Farm-to-Table

If you are a fan of all things organic, prefer Pasture-raised to mass produced and have an interest in fabulous food what you are about to read will make you very jealous!

Last week the Home team had the privilage of visiting the SPIER estate for amongst other things one of the most delicious picnics ever! More about THE PICNIC later… Our day started off with a tour of the Biodynamic farm on the estate which is responsible for producing most of the top notch ingredients used in Eight, the pioneering farm-to-table restaurant on the estate. Our guide for the veggie garden tour was Alfo a colourful character indeed. We were enamoured with the massive radishes, herbs, carrots and rows and rows of sweet potatoes in the beautiful garden.

The Home team with Alfo.

Alfo showing us how they harvest the seeds from a flowering carrot plant.

Lovely BIG radishes!

Just look at all those Sweet potato plants!

I love eggs. I like them soft boiled with toast soldiers, love them poached in eggs Benedict, a Dagwood is not complete without a perfectly fried egg on top. Having said that, there are in my opinion few things as disappointing as tasteless eggs! That is why the next part of our tour excited me to no end. SPIER boasts the happiest Pasture reared chicks I have ever encountered. They roam freely on the biodynamic pastures supplementing their grain diet with minerals and insects from the grass. Their eggs are in a word WONDERFUL!

Here is Sonja checking out the chickens’ hen-house.

Next on the agenda was THE PICNIC.

If you have not yet dined at EIGHT restaurant you are missing out on a delicious dining experience. In the words of Heidi Newton-King, SPIER COO:  “Eight is the manifestation of Spier’s belief that a restaurant can be a catalyst for social and environmental change while still offering fabulous food.  It is not trying to offer all the solutions, but is creating a space for us to learn about our food and our relationship to it.”  Amen to that!

Eight-to-Go is the new kid on the block at SPIER. Eight to Go offers ready-to-eat food lovingly prepared according to Eight’s principles.  Local, natural an organic produce is used wherever possible, and food grown on the Spier farm is preferred. SO much to choose from!

Eight To Go also sells produce from the farm, including chickens, lamb, eggs, and vegetables.

We were lucky enough to try the wholesome picnics on offer. The picnics have been created by Lorianne Heyns, Spier Chef, in consultation with acclaimed foodie, Judy Badenhorst.

There is a choice of four picnics:
• Gourmet includes treats such as charcuterie, home-baked breads, pates, Franschhoek smoked trout with red onion salsa and fennel baby potatoes, farm cheeses and sumptuous salads such as rosa tomatoes with basil and bocconcini (R165 per person)
• Relaxed picnics include wholesome fare such as home-baked breads, charcuterie, farm cheeses, fruit and olives (R125pp)
• Vegetarian includes farm cheeses, caramalised onion tarts with dried olives, and creative salads such as lentil, tomato and gorgonzola and marinated mushrooms with walnut and tahini yoghurt (R150pp)
• Raw picnics include only raw foods, such as dehydrated crackers with cashew nut humus, avo fennel and papaya salad with fresh mint, offering a super-healthy option (R170pp)

Special picnics for children are available, offering favourites such as cheese and tomato on homemade rolls, chicken drumsticks and fruit juice smoothies (R70pp).

In keeping with Spier’s ethos, the packaging is 100% biodegradable and compostable and the picnics are packed in the prettiest baskets included in the price. The food is fantastic!

Quite a spread huh?

The picnics need to be booked in advance (tell: 021 809 1100) and are available for collection from Eight to Go, next door to Eight restaurant.