I have been in SA for the last two weeks, which will explain my silence. I’ll make up for it when back home. I’ll still be here for another week before we turn back for home in France.

Some scenes from around us here under the Southern skies in Stellenbosch :

The Atlantic is cold, but simply beautiful…

The baboons welcome us around every bend…

Breakfast by the sea tastes different…

Proteas, our national flower, growing in abundance on the mountainslopes…

Eating is the most popular pastime, with Calamari followed by soft serve ice cream, and bobotie followed by homebaked South African delicasies, and seafoodsoups followed by long walks by the sea…and…and…

We taste the sun, the salty sprays of the seas, we hear the cry of the gulls,  we pick up shells and turn them into memories, our heads spin from the Merlots and Cabernets, we drown ourselves in the magic of the breath taking sunsets and revel in the beauty of the mountains. We laugh with our friends and family. We sail on the blue waters with billowing sails…

The sun makes room for the the moon far too soon, but we don’t think about time, we just live each glorious day to the full, filled with gratitude and appreciation and a healthy zest for livin……life is good.

I was asked by Jack from Redacted recipes  and by Equal opportunity kitchen to reveal five things about myself.

Nothing comes close to a good, unflavoured, dark roasted, full bodied coffee. I may only have one or two cups a day, but it must be the best.

The best snack is a simple tomato sandwich; fresh bread, a knob of butter, thick slices of tomato, salt and pepper…and a healthy appetite.

Fresh salt is my weak spot. I have at least 5 different kinds in my pantry, always. A good grey sea salt for pasta, kosher salt for more delicate cooking, fleur de sel for my tomato sandwiches, Maldon saltflakes for fish, some salt crystals for meats and rose coloured Himalayan rocksalt to grind over salads….

I become a vegetarian at least once a year….for almost a week long.

I prefer salty foods to sugary ones. Actually it is the other way round I think. No, I’m sure, salty foods. No..o.. let me just think a bit more…..have to finish my ice cream first, it’s melting….

I now on my turn, ask the following five people to reveal five things about themselves:

Sylvia at Lavidaenbuenosairesyafines

Syrie at allthingsnice

Hilda at Dhangitskitchen

Ahn at Ahnsfoodblog

Happy cook at Mykitchentreasures