For the love of food!
We at Earthstompers are foodies, and we consider good food (and drink) to be an important part of our tours! The local cuisine of a country tells you a lot about the people and everyday life, and our goal is for you to dine the way South Africans do while on tour.
Breakfasts usually offer the choice of a hot breakfast with eggs & bacon, as well as fruit, yogurt, cereals, muesli, or toast.
Lunches happen mostly on-the-go; we try to make use of local farm stalls and markets as much as possible.
For dinners the group gets together and enjoys a sit-down meal. Meals are carefully chosen to give you a taste of true South African cuisine, and each establishment prides themselves on the dish they serve.
As you will quickly learn, South Africans love making fire, whether it is for ambiance, or cooking, or both! There is great skill in controlling the heat of the coals to cook food to perfection without drying it out or burning it.
The Potjie
“Potjie” means “small pot”. This is a one-pot-wonder dish that is prepared on the open fire. Traditionally the dish consists of your choice of meat, a variety of vegetables and potatoes. Everything is layered inside the pot and left to cook for a duration of 4-6 beers. 😉
The Braai
Similar to a barbeque, but with real wood and real meat (not charcoal or minced patties). South Africans braai very frequently; on average once a week or more. All the meat and vegetables get grilled on the open coals and served with a salad. Braaiing is a very social event; people gather around the fire and chat while the food is getting prepared. On tour you will have the opportunity to braai twice!
Traditional cooking
We also have delicious traditional, home-cooked meals. One that we offer on tour is called Bobotie. It is thought to originate from the Indonesian dish, Bobotok. The recipe was adopted by the Cape Malay. They would grind up scraps of left-over meat, mix it with spices, add some bread and pour an egg-and milk mixture over before baking in the oven. This dish is very tasty and a bit spicy, and goes great with a good red wine.
Wine
Speaking of good red wine…sampling the local wine is a must while in South Africa! The Cape is home to 500+ wineries, producing some of the best wine on the planet. Most guests are impressed not only by the quality of the wine available, but by the prices – you can get a very decent bottle of wine for R100, which is about £4.70 GBP/ $7.20 USD / E6.60 Euro. Enjoy!!!
Special dietary requirements: we are able to cater for certain dietary requirements and food allergies, such as a vegetarian or gluten-free, but unfortunately are not able to cater for strict halaal or vegan diets. If in doubt, ask us!
