Michel Roux

Friday 7 December 2012

Travel tips by Wordly

Grand Dédale

 
È qui che incontro Angelo Casu, un italiano espatriato in Sudafrica oramai decenni fa e che in questo paese ha creato il suo eremo felice. Angelo è il patron del Grand Dedale, una bellissima country house immersa nelle campagne di Wellington a poco più di un’ora da Cape Town.
Le mie aspettative, già elevate prima di arrivare, sono state ampiamente superate.
Una signorile dimora vittoriana, organizzata come una casa di campagna, dove i padroni ti accolgono come si accolgono degli amici, dove un buttler è sempre a disposizione per precederti e non farti mancare mai nulla, come in pochissimi 5 stelle accade.
Poche camere per pochi ospiti, desiderosi solo di relax, di bei paesaggi, della tranquillità e del buon vino della tenuta Doolhof, eccellente produttore di Pinotage che ospita questa meravigliosa dimora tra i suoi vigneti.
Il palato degli ospiti viene viziato da Daniel Villiers, chef che mixa abilmente i prodotti locali, orchestrando i diversi menu con un sapiente equilibrio fra cucina locale ed influenze internazionali. Bravo Angelo!

Sunday 11 November 2012

Klink Award Final Results


Grand Dédale was awarded the "The Country Comfort Award for Boutique Accommodation on a Wine Estate" in the inaugural Klink Award.
 
Earlier this year, Wine Tourism South Africa invited foodies, wine lovers, outdoor adventurers and wine farm visitors to show their love for South Africa’s winelands by voting for their favourite nominees in the country’s first ever, consumer-driven, interactive wine tourism awards - the #KLINK Awards.

The nominees were shortlisted by a panel of industry-related professionals across a variety of categories and, for the first time, voting was opened to the public to see who they felt were the best of the best. Since then, thousands of enthusiastic consumers have provided instantaneous feedback on their wineland experiences via Facebook, twitter and email. Their social media voices have been heard and tonight the cream of the winelands crop has been revealed.
The inaugural #KLINK Awards achieved the aims of using social media as a core marketing driver and important means of building relationships and engaging with potential and existing clients. Through the viral nature of these platforms, we have been able to reach a broad base of consumers.

http://winetourismsouthafrica.co.za/klink-results/

Friday 9 November 2012

Grand Dédale awarded by Great Wine Capitals of the World


LA MOTTE RETAINS TITLE AS GREAT WINE CAPITALS WINNER, GRAND DEDALE WINS ACCOMMODATION AWARD

 

For the second year in succession, historic wine estate, La Motte of Franschhoek is South Africa’s Best of Wine Tourism champion. The 2013 winner of the annual competition run by the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) once again came out narrowly ahead of Waterkloof Estate, Helderberg’s biodynamic winery situated on the slopes of the Schapenberg.

 

The GWC, a network of the world’s leading wine-producing countries that shares international best practice to advance standards in wine tourism across the world, announced the results today (November 8) in Florence, Italy, at a gala dinner attended by leading wine tourism practitioners from around the world.

 

GWC’s members, in addition to Cape Town-Cape Winelands, include Mainz-Rheinhessen (Germany), Bilbao-Rioja (Spain), Bordeaux (France), Florence (Italy), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), San Francisco-Napa (United States) and New Zealand’s Christchurch.

 

Dating back 300 years, La Motte as South Africa's national winner joins the illustrious company of some of the world's most famous wine producers, including:

 

·         France's Maison des Vins de Cadillac, a leading Bordeaux winery run from an 18th century manor house near the canton of Cadillac;

·         Wasems Kloster Engelthal, a former Cistercian monastery in Rheinhessen, Germany, dating back eight centuries;

·         Quinta do Vallado Wine Hotel, one of the oldest estates in the Douro Valley of Portugal, run by the same family for almost 400 years;

·         Spain's Hotel-Bodega Finca de los Arandinos, close to Bilbao;

·         Italy's Fattoria Lavacchio run as an organic operation in Tuscany;

·         Entre Cielos Luxury Wine Hotel & Spa in the foothills of the Andes Cordillera of Argentina;

·         The organically farmed Long Meadow Ranch, nestled in the Mayacama Mountains of the Napa Valley, US; and

·         Renowned Yealands Estate in the Awatere Valley of Marlborough, New Zealand, a carbon-zero winery that has been one of the world leaders in sustainable farming. 

