Michael Fridjhon, one of South Africa’s leading
winewriters says, "The true pleasure of the brandy
distiller’s art takes a lifetime to reveal. It is not
a voyage frivolously undertaken, but the world it
opens up is deeply hospitable and every staging
post is a microcosm of the route."

  

FIRE WATER

SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDY

‘Fire Water’, the admirable new book produced by the South African Brandy Foundation, is undoubtedly one of the most definitive books on the subject produced recently. 

 

The butterfly has emerged from its cocoon of oak. A fascinating account by Wendy Toerien of how brandy is created, weaves a compelling tale and one that involves the reader from start to finish - absorbing and thrilling! 

 

Craig Fraser has produced the most evocative and exquisite photography mirroring brandy’s unique history. 

 

 

Besides being irresistable in a glass, it is equally irresistible when introduced to a wide spectrum of dishes. Adding that soupçon of deep flavour enhancing so many dishes from poultry through to the fruits of our orchards; apples and pears of winter to the deep flavour of summer plums and strawberries. 

 

South Africa’s top chefs; Margot Janse, Peter Goffe-Wood, Franck Dangereux, Reuben Riffel and Nic van Wyk have included their favourite dishes, melding with and pairing with brandy and its strength of flavour. 

 

‘Brandy is best with marzipan and nut-based chocolates: a perfect match.’ – Matthew Gordon, chef-patron, Haute Cabrière Cellar Restaurant.

  

Fiery and inaccessible in its
youth, the best brandy evolves
in a way which reveals 
its complex pedigree.

 

‘Fire Water’ explains the skills involved in the craft of brandy production and describes its unique character, complexity, taste and style of brandy made by the proudly South African industry and is world class. 

 

South Africa is bewitching brandy country and ‘Fire Water’ explores the grandeur and stunning beauty our brandy producing regions. The intriguing history, the terroir, the cellars and the grape varieties. Guiding you on an intimate tour of brandy producers showcasing many from single-estate brandy makers to our major distillers, which are acknowledged worldwide winning many trophies   

 

The lure of brandy is a potent one. 

 

A tipple that inspired literary legends from an admiring South African poet, botanist, doctor and amateur chef, C. Louis Leipoldt (1880-1947) who said decades ago, "I make bold to say that our best wine brandy can compete with the very best foreign types - even the famous Cognacs from the Charente region in France- and does not have to stand back for them at all." 

 

‘South African brandy today is really exciting – to have a range of brandies that can challenge the best in the world is amazing.’ - Reuben Riffel, co-owner and executive chef, Reuben’s.

Pete Goffe-Wood of Cassia

 

BLACK FOREST BROWNIES, MADE WITH OUDE MEESTER RESERVE 12 YEAR OLD BRANDY

 

550 g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
225 g unsalted butter
2 x 400 g tins black cherries
500 g sugar
6 large eggs
150 ml Oude Meester Reserve 12 Year Old Brandy
200 g flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
125 ml liquid glucose
(Makes 12 brownies)

 

For the chocolate ganache:
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
250 ml cream
250 g milk chocolate, chopped

 

For the vanilla ice cream:
500 ml milk
500 ml cream
1 vanilla pod
1 cup sugar
12 large eggs

 

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a square pan with greaseproof paper. Melt the chocolate together with the butter in a double boiler. Drain and chop the cherries, retaining the juice for the sauce. Whisk the sugar and eggs together. Whisk in the melted-chocolate mixture and add 50 ml of the brandy. Mix in the flour, salt and baking powder. Gently mix in the cherries. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 – 35 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan. Once cool, cut into squares.

 

To make the chocolate ganache: Add the coffee granules to the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

 

To make the vanilla ice cream: Bring the milk and cream to the boil with the scraped vanilla pod. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and yolks. Pour the slightly cooled cream mixture over the egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Return to the heat and stir over a medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a large stainless-steel container. To cool quickly, whisk over a bowl of ice and water. Once cooled, pour into an ice-cream machine and churn until frozen.

 

To assemble the brownies: Pour the remaining brandy into a hot saucepan and flambé. Add the cherry juice and reduce by half. Add the liquid glucose and whisk until the glucose has dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When sauce and brownies are cool, remove the ganache from the fridge, whisk it until thick and use to frost each square of brownie. Garnish with cherry sauce vanilla ice cream and chocolate shavings, serve immediately.

