3 Cheese & Biltong Quiche

We don't know many people who have 'left-over' biltong after tucking into that great South African taste. So, unless you have some amazing self control, it is very hard to put biltong DOWN once opening it up... BUT if you can bring yourself to stop and put some aside (or order more especially for cooking with) then here is a recipe that won't disappoint! 

THE CRUST

Ingredients:

375ml cake flour

Pinch of salt

125g butter, cold and cubed

45ml cold water

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC. Grease a 20cm loose bottomed cake pan.

Sift the flour and salt together and place into a food processor with the butter. 

Process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the water and process to form a dough.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead lightly.

Roll out to a circle and line the base and sides of the cake pan. It doesn't need to be perfect – the more rustic the better.

Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Bake blind in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool down slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC. 

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THE FILLING

Ingredients:

250g creamed cottage cheese

150g feta cheese, crumbled

40g finely grated parmesan cheese

200g grated cheddar cheese

250ml cream

3 extra large eggs, beaten

200g sliced beef biltong

2.5ml grounded nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Freshly grated parmesan (optional) 

Mix : cottage cheese, feta cheese, finely grated parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, cream and eggs.

Add ¾ of your sliced biltong and nutmeg. Season lightly with salt and mix through.

Spoon into prepared crust and bake for 40 minutes in 160ºC oven or until the filling has set and the top is slightly brown.

Let the quiche cool down for at least 15 minutes in the pan.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with the remaining biltong slices and some extra parmesan.

Serve lukewarm with a side salad. 

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Note: You can use shop bought shortcrust pastry to speed up the process. 

Buy Your Biltong TODAY from: 

HOUSE OF BILTONG

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Thank you: pinkpolkadotfood.com for this delicious recipe! 

Caramel Milk Tart

A NEW TAKE ON TRADITION

Serves 10-12

Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Chilling time: overnight

250 g Tennis biscuits, finely crushed

200 g butter, melted

1,5 litres milk

200 g sugar

3 eggs

100 g flour

100 g cornflour

10 ml (2 t) vanilla essence

50 g butter

extra 250 ml (1 c) milk

1 box (90 g) caramel instant pudding

250 ml (1 c) cream

1 can (360 g) caramel condensed milk

1 slab (90 g) milk chocolate

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 1 Mix the biscuits with the melted butter and press onto the bottom of a deep 30 cm square dish. 

Chill until needed.

2 In a large microwave-proof bowl heat 1 litre (4 c) of the milk with the sugar for 10 min.

3 In a separate bowl beat the eggs, remaining 500 ml (2 c) milk, flour, cornflour and vanilla essence until smooth.

4 Mix the flour mixture with the hot milk and microwave for 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until the mixture is thick. Beat in the butter and leave to cool.

5 Whisk the extra milk and instant pudding together. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the instant pudding.

6 When the custard is cooled, start the layering. Pour the custard over the chilled biscuit layer, smooth the caramel condensed milk over the custard, then add the instant pudding mixture. Grate the chocolate over and refrigerate overnight.

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And just in case you need to make this RIGHT AWAY, here are some of the ingredients you might not find at your local supermarket... 

Celebs with South African Roots

J.R.R. Tolkien:

English writer, poet and university professor, Tolkien is famously known as the author of some of the most famous fantasy books: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He was born on 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein in the Free State, his parents had moved there from England when his father was promoted as head of the British Bank in their Bloemfontein branch.
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Dean Stanley Geyer:

27 year old singer-Songwriter Dean finished third in the 2006 season of talent show Australian Idol. He has also had a notable role in the popular Australian soap opera Neighbours as Ty Harper and then went on to join the cast of Glee in the 4th season as Brody Weston. He was born in Johannesburg on 20 March 1986. 

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Sienna Miller:

Born in New York City, Sienna moved to London with her family when she was just over a year old. Her mother, Josephine, is a former South African model and used to be David Bowie's personal assistant.

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Roger Federer:

Born in Basel, Switzerland, Roger actually holds both Swiss and South African citizenship. His mother Lynette was born in Durban and then grew up in Kempton Park, Johannesburg.

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Justin Gabriel:

Our very own home grown WWE wrestler who goes by the ring name 'Justin Gabriel'. Born Paul Lloyd Jr, on 3rd March 1981 in Cape Town, Lloyd secured a 3 year development deal with WWE becoming the first South African ever to do so. Justin made his wrestling debut at the age of 16 and was trained by his father, Paul Lloyd Snr, who was a promoter and wrestler himself, going by the ring name: 'The Pink Panther'.

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Sasha Pieterse:

American actress and singer, known for her role as Alison DiLaurentis on the TV series 'Pretty Little Liars', Sasha was born in Johannesburg on 17 February 1996. She was 3 years old when her parents moved to the US and was raised in Las Vegas and later moved to Los Angeles.  