 

As the results were so close between the top two South African contenders, the local chapter of the GWC sought the opinion of the full international panel before making its final decision.

 

La Motte's win was based on its overall performance, taking first place in the Sustainable Wine Tourism category, and second position in both the Arts and Culture and in the Wine Tourism Services categories. Last year the estate earned the top score in the Arts and Culture category. Waterkloof’s position as South Africa's runner-up was earned by coming first in the Architecture and Landscapes category, as it did last year, and by coming second this time in both the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices and the Restaurant categories.

 

André Morgenthal, spokesperson for the awards, said the virtual tie between La Motte and Waterkloof was a reflection of the extremely high standard of entries. “The difference between the scores was very slight.  We had higher scores across virtually all categories compared with previous years.  It is very encouraging to see that since the inception of the competition over a decade ago, there has been a steady advance in the quality and sophistication of wine tourism experiences entered for consideration.”

 

This finding of the judges was borne out, he said, by the growing international vote of confidence amongst tourists in Cape Town and its surroundings.  Earlier in November, Cape Town was named second-best city in the world and best city in Africa by readers of US-based travel publication Condé Nast Traveller. Its annual survey this year drew almost 50 000 readers and saw Cape Town beaten only by southern US city Charleston, but coming out ahead of Florence, Bangkok, Vancouver and Sydney.

 

Morgenthal said this year, for the first time, the Hemel & Aarde area had been represented in the local GWC competition, with Creation taking top position in the Innovative Wine Tourism category.

 

Other category winners were Grand Dédale of Wellington (Accommodation), Grande Provence of Franschhoek (Arts & Culture), Tokara of Stellenbosch (Restaurants) and Waterford of Stellenbosch (Wine Tourism Services).

 

This year’s judges included wine tourism specialist Margi Biggs; international tourism consultant Rick Taylor of the Business Tourism Company, a former CEO of Cape Metropolitan Tourism and currently a board member of Tourism Business Council of South Africa; lifestyle and wine journalist Joanne Gibson; Joan Isham, the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) extension officer; Marilyn Martin, art historian, curator and writer; architect Alex Robertson; JP Rossouw, food critic and author of the annual Rossouw’s Restaurants guide; and landscape architect Johan van Papendorp.

 

Note to the editor:

 

Winners and first and second runners-up in each category were:

 

ACCOMMODATION

1          Grand Dédale

2          Grande Provence

3          Mont Rochelle

 

ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPES

1          Waterkloof

2          Tokara

3          Grande Provence

 

 

ARTS & CULTURE

1          Grande Provence

2          La Motte

3          Delaire Graff

 

INNOVATIVE WINE TOURISM EXPERIENCES

1          Creation

2          Vergelegen

3          Warwick

 

SUSTAINABLE WINE TOURISM PRACTICES

1          La Motte

2          Waterkloof

3          Avondale

 

WINE TOURISM RESTAURANTS

1          Tokara Restaurant

2          Waterkloof

3          Rust en Vrede

 

WINE TOURISM SERVICE

1          Waterford

2          La Motte

3          Delaire Graff

 

 

Saturday 15 September 2012

How fairly does SAT promotes Wine Tourism?

Below is a letter from a reader regarding his concerns about Vindaba, South Africa’s first specialist wine tourism exhibition, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from September 25-27. Also see Vindaba’s response below.

Reader’s letter:


Dear Editor, Can your publication obtain some clarification from SAT and Vindaba organisers, as I have been unsuccessful, as an individual buyer at Vindaba, in getting the right answers.

