There were noises, though, drifting up from downstairs. Men’s voices, Amatilda’s, a bit of laughter, soft music, a sudden loud exclamation. Bronnie had read a lot of books, some of them quite naughty, for her. And so she did have an inkling of the shock that could be in store. Nevertheless, she was deliciously terrified of what she might be about to see, so she inched her way to the top of the staircase to take a look.
What she saw was six men sitting round the old snooker table, knitting.
In front of them, all over the green baize, lay parts of cardigans and balls of brightly coloured wool, little piles of buttons, and needles scattered like fiddlesticks. And Amatilda was walking round and round helping and advising. ‘You’d want to do a purl row now Servaas.’
‘Yours is as good as done, Dawid, just the bobbles, and we’ll be ready to wrap.’
‘Oh dear, Charlie, you’ve dropped two stitches there, you’ve got a hole, here let me fix it.’
And then she saw Bronnie. ‘Bronnie Evans, I don’t know what the hell you’re doing here, but if you go and tell these men’s wives I’ll burn all your books myself!’
Bronnie found her tongue. ‘Please Daniel, I need you at the library, we’re rehearsing the nativity play and the lights have gone out.’
‘You go along Danny,’ Amatilda said. ‘I’ll just sew up these sleeves.’
On the way to the library, Daniel explained to Bronnie, before she could ask.
‘Nothing but innocent fun,’ he said. ‘For the price of a few skeins of wool and some buttons, Amatilda taught us how to knit.’
‘To knit,’ said Bronnie.
‘To knit,’ said Daniel. ‘For the past few months she’s had us sitting round the snooker table on Friday evenings, purling and plaining, buttonholing and stitching, while she helped us along and poured out the coffee. It was jolly good fun,’ said Daniel.
‘Jolly good fun,’ said Bronnie.
‘Tonight was our final lesson, because of Christmas Day being on Sunday.’
‘Christmas on Sunday,’ repeated Bronnie, her nerves still in shock.
Back at Number Three, the knitters were putting the finishing touches to the cardigans for their wives. Servaas held up his completed garment, a pale pink, with heart-shaped buttons.
‘I just hope it fits,’ he said. ‘Or all this hard work for nothing.’
‘Come now Servaas, you know you’ve enjoyed it,’ Amatilda retorted, which was the signal for Herman to stand up and propose a vote of thanks. James had brought a magnum of sparkling wine, and after the speech they drank a toast to Amatilda.
‘Oh, get on with you now,’ she said. ‘It was nothing.’
On Christmas morning six Corriebush wives found large, soft parcels under their Christmas trees. It is said that they wore their cardigans for the entire day, never mind the December heat, and on Boxing Day they put them on again and in a body walked to Number Three to thank Amatilda.
Some months later she sold the shop and left town.
‘I want to travel,’ she explained. ‘I’ve made a bit of money now, and I’m thinking of Japan.’
They gave her a warm farewell party. ‘When you think of what we thought at the beginning,’ they said. ‘Shame on us.’
As a parting gift they had ordered a length of pale green silk from Port Elizabeth and embroidered a shawl for her, each woman stitching a separate posy until the entire square was covered, like a field of brilliant flowers. Amatilda had it draped round her shoulders the day she left Corriebush in her yellow Beetle.
They had all gathered outside Number Three, wearing their Christmas jerseys, to see her off. Amatilda climbed in behind the wheel and started up the engine, and they all reached for the handkerchiefs up their sleeves. Amatilda leaned out of the window.
‘Ag, no, you mustn’t be sad,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring you each a kimono.’
Then she blew them a kiss, and with a roar the Beetle rounded the corner and took the road that streaks north beside the old railway line.
AMATILDA’S RECIPES
Amatilda loved to bake and when she opened her Coffee Shop, her aim was simply to provide good coffee and a selection of home-made treats to accompany the fragrant brew. She had a large glass showcase installed, and placed luscious little samples of her scones, cakes and cookies inside to tempt her customers. But as the success of the shop snowballed, the need for a larger menu became obvious because some customers were enjoying their morning visits so much that they were reluctant to leave and, having finished their coffee, simply sat there gossiping long after Amatilda had removed their cups and skittered from table to table, flicking the crumbs off the cloths into her pink plastic dustpan. Amatilda simply did not have the heart to shoo them away, so she decided it would make financial good sense to introduce a few savoury dishes for light lunches, and a dessert or two as well. ‘Might as well let them make a meal of it,’ she decided, and so she put a notice in the window. Due to popular demand, it read, this establishment will have an enlarged menu as from next Monday. Love, Amatilda. Everyone was delighted.