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Seether:

Originally known by the name SARON GAS (but later changing it when the lead drummer left), Seether is a South African band who made it big in the US. Shaun Morgan Welgemoed, lead vocals, born 21 December 1978 in South Africa, went to school in Pietermaritzburg and famously dated Amy Lee from Evanescence. Bassist, Dale Stewart, was born 30 November 1979 in Irene, Johannesburg. The final member, John Humphrey is from America.
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Sal Masekela:

Born in Los Angeles, Sal's father is the famous South African Jazz musician, Hugh Masekela. Hugh was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank 4 April 1939. Sal is well known for presenting on The E! Entertainment channel and in 2012 Sal's film Alekesam (his last name spelled backwards) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
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Elize du Toit:

Elize was born in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape on 21 February 1980. In 2012 she played M's assistant, Vanessa in the Bond film, Skyfall and although she has had some really good roles in tv and film, she is most recognised in the UK for playing the role of Izzy Davies in the Channel 4 Soap Opera Hollyoaks. Du Toit actually WON the role after an open audition – beating 40,000 hopefuls. She left the show in 2004 after four years of filming in Liverpool.
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Candice Swanepoel:

Our very own home grown Victoria's Secret Model was born on 20 October 1988 in Mooi River, Natal. Candice was spotted at the age of 15 at a Durban flea market and by the age of 16 she was earning up to R40,000 per shoot. In 2010 she was made a Victoria's Secret Angel and in the same year she went on to model for the Kardashian 2010 swimwear line and open the first Victoria's Secret retail store in Canada. In 2013 Swanepoel became cover model of the coveted Victoria's Secret Swim Catalogue. She is listed in the Forbes' top 10 earning models with a massive £1.92 million earned in 2010-2011
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We had a great time looking for celebrities with SA roots and the more we looked, the more we found! It makes us so Proudly South African to look at how well these guys have done. There were so many that we found which means we will certainly be back with some more people you did or didn't know had South African roots. If you can think of any we should add onto the next list, please let us know!

SA FACT #1

Pietermaritzburg City Hall is the largest red brick building in the Southern Hemisphere 

• Built in 1893 (the most accurate date we have come across)
• Victorian architecture 
• Ravaged by fire in 1895
• Rebuilt in 1901
• 47m High Bell Tower
• Houses one of the biggest pipe organs in the southern hemisphere with 3806 pipestringing with sizes starting at the thickness of a knitting needle right up to pipes 11 meters in size.
• Declared a South African National Landmark in 1969

Here are some great photo's we found from way back when:

Springbok Test Match Records at FNB Stadium, Soweto

Ahead of the Springbok's game against Argentina on Saturday, here are some interesting facts about the Boks time at the FNB Stadium

• Most points – 17 by Morné Steyn (1c, 5p) against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010.

• Most tries – one by Schalk Burger against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 and by Bryan Habana against New Zealand 6 October, 2012.

• Most conversions – one by Morné Steyn against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 and by Johan Goosen against New Zealand on 6 October 2012.

• Most penalty goals – five by Morné Steyn against New Zealand 21 August, 2010.

• No Springbok has ever scored a drop goal in Tests at this venue.

• The Test match against New Zealand on 21 August, 2010 was attended by a crowd of 94,713. This is the highest official record for a Test match in South Africa.

There have been some last minute changes to the team.

Here is the new line-up:

15. Willie le Roux (GWK Griquas) 3 caps
14 Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 9 caps
13 JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 4 caps
12 Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province, captain) 87 caps
11 Bryan Habana (Toulon, France) 86 caps
10 Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France) 45 caps
9 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N.Ireland) 66 caps
8 Duane Vermeulen (DHL Western Province) 7 caps
7 Willem Alberts (The Sharks) 21 caps
6 Francois Louw (Bath, England) 19 caps
5 Juandré Kruger (Racing Metro, France) 11 caps
4 Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province) 14 caps
3 Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks) 45 caps
2 Adriaan Strauss (Toyota FS Cheetahs) 24 caps
1 Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks) 44 caps
Replacements 
16 Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks) 48 caps
17 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse, France) 40 caps
18 Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota FS Cheetahs) 4 caps
19 Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 26 caps
20 Siya Kolisi (DHL Western Province) 2 caps
21 Fourie du Preez (Suntory Sungoliath, Japan) 62 caps
22 Pat Lambie (The Sharks) 23 caps
23 Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 3 caps

GOOD LUCKS BOYS! WE ARE ALL BEHIND YOU!

South African Celebrity Scene

What's happening in the SA celeb world?

We have loved researching this topic because there is so much we didn't know that had happened or is happening on the local celeb scene. If you are like us, we have slightly lost touch with the 'who's who' of the SA celeb world. We tired to look around for some interesting tit bits and this is what we have uncovered so far:

Former 7de Laan actor, Waldemar Schultz's son dies in a tragic accident  

Saturday 10.08.2013 - We unfortunately start off with the sad news of the death of Waldemar Schulz's 14 year old son, Kieran. He was apparently walking along the old harbor wall in Hermanus, Cape Town, near the whale lookout point when he somehow slipped and fell about 27 meters into some knee deep water.  His father and a friend were at a nearby coffee shop when one of the boys, who was with Kieran at the time, ran to him for help. There was a kayak party getting ready to leave the harbor when they saw the fall happen. 2 Doctors from the party went to assist Kieran and waited with him until the paramedics arrived. He died in hospital a short time later. A Grade 8 pupil in Parel Vallei High School, Somerset West, Kieran was already a budding young actor having played a part in Egoli as well as starring in movie rolls and commercials. He leaves behind his father, mother (Ira Blanckenberg) and sister Dhania.