Vindaba has been well perceived and received by the industry, so much so that many wine routes, tourism offices, individual businesses and sponsors have signed up. At the first de-brief held in Paarl in March, I asked how smaller and lesser known wine routes and tourism attractions could be assured that the more famous routes such as Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Robertson would not be given priority.

The answer was that all routes would be asked to submit itineraries and all routes would be treated equally, and that priority would be given to individual businesses taking part and buying space at Vindaba, of which I am one.

Three weeks prior to the event, alarm bells have started to ring as none of the businesses and properties featured in the Paarl/Wellington Vindaba tour have received any enquiries or confirmed bookings.

On investigation, I was told that two German journalists would be travelling to Paarl and Wellington and, although very grateful, my question, still unanswered, is: thirty-four buyers and media have been registered as being hosted for the event; only six pre- and post-Vindaba tours are taking place, so if two are allocated to Paarl/Wellington, what has happened to the balance and to the fair treatment among routes? What happened to priorities given to properties that are taking part in the event and paying for it?

At this stage I have only received vague answers blaming teething problems. My view is that there is more to it and would like your publication to assist Paarl and Wellington suppliers to find out the truth. Maybe SAT and Vindaba organisers would prefer to answer my question publicly than privately.

Angelo Casu- Grand Dédale Country House

Vindaba’s Response
:
Vindaba has previously sent the following facts directly to Mr Casu and now welcomes the opportunity to share them more broadly.

As a point of clarity: Grand Dédale is not an ‘individual buyer’ at Vindaba, and does not feature on our exhibitors’ list. Nonetheless Mr Casu’s establishment was recommended as a part of the Paarl/Wellington itinerary by the managers of those wine routes, and will consequently host three international leisure journalists and two international buyers over the course of Vindaba.

South African Tourism is a presenting partner of Vindaba and, in that capacity, is hosting 32 international leisure media at the event, as well as on pre- and post-show tours. In partnership with SAA, Vindaba itself will be hosting a further five buyers. The South African Wine Routes Forum designed and submitted nine itineraries that represented all 17 wine routes. In addition all Vindaba exhibitors who had signed up by then (31 May) were automatically included in the itineraries. These itineraries were presented unchanged to our guests, who then made their choices based on their preferences and needs.

The fact that only six of the nine itineraries submitted (Franschhoek, Bot River/Elgin, West Coast, Stellenbosch, Paarl/Wellington and Breedekloof) will be activated over Vindaba is a consequence of the choices made by the media groupings themselves. It is worth noting that at least two of these itineraries can be designated “lesser known”. Vindaba can absolutely assert that every effort was made to be inclusive and fair.

In conclusion, we would also like to remind Mr Casu that the South African Wine Routes Forum is an executive member of the Vindaba committee and has been integral to the design and organisation of the event. Vindaba is a non-profit, non-commercial platform that adheres to the principle of open opportunity. We acknowledge and celebrate South Africa’s wine travel product as being a diverse and wide-ranging offering and will continue over future events to expose that diversity to important wine travel markets.

Susannah Holz - Project Manager of Vindaba.

Have you experienced a similar issue or do you think Vindaba adequately represents all wine routes? Let us know by posting your comment below.



Tourism Update







comments
Just a clarification
Angelo Casu
12 Sep 2012
Although Grand Dédale Country House does not feature on the exhibitors list, is an active member and committee member of Wellington Tourism, which, together with Wellington Wine Route, are paying exhibitors at Vindaba. My queries are intended to get some clarifications on behalf of our members who are actually participating in the costs of the stand. Angelo Casu


Admition of faults?
Anonymous
14 Sep 2012
Interesting to read snippets of an email circulated by the organiser: This has always been an imperfect scenario: nine itineraries, guests given free choice by SAT, and only about 34 media means we will invariably have an uneven spread; Please note I formally requested that SAT redistribute the Franschhoek group, to spread them better amongst the routes, but they were unwilling to do that; Please let me know how I can help with any other hiccups, queries,disgruntled members. Maybe SAT should also answer some questions to why certain routes have not been considered at all!!!! Does Franschhoek needs more advertising and exposure!!!!! I am also a disgruntled member, but will I hear the same excuses given to Grand Dédale Country House, who I understand, is paying contribution to his stand, but he is not seen as an exhibitors. Therefore, if we are contributing to the expense of our Route stand but we are not seen as exhibitors, what are we classified as???? Looking forward to hearing some answers

Friday 7 September 2012

Grand Dédale to partner with AfriAsia


AfriAsia and Beyond are delighted to announce they will be representing Grand Dédale Country House in the UK & Ireland.

