Cooking with Jade, Blogger Banter and more at Open Book Fest

A little over a week ago, Rob and I had just arrived in beautiful rainy Cape Town and I was gearing up to cook at the RandomStruik Open Book Festival alongside Jade de Waal, who recently graced our TV screens as one of the top competitors on Masterchef South Africa.

Jade’s parents have the most beautiful, eclectic, eccentric, exquisite home just near Gardens, and they threw open the doors and windows to welcome us all. Orchestrating the night was publicist extraordinaire, Random-Struik’s Kim Taylor, and when she greeted me with bubbly already in hand mid-afternoon, I knew we were in for some fun.

Just before our cooking demo, we were treated to an intelligent, no-holds-barred panel discussion with TASTE Magazine Food Editor, and MasterChef SA guest judge Abigail Donnelly at the helm. Abi was joined by blogger turned cookbook Author Jane-Anne Hobbs and model turned chef turned cookbook author Sonia Cabano. On the menu? A very flamboyant conversation looking at some of the pros and cons of food bloggers, food bloggers becoming cook book authors and even the commercialization of food blogging. We were undoubtedly all left with much food for thought.

During a little interval filled with delicious snacks, Kim gave us a sneak peek at Jade and Sonia’s just-launched Vegetarian Cookbook, ‘Luscious Vegetarian’ which looks absolutely enchanting. Here’s a link.

And then Jade and I took care of some actual real food. I served up one of my simple home favorites from my book in the form of Spicy Gruyere-Crusted Fish Cakes with a Hake and Sweet Potato filling (recipe here, using salmon) and Watercress Pesto, and then Jade expertly and very entertainingly walked us through all things Dim Sum, with the most gorgeous cabbage, peanut and soy filling. We ended on a very merry note with people milling about, bubbly flowing, and most trying their hands at making their own little dim sum ‘hats’. And is Jade as kind and cute and quirky as she seemed on TV? Absoloodle doodle.

L-R Sonia, Abigail and Jane-Anne

Jade’s Dim Sum pot, filled with all sorts of delectables

Huge and heartfelt thanks must go to everyone involved, from Jade and her family for so graciously hosting us, to Kim and Linda from RandomStruik Lifestyle, Abi for leading a very intelligent panel discussion and everyone who came and joined in so wholeheartedly. This was definitely one of those evenings when I re-realised how much I love being a food blogger in South Africa.