Doc writes cook book after many travels
Hattingh, who founded PCA in 2017, has practised as a medical doctor and surgeon in Malawi, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has helped build several hospitals throughout these countries.
After travelling the globe as a doctor for over two decades, Pediatric Care Africa’s (PCA) Dr André Hattingh has picked up hundreds of unique recipes from various countries. He has now turned these into a cookery book, Cooking with Doc, in an attempt to raise funds for children needing urgent medical care in the country.
Hattingh was also a doctor in Rwanda for several weeks during the genocide, where he was shot in the leg while helping the wounded. Hattingh started PCA as a way to raise awareness and funds for children in need of medical care throughout the country as well as delivering much-needed baby food and food to struggling families in Mbombela.
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Cooking with Doc is another means to raise funds. However, it is also a lifetime of recipes collected from around the world, attached to witty anecdotes of how he had found these recipes and what the stories behind them are.
“I kept finding recipes I had written over the years in the strangest places, like my wallet, on a serviette, in my camera bag, and so on. I thought it was about time to catalogue them all and make a cook book.”
With recipes from Brussels, Taiwan, Portugal and the rarely-visited corners of South Africa, Hattingh has also included special recipes from his family, such as his Scottish grandmother’s haggis and a biltong recipe handed down from his grandfather, a butcher.
“The book also teaches one how to make a fire, and all the tools and equipment one needs to make some of these dishes,” said Hattingh.
He added that all the salad recipes in his book were recipes by his wife, Joyce Crompvoets. Hattingh has written five other books, including a medical textbook and an educational book for children about malaria.
He said the book was still in the beginning stages and that he was looking for a sponsor. They will have the entire back cover for their business, as well as a little logo on the cover.
“All proceeds will go directly to PCA and urgent surgeries and operations for children here in South Africa.”
He said the book will also be a lovely gift to companies that donate to the PCA.
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