As always in adult life, time just flies by. In a blink of an eye another month goes past without much writing. Even more daunting, all of a sudden Mr F and I have been married for more than two years. Gulp. Thankfully, we seem to be as happy with each other now as ever we were in the past, even if he has spent more than 150 hours over the past year playing Dark Souls. Last year, we chose Dinner for our anniversary celebration. Topping that was always going to be difficult, so we chose the only really safe path: returning to site of our nuptials, the wonderful Groote Post. OK, so we didn't go all the way to South Africa just to have lunch. There was some family stuff involved too. However, seeing as we were there, it seemed only right to stop by... After all, it's only just about my favourite place in the whole world. Ever.
A brief bit of history and a caveat on my ability to be impartial about Groote Post. We (me, Mr F, my parents) have loved Groote Post for a long time. My mother and I fell for it first. It was Valentine's Day 2002, I was nineteen and it was my first trip back to South Africa after a gap of four years. I'd never been to a wine farm and my uncle chose Groote Post for my first foray into the delights of South African wine tasting. He also proposed to my aunt that day; but that is another story. A few years later, they started serving lunch, my father and Mr F were quickly inducted into its rustic charms and the rest is history. When our first wedding plan fell to pieces, Mr F and I struggled to work out why we couldn't muster the enthusiasm to organise our London wedding. In the end, the answer came to us in a flash, it wasn't Groote Post.
Going back to somewhere you love is always risky because great meals, like all special occasions, are intimately tied up with the emotion of a particular moment in time. Fortunately, Groote Post is always marvellous. It's inland from the coast, so the summer days are generally sunny and warm. The road to the farm is still unsealed, so the crowds haven't found it and getting there is an adventure (sorry, Guy). The setting is beautiful, a historic farmhouse that has been there since 1808, surrounded by brown hills and green vines. Most importantly, their wine is still winning awards and their food remains as delicious as ever.
This time, we started with salads: delicate trout with potato and artichoke for me and my dad, blue cheese and pear for my mum. Mr F's spring rolls were also good, although the delicate balance of flavours in the fish salad was the winner. My parents both had bobotie, which was also our chosen main course at our wedding. A South African classic, it contrasts spicy, fruity meat with an eggy custard top. Mr F and I had roast lamb, which was perfectly pink and wonderfully large. There were two tarts for dessert - plum and lemon. Whilst Mr F made a good case for his chocolate brownie, we all knew that he was fighting a losing battle against caramelised plums and perfectly light pastry.
There's nothing overly fancy about Groote Post. It is beautiful, friendly and slightly rustic. The food mirrors the surroundings: unpretentious and generous, but also polished. Debbie McLaughlin, who runs the restaurant with her husband Shaun, makes some of the best pastry I have ever eaten. I realise I am far from impartial when I say that it is one of the finest places in the world but I can't help it; it's part of my history, the place Mr F and I chose to cement our relationship. Compared to a lifetime of love and companionship, impartiality sucks.
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