Savoury Deep Eggs
Egg, Cheese and Mushroom Bake
Coffee Shop Toasted Cheese Special
Salad Platter with Blaaukrantz and Walnuts
Scrumptious Smoked Salmon Luncheon Salad
Wholewheat Mini-breads with Fig Preserve and Goat’s Cheese
Unsinkable Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Frozen Maple, Honey and Pecan Creams
Strawberry and Mint Soft-serves
Fruity Cupcakes
Light Choc-nut Orange Cake with Dark Fudgy Icing
Plain Golden Scones
Chunky Brown Scones
Buttermilk Muffins with Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Nutty Brown Banana Muffins with Honey Butter
Gooseberry Muffins
Smoothies
SAVOURY DEEP EGGS
Baked in ramekins, on a bed of freshly cooked tomatoes, bacon and corn, and topped with cheese, this way of serving eggs makes a lovely change from scrambled eggs and omelettes. They’re also more convenient because they don’t need constant attention and are so easy to serve – one or two ramekins per person, with some hot toast and butter. The size of the ramekins is quite important – 7 cm in diameter and 5 cm deep (which is a fairly standard size), but if you don’t have them, use a shallow baking dish instead. Either way, these eggs are baked au bain-marie (the ramekins standing in a larger pan/tin of simmering water). The quantities given are for 4 ramekins, but can easily be doubled or trebled.
10 ml (2 tsp) each oil and butter
4 rashers lean, rindless back bacon (preferably unsmoked), diced
8 spring onions or slim baby leeks, chopped
400 g ripe, fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped*
a few tufts of parsley, chopped sea salt, milled black pepper and a large pinch of sugar
80 ml (1/3 cup) cooked corn kernels
4 large or XL free-range eggs
grated cheddar cheese and paprika for topping
Start by switching on the oven to 200 °C and at the same time put in the pan/tin of water to heat up, so that it’s ready to take the ramekins when they’re ready. Heat the oil and butter in a medium-sized frying pan and lightly sauté the bacon and onions or leeks. Add the tomatoes, parsley, seasoning and sugar and simmer, half-covered, for about 15 minutes until fairly thick; stir occasionally to mash up the tomatoes. If the mixture ends up looking watery, simply take off the lid and turn up the heat for a few minutes. Mix in the corn, check the seasoning, then spoon into the ramekins, dividing equally and levelly. Carefully break an egg on top of each, cover generously with cheese, dust with paprika, place in the pan/tin of hot water – the ramekins should not touch – and bake for about 20 minutes until the eggs are set and the cheese melted. Grab a fork and tuck in at once. Serves 2–4.
* Use sweet and rosy fresh tomatoes – canned won’t do here.
EGG, CHEESE AND MUSHROOM BAKE
It’s not quite a q
uiche, nor is it a tart, and it’s not a frittata either, nor can you call it an omelette. But it’s useful. Served with grilled tomatoes and hot toast, this easy bake slots happily into the menu for a brunch or light lunch.
15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil
1 red pepper, seeded and snipped into small pieces
200 g white mushrooms, wiped and sliced
4 spring onions, plus some tops, chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh rosemary leaves
4 large free-range eggs
250 g smooth, low-fat cottage cheese
150 ml (3/5 cup) milk
45 ml (3 Tbsp) flour (absolutely level)
5 ml (1 tsp) mustard powder
a sprinkling of chopped parsley
100 g mature cheddar cheese, grated
salt and milled black pepper to taste
30 ml (2 Tbsp) dried, toasted breadcrumbs for lining the pie dish
paprika for topping
Heat the oil and sauté the pepper, mushrooms, onions and rosemary until soft and aromatic; keep the heat low and stir around for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is dry. Whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, flour, mustard powder, parsley, 75 g of the cheddar cheese, and the salt and pepper, then stir it into the vegetable mixture. Lightly oil a deep, 23 cm pie dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, swirl to coat and shake out the excess. Pour in the egg mixture. Let it settle evenly, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dust with paprika. Bake at 160 °C for 30–35 minutes, or until set. Stand for a minute or two before slicing into four large wedges. Remove with a spatula. Serves 4.
