February 2025 Newsletter

A South African adventure, metric conversions, links, and a life-changing dishwashing hack...

Cape Town, South Africa

It’s been quite a time, hasn’t it? I’ve been on break the last few weeks. Between working on books, wrapping up this and that for the end of 2024, the persistent current events cycle, and the grisaille (grey skies) of Paris, I did what a lot of people do here: Escape to a warmer place.

The flower market in Cape Town, South Africa

Every winter, for the past 20+ years that I’ve been in France, I’m always surprised at how many people make an exodus out of town, booking vacations to warmer places. That never occurs to me, until it’s too late. People start booking their summer vacations in November, too. (So I suppose I should get on that, at some point…)

So this year, I decided to finally plan something for January, i.e., the most challenging month of the year in Paris. The winter holidays are over, people have had their Christmas vacations, and everyone is back to school and work, while the lingering grey skies refuse to show any hint of blue.

We considered some of the French-speaking islands with beaches, such as Mauritius, St. Marten, and even Tahiti…until I found out that to get to Tahiti from Paris, you have to go by way of Los Angeles, which would make a nice stopover so I could see my family, but that’s a helluva long flight. Then I remembered my good friends who’ve traveled around the world three times with their family on a sailboat, for several years at a time, who eventually landed in South Africa and invited me to come. So we did.

The Skukuza airport in South Africa

Another bonus was that Air France has direct flights from Paris, and South Africa is in almost the same time zone, so there’s no jet lag, which sweetened the pot. The older I get, the easier I want things to be. And even though we had to change flights to get to our first destination (and we almost missed that flight because my phone was showing Paris time, and South Africa is one hour ahead), we arrived at the Shukuza airport to begin our South African adventure at Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa.

I took the advice of my friends, who are in the travel business, and they suggested we stay at Notten’s Bush Farm. You can’t do this trip to the game reserve on your own, as there are wild animals and lots of pot holes, as well as other surprises out there (like crocodiles and poisonous snakes) that you want to avoid.

Part of the mission of the wildlife preserve is to protect the animals from poachers, as well as provide employment to local residents. Notten’s is family-owned and one of the original lodges and safari outfits. Some of the other hotels and lodges are quite swanky, and larger, but I was glad we were here. When I walked into our room, which looked out on the bush — where elephants were grazing and gazelles were staring into our windows — I knew we’d picked the right place.

Twice a day, starting at 5:45am (with a wake-up call at 5am), there are game drives with a guide and spotter, looking for animals and detouring around anything hazardous. Our guide told us that the male elephants were the most aggressive, and he was sure to steer clear of them and not to get too close.

To be honest, a game safari was never an activity that’s been on my “must-do” list, nor is getting up every day at 5am my idea of the ideal vacation. But once you get into it, it’s fascinating to see the animals — such as lions, cheetahs, and giraffes — up close. As in, right next to you.

A lion watches us from the bushes

While it sounds dangerous, Ben, our terrific guide, told us that the animals in the park are accustomed to people driving by in trucks and aren't particularly interested in us. That is, unless you stand up, make quick movements, wear something very flashy, or do something stupid. (Such as not listen to the guide.) The first day it was a bit alarming to sit in a truck and have a lion brush right by you, but there’s probably a lesson to be learned in acknowledging your place in nature and not try to change that balance — or it won’t end well…for you.

On the left are crunchies, the South African version of granola bars, which make a nice afternoon snack. Marula coffee, coffee spiked with marula liqueur, made from local fruits, which the local animals like to eat, too.

Being out there in the bush with the animals, you see how small we (humans) are and that our position on the food chain is rather tenuous. (As they say, nature always wins.) Thankfully, the animals kept to themselves, although the following week back in Cape Town, someone told me that there was an incident with an elephant and a tourist, which didn’t end well for the human…although she survived. But I was humbled by the nature around us, which in the end, is stronger than any of us humans.

Biltong is a South African specialty, air-dried, cured meat. It goes well with afternoon Gin & Tonics, South African cider, or other drinks.

Just before we left, I’d read an article on doing an African safari in the NYT, which said that you should opt for a minimum of twelve nights, which sounded like a long (long) time. Our stay of 3 nights was just right. Being in a truck for 7 hours a day driving through the bush is very stimulating, and it’s a lot to take in.

There was a pool to relax in and plenty of food to eat; the food where we were was copious, but quite basic. And while “wine and drinks included” sounds like a recipe for a extra-enthusiastic vacation, most people have one or two glasses of wine before and during dinner, then call it a night by 9pm. I figured out why they call it the bush; because you’re bushed every evening.