Located close to Wellington with sweeping views of the valley as well as the Groenberg, Limietberge and Hawekwa mountains, AfriAsia are looking forward to working with this exclusive brand of elegant country house living; the former Doolhof Manor House and private residence of the owners of Doolhof Wine Estate.

GRAND DEDALE COUNTRY HOUSE – A SOUL-RESTORING ROMANTIC RETREAT

‘Doolhof’ or ‘maze’ was the name given by the early 18th century settlers to the area surrounding the quaint town of Wellington in the Western Cape – a reference to the fact that its many rolling hills and valleys allowed only one way in and one way out.

Today, Grand Dédale Country House nestles snugly in the centre of this picturesque labyrinth of mountain ranges, vineyards and forests allowing guests the delicious opportunity to cocoon themselves away from the rest of the world, and to do so in utter luxury and comfort.

At the heart of the Doolhof Wine Estate, the sensitively restored Manor House continues its tradition of Cape Dutch hospitality by welcoming a whole new generation of guests looking to get away from it all.

FINE LIVING
The white gabled exterior of the Manor House retains its classic early Cape Dutch appearance, while the interior, by contrast, is a wonderfully eclectic mix of modern design elements punctuated by European and Asian antiques, grand statement pieces and small oddities.

A colour palette of cool white, with blue and muted green accents creates an elegant ambience, while inviting sofas encourage guests to linger awhile over an interesting book or to gaze out of the window at breathtaking mountain or vineyard views.

ACCOMMODATION
This attention to comfort and elegance continues in the three ‘Elegant Living’ suites. Each one boasts its own distinct feel but all three share a luxurious sense of space and an attention to the finer details in life, such as extra length king size beds complete with percale cotton linen, i-Pod docking stations and under-floor heating.

An architectural spiral staircase leads one to the three ‘Loft Living’ rooms, each facing a different mountain range and beautifully appointed under the Manor House’s sweet smelling thatch. A stay in one of these attic rooms has an added storybook feel to it, complete with fine furnishings, romantic Victorian bathtubs and walk-in cupboards.

The quaint Old Wine House – a freestanding thatched stone cottage – dates from 1707, and is an ideal hideaway for honeymoon couples or those guests craving that extra bit of privacy. A fully equipped kitchen, private patio and minibar complete the experience.

FINE DINING
Delicious ‘Cap Classique’ continental breakfast buffets, light lunches, homemade high tea treats, sundowner canapés and three-course candlelit silver service dinners – dining at Grand Dédale is definitely an elegant affair.

Resident Chef, Daniel de Villiers, has a deep love for the Wellington area, and it shows in his menu, which is largely inspired by locally sourced produce, such as his current favourite ingredient: authentic buffalo mozzarella from Wellington’s own Buffalo Ridge; one of only two farms in the southern hemisphere producing mozzarella from original Italian buffalo.

It features strongly on the menu, as does classic Cape seafood and game, all artfully paired with the estate’s own wines.

ACTIVITIES
For those guests keen to savour the serenity of Grand Dédale, the cool salt water pool encourages lazy morning dips after a treatment in the poolside spa, while comfy chairs on the terrace allow for quiet contemplation of the estate’s gracious old oak trees, horse paddocks and orange orchards.

For the more active, the estate offers 380 hectares of vineyards and indigenous fynbos to explore, either on the back of a mountain bike or on foot; while other activities such as hot air ballooning, quad biking and canyoning are available close by.

