Tag: Raspberry

Review: Fieldberry Farm – Raspberry picking fun for the whole family

Review: Fieldberry Farm – Raspberry picking fun for the whole family

A while back, together with a group of friends, we headed out to Fieldberry Farm, just South of Johannesburg for a day of raspberry picking fun.

I had heard a lot about Fieldberry, but I have to say it surpassed all expectations. If you are looking for a fun outing as a family, it doesn’t get much better, or fresher then when you’re walking through a field picking them yourself.

A morning spent at the farm transported me straight back to the Wine Farms in Cape Town. Friendly faces, hale bales to sit on and quirky farm stalls selling everything from raspberry preserves, smoothies, to homemade samosas.

 

What I didn’t know about this gem is that it is run by Lungi, who spent many years employed on this farm as a domestic worker. When the children she looked after had grown up and her employers were looking to hand over the business, Lungi took over and became a farmer.

Its been a hard journey for Lungi, and Fieldberry, battling droughts and government grants but thankfully with the recent rains and social media exposure, this season has been extended until April!

If you attend the weekend berry picking, you pay about R30 for a bucket (children under 10 free) and pick to your heart’s content (or as much as your bucket allows). Your berries then get weighed and you will pay per weight to take home. Prepare to get your hands (and face) tickled pink with sweet, sticky berry juice (mind the bee’s) as you fill up on the juicy fruit. You can bring along your picnic blankets and your own snacks, or you can order some nibbles and treats from their farm stalls.

I went home and divided our loot into 3. I froze a bag, we ate a bag, and I made a Vanilla and raspberry cake with the rest. Recipe to follow shortly.

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The boys absolutely loved it and I’m super excited for our adventure there with the “Adventure Clubs” tomorrow, to take other kids around, see their excitement and of course drink some of their delicious smoothies again.

Joburg has all these incredible gems, we just have to share the love !

Directions are here. More information at +27-79-719-0793 and thefieldberryfarm.wordpress.com.

Raspberry Tarlets – helping me cure my berry addiction

Best Raspberry Tartlet Recipe

There’s something about summer and berries that goes hand in hand. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, im addicted!

I love the “quintessential” look to tartlets. They are so easy to make and the reward is HUGE! Tarlets can make any amateur chef feel like a professional!
Sweet shortcrust pastry
2¼ cups plain flour
1/4 cup icing sugar
125g unsalted butter, softened
2 x large eggs eggs

3-4 punnets fresh raspberries

1. For sweet shortcrust pastry, combine flour and icing sugar in food processor, process to combine. Add butter and process to fine crumbly texture. Add eggs and process until pastry comes together. Knead lightly on floured surface until base is smooth, pat the top to flatten slightly then wrap in baking paper and refrigerate 20 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced).

3. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface, use pastry to line base and sides of 6-9 medium sized tartlet pans (I use the ones with removable bottoms) OR you can use a 3cm deep, 24cm loose-based tart tin. Trim off any excess pastry, prick the base all over with a fork, then refrigerate for 10 minutes.

4. Place sheet of baking paper over the pastry and three-quarters fill with raw rice or beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes or until edges are light golden. Remove paper and rice and bake further 10 minutes or until base is dry and pastry golden. Set aside to cool in tins. Transfer pastry cases to serving platter.

Creme patissiere is the smooth custard filling for fruit tarts. It is quite easy to make and you should get a really smooth custard with this method. I really like to play around and for an added touch of “exoticness” sometimes I use half milk, half coconut milk to add a zing!

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks

• 50g castor sugar

• 25g plain four

• 1 1/4 cups milk (full cream) – feel free to play with coconut milk too!

• A Vanilla Pod

• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar

1. Gradually beat in the flour with just one tablespoon of the milk.

2. Place the rest of the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan, Cut Vanilla Pod in half and scrape out seeds. Bring this infusion to boil and remove Pod.

3. Whisk this into the egg mixture in a slow stream – ensuring that you whisk continuously so as it does not go lumpy. (by using a balloon whisk you should have no problems with this)

4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place back on the heat. Continue to whisk until boiling (just a few seconds ) then remove from heat and continue whisking and cooking for 2 – 3 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Pour into a dish and keep in a refrigerator until you are ready to fill your pastry shells.

Allow shells to cool, feel with creamy yummy-ness and top with raspberries and icing sugar! Best served outside, in a garden, lying down, on a picinic blanket 🙂 yummmmy I LOVE summer x