The South African Cheese Festival, celebrating its 17th anniversary from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 April 2018, promises a discovery of a great variety of niche products to pair with cheese for exceptional culinary encounters.
The Cape Made: Taste the Alternatives exhibition is where visitors can enjoy niche products such as berries, pomegranates, figs and honeybush tea. Here more than 40 exhibitors share their unique products directly with the public, thanks to a partnership between the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) and Agri-Expo, the organisers of the SA Cheese Festival. Foodies can come taste water-wise products such as hidroponic herbs, discover how high in antioxidants and versatile pomegranates are, as well as learn more about vegetable farming on the Cape Flats.
“In the agricultural sector there is increasingly referred to alternative crops as a possible outcome for especially small-scale farmers to address changing climate patterns. The convergence of agricultural role-players is important in these challenging times; therefore, we are excited about the collaboration of two partners working side to side to promote agriculture,” says Johan Ehlers, Agri-Expo CEO.
“It is indeed an honour to unite under the cheese banner,” says Joyene Isaacs, Head of the Western Cape Department of Agriculture. “This initiative provides the Western Cape Government with the opportunity to enact its responsibility of assisting producers of primary and processed agricultural products in their quest to gain exposure.”
Recipe booklet will inspire
The Cape Made Kitchen is an exciting edition to this exhibition, where chef Selwyn October of the Institute of Culinary Arts (ICA) will demonstrate specially developed water-wise recipes in which cheese is paired creatively with niche products such as pomegranates, persimmons and granadillas. These recipes, inspired by celebrity chefs (and ICA ex-students) Herman Lensing, Zola Nene and Johnny Hamman, have been brought together in a recipe book available for free at the festival thanks to a collaborative agreement between the WCDoA, the Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO), ICA, Hortgro and Agri-Expo.
“Representing the milk producers in the country, we believe that cheese is milk’s leap toward immortality,” says Dr Chris van Dijk, MPO CEO. “We should let our culinary boundaries concerning the use and enjoyment of cheese and other dairy products be continuously challenged. This recipe book will support consumers in doing just that!”
Date, time and ticket details
The SA Cheese Festival takes place from Friday, 27 April to Sunday, 29 April 2018 at Sandringham Estate outside Stellenbosch. Tickets are available at any Computicket outlet, Shoprite or Checkers store at R180 per person per day. Senior citizens pay R120 and children between 2 years and 13 years pay R20 per person per day. No tickets will be sold at the gates. The festival times are from 10:00 to 18:00 daily. Sandringham Estate is conveniently located next to the N1, Stellenbosch turn-off (exit 39), between Cape Town and Paarl.
Visit www.cheesefestival.co.za, contact Agri-Expo on tel 021-975 4440 for more information.