  

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Jack Parrow detained (but not really) ahead of OPPIKOPPI music festival 

Wednesday 07.08.2013 - So the famous Oppikoppi BewilderBeast music festival, was on this weekend and a few days before rapper Jack Parrow was due to perform, his publicist released this statement:  

"Jack Parow was detained in the early hours of this morning on charges of allegedly disturbing the peace.  

Parow and some friends were staying at the Vaalkop dam 60 km South East of Northam where the popular Oppikoppi BewilderBeast music festival is taking place this weekend. 

Parow and a friend took a catamaran out on a joy ride on the dam at about 1:30 am on Wednesday morning. After repeated requests over loud hailers Parow and his friend finally returned to shore."

Turns out this was all just a publicity stunt and he apparently did perform... no idea what that could have been about but okay, whatever floats his boat.

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COMING SOON! New Leon Schuster movie!

Now we don't know about you but we are super excited that there is another Schuster movie on the way. Here are all the details we have so far:

Release Date : November / December 2013

Genre : Comedy, Candid Camera

Cast : Leon Schuster, Rob van Vuuren, Alfred Ntobela

Director : Grey Hofmeyr

Producer : André Scholtz

Synopsis

Schuks is having nightmares about the state of South Africa’s society, politics, delivery, roads attitudes, everything. Shorty comes up with the idea that what the nation needs is a good humorous look at itself, a Schuks candid camera movie. “Schuks,” says Shorty, “Your country needs you!” “Forget it,” says Schuks, “I’m sick of being clobbered, I’m too old.” But his attitude changes when, out of the blue, Schuks’ long lost son, Ziggy (Rob van Vuuren) arrives from Australia. Father and son have had no contact since Ziggy was two, and their mad, fraught re-connection provides the impetus to a hilarious candid look at South Africa 2013. Schuks leads the team with his inimitable disguises and candid camera genius, with Ziggy backing him, taking the punches, and Shorty stirring it all up.

Some gags are cruel, edgy, hard hitting, some are tinged with poignancy and pathos, all must be hilarious. Together with the little story of a father and son finding each other, the overall message of the movie is one from the heart: “My country may need me but I need my country. We are all part of the human family”. “Your Country Needs You” takes up where the record breaking “Schuks Tshabalala’s Survival Guide to SA” left off in 2010, and is aimed at a younger audience.

(http://madrobot.co.za/shucks/)

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Charlize Theron poses for W Magazine

Okay, so this happened in August 2012 but still, we saw it and it looked HOT - so in case any of you haven't seen it yet then here we go! Makes us super proud to say OUR COUNTRY PRODUCED HER!! She did the shoot with her co-star in the movie Prometheus, Michael Fassbender:

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Shark On A Train

Strange and wonderful things happen in New York - if you have never been there to experience it first hand then I am sure you have watched enough movies to know that anything is possible in the Big Apple.

Wednesday 7, August 2013 saw a new first on NY subway.... a Train Riding, Red Bull drinking, Cigarette smoking, Shark. No one knows how he got there or who was responsible and why - was it a statement of some sort, a stunt by the Discovery Channel to promote Shark Week or just someone who had accidentally left their daily catch behind? 

Discovery has denied any involvement and released a statement saying:  "Shark week is all abut conservation, so it deeply saddens us that someone would think this was funny or in any way connected to our celebration of sharks." 

We like to think that someone caught the 4ft shark, took him home for their supper but forgot him on the tube. Regardless of how he got there, it looks like he had a good ride with many of the commuters amusing themselves with 'Weekend at Bernie's' style antics. Some say it was cruel and not right but what do you expect people to do when seeing a dead shark on a subway? No one I know would even attempt giving a shark mouth-to-mouth and there is just no ways someone wonders around with a fish tank rescuing stranded marine life.

Photo's have begun appearing on Social Networking sites but authorities have said they have no interest in finding out who posted the photo's because they have better things to do with their time.... I think what they are really trying to say is: "We have BIGGER FISH TO FRY!"

Castle Lager Rugby Championship

Springbok Squad

Backs: 

Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Willie le Roux, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn, Jano Vermaak, Jean de Villiers (captain)

Forwards: 

Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Juandre Kruger, Francois Louw, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralapelle, Adriaan Strauss, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Duane Vermeulen

The Bokke will open their campaign by playing Argentina in Soweto at the FNB Stadium - 17th August, followed by:

Los Pumas in Mendoza - 24 August
Australia in Brisbane - 7 September
New Zealand in Auckland - 14 September

Then the final 2 home tests are scheduled for:

Australia in Cape Town - 28 September 
New Zealand in Johannesburg - 5 October 

GOOD LUCK BOYS!