South Africa- Food!

The South African cuisine is a mixture of different influences – traditional African food meets Asian and European dishes. This creates a very interesting “cross-cultural” cuisine, which is unique in the world.

Braai – The Braai is the South African answer to a Barbeque, but never call a Braai a Barbeque in South Africa. At least for South Africans it is not the same. You can put everything on the braai as long as you can braai it. Having a braai is a national institution which is popular throughout all South Africans. It is more than just cooking food. A braai in South Africa is a social happening.

Cape Cuisine – The “Cape Cuisine” is reflecting the multi-ethnic society of the Cape region of South Africa. People from almost everywhere in the world settled here and they all left their marks on the so-called “Cape Cuisine”.

“Cape Cuisine” means a blend of the fruity sweet and sour tastes of the Malayan people with the different European and African dishes.

Potjiekos - "Potjiekos" (poy-kee-kawse) directly translated "pot food" or food prepared in a pot. A "Potjie" is a 3 legged round bottomed cast iron pot, in which you put your ingredients. It simmers merrily over coals while everyone sits around it chatting away and enjoying the food. Everyone usually has his own "secret" ingredients and "Potjie" competitions are very popular at fairs.

Biltong – Biltong is a Southern African dried meat typically made from raw fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is similar to beef jerky in that they are both spiced dried meats, but differs significantly in typical ingredients, taste, and production process. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("rump") and tong ("strip" or "tongue").