My Day at IFEA

I lost this post twice already. So this is my third rewrite. Initially it started with  "today..." then "yesterday... " and finally the present version. Let's hope It doesn't disappear into cyberspace again. I don't think "6 months ago I spend the morning..." will sound quite OK.

Last week I spend the morning at the Sandton Convention Centre exploring the IFEA exhibition, billed as  Africa's International Food and Drink Event.

I went to the exhibition to get some insights into what's new in the food industry. Five things drew my attention. They might be old hat to you, but here they are anyway.

#1 Things that looks like ice cream aren't always ice cream.

Yes, you get cake on a stick. No, not your standard, so-last-season cake pops;  these are cake pops that look like a Magnum ice cream. But when you bite into it, it's cake! Wonderful for cake lovers, but not so wonderful for ice cream lovers.




I overhead the stand lady saying it will be available in one of our large supermarkets soon. Sorry, but in my book 'supermarket cake' don't sound like angels singing in my ears. So I decided I have to try make them myself.... I'll keep you posted.

 #2 There is salt, and then there is salt from the Kalahari.

A week or two ago I was saying to a friend that I don't understand this specialized salt craze. Salt is salt...And anyway is it really ethical to import salt from the Himalayas? What about local is "lekker"! 

I'm not a salt guru. I've never used any other salt than your normal bag of running table salt. 
Oryx dessert salt had a stand at the exhibition. Their salts are harvested at the beautiful, unpolluted Kalahari salt pans.

It might be the fact that I have a soft spot for the Kalahari desert, or the picturesque Gemsbok photo they had on display, but their salt did indeed taste different. It was pure, not as, well, 'salty' as our normal salts and the crystals were brilliant white.

They also have flavoured salts such as a smoked variation that will give a smoky aroma to your meals, and a wine flavoured salt that will go well with red meat. I can imagine where this idea came from - someone sitting at the dinner table spilled some wine, sprinkled salt on the stain and then started tasting the salt sprinkled over the wine stain.  And now there's someone making money out of this idea!

These salts are only available in selected stores and delicatessens, so have a look on their website to find out were you can get it.

#3 Wine ice cream does exist.

I couldn't taste any but made a mental note to try my hand at making it.

My husband Charl, is an ice cream lover and I long found out that home made ice cream is the way to his heart. Close your eyes and try to imagine a red wine ice cream - with a berry note, served with mixed berries and pouring cream - it works, doesn't it?  

#4 There are more craft beers from Italy than I could ever imagine.

I counted 30! One of them is from Venice...didn't know they have enough space for a brewery in Venice let alone spring water. But I love Venice and will not analyse that thought for too long. I made a mental note to have a taste of this beer, called Birra Serenissima when next I'm in Venice.




Craft beers are beers made from small, traditional, independent breweries.  I am so excited that the craft beer fashion has hit South Africa. We can do with good beer made with love and not heaps of sugar.

#5 Event organising and technology has finally met.

I registered online and received a barcode via email. When I got to the exhibition the attendant scanned the barcode and before he put the scanner down my entry card was printed,  Wow, I was impressed,  I  love technology that works!