It was a pretty exciting thing to do, and many guests were repeat visitors. It was a lot to take in, and after we left, I looked at some of my pictures and videos to recall what we’d seen. Probably the most dramatic were these lions we saw on our last day. Our guide explained that the female had hunted the meat and the male was protecting it while the female tended to the cubs. As danger approached, the male aggressively guarded the food while the female took the cubs to safety. It was quite a scene to witness out in the wild.

If you decide to do a trip like this, you’ll want to bring a good pair binoculars, lots of sunscreen, a lightweight wide-brimmed hat with a chinstrap to hold it in place, a rain jacket, a lightweight long sleeve shirt (I’d bring one that has UPF sun protection) and perhaps a lightweight scarf to protect your neck against the sun, a swimsuit, and a thin, but warm, puffer-type jacket. While it was quite sunny during the day, it can get chilly, and it can rain. The friends who recommended the venue were there the week before us and said it got cool and rained, but when we were there, temperatures hovered in the ~25ºC (77ºF) range.

With our excellent guide and spotter.

All clothes worn in the bush should be neutral in color, such as grey, olive, or beige, and you’ll want sturdy walking shoes if you plan to take any hikes. I didn’t, but sneakers would likely be fine. Our room was fairly dark as where we stayed relied mostly on candles and gas lanterns for light and ambience, rather than electrical lights.

Our room also had an outdoor shower, which is one of my favorite things, although Romain told me he looked behind the urns out there every time he went out for a shower to make sure there weren’t any snakes there, which he said are attracted to the humidity. I didn’t look, but I’d prefer not to surprise any snakes, and let them be, just as the other animals in the park let me be. Generally speaking, mutual respect tends to work out well.

Then it was on to Cape Town to spend a few days with our friends who live on the beach. They’d warned me about the cold water. And while I’ve managed to swim in Brittany, in France (where temperatures can be between 10º and 14ºC/50-57ºF), it’s not the sunny surf — or waves — of Hawaii, or Tahiti. There are no pictures, but I did jump in with them, which they do every morning as soon as they wake up. That’s why they look so healthy — also spending a good portion of your life sailing around the world probably contributes to one’s well-being. They did invite me once to join them, and now I’m wondering why I didn’t.

More crunchies…

South Africa comes with a lot of negative connotations. The country has gone through a lot, and apartheid ended in 1994, allowing the country to become a democracy. While the country has worked to change many issues, there still is a lot of visible social and economic disparity in the country. There are disparities in France and in the U.S., but they’re more noticeable here.

We went to an excellent exhibition on 30 Years of Democracy at the Norval Foundation that focused on the history of apartheid and what’s changed and what hasn’t. It was quite enlightening to see, and read, reflections on that.

Like many of you, you’ve probably heard warnings about going to South Africa. We were only there for two weeks, but everyone we were in contact with could not have been nicer or more friendly. Romain said it would be a choc going back to Paris.

Like visitors to Paris, we were mostly in contact with people in shops, cafés, and restaurants. The only negative experience was the woman at the car rental place who insisted that we’d scratched the hubcap of our car, so I’m anticipating a few months of back-and-forth and paperwork about that. But there seems to be some issues where we rented our car from, so I’d recommend another place…

Apparently, we’re not the only people having issues with Europcar in Cape Town.

Another surprise was the plums. We get wonderful sweet plums in France, notably Reine Claudes and mirabelles, but I miss the tart-tangy purple plums we got in California, such as Santa Rosa and Elephant Heart plums. (The purple plums we get here tend to be shipped from other countries and have little to no flavor.) So I was delighted to find amazing purple plums in South Africa.

In addition to delicious fruit, a lot of cultures mix in South Africa; the country has eleven official languages. And where there are cultures, there are cuisines. While Africa has many cuisines within its borders. Here are a few places we ate at while we were there:

Ouzeri: This may have been my favorite restaurant in Cape Town. Those are little green tomatoes (peeled!) on the left, with dill oil, goat milk feta, and hibiscus vinegar. The eliopita was a round of housemade bread with taramasalata, fish roe spread. We also liked the oysters with habanero chiles and saffron vinegar.

HeSheng: Their website says “We bring the food, not the frills,” which was definitely the case at this very basic-looking Chinese restaurant that was recommended by Dennis Molawa, a local food guide. Romain said they were the best Xiao long bao dumplings he’d ever had.

Thali: They call the food here Indian-inspired, and the vibe is first-come, first-serve, and everyone gets the same thing. The only choices are vegan/vegetarian and pescatarian, for those who don’t eat meat. It’s served in three courses (you can see the menu here), and one of our tablemates, a local, steered us toward an excellent Viognier, one of the many great white wines made in South Africa, and its crispness and aromatic flavors play well with highly seasoned foods.

