Lamb

Sausage has been with us since man learnt how to preserve food. The first recorded mention of sausage is sometime during the 8th century BC and it proved an immensely popular food amongst the ancient Greeks and Romans alike. Today sausages come in all shapes and sizes - at N1, your favourite Cape Town meat wholesalers, we have nearly 20 varieties alone to choose from - and are enjoyed worldwide with each country making it their own in some way, just think ‘boerewors’ and you get the idea.

The world loves curry. The British love it so much, they not only made it their national dish, but they’re home to almost 10,000 curry houses - in fact, there are more curry houses in London than there are in the Indian metropolis of Mumbai!

In South Africa, curry is as much part of our lives as boerewors and braai. Whether it’s a delicious chicken tikka masala or a succulent and spicy lamb vindaloo, curry is enjoyed by numerous cultures across our beautiful land. 

Sausages hold iconic status in the hearts and minds of many people – just think of the English with their bangers and mash, the Germans with their bratwurst or the Spanish with their chorizo. And of course, let’s not forget, the South Africans and their boerewors!

Dégustation – do you know what that means? It’s a French word meaning ‘the careful, appreciative tasting of various food, focusing on the gustatory system, the senses, high culinary art and good company’ – and it’s this concept that underlies the tasting menu. The trend dates back many centuries, but it’s most recent incarnation came about in the 1980s as chefs out of France introduced smaller portions of their signature dishes as part of multiple courses for the ultimate culinary experience.

Yes, we know it’s not the holidays just yet, but now’s the time to start stocking up, because you don’t want to be caught in the Christmas madness that ensues later in December, do you? While roast turkey might once have been the traditional choice for Christmas dinner, it has steadily been surpassed by lamb and it’s easy to see why lamb is far more versatile depending on the cut of meat you choose and definitely more forgiving when it comes to succulence and tenderness.

Yes, we know the word ‘bestest’ doesn’t really exist, but when it comes to burgers we tend towards hyperbole – why? Because burgers, that’s why! The exact origin of hamburgers may well be disputed – was it German immigrants who brought Hamburg Steak over from the motherland or was it a certain Charlie Nagreen in Wisconsin who began selling flattened meatballs on two slices of bread who can claim the title of ‘it all began with me’? Regardless of origin, what is undisputed is the world’s subsequent love affair with this delectable meal.

Sausages have been around since day dot, okay not quite that long, but close, because sausages are even older than ancient Greece or Rome – the delicious morsels were first made by the Sumerians (today’s Iraq) about 5,000 years ago. They come in all shapes and sizes, and we just love them – all of them. So if you want to brush up on a few sausage facts, then here you go:

While food is part of our daily lives and naturally provides sustenance, it’s become so much more than that when we look back through the years. The food modern man has enjoyed over time, has formed part of our identity, it’s taken on a life of its own and become iconic markers on our timeline.

Last week we looked to Innova Marketing Insights for their predictions on what’s hot and what’s not for the coming year – this week we turn to Packaged Facts and Mintel for their trends and we end off with highlights from Food24 and a few of our local, South African chefs.

PACKAGED FACTS’ TOP TRENDS

It might seem far off now, but the holiday season is fast approaching – did you know there are only six Fridays to go until Christmas? So, now’s the time to start planning your menus and stocking up on Halaal certified meat for all those celebratory dinners with loved ones around the table or braai. And to make things easier, we’ve compiled a quick summary on the various cuts and their ideal cooking methods to ensure you get the best out of your meat.

Best Halaal Certified Cuts for Roasting