Bayete Bush News
February 2009

1. Greetings from Bayete Zulu
2. Win a luxury holiday for two
3. A wise man once said
4. Ranger’s report
5. Good things happen in threes
6. What’s hot in the master chef’s pot?

Dear Bayetezulu Guest,

Happy New Year from all at Bayete Zulu Boutique Game Lodge and welcome back after what we hope was a sufficiently restful festive season.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this month’s issue centres around the timeless theme of love and all that is touched by Cupid’s arrow in February here at the lodge – but since there is no love more sincere than the love of food we’ll be catering for both tastes as we introduce you to Bayete’s three chefs who have kindly shared their tried and tested Valentine’s recipes with us. We invite you to meet them in person at Bayete Zulu for a taste bud sensation that will leave you longing for more. Forget love, after smelling the smells in their kitchen, I’d rather fall in chocolate!

After reading What’s Cooking in the Masterchef’s Pot, we trust that all you romantic gastronomes will enjoy whipping up a storm in the kitchen as much as your Valentines will enjoy sampling the fruits of your efforts!

The month of Love…Spoil yourself and your loved one and book a romantic getaway at Bayete Zulu, Valentine Special rate for February only R999 per person, per night including breakfast, dinner and a game drive

Make a date with our new chefs and put their culinary skills to the test. Enter our February newsletter competition now and win a two night stay at Bayete Zulu for two people including breakfast, dinner and a game drive by entering online at www.bayetezulu.co.za and following the competition link. Terms and conditions apply.

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
Harriet Van Horne

By Odette Fourie, Field Guide - Bayete Zulu

At Bayete, you can see Valentine’s Day is just around the corner – all you have to do is look up and observe the impressive mating dances of our feathered friends who are quite literally trying to impress the birds! Surprisingly, it isn’t unlike watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, except that their bodies are anything but grey and this time round – it’s all about the guys!

You’ve got the McDreamys in the form of the Pin-tailed Whydahs who fly around with a tail twice as long as their bodies at approximately 12cm – just to impress the ladies, and who could say no to that!

The Striped Kingfishers are the ‘George’ types who are like dynamite that comes in small packages. These are highly entertaining when sitting on a branch showing off in front of the girls. Their distinctive calls of “cherr-cheeerrrrrrrrrr” together with an impressive display of rapid wing flapping causes many a young chick’s heart to skip a beat.

The precision and determination of our Weavers is what earns them the role of Dr Burke in this cast. These long-suffering little builders spend weeks constructing the perfect home for their mates – only to have them ripped to shreds should they not match up to exact expectations. Some women just cannot be pleased.

The McSteamy title of wild cavalier goes to the Lilac-breasted Roller, whose aerial stunts are enough to make the birds knees go weak and cause butterflies in their stomachs. Their beautiful colours of lilac and blue are difficult to ignore when they’re doing rolls through the air to catch the eye of a mate.

In the words of our beloved Meredith, “To some of us it just comes naturally – to the rest they call what they do ‘practice’...”

Bayete Zulu has just recently appointed two new movers and shakers in our gourmet kitchen. We take great pleasure in welcoming Fanie Myeza who is our new Head Chef; AJ Stoltz, the new Chef de Partie; and our commi chef, Katy Hook. We took some time to find out what’s cooking in the lives of these three talented chefs...

Fanie Myeza

“I was born in KwaMashu in KwaZulu Natal and from a young boy had a flair for cookery. My Uncle was a chef and I learnt from him when I was 9 years old. After school we would often cook meals together for our family. I left school and studied a Diploma in professional cookery at The International School of Hotel and Catering. I then pursued my career and worked at the Sibaya Casino and for the Protea Hotel Group before joining Bayete Zulu.”

BZ: What is your favourite dish?
FM: I love to cook with pasta, I have many favourite recipes

BZ: If you could be a chef any where in the world where would it be and why?
FM: I love South Africa, this is my home and my favourite place in the world to work

BZ: What would you be doing with your life if you weren't a chef?
FM: I would be working in the hotel industry as an events organiser

BZ: What would you serve your significant other on Valentine’s Day?
FM: Oven Baked kingklip fillet with a taste of capers, roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes, served with rosemary baby potatoes. ( Recipe below)

BZ: What's your favourite romantic movie?
FM: I prefer a comedy, Leon Schuster is my favourite

AJ (Andries Jacobus) Stoltz

“I was born in Volksrust in Mpumalanga and moved with my family to Empangeni in 1995. Besides my passion for good food I am also a sports lover, especially rugby which I played for the 1st teams for Empangeni and Volksrust High Schools. I was selected to play for the North Natal U/21 team in my matric year. I completed my Chef course in 2007 at the Alfresco Academy for food and wine in East London. I got my inspiration from fine dining cuisine and also the fact that there must be at least one good cook in the family for my dad’s sake. My philosophy is to love what I am doing and to keep it simple. The part I love most about my job is working with good people and keeping the guests happy.”

