Ingredients
- 200g digestive biscuits
-90g butter, melted

Filling
- 15ml gelatine
- 60ml water
- 500g cream cheese
- 85ml castor sugar
- Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
- 125ml sparkling wine
(the Arniston Bay Brut Sparkling Wine is ideal)
- 250ml cream, lightly whipped
- 1 punnet of cherries, washed, retaining stalks
- Sugar
- Icing sugar

Method
- Crush the biscuits and combine with butter.
- Press into base of a 20cm, loose-bottomed cake pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Refrigerate.
- Sprinkle gelatine over water and set aside to form a thick cake.
- In a mixing bowl, beat cheese and castor sugar together. Add rind, juice and sparkling wine and beat again.
- Place gelatine in microwave on medium for 1 minute. Pouring from a height, add to cheese mixture and then stir through the cream.
- Pour into biscuit base, cover and refrigerate for three hours.
- Just before serving, stone a handful of cherries.
- Place in food processor with 60ml sugar, 100ml warm water and 15ml honey. Process till you have a chunky sauce.
- Use remaining cherries to decorate the top of the cheesecake.
- Drizzle over the cooled sauce and sift over some icing sugar and serve.

Source: The Times

Picnics are wonderful, but can be even better with the sun warming your face and ocean sounds in the background. Here’s some tips on how to make it a day to remember.

1) Choose a scenic and wind-resistant venue for your outdoor meal. Try a place between two rock faces or farther from the water than you’d usually like to sit.

2) Although beach parties are generally informal, you may send invitations a week or two in advance so guests can plan ahead.

3)  Plan a menu based on the amount of people and the load you can carry. Ask friends to bring certain items to lighten your responsibilities.

4)  Outfit yourself with the necessary equipment. A picnic basket filled with plates, utensils (don’t forget the bottle/can opener and corkscrew), cups, plastic containers and napkins is recommended. Pack trash bags to carry away any disposables.

5)  Pack your food. Place the heavier items on the bottom and lighter ones on the top.

6)  Remember to bring a hat and/or an umbrella to shade your perishables and your face from the hot sun. Also pack plenty of ice, which you’ll need to keep your food chilled in the sun.

7) Toss in a blanket and/or folding chairs for your sitting and dining comfort.

 Bring torches or lanterns for nighttime picnics, or in case your daytime adventure carries on into the night.

9) The wine. A chilled Arniston Bay The Coast  Rosé will pair well with most of the picnic dishes and will also be a refreshing drink.

Source:  eHow.com

• Line the bottom of your picnic basket with a towel or plastic to catch any spillage along the way.
• Bring your towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, insect repellent and extra clothing layers, along with your beach toys: flying disc, badminton set, snorkeling gear, surfboards, squirt guns, portable radio and so on.
• Picnic backpacks are good replacements for picnic baskets and, generally, great for lugging anything around.
• Remember wine: The Arnsiton Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay is the perfect picnic wine.
• Choose a scenic and wind-resistant venue for your outdoor meal. Try a place between two rock faces or farther from the water than you’d usually like to sit.
• Although beach parties are generally informal, you may send invitations a week or two in advance so guests can plan ahead.
• Plan a menu based on the amount of people and the load you can carry. Ask friends to bring certain items to lighten your responsibilities.
• Outfit yourself with the necessary equipment. A picnic basket filled with plates, utensils (don’t forget the bottle/can opener and corkscrew), cups, plastic containers and napkins is recommended. Pack trash bags to carry away any disposables.
• Pack your food. Place the heavier items on the bottom and lighter ones on the top.
• Remember to bring a hat and/or an umbrella to shade your perishables and your face from the hot sun. Also pack plenty of ice, which you’ll need to keep your food chilled in the sun.
• Toss in a blanket and/or folding chairs for your sitting and dining comfort.
• Bring torches or lanterns for nighttime picnics, or in case your daytime adventure carries on into the night.

