Joy Is… Food Tourism

tpsadmin — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:13:43 +0000

Joy is... Food Tourism

Almost a decade ago, something incredible happened in the world of tourism. The world finally woke up to what every traveller and adventurer already know as fact. That food, is in indeed the centre of every experience whenever you visit a new place, be it city or country. Ask any tourist and they will tell you that every travel experience is never complete without sampling the local cuisine as a way to fully immerse yourself in the culture.

This revelation has become so big that even the United Nations, through the World Tourism Organization, has created platforms and experiences that deal specifically with food and its unique and vast eco system. They term it… Gastronomy Tourism

In the second Global Report on Gastronomy Tourism, Taleb Rifai, the UNWTO Secretary General until 2017, writes: “People seek to experience food in the same way that they seek out other elements of different cultures like art, music and architecture… Gastronomy tourism offers enormous potential stimulating local, regional and national economies as well as enhancing sustainability and inclusion”

The report went to say that most people believe that gastronomy is a distinctive and strategic element in defining the image and brand of any destination.

No truer words and as any tourist will tell you, the taste experience is just as important for a wholistic sensory, truly immersive moment.

The UNWTO Gastronomy Summit is in its 9th year and Botswana, through the Botswana Tourism Organization, participated for the 1st time in 2022, led by star Chef, Joseph Seeletso. Botswana beef sat centre stage the world got the opportunity to TASTE the best of this beautiful country.

One thing is for sure, country participation continues to increase, a clear sign that nations finally see the value of those who have added flavour and colour to our beloved cities around the world. It is affirming, not only for the tourism industry but importantly for the local food economy that need our support now more than ever.

DSTv Delicious Festival

tpsadmin — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 07:02:27 +0000

DSTV Delicious Festival

The DSTV Delicious festival was an awesome two days of music by major international and local acts, celebrity Chef demonstrations and a gourmet food, drinks and wine market.

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

Sip Back and Relax

tpsadmin — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:50:27 +0000

Sip back & relax...

Have your wine and drink it this summer with these refreshing wines to help you beat the heat.

Rosé

A common misconception is that all rosé wines are sweet, which is not the case. From sinfully sweet to bone dry, there is a rosé to suit every palate. The rosé gets its name from the French word for ‘pink’ owing to its blush hues. The more popular dry rosé, with its crisp, light body, pairs well with seafood, chicken and easy salads. A more full-bodied rosé is the perfect match for hearty meat dishes like beef or lamb, while the sweeter varieties are suitable to cut through the richness of an indulgent dessert or spicy food.

Sauvignon Blanc

The perfect summer white! Its high acidity level makes for the crisp, refreshing taste it’s best loved for. Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, it is believed that its name was derived from the French word Sauvage meaning Wild, as the grape would grow wildly and uncontrollably like a weed. Its passionfruit and citrusy-tasting notes pair well with seafood and summer salads, perfect for a luxurious summer evening.

Chardonnay

Due to its complexity, this dry, full-bodied white wine is often described as the red wine of whites. Typically, there are two distinct types; wooded and unwooded chardonnay. One is aged in oak, and the other is not, resulting in two different tastes. In a glass of oak-aged chardonnay, you’ll distinctly taste notes of vanilla and butter, with a ‘creamy’ and rich texture, while unoaked chardonnay is lean and dry, with notes of passion fruit, pear and lemon, also present in oaked chardonnay. This wine pairs well with rich and creamy dishes like creamy pasta, pork and fatty fish like salmon.

Pinot Noir

If whites are not your ‘glass of wine’, then Pinot Noir is a great red wine to enjoy in the summer. It is light-bodied with low tannin content and medium to high acidity. If robust and bold red wines are what you usually gravitate towards, chances are you may not enjoy this one. It is one of the lightest reds around and goes well with various dishes. Pair it with fish, game meat, chicken and pizza.

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

RiaKathEats & Friends

tpsadmin — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:04:13 +0000

RiaKathEats & Friends

Picture this, bright summer weather, a beautiful and serene backyard lounge setup, the ambient sound of Afrobeats not too intrusive, almost distant but clear enough to savour as you rouse your palate with a chilled crisp and fruity sparkling wine, all this with your favourite people. Well, welcome to Maria Kathurima Selemogwe’s gorgeous home. The milieu of her being is undoubtedly reminiscent of the perfect summer afternoon. Irreproachably warm and radiant.

