Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i Home

Could you live in a 45m² house? The reason I ask is because it seems to me that scaling down is what everyone’s talking about these days. Maybe it’s the economy, maybe it’s because things are so uncertain and people are looking for more order in their lives. Time to get rid of clutter and make do with less. At work, my desk can become quite messy. When I feel stressed, I tidy it up, stack the papers neatly in a pile and prop my keyboard up against the screen. These measures might not bring an end to global terrorism, and the rand will still only buy breadcrumbs in London, but they do make me feel more in control. This issue is about small spaces, and the 45m² timber and…

If the shoe fits... We love Liesel Crafford’s clever use of pigeonholes as storage for shoes in a built-in cupboard she designed for Magdel van der Walt. The cupboard was constructed by Instyle Creations. Splashes of colour and laser-cut detail add impact. And look how neatly the shoes fit! Bowled over Louis Botma is a big fan of Japanese cuisine and has been collecting little bowls like these for years. Most of them come from second-hand stores or were purchased while on holiday in Japan. He keeps his collection safe in a drawer lined with carpet felt so that the bowls don’t slide around or bump together and get chipped. Because the brackets are the same colour as the wall, they practically disappear. You triangles can , use or apply…

Who lives here? Brigitte Hills {WHERE} Richmond Hill, Port Elizabeth “Definitely not fit for human habitation.” These are the words interior designer Brigitte Hills used to describe the condition of her Port Elizabeth home when she bought it back in 2011. “The kitchen was non-existent and the bathrooms were so disgusting that I stayed away when the builder gutted them; I couldn’t stomach it! The house was also divided into two apartments – one upstairs and one below – so I had to reconfigure the space to create my double-storey home.” With her go-getter attitude and passion for renovating, it took Brigitte just three months to finish the project. Now she lives here happily with her five rescue pets – three dogs and two cats. The living areas, main bedroom…

Buck stops here Deer Me oval side or jewellery plate R120, Sugar & Vice A classic Delft side plate R25.99, MRP Home Sweet like a lemon Country Road Lemy melamine plate R69, Woolworths In the garden Partridge range dinner plate R24.99, Checkers Artistic flair Vladimir Tretchikoff Chinese Girl dinner plates, R749 (set of four) yuppiechef.com On the wild side Mustard Wild Panda and Lion ceramic plates R199 each, superbalist.com Make a statement Global Suzani dinner plate R79.95, Woolworths Splurge! Teal blue dinner plate R400 and Tile design placemats R250 each, The Trading Company at Spice Route STOCKISTS Checkers 0800 01 07 09, checkers.co.za MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.com Sugar & Vice 074 785 9525, sugarandvice.co.za The Trading Company 021 863 5223, spiceroute.co.za Woolworths 0860 022 002, woolworths.co.za…

This revamped cabinet could also be used as a bedside pedestal. QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 3/10 Time needed 1 hour Do it yourself for ± R531: second-hand filing cabinet R250, coffee table legs R186, Rust Oleum spray paint R95 What you need SHOPPING LIST • filing cabinet• four coffee table legs (available from Sullies Fabrics)• yellow spray paint• eight self-cutting screws (4mm x 20mm)• four self-cutting screws (3mm x16mm)• contact adhesive• 12mm x 94mm x 1.8m pine plank TOOLS • jigsaw• electric screwdriver Get started... 1 Spray the filing cabinet with two coats of yellow spray paint on all sides, allowing the paint to dry between coats. You can remove the handles if you prefer, but we decided to spray the entire cabinet. 2 Use the jigsaw to cut four squares of 94 x 94mm…

Email experts@homemag.co.za Guest room revamp Kenny Uzzell of Johannesburg writes We want to revamp a small guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom; we’d like to create a rustic look and my wife is keen on decorating in an African style. I’m going to make a pallet headboard for the double bed and plan to use the Plascon range as featured on page 89 of your August 2015 issue – some of the slats will be sanded for an aged effect. I’ve also made a few picture frames which I distressed and my wife plans to have photos of an African sunrise or sunset printed for them. We’d like to buy a matching duvet set and curtains as well as redo the adjoining bathroom. Any suggestions? Jani Goussard of Paint &…

