Cape Dutch cooking, from Stellenbosch hotel to Khayelitsha shebeen

What is commonly referred to as Cape Dutch cooking is as much Dutch as it is Malaysian, Indian and ethnic South African and nowhere is the amalgamation more visible than Stellenbosch. Hotels and restaurants in this area are famous for providing an authentic South African dining experience. The small town of Stellenbosch started out as a purpose built Cape Dutch settlement in 1679 It was established by the then governor Simon van der Stel, who wanted to establish an oak tree forest. The mixture of European settlers, slaves brought from the East and the Khoisan people that inhabited the area originally helped create the unique culture and cuisine that can be found today in almost any Stellenbosch hotel or restaurant.
Necessity was a key factor in the development of South African cuisine. Delicacies such as biltong, rusks and fig preserves were created as a way for settlers and trekkers to keep their food edible in a warm climate at a time when there were no fridges. These necessities have now worked their way onto the menus of many fine Stellenbosch hotels and restaurants. Biltong is very simply cured meat, traditionally venison, which is dried out and spiced to help preserve it. Rusks are a dry biscuit made traditionally with buttermilk they are best served dunked in coffee on a cold morning. They can be found on the breakfast table at any good Stellenbosch hotel or served at any Stellenbosch koffiehuis. The origin of the fig preserve is anything but Afrikaans or Malaysian but only a generation ago every Afrikaans and Cape Malay kitchen would have a few jars tucked away. Today many fine Stellenbosch hotels and restaurants will include a fig preserve on their cheese board.
The use of curries and spices in a wide variety of Cape dishes come directly from the influence of the slaves, who were shipped here by the early settlers, and brought with them the Eastern Asian cooking traditions. These cooking styles would’ve in turn been heavily influenced by the Dutch households that many of them no doubt would’ve cooked for. The Melktert, Koeksister and Malva pudding, which any good Stellenbosch hotel will serve at tea time, are traditional South African snacks that have their roots in both Dutch and Malaysian traditions. None of these though illustrates the amalgamation that is Cape cooking more than the Koeksister. Its origins are unknown but what is most interesting is that Afrikaans version and Cape Malay version differentiate slightly. Both should be available at any good Stellenbosch hotel or Koffiehuis. The Cape Malay version is slightly softer with a more cake like texture and is rolled in coconut while the Afrikaans version has a crispier outside with a soft sticky centre, with a syrup that has penetrated right through the dough, so that when you bight into it your mouth is filled with an explosion of flavoured sugar syrup. The syrup is flavoured with Malaysian ingredients like ginger, citrus zest and a mix of Asian spices.
Cape Dutch cooking is anything but purely Dutch. Its influence on South African cooking has been massive if not singular. This fact is demonstrated on Stellenbosch hotels and restaurant menus every day. Born from necessity, and a blend of cultures forced together by circumstance it’s a style cuisine that while unique to South Africa element of which are found all over the world.

Wild Mushroom Boutique Hotel