Wind is your worst enemy on a beach picnic, so pay special attention to your choice of location and pick the least windy spot. You don’t want to fight with your blanket and keep sand out of your potato salad all day. If it’s too windy and cold and you’re already at the beach, make the most of a not-so-perfect situation: Look for a picnic table and reliable shelter.

Source: meals.com

Want to invite guests for dinner and you don’t know what to serve?

Fondue is a great idea. It’s something out of the ordinary, yet it can be very entraining and delicious.

Wine makes for a lovely addition to the classic fondue – it provides a sweet tang that balances against the roundness of the cheeses deliciously.

Ingredients:

½ cup dry white wine- Arniston Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon flour
Pinch garlic salt
Pinch white pepper

Directions:

1) Heat wine in a fondue pot over high; when near boiling, add remaining ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine. When melted, keep warm over low heat. Serve as desired.

For more Fondue tips and recipes visit fonduerecipes.org

There are no rules
The first and most important rule. There are no rules that work for every situation and every person so relax and don’t waste your time worrying about breaking them.

As long as you and your guests are having fun then your food and wine matching has been a success, regardless of what the traditional rules would have us believe.

The food and wine must both taste great on their own
This is the second rule which and can be seen as the rule of thumb for wine matching. You can’t expect for a juicy steak to improve the taste of a bad wine. The same goes for the food, if it’s not going to taste any good on its own, it is very unlikely that your wine match, no matter how delicious, is going to make the food taste better.

Match wine with people first
Just as some people always have and always will hate anchovies, some people just don’t enjoy certain styles of wine, regardless of the quality of the vino. Sometimes this may be based on a bad experience with a poor quality example, and if the person in question did actually try a decent Sauvignon Blanc they may find that they love it. But forcing people to try new things may do more harm than good.

Respect that everyone’s palate is different. Think about your guests and their wine preferences first and think about the food matching second.

Weight is important
Lighter, more delicately flavoured food generally works best with lighter style wines. Heavy tannic reds tend to be best with more robust meaty dishes but of course there will always be times when a light wine could team marvellously with a heavy rich dish

Wine and food can contrast one another
Contrast is something that we personally love to play with. Using a light acidic wine like a Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc to cut through the oiliness of fried fish and chips is always a winner. Unless of course you’re with someone who hates acidic wine (see rule ii).

Wine and food can complement each other
Sometimes finding flavour similarities can result in a harmonious food and wine matching experience. The earthiness of mushrooms in a mushroom risotto can work a treat with a funky earthy Pinot Noir. A fresh, Arniston Bay
Cabernet Sauvignon to compliment classic roast lamb with mint sauce can also be a flavour explosion.

Trust your own instincts.
Like most things in life, if it feels like it’s a bit dodgy and it isn’t going to work then you’re probably on the right track.

It isn’t the end of the world if the food and wine are more at the divorce end of the relationship spectrum as long as you follow rule number three, you’ll be able to enjoy each on their own. A judicious sip of palate cleansing water in between mouthfuls can make all the difference.

Source: mylifemynews

Old trusted chicken recipes are sometimes overlooked. This simple and easy to prepare chicken and sweet potato recipe is an excellent meal for friends or family. This easy dish will enable you to join guests in the pre-meal conversations as the preparations are not too time consuming.

Ingredients

• 2 small sweet potatoes (about 500g), peeled and cut into thin wedges
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 1.5 – 1.8 kg chicken, cut into 10 pieces

Directions

Heat oven to 200º C. In a large roasting pan, toss the potatoes, onion, thyme, oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.

Season the chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper and nestle it, skin-side up, among the potatoes and onions.

Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.

Recommended wine: The Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon will be the perfect match with this trusted dish.

Source: realsimple.com

Stir-frying is a fast Asian cooking method which allows vegetables and meat to retain both texture and flavour. This quick and easy beef stir-fry recipe originates in China, and is an appetising dish best served with rice.

