The Pie Crown

Xperience 82

My dad used to call a pie & coke a shortcut to heartburn, let’s face it, he’s right. Every now and again I used to ignore his advise, threw a Gaviscon pouch in my bag and went for it. The worst part though, like McDonald’s, it’s never as good as you imagined it to be.

When I discovered the Kickasspies (fondly known as Chickenasspies in my office) at Jardine, now Jason, I had a good feeling about the future of pies. These pies had more filling than pastry, more taste than a hundred of those flatties you buy at the supermarket (and that other pie place) and everyday there is a different mouthwatering filling. Oooh, did I mention, no heartburn? Might be the fact that for a change someone out there realised pies are worthy of good ingredients? Nah, can’t be that, maybe because it isn’t mass produced? Whatever your political view regarding pies, for a change they are better than you hoped or imagined.

Just a quick note to Jason and any pie baker out there. Veg & Lentil is not a suitable filling for a Friday. That’s the kind of filling you do on a Monday or Tuesday, when you are still under the delusion that you’re keeping to whatever diet or life plan you’ve chosen. On Fridays you do the Morrocan pie or the braised Impala shoulder, you know something worthy…

It’s because of this very unfortunate choice of filling on Friday, that I decided to give the place on Long Street a try. I’ve read about the Down South Food bar and their new pie shop and saw them a while ago when making new keys. A small little hole, with friendly honest service, find them.
I did feel a bit like a traitor, walking back past my favourite bakery with a new pie in my hand…but hey, who eats veg on a friday??? (Ya knaaaaauuuuw!)

I had the pork belly & apple (stuffed to the brim) pie. It was good. As good as Jason’s pies? Hhmmmm….., almost. But it was only one pie…and how long will Jason be able to hold on to the Pie Crown? I think it’s time to start a pie war, what do you think?

 

Creating Monsters

Xperinece 81

I have a slight obsession with Giovanni’s and their espressos. Most of my friends and I suppose anyone reading this blog knows it (if you didn’t, now you know something new). The girls in the office are convinced I have a problem and made me a bit self-conscious of my apparent problem. So I have abstained for a while (the longest 40 days ever!).

Ronel then asked me to join her for a coffee at Giovanni’s, I rushed as quick as I could to my favourite deli. Like a true junkie, I had a quick one before Ronel arrived for her new xperience and Pandora’s Box is now wide open again.

I ordered for us, mostly by catching the barista’s eye and holding 2 fingers up in the air. In this bar, they know my poison. With a flourish I presented Cape Town’s best espresso to Ronel and was rewarded with a worthy reaction. Like a connoisseur she commented on the smell, colour amount of foam and lastly the taste, by this time I was zoned out and enjoying all this in my own little private coffee paradise (jeez, maybe I do have a problem?). As espressos go, they don’t last long. After the last sip Ronel gravely announced that Jason’s coffee just won’t do anymore and her eyes wandered again to the counter. At that moment I it came to me, I might have created a monster.

Her newly created monster status was confirmed when she ordered a cappuccino and I went for my 3rd (40 days people, 40 days), I decided to poke the monster and suggest we take a walk inside the deli when done with our coffees… I succeeded right there in making Ronel Main Monster (insert wicked laugh here).

The next day while I was enjoying my new book and espresso in the corner of Giovanni’s, I wondered if I should phone Ronel, to join me. I didn’t, thinking maybe I need to give her some time, for the poison to do its work. It turns out I didn’t have to worry, she was sitting in her apartment trying very hard to ignore the call of the perfect espresso.

My work is done here, let one of them point a finger again at my little habit…

 

A Marathon

No!! Don’t worry, I’m not running one. Just writing one in xperiences…

Xperience 55

I found myself fed and with a clean apartment, with nothing to watch on television around 7pm. What is a woman to do? To early to go to bed, not feeling like going out I remembered something I saw on television. An interesting way to convert your plastic bags into coasters and all sorts of useful things. I have a lot of bags lying around and our office needs coasters.

So I poured a glass of wine, got the iron,the mountain of bags and almost burnt down my apartment. But I made some really pretty coasters and did my part for recycling.

Xperience 56

Another xperience in the tasting category, but honestly will you say no to Baby Marrow & Brie soup from Jason? I thought not.

Xperience 57

Maybe I should also pledge to start jogging, or something exercise-ish. Seeing that I saw a new chocolate flavour and had to try it. Don’t try the Triple Delight Chocolate with the pear in it…take this tip and buy something else.

Xperience 58

Drinks at Neighbourhood again, but this time I met 2 new amazing ladies to add to my friend list. In my opinion still the bestest new xperience.

Xperience 59

One of my favourite eateries in Cape Town is the Eastern Food Bazaar. I’ve tried just about everything on their menu, but not the Chicken Kofta Balls yet. In essence it’s chicken meatballs, but done the curry way. Yummy enough and something I’m going to try to make myself.

Xperience 60

One of the best exports from India is Chai Tea, but finding a good one isn’t that easy. I have! It’s called Drink Me Chai Tea, sold at Pick ‘n Pay and comes in different flavours, now go forth my friends and indulge.

Xperience 61

I’m blessed to live in an area where there is no shortage of inspiration. So I drove to one of my favourite spots hoping the canola is already in bloom, but no such luck. Instead I decided to turn right down a road I’ve never taken, a new xperience completely unplanned and so exhilarating. I was technically “lost” for a while, but I found some cows and had a wonderful photo shoot with them…

Xperience 62

I’ve been to Philadelphia before, but quickly to pick something up from a house, so it didn’t count. While I was “lost” I drove into this little town. Parked my car on the church square and took my camera for a walk.

Wow, what a little gem of a place. Other than the 2 or 3 full restaurants in the centre of the town, the rest was quiet and exactly the way one think of small little towns in the middle of nowhere. I can’t wait to go back and take some friends with.

Xperience 63

Mondays should be called black, not blue. What’s the best way to cure a new week born wrong? Have a bottle (or 4) with your girlfriends. It’s even better when they are also experiencing this dark Monday…as no-one sympathises better than girlfriend working in the same offices.

They did one better even and took me to a new pub, Brassiers. I have a feeling they will see much more of us.

Xperience 64

I’m happy to say I haven’t  picked up that much weight at all, a bit on the sides, but I’m still fitting into my skinny jeans without looking like a Mugg & Bean muffin.

So I had Kickass Pie at Jason and the new variation was Chicken & Veg with Marsala. Bliss.

Xperience 65

Ever wondered if you get Gypsies in South Africa? Maybe not in the European sense, but the wonderful people from Balkanology think we should at least enjoy their music.

I was fortunate enough to work in the bar at last production at the Zip Zap Circus Dome. The first time and lemme tell you now, the next one I’m so not working!

Xperience 66 & 67

I think one of the worst things one can do, is walk past a place weekly and never pop in. Or taste for this matter. Unfortunately I have a bad habit of never walking past Jason for obvious reasons, but the other day Ronel and I walked all the way down.

We were richly rewarded for stopping at Crema! and trying their Cauliflower & Spinach soup. Two xperiences rolled into one… and they will see us way more! You can find them in Bloem Street almost on the corner of Long.

I think I should have done some carb loading before this marathon.