Strandveldfood: A West Coast Odyssey

Published by Sunbird Publishers, 2014, hardcover, large format, illustrated, index, page ribbon, 248 pages, condition: new.

Strandveldfood is not just a recipe book. It's a collection of snapshots, in pictures and words, of a year's worth of cooking, eating, plant-hunting and photographing South Africa's Cape West Coast, built on a foundation of five years' worth of exploration and discovery. Kobus van der Merwe honours the beautiful and rugged landscape of the West Coast with an offering of delicious, seasonal recipes. Jac de Villiers' photography perfectly captures what makes the region so inspiring and just how deftly Kobus has turned his muse into culinary magic. Fittingly, recipes are presented by season, taking you on a journey through the limestone and granite Fynbos region that stretches from Postberg in the West Coast National Park, past Langebaan, Saldanha, Jacobsbaai and on toward Stompneus Bay, ending at St Helena Bay. Traditional Strandveld foods like bokkoms and snoekkuite, as well as some twists on old favorites like melktert ice-cream demonstrate Kobus' loyalty to creating authentic but contemporary recipes.