Have you ever wanted to take up a craft, learn how to make bread or just simply appreciate the art of pairing food and wine? Now you can. Make your way to Franschhoek over the weekend of 25, 26 and 27 June, where local, well-known establishments will be offering visitors to the area a range of activities designed to enhance your stay.
The purpose of this exclusive yet intimate weekend is to introduce visitors to the hidden gems not usually associated with Franschhoek, or that visitors seldom find. Franschhoek Affair, as it has become known, exposes visitors to the exceptional talent to be found in the Franschhoek Valley.
Encouraging visitors to make a weekend of their experience, Franschhoek offers visitors accommodation ranging from the finest bed and breakfasts, to luxurious boutique hotels, all nestling in a picturesque and safe environment.
Some of the experiences on offer over the weekend include:
• Well known Franschhoek potter, David Walters will be offering classes and demonstrations in ‘Glass Slumping’, as well as other exciting techniques.
• Allora Restaurant will be presenting pasta making courses, whereby visitors will be taught the basic art of pasta making as well as a few other techniques.
• Master the art of bread making at Bread & Wine (Môreson), presented by Franschhoek’s master bread maker, Neil Jewell. End off your experience with a wine tasting and a light lunch.
• Local photographer Siegfried Schafer will take you through a relaxing yet informative guided tour of the old part of Franschhoek, where you can learn about everything from architecture and the Huguenots, to the Boer War and local transport.
• Wanting to treat your partner to a massage? Why not learn how to do it yourself. Le Quartier Français will be offering a course on couples massage, presented by a professional therapist who will guide each couple through various massage techniques.
• Extend your stay at Le Quartier Français and sign up for their ‘Back to Basics’ cooking class.
• Satisfy your craving for chocolate and master the art of chocolate making, presented by Huguenot Fine Chocolates.
• Join Allée Bleue chef, Dane Newton, for a ‘hands on’ sushi demonstration, followed by a sumptuous dinner.
• Experience a Fynbos Culinary Gardens Tour, presented by Solms Delta, where visitors will be taken through their new fynbos reserve and culinary gardens. The guided tour will expose your sense to their edible indigenous plants and herbs. The tour includes a glass of their indigenous welcoming drink, Karri, as well as a Solms-Delta water bottle.
In addition to these unique offerings, visitors to the area will also be afforded the opportunity to experience the Franschhoek Pairings. Some of Franschhoek’s fine dining establishments will be joining forces with some of the local award-winning wine estates for an evening of unforgettable culinary and wine delights. To allow for a ‘hands on’ experience, both chef and winemaker will be presenting their crafts to their guests. To avoid missing out on this social calendar highlight it is best to book beforehand, as seating is limited.
Some of the uniquely tailored pairings on offer over the weekend include:
• Neil Jewell of Bread & Wine together with Môreson winemaker, Clayton Reabow, winner of the 2009 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year Award, will be presenting a four-course food and wine pairing. A pairing certainly not to be missed, taking into account that Neil recently clinched the title for the Best Pizza in South Africa, and will soon be heading off to Australia to compete in the World Pizza Competition.
• Award-winning Le Quartier Français chef, Margot Janse, will be pairing her fine cuisine with a selection of wines from the Franschhoek Wine Valley. Le Quartier Français was recently placed 31st, in the prestigious S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants. The list is the result of an extensive poll of the world’s most celebrated chefs, renowned food critics, leading restaurateurs and well-travelled gourmands.
• Join award-winning chef Reuben Riffel and Graham Beck winemaker, Pieter Ferreira for an unforgettable culinary and wine pairing experience, as they present mouth-watering gastronomic delights, carefully matched to enhance the flavours of these much loved wines.
So put on your winter woollies and come and experience a ‘Franschhoek Affair’ and ‘Franschhoek Pairings’ this June
Contact the establishments directly to secure your booking. For a detailed list of participating establishments as well as information on contact details and costs, simply click on the link below.
Franschhoek Affair and Pairings Programme
Chef Margot Janse: LQF
