Spring is upon us (did winter even happen?) and one of the best things you can do outdoors is eat – food always tastes better in the fresh air.
It’s not that it tastes better, however, it’s that you smell it more, says The Simple Things website. “Up to 80% of what we think is taste is actually smell, and fresh air improves our sense of smell. So it stands to reason that food consumed in the fresh air will seem to have more flavour.”
Therefore, a picnic on the lawns at Cape Point Vineyards in Noordhoek is packed with physical benefits before you even spread out your blanket, plump the cushions and open your wicker basket filled with scrumptious treats.
Guests whose knees object to sitting on the ground can be accommodated at tables with benches, or reclining chairs, while juniors have plenty of space to run off their energy before returning to their fold for their every own picnic.
Picnic basket feasts
The adult basket for two is a feast of cheeses including Camembert, three-month matured Boerenkaas, Stanford, and Smoked Kwaito; prosciutto, coppa, and salami rustico; and freshly baked crusty bread as well as golden, crispy lavash. Butter of course, whipped and herbed; mushroom pâté and onion marmalade; marinated olives and a colourful array of summer fruits like watermelon, pineapple, grapes and strawberries.
Mix and match your perfect mouthfuls with free-range chicken drumsticks dusted with Cape Malay spice, complemented by peach and toasted almond salad with pickled red onion, fresh herbs and apricot-lemon dressing.
To finish is a classic dessert, ringing with citrus flavour: creamy lemon possets served as tradition dictates, in the hollowed out lemon halves, and a signature Sauvignon Blanc twist.
Vegan and vegetarians options
Vegetarians will have a similar basket with the charcuterie and chicken swopped out for Mediterranean antipasti — marinated artichokes, roast peppers, aubergine and courgette — and a Spanish-style tortilla with potato, caramelised onion and fresh herbs. The vegan option has Cape-spiced chickpea and sweet potato fritters with apricot chutney. Butter and pâté will be replaced with olive oil and hummus.
Once the children have exhausted themselves and worked up an appetite, they can tuck into a ham and cheese sandwich, mac and cheese balls, a fruit bowl with yoghurt, a chocolate brownie, and a juice box to wash it all down.
The lawns overlooking the vineyards and the view stretching to the white sand and pristine blue ocean of Noordhoek beach provide an unrivalled location for a sunny afternoon of lingering longer over another glass of wine, whether it’s a romantic date, a family outing, or a festive friends affair.
Picnic baskets must be booked 48 hours in advance and will be available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from now until April 2027, weather permitting. Standard and vegetarian baskets, serving two, are R750, and vegan is R765. The mini-me baskets for children aged 12 and younger are R185.
Book via https://cpv.co.za/restaurants/picnic/, Dineplan or call 021 789 0900.
What: Picnics at Cape Point Vineyards
Where: Silvermine Road, Noordhoek, Cape Town
Website: cpv.co.za
WS
