Celebrating Cape Town’s street food

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Tomato and tapenade tart

'Not what we have, but what we enjoy,' reads the back cover of Marlene van der Westhuizen's new book, Abundance: City Food from the Cape.

This quote, by poet/writer Jean Antoine Petit-Senn, is apt for this beautiful book, which speaks volumes about the way Van der Westhuizen experiences life and the food on her city streets.

Decadent bread and butter pudding

Backing her beautiful words, explanations and recipes are images by photographer Johan Wilke.

It's the kind of book you want to savour slowly as you page through, remembering the delicious tastes, sights and smells of the gorgeous Mother City.

Through the pages of the book, she invites us (the reader) to '... walk along the promenade in Sea Point and explore the narrow streets of De Waterkant and Bo-Kaap. We'll have tapas in Long Street or we'll wander through Woodstock and have a bowl of spaghetti in Observatory. We'll visit the market for a glass of champagne and a plateful of freshly shucked West Coast oysters ...'

Van der Westhuizen also invites the reader to sit down at her family table as she shares some favourite recipes, including leeks with walnut truffle oil, braised lamb shanks with roasted shallots, and rustic mushroom soup.

The desserts and sweet things are pure eye candy, while the carrot cake with creamy icing and berry trifle are pure soul food.

But don't take my word for it ... go out and buy the book and spread the love.

Abundance: City Food from the Cape is published by Pan MacMillan and is available at all good book stores.

Category: Food & Wine