Walking into Maria’s home was like walking into your favourite, most trusted restaurant. The ardour of her countenance is like meeting up with an old friend, and you can be sure of one thing, the food will be excellent. Flavourful fried rice, a bright beetroot, butternut and pomegranate summer salad, delicious prawns, parmesan chicken pasta, chicken frikkadels and bottomless servings of the refreshing JC Le Roux La Fleurette.

In true excellent host fashion, she hands out welcome drinks as the team arrives to cover the afternoon before leading into the backyard where her cousin Kelly, best friend Yame and little brother Carlson are gathered. The décor, which she proudly credits to her wedding decorator Live O Live Décor, sings summer and could not be more perfect. At that moment, the endless conversations and countless postponements for ‘RiaKathEats & Friends’ seemed worth it.

In the room, there is laughter all around. You could easily think they are all family, the love is tangible, and in between all the punny jokes, you can literally hear an “I love you” every 2 minutes. “Carlson, please get this for me. Thank you, I love you.” The stuff friendship dreams are made of.

JC Leroux La Fleurette

Maria, 28, is the founder of RiaKathEats, a gourmet food service that first stepped on the scene in 2019 and became an instant hit! She describes her food as “homey elevated fancy comfort food”, food that everyone knows and loves, just on another level. Tracking back, Maria recalls how like the foodie in all of us, she posted a picture of food that she’d made for her parents on Instagram and got countless requests from internet friends to make it for them. A light bulb moment that made her realise that that could be a great business. Growing up in an enterprising home, her mother, Zambian, and her father from Kenya relocated to Botswana in 1987 and worked hard to successfully establish themselves in a foreign land. From a young age, she learnt that to succeed, you must work hard, something that her parents instilled in her. She’d always loved to cook but honestly never considered that she was a good cook, let alone that catering was something she could do.

But while RiaKathEats has been asleep, Maria has been hard at work. Three years ago, she decided to move back to Gaborone after 10 years of living in Cape Town. She excitedly speaks about falling in love with a Motswana man and how that and getting married propelled the decision to make the move. Though she never imagined moving back, she is happy that she did. Maria is also the Lead Strategist (Sub-Saharan Africa) for a large South African-based investment and holding company with business interests in Africa, Australia and Eastern Europe. So, while her permanent home is in Gaborone, a considerable chunk of her time is still spent in Cape Town, “I spend most of the month in Gaborone and about 1 or 2 weeks in Cape Town for work.” Her schedule is hectic, but she makes it work, and RiaKathEats lovers can look forward to their favourite gourmet food service re-entering the scene.

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

The IT Girl of the Cocktail Menu

tpsadmin — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 19:19:45 +0000

The IT girl of the cocktail menu

Ever heard people speak of the magical healing powers of a nice yummy cocktail? Well, as far the iconic Gn’T is concerned, that’s exactly what you get, literally and figuratively, or at least for the former that was the case back in the 1700’s. As it turns out, its rise to fame was founded on the belief that quinine (the key ingredient in tonic) could heal malaria. Legend has it that soldiers in those days would treat malaria with quinine and to make the bitter compound more palatable, they would mix it with sugar and water, creating what we know today as tonic water. These unknowing taste makers would mix the supposed medicine with their daily ration of gin. It is unclear as to why they did this, but it probably had something to do with gin making everything better (this is tried and tested).

Whatever the case may be, through time this legendary concoction has found its way onto cocktail menus the world over and continues to dominate centuries on. The writing is on the wall – in big block letters, it reads ‘SCANDALOUSLY DELICIOUS’ and together with the world’s most awarded gin – Beefeater, we’ve got you covered with tips on how to get the most out of your gin, for the best Gn’T or should we say Bn’T, you know – Beefeater and tonic?

Break SOME of the rules

The classic Gn’T has evolved over the years, for better! So many variations currently exist that don’t fit the traditional ‘double shot gin and just pour in the tonic water’ mold, no sir! Mixologists are experimenting with the blue print and one way they’ve taken it up a notch is by serving it frozen! We’ve already established that the classic taste ticks all the boxes, but changing its texture could result in a more nuanced drinking experience. Freezing your gin makes it thicker and more viscous, and as the gin begins to warm up it opens up the flavour profile. So beyond having a literally frozen ice gin and tonic cocktail, keeping your Beefeater gin in the freezer also goes a long way.

Details matter

The curve of the glass, which at the top does curve back in, helps trap the aromas of the gin within the glass, yet still allows it to breath. This helps open up the flavors of the gin. Allowing the gin to breathe is important, especially if you’re using a distinctly floral and nose heavy gin.
Additionally, the bowl shape of the glass does allow for additional ice, plus your hand is not warming the liquid but instead is holding the stem, so the ice doesn’t melt as quickly.

