Durban - Nothing defines the South African male better than a braai.
And on Wednesday next week even someone on the space station will know that we’re celebrating Heritage Day down at the bottom of the continent.
Unofficially, this public holiday has become National Braai Day and any guy worth his man-cave will be lighting up come lunchtime, accompanied by a couple of beers.
And for any of the fairer sex thinking of getting hubby that “little something” to help things along, it will be hard to beat the range of goodies on display at Outdoor Warehouse which has all its hundreds of braais and accompanying knick-knacks prominently displayed in their shop at the Springfield Home Centre.
Most hardware stores, supermarkets and even garage forecourts have braais for sale but we picked Outdoor Warehouse at random and because we knew they had a wide range of accessories.
Branch manager Alex Elijah and the man in charge of the braai section, Ntuthuko Mbokazi, were only too pleased to show us around and I was overjoyed when they told me that they don’t stock gas braais, which, in my view, belong in the kitchen.
Their braais vary in price from the old plain, straightforward, stainless steel, three-way adjustable grid job (R500) to a super-duper large assembly going at R1 499.95. If you’re going into this league you have to get a rotisserie (R500) which looks as if it could quite happily spin a suckling pig all day.
But it’s the gadgets that go with the whole braai business that makes it so fascinating. There’s the whole range of potjies with a No 3 going for R390, holder and lid lifter (R100) and the coal container (R230) which neatly holds the base of the potjie. You keep it going with a couple of brickettes every now and then from your main fire which, as anyone who knows his potjie from his pinkie knows, is all you need to keep it simmering gently.
Then just a couple of examples of the hundreds of gadgets designed to make your braai more organised and easy – magnetic heavy-duty clip (R50) for holding all those cloths, tongs and forks; a grilling skillet (R150) which puzzled me as it had holes all over; a corn on the cob holder (R125) and jaffle iron (R170, R215 double).
Both Elijah and Mbokazi agreed that they preferred using brickettes to charcoal as they last longer and don’t smoke as much, but both said if there is genuine, properly dried thorn-tree wood available then that’s the way to go.
Mbokazi said his favourite meats are T-bone steak and boerewors and Elijah said on a recent trip to the Kruger Park he was most disappointed in the standard of wors in Mpumalanga and couldn’t wait to get home to enjoy the exotic and varied flavours we have available here. As I was leaving I remembered that my old braai tongs had recently fallen apart and I had been making do with some horrible contraption someone had left behind one slightly inebriated evening, so I picked up a pair of stainless steel locking tongs for R130 which will probably only be worn in by the time I’m worn out.
Bon appétit!
The sizzling Steak of the Nation
To get festivities going on September 24, Jan Scannell will deliver the Steak of the Nation address (see www.braai.com/braai-adventures/steak-of-the-nation).
Scannell, who is affectionately known as Jan Braai, has urged everyone to make this year’s event the biggest yet.
Scannell, who will be in Durban braaing with some celebrities, said there’s no excuse not to gather your family and friends and whip up a feast, adding that it’s the start of summer and a public holiday.
In Durban, the day will be marked with music, dance and loads of braaing, with Gagasi FM planning the “biggest braai in KZN” at Moses Mabhida’s People Park.
The radio station has invited all Durbanites, who will be entertained by a host of DJs, including DJ Kent, to bring their meat, cooler box and come dressed in their heritage “swag”.
Tickets cost R60 from Computicket and R70 at the gate.
No alcohol or soft drinks may be brought onto the festival grounds.
There will be a cash bar and butchery on site. - Nondumiso Mbuyazi
Tutu tucks into favourite fare
Heritage Day was formerly (and informally) known as Shaka Day, in honour of King Shaka Zulu.
When the proposed Public Holidays Bill before the South African Parliament omitted Shaka Day, the IFP objected. So, it was decided to create a day where all South Africans could observe and celebrate their heritage.
The Braai4Heritage idea has had some high profile converts, the most notable being Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, whose favourite fare on the day is boerewors.
After snubbing the idea in 2007 as trivialising, the National Heritage Council endorsed it in 2008. Tutu said: “We’re going to have this wonderful thing on the 24th… when we all gather round one fire… it’s a fantastic thing.
“Irrespective of your politics, of your culture, of your race, hierdie ding doen ons saam (this thing we do together)… just South Africans doing one thing together, and recognising that we are a fantastic nation.” – Staff Reporter
Independent on Saturday