TRENDY music duo, the Coffee Snobs (Vernette and Marius Wessels) are travelling up from Mossel Bay this weekend to perform at the Karoo Food Festival Deli-market at The Palms on Sunday.
They are committed to fine coffee (hence their brand name) so they were delighted when Mid-Karoo Express told them that their Cradock contact, Melina Smit, was part of the coffee roasting duo behind Cradock’s own coffee brand, based at Karoo Brew in Durban Street.
This is also the venue for the festival’s opening food event, Karoo Cocktails and Canapés, tomorrow night. It was sold out by last week but True Living and several other Cradock restaurants are still taking bookings for the same evening.
The food action swings into top gear on Saturday at the Deli-market with versatile favourite, Joe van der Linden, providing the live music and local artist, Piet Geyer, serving as anchor.
He will do the honours again on Sunday when the Coffee Snobs perform around lunch time, with the New Life Band (founded by hero Fort Calata) filling the other slots with mellow sounds.
Everyone will be welcome to tank up with fine coffee from the big Italian machine at Karoo Brew’s stall.
Other treats on both days include free demos every hour on the hour.
There are more than 40 food stalls showcasing the Karoo’s enduring love for traditional farm favourites, several with a modern twist.
The DRC is doing a fallow deer spitbraai.
Others will offer kaiings, pofadder, vetkoek, marog, kudu salami, wild boar boerie, ostrich burgers, afval – the list goes on. Seafood, sushi, terines and even salad will cater for other tastes. A community table (featuring six cooks under the mentorship of Nan Tam of Cradock SPAR) is bound to attract attention.
Home-made ginger beer, a craft beer stall, wine, gin and rum bars will help to quench thirst.
No Karoo feast would be complete without puddings and the deli-market promises to raise the bench-mark in this respect.
There will be plenty for children to eat (and a supervised play area).
Dinners at Victoria Manor provide the foodie finale for both days (Saturday is dress-up night with wine and spirit tastings).
Visitors are advised to come hungry and consult the festival programme for off-campus experiences which include visits to four farms.
There will be countless opportunities to mingle – The Karoo Food Festival coincides with a number of outdoor sporting events so the district will be buzzing with adrenalin.
Find the full programme with telephone numbers for booking on the Karoo Food Festival Facebook page or phone 083 257 8601.