An example of a Food and Wine tour experience The day starts off with a visit to a Slowfood Market. Slow Foods, as opposed to 'fast food' which has been described as culinary pornography, is the output of producers who have sourced, grown, raised, harvested, caught, preserved or transformed the food themselves. Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable. The Stellenbosch Fresh Goods Market and the Willowbridge Slow Market conveniently brings together a variety of fine foods and wines. You will experience an ancient way of shopping in a modern context. No long cold storage is used to bring foods to market, no chemicals are used in their production, no excessive food miles are wasted and no doubtful production methods are employed. You will have a chance to taste foods and swapping of recipes is the order of the day. By trading the food grown on the urban edges the Fresh Goods market is aiming to make the food chain more sustainable and environmentally sensitive. All foods are fresh seasonal and locally grown making them simple, nourishing and delicious.   From the market we move on to Wilderers distillery. As a successful restaurateur, Helmut Wilderer started distilling "Haus-Schnaps" for his restaurant, "Katzenberger's Adler", one of the top rated restaurants in Germany. He subsequently began studying the "Art of Distillation" in Austria, as well as at the University of Hohenheim near Stuttgart under the auspices of Prof. Pieper. When the monopolies in South Africa fell in 1994, Helmut took the chance to get the very first licence in the country to produce Grappa & Schnapps.  Visiting the new Distillery on the Franschhoek wine route is a must for Schnapps lovers. Master Distiller Helmut Wilderer does not compromise when it comes to quality. He has selected one of the most innovative and experienced suppliers of high- tech distilleries in the world. Ulrich Kothe designed and installed the still for Wilderer's. This year Wilderers won the “Spirit of the Year” and Double Gold Medal at the World Spirits Awards in Austria with their Grappa Muscato. The Grappa Pinotage received a Gold Medal and the Grappa Gewürztraminer a Silver Medal. Another unique feature of the cape’s vegetation is Fynbos. This unique South African speciality is naturally produced from over 30 fresh herbs from the well known Fynbos region of the beautiful Cape. It is made in the original way without adding any flavours, colourants or sugar - a product which shows the distiller to be a true master. From Grappa, we move on to charcuterie at Bread & Wine. A secret to some and fiercely guarded by the locals, this restaurant is set amongst the lemon orchards and vineyards on Moreson Wine Farm, a working wine farm, 10 minute drive from Franschhoek. Here you can enjoy home baked breads, sublime soups and country terrines. You can also explore the tastes of home-cured charcuterie, beech smoked salmon and filled foccacias while savouring Môreson's fine wines. This restaurant is wonderful for those wonderful Franschhoek summer days with al fresco seating in the courtyard, shaded by trellised vines and umbrellas or the indoor cellar restaurant with its’ draped ceilings and giant picture windows. The attraction is simple, real rustic food prepared with honesty and masses of flavour. The menu offers 'have to haves’ including the daily dip selection and this season’s pizza bread. While reflecting over the menu or taking a break between courses stroll over to the tasting room and sample some of the farms award winning wines. On departing pick up your basket and fill it with delectable goodies from our farm grocer.   From here we drive up into the Simonsberg Mountains above Stellenbosch to visit with chef Maynard at a well-known Cape Berry orchard. Maynard is a highly talented chef with many years of experience in the hotel industry. He is currently concentrating his efforts in combining traditional South African cuisine with the rich bounty of the berry orchards of Hillcrest berries. Maynard’s ‘ingredient palate’ comes from 15 hectares of orchards on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain where you will find raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cape gooseberries and even some redcurrants. I have no doubt that you will be astounded with the range of mouth-watering ways in which Maynard combines the basic tenets of wholesome cooking to bring out the distinctive flavours of the region’s beautiful, nutritional berries. At Hillcrest you will have the opportunity of tasting dishes like smoked chicken, cranberry and avocado stack, smoked salmon trout and gooseberry terrine and roasted fig and blue cheese quiche all matched with wines of the region.   For you who enjoy the finer things in life, we visit Overture, one of South Africa’s top ten restaurants, for a unique journey in fine wine and even finer food. Bertus Basson, the chef and owner of Overture, will prepare exclusively for you, a selection of dishes using fresh and organic ingredients from the district. Along with his knowledgeable wine staff they will host you through a “double wine tasting”, whereby you will be shown how to experience the “front taste” and “back taste” of a food presentation, when combined with 2 different wines. All this will be done at the prime table at Overture restaurant, which is on top of the mountains overlooking Stellenbosch. On a clear day you will even be able to see Table Mountain which is 35 kilometers away. Exclusively prepared food, just for you, combined with excellent wine and spectacular scenery. What more could anyone desire in the winelands. Next we enjoy one of the most unusual tasting experiences "Blondies, Brownies and Honeys" found at a five-star winelands venue We visit one of the oldest brandy distilleries in the country where the Fine Cask Reserve 15 Year Old brandy, described by brandymaster Johan Venter as a fusion of honeyed-citrus aromas that open onto a creamy palate laced with chocolate and oak, will be presented to you, paired with a brownie, a blondie and a honey, all on the same plate. The sublime 'squares' have been developed for the five-star distillery, by sweet-toothed Francophile Nicola Meyer. She studied the art of patisserie-making in Normandy before taking additional courses in confectionery in Europe and then came home to specialise in "high teas and special events." She immediately recognised that the much-awarded Van Ryn's Fine Cask Reserve 15 Year Old was a special event in its own right that deserved not one, but three chocolate-infused squares to show itself to best effect. The dark chocolate brownie is festooned with pecan nuts. The blondie, made with white chocolate, is dotted by tiny studs of dried cranberry for its sweet acid spark and then topped with a decadent layering of white chocolate ganache. The caramel-coloured honey is a close relative of the blondie but enriched with pure honey. "Each square reflects a facet of the Cask Reserve 15 Year Old's personality. This tasting is really a totally tantalizing sip and nibble extravaganza. Anyone who enjoys a bit of indulgence will find this an irresistible combination. WOW! is all I can say...

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