Sweet surrender Nikita finds her soft spot. – Madelie Holland, Johannesburg Life’s a beach Duke loves to soak up some rays. – Jolene Meyer, Port Elizabeth Too darn hot! Daisy cools off at Emmarentia Dam. – Roelof Strydom, Johannesburg Keeping a low profile Bubbles keeps his cool in the heat! – Inge Badenhorst, Strand Out for the count Tavish (14) takes a much-deserved nap after lunch. – Mariè Coetzee, Malelane, Mpumalanga Made to fit Chutney, a Maine Coon, in his favourite sleeping spot. – Euisuk Jung, Rivonia Add a little flavour! Montego Sauce for Dogs (R29; 500ml) is available in four yummy flavours. Functional and fashionable German brand Hunter is now available to discerning SA pet owners. Their quality products include collars, harnesses and leashes for dogs and cats, and…

Petro saysPlan carefully before you start buying plants. Draw the area to scale – if the plan works on paper, it will also work in practise! Who lives here? Oubaas and Goldine Carstens WHERE Paarl SIZE 90m² When the Carstens family moved to Paarl in 1988, grey wasn’t as popular as it is today. But Goldine already had a passion for the colour. “We painted both the interior and exterior of our home grey,” she says. “Actually, I made everything grey: the walls, carpets, bathroom and kitchen. My husband and my daughters, Alison and Franza, said at the time that when they came home every afternoon they always wondered what else would have become grey! Together with grey, blue and white were my favourite colours for the interior décor of…

Neville saysScreening plants next to boundary walls are essential, but don’t plant them in straight lines everywhere; in some spots, plant them slightly away from the wall to create a sense of dimension and space. Who lives here? Gary and Karin Green and their 16-year-old twins, Teagan and Samantha WHERE Parktown North, Johannesburg SIZE 95m² Gary and Karin’s front garden was an eyesore. And because they firmly g believe that you should be welcomed by a pleasant sight when you enter your front gate, they enlisted the help of Neville Orsmond of Create a Landscape six months ago to give their small front garden a makeover. There were myriad problems: too many different plants in a small space planted too close together and the garden looked untidy. In addition, the…

Plants for a small garden First observe how much sun and shade your garden gets before buying plants at the nursery. The climate in your specific area will also play a role in your selection. TREES • Purple ornamental plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’) • Leopard tree (Caesalpinia ferrea) • Chinese maple (Acer buergerianum) • Silver birch (Betula alba) • Pompom tree (Dais cotinifolia) • ‘Eureka’ lemon tree SHRUBS AND FLOWERING PLANTS • Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (Brunfelsia pauciflora ‘Floribunda’) • ‘Iceberg’ roses • Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri) • Agapanthus nana • Australian rosemary (Westringia fruticosa) for low-growing hedges • Viburnum tinus ‘Compactum’ for background hedges GROUNDCOVERS • Dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Kyoto’) • Dusty miller (Cerastium tomentosum) • Creeping mazus (Mazus reptans) • Silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae) • Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) •…

Q: Are some roses more drought-tolerant than others? All roses will survive if they receive enough water down to root level, but bushy, spreading roses (such as Colourscape, Floribunda, and Fairytale varieties) with shorter stems that produce a canopy of leaves which shade their roots are more heat-tolerant. Also, large Panarosa shrub roses and climbers have stronger root systems that can spread wider and deeper in search of water. I recently received an email from a gardener who bought a dozen ‘Naughty Nude’ Fairytale roses late in the season last year and planted them in a raised bed in his courtyard. He reported that they established themselves well in a short time, bearing beautiful blooms on the young plants. After 10 days away during a terrible heatwave, he expected a…

Salmon and sour cream pasta Under R100 • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes • 400g dried linguine or spaghetti• 15ml olive oil• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped• 1 red chilli, chopped (optional)• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped• 200g broccoli florets, steamed• 1 x 415g tin of pink salmon, drained and flaked• 200ml sour cream• juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package or until al dente. Drain and set aside. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan and briefly sauté the spring onions, chilli and garlic until fragrant. Stir in the broccoli florets and stir-fry for another minute or two. 3 Carefully stir in the flaked salmon, sour cream, lemon juice and…

Because when 12 magazines, including Home, join forces from 4–6 March at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, great things are bound to happen. Each magazine will be bringing along its own celebrity; Home’s guest of honour is comedian Marc Lottering, who’ll share the stage with our handyman Deon de Goede for a DIY demonstration. Be prepared to learn and laugh! In addition to Home’s workshops, there’ll be cooking demonstrations, a banting market, plenty of stalls and more. Once you have your ticket for R150, you get free access to everything happening in the conference centre – including all the demos. Visit us at 30 Days of Home + Food for a festival of fine fare and fabulous décor with SA’s top magazines and celebrities. Get your tickets online; go…

