Lifestyle

Dear Lina Thank you for the informative written requirements and ideas for additions and alterations to your existing farmhouse. In the sketch layout of the...

So you’re somewhere in the Bronx and a big deal is going down with your fellow mafiosi. Never mind the details. The big issue is: what are you eating? The serious bets are on spaghetti and meatballs in a highly seasoned tomato sauce. It’s an offer you can’t refuse.

Dear Jonno My husband and I open our Farmer’s Weekly to your ‘Hillbilly Homes’ column before paging to any of the other interesting topics. We...

This superb side-dish is a cinch to make. Baked in the oven, it leaves the rest of the kitchen free for whatever delights you are planning to add to the menu. Like an inch-thick sirloin steak per diner, for example. Alternatively, served on its own, it makes a tasty, satisfying light meal for four.

Dear Jonno I have a farm outside Ficksburg in the eastern Free State on which I would like to construct a small, open-plan cottage. It...

The Nqabara River mouth on the Wild Coast boasts exceptional fishing and unique natural beauty. In addition, the Nqabara River valley’s route to the coast also presents a rewarding glimpse into the area’s rich 19th century military and commercial history, as Mike Burgess discovered.

These are dual-purpose cottages, so hunters could occupy them during the hunting season, and eco-tourists could occupy them during the off-season

Mr and Mrs Thompson from Johannesburg asked me to design a ‘permanent get-away’ for them on a site they had bought in an established wildlife development near the Kruger National Park.

This Durban boykie has chilli, jeera, elachi and high-octane dhania running in his veins. But recently, other elements such as lime juice and fish sauce have begun to enrich his bloodstream. Add these to a rare beef fillet, and Vietnam makes its victorious arrival in the kitchens of our grateful nation.

I received a call from a KZN midlands farmer, to come and see some outbuildings that he would like to convert into accommodation for...

Tradition says eggs make a breakfast. But what about adding some roasted vegetables? And a freshly made roti in place of toast? The only thing better than tradition is progress, believe me.

Cattle and maize farmers Maurice and Celestè Leonard have established hiking trails, a wedding venue and accommodation on their Gauteng farm. They spoke to Gerhard Uys.

Dear Jonno We intend building a comfortable two-bedroom home, with a third room for crafts and other activities, and would like to utilise as many...

An important celebration deserves food that’s a feast for the eye as well as the more usual parts of the body. Apple Tarte Tatin certainly plays its part: it looks superb and tastes like a few slices of heaven.

Craft breweries have become popular in South Africa in recent years. Grant Hollins visited Emerald Vale Brewery on the Wild Coast to learn about its commercial success.

I received a call from Andrew, an acquaintance from some 15 years ago, to upgrade existing accommodation and catering facilities at a private game park...

In one of my other lives, I write a weekly television review. US swamp-related documentaries grab my attention from time to time, and it was from these that I learnt about chicken-fried steak, a delicious Southern-style beef dish. Let’s get cookin’, folks…

Capitalising on their Italian heritage, Carlo and Lucar Marra have turned their interest in Italian food specialities into a lucrative agritourism business on their 30ha farm. They spoke to Jeandré du Preez about their growing success.

I received a call from a Farmer’s Weekly reader in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to design an upmarket lodge developnment. After browsing through my many...

This delicious dish is melt-in-the-mouth, and is a superb way to mark any occasion.