Good Riddance Coffee: While staying by the beach, I had a mesquite latte and a wonderful milk tart at this very friendly coffee shop, about an hour from Cape Town proper. The vibe of this area is similar to southern California, with surfers, small shops, and laid-back cafés.

In downtown Cape Town, I had a tasty mesquite latte at Pauline’s. We didn’t eat there, but it’s located in a lovely courtyard and had nice-looking breakfast sandwiches. I’m surprised mesquite lattes and coffee-like drinks aren’t better known elsewhere.

A beautiful salad and mulberry ice cream made with buffalo milk

Babylonstoren: South Africa is known for excellent wines, especially whites. (Although I’m no expert — but the reds are good, too.) Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, and Viognier are major varieties. We took a tour and did a tasting and pairing at this farm and winemaking facility. They also have a spa and hotel rooms, as well as an interactive 19th-century farmhouse, which we didn’t visit as it was a long day. We’d tasted about ten wines and had lunch at their Greenhouse restaurant, which included a lovely salad.

Their gastronomic restaurant, Babel, requires booking in advance, and while my friends said often you can walk in if they have openings, we were happier to have a simpler meal in the greenhouse by the garden.

Cape Point Vineyards: This vineyard also has a restaurant, which offers three different guided wine and oyster pairings. My friend noted the oysters are generally served with stuff on them here, such as chorizo butter, chimichurri, and cucumber-jalapeño salsa. Coming from a place where some consider even serving mignonette sauce (white vinegar with shallots and black pepper) with oysters sacrilège, even I wasn’t sure adding sauce to oysters was the best way to highlight them along with the very good wines from Cape Point, but we managed.

Bonus point to the excellent waiter who talked us through all eight wines, explaining why each one was chosen, and what made it special, before doing the same thing to all the other tables around us. If I was to ever open a restaurant, I’d hire him to run it.

Saray: This Turkish restaurant is on the waterfront, and we decided to check it out. Unfortunately, they didn’t serve wine, or any alcohol, which I missed because the wines of South Africa are so interesting and I really liked trying them. The server said that each dish fed one person so Romain and I each ordered one — and the portions were huge.

That lamb shank, above, was enough for two…at least. Not sure one person could have finished it, and I hate wasting food so was misguided into ordering that and a grilled chicken dish that had four chicken thighs on it, which was more than enough for one person (imho). We did notice other tables getting doggy bags to take home, so it was nice to know all the extra food wasn’t going to waste. But we were staying in a hotel, so had to leave a lot of it behind.

Honest Chocolate: I tasted chocolate from local chocolate makers, and my favorite was made by Honest Chocolate. This small bean-to-bar chocolate maker uses only two ingredients in their dark chocolate bars: cocoa beans and coconut blossom sugar. They also made vegan “milk” chocolate bars with oats ground with the chocolate in place of the milk. Here’s a little video I made while I was there…

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We didn’t get to eat everywhere we wanted to, which included Chef’s Warehouse, FYN, and 7 Colours Eatery because we hadn’t reserved at the first two and couldn’t get in. We did go to the Wednesday night Oranjezicht City Market for dinner, hoping to choose from the delicious-looking foods at the many stands in the outdoor covered market, but it was so crowded, we didn’t stay. The weekend produce market on Saturday and Sunday mornings are supposed to be really interesting and less crowded. Next time.

Two different styles of Jollof, rice dishes.

One day we also took a culinary tour with Unexplored Cape Town. (You can book tours directly with him by sending him a DM on Instagram, or via Airbnb Experiences.) Dennis offered me the choice of two tours: one of traditional African foods or one more focused on the contemporary cuisine of the country. I chose the former, and it was fascinating to visit neighborhoods and restaurants that Dennis told me few people who live there even go to. So you don’t always want to “live like a local” when you travel. He’ll definitely take you off the beaten path if you’d like.

For those who aren’t too familiar with African foods, this was a good introduction.

I would never have found the places he took us to, nor would I have felt entirely comfortable exploring them on my own. But he knew the cooks and owners of everywhere we went, and we tried everything, including…spaghetti, which is eaten with your hands. Fortunately, restaurants that serve it have sinks with soap in the dining room. There was a man behind us eating an enormous plate of spaghetti with his hands, but I don’t take people’s pictures in public (without asking), so there’s my friend Paul doing it, above. (There’s another video here on TikTok of an African man doing it with quite a bit more gusto.)

