Writing is such a solitary activity, but as I write my acknowledgements I am blown away by the army of supporters I have had. My heartfelt thanks to you all. I list some of you below:
Peter van Straten, Bosky Andrew and Joan van Gogh gave feedback on early drafts. Miriam Wheeldon and Nicolene Botha were my music advisors. Anel Hamersma did the first Afrikaans language and culture edit. Christian Vlotman and JP Andrew answered questions about youth culture. Vilia Reynolds gave me information about Ladismith. Andrew Brown was extremely generous with advice on legal, literary and police matters. Ladismith policewomen and -men kindly educated me about certain police procedures.
Carole Buggé (of New York’s Gotham Writers’ Workshop) gave me hope and a fantastic first edit. Christopher Hope gave me insightful feedback.
Sisi Nono Silimela embodies Tannie Maria’s do-the-right-thing spirit. Ditto Tannie Maria van der Berg, who also lent me her first name, is a brilliant cook and, along with her daughter Crecilda, advised me on matters from swear words to sheep. Danie Vorster of Merino SA taught me more on the latter subject. Ronel Gouws, Chris Erasmus, Pieter Jolly and Carl Wicht kindly answered questions on Afrikaans, literature, Bushmen and broken limbs (respectively). I am grateful to Vlok and Schutte-Vlok for their book Plants of the Klein Karoo (Umdaus Press, 2010).
If I were to sing all the praises of my agent, Isobel Dixon, I would sound like a mere sycophant, so let me just say in an understated way that she is a wonderwoman and a goddess. Louise Brice is pure angel, Melis Dagoglu moves mountains, and I am extremely grateful to the full murmuration of darlings at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, including Hattie Grunewald (who even lent me her first name) and Tom Witcomb.
I am blessed to have received wild enthusiasm and careful editing from a collection of brilliant publishers, editors and proofreaders, including Fourie Botha, Beth Lindop, Máire Fisher (Umuzi, South Africa); Louisa Joyner, Jamie Byng, Lorraine McCann (Canongate, UK); Dan Halpern, Megan Lynch (Ecco, HarperCollins USA); Iris Tupholme (HarperCollins Canada); Mandy Brett and Michael Heyward (Text, Australia). It has been an amazing collaborative experience, in which many cooks perfected rather than spoiled the broth (with thanks to expert kitchen management by the lovely Louisa).
My gratitude goes to the full teams of all the publishers of this book across the globe. Thank you for the most beautiful letters that some of you wrote to me. I keep them in my box of love letters and use them as medicine whenever I have a bad day.
Thanks to my gorgeous man, Bowen Boshier, who supports me through everything and teaches me how to see and how to be.
The love and support I have received from you all is like the fresh stream from which I drink daily in the Karoo.
I am inspired by and grateful to the following literary icons: Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, who sparked my love of cosy mysteries; master storyteller Herman Charles Bosman, who taught me that what you leave out of the story can be just as important as what you put in; the charming Alexander McCall Smith, who showed the world that a slow-moving, soft-boiled woman detective from southern Africa can outrun many a fast-paced, hard-boiled PI from North America.
Titles of songs heard in Jessie’s ringtones are with thanks to the following great musicians: ‘Girl On Fire’ by Alicia Keys; ‘My Black President’ by Brenda Fassie; ‘Light My Fire’ by The Doors; ‘I’m Your Man’ and ‘By The Rivers Dark’ by Leonard Cohen.
The Afrikaans folk song ‘’N Liedjie Van Verlange’ sung by Dirk and Anna is derived from the German folk song ‘Ich Weiss Nicht Was Mir Fehlet’. I made use of poetic licence with my own English translation of this ‘Song of Longing’. Much thanks to the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge and to Protea Boekhuis for kindly giving permission to use the Afrikaans version of this song, by Eitemal, in their FAK Sangbundel (Protea Boekhuis, 2011).
I am very grateful to the chefs, cooks and bakers who helped me perfect the recipe-related parts of this book.
Nikki Langer (of Eat Love Feast caterers) kindly read the whole book in its early draft, helped me to plot the food and provided me with numerous wonderful recipe ideas (many from Ina Paarman).
The magnificent baker and chef, Martin Mössmer, tested and adapted all the Tannie Maria recipes until each one of them was moan-out-loud- and-faint delicious. He provided the recipes for the tomato sambal, vetkoek, vetkoek mince, honey-toffee snake cake, koeksisters, chocolate mousse cake and buttermilk chocolate cake. The sublime melktert recipe is from his great-great-grandmother, Ouma Alie Visser.
The legendary Ina Paarman allowed me to use her fabulous recipes for cucumber sambal and bobotie topping, and was so kind as to meet with me and share her ideas.
I am inspired by my sister, Gabrielle Andrew, who makes the most delicious meals. The tender mutton curry is an adaptation of her recipe (with ideas added by Martin and me).
My parents, Bosky and Paul Andrew, are the best hosts on the planet and cook every meal with love, and each one is divine. I am indebted to my mother’s most-used cookbook, Cook with Ina Paarman (Struik, 1987), and my father’s mother’s cookbook, Mrs Slade’s South African Cookery Book (Central News Agency, 1951). I was also inspired by the classic Kook en Geniet by SJA de Villiers (self-published by the author, 1951).
The bobotie recipe is my father’s, inspired by Mrs Slade (with additional ideas from Ina Paarman and Martin Mössmer). The tamatiebredie is my creation, with adjustments by Martin Mössmer.
My thanks to Barrie Pringle for her Karoo farm bread recipe, to bread-baker Gavin Lawson, and to master baker Chris Johnston (of Main Street Café, Omaruru, Namibia) for great ideas (including the choc-banana), and to Laurian Roebert for her mother’s magnificent health-nut rusk recipe.
Dan Halpern, Hattie Grunewald, Laurian Roebert, Teresa Loots, Jenny Wheeldon, Lindy Truswell and Tova Luck are great cooks who tested out some of Tannie Maria’s recipes, and provided excellent feedback.
I was also influenced by ideas in Karoo Kitchen: Heritage Recipes and True Stories from the Heart of South Africa (Quivertree Publications, 2012) by Sydda Essop.
The recipes in my book are predominantly from the cooking tradition of Afrikaans-speaking people. However, they are enjoyed by a broad range of South Africans, and the sources of the recipes are very diverse. Despite apartheid’s best efforts, cultures (and their foods) are intricately interwoven, and ‘traditional South African’ recipes have many influences (including Malay, Indian, Dutch, French and Italian) in addition to their African origins.
In my opinion, all the Tannie Maria recipes are beyond delicious, but please note: any errors or flops are my responsibility and not to be blamed on any of the above-credited cooks.
There is no such thing as an original recipe. We learn from each other and we adjust. Something here, something there, a handful of this, a handful of that . . . from generation to generation.
– Karen du Preez cited in Karoo Kitchen
When you prepare a meal, you must do it with your heart.
– Carolyn Essop cited in Karoo Kitchen