A Supplier Road Trip to Remember
Loving our lekker local suppliers!
We seized a quiet(er) time and the Restaurant team set off to visit many of its suppliers across Darling, Velddrif, and Goedverwacht. First up, the incredible ladies at Tienvoet Tuin who grow the restaurant’s fruit and veg. Out in the Goedverwacht Valley, their certified organic garden is a community collab. led by Merle, who spends her time not only managing the project but also sharing her fantastic business knowledge with rooibos farmers in the local area. After a warm welcome, the Tienvoet Tuin team demonstrated the harvesting of sweet potatoes and shared their knowledge on planting and pest control, followed by a delicious lunch made with the vegetables picked that morning.
David Malan at Kokerboom Kaas was next on the team’s adventure. He has been supplying !Khwa ttu’s restaurant cheese for almost five years. David proudly uses milk from golden Guernsey cows, creating a more easily digestible lactose product. In his home creamery in Velddrif, David showed the team how he separates curds and whey at the beginning of making their signature Steenbras Camembert-style cheese. This was followed by a sneaky peek into the cheese-aging fridge, as well as a chance to taste a few of the extra-special cheeses.
A few days later, the team was out exploring our Darling suppliers. The morning began with a local honey farmer, followed by a visit to !Khwa ttu’s free-range egg supplier on Nuwerus Farm. Here, farmer Louise explained the many different kinds of chickens they have, as well as the creative techniques she has for encouraging them to lay their eggs (sorry, no sharing it’s her trade secret!). The team was amazed by the special care given to each hen, including poor Trudie, who had to spend some time in the chicken infirmary to recover from bullying injuries. Safe to say, we left with a newfound appreciation for the humble hen’s egg!
Next, at Groote Post, local winemaker Lukas showed the team around the farm and shared the history of the surrounding land. An insight into the MCC aging process was revealed, including how the barrels are treated before being filled with wine for aging. The team was then lucky enough to taste the wonderful Groote Post wines served at !Khwa ttu. Rounding off the day was Darling Brew, to taste not only the great beers !Khwa ttu has on the menu, but also some of their newly released shandies and non-alcoholic options.
It was an inspiring journey for the Kitchen and Front of House staff. We returned to !Khwa ttu excited by the passion and quality of our suppliers. Here’s to a winter and spring season of local deliciousness!
