Sausage Master, Neil Jewell

Forget the culinary law of averages that all charcuterie kings or butchers all live in Italy, and speak fluent Italian with sausages on their wall like trophies. We have met Deon's idol, a bloke from the UK named Neil Jewell who is the proclaimed and famous chef of Moreson vineyard's Bread & Wine restaurant. From our first impression, he has a crooked smile with soft eyes, worked at many fancy pants restaurants and really just loves farming and farm-living. Our meeting was a 9:30am breakfast charcuterie/meat and more meat tasting paired with Moreson wine. He is a chef that was delayed (something I know all too well), all due to a water leak somewhere on the premises, friendly, and beyond passionate. I mean really passionate. He detailed the aging process of his meats (4 years on the prosciutto) and even snuck us in his refrigerator or butchery space. You would have thought that Deon had seen a two hundred pound tuna just hooked out of the water. Deon was NCIS in the Moreson farmhouse taking pictures of the cured meats, and even whittled Neil's biltong recipe from him. Deon has been making biltong for quite some time, so it was Barefoot Contessa versus Giada comparing notes, and I was in total amusement.

The best part was tasting the lusty, unpretentiousness of Neil's food, probably the most delightful meals we had in South Africa if I had to rank. We had such meaningful conversations with a UK expat that not only included food, but chats too deep for a morning sausage and wine tasting. The foliage around the old Dutch farmhouse and winery, the animals grazing, the gracefulness of the people...the only downside? I can't think of one. Thank you, Neil.
http://www.spill.co.za/cooking-classes/the-pig-a-charcuterie-course-with-neil-jewell/1162/

Out of Africa

We are back from our journey, traveling through Italy to South Africa, and
I should be blogging on Napa, Sonoma, or even Mexico which all occurred prior,
but I'm blogging as I speak, stream-of-consciousness style.

I'm not sure why I have waited thirty-seven years to go to Africa, but better
late than never seems reasonable. Or, maybe marrying a South African is a better one? Reasoning aside, I could go back to Africa right now, and relive the moments in the wild bushvelt which is their term for safari. I think there are certain people that just melt into the landscape and Deon and I are THESE people. The amenities are there, just know that every other creature and critter is also there.


Our journey started in Cape Town, which is iconically pictured as Table Mountain.
Table Mountain is not merely the iconic symbol of Cape Town - without it's mountain Cape Town would not exist and the south-western tip of Africa would be a dry, windswept and sparsely populated region. Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains on earth, six times older than the Himalayas and five times older than the Rockies. It is responsible for all human settlement as it provides a rain shadow, providing rain and the streams that flow in its valleys. You have two options getting to the top: hiking or riding in a large cable car. Deon has hiked before, and so as you can imagine, the ladder was the most feasible option to have lunch and a crisp blanc de blanc on top of the mountain. The landscape just swallowed me up, and the beauty of the coastline is indescribable.


The Winelands and coast are phenomenal. If I had to choose from my favorite Napa/Sonoma and the Winelands in South Africa which includes Paarl, Franschoek, and Stellenbosch, hands down, I'd have to say South Africa Winelands. The Winelands are earthy, simplistic, and rival Tuscany's Montepulciano and Montalcino. The winefarm drive-ups are lined with olive and Cypress trees which wind around the mountains, and all the tastings are free of charge....a big bonus. Every morsel in our mouths came from the land, the butter fresh from the cows, the meat from the area. The people support their farms and the word organic is humorous to them because that is all they know. You get a meritage of history with the French Huguenots in Franschoek and the Dutch in the entire Cape area. Deon's last name (Jansen van Vuuren) is always properly pronounced there, and was the favorable last name (to Perkins) for any reservations or perks.

More to come on Franschoek, and the famous sausage king, Neil Jewell...the acclaimed Bread & Wine head chef and charcuterie captain.

Our Cuban Adoption

Meet Oliver, the Havanese wonder! After months of searching for a small, fuzzy Cuban, we found one here in Naples from a local breeder. He is absolutely adorable, potty trained (for potty pads), and has enormous energy bursts where he'll run full rocket speed and leap into his bed to just roll around, and then fall asleep. He is twelve weeks old, and has four siblings and parents in town who he sees three times a week at "daycare".....yes, daycare. His parents, Helen & Rio, are Westminister show dogs that have retired from showing, but now breeding which seems they are savoring the finer things in life.

Oliver is pretty easy, so has already been given full access to patios and some restaurants here in Naples. He is hypoallergenic for those of you that plan on getting to Naples to visit. He has been sleeping throughout the night, but still has his puppy moments, some less to be desired. However, he brings such laughter and joy, and such a change in pace for us. He has requested to join us in Napa for the October Cabernet harvest, but his parents are requesting he stay with them for the week. We'll see.....we're getting quite attached!

Tasting the Land Life

Alas, sorry for the lack of blog, but
land life contributes to lack of time, less
awareness, and less consciousnness. Things are quite fabulous,
however, just different. And,
as expected, very very different. Having spent the last
year working as a chef on private motor yachts, and now,
awaking every day in my own bed living near the beach, but
not responsible for anyone's crepes or cafe americano or better
yet, morning yoga lessons....well, do I need to
say more?

I have debated some things, like well, do I write the book of all
books, where we expose the secrets of the lifestyles of the yacht folk rich and
famous? Or, do I just blog from episode to episode of my daily journal
of which I have at least one year of amazing stories of the most superfulous
people in the world?

Deon and I have contemplated both, and have decided to think on such things for a bit, but welcome your feedback. In the meantime, how about Napa for Cabernet harvest season the sixth through the eighth of October?
The itinerary will be fabulous, and if not, Africa will be blogged in the month of March and April of 2011.

PS. New pictures of Mexico a few weeks ago and the 5 ft Wahoo caught in Puerto Morellos...

Join me!
Gesondheid~
Holly