enjoyed the issue, especially ‘The Upside of Average’ – it GoT me thinking… hehe, see what I did there?) I completely agree that the word ‘mediocre’ is perhaps problematic, but its essence speaks to me. I truly believe that to be extreme in anything is bad, and for a happy life one needs balance. Yes, in my mind, diet and chocolate can and should live in the same sentence. I’m not saying it will be easy, but it should be a possibility, right? What’s wrong with being average? And are we really doing ourselves any…

‘I would have struggled to achieve what I have without the internet. In business, having an online presence is essential.’ MISS H JEWELLERY DESIGN Owner: Hildegard Benninghoff Startup costs: My initial startup costs were around R35 000. I spent this on tools and equipment, raw materials, business branding and boxes, product photo shoots and my website. I saved up most of this money while still at my previous job. I am very lucky to have a home-based studio, so I don’t have studio rent as an added expense at this stage. Turnover: It varies from month to month, with each month better than the last. Last month I sold about 70 pieces of jewellery. Website: misshjewellerydesign.com To Hildegard, a look only really works when there’s a lot of jewellery…

‘Deciding to age naturally is a difficult journey to take, because we are conditioned to judge the external.’ I’m a minimalist. Less clutter serves me well, because all you need to do is be. We tend to live a lot in the past and the future, and we don’t really honour the present as much as we should. For me, our biggest challenge in the world right now is to find contentment within ourselves, because there is just more and more on offer every day, and it taxes the mind. I think living more simply is very generational. My parents were post-war babies and it was a time of deprivation, so for them it was very important to be surrounded by whatever their perception of wealth or luxury was. We…

I never witnessed Glynnis as a prosecutor. My first encounter with her was covering her disciplinary enquiry in Pretoria in 2012. Often the media can’t cover a full enquiry because our resources are so stretched, but in this instance, because there had been such a fight for media access at the beginning, I thought we needed to take advantage of the fact that we were allowed to cover it, and I made a point of being there. The enquiry was held at the NPA’s building in Silverton, which, at that stage, was a [Nomgcobo] Jiba stronghold. It was so weird because you would walk in and Glynnis would be there, and she would be greeting everyone. A lot of people were scared to be seen to be greeted by her,…

• MENTAL FATIGUE Feeling mentally tired, irritable, dizzy or losing concentration • HEARING LOSS Difficulty with hearing or sudden hearing loss • MOUTH ULCERS Sore white patches on the inside of the mouth or sore flaky red cracks at one or both sides of the mouth • CRAVING FOR ICE Compulsively and repeatedly chewing on ice • INFECTION May cause more infections than usual, such as coughs and colds • SHORTNESS OF BREATH Reduced physical capacity • CRAVING NON-FOOD Craving to eat non-food items such as clay, dirt, ash, and starch • RESTLESS LEGS A disturbing need to move legs even when resting • HAIR LOSS Losing clumps of hair or more hair than normal • HEADACHES Repeated headaches • SORE THROAT Affects the surface of the tongue, making it feel sore or giving dry mouth • PALENESS Most noticeable on the…

The Rose Garden You’ll need: • 50ml Hendrick’s gin • 15ml rose syrup • 25ml lemon juice • 5 slices of cucumber • soda water To garnish: crushed ice and rose petals How to do it: 1. Prepare the cucumber by removing the skin and the seeds, then add it to the cocktail shaker, and muddle. 2. Add the gin, rose syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake until the ingredients are fully combined. 3. Prepare a glass (or a dainty watering can if you have one!) with crushed ice. 4. Pour the cocktail mixture into the glass through a cocktail strainer. 5. Top with soda water. Garnish with rose petals and enjoy! CULTURED KIR ROYALE You’ll need: • Crème de Cassis • Champagne or sparkling wine How…

I HEAR SHE’S A REAL BITCH BY JEN AGG Highly recommended by that rude and lovely chef, Anthony Bourdain: a true story about the equally rude and lovely Jen Agg’s struggle to make her way in the boytjie world of Toronto’s restaurants. Smart and savage. Because it is proudly SA and won an international gold medal in 2017, and because widower, single parent and renowned writer JG Ballard would have a stiff glass of whisky before starting to write: ‘I used to have my first whisky at 9am, after I’d taken the children to school,’ he said, in order to shift from domesticity to writing. ‘Then I’d have a glass on the hour, every hour. I was never drunk, but I would have a glow all through the day.’…

PREPPED TO PERFECTION DRINKS Chill drinks quickly by wrapping the bottles in damp paper towels and popping them in the freezer for 10 minutes.No room in the fridge for beer and wine? Fill a bucket with ice and water, and add some salt. Put your cans and bottles in the bucket. Salt reduces the freezing point of water, melting the ice and making the water and drinks super cold. COOK TURKEY EVENLY Turkey breasts cook quickly, so they tend to be drier than the rest of the bird. About 30 minutes before roasting, put ziplock bags filled with ice over the breasts, then wrap them in foil. If your turkey is too dry, heat some chicken stock and pour it over. STUFFING Cook the onion, celery and herbs before adding…

Sagittarius 22 Nov – 21 Dec If you’re generally chipper and on top of things, there’s little chance of tripping yourself up at year’s end. But you could probably use some help anyway. Rope in anybody who knows more about a particular situation or issue than you do, then ask for advice. More importantly, listen and take note, rather than filing it away with a ‘thanks, but no’. You’re ready to learn something very useful. Capricorn 22 Dec – 19 Jan A lick of independence streaks through, giving you chutzpah to make it happen – do it now, get it sorted and so on. It’s rare for the path ahead to be as clear as it is now, meaning that staying in the moment and taking action is vital. Be…