A little Treat...

Our "dog days" of waiting were interrupted recently with a wonderful treat! Our friends Pieter and Elsebé treated us to an evening rich with the flavours of South Africa. They immigrated here from South Africa five years ago and so are well qualified for presenting a South African feast! And wow did they ever present! Pieter and Elsebé are from Afrikaaner stock and were careful to point out that the dishes they created for us were representative of only one of the cultures of the rainbow nation. But... the food was incredible!

We were invited with the Senior Pastor of our church and his wife, as a Pastor Appreciation dinner (Marc is the Youth Pastor in our church). And were entertained with high cuisine, and South African traditions.


Pieter and Elsebé's home is beautiful and everywhere is decorated with items from South Africa. They have carved animal statues, South African paintings, and wall hangings all from South Africa. The centrepiece of their coffee table included ostrich eggs.

Our hosts were gracious enough to tolerate me taking pictures of objects in their house and of every course of the meal. They were excited to share their culture, so I don't think they minded too much!

We started with an appetizer called Biltong. Biltong is a meat that is flavoured with spices and vinegar and then dried. Our hosts prepared it using beef, but normally in South Africa they use game like spring bok or eland. Biltong was perfected by Voortrekkers, the dutch descendants who migrated north into the interior of South Africa to get away from British rule. The Voortrekkers needed a way to preserve game quickly in a hot climate while on the road. Biltong developed as a result. Here is Elsebé holding a stokkie (stick) of Biltong before it has been sliced. Pieter is holding the slicer to demonstrate how the Biltong is sliced into thin strips.

Biltong tasted good. It is a salty dry meat and reminded us a lot of Beef Jerky.

Once we sat at the table, we were presented with a cream soup. Usually it is made out of white pumpkin which is very common in South Africa. In Canada, Elsebé had to resort to butternut squash. The soup was excellent. The picture is nice too with the yellow against the blue tablecloth.

After the soup, our hosts brought the main course to the table: Lamb, potatoes, green beans, and broccoli. It was only the second time in my life that I had lamb and it was so good! Elsebé, having grown up on a sheep farm, knew how to prepare it in the most succulent way. It was a wonderful meal! During the meal Pieter and Elsebé's children entertained us with stories of South Africa. They return annually to their home country and so had pictures and experiences to share. Hendrik enthusiastically told all about Jack Rabbit Hunting. Basically all the kids jump in the back of a bakkie (pick up truck) and the adults drive the bakkie at top speeds bouncing through fields. One person in the back of the bakkie has a spot light. As soon as he picks up a jack rabbit in the spot, the truck screeches to a halt, the kids get out and chase the jackrabbit all over the field. Once they get close, they hit it with sticks (knobkerries really, but Hendrik assures me that any stick will do) until it is dead. Anneri and Hendrik had us all in stitches as they described chasing after the jack rabbits, stumbling in the pitch dark through the field and tripping over holes in the ground. It is a party, a part of childhood in South Africa. For many, especially the workers on the farm, it is also a source of food.

It wasn't until after the stories that we finally realized that a South African Jack Rabbit is not the same as a North American Jack Rabbit. While we were picturing cute little bunnies, they were describing animals with long tails. South African Jack Rabbits are more like wallabys then rabbits.

After we had finished our delicious meal, Pieter and Elsebé brought out the dessert -- Brandy tart otherwise known as Tipsie tart and ice cream. It was great.

Perhaps one of the best things about this great time with friends was the break it was for us in our wait. We looked forward to the meal and learning about a different part of South Africa, and enjoyed connecting in yet another way to the country that has become such an important place in our lives. An evening like this creates fellowship and builds friendships and encourages us in our journey. Thanks Pastor Jim and Linda, and thank you Pieter, Elsebé, Anneri, and Hendrik for a wonderful evening.