Richard And Jo Demeester's photos with the keyword: food

We have flown in and out and through Johannesburg, but have never stayed. This was the trip to rectify that. This meal was a definite highlight.

Take a crusty loaf of bread, remove a plug from the top, and fill with curry. Now you have bunny chow. I don't believe the curry is particularly different from anywhere else, and so it is theoretically a dish anyone can make anywhere. Perhaps bread selection is key, as it needs a good balance of soft and sturdy. In any case, despite its simplicity, bunny chow remains a true Durban dish. From the day we booked our flights, I have been salivating in anticipation.

I was restrained, and agreed to share. I really wanted the whole plate to myself!

Dinner with Dirk and Marlene, who agreed to join us for a meal that many may call cliched. Don't care. We wanted schweinshaxe and schnitzel. Dirk and Marlene represent another multi-decade friendship. Pauper backpackers in Greece, Dirk was in the same hostel as we had chosen in Thessaloniki. Soon after, he visited us in Melbourne. And again, a few years later, when he and Marlene honeymooned in Australia. Now, we visit and re-visit them in Germany, both here and in their previous home in Mainz.

It may have been dark, and it may have been cold, but it was Christmas Day. Clear skies kept the temperature low, but equally kept the snow and rain away. In front of the church, carols filled the air with a joyous atmosphere. The brass band played with enthusiasm and gusto with the magnificent decorated tree as their backdrop. Let's join together and remember that Christ came to earth for us.

Each day of our "gathering" saw food responsibility land on a different cohort. We, or more precisely, Jo, got Christmas day. This did not involve her preparing and doing it all. Perhaps it was more of a designation of prime coordinator and responsibility. What was on the table came from all those present, and showed a representation from many parts of the world. Here are most of us. Myself and Jo need no introduction. Annett and Adam, the absolute best hosts in the world. The former representing Germany, her town, her region, her country. The latter an ambassador for truth, community, understanding, and fun. Opening up the Kerkermeister accommodation for us all, and creating such a beautiful atmosphere of joy and celebration for the near-on-a-week get-together was a great blessing. More than 20 years has passed since we first crossed paths with Adam in Hanoi. Since that encounter, we have met on many occasions in a variety of countries on 4 different continents. This friendship with the two of them is one we especially love and cherish. Ann and Charlie sit towards the front. Ann directs dumpling production, being one of the world's leading producers of high quality Chinese food. Charlie never lets the language barrier stop him from smiling, laughing, and participating in it all, augmenting his stories with pictures and charades and occasional Google translation help. They are Melburnians, and although our relationship with them was ignited by Adam, they are truly in our special friends circle. Abbey and Hannah , their delightful daughters. So many laughs we had, especially when the games came out. My goodness, the plots these two seemingly sweet lasses are capable of, Due to the awesome time, I now feel we can say they are friends, elevated from being the children of friends! To the right, Mariia and Matvii, mother and son, displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. Circumstances leave them far from home away from family and friends. Annett and Adam now form part of their new friendship circle. Absent from the photo due to juggling multiple engagements: Grace and James, siblings. Grace is involved in the ministry with Annett and Adam, and James was visiting his sister. They dropped in and out during the meal, and whipped up a mean tiramisu.

Not your traditional Christmas Fair, but the "Italians" were in charge of lunch. Since we are, in reality, "psuedo" Italian, traditional Italian Christmas food was not fore-front of mind. We did what we knew we could do well. Any gaps and lacking of traditional Christmas treats would be filled by other courses.

Pausing for a moment and a memory, as we scurry between kitchen and pasta prep room.

The day was not hectic. Abbey and Hannah went ice skating, and the rest of us pottered at times. A walk around town, a game, or just snacking, drinking, and laughing. Charlie is a talented artist, and he whipped a couple of small watercolours out. He seemed truly in his happy place.

So, we knew we were ordering more than we needed. We forgot they would automatically give the rice, salad, pita, dahl, and hummus. The prawn masala was excellent, but the chicken nashif was out of this world.

New Years Eve. We met up with Justin and Paul, friends from Melbourne, Richmond even. When the first two plates arrived, we thought it looked like a lot to share between four. Then another two plates arrived. With another four courses to come, plus panetone, we were going to need the whole time until midnight to move our way through the food.

Various delicacies to start the meal, Shin Yeh 101.

Fried fish - sounds like it will be the most boring of the items for dinner. Nah-ah. It was incredibly done, magnificently flavoured, and probably felt the most decadent because of the addition of gold.

Mala Hot Pot. Cash only. All you can eat. Top ingredients just flowed. Seafood including scallops, 2 types of squid, oysters, clams, 2 types of prawns, mussels. High quality thin slices of amazing meats including lamb, beef, bacon, pork. We added a bit of balance with mushrooms (6 types), corn, pumpkin, and a couple of other vegetables. We had a few dumplings and meat balls. We didn't have to resort to anything unidentifiable or anything offal. There was a table of dipping ingredients, and I made my own special mix which I was very proud of. Spring onions, chillies, garlic, Chinese soy sauce, sesame oil, and ground peanuts. We skipped the soup and curry, but had a few different cakes for dessert, and multiple scoops from the free flowing Häagen-Dazs. I lost track of the number of glasses of red I drank, so lucky we didn't have to go far. The best thing about this place - it's in the basement of the building where our hotel is. Jo made me walk back up to the 7th floor.

Yum. We were looking forward to our enjira meals, and they have not disappointed. One dish is with lamb, and the other is kitfo, warm raw mince with spices.