Part of my life as an African safari guide
By Matilda Cutmore
I AM Australian. But I am also South African. I have lived in Australia for half my life. But that is the problem with us emigrants. We have one foot in our home country and one in our adopted country. So like most emigrants I was very homesick. I already had my African Cottages in Maleny and producing a range of products called Gourmet Afrika. Also importing Justine Skincare, for other homesick expats. But I was still homesick!
Then I decided to take groups of Australians to South Africa to show them my beautiful homeland. But it had to be different. So Gourmet Afrika Safari was born. My Safari focused on the cuisine of South Africa. There was plenty of scope! They are called the Rainbow Nation for a reason. There are 13 different clans, each with their own unique cuisine.
The focus was on the food. Quaint villages where we had delicious lunches. Townships where we had traditional African food, and were entertained by African dancers and musicians. French cuisine in Franschhoek, where all the French Settlers came to live centuries ago. What a stunning place! Nestled amongst majestic mountains is a valley of sheer beauty and stunning winelands.
Then there is Stellenbosch. What a magic place! Nothing like Stellenbosch anywhere on earth! A historic town with whitewashed historic buildings, lots of restaurants and cafes, and about 300 wineries, most of them over 400 years old. South African cooking has a strong Malay influence. When the Dutch came to the Cape in 1652 they imported Malay slaves, who brought their spices and recipes. Malay spices are aromatic, like: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and turmeric. Dishes like Bobotie (a mince dish cooked in an egg custard) and Koeksisters (a very sweet dessert) are very Malay influenced.
Other cuisines were German, Dutch, Indian, Zulu, and of course Afrikaans, my home language. We love our Bredies (casseroles), Potjiekos – a dish cooked for hours in a cast iron pot over an open fire without stirring! Meat like oxtail, vegetables, spices and wine. Sitting around the fire with a glass of Pinotage in your hand is sheer bliss! Then there is our Braai (BBQ). That is sacred stuff! Every man of the house has his own ‘recipe’ of how to make a fire and how to ‘braai’. And you don’t mess with them.
I held my Safaris until I sold the cottages in 2019 and retired to come and live here in our beautiful Village with husband John, whom I met on one of my Safaris! How lucky was that! Five good friends here in our Village went on our last safari with us. I am still homesick, but I am proudly Australian. I must be with the name of Matilda!