The best way to enjoy Beefeater Gin would be in a classic Bn’T serve

Oscar Bhengu

Brand Ambassador Gin Squad at Pernod Ricard

Do This

For the London dry, the serve would be 50ml Beefeater London dry topped with Indian tonic, garnished with an orange slice and a lemon slice. Keep the garnish nice and simple because the garnishes are there to bring out more of the flavours in the gin.

They complement all 9 botanicals that are used to make every drop of Beefeater. Our London dry is a traditional dry gin with its unique process of steeping our botanicals for 24 hours, to give it a perfect full body and long finish ensuring that the gin is the star of the show with every sip.

The Beefeater Pink Strawberry is a delicious, easy to drink and fun looking strawberry gin made in London and based on the classic award-winning Beefeater Dry recipe. The soft fruit flavours of strawberry tune perfectly with classic notes of juniper and citrus to produce a finely balanced contemporary gin. It’s the real, young and urban pink Gin for the new generation of Gin drinkers, who drink with their eyes. The Beefeater Pink should be enjoyed in a Gin and tonic with the following ratios: 50ml Beefeater Pink, Ice, Indian tonic and garnished with sliced strawberry with the additional option of adding a lemon slice to bring out citrus flavours whilst still complimenting the natural strawberry flavoring.

How to make a pink gin & tonic

Difficulty: 2/10

Ingredients:

50ml Beefeater Pink 150ml tonic water
Fresh halved strawberries

Step 1

• Add all ingredients into a mixing glass and add ice

Step 2

• Stir until chilled

Step 3

• Strain into glass and add ice

Step 4

• Garnish GARNISH Strawberry Slices & Mint Sprig

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

The Perfect Serve with FNB Botswana

tpsadmin — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 15:23:23 +0000

The Perfect Serve with FNB Botswana

A wine tour is without a doubt one of the best leisurely ways to spend your time. It is a fun, sensory experience that the convivialist in me could never turn down. And when the closest wine estate is over a 1500km away, it makes it all the more special when you do find yourself with a tasting glass in hand, as a winemaker passionately speaks about the tasting notes in the background.

Thanks to the First Wine Show proudly brought together by FNB Botswana, the vineyards came to Gaborone and all the city had to do was show up, and so it did, in what was a sold-out show featuring some of the best winemakers in the region.

So, you attended the First Wine Show, purchased a few bottles of wine perhaps, now what? Here’s a guide from the winemakers on how to serve up the perfect glass, every time.

STORAGE

The fermentation process requires just the right amount of oxygen to enhance the aromas and flavours of your wine once opened, but too much oxygen exposure and you might end up chucking it all down the drain. Corked wine bottles must be stored horizontally, this keeps the cork moist and helps keep the oxygen and outside scent out. Wine should also be stored in a dark and dry place away from both UV rays and fluorescent lighting which cause oxidation and alter its integrity. BONUS TIP – Remember the popular phrase ‘Aging like fine wine’? The keyword being ‘fine’ – Not all wine is meant to be aged or cellared. If it is not exceptionally fine wine, it will expire. Right now, might be a good time to pop that bottle open.

THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE

The temperature at which your wine is stored and served significantly affects its taste, so it is important to get it right. The ideal temperature for your red wine serving is 15-20 degrees celsius, place your bottles in the fridge for an hour before serving. For champagne, it’s perfectly served at 8-10 degrees celsius, chill it in an ice bucket for at least 30 minutes or in the fridge for four hours. Full-bodied or oaky whites are to be lightly chilled at 10-13 degrees celsius and light white wines at 7-10 degrees celsius. If you have an at-home wine fridge like a pro, PERFECT. The really good ones come with different temperature settings.

SERVING

To decant or not to decant? The answer is yes! Aerating wine opens up its flavours and aromas. Decanting ensures that your wine drinks at it its best, and this is true for BOTH red and white wine. For an especially young wine, try to decant a few hours ahead of serving to allow for full expression of character, otherwise 30-45 minutes is sufficient. BONUS TIP – Using the right glass ware is everything, but if you don’t have a decanter, go ahead and use a carafe or jug.

NOW ENJOY | Selections from the FIRST WINE SHOW winemakers

*Alcohol is not for Sale to Any Persons under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.

Sponsored – The Perfect Serve

Joy Is… Food Tourism