They’d already been sliced in half, their beautifully crisp breadcrumbs exposing runny yolks, gently oozing with an almost pudding-like softness encased in rich sausage meat. Chef Patron at Grub & Vine Norval Matt Manning had said the magic of his legendary Scotch eggs was the filling. I was born in the UK and had eaten ones I’d bought from a petrol station on the way home from a night out, but these marked a turning point for my appreciation of this humble British snack, tasting as good as they looked. They were what I’d had in mind from the Essex-born chef who cut his teeth in London’s Michelin-starred restaurants and now owns a string of his own in Cape Town.
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We were basking in a glorious summer’s day, indulging in a Grub & Vine Norval picnic in the Norval Foundation’s Sculpture Garden, Tokai, surrounded by the Constantia Valley. We’d rolled out a picnic blanket and begun to unpack small cardboard boxes from a gorgeous tote containing better versions of finger food that reminded me of my childhood: simple, elegant, delicious dishes made with high-quality, fresh, seasonal ingredients, such as beef sausage rolls, bacon and mushroom quiches, sandwiches, carrot cake and scones with jam and cream.
Grub & Vine is well-known for its wine, and we could choose whatever we fancied from the extensive wine list. A tip: Culture house wines are affordable but come from some of South Africa’s best producers, such as Donovan Rall, Chris Alheit and Koen Roose from Spioenkop.
Groups of friends, couples and families lazed on rows of seats rising in steps around the amphitheatre. As it was the weekend, singer-songwriter Ethan Florus lent his voice and guitar to soothing R&B, soul and folk music. Picnic baskets are limited to 20 per day, so it felt intimate, exclusive and peaceful.
The picnickers might have visited the Norval Foundation’s galleries that morning to view paintings, photography, sculpture and media art, both historical and contemporary. We had access to the Sculpture Garden at the Norval Foundation, which features 3-D installations by African artists, so they might have looked to their left, as I did, at Holderstebolder (a sound imitation of something like boulders noisily rolling down a hill) by Angus Taylor, and thought that this figure, which appears to be mid-backward roll, was playful. Angus intended this sculpture as a whimsical, active participant in the play area, inviting children to clamber and climb on and over him.
Like art, Matt says food and winemaking evoke emotion and can make you feel nostalgic, invigorated or inspired. What better way to experience this synergy?
Picnics are R295 pps (R590 for a basket for two) and include access to the sculpture gardens.Wednesday to Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm (November to April)grubandvine.co.za/picnics
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