ON THE BOX Want to know how to cook the perfect soft- or hard-boiled egg? Or the fluffiest scrambled egg? The inimitable Martha Stewart shares these and other secrets as she teaches viewers all they need to know about the world’s most versatile form of protein. Whether you like yours over easy or sunny-side up, Martha will show you how to prepare them just right every time with easy-to-master techniques and tips. Don’t miss Martha Stewart’s Cooking School on the Home channel (176 on DStv) starting 30 March. Decorex Durban 2016 18–21 March: Durban Exhibi0ion Cen0re KwaZulu-Natal’s leading décor, design and lifestyle exhibition, themed Take it Home, Make it Home, once again promises to be the destination of choice for those committed to turning their house into a home. You…

A light touch Pendant with counterweight R999, @home A little something on the side Rainbow side table R995, Coricraft Coastal cool Mint Palm Springs and Mint Tropico scatter cushion covers (50 x 50cm) R320 each, Artvraat Designs For texture… Copper and wooden bowls from R199–R425 each, Woolworths For your comfort Oak bed-end bench R3 995, Biggie Best Perfect curve Huckleberry floor lamp R1 000, The Lighting Warehouse Simple seat Ash wood kitchen stool (640mm high) R1 741, Milestone Kitchens From the sea Hand-carved fish from R395, Sutherlands Home Furnishings Oh so soft Nuage shaggy rug from R4 356, U&G Fabrics…

The homeowners Silvia and Guy Miles {WHERE} North Beach, Durban THE LOUNGE An old scaffolding plank picked up on Silvia’s farm in Wartburg was fitted with castors and now serves as a coffee table that can easily be rolled out of the way to make more space in the lounge. The ‘scatter cushions’ are in fact regular pillows that have been covered in an upholstery fabric. When extra pillows are needed for guests sleeping over, these are simply covered with white pillow cases; there are no unnecessary decorative pillows filling cupboards in this small space. This kind of custom-made kitchen is ideal for small spaces; you can create just the look you want and you have the freedom to move things around if they get in your way. – Silvia…

The stunning natural wood headboard perfectly complements the parquet in this Jozi apartment. Wood borer woes Bev Arentsen of Durban writes My husband owns a flat on the Berea in Durban and we’d like to tile it but there’s parquet flooring under the existing carpets. We’ve found wood borers in the skirting and are worried they may attack the parquet flooring if we clean and seal it. Frikkie Greeff, managing director of Woodoc, replies Tiling over parquet flooring is not recommended, especially if there are signs of a wood borer infestation. The best possible course of action is to get rid of the skirting and the parquet, throw a concrete floor and tile on that. Alternatively, if the wood borer infestation is limited to the skirting only and you’re certain…

Email stashit@homemag.co.za A traditional seat Cora Coetsee of Bloubergstrand writes This chair has been in our family for generations. How old is it and what is it worth? Jo-Marie Rabe of Piér Rabe Antiques replies Folding chairs have been around since the earliest civilisations; they were found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs and were also popular in ancient Greek and Roman times. Interestingly, folding chairs fell into disuse as formal and official furniture after the Roman period. However, this type of construction was continually used in folk furniture. Cape folding stools, for example, were made by pioneers and migrant farmers in the 18th and 19th centuries and were used on wagons. Thanks to the development of strong mechanical components during the industrial revolution, folding chairs were once again…

Lulu Tsotso from Sandton writes Can I give my dog and cat some of my medication if necessary? Dr Liesel van der Merwe, a member of the South African Veterinary Association, replies While some human drugs can be given to pets under the supervision of a vet, others can be very toxic! Always consult your vet before giving your pet any of your own medication. Paracetamol (Panado) is extremely toxic for cats and causes their red blood cells to oxidise; this means they can no longer carry oxygen and are destroyed. This happens within 24 hours and can be fatal. NEVER give any anti-inflammatory or pain medication not recommended by your vet to your cat – they are extremely sensitive to the side effects as their livers cannot metabolise the…

