I miss Africa. I'll not be going again, perhaps, until 2013, so I created a little of it here last night.

I've always thought that the "Out of Africa" shop at the JNB airport was one of the best places to buy stuff for presents to bring back home. The prices are a bit more than some smaller (or non-airport) curio shops, of course, but buying stuff while awaiting Delta 201 coming back means you don't have to tote stuff everywhere you go.

Anyway, over the years I've accumulated china, tablecloths, candle holders, napkin rings... you name it.

Well, this time was my night to cook for our supper club and I finally used up all that stuff. I cooked a dinner for 10 folks in which I attempted to recreate for them what it's like to return to camp after a day of hunting.

When the folks came, I gave them a cocktail of mango infused vodka with equal amounts of orange juice, white grape juice and soda water. For snacks, we had real biltong from http://www.4biltong.com/ , both spicy and mild, popcorn and hot Spanish peanuts for snacks as we sat by the fire (sorry, no mopane and hyenas, just and oak fire but I had African tunes playing).

The first course was (naturally) homemade butternut squash soup with a dollop of sour cream and grated white cheese.

Then a simple salad with tomatoes and sweet red onions. No frills oil and vinegar dressing with spices like in Zimbabwe was enjoyed by all.

For meats, I found some plum Peri-Peri sauce, (again at http://www.4biltong.com/ ) and basted skinless chicken breasts with it on the braai.

Second meat (my fake warthog) was pork tenderloins cut in 2" filets and browned in a big Pyrex dish, then slow cooked in the oven in a gravy made from more of the Peri-Peri sauce, vanilla yogurt and beef broth with all sorts of spices. They were fork-tender and delicious. Thank you Moses in Pierr'e van Tonder's camp for the recipe.

Again at the same place I found the biltong, I bought a couple of pounds of boerewors. I put them on the braai and didn't let them dry out. As J.J. used to say, "Dyn---O---mite!"

I bought some fresh Brussels sprouts (King Leopold "owned" the Congo, didn't he?) and marinated them in Italian salad dressing and ground peppers, then "nuked" them in a covered dish with a lemon juice and a light garlic, drawn butter. When served, I sprinkled some grated mozzarella cheese as a garnish. Nothing better!

For dessert I made some custard (I added a wee bit of gelatin to make it a bit thicker than the African style when it was chilled) and had Mandarin oranges, peaches, strawberries,raspberries and blueberries in it. Wow!

We, of course, enjoyed both red and white South African wines by Roodeberg during the meal.

After dinner drink was Amarula and a bit of the infused vodka, almost frozen from the freezer.

With all the hoopla expected, I had rented a van and had a client who owes me a few favors to pick up the couples and take them home and that turned out to be a good idea!

Next time, I'll have Castle, sudza and tilapa, I guess.

Not a bad evening. Not bad at all.

Faux warthog, Peri-Peri chicken and boerewors in Brunswick.







Table settings with all the Out of Africa stuff I've accumulated. On the soup bowls are copper bracelets as favors for the ladies.



Most of us. Not incidentally, the beautiful lady furthest to the left is now my fiance, and yes, I had to cut off my mustache to get her to say yes. Alas! Sandy's dress came from "Out of Africa", too.



And.... you can get a pretty good faux African sunset from my back porch.

Congrats Ernest! Very lovely dinner set-up too. Wish I had been there!

You done good, facial hair makes one look aged anyway.

Congratulations she is a fine lady,best wishes to you both,the moustache? You can always grow one later
That was quite the dinner you prepared,excellent menu choices,very unique!

Great idea Judge. Thanks for posting those recipes, I think we'll try them. Give our best to Sandy.

Scott:

Does that dining room look familiar? We had a good low-country boil there, didn't we?

Sandy and I miss you folks!

What an great idea! Definitely a meal to remember.

The stuff I bring from africa,like tablecloths,mugs and plates,including my trophies have a calming and sense of well being effect on me everytime I look at them.I am very picky with the stuff and find most of it junk.There is one place in the Harare airport that has stuff I really like and at ridiculously low prices.There is also another place in the airport with the most beautifull tablecloths.I once bought a very funny looking shirt in Harare that I thought would make some people laugh.I think I'll keep it in the closet.At least it makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Congratulations for a very nice home ,African style ,i too bougth many stuff at Jburg airport and they are all over my home .....plus the assegais and another weapons that my afrikaners friends brougth to me

Judge,
You know you could have held that soiree on the 10th and invited some of the other Marines. Looks like you still have time to arrange that.
Still looked like a great meal and a good time.

Judge G,
The dinner sounds absolutely fabulous. Wish I could have been there.
On another note, a rare lady for a rare man.
Max

Judge;

Congratulations! I think you need to host an AR dinner at your home. The food sounded great and of course the decor is like going back to Africa...even the perfect sunset.

Best regards, D. Nelson

Lose the mustache for a woman?

Dave

Very nice.

Looks like you could install a double rifle range or at least a bow target off that back deck.

quote:

I think you need to host an AR dinner at your home.

This is a cool idea. A roving quarterly dinner for AR folks. hmm, maybe by invitation only to spar some of the more untoward topics...

Nice little place you have there, Ernest. And a truly beautiful lady, as well. Congratulations!

Very nice setting. I will have to so the same when I get back at the end of Nov. I decorated the living room in rhodesian and RSA militaria. The dining room must be next. Thanks for the idea.