 

Franck Dangereux of the Foodbarn

 

BANANA TARTES TATIN SERVED WITH A BLACK PEPPER AND BRANDY ICE CREAM MADE WITH KLIPDRIFT GOLD BRANDY

 

Ready-made puff pastry
4 small bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthways and in half again so you have 4 pieces from each banana
3 tablespoons butter
200 g white sugar
3 tablespoons water

 

For the black pepper and brandy ice cream:
500 ml milk
10 black peppercorns, cracked on a chopping board with a rolling in
6 large egg yolks
150 g sugar
4 tablespoons Klipdrift Gold Brandy

 

To make the pastry bases for the tartes tatin: To make the tartes tatin, you need 4 small round baking dishes, either metal or porcelain ramekins. These should be 10 cm in diameter and about 3 cm deep. Cut the prepared puff pastry into 4 round bases about 12 cm in diameter and about half a centimeter thick.

 

To make the caramel: Put the butter, sugar and water into a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until the caramel is golden brown. Pour a thin layer (about 2 mm) of caramel into the bottom of each baking dish. Leave to set.

 

To assemble the tartes tatin: Place 4 pieces of banana onto the set caramel then place the pastry discs over each tart pushing the edges of the pastry down around the outer edge of the caramel towards the bottom of the dish. With a fork prick holes all over the top of the pastry, leaving an unpricked border of about 1 cm around the edge. This will make the edges rise more than the centre, which will help the tart remain flat when you turn it over later. Bake at 180ºC for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately turn each tart upside down onto a serving plate and lift the dish from the tart. The caramel must be melted and boiling when you do this or it will stick. Warning the dishes will be hot and the caramel will be very hot and runny so use gloves and take care not to burn yourself. Turn each tart out with a decisive committed movement.

 

To make the ice cream: Scald the milk with the cracked peppercorns. While the milk is warming, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk until the mixture is creamy. When the milk is at simmering point, remove it from the stove and pour it onto the yolk mixture, stirring gently all the time to make sure that the heat of the milk doesn’t begin to cook the eggs. Once all the milk has been added and the mixture is smooth return it to the pot and cook very gently over low heat until it is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and pour into a cold container to stop the cooking process. Place the cooled mixture in an ice cream maker and churn until frozen.

 

To serve: Scoop the ice cream onto each tart and serve immediately.

 

Nic van Wyk of Kleine Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch

 

BRANDY RICE PUDDING WITH FRESH AND DRIED GRAPES MADE WITH VAN RYN 10 YEAR OLD BRANDY

 

300 ml cream
300 ml milk
1 vanilla pod
150 g Arborio rice
250 g caster sugar
6 egg yolks
200 g fresh seedless grapes, halved
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons Van Ryn 10 Year Old Brandy
200 g dried grapes soaked overnight in 100 ml Van Ryn 10 Year Old Brandy

 

(Serves 4)

 

Put the cream, milk and vanilla pod in a saucepan, bring to the boil, take off the heat and allow to infuse for 15 minutes. Add the rice to the liquid and cool on low heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Whisk 200 g caster sugar with the egg yolks until white and fluffy. Fold the egg mixture into the rice mixture and cook gently for 5 minutes until the rice takes on a smooth and silky shine. Sauté the fresh grapes with 1 tablespoon butter and remaining caster sugar until the sugar starts to caramelize. Deglaze the pan with the 3 tablespoons of brandy. Add the soaked grapes (retain the soaking brandy) and caramelised grapes to the rice mixture. Finish the dish by warming up 25 ml of the soaking brandy per person in a saucepan, then igniting the brandy and pouring over individual servings of the rice pudding.

 

I love the comfort and warmth of rice pudding, and the brandy gives it a luxurious depth. The grapes were an obvious choice as they are the essence and origin of brandy so you get the delightfully fresh and the luxuriously aged in one dish so to speak.

 

CONTEMPORARY COCKTAILS

 

Deep Purple:
Fresh red grapes and blueberry jam combine with brandy and a double measure of fresh cranberry juice to create a sweet but sexy cocktail.

 

6 red grapes
5 ml (heaped teaspoon) blueberry jam
10 ml sugar syrup
35 ml brandy
50 ml cranberry juice

 

Muddle the grapes with the jam and sugar syrup in a shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a few grapes on a toothpick.

 

FIRECRACKER

 

A spicy cocktail that combines the fiery heat of peppadews with sweet apple juice and brandy.

 

2 peppadews
pinch of cinnamon
20 ml sugar syrup
35 ml brandy
50 ml apple juice

 

Muddle the peppadew with the cinnamon and sugar syrup in a shaker, then add the rest of the ingredients. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a peppadew float.

 

FIRE WATER 
SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDY

Quivertree Publications
Available at leading book stores
in South Africa
For further information contact
Quivertree Publications 
Tel: +27 (021) 461-6808 or info@doyle.co.za