Neville saysDivide the space into those areas where you want to grow plants and those where you wish to have other elements. A good guideline is to divide it 50/50. Who lives here? Hein and Bonnie Nienaber and their pooches Leila and Emma WHERE Eagle Canyon, Honeydew, Johannesburg SIZE 60m² Neville saysDecide on a style for your garden and stick to it. Sharing a small space with two dogs and having a beautiful garden isn’t always easy. But gardening expert Neville Orsmond of Create a Landscape has designed Hein and Bonnie’s garden in such a way that all four of them can co-exist in harmony. “The biggest challenge was to utilise the limited space so that there was enough room for everyone, and create a stunning garden. With this in…

Colour: more or less? Neville If you use colour, rather plant an excess in one place than spread it all over the garden, otherwise the impact will be lost. Wouter Green the boundaries of your yard. It makes your garden look and feel bigger. Tall shrubs in the background work well, but a climber against the walls takes up less space and has the same effect. Petro White, green and grey remain a winning combination: soothing, timeless and striking. How important are focal points? Neville They are very important. In a small space you can usually see the entire garden from the house and a water feature will draw the eye. Wouter Never place a focal point right against a garden wall – it will emphasise the boundary of your…

Plant guide Common name March/Belladonna/Easter lily Botanical name Amaryllis belladonna Full sun Indigenous bulb Average water needs Flowers late February and March The flowers of March lily (Amaryllis belladonna) put on a magnificent display in late summer, appearing before the leaves emerge. This indigenous plant is aptly named the March lily after the time of year in which it blooms. Its fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink appear in clusters of two to 12 on a bare, reddish-brown stem about 50cm high. Each of the flowers can be as long as 10cm. After flowering, dark green leaves appear that die back when the bulbs go dormant the next summer. Don’t disturb the bulbs unnecessarily; leave them in the soil once the leaves have died back. It may take several…

How to grow Needs plenty of sun and moist, fertile soil that drains well. Water and fertilise regularly. It grows 1m high and 1m wide and can be used as a single specimen or for a hedge. It will also do well in a large container. Tip of the month Keep it in shape by trimming in spring or after flowering. Did you know? The flowers of pineapple sage attract birds and butterflies. Common problem It needs regular watering, especially in containers as it wilts easily – but it will revive quickly. Uses Adds flavour to fruit salad, fruit punches and drinks, and can be added to pot-pourri, herbal baths and tussiemussies; also use in facial steams and as a rinse to condition and darken grey hair. It is thought…

Chicken or beef? The wonderful thing about stir-fries such as these is that you can just as easily use chicken, beef or pork fillet and mix and match your veggies according to availability and personal taste. Experiment and make the recipes your own. Satay chicken • oil• 500g chicken, cut into strips• 1 clove garlic, chopped• 1 red chilli, chopped• 500g vegetables such as carrots, mangetout, baby corn and broccoli florets• 60ml fresh coriander, chopped• 1 lime, quartered• 45ml peanut butter• 4 tomatoes, chopped• 45ml soy sauce• 15ml fish sauce• 5ml brown sugar• extra peanuts for garnish 1 Preheat your wok. Mix 15ml oil through the chicken and fry at a high temperature until golden brown but still juicy. Spoon out, add a splash of oil to the wok and fry the garlic and chilli for a few seconds. 2 Add the vegetables…

We’d already packed away 50 boxes of our stuff to go into storage during our home renovations but we had no idea it would take so long for the plans to be approved, and quite honestly we’d been living happily without all their contents for months and months. Then the movers were at last at our front door, moving out beds and cupboards, appliances and still more big boxes to go to our temporary home in the Southern Suburbs. After meetings with an architect and builders, designers and engineers, our plans were finally passed after 10 months. Full of hope, we’re about to start building in earnest. We are dreaming of the kids’ bedrooms, a dressing room for us (what luxury!), an eco pool and best of all… a dream…

Much has been written about the effect of colour on our lives. Red for passion, yellow for creativity, green for calm, white for peace... Perhaps we should all learn more about this subject, because then maybe the rainbow can help our crazy rainbow nation to regain its sense of harmony? I have learned from personal experience that something small and very red can make a world of difference to a tired person or a sad soul. The smaller and redder, the more effective. As a student I would go on a hike just about every holiday. This was back when we didn’t have support-frame backpacks, waterproof sleeping bags or supersonic boots. They were sometimes gruelling journeys over many days and kilometres. Nobody carried your backpack and at night you didn’t…

