Richard Bosman Quality Cured Meats

I have just returned from a wonderful, relaxing honeymoon in Thailand. Consistent hot weather, warm seas, delicious food, friendly service, plentiful public transport and lots and lots of shopping. Whilst our trip was brief and we only experienced a small sliver of Thai life, it was fascinating and thought provoking.

Koh Samui sunset

Some facts about Thailand:

• It is approximately the size of France
• The largest exporter of rice in the world
• Tourism accounts for just 7% of GDP
• Exports account for 60% of GDP
• There are more pictures of the Queen per capita than any other monarchy
• The population is 65 million of which 94% are Buddhists
• 7 million people live in Bangkok
• Thailand was never colonised by a European country
• There is no decent producer of bacon in the country
• The Chinese think that the Thai people are lazy

While travelling back on the 11 hour flight to OR Tambo International Airport I found myself contemplating the concept of value. You can buy just about anything you want in Thailand (except decent bacon) and the price of everything is negotiable. The scale of the markets and the volume of merchandise is hard to comprehend and one can become so caught up in the haggle that you lose sight of the value of an item. On one occasion I refused to purchase an item of clothing as I felt the going rate was less than the vendor was asking. Possibly I was right, possibly not but I ended up arguing whether the price for a t-shirt should be R70 or R80 which in retrospect seems ridiculous and a waste of energy.

Having grown up in a third world country with a fairly weak currency relative to Europe and America, Thailand offers seemingly fantastic value. Eating out in a restaurant costs half what it would in Cape Town as does accommodation. We spent 4 nights, literally on a beach in the honeymoon suite with excellent food, service and a beautiful coral reef to snorkel on for the same price as the City Lodge in Pinelands. I know that the t-shirt I bought for R70 won’t last forever but I don’t expect it to. So what is my value equation and how do I relate it back to my day to day life. Why does the chicken satay pictured above cost R25 in Thailand and R60 in Cape Town. Am I prepared to buy an item of clothing that will not last forever but is cheap. How do I feed my family if I only have R50 a day to spend on food? What am I prepared to compromise on in terms of quality in order to come out at the end of each month?

For me I think the most important thing is understanding the compromise you are making. If you know that the item of clothing is most likely going to require repairs, or the colour will fade or it will shrink but the price is low then your expectation is likely to be met and you won’t feel as though you have been ripped off. It is a lot harder to measure when it comes to food however as there are so many variable and the effects could be felt years after the actual consumption. What is the impact on your body after eating that burger or drinking that high fructose corn syrup carbonated beverage?

Pinelands City Lodge

At least with a t-shirt you can discard it and wear another one. Not so easy with your pancreas or liver but how do you know what compromises you are making when it comes to your food? There is so much information, much of it contradictory and more importantly – what information has been left out?

An idea, to be suggestive, must come to the individual with the force of revelation – William James

Things have been rather busy of late and my creative writing endeavours have taken a back seat behind the back seat of an old Morris Minor.  Apologies if you have been waiting with anticipation for a post and unfortunately this one is unlikely win any literary awards. I have just emerged from reading “Cooked” by Michael Pollan and the house is a mini microbial experiment much to Commander J’s disgust. Strange smells are emanating from our larder and I look forward to telling you all about my latest fermentations in due course (did you know that salami undergoes a natural fermentation process?).

Charcuterie

The reason for this post however is to welcome my latest customers into the fold and to let you know who they are:

– Pulp Kitchen and Deli in the Gardens Centre

– Wellness Warehouse

– Stormsvlei Farmstall, Swellendam

Please support them if you are passing by and I wish them every success.

One of my favourite aspects of my business is dealing with the farmers who supply my meat. They are close to nature, driven by a passion to produce something special and totally unaffected by the complications that come with an urban lifestyle. None more so than Charlie and Julie Crowther of Glen Oakes Farm. Taking a blind leap of faith in my yet to be proven ability to make a salami, Charlie set up the most amazing breeding programme at Glen Oakes. I hope cousin James will forgive my complete disregard for the English language in this post but the proof of the bacon is in the eating, quite literally.  The quality of the pork makes my job that much easier and knowing that the animals were raised ethically, humanely and as naturally as possible is just as important.

Don’t take my word for it though. I invite you to come to the farm this weekend to see and taste for yourself. Jules Mercer from the Outlandish Kitchen is hosting a picnic on Saturday and a lunch on Sunday. Charlie will be on hand to explain how the farm works, show guests his favourite veldskoen shoes and, if we are really lucky, let us taste his illegal apple brandy.

I will be present on both days with a small selection of products made from Glen Oakes pork and hope to see you there.

at least that is what I call him. My next two posts are going to feature 2 of my favourite people. They are both farmers, they both do what they do because they believe in it, they love it, are passionate about it and they are proud of what they do.

