fresh organic veg on sale
Despite the recent freaky weather, spring is most definitely in the air and the time is perfect for markets, of which Cape Town has many. One of the most fabulous is the new Gaia food market in the leafy suburb of Constantia. Gaia is another name for ‘mother earth’, and so echoes the natural ethos of the market: natural, organic, healthy, yum and fun!

Perfect for those with gourmet taste-buds and a tendency to sup on nought but vegetables, as well as a great day out for those new to the ‘organic-and-natural’ food scene, this Sunday event is a must for all Cape Townians and tourists alike.

A wonderful mosaic stands at the door

In the quiet Cape Town suburb of Plumstead a listed national monument building houses a vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurant that specialises in fresh and fantastic lunch buffets.

Michelle Carelse, the owner of Organic at Heart, took us for a walk around the kitchen garden - a space that was car park only 8 months back, now a thriving veg patch - where we discuss companion planting, worm-composting and the joys of eating as fresh as the last pick.

‘I like the idea of sustainable living,’ says Michelle. ‘This garden inspires people to start their own vegetable gardens. It’s not difficult to start growing your own herbs and salads – if everybody could just grow a little bit we could be well on our way to becoming a more self-sufficient society.’

I'm sitting at a wooden table in an alcove amidst the buzz of the café that lies to one side of the food store cum health shop that is the Fresh Earth Food Store, exclaiming over my breakfast. I can count on one hand the number of eateries* where I can hope to find something on the menu, like my choice of French Toast on wheat-free bread, with 'real' free-range eggs and real maple syrup (the Canadian kind not cheap, flavoured syrup).

This particular dish also comes with huge slices of haloumi cheese. You have no idea how good it was. Heart-warming stuff. Add to that the African-brewed organic and Fair Trade decaf coffee (Bean There Coffee) that I'm enjoying with, I have no doubt, 'real' milk (not the kind full of hormones and other stuff, because the cows are fed so badly) with a choice of rice or soy milk if you do not do dairy, or are vegan.

Stanford already has its requisite village market on the green, held on the last Friday evening of the month. During summer, I believe, it's a great place to be. The town is no newcomer to good, local food either and both Marianas and Madré's Kitchen are well supported by locals and Capetonians, who if the influx of 4x4s is anything to go by, make no bones about using Stanford as their regular weekend and holiday base.

It's a beautiful town, is Stanford. It's got everything you could possibly hope for in an Overberg village – gorgeous historical and restored buildings that the local heritage committee have not only individually numbered, but have also included in an Historical Stanford on foot, which you can pick up at the local tourism info (just across the road from the Stanford Trading Store).

I am a fan of the Earth Fair Market. It's location in Tokai makes it a really easy 'pop in and grab' place to stock up on fresh, organic and local food on a Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.

And now, the indoor market is getting an outdoor equivalent in the city bowl, St George's Mall, just opposite the cathedral (what a setting).

when
Every Thursday from 12.30 pm to 6.30 pm

where
Upper St Georges Mall, off Wale Street

Jacci Simpson, the market's organiser is very excited. As she says, it's been eight months of getting approval and permits and it is the closest we will have in this country to a European style street market.

Rosemary Hill Farm Market has been around for two years. They're trying something slightly new as of this weekend, with a focus on family and food. They're also moving the market to Friday evenings in order to accommodate this.

Rosemary Hill is just that, a hill on a stretch of gorgeous organic farmland only 10 minutes outside Pretoria, or 45 minutes from Sandton (considering it takes at least that to get across Jo'burg, it isn't far).

The farm has been organic since 1978 and grows African potato, sutherlandia, rosemary, lavender, artemisia, lippia, spearmint, eucalyptus and other plants from which they distill essential oils. They have a herd of Nguni cattle and grow other crops like pecan nuts, as well as vegetables. Next door to them is the Max Stibbe Waldorf School.

2009 itownship wine festivalThe 3rd Annual iTownship Wine Festival is happening from the 3rd to the 5th of December 2010 at the Gugulethu Square Mall. The festival starts with the Winemakers Township Dinner on the Friday night. On Saturday and Sunday the Spur parking on NY1 will be transformed into a wine lover’s paradise, with live music.

For the third year in a row, the iTownship Wine Festival opens its door to both wine connoisseurs and wine curious with the aim of celebrating South African wines, encouraging linkages with an emerging wine market and investing in the economic development of the Gugulethu eKasi. The Wine Festival was founded in 2008, by Mother Africa Uncorked, a not for profit organization set up to unlock emerging markets for the wine industry, and educate them about wine.

view of the cape grace hotelOn the 10th of November 2010 Fairtrade Label South Africa (FLSA) will be hosting ‘A Taste of Fairtrade’ - an exclusive wine tasting and canapé pairing event, aimed at introducing hotels and restaurants in the Western Cape to South African Fairtrade wines. The event will be held at the distinguished Cape Grace Hotel, where sommeliers, wine managers and restaurateurs will be presented with over 20 local Fairtrade wines, ranging from sparkling bubbly, to crisp whites, full-bodied reds and heavenly sweet wines.

strawberries by stimpy on deviantartIn true British tradition we will be celebrating the coming of the summer season with our SUMMER STRAWBERRY FAIR ON SATURDAY 6th NOVEMBER at The Stellenbosch Fresh Goods Market. November is the season for Strawberries in the Cape Winelands, so instead of going picking, come fill up your bags with fresh, early morning picked strawberries from the popular strawberry farms in our area.

Other products include:
Strawberry Cupcakes & BAKES
Summer berry Dancers
Strawberry Soap & Salts
Plenty of champagne and strawberries
Smoked Springbok Strawberry Salad
Homemade Strawberry Jams
Rudi's Strawberry Sausage 
Sugar Cones topped with ice cream and strawberry pesto
Strawberry Kiddies face paint & Balloons, eagles and owls, sand art for the children
The Hearth Fair, Designer goods, Boutique wear, Emerging design & Crafts
Music & Picnic blankets for hire, gardens, oak trees, plenty of space and parking

The launch of our new

I lifted the lid on the cardboard box containing my raw food pizza to take a peek.

The young woman behind the desk at Nourish, the health shop at Dean Street Arcade, joined me, and we silently stood looking at the array of avocado pear, caramelised onion, mushroom, sprouts and what looked like cream, but I had been assured was actually cashew nut cheese.

She pointed to my son and whispered 'Is he going to eat this?'. I shrugged. I couldn't get my four-year old to eat a normal pizza, nevermind this affair. I assured her, my mouth already watering at the prospect of tasting what was infront of me, that I hadn't sampled the fare yet either. 'I'm just helping out' she smiled, 'and I hadn't seen one of them before'...