the art of
renaissance
pril hath put a spirit of youth
in everything,” said William
Shakespeare. How true this
is, and utterly fitting of the
man who was one of the first
playwrights to introduce the
spirit of the Renaissance- which literally means
“rebirth” – to the theatres
of Elizabethan times. In
so doing, Shakespeare
brought to life the
protagonists in his
plays; they became human beings with often complex emotions, rather
than two-dimensional characters. In addition, Shakespeare peppered
hisscriptswithhisknowledgeofGreekandRomanclassics.
In this issue, we too are celebrating various forms of renaissance - such as in the Cape, where Hazendal Wine Estate in
Stellenbosch has undergone an exquisite and significant
transformation, the proverbial butterfly emerging from its
chrysalis (page 62); and where Scot Kirton – well-known chef-
patron of the globally renowned La Colombe restaurant
at Le Quartier Français hotel in Franschhoek – has opened
Protégé, an eatery that brings with it a much-needed
breath of fresh air in its casual approach to fine dining
(page 86).
Andwithsaffroncurrentlyenjoyingarevivalon
ingredient lists the world over, we’ve made sure to keep
you abreast of this trend. Check out food journalist
Marianne Heron’s intriguing trip to Città della Pieve
in Italy, an Umbrian commune renowned
for its production of saffron, also known as
“red gold” (page 92). Speaking of ingredient
revivals,istheFuture50Foodslistonyour
radar? If not, do take note of some of the heritage crops at the forefront of this pertinent
campaign, which was launched by Knorr in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF)earlierthisyear(page38)–lookoutformoreonthisinupcomingissues,too.
Lastbutnotleast,we’vealsobeensuretoinjectadoseofyouthfulwhimsyinthe
playful and seriously delicious twists given to classic recipes like hot cross buns – see
our savoury version loaded with cheese and bacon (page 30) – and carrot cake, which
hasbeenreinventedintoflapjacks(page84).
On that sweet note, here’s wishing you happy and hearty April holidays!ED’S LETTER
Ed’s photograph by Dylan Swart. Illustration by Sarah-Jane Williams