DESTINATION
Less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, Wellington is a quirky destination that is often overlooked by tourists, but which promises a host of interesting attractions, from the organic farms that supply Grand Dédale’s kitchens to nature and game reserves, wine estates and even its own brandy route.

Situated just outside this historic town, Grand Dédale is perfectly placed to offer visitors not only a base from which to explore the region, but also one to return to and forget the world for a while.

For rates, contracts, training and general enquiries kindly contact us on:
enquiries@afriasia.info


For more information please visit:
www.granddedale.com


 

UK Sales & Marketing Office:
AfriAsia & Beyond
7 Braid Drive, "Fairways", Cardross G82 5QD
Office: +44 (0) 1389 849001 Fax: +44 (0) 1389 849002
e-mail:
enquiries@afriasia.info
website:
www.afriasiaandbeyond.com

 

Friday 2 March 2012

Grapevine Cottage

It feels like a long time since I went on a holiday that took me somewhere completely new. One that was accompanied by that feeling of discovery, but also nervousness; eyes searching at airports, maps hastily glanced at, locals tentatively approached. One that ended with a newly acquired sense of familiarity, of little spots staked out and made my own.



Mostly, of course, I go home when I can swing a vacation about every 2-3 years. And there are compelling reasons to go there—people to see, geography I hold close, familiar things oft-missed. And there's also a sense of responsibility to that trip: My parents won't visit me here, so we would never see each other if I didn't go home.



But I miss striking out to places new. I saw this cottage on Unique Home Stays. I've never had a holiday like this, staying at a beautiful house in a such an incredible setting. And I found myself fantasizing about it, trying to imagine really staying there.


I'm tired of simply overwriting old memories with updated versions of the same things. I feel like I'm too young to just beat that path back and forth between Dublin and Toronto. I used to relish discovery. And even this little fantasy felt liberating and exciting. Wouldn't it be lovely? Where would you go?