COFFEE SHOP TOASTED CHEESE SPECIAL
This is a favourite savoury munch, almost as quick to make as ordinary cheese toast, but it looks much more appetising – all puffed up and golden brown on open slices of toast. Delicious served with coffee for a hearty elevenses snack, or even a quick lunch. Serve with knives and forks, 2 slices per customer.
200 g cheddar cheese, grated
2 ml (½ tsp) baking powder
2 XL free-range eggs, beaten
15 ml (1 Tbsp) whole grain mustard
a little sea salt and milled black pepper
1 slim slice of onion, coarsely grated
20 ml (4 tsp) soft butter
wholewheat bread, sliced
2–3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
paprika for topping
Using a fork, mash the cheese, baking powder, eggs, mustard, seasoning, onion and butter together to make a coarse paste. Toast the bread on one side. Arrange a few slices of tomato on the untoasted side, and cover thickly with the cheese mixture. Dust with paprika, arrange on a heatproof platter and place under a hot grill – not too close, because the flavours have to come together, and there are eggs in there, and the cheese has to melt – but it takes only a few minutes to reach perfection. Sufficient for 4–6 slices of bread, depending on size.
SALAD PLATTER WITH BLAAUKRANTZ AND WALNUTS
… and roasted peppers, raw mushrooms and spinach, served with a whizzed blender dressing and wholewheat rosemary and garlic ring bread. It’s a treat. And everything can be made in the knip of an eye, as Amatilda might have said.
250 g white mushrooms, just the very tips of the stems removed, then wiped and thinly sliced
60 ml (¼ cup) oil
30 ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 red peppers, grilled, skinned, then sliced into strips
4–6 spring onions, chopped, or chopped, blanched baby leeks
150 g mixed salad leaves – baby spinach, butter lettuce, etc.
a little sea salt
100 g Blaauwkrantz cheese, crumbled
40–50 g walnuts, toasted and chopped (a light toasting or roasting really makes a difference to the flavour)
Place the prepared mushrooms in a large glass bowl. (No salt at this stage.) Immediately toss with the oil, lemon juice and garlic. Mix in the red peppers and spring onions, cover and set aside or chill for up to 3 hours if working ahead. When ready to plate, line a large platter with the salad leaves. Spoon the mushroom mixture over evenly, salt lightly, then sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Serves 4.
Blender dressing
250 ml (1 cup) oil
60 ml (¼ cup) white balsamic vinegar (or half vinegar, half lemon juice)
a few tufts of parsley and celery leaves
5 ml (1 tsp) mustard powder
5 ml (1 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) honey
a pinch of sea salt
Whizz all the ingredients together, pour into a decanter, and pass for diners to help themselves, along with the beautiful ring loaf, and butter.
Wholewheat rosemary and garlic ring bread
Mixed in minutes, this herby batter is turned into a tube tin where it billows into a big, fat ring, and the aroma while baking will waft right through the house (or Coffee Shop). This wholesome, moreish loaf slices well, and may also be baked in a regular loaf tin if preferred.
4 x 250 ml (4 cups) wholewheat flour*
250 ml (1 cup) white bread flour
1 x 10 g sachet instant dry yeast
7 ml (1½ tsp) sea salt
30 ml (2 Tbsp) finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
45–60 ml (3–4 Tbsp) chopped parsley
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 spring onions, chopped
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
30 ml (2 Tbsp) treacle sugar
about 600 ml (22/5 cups) warm water
* For a somewhat lighter loaf, use 750 ml (3 cups) wholewheat flour and 500 ml (2 cups) white bread flour – in this case slightly less water is required.
