Birds Cafe - Bree Street Cape Town

This little gem in Bree street Cape Town goes to show that you do not need all the frills and fancy decor to create an amazing cafe. In fact, you don't even need real chairs! (YES, those are beer crates).You just need great food made with love. The decor and crockery are eclectic and add to relaxed atmosphere.

This is the perfect spot for lunch and meeting friends. The staff are friendly and vibrant, and it is great to see happy people smiling away and chatting in the kitchen as they prepare delicious food.

Easy Rusk Recipe

Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that I prefer cooking dinner to baking any day. I leave baking to the professionals at Woolworths! This recipe however, is fool proof and I have been making my own rusks ever since.

You will need:
4 cups self raising flour
Half a cup margarine or butter
Half to 3/4 light brown sugar
3/4 cups buttermilk (or just add a tbsp of lemon juice to your milk and stir till it thickens)
1 egg (beaten)
Half a cup muesli and handful of raisins

Start by preheating oven to 200 degrees c.
Sift flour and rub in margarine, mix in sugar and stir in the egg and milk.
Work with hands till it forms a dough. (note: The dough will be fairly dry- see photo below)

Press dough flat into a baking tray that has been greased or has been coated with non stick cooking spray. Cut flattened dough into rectangle and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour and then remove and separate the rusks.
Place them back in the oven and switch oven OFF. Leave them in oven overnight to dry out. Repeat this drying out process if not completely dry by morning.
Enjoy with a hot cuppa!

Melanzane

Baked aubergine is a favorite of mine lately and have started making this vegetarian dish once a week. It is a great dinner that is healthy and packed full of flavor.

You will need: 

2 large aubergines sliced into medallions. 

1 large onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 tin of chopped diced tomato

Half a cup red wine

2 baby marrows grated

3 tbs tomato paste

3/4 cup chicken stock

Half a cup breadcrumbs

Half a cup parmigiana cheese grated (you could use any other cheese you like)

To start brush aubergine with olive oil and fry till golden on both sides. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside and start on the tomato sauce.

Fry onion till translucent and add the garlic. Add tin of tomato,paste, stock,wine and the grated baby marrow. Reduce till it thicken and creates a rich sauce.

Layer the aubergine and sauce (like you would a lasagna) and top with the bread crumbs and cheese. Bake for 30 min in over 200c till cheese and bread crumbs form a golden crust.