Who lives here? Ben Smit {WHERE} Grabouw, Western Cape Retirement years are often synonymous with downsizing and scaling back – plus the challenge of becoming accustomed to a smaller home. But Ben Smit (77), who worked at Unisa in Pretoria, sees this phase of his life in a whole new light. Since 2013, this widower and father of five has been living in a 45m2 (with a 9m stoep) cottage specially designed for him by his architect son Marcus. Even though he calls it a cottage, Ben’s home looks fresh and contemporary, thanks to the exterior cladding of galvanised zinc. It has a cosy open-plan living area that’s separated from the bedroom by a ceiling-high bookshelf. There’s no room for clutter, just books because reading is one of Ben’s great…

Who lives here? Francois de Villiers and Eben Keun {WHERE} Killarney, Johannesburg Bohemian and eclectic is how Francois de Villiers and Eben Keun describe their apartment in Killarney, Johannesburg. Both of them are sentimental collectors and everything in their home tells a story. “We are like crows, except that we don’t just bring home shiny things,” explains Francois. Although their décor evolved organically, things sometimes change quickly: a year or so ago, the apartment was black and white, but now there are splashes of colour everywhere. Francois is very creative and says he is inspired by the world around him on a daily basis. Who knows what will pique his interest next... They’ve been living here for three years but only purchased the apartment last year. The previous owners had…

Who lives here? Annie Klopper and Jaco de Wet {WHERE} Sea Point, Cape Town When Annie Klopper and her boyfriend, Jaco de Wet, suddenly had to find a new place to stay, a neglected studio apartment in Sea Point was the most affordable option. Although they’re renting, they were able to make cosmetic changes to the 75m² bachelor flat with the consent of the owner – and now it really feels like home. Dusty and dated it definitely isn’t. Best of all? It didn’t cost them an arm and a leg, and with a bit of clever planning they’ll be able to remove new accessories such as pendant lights and floating shelves and take them with them when they move again someday. The total cost of the transformation came to…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 3/10 Skill level 4/10 Time needed ± 1 hour Finished size ± 1 600 (L) x 470 (H) x 340mm (W) Do it yourself for about R600: wood R270, wheelbarrow wheel R280, screws R50 Project notes • Remember to drill pilot holes, where necessary. • Check out scrapyards for a second-hand wheelbarrow wheel and a piece of steel piping. This will reduce your costs significantly. Shopping list • 22 x 144mm planed pine, cut to: two 1 000mm lengths (seat)• 38 x 38mm pine, cut to: two 1 300mm lengths and four 260mm lengths (seat frame and leg struts)• 38 x 76mm pine, cut to: four 450mm lengths (legs) two 1 200mm lengths (wheel struts)• 1 wheelbarrow wheel• twenty-two 8mm x 75mm cut screws• sixteen 6mm x 50mm chipboard screws• two 20mm…

Q: Where can I find an enamel spoon like the one on page 111 of your February 2016 issue? – Sharon Roux, Pretoria A: You can get them at Melissa’s (021 886 6179, melissas.co.za); they’re available in two sizes: as a small sugar spoon (we’ve used it as a dessert spoon) and a large table spoon. Q: Where can I buy the Wagworld pet hammock featured on page 88 of your December 2015 issue? – Henriette Bezuidenhout, Potchefstroom A: You can find Wagworld products at Vetsmart, Shop 74, at the MooiRivier Mall on Nelson Mandela Drive or you can buy online at takealot.com. Q: I love the mirror in the bathroom on page 53 of your October 2015 issue; where is it from? – Caren Naude A: The bathroom was…

Email gardens@homemag.co.za Lawn fungus and chickens Zenobia Wepener of Centurion writes I suspect that my lawn has a fungus, but I’d like confirmation before I buy a fungicide. The lawn feels like dead grass when you walk on it. We also have Silkie chickens which roam freely, so I don’t want to use anything that will be harmful to them. JJ replies It does look like a fungus and if the Silkies are using this area, they’re spreading it. Spray something like Copper-Count or Phyta on the grass in the morning and keep the chickens away for two hours until the spray has dried properly; then you shouldn’t have any problems. If these organic products don’t work, you can use something like Odeon, Bravo or Mycoguard which all have low…