Mix all the ingredients, except the water, in a large bowl. Slowly stir in just enough of the water to make a moist but not sloppy batter. The water should be warmer than lukewarm, but far from boiling hot. Turn into a 22 x 9 cm tube tin, oiled and lined with baking paper – base, sides and funnel – even if it’s a non-stick tin. Use a dampened spatula to spread evenly. The batter should reach halfway up the sides. Cover lightly with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – about 30–40 minutes, depending on the weather. Bake at 200 °C for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 180 °C and bake for a further 20–25 minutes, until risen and browned. Stand for a few minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool, using a spatula to ease it out if necessary. If baking as a loaf, use a 26 x 9 x 7 cm tin, oiled and lined, and do not cover when rising as the batter will stick to the cloth. It should rise to just over the top of the tin, and add about 10 minutes extra to the baking time. Stand for a few minutes before running a spatula round the sides to invert and cool.
SCRUMPTIOUS SMOKED SALMON LUNCHEON SALAD
Diners frequently sit and look at this for some time before tucking in. The colour-combination is just brilliant: creamy salmon, avocado, beetroot and rocket – and yet this flamboyant salad is dead easy to prepare. All you have to cook is the beetroot. Once that’s over with, and the salmon mixture mixed, it’s simply a matter of arranging these wonderful ingredients attractively, either on one large platter or on single-serving plates, along with a basket of sliced rye bread and a pot of butter. Fabulous.
1 bunch small to medium beetroot (600–700 g)
2 x 250 g tubs smooth, low-fat cottage cheese, drained if necessary
200–250 g smoked salmon, snipped (off-cuts are fine)
125 ml (½ cup) cultured sour cream
finely grated rind of ½ small lemon
6–8 slim spring onions, plus some tops, finely chopped
5 ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
about 60 g rocket and a pillow-pack of salad leaves, mixed
3–4 avocados
milled black pepper and chopped walnuts for topping
Scrub the beetroot gently so as not to break the skin and cut off the tops, but leave on 2 cm, then boil or roast – the latter is tastier, but takes longer. Cool, then skin and pat dry. Meanwhile, combine the
cottage cheese, salmon, sour cream, lemon rind, onions, mustard and Tabasco. Refrigerate in a covered glass bowl for a few hours for the flavours to develop. Just before serving, slice the beetroot thinly and arrange around the edge of the platter. Next, make a circle of rocket and salad leaves. Then come the slices of avocado. The salmon mixture goes in the centre – pile it into one or more nice little bowls to make it easier to dip into. Top with freshly milled pepper and a good sprinkling of walnuts. (If the platter is too full already, put the bowls of salmon alongside.) If serving on one large platter, add a fork for spearing, and a spoon for the salmon dip. Serves 6.
WHOLEWHEAT MINI-BREADS WITH FIG PRESERVE AND GOAT’S CHEESE
These sweetish little breads, looking for all the world like rocky brown muffins, are made in a trice and are just the thing for a filler at brunch, or for a trendy little breakfast with coffee. The minis, speckled with raisins and hinted with cinnamon, simply beg for a glistening, syrupy preserved fig alongside, with a disc or two of soft goat’s cheese and a bowl of soft butter.
250 ml (1 cup) white bread flour
5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
750 ml (3 cups) wholewheat flour
90 ml (6 Tbsp) seedless raisins
30 ml (2 Tbsp) treacle sugar (or soft brown sugar)
30 ml (2 Tbsp) honey
20 ml (4 tsp) oil
500 ml (2 cups) buttermilk
milk for glazing
sunflower seeds for topping
Sift the white bread flour, bicarb, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Add the wholewheat flour, raisins and sugar. Whisk together the honey, oil and buttermilk; add to the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. The mixture needs to be quite soft and sticky, and you might need to add a spoon or two of water (rinse out the buttermilk carton) so that it can be easily scooped into the muffin cups. Rather add too little than too much, though – the dough must not be wet and slippery. You will need large muffin cups (not paper cases) for these mini-breads – oil them lightly first and then divide the dough equally – don’t try to make them flat, just leave them more or less as they drop. Brush the tops lightly with milk, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bake at 180 °C for 25 minutes until well risen, firm, and rocky in appearance. Stand for about 10 minutes before carefully removing to a rack to cool. Best served on the same day, with the figs and the cheese. Makes 12.
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