LYDENBURG – It is almost time for the highly anticipated French experience. With five days left Leon Roelofse and André
du Preez have already completed the menu for Bastille Day.It is an eight-course French-theme dinner which will be held on July 14 at JamJar Lounge. The food, music and the entertainment will also be French.
The pair is well known for scrumptious meals and their excellent experience put together will deliver nothing but the finest banquet.
The menu consist of kir royale, escargot ravioli, soupe à l’oignon, le trou normand, canard avec sauce cerises or boeuf bourgignon (you choose between the duck or the beef), salads fine herbes, fromages, posset citron and café et thé. Tea and coffee will be served after the eight-course meal.
During an interview with Steelburger/Lydenburg News, Roelofse from JamJar Lounge and Du Preez from Café Crust, shared how they are currently preparing for one of the most prestigious events in town.
“We have a few days left and as part of preparations we are already cooking some of the meals on the menu,” said Roelofse.
Some of the food that he will be preparing include, lemon posset and canard avec sauce cherries. “The first time I tasted canard avec sauce cherries, I was in London, England at the Bleeding Heart Restaurant that serves modern French cuisine. It was love at first sight and I started preparing it, to perfect it, to bring out the delicious taste that I had experienced.”
“The most wonderful thing about this meal is the richness in flavour and the versatility, it can be served as a starter or a main meal.”
Roelofse perfected his lemon-posset-making skills while he worked at Chefs Warehouse and Canteen in Cape Town. “It is a dessert that will be loved by everyone because it is sweet, yet not too sweet.”
Du Preez will prepare boeuf bourguignon. “This is one of those dishes that I have been making for the past six years and my experience has perfected it. When I prepared it for the first time I was still studying and it was the very first French dish I ever prepared.”
To explain how marvellous the dish is, he quoted a well-known chef, Julia Child (the inspiration for Julie and Julia) who, just like him, was enchanted when she first tasted it. “Boeuf bourguignon is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man.”
Soupe à l’oignon is one of
Du Preez’s favourite French soups which he will serve. “The first time I tasted it was on a cold night three years ago while I was in Pretoria. It was prepared by a French chef, Chez Daniel, owner of a rustic-style French and Belgian restaurant. From that day I took it upon myself to learn how to make it, because it was perfect. It is a delicious traditional French recipe.”
If you want to be part of the French experience call 076-052-6074 for bookings.