Who lives here? Johan and Ode Krige WHERE Stellenbosch SIZE 160m² The bright idea of creating a roof garden came to Johan and Ode Krige of Caledon Villa, a guesthouse in Stellenbosch, one day while sitting on their roof appreciating the beautiful view of the mountains. “There are solar panels on our garden flat’s roof and I initially had to climb up a ladder every time I wanted to inspect the panels,” says Johan. “Later, I built a spiral staircase to make this job easier and that’s when Ode and I decided to take a table, chairs and a glass of wine up there. We realised that it would be a great place to enjoy the sunshine and create a succulent garden.” Little by little, they hauled everything up the…

Who lives here? Morné and Christine Faulhammer WHERE Blouberg, Cape Town SIZE 75m² When Morné and Christine Faulhammer of Blouberg decide on a succulent plant for their stoep, it has to be hardy, waterwise and require little maintenance. “Yes, it has to tick all the right boxes before we’ll plant it here,” says Morné, owner of Super Plants Garden Centre in Tokai, referring to their container garden with its breathtaking views of Table Mountain. “From the outset, we decided to only plant succulents in pots and planter boxes. We’re seldom at home, water is scarce and we’ve lived in Blouberg long enough to know how difficult it is to keep plants alive here.” There was once a driveway where the stoep and container garden are now located. The Faulhammers filled…

Gardening tips for March • March and April are the main planting months for sweet peas. They need a sunny spot and soil dug at least a spade deep and enriched with compost and Bounce Back fertiliser. Soak seed in water overnight to soften the hard exterior before sowing directly into the prepared soil. Keep soil moist until the seeds germinate. Climbing sweet peas will need a support. • Towards the end of this month, or in early April, sow seed of blue kingfisher daisies, Namaqualand daisies, bokbaaivygies and other African daisies in sunny areas of the garden. Prepare the ground by thoroughly forking and raking the area. Water well the day before and after sowing seed. • Soil is still warm and moist at this time of year, which…

In the shade Coolaroo Mix n Match umbrella canopies (R550 each, coolaroo.co.za or builders.co.za) are 2.7m in diameter and can be fitted to the Coolaroo frame (R995) of your choice. Waste not, want not Gardena adjustable 2-in-1 spray gun nozzle R100, checkers.co.za Keep it contained Aubrey planter (small) R50, mrphome.com Become a bonsai master Practical Guide to Bonsai Styles of the World by Charles S Ceronio (Briza Publications, about R325 at leading book stores) covers more than 40 bonsai styles – the traditional Japanese and Chinese and four unique African styles. Each is discussed in detail with line drawings and photographs. For your feathered friends Naturesmenu wooden suet bird feeder with one full suet R269, builders.co.za Trimmed to perfection Fragram’s 7-piece bonsai kit (R199, mica.co.za and leading nurseries) includes a…

Melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cupcakes Makes 24 cupcakes • Preparation time: 45 minutes • Oven temperature: 180°C • Cooking time: 20–25 minutes • 250ml boiling water• 180ml cocoa, sifted• 125ml milk• 5ml vanilla essence• 280g cake flour• 7ml bicarbonate of soda• 2.5ml salt• 250ml butter at room temperature• 250g brown sugar• 150g white sugar• 4 eggs SOUR CREAM GANACHE • 180g dark chocolate• 125ml sour cream CHOCOLATE FROSTING • 125g butter at room temperature• 80ml cream• 125ml cocoa• 390g icing sugar, sifted 1 Make the cupcakes Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line or grease two muffin pans. Whisk the boiling water and cocoa together until smooth and leave to cool. Beat in the milk and vanilla essence. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt in another mixing bowl. Also beat the butter and brown and white sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, to…

It’s all about that base... Royco’s new Recipe Base range (from R18.99 per 200g; serves a family of four) takes the hassle out of making family favourites such as bolognaise, curries and casseroles by providing a saucy start and an easy-to-follow ‘simply add’ recipe tag on each packet. Hop along Gold Egg Glass Jar with Pearlised Hazelnuts R169.95, woolworths.co.za Entertain like a pro Give your entertaining menus a culinary boost with The Supper Club (R300, Random Struik) by seasoned author Phillippa Chefitz. The collection of 90 easy-to-follow recipes for every occasion is inspired by her monthly supper gatherings with a group of friends. The warm ricotta cheesecake and hot cherry sauce is a must. Let’s have a tea party! The Durban Indian High Tea at Jeera Restaurant at the Suncoast…