The end of the year has come quicker than the year before and most of the ladies seemed to have something else on!
Some had just come home from Knysna and needed a break from traveling in a coach / some had other Christmas lunches or markets arranged! Nevertheless 24 of us enjoyed a day out in what I call “The best kept secret of the Western Cape – the Hemel en Aarde Valley”
The Hemel en Aarde valley is about 120km from Cape Town – a very pleasant drive along the beach near Muizenberg and a short stop at Peregrine (can I call it a short stop!?) Most women just love to stop here and always find something to spend their ZAR’s on! With a gift shop on the Peregrine premises and Christmas around the corner some just had to shop here too!
We arrived in the Valley at about 11h45 and our first stop was Hemelrand where Hans and Mary Ann warmly welcomed the group. They had set up a coffee station for us – pity the ladies had all had coffee at Peregrine and we couldn’t take them up on their offer.
Hans and Mary Ann retired from the JHB rat race and started dabbling in growing lavender and olive trees. The result is keeping them extremely busy in the Western Cape with their delectable products! Hans did an olive oil tasting for those who wished to do so and of course, the sale of their lavender products went very well! Of particular interest to a few of the ladies were Banksia ‘proteas’ grown on Hans’ sister’s farm in Elim – a great find and so good to take home! Hans is particularly proud of the fact that one of his wines has just won a 5* award on the Platters prize giving!
Then by 12h45 it was time to head down back into the Hemel en Aarde Village and to our restaurant of choice – SOURCE. This restaurant was started by Warwick Taylor and his wife Anita. Warwick previously of Creation comes with many years’ excellent experience in the food industry. He has a food consulting company called Concept and Flavours, with which he contracted to supplying the food at Creation. The name SOURCE represents finding the right ingredients, and buying them for a reason. He plans to create a vegetable and herb garden in the space behind the kitchen – this new restaurant can seat 60 patrons inside and 30 outside.
Our menu for the day was:
Grilled hake, green beans, new potatoes, baby spinach,
The fish was described by someone at my table as a ‘very healthy option for a ladies lunch’ – dessert was delicious and light! All in all, an excellent lunch and definitely a place to return to again!