Ingredients:

500g sirloin steak
5 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp dry sherry
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Maizena mixed into a tbsp of water
200g fresh rice noodles or a packet of dried rice noodles
packet of baby sweet corn
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Chinese black bean sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
5 tablespoons oil for stir frying, or as needed

Method:

1. Cut the flank steak or sirloin steak across the grain into thin strips about half a centimeter thick.
2. In a large flat dish add the dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Marinate the steak in the mixture for 15 minutes.
3. While the steak is marinating, prepare the vegetables.
4. Finely chop the garlic cloves, coarsely chop the sweet corn and cut the cooked noodles into three centimeter strips.
5. Heat the wok and add two tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Lay flat and allow the steak to brown slightly.
6. Stir in the black bean sauce and stir-fry the beef until it is browned and nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok.
7. Clean the wok and add two more tablespoons oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic.
8. Add the rice noodles and stir fry until browned.
9. Remove the noodles from the direct heat of the wok by pushing them up to the sides.
10. Add one tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the baby corn and stir-fry briefly.
11. Mix with the noodles, stir in the oyster sauce and add the beef back into the wok.
12. Combine everything together and serve hot.

Recommended wine: The versatile Arniston Bay Rosé will pair well with this global dish.

Source:justeasyrecipes.co.za

1.  Do not order the second cheapest wine on list.

Restaurateurs know that the customers do not want to be perceived as cheap by ordering the cheapest wine on the list. So they opt for the second cheapest one. The least expensive wine is actually a pretty good deal at many restaurants.

2. Avoid wine by the glass.

The restaurant owners like to make enough on a single glass to pay for the whole bottle. This is great for them but not so good for you. And it wouldn’t be so bad except that so many wines by the glass are poured from bottles that have been open for too long and mistreated after opening.

3. Avoid the “when in doubt go for Sauvignon Blanc” theory

It seems that when in doubt, South Africans generally opt for Sauvignon Blanc.  Restaurateurs know this and add a little to the price of these wines. In many cases there is much better Chenin Blanc, blends or even Chardonnays on the list.

4. Do not ignore house wines

Many restaurateurs take pride in their house wines and this can be your best bet.

5. BYOB – Corkage

More restaurants than ever, eager for business, are relaxing their rules on BYOB and lowering corkage fees. Check around for restaurants that allow you to bring your own wine. And if there is a restaurant you know well, ask if you could bring your own wine and pay corkage. Remember that the point here isn’t just to save money, but to have wines that the restaurant doesn’t offer or that you might otherwise postpone opening.

6. Have it your way

You must enjoy the night. No wine, at any price, is a good value if you don’t enjoy it. Don’t be shy.  If you think the red wine is too warm, ask for an ice bucket. If you want the waiters to stop pouring so much into your glass, tell them — nicely, of course. We are all in this economic mess together and everyone understands — or should understand — that a night out these days needs to be relaxing and personal.

Sure, there are many other ways to find value on a list, but we have tried to focus here on simple stuff and things we actually do ourselves. Just remember that, in good times and bad, wine always tastes better when it’s a good deal.

Do you have any tips or suggestions you’d like to share?

Arniston Bay has a wide range of wines which will suit any wine lover’s palate.
Source: WSJ

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 3cm lengths
• 300ml cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

In small bowl, combine chicken broth, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and thyme; mix and set aside. Prepare all ingredients.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry until chicken is almost cooked, about 4 minutes. Remove to plate.

Add onion to skillet; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add asparagus; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until bright green.

Stir chicken broth mixture and add to skillet; bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and asparagus is crisp-tender. Add cherry tomatoes; stir-fry 1 minute until hot. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recommended wine: The Arniston Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon will be the perfect wine with this dish.

Source: busycooks.about.com

I treated myself to a lovely glass of Arniston Bay Chardonnay to complete this great meal.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 teaspoons  salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
• 1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 4 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
• 2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, if desired), diced
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Directions

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Pound it to an even thinness. Place the chicken in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 cm. Add 3 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until no trace of pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the scallions and apples and toss.
3. Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dice the chicken and add it to the apple mixture along with the peanuts, mint, basil, and the remaining salt and pepper. Toss and divide among individual plates.

Source: realsimple.com