Operating out of everything from jazzed-up Jurgens caravans to flashy Ford RVs, food trucks are putting tread to tar in food capitals including New York, London and, most recently, Cape Town. Ilana Sharlin takes to the road It all started with tacos. It all started with tacos. Before the American gourmet food truck craze officially … Read more

Smart choices for you, your baby and the planet Of all the food dilemmas you face when pregnant, seafood might be the most slippery. Fish contain nutrients essential to the developing fetal brain, but they can also be contaminated with brain-damaging mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The ecological questions are similarly confusing. Many wild fish … Read more

“The inspiration for this recipe actually came from Taste’s very own Abigail Donnelly. Made ahead, baked at the last minute and served with crusty Ciabatta, it’s a delicious dinner-party starter. It oozes Mediterranean flavors and is good as tapas.” Serves 4 A little effort Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 30 minutes Shelley Grobler’s Sticky Brinjal Jam … Read more

“The combination of the creamy cheese, smoky bacon, rich avocado and tender steak is perfect.” Serves 2 Easy Great value Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 10 – 15 minutes John Easingwood’s Sirloin with Gorgonzola and Bacon Sauce and Avocado Salad ·         Garlic 2 cloves, crushed ·         Butter 2 T ·         Extra virgin olive oil 1 t, … Read more

“The reason I love this recipe so much is because it was handed down to me by my Nanna, who is also called Elaine. The dish epitomizes family for me. It’s what we eat whenever we get together; we call it ‘Nanna’s oxtail.’” Serves 6 A little effort Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 3 – 4 … Read more

“I live in Paris and found the naartijes at market here. The idea for the salted caramel came from a menu. Sea salt and Cointreau finishes it off beautifully.” Serves 8 Easy Great value Preparation: 1 hour Cooking: 15 minutes Jane Hendrik Van Der Westhuizen’s Poached Naartjie Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce Cake flour 120 … Read more

Taste readers reveal their best-loved cooking bibles Winning tome: Cook & Enjoy by SJA De Villiers (Human & Rousseau) “I grew up with Cook & Enjoy,” says Mafikeng reader Erica Harris. “I still use my mother’s old edition, of which the front page is now sadly missing and the remaining pages are all loose. The … Read more

If you go down to the wood today… you may bump into taste reader and modern-day forager Mike Rossi, who, together with fellow fungi fanatics, combs the forest floor for its elusive fruits Diligently, every May, just after the first winter rains, we enter the dark pine forests that are peppered around the southwestern Cape. … Read more

Getting your partner involved The concept of ‘letting in’ your partner to help you with the kids and household chores seems pretty straightforward, right? Who wouldn’t want someone to help them? However, for me it wasn’t that easy. In many ways my husband and I had a fairly traditional relationship after I resigned from my … Read more

It may cause you some embarrassment, but when your child screams and clings to you at the mere approach of Aunt Marge (or nearly any other unfamiliar person), he’s actually responding in a very normal way. “Stranger anxiety is nothing more than your child’s way of telling you that he prefers you over anyone else,” … Read more

This four-ingredient wonder is an indulgent dessert and drink in one. Treat yourself! Combine 2 bananas, 1 cup vanilla ice cream, and 1 cup milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top each with a scoop of chocolate marble ice cream to serve. Tip: switch it up! Play around with different … Read more

Whether you want to impress in the boardroom, or detox after an indulgent weekend, here’s how to make the most important meal of the day count The pre-meeting brain booster What to have eggs Royale Eggs Royale Pop a couple of asparagus spears under the grill with a slice of wholegrain bread while you poach … Read more

Sharlene Tan, creator of Goodles pasta bar, loves everything about food – from cooking and dining out, to teaching friends how for the camera. When her schedule permits, she takes time to travel, often to Hong Kong, which she considers her second home. A few days off to visit her favorite shops and food stops … Read more

 “Can you imagine a life without onion? Mealtimes would be monotonous, dishes dreary and every menu a minefield. So, let’s pay homage to the humble bumble bulb with recipes so delicious they’ll make you weep” . Onions are the unsung heroes of the kitchen: virtually everything you eat in a good European restaurant will be … Read more

Onion Tarte Tain I can’t take all the credit for this one. Scot Kirton, a.k.a. “Scottish”, put a dish onto The River Café’s menu while we were running it, which was a version of this, only he used a nice thin slice of Spanish onion and topped it with melting porcini mousse. Mine is a … Read more

Healthy Pizza Bites Stay away from fast food joints and make your own pizza instead. The whole wheat crust and tuna chunks combo is the healthy difference! Healthy Pizza Bites Serve: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes ·         12 pieces mini wheat pizza crust ·         ½ cup pizza sauce or marinara sauce … Read more

About the columnist Joey de Larrazabal-Blanco started cooking in earnest out of absolute necessity-a continent away from home with no one to feed her. She then promptly and totally flung herself into a one-woman love affair with food-procuring it, preparing it, and ultimately, consuming it. She carries no credentials except for her passion and is … Read more

Marie is the mastermind behind Kitchen Revolution, an Alabang-based gourmet company that specializes in holistic, plant-based cooking classes, workshops, and lectures. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and has completed Cornell University’s Plant-based Nutrition program. Marie is passionate about god food that tastes amazing, nourishes the body, and … Read more

There’s something yummy in my freezer that’s slowly disappearing! I baked a batch of chewy gingersnap cookies with my daughter Sabrina one weekend and ate some freshly baked ones for Merienda. We had a couple of cookies left over, so the next day, I decided to turn them into ice cream cookie sandwiches! All I … Read more

Six readers share their dearly beloved dishes; all made using quintessentially South African ingredients, that cater to both a nostalgic yearning and a craving for comfort Varsha Naidu’s Chunky Pea Puree “Mint is one of the loveliest herbs and, when combined with peas, it works beautifully. The Parmesan adds a wonderful creaminess and extra level … Read more