Ethos African Snippets

#TASTYAFRICA
As hotels and lodges in Africa start preparing for tourism to reopen towards the last quarter of 2020 (hopefully!) we thought we’d share with you some foodie news to whet your appetites for your next African adventure!

WORLD BUNNY CHOW DAY - 26 JUNE
KwaZulu-Natal is known for its incredible wildlife, golden beaches, majestic mountains and historic battlefields.  It’s also a melting pot of cultures – combining Zulu, Indian and Western influences. Durban is said to be one of the largest “Indian cities” outside of India - which explains why the Durban Curry is so legendary! Back in the 1800’s many migrant workers from India came to work in the sugar cane fields along the KZN coastline. Instead of a traditional roti, the workers opted for a hollowed-out half-loaf of bread as a vessel for their curry – and so the “Bunny Chow” was born.

Don’t worry though – unlike the photoshopped graphic above, no rabbits are harmed in making a “Bunny”. In fact, most “bunnies” contain vegetarian curry - although mutton curry is also popular!   The name simply comes from the word "bania" an Indian slang word for a Gujarati person while “chow” is slang for food.
In celebration of this tasty treat, SafariKZN has launched a lockdown challenge - to recreate and enjoy your own bunny on 26th June. Amanda and her Chef husband Steve decided to test a delicious chicken and prawn curry recipe which you can find on the Ethos website – or you can pick up tips via their demo video.  Please do join us in enjoying a “Bunny” on the 26th and share your photos on social platforms tagging #worldbunnychowday and #TastyAfrica.  Alternatively – book your visit to Ghost Mountain Inn in Zululand and request the real thing next time you visit KwaZulu-Natal.


VINES & WINES - MEET BRENDA KARAMBA
Brenda Karamba is the Restaurant Manager at Majeka House, a stylish family owned and run boutique hotel in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands.  Brenda has a rather fascinating story.  She was born and raised in Zimbabwe and, for various reasons, until the age of 27 “regarded any beverage with alcohol an abomination”.   So it’s pretty incredible to follow her journey from “Teetotal Business Graduate” - to “Sommelier Extraordinaire”!

In 2011, Brenda started working at Majeka House, and over the years worked her way up to Manager of one of the country’s top restaurants.  Best of all - somehow along the way she also fell in love with vines and wines and sharing the stories behind each bottle with guests!

Owners Karine and Lloyd recognised her passion and eagerness to learn and enrolled her to study with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.  Today she is one of only a handful of women who are qualified Sommeliers in South Africa.  She is also a proud member of the elite and empowering wine family known as the Black Cellar Club (BLACC) for African Sommeliers.
Brenda shares with us her #TastyAfrica cocktail tips on “How to make the perfect Negroni

THE BLUE TRAIN'S NEW CHEF
Cresan Ramjathan is the new Executive Chef on The Blue Train. We took advantage of the lockdown lull to get to know him a little better... from his roots in Durban to becoming one of the country’s most exciting chefs oboard the iconic Blue Train! Check out his full interview  for some insider stories on cooking up word class cuisine from scratch in a tiny, moving kitchen car and be sure to whip up a batch of his #TastyAfrica delectable Blue Train Brownies!