Gastronomica

LESS SPEED AND MORE FLAVOUR PLEASE!
24 - 28 September 2009

There is a place where lush, indigenous forests embrace a cool, sapphire estuary. Ancient forests are cradled by fertile, rolling hills and the air in this veritable Garden of Eden is fresh and pure. This is not the imagined setting of a fantasy film or romance novel, but a place that the native Khoisan called “where water meets the forest”. We call it Knysna.

Life here happens at a slower pace and fast and preserved is not the preferred choice. The focus is inevitably on fresh, pure, organic and real, resulting in the “Wild Oats Community Farmers’ Market that opened 10 years ago in Sedgefield. An assortment of produce ranging from artisans meats, homemade cheeses and wines to homegrown meat and organic fruit and vegetables are being sold directly to the public every Saturday.

The market has led to the popularization of the philosophy of ‘by the locals, for the locals’. The concept of utilizing locally produced and sustainable ingredients has also been adopted by restaurants all along the Garden Route. From the acclaimed chef Geoffrey Murray of Zachary’s at the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa to country restaurants like the ‘Red Barn Restaurant & Country Store’ in Rheenendal, just outside of Knysna, pride themselves on the fact that most of their produce is sourced in the area and delivered on a daily basis.

Taking this one step further, Gastronomica was launched five years ago. The festival, running from the 24th to the 28th of September this year, has been instrumental in introducing the concept of “Slow Food” to South Africans. ‘Slow food’, being the opposite of ‘fast food’, but more importantly, being non industrial. The value of food lies in its flavor, taste and nutrients, and to get the best value in these terms, the emphasis is on the use of natural, fresh and true to kind ingredients. This means that you know who prepared your food, how it was prepared and precisely what you are putting into your body.

Gastronomica features participants from Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Sedgefield and Oudtshoorn, and is committed to sustainability and quality in every aspect. Various events aim to introduce a lifestyle of substance and significance to the community, using food as the encompassing umbrella.

Included in an exciting program are demonstrations and workshops hosted by renowned local bakery and eatery, Île de pain. Bread baker par extraordinaire Markus Farbinger said as part of their ‘Bread Series’, they will be giving away some of their secrets to baking the perfect bread. “We will demonstrate the making of dough by hand in a trough outside and fire the oven. While the dough is resting, we will watch the documentary ‘Feeding the nation’ by Wessel van Huysteen and I hope this eye opening, critical film will be food for thought for participants.”

The highlight of the festival is a performance by this year’s winner of South African Idol, Jason Hartman, on the evening of the 25th. Aside from this performance, Jason, a renowned foodie, gardener and greenie, will also be interacting with young people and present the philosophy of the festival to them in a fun and interesting way.

And what better place to do it in than an area that is already commitment to the principle of “by the people, for the people.” In Knysna this is part of everyday life, and when you visit the area you by default join the movement for a good life, slower, but with so much more flavour.

www.gastronomicakny.co.za
 

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