HOT OFF THE PASS | This week in food news: July 16 2020
Our food editor fills you in on the latest in the world of food and wine
Just when we thought the pineapple beer craze was over, the president announced the alcohol ban take two, which catapulted this boozy beverage back onto the Twitter trends list.
Though I wish I’d had a chance to stock up at the bottle store before the news broke, I’m happy to dust off my brewing ‘cauldron’ and bust out the pineapples again. All the practical experience I gained during the first prohibition has given me a better insight into making a damn fine home brew — check out my tips and improved recipe here.
Beyond pineapples, here's what has been making news in the world of food and wine:
Chicken burger chain launches online
The Real Foods group, which owns Kauai, recently launched Free Bird, a ‘dark kitchen’ takeout concept — meaning there are no physical stores — that specialises in gourmet chicken burgers. These are made with a battered free-range chicken and served on hand-shaped buttery brioche rolls made by a famous Stellenbosch artisanal baker.
Are they any good? I tried the Avo Feta Burger (R110). The brioche bun stood out and was absolutely delicious — well done Schoon Bakery. The chicken, though tasty, didn’t blow me away, but the funky Hand-Cut Waffle Crisps did. I opted for a second helping of these crispy round fries with a criss-cross pattern; they were moreish and even better with a side of Ranch Dressing (R12).
Free Bird is available in select cities via Mr Delivery and Uber Eats.
Chrissy Teigen declared her love for SA food
The American model, who has her own culinary blog, delighted local fans when she revealed on Twitter that she'd developed a taste for bunny chows and biltong among other things while visiting SA. Read more here.
Nestle said a fond farewell to the Chocolate Log
Many social media users got emotional when Nestle announced they were discontinuing the Chocolate Log. After over 50 years on SA’s shelves, from August this sweet treat will be no more. So what do we do now? Try a Sweetie Pie — it may not be quite the same, but it comes close.