The Welcoming Smell of Choc Chip Cookies

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It is a typical Monday in the Kalahari….cleaning the house after a fun filled- house- full -of -teenagers- music -thumping-weekend, doing loads and loads laundry and staring into empty pantry cupboards!

Lockdown has allowed the time for rekindling friendships,creating new memories and having a daily dirty kitchen!

But, I just love seeing my children develop special friendship bonds, making true connections and seeing them thrive in their ‘tribe’. I love that their friends walk into our home and straight into the kitchen. I love the sound of the coffee maker making the umpteenth cup of coffee, the sounds of laughter filling the house and the welcome smell of (yet another) batch of fresh choc chip cookies!

Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love.

Zig Ziglar

I believe a warm welcome invites connection. So until my kids are grown and gone ( or lockdown allows them to return to college), I will keep the door wide open. I will have something baking in the oven (or have enough choc chips in the pantry!) and embrace the latest music trend- because all will be quiet before I know it!

So on this Monday morning, I am making a cup of coffee and taking a moment ( between laundry and dishes) to cherish the memories of a house filled with kids. A house full of love, laughter and life! And of course, I am having another choc chip cookie!

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No Winter Lasts forever…no spring skips it’s turn

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It has been a long winter… Cold crispy nights still linger across the Kalahari savannas and silently cover the landscape with frost. The evenings call for a blazing fireplace and special family dinners with candles burning deep into the night. Deep conversations about the times we live in, the challenges we are all facing and the unknown of a ‘new normal’. This is the time to warm our hearts with love and hope and live expectantly.

In winter, the stars seem to have rekindled their fires, the moon achieves a fuller triumph, and the heavens wear a look of a more exalted simplicity.

John Burroughs

Few things spell out COMFORT like a bowl of risotto. It is my favorite one-dish meal. Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish that’s as warm, comforting, and rustic as it is elegant and complex. While it is a simple and classic preparation, do not be fooled, as it requires utmost attention and care to perfect. When done correctly, risotto is creamy and decadent with a bite, and its layers of flavors meld together perfectly.

This recipe can be modified to your linking. Substitute mushrooms with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, butternut or any vegetables you have on hand. And it’s also an amazing dish to embrace leftovers: fresh herbs, leftover meat, fish and cheese, or anything in the kitchen that inspires you to be innovative!

Lastly, be patient with your risotto and you will be rewarded tenfold.

It soothes the soul. It is warm. It is creamy. It is comfort.

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Coffee and New Beginnings (and more coffee)

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It is another beautiful crisp morning in the Kalahari… day is breaking. As I am drinking my first cup of freshly brewed coffee, gazing over the savannah landscape, I am reminded of one of my favourite scriptures:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” Lamentations 3:22-23
These last few weeks and months have been challenging ( to say the least) and all of us have been stretched to our limits. But again and again I have been reminded of His love, His mercy and His faithfulness! Yes, I can smile with the morning sun on my face and look expectantly to the week ahead!

I never woke a morning in Africa when I was not happy

Ernest Hemmingway

But what is a cup of morning coffee without my Ouma’s delicious rusks? Yes, these are biscotti with attitude!

According to the book “Die Geskiedenis van Boerekos 1652 – 1806” by HW Claassens, the Afrikaans word ‘beskuit’ was borrowed from the French, meaning “twice baked”. All our Kalahari Safari guests know that no morning coffee is complete without home baked rusks. Every family has a recipe that comes through the generations and has been perfected over the ages.

This is my version of our family recipe; a recipe that can be changed with the addition of nuts, dried fruit or any dry cereal you may have in the kitchen cupboard. Pour that cup of coffee and get baking!

Today’s goals: Coffee and kindness. Maybe two coffees (and rusks), and then kindness. And together we will keep faith.

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A Spicy Perspective

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We love our yearly visits to Texas. Yes- everything is bigger and better in this Lone Star State. When visiting Texas, there is no way to avoid the famous Texas barbecue. Then again, why would you want to? Texas barbecue is more than just a regional cuisine. Barbecue is a weekend activity, the passing down of family traditions, a community celebration, and a whole lot of Texan pride.

Here in Namibia, we share these special values and their love for family, barbecue, meat and extra large sandwiches!

This slow cooked leg of venison (or beef brisket) swims in a spicy barbecue sauce and is ultra-tender and finely chopped into small pieces. You never shred it if you are a true Texan-it must be chopped! But, to be honest, here in the Kalahari,we pull the meat apart with a fork… shredded venison! And we believe it is just as good! All a matter of perspective!

“Laughter is brightest where food is best.”

Irish Proverb

Hot,sticky, slightly sweet, fatty in a good way, dripping with sauce, melt-in-your-mouth, too-wet-for-the-bun-so-you-better-eat-fast awesomeness. Luxuriously rich, hearty sandwiches. Perfect for filling your hollow teenage son and feeding a crowd without firing up the grill or the smoker.

These barbecue sandwiches are super easy to make in the oven or in your slow cooker. Yes, the best comfort food at its most drool worthy. They’re also the ultimate stress free company dinner because the meat can be made days in advance then reheated for easy entertaining.

Dress them up or dress them down as you would like (or what your refrigerator allows). You can serve them plain with just a bun and smothered with barbecue sauce or add some cheese or tangy, light coleslaw or any other delectable and indulging toppings your heart desires!

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ULTIMATE VENISON RAGÙ

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Yes, this is Italian week! I long to stroll the street of San Gimignano, Tuscany… sipping an Italian espresso and buying fresh produce at the village market. I am dreaming of long summer nights in an Italian village, drinking wine and eating pasta with my loved ones.

But, due to international travel restrictions, we will make do with our own delicious take on pasta with ragù, served in my Kalahari kitchen. Life is still good!

Ragù (meat slow-cooked with vegetables) originated in Bologna, Italy.
A proper ragù Bolognese needs a wider noodle like fresh pappardelle or
tagliatelle, or a more robust shape like penne or rigatoni to soak in all the juices of meat, wine and vegetables.

This recipe is a beautiful, thick, rich and wholesome Italian-style ragù but made with our wild venison (Springbuck or Black Wildebeest are my choice venison meats used in this recipe). You can use any beef brisket or roast. And remember to pour a glass of red wine and have a rustic ciabatta bread on the side!

Mangia Bene!

The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.

Eva Burrows
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