BZ: What is your favourite dish?
AS: I don't have a favourite dish but if I have to choose my duck with orange sauce will be right up there with a chocolate soufflé

BZ: If you could be a chef any here in the world where would it be and why?
AS: France – they are world known for their passion of food

BZ: What would you be doing with your life if you weren't a chef?
AS: I really don't know. Maybe carried on with my rugby career

BZ: What would you serve your significant other on Valentine’s Day?
AS: Fresh fig and parmaham with rocket and mozzarella as a starter, main prawns wrapped in bacon served with seasonal vegetables and a fresh herb dressing and desert will be me.... Actually I think it’d have to be strawberry soufflé with sweetened cream

BZ: What's your favourite romantic movie? AS: PS I love you or The Gladiator

Katy Hook

“I was born and grew up in Durban. My passion for cooking came from my dad and started from a young age. This increased when I spent 2 years in England working front of house at pubs and spending time with the chefs. I am also an artist which influences my food plating and colour choices of the food to a large extent. I studied at capsicum culinary studio, and have completed my practical here at Bayete Zulu. I am now working here as a commi chef.”

BZ: What is your favourite dish?
KH: Fillet steak with port jus

BZ: If you could be a chef anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
KH: South Africa, because there are so many possibilities and opportunities in our growing tourism industry

BZ: What would you be doing with your life if you weren't a chef?
KH: Working in the art industry

BZ: What would you serve your significant other on Valentines Day?
KH: Pap en vleis

BZ: What’s your favourite romantic movie?
KH: PS: I love you

Cupid’s Three Course Surrender

Starter: AJ’s fresh figs, parma ham, rocket and mozzarella salad

Ingredients:

Salad
4 fresh black figs
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 slices parma ham

Dressing
½ cup sunflower oil
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
75g fresh rocket

Method:
Make a crossways cut into the figs, keeping the base intact. Pop a slice of mozzarella cheese into the gap and wrap each fig in ham. Chill till needed.
For the dressing combine all the ingredients, checking to see that it’s more lemony than vinegary. Adjust flavour accordingly.
Place on a serving platter and top with rocket.
Drizzle with salad dressing and serve.

Main: Fanie’s oven baked kingklip fillet with a taste of capers, roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes, served with rosemary baby potatoes

Method:
Pan fry the kingklip on a stove for a few minutes both sides and put aside in an oven tray.
On a side chop capers and sun dried tomatoes and brush it into the fish, bake it until cooked.

For Rosemary baby potatoes
Wash and boil baby potatoes until the are half cooked.
Mix rosemary with olive oil and pour over the potatoes on a roasting tray, roast until golden brown.

Dessert: Katy’s strawberry pavlova for two

Ingredients:

Meringue
110g castor sugar
2 egg whites

Filling
250ml whipping cream
Syrup
1 punnet of strawberries
½ slab dark melting chocolate

Method:
Preheat the oven to 150°.
This meringue is foolproof – as long as the bowl is spotlessly clean and not a drop of yolk gets into the whites when you separate the eggs. Choose a glass or stainless steel bowl as plastic tends to retain odours and grease.

With a hand beater whisk together the egg whites and sugar until stiff dry peaks form.
Mark out an area for 2 discs of the egg white mixture of about 10cm diameter each on a greaseproof paper and spread the mixture using the back of a spoon or spatula.
Bake immediately for 45 – 60 minutes or until crisp, then cool in the oven. If you transfer from a hot oven to a cool surface they will crack.
Beat the cream until it’s thick with the syrup for sweetness. Put some whipped cream on the first meringue, topping with the second.
Clean the strawberries and take the tops off.
Melt the dark cooking chocolate with some of the unbeaten cream over a low heat, stirring continuously until all the chocolate has melted.
Dip the whole strawberries in the melted chocolate and then top with cream on top of the meringues.
Serve immediately and watch your delighted Valentine melt...

We wish you and your loved ones a very special Valentines month,
With love from Bayete Zulu
xxx