Latest Newss from La Motte

Waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyos), also known as Cape pondweed, are bulbous plants that thrive in slow- moving water dams, particularly in the Western Cape. The flowers or stems of these plants are used in traditional soups and stews (bredies). Sorrel is a natural accompaniment to waterblommetjies. Cultivated or wild sorrel can be used. If using cultivated...

South Africans are known for their hospitality. In the days of the early Cape, travellers and writers wrote in letters and journals about the kindness with which they were received and catered for, and today still, although it might be on alternative platforms, South Africans are praised for their exceptional hospitality. While in the old...

Food traditions differ among nations and in South Africa, with its rainbow culture, the food culture is all but simple. One of the common customs, however, is our love for cooking over an open fire – therefore, also, why Heritage Day in South Africa is fondly refer to as National Braai Day. But we share...

We often tend to think of wines as being quite seasonal – white in summer and red in winter. But can a wine be better suited to one season than to another? What makes one wine more of a “summer wine” and another more of a “winter wine”? There is no simple formula for wines...

Many people ask “why must I decant a wine?”, “when must I decant a wine?” and “how must I decant a wine”? Decanting is probably one of the most intimidating aspects of wine culture for many wine novices. “Why can’t I just pull the cork (or twist the cap) and enjoy my bottle?” “Why must...

It is seasonal and warming and the perfect recipe for a winter’s weekend. Try a traditional Game Pie from our Cape Winelands Cuisine Cookbook. The traditional method for making game pie by stewing the game with marrow bones and/or strips of unsmoked pork/bacon or mutton tail fat and a combination of spices- such as cloves,...

Before commercial curry powder was available at the Cape, every cook had his or her own recipe for a curry mix. In the Cape's oldest Dutch and Flemish manuscripts, many curry recipes were documented. We chose three of these traditional curry blends (read more below), which we only slightly adapted for use in the modern...

“A traditional terrine is something slightly different to what we as South Africans understand”, says La Motte’s Culinary spokesperson and Food Historian, Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche. “Most of us think of a terrine as a cold dish set with gelatine or jelly, but a terrine actually has more in common with a pâté!” Hetta shares this...

The Blushing Bride, a rare white or pink flower with silky, pointy petals, is somewhat of a legend in the Franschhoek Valley. The story goes that it was discovered in the surrounding mountains in 1773 and came by its romantic name from its use in a rather romantic tradition. A French Huguenot farmer who was...

La Motte Sauvignon Blanc has become a go-to white wine in many households. It is a regular find on wine racks and in fridges and it is often the choice white wine for both informal get-togethers and special celebrations. And it is not difficult to understand why. Not only is the style of the wine...