Farmer Tom and Lucky

Tom Turner and his gorgeous wife Katja are farmers at Bontebok Ridge Reserve in Wellington. They breed European wild boar and supply me with a very limited amount of the most fantastic meat. The colour is similar to Shiraz, the texture is firm, the flavour is wild but not gamey and the resultant cured products are some of my favourites. I have a cured leg from the very first wild boar I received in February at home and cut a few slices for guests or just for a snack when the need arises.

The boar were introduced in the 1800’s to South Africa and since then have roamed wild up the west coast. They can be very destructive to the local flora resulting in Cape Nature Conservation currently trying to cull the population surrounding Riebeck West with mixed results. The boar at Bontebok Ridge are part of a specialised breeding program and while they roam freely in their allocated pastures they are monitored closely to track their growth, breeding and health. Tom also uses them to tackle the problems of black wattle and blue gum which are alien species.

Bontebok Ridge Reserve

Tom is clearly well know to the wild boar population and I’m guessing the little bucket of treats he carries around with him is just the required bribery to initiate some boar interaction. On our recent visit the boy named Lucky (named due to his escape from becoming a salami) came running at the sound of his whistle and not only loved the tummy rub, he even lay down while we stroked him.

I feel so privileged to have dedicated farmers who are prepared to treat their animals with respect. To raise them ethically and with integrity and who are not driven by profit but rather by a desire to rear animals in a humane way, thus providing me with something special. I try to do as little as possible to the meat once it arrives as I don’t believe it needs too much added and I want the quality to shine through. At times the stresses of running a business can take its toll but a visit to my amazing farmers can restore ones faith and belief in what we are doing and inspire one to continue the journey.

Next blog will be about Charlie, Julie and Glen Oakes but until then, to my awesome suppliers: A very big thank you – without you I would be poorer in spirit and values.

Pomodoro di Positano

We have just been on a holiday to the Amalfi coast in Italy and the thing that really left an impression on me is the simplicity of certain aspects of Italian life. Before I continue let me assure you that the grass is not greener on the other side and this is by no means a moan about life in sunny South Africa.  It’s just that there are several things that I would really love to transport over here with my magic wand.

In no particular order:
– Every 500m there must be a smallish bar/pastisserie serving unctuous creamy espresso coffee and chocolate croissants
– Nearby is a deli which slices charcuterie and makes delicious panini
– Next door to that is a green grocer selling local produce that tastes as good as it looks and trust me when I say the tomatoes in the south of Italy are the best I have ever tasted. When you buy some the lady behind the counter puts a handful of basil leaves into the packet for your salad or sugo that night.
– Pizza is simply cheese, tomato and one or two toppings and the base has flavour and texture
– The menu has seasonal items such as artichokes which are not available when the season is over
– Restaurants that are serving frozen seafood tell you in advance that the fish is not fresh
– Chefs are secure enough to serve the simplest dishes relying on the quality of the ingredients to shine through – one perfect example of this is insalata di pomodoro which is a tomato salad and comes without dressing and usually just a sprinkling of dried oregano. The beholder is presented with olive oil to add at his discretion.
– Gelato is one of the major food groups
– People in the street are dressed with style and panache and you can just tell that they take pride in their appearance
– Supermarkets are few and far between and exist to provide shampoo, nappies, deodorant and other basics

Prosciutto di Parma

Its not all a bed of roses as I mentioned initially. Transport strikes occur regularly and randomly. Parking is a total nightmare and bus drivers must have some of the highest stress levels in Europe. Space is in short supply and at a premium and as a result everybody grows some fruit and vegetables in every possible square metre of land. The Chinese have invaded and the markets are flooded with cheap imports and knock offs that must be killing the local textile industry. The cost of living seems to be comparable to Cape Town which either makes us expensive or them cheap. It was a wonderful trip, full of great experiences and I just have a feeling that when I return things will be the same, the quality of the food will still be excellent because the simple things are appreciated.

Oded’s Rainbow

Sometimes you meet a person and feel an instant connection, an affinity coming from a mutual understanding,  a comfortable warmth that normally takes many years to cultivate but exists immediately. In my experience this is a rare occurrence and when it happens it is truly special.

I was fortunate to meet Oded recently and we collaborated on a couple of ideas together. He used some of my products in the shop and I buy his roasted tomatoes whenever I am passing as I just can’t make them the same at home no matter how hard I try. His knowledge of food was vast and he was always so willing to share ideas and yet he still wanted to learn new things every day. He epitomised humility – a quality that is rarely found in chefs and is a sign of somebody who is secure in their own ability.

Unfortunately he is no longer with us. His quick smile, his kindness, his sage advice, his wonderful sense of humour are all consigned to the memory bank and thankfully his legacy will live on in his numerous books for future generations. The pic above was taken on my way home after seeing him for the last time to say goodbye.

Travel safely my friend – we miss you.