Friday 24 February 2012

The Cape's secret corner, Wellington


Often overlooked in favour of its more famous Winelands neighbours, Wellington nevertheless has a wide selection of its own attractions to entice and enthral visitors.
Driving through the Western Cape’s idyllic Winelands, one does not expect to see a herd of buffalo happily chewing the cud in a flower-filled field. Thankfully, they are not the notoriously bad tempered African buffalo that counts itself among the continent’s Big Five. No, these are Indian water buffalo, originally from Australia, and farmed by a lawyer turned cheese maker. Yes, in the hills surrounding the quiet Winelands town of Wellington it seems you will find almost anything! The lawyer in question is Wayne Rademeyer, who hung up his gowns to focus on his first love: cheese. Today, his small herd of water buffalo  produce the only authentic buffalo mozzarella in South Africa.
Not far off, on the flanks of the Groenberg, the folks at Foxenburg get their milk from a herd of rather less
intimidating goats, but their crumbly feta, fresh chevres and soft cream cheeses are equally delicious. Every cheese on the farm is made by hand according to age-old techniques, using pure goat’s milk from their herd of free-range animals. The herd forages freely on the vegetation of the Groenberg – the aptly named “green mountain” – giving the Foxenburg cheese its unique flavour or distinctive terroir. Terroir is, of course, a term more usually associated with fine wines, and happily the vineyards in and around Wellington have that by the barrel.
Although often standing in the shadow of its more glamorous Wineland neighbours Stellenbosch and
Franschhoek, the vineyards of Wellington are known for having some of the best soils in the country, and there are wineries galore waiting to be explored.
Not far from the cheeses of Foxenburg, you will find the wines of Welbedacht. This wine estate is equally famous for what is in the bottle as for the day job of the winemaker’s son, Schalk Burger Jnr, who is one of South Africa’s bestloved rugby players. The winery produces a range of wines, including the premium “No. 6”, named for the number on Schalk’s Springbok jersey. That is about as close to celebrity as you will find in Wellington, a village that offers a decidedly low-key Winelands experience. In the wineries surrounding the village, you can feel that this is still a farming community, and you will find honest country hospitality and genuine warmth at every stop. Nearby Doolhof is certainly worth a visit. Tucked away in a lush valley between the Groenberg and the Bain’s Kloof  Pass (worth the drive for the wonderful views), the estate is the kind of place where you could easily while away mostth century wagon of a day. The picturesque Kromme River flows through the property, and in 2007, a River Walk was laid out to allow visitors to wander at leisure. The meandering path runs for several kilometres across the estate, and a number of carefully laid out picnic sites are available along the way. If that all sounds like too much hard work, then simply settle in and sample some of Doolhof’s delightful wines. The tasting room, situated in the original 19th Century house, spills out onto a terrace. With the light meals on offer, it is a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon.
And if you find yourself unable to head back to the city, simply check in at Grand Dédale Country House, which offers fine five-star accommodation right on the estate. Wellington also produces excellent brandies, and it is easy to meander through the stills of the valley. Savingnac de Versailles offers brandy and chocolate tastings, while at De Compagnie an 1849 alembic copper still drips out fine brandy. Upland Organic Estate boasts organic brandy and grappa, with similar snifters on offer at Nabygelegen.
Oude Wellington Wine and Brandy Estate is a good spot to end off a morning, with the Oude Wellington Restaurant offering wonderful South African cuisine. Once well fed and watered, do not leave town without a short stroll along the high street. The Dutch Reformed Church dominates the skyline, along with a statue of Dr Andrew Murray, a missionary who was instrumental in establishing schools and colleges in the area. The nearby tourism office can also point you in the direction of the Anglo-Boer War Blockhouse. The most southerly relic of the war that devastated the country at the turn of the 19th century, this was one of a number of fortified Block Houses built by the British to protect the railway line from Afrikaner commandos, and is worth a visit for history buffs. There is quirky history to be found all over town, from the very first all-steel bridge to be built in South Africa – still in use today at Lady Loch Road – to the dusty rooms of Ouma Granny’s House which will whisk you back in time. There is a distinct feeling that time already moves a little slower in Wellington, which is all the more reason to plan your own trip to this quiet corner of the Cape’s beautiful Winelands.

Sunday 19 February 2012

An article on Madame Le Figaro...et voila'

http://madame.lefigaro.fr/art-de-vivre/wine-trip-afrique-sud-031111-185069

A chef's torture

The office at Grand Dédale is located in a glass walkway which connects the Manor House with the kitchen building. Needless to say, I get a constant reminder of what is cooking in the kitchen. Pure torture - how I manage not to put on 10 kg every week I do not know.
A couple of days back I followed this amazing smell back into the kitchen. Even though being February and close to 35 degrees, it felt like coming home on Christmas Eve! As I entered the kitchen the entire kitchen counter was covered in something resembling gold medals, about to be dipped into icing. Noticing the look on my face, my chef just said "Butternut cookies"!

And here is the recipe:

Cream half a cup of soft butter with 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Add 1 cup of butternut puree, 1 egg and vanilla essence. Then fold in 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of bicarb, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp salt.
Drop small amounts of the batter onto a baking sheet and back for 15 to 20 minutes at 175 C.

For the icing mix 2 cups icing sugar, 3 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp vanilla.





