While on a recent safari in South Africa I was not only impressed with the wildlife but also the food. In fact, I would say the upmarket dishes enjoyed in a casual al fresco setting is a major draw to going on safari.
Puff pastry stuffed with eggplant and feta and topped with chunky tomato
While breakfasts often featured dishes like muesli cakes topped with mint yogurt, egg sandwiches smeared with tangy mustard and melted cheese, and heaping bowls of granola with fresh fruit and yogurt, lunches allowed me to sample the most juicy sweet chili burgers and puff pastries stuffed with toasted eggplant and baked feta and gowned in a chunky tomato sauce.
Grilled hake served with home-made sweet slaw and crispy fries
In the evening, dinner began with canapes like golden fried potato wedges or chicken salad crostini around the fire before heading to the outdoor patio dining room for wine paired with a three-course meal. Some items I was able to try during my stay include hake fillet grilled to perfection and served with home-made sweet slaw and crispy fries; creamy mushroom risotto topped with Parmesan cheese; grilled lamb chops accompanied by roasted vegetables and risotto; and tender oxtail drenched in oxtail sauce and served with polenta and veggies.
Fresh fruit salad in a refreshing mint sauce
Of course, dinner always came with a sweet ending, perhaps a bread and taro pudding drizzled with chocolate sauce or a fresh fruit salad in a refreshing mint sauce.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
