by Editor | Jan 22, 2007 | Restaurants and Food
The Olive Shed extra virgin olive oils Mission and Frantoio varietals
Photos: Tokara
Recently after lunch at Tokara, the increasingly well known Stellenbosch eatery on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, we had a chance to visit the adjacent olive factory, The Olive Shed. The cozy shop sells four kinds of premium limited release extra virgin olive oils: Frantoio, Leccino, Mission and Multi-Varietal. We brought back two small bottles (250 ml) of the Mission and Frantoio varietals to sample, and luckily they survived the transatlantic flight.
The medium-bodied Mission Varietal has a light peppery flavor. Tokara recommends it with steamed or boiled fish, pasta, salads, and for home-made mayonnaise. The Frantoio Varietal Frantoio has a fuller stronger flavor. It is recommended for red meats and broths.
Since they began producing olive oil in 2002, twenty hectares of olive trees (about 10,000 trees) have been planted on the three Tokara properties: the Tokara farm on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, Highlands in the Elgin district and Siberia in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. A single olive tree produces about 40 kilos of olives representing about eight liters of oil per tree.
The olives are picked between March and July to capture the fruity and peppery flavours. Once pressed the olive oil is left in the tanks to settle for two months before bottling. To qualify as extra virgin, olive oils must not exceed the limit of .8 percent free fatty acids. Tokara olive oils are well below that threshold at .3 percent.
Although they are only sold in South Africa, Tokara is able to ship orders abroad. Customers can order Tokara extra virgin olive oils by email, phone and fax.
by Editor | Jan 8, 2007 | Products
Ortlieb Aqua Cam waterproof camera case
Photos courtesy of Ortlieb USA
For the past year we have taken the Ortlieb Aqua Cam waterproof camera case with harness straps on travels near and far. It has gone with us to California, France, the Caribbean, and Africa; to urban, suburban, and safari destinations – even a rain forest – and performed admirably.
Our medium case (6.7 x 8.7 inches) has 275 cubic inches of space and weighs 15.2 ounces. It is waterproof and dustproof. We took it into the bush where we were enveloped in clouds of dust on a number of ocassions and rained on more times that we care to remember.
We like the Quickseal closure and Roll ‘n Snap feature. Although the manufacturer says you can use the Roll ‘n Snap strap to carry the case, we find it is prone to snapping open unexpectedly when we do that. The adjustable padded shoulder is comfortable. The interior pads are easy to adjust and protect the camera from bumps and bruises. After all the trips its been on its none the worse for wear.
Camera case harness
The harness has been especially practical on game viewing outings, during bumpy drives, and long walks in the bush and rain forest. It stablelizes the camera case and leaves our hands free to shoot pictures or lean on a walking stick.
Founded in 1982, Ortlieb produces and distributes waterproof outdoor equipment, in particular panniers, office bags, backpacks, messenger bags, drybags and stuffsacks, motorcycle packs, camera bags, document bags and map cases, water-bags and water-sacks, folding bowls, first-aid-kits, money belts, valuable bags and mobile phone cases.
Ortlieb uses predominantly tear and abrasion resistant nylon, polyester and Cordura fabrics and PU-foils. Their waterproof products are exclusively manufactured at their production site in Heilsbronn, Germany using a high-frequency welding procedure.
They supply national specialty retailers in the bike, outdoor, trekking and expedition, motorcycle and paddlesport markets. Ortlieb also exports from their production site in Germany into 22 countries with authorized distributors. The largest export countries are Switzerland, the Benelux, United Kingdom and Japan as well as the U.S. with their own subsidiary.
by Editor | Jan 2, 2007 | New Articles, Restaurants and Food
Ahi tuna dish at Azul in La Jolla
We recently visited La Jolla in the San Diego area and discovered Azul, a sea facing restaurant with tasty and colorful dishes and a stunning view of the Pacific. Pictured above is one of the many dishes served with artistic flair, the California Ahi Tuna Tartare made with sashimi-grade tuna, Napa cabbage, toasted almonds, wasabi tobiko and soy-ginger vinaigrette. Click here to read more about Azul.
