by Donovan van Staden (Random House Struik)
Donovan van Staden, is responsible for training the chefs at the Sanctuary Retreat Group’s luxury lodges and has put together a wonderful collection of recipes that feature on the menus of each establishment.
The chapters cover the food served on a typical safari day – from the treats before setting off on an early game drive, to sumptuous breakfasts, lunches, dinners, teas and gourmet snacks.
The safari industry is a fiercely competitive one and, as Van Staden says, everyone has to raise their game to stay ahead of the pack. The standard of cuisine is no exception and this book takes bush fine dining to a new level.
There are too many mouth-watering recipes to mention, but they’ll certainly get you into the kitchen. Standouts include game terrine with home-made chutney and preserved oranges, Okavango chocolate pie, couscous-crusted prawns with a sweet chilli sauce, kudu kebabs with red wine cranberry sauce, crocodile curry and beetroot and soft cheese samoosas.
The photography is superb and the lodges are all set in exotic locations such as the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and the Masai Mara in Kenya.