December 2009

Give your Christmas a South African Flavour

Yes turkey is traditional Christmas fare in Britain – along with brussel sprouts and parsnips, and no, there was really no single traditional Christmas dinner back in SA . It was usually cold meats and salads or a braai - apart from those diligent few housewives who went the full hog and did the hot roast dinner in their sweltering kitchens.  Well … you are in England now but that doesn’t mean you can’t buck the system when it comes to Christmas dinner !  We have some suggestions for a great Christmas Day menu using the tastes of South Africa to remind you and your family, and friends, of the ‘old country’.

In our home, after the children have demolished their stocking goodies, we grab a quick piece of toast and then put out plates of snacks to nibble while the presents under the tree are opened, and we eat our main meal about 2.30pm. What about a lovely plate of freshly baked Biltong Muffins instead of toast for breakfast ? Some great snacks during the morning of crackers piled with cream cheese and topped with sliced biltong – Bacon Kips are still the best, or Salticrax. Maybe even some mini pizzas with biltong powder mixed with the cheese – yummy ! ….. or some savoury biltong spread on wholewheat bread fingers …. or Biltong Spread thickly layered between 2 slices of bread and toasted in an electric sandwich maker (Snackwich).

Then we come to the main course – roast turkey need not be the only food for Christmas dinner – what about a lekker potjie. You can prepare the veges the day before and let it cook while you relax.  Last month customers received a recipe folder with delicious potjie recipes. What could be better for mid-winter warmth ? Of course the pudding is the best part of  any meal and there you can really go on a nostalgic trip… Cape Brandy Tart (called Tipsy Tart in our house) or Malva Pudding or the famous Peppermint Crisp pudding we all know and love.

The next recipe folder, No. 2 in our S.A. Recipe Collection, will be available for all customers ordering online and in the shop, during December, and will feature some of the above recipes. So when you order your biltong, the recipes will be included. We stock most of the SA ingredients you will need.

back to top

Christmas Shopping Hours

That is the Christmas food dealt with but now what about the gifts – for family, friends and YOURSELF. Please remember to get your Christmas orders in really early because we get extremely busy during December and we don’t want you to be disappointed.

CHRISTMAS DATES AND TIMES

The last posting day to assure you receive your parcel before Christmas, will be Monday 21st – after that it depends on the volume of mail being handled by Royal Mail. Please allow a few days for us to process the order prior to dispatch as well. Last courier orders will go out on Wednesday 23rd.

back to top

Canvey Island Biltong Shop News

GREAT NEWS FOR SHOPPERS : SPECIAL FOR DECEMBER ONLY - MELKTERT EARLY BIRD OFFER

Be one of the first 4 shoppers in the shop each Saturday and buy a delicious, fresh melktert  (1 per family) for just .......  £1.00 when you spend £20 or more

CHRISTMAS SEASON SHOPPING HOURS

• OPEN up to 4.30PM ON Wednesday 23rd
• CLOSED from  Thursday 24th December to Sunday 27th
• OPEN  from 1pm on Monday 28th to 3pm on Thursday 31st
• CLOSED Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd inclusive

After that it is business as usual from 1pm on Monday 4th January.

back to top

Thank you

This month we are not featuring any of our outlets but we are saying a big THANK YOU to those butcheries and delis who make our products more readily available to our customers. We really appreciate their loyalty to us and also your loyalty to them.

back to top

Happy Christmas - in all parts of Africa

In Zimbabwe                                 Merry Kisimusi
In Afrikaans (South Africa)          Geseënde Kersfees
In Zulu (South Africa)                   Sinifisela Ukhisimusi Omuhle
In Swazi (Swaziland)                   Sinifisela Khisimusi Lomuhle
In Sotho (Lesotho)                       Matswalo a Morena a Mabotse
In Swahili (Tanzania, Kenya)     Kuwa na Krismasi njema
In Yoruba (Nigeria)                      E ku odun, e hu iye' dun!

Whatever language you speak - a very Merry Christmas to you from all at Biltong Direct !

back to top

Die Boereworsklub

Nou gaan ek verklap hoe lank ek die aarde al bewandel: As kind het die Penniefluitjie Kwêla van Flink Uit die Vere my presies vertel hoeveel tyd ek nog oor gehad het voordat ek moes skool toe gaan. Fanus Rautenbach se gewilde oggendprogram het stiptelik om sewe-uur begin met die bekende klanke uit daai penniefluitjie. Fanus was die een man wat ek baie graag wou ontmoet het. Nie net vanweë sy kwinkslae en die tipe humor wat ons in gemeen gehad nie, maar ook omdat hy die skepper van een van my helde was. Staal Burger. Elke week het die mannewales van Staal, Willem, Koos van der Merwe, Dada en natuurlik die doedies my voor (of langs) die radio vasgenael gehou. En dan was daar die Staal Burger-boeke. Ek onthou in die een boek was ek vasgevang in die drama, die aksie, die spanning. Breekpunt, man. Die hoofstuk het tot ‘n einde gekom en toe ek angstig omblaai vir die begin van die nuwe hoofstuk, toe staan daar:

HOOFSTUK 4 – In hierdie hoofstuk het daar nie regtig iets belangriks gebeur nie.

Net dit. Volgende hoofstuk, Hoofstuk 5 en in tipiese Rautenbach-styl het situasie in hierdie hoofstuk niks te make met die gebeure waar hy jou met die laaste hoofstuk in die duister gelaat het nie.

Hierdie maand voel ek om dieselfde te sê. My arms en alle ander liggaamsdele voel te lam om oor rugby te skryf. O, die teleurstelling. En krieket, ja daai ouens speel yo-yo met ‘n man se emosies. Een wedstryd op, die ander een af. Kom ons laat dit dus daar. Hierdie maand het daar nie regtig iets belangriks gebeur nie. Ons vertrou dat die nuwe rugbyseisoen ons tone gaan laat krul van lekkerte, soos die afgelope een – vóór die laaste maand!

Wat oorbly is om al ons klante ‘n kersfees toe te wens met net die mooiste, heerlikste en hartlikste seënwense. ‘n Ware Christusfees.

Laat daai potjies prut! 

back to top

Tailpiece .....

With all that info to take in you may be a bit stressed  but  STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backwards, so take a breather - these are weedy but should make you smile......

'It's so cold outside,' the elf said, 'that I just watched a polar bear jump from one iceberg to another and it froze in mid air!'
'That's impossible,' Father Christmas said.
'The law of gravity won't allow that!'
'Oh, I know' Gnora said, 'but the law of gravity's frozen too!'

What did the bald man say when he got a comb for Christmas ?
Thanks, I'll never part with it !

What do Eskimos use to hold their homes together?    i Glue!

What do monkeys sing at Christmas ?
Jungle Bells, Jungle bells.. !

What do you get if you cross an apple with a Christmas tree ?
A pineapple !

What comes at the end of Christmas Day? The letter 'Y' 

I told you they were weedy !   It is the silly season after all !

back to top