Thursday 16 February 2012

Woman and Home feature

Wellington’s first five-star Country House reflects all the elegance of Cape Dutch architecture with 21st-century comfort. Formerly Doolhof Manor House onDoolhof Wine Estate, the Country House is set at the foot of the Bainskloof Pass on 380 hectares of vineyards, forest and fynbos and is surrounded by three dramatic mountain ranges – Groenberg, Limietberge and Hawekwa – and the Kromme River flows through the estate.
Check in: Enter the estate via a driveway lined with manicured horse paddocks and rows of white roses, and choose to spend the night in one of the six individually designed rooms and suites in the historic Manor House or in the free-standing stone cottage. Start your day with a sumptuous “Cap Classique” breakfast with a range of homemade treats like freshly squeezed juices, homemade jams and freshly baked rolls and croissants. If you’d like to spend the day outdoors, request a picnic basket or stay near the main house and sample the tasty delicacies of the high tea buffet. There’s plenty to do so a two-night – or longer – stay is recommended. Go for a leisurely stroll along the river bank or opt for the 10-kilometre vineyard walk, which will lead you past the vineyards and will beautifully showcase the surrounding mountain ranges.
What it costs: From R1 800 per room, which includes breakfast and afternoon tea, as well as all soft drinks, beers and house wines from the self-service resident bar
Find out more: www.granddedale.com
Feel-good factor: The sunsets in the Winelands are magical, and to celebrate the passing of each day, Grand Dédale organises sundown pre-dinner drinks.

Private Edition - Letter from the Editor Les Aupiais featuring also Grand Dédale

Not bullish perhaps, but charmingly buffalo-ish.
Hotly in pursuit of making a great deal of money from telling people what they already know, or making their lives hell – but with promise of redemption via reduction – I’d like to announce the Seychelles Diet. It has nothing of the digestive lockdown of Dr Atkins, the anti-social caveat of ‘be prepared for gas’ attached to the Cabbage Soup Diet and the depressing and curt instruction to eat prunes for breakfast in the Beverly Hills regime. To be fair, the island diet is costly in the short term, but it yields positive returns in the long haul. For the first week, it requires an airfare and a luxury villa as basic ingredients to kick-start the regime, but no financial dross, no fatty loss, I say. From Johannesburg, Mahé is a four hour flight. That alone makes the island an accessible hop into the blue. Just ask the hundreds of South Africans who’ve bought property on Mahé’s reclaimed land, Eden Island, and found rare, deep-water berths for their yachts. Desroches is only 45 minutes by charter flight from Mahé and is the real inspiration for the diet. This is a teaser of course. Not a word more until our September edition when I reveal all in the travel story. Here’s a hint; start thinking of ways to make your deep-sea fishing mates bring you back swordfish so that you can make your own carpaccio. You’ll also need a modest mountain bike with a basket attachment. I’ll have a new picture by then. It offers proof that several micro-breaks in the year effectively recharge you when you’re working at high-wire career level. Why the exploration of a new business now? I’m inspired by South Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit, where small-town savvy is adding to the economy. Try stationing yourself slightly off the beaten track near Wellington in the Boland at the splendid Grand Dedale guest house with Italian Angelo Casu at the helm. Yes, Wellington is Mrs Ball’s Chutney domain, but she’s long been factory produced. The business now is buffalo mozzarella. Buffalo Ridge Farm is owned by attorney Wayne Rademeyer, who oversees the production of creamy balls of soft cheese quite unlike the gelatinous and tasteless yellow rubber we’re used to. The Mediterranean water buffalo – curious, ingenious (they switch water systems on and off) and social creatures – were flown in from Australia by airfreight some years back at eye-watering cost, and have landed with their dark, furry rumps in butter. In gratitude, they produce white gold. Up the road, Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse has bolstered their disease-free buffalo breeding stock for local ‘export’ to game farms and reserves. Under the hammer at R250 000 a beast, it’s serious bloodstock. And that’s not all, as they say. In the same geographical zone, Foxenburg Estate’s herd of fat white goats produces delicate chévre (with none of the oily-hide smell of some goat’s cheese) and delicate oyster mushrooms. And then there’s designer/inventor Gakiem Fakier who is exporting his sleek kit cars, and Dutch team Tin Korver and Paul Rohof, who have set up a business to further stimulate the design and décor industry. The theme of this issue of Private Edition is seize the moment, and while we’re doing well on the home front, off shore it takes on a more sinister meaning. In Captains of Industry , Paul McNally outlines the drama unfolding in the Indian Ocean as Somali pirates continue to attack and seizecontrol of cargo ships. It seems that South Africans will think and create in a sluggish world economy, will fight for market share and will not lie down in the face of stiff international competition.