Ginger Beer and the other things I loved in Cape Town!

The things I loved in Capetown. ( besides the people)

When I was in Cape town last month, there are several things that I tried there that I find that I cannot get here.  I had Mrs. Balls chutney for the first time and loved it. I will be putting up a post later on how to make that. I also had beef bolognese which my new friend Ree introduced me to. Check the recent post for that.

elie saab perfume

When I was out shopping with Ree one  day, I was in Woolworths, which is a department store like Dillards here in the states. I was enticed with a bottle of perfume that was on display at the entrance to the store. I picked it up and inhaled. It was divine. I like to smell perfumes, but rarely buy because I don't like the way they smell or they don't smell good on me, if you know what I mean. The perfume was Elie Saab. I have to admit I had never heard of her or her perfumes. I had to be enlightened by my adorable daughter. I couldn't decide on whether to buy it or not, so I waited and days later I searched for it elsewhere in Capetown. I did not realize she had 3 perfumes. I thought she only had one. I got a sample of her first perfume and wore it to my daughters wedding, but it didn't seem to smell like the one I had smelled in Woolworths. On the way back home I checked the airports and discovered there were 2 fragrances available. When I got home, I discovered there were three. The third one, the newest one, was not available until April 1. I did not realize until I went to Woolworths site in Capetown that the perfume was making  its worldwide debut in Capetown and it was exclusive until March 31.  No wonder I couldn't find it anywhere else. Well, yesterday, my little tiny samples of the perfume came in from Hong Kong. I am overjoyed. I know, this is a lot of chatter about perfume, but I am excited.

Let's see what else did I like....oh yes....passion fruit. My friend Ree, has a passion fruit tree. Can't find the fruit or the trees here either. Boo hoo.

Last of all, I really like Stoney Ginger Beer, bottled by Coca Cola..and again not available in the States. So here are my attempts at trying to make it myself. 

1st attempt at Ginger beer

• 1/4 pound ginger (peeled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
• about 2 quarts of water
•  2-liter soda bottle

Place an inch or two of the ginger in a food processor.Process the ginger untill pureed.Wrap the ginger puree in a piece of cheesecloth or linen and squeeze out the liquid into a bowl. Hopefully you will have 3 to 4 T of the ginger juice. I did not, so I had to puree some more ginger.

Place a funnel over the soda bottle and pour in the ginger juice, sugar, lemon  juice, and yeast. Add water to the bottle, stopping 2 inches from the top, to leave room for expansion of the carbonation. Seal the bottle tightly and gently shake to mix. Put in a warm, dark area. I put in a food pantry for 48 hours. I then carefully unsealed the bottle over the sink. You can tell when the bottle is ready, if the bottle feels firm because of the carbonation. Slowly pour the liquid through a funnel into your bottles stopping half way to let the carbonation rise and settle. Continue to fill to about 2 inches below cap. Seal with cap or swing top. Refrigerate. Serve over ice for a cool refreshing drink.

Bottled ginger beer

I tried my ginger beer and it was ok, but it didn't taste like a stoney ginger beer, probably because they put a ton of sugar in it. It also didn't seem to have the same amount of carbonation or  bite of the ginger. So, I am now trying a different method. I am now gonna try making a ginger bug and then make the ginger beer. Here are the ingredients to start your own bug. 

2nd attempt Ginger bug
1½ cups filtered water
3 teaspoons finely chopped ginger root
3 teaspoons organic raw sugar
1 wide-mouth quart jar
Cheesecloth or coffee filter
Rubberband


In a wide mouth mason jar add water, ginger root and organic sugar in the jar. Mix until the sugar has dissolved.  Cover the jar with a coffee filter, cheesecloth, or linen. Place a rubberband over the cover around the mouth  of the jar. this will keep out pesky insects. 

Ginger bug

Every day for 7 to 8 days, add 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Stir the bug 2 times day to keep the bug activated. 

When the ginger bug starts to fizz when strirring  the sugar and ginger you know its ready. 

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How to Make Ginger Beer

Ginger bug
3 lemons
¾ cup organic raw sugar
½ gallon filtered water
 ½ gallon container

When the ginger bug is all fizzy, use large container to store the ginger beer. I used a 1/2 gallon sized mason jar..
Straing the ginger bug through cheesecloth into the container. Set aside the solid parts of the ginger bug. Juice the three lemons through the cheesecloth to prevent the seeds from going into the mix. Add sugar and fill the rest of the container with filtered water. Stop about an inch from the op to allow fermentation. Shake it, seal the top down tight and put it  on  the shelf. I put it in darkened pantry. It should be ready in 4-7 days. 
When using a glass container be sure to release the pressure daily by opening the lid. You don’t want an explosion.  After 4 days here, I opened the bottle and it fizzed a little. In retrospect I should have let it sit more until it the fizzing was more active.
Place it in the fridge to stop the fermentation process.

Here is the link and post I used.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/ginger-beer-remixzb0z1312zacai.aspx#axzz2xh3Kic19