Drinks that will keep you hydrated this winter

We all know that hydrating is key in winter as even the air we breathe is so dry. What most people don’t think about is how despite drinking certain drinks we become less hydrated, the trick is in what type of drink you’re having.  

Melrick Harrison, the mixologist at the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town, says you can do this by keeping your caffeine intake down and drinking beverages that are rich in antioxidants. “Getting creative with supplementing water intake with nutritious drinks is easy if you know what to look out for,” says Harrison.

“Keep your intake of caffeine-rich drinks to two to three per day and opt for hot drinks like antioxidant rich rooibos and cocoa, an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, iron and copper.”

Here are some recipes from Harrison to help you hydrate with antioxidant-rich ingredients like rooibos, ginger, vanilla and spice.

Melrick’s Winter Warmer

150ml boiling water

1 Rooibos tea bag or any other favourite tea

60ml Dry sherry

15ml Winters spice agave syrup

3-4 dashes of Aromatic bitters

Lastly, add tsp vanilla bean butter

Method:

In a large mug, add the tea bag and boiling water, allow it to steep for 5 minutes, remove the tea bag and add in all the ingredients with the Vanilla bean butter being the last ingredient. Add as desired with winter spices and drink while warm.

Winter spice agave syrup

250ml water

1 cinnamon stick

2 slices of ginger

3 star anise

3 cloves

3 whole allspices

250ml Agave nectar 

Method:

In a small saucepan, add the cinnamon stick, whole allspice, ginger, Star anise and cloves and water. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Once it hits a boil, take off the heat. Stir in the Agave Nectar. Allow it to cool, strain and decant into a bottle to refrigerate.

When making the syrup you can substitute the chosen winter spices with any other.

If Agave Nectar is hard to find then use honey instead.

Vanilla Bean Butter

250g unsalted butter at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla paste

¼ tsp fine salt

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl using an electric mixer until consistent. Store in the fridge to use when ready. The idea of this winter warmer is to batch your ingredients to be used when you need it, instead of standing in front of a stove for some time, this drink is made to be convenient for when you need it.

Perfect Pizza

I enjoy a good competition, especially one that involves food! SA is filled with eateries that stun and satisfy their patrons on a daily basis. I was recently in the south of Johannesburg and got to taste of the wonderful pizza from Ginos Pizzeria in Robertsham.

The generously sized and generously topped pizza from this 30-year-old establishment was the inaugural winner of The Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge in 2021. The restaurant was the venue of the launch of the 2022 challenge.  It will run from July 1 to September 30 2022, with the Top 10 and the ultimate winner being announced in mid-October.

Anyone dining at participating restaurants, or fans thereof, can vote by scanning the QR Code on supplied marketing materials or by visiting the website www.votepizza.wine

Each week, the name of one lucky voter will be drawn and will win one case of wine from Porcupine Ridge as well as an EarthFire Pizza Stone & Cutter. A grand prize winner drawn at the end of the challenge will receive five cases of Porcupine Ridge wine, an EarthFire Pizza Oven and pizza for a year from their favourite pizzeria – all to the combined value of R10,000.

The restaurant that receives the most votes throughout the campaign period is crowned the Pizzeria Challenge winner and will receive wine for a year, a trophy and winner’s plaque and advertising material to the value of R25,000. The nine runners-up win six cases of Porcupine Ridge wine as well as a Top 10 acknowledgment plaque and promotional materials for their establishment.

Calling all young  chefs and bakers  

A total of R110,000 is up for grabs in the RCL FOODS Young Chefs and Young Bakers competitions. The competitions are brought to the industry in a proud partnership with SA Chefs and the SA Bakers Association. The RCL FOODS Young Chef Competition is aimed at culinary students between 18 and 27 years, competing in teams of two for a first prize of R30,000, second prize of R20,000 and third prize of R15,000.

Entry into both competitions could not be easier: simply fill in the registration form and submit a portfolio of evidence relevant to the competition category. Six chef teams and six bakers will be selected by the South African Chefs Association (SA Chefs) to compete in the regional competitions on the basis of these entries.

Judges will be looking for innovative usage of stipulated ingredients, portion obedience, textures, balance and colour, perceived taste, appearance and creativity of the dish. The closing date for entries is July 31 2022.

To enter, go to https://rclfoods.com/brand/food-partners/, fill in the online entry form and submit your portfolio of evidence.