"South Africa" news and stories

You may not be able to watch the World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa, but that doesn't mean you can't get a taste of that country's munchies (snacks), meals and drinks.

South Africans have nicknamed their food "Rainbow cuisine" to encompass the melting pot of cultures who have joined the indigenous people since the Dutch built a half-way stop in Cape Town for the Dutch East India Company. Next came the French Huguenots who planted vines that were the beginnings of the Cape Winelands. Sugar farmers in Durban brought laborers from India, others came from Malaysia. The British arrived looking for gold, as did Germans (though they staked their claim on South West Africa, now Namibia). Plus, the Portuguese, who colonized nearby Mozambique, brought the flavor of spicy peri-peri to South Africa on chicken and prawns (large shrimp).

'The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa'
By Marcus Samuelsson
Photos by Gediyon Kifle
Wiley -- 2006
Buy it on Amazon

Known for his inventive Swedish creations at Aquavit, Marcus Samuelsson tackles the food of his birth continent in "Soul of a New Cuisine." (Born in Ethiopia in 1970, Samuelsson and his sister were orphaned and adopted by a Swedish couple.)

While this is a cookbook, "Soul of a New Cuisine" acts more like a coffee table centerpiece with lush photos of markets and Samuelsson on his adventures to discover African cuisines.

Samuelsson writes, "from the start [I] had a clear idea that this book would not be a definitive encyclopedia of African cooking. Rather, this cookbook is a reflection of the Africa I've seen, experienced and appreciated."

What we tested and whether its worth buying after the jump.

Gretchen Roberts has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

Taking on an entire country in a single post seems foolhardy at best, but here at Slashfood we're all about showcasing lip-smacking deals, and South African wine falls squarely into that category.

I'm not the only one who thinks so: Wine Spectator featured South Africa in its April 30 issue as one of five countries producing delicious wine for the cost-conscious imbiber. Wine Business Monthly published a two-part report on South African wine, whose exports to the U.S. have gone from next to nothing five years ago to a million cases last year.

More South Africa - Wine of the Week after the jump.

Though the words "African food" might conjure spongy, expanding-in-the-tummy Ethiopian bread or the heavy bobotie that resembles a creamier version of moussaka, it's not all like that.

Indeed, gaze upon the malva above: Similar to a milky tres leches cake-- sweet, with a puddle of creme anglaise -- the traditional South African dessert made at Brooklyn, New York's Madiba is every bit as delectable as it looks. It's a fine way to raise a fork to South Africa's Freedom Day -- their 15th anniversary of democratic voting.

Other eateries featuring the country's cuisine include Los Angeles' sporty mini-chain Springbok and Atlanta's sexy-looking 10 Degrees South, where diners indulge in what one reviewer declared "perfectly spiced ostrich." So although that bird -- perfectly-spiced or otherwise -- may not be what you're craving this spring, who could resist a slice of this cake? Not us.

Pinotage is the cilantro of the wine world -- you either love it or hate it, but very few people sit on the fence.

A cross between Cinsault and Pinot Noir, Pinotage was created in 1925 by a Stellenbosch, South Africa university professor. The idea was to reap the best of both grapes and combine the sturdiness of Cinsault in the vineyard with the world-class taste of Pinot Noir in the glass.

Unfortunately, sometimes beautiful parents produce an ugly child, and though Pinotage lovers would disagree, I think this grape falls squarely in the "do not cross" category. Why? Because, more than its good qualities, the wine is known for its burnt-rubber aftertaste.

There are a lot of wine descriptors that critics enthusiastically use to describe a high-quality wine. Cat's piss. Horse leather. Barnyard funk. But burnt rubber? Definitely not on the list.

Read more about this wine after the jump.