In Cape Town we stayed at The Grey, a small hotel in the Waterfront district. The owner and the staff were extremely sweet and friendly, and while the room was snug — it was a squeeze for either of us to open our luggage — the place was clean and well-located. The only downside was the bright lights in the common areas at night, which shone through the windows of our room, which made it hard to sleep.

We ended up going to a painting supply store and buying a drop cloth and taping it over the window (thankfully, Romain always travels with a big roll of tape) and held it in place with a piece of artwork that had fallen off the wall. The hotel was fine (for the price), but if we go back to Cape Town, I’d upgrade ourselves to a hotel with a slightly larger room, and better curtains.

View of Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain, reached via the aerial cableway.

Almost everywhere we went, paying by credit card was preferred over cash. So you don’t need to carry around a lot of money. Locals recommended that we take Ubers in the evening in Cape Town rather than walking around, as neighborhoods can feel different during the day than they do at night.

There is also a certain amount of petty crime one hears about in the country. We were fortunate not to experience any of it, but it exists, and it’s best to keep an eye on your belongings, leave valuables at home, and stay alert. As Rick Steve’s says, “Don’t travel fearfully…travel carefully.”

Now that we’re back, I’ve been working on my to-do list, which includes digging out the recipe for Rusks that a South African guest of mine gave me a decade ago. But it’s always more fun to eat foods in their native habitats (especially if there’s a beach nearby), rather than at home, and my friends implored us to come back next year. There’s so much to do and see there; on our way out of our hotel in Cape Town, an incoming French couple told us that was their 22^nd visit to the country, so I hope to go back and see (and taste) more of it.

In the meantime, I was glad that I was used to waking up so early (although I don’t miss the 7 am cold plunges) because I came home to four loads of laundry and a backlog of email to tackle. Can someone please invent an AI program that takes care of all of those while you’re away?

My internet provider stood me up, again, last week, so I’m 0 for 2 in terms of getting my internet fixed, although it was nice being offline for a bit, whether I wanted to or now. But I did miss staying in touch with you, so I’m glad to be back for that.

-David

Links I’m Liking…

-Paris Olympic medals degrading, and athletes want them replaced. (NYT/unlocked)

-My friend, Paris comedian Sarah Donnelly, put her most recent comedy special online. Watch it for free here.

-Didier Ludot closes iconic vintage fashion boutique in Palais Royal after 50 years. (NYT/unlocked)

-American woman decides to leave Spain after moving there in 2022, due to the opening and closing hours, the gloomy winter weather, no AC, and getting “grossed out” by Spanish food. (CNN)

-Can’t get (or afford) eggs? King Arthur Baking has an excellent guide to egg substitutes. (King Arthur Baking)

-How bakeries and restaurants are coping with soaring egg prices. (Eater)

-First there was the chocolate shortage (due to a steep rise in cacao prices), now it’s eggs, and soon—it’s going to be coffee. (NPR)

-Italy’s most iconic coffee pot, the Bialetti, sold to Hong Kong company… (Coffee Intelligence)

-Due to overcrowding and a major renovation at the Louvre (and yes, there will finally be bathrooms!) the Mona Lisa will get a room of her own…in 2031. (BBC)

Things I’m Liking

The internet can suck for a lot of things. But I guess it depends how you use it, and where you use it. I recently came across a tip that was truly life-changing, a term that’s been used to describe everything from peeling garlic to baking bread. But this one really did the trick.

I wash a lot of dishes and go through a fair amount of dishwashing liquid. I buy all-natural laundry and dishwasher detergents, as well as household cleaners, but haven’t found a good eco-friendly dishwashing liquid in France, so I use Paic Excel+, which is considered the best. It’s fine, but a little doesn’t go a long way, and I use more than I feel like I need to. It ain’t Dawn.

Since finding out this trick, I’ve probably cut my consumption of dishwashing liquid by at least 80%. Just put a small amount, about a teaspoon, in a small bowl and add some warm water to it, maybe 1/2 a cup (125ml). When washing dishes by hand, dip the sponge in the soapy water and use that, rather than squeezing dishwashing liquid directly on the sponge, where it only last a few moments. For the record, I did read an article that said not to do this, but as I scrolled down, I saw that the article was published on a website by a company that sells — yup — dishwashing liquid.

• Lastly, for years, I’ve always wanted to post a list of the various metric conversions of cookbook authors and recipe writers for 1 cup of all-purpose flour, since they’re always being challenged and discussed. (When we should be discussing is a global agreement to write recipes in one system of measurement.) Jenn Yee took the mantle and posted the various conversions here and there. People cite the King Arthur one the most to me but my take is that their flour is higher in protein than other all-purpose flours, hence the disparity. Also, like brands of flour, measuring cups vary.

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