Everyone in the Southern Hemisphere is looking forward to celebrating Spring Day on 1 September, but the locals in Stellenbosch and surrounds are eagerly awaiting the first ever Slow Market Garlic Festival.
Are you a lover of the garlic? Then prepare yourself for mouth watering garlic oils and sauces, garlic artisan sausage, garlic boerewors, Italian garlic breads, and grilled garlic mushrooms. Why not be really daring and try the garlic ice-cream while you’re at it?!
Rest assured there will be plenty of fresh parsley around. The Slow Market celebrates all of nature’s organic produce so make sure you stock up on fresh garden veggies, nuts, seeds, spices, coffee beans, and the incredible selection of funki fungi. The Treasury Market will also be there, bringing you the perfect shopping boutique of local designer goods.
There are a few rules of Garlic Fest that you have to remember:
1. Bring Your Partner!
Don’t bother arming yourself with minty chewing gum – you are in this together. Like the guys in Survivor, you will have little choice but to grow immune to each other’s stench. The alternative is unthinkable…unless, of course, you are the one emanating garlic breath.
2. Cancel all of Monday’s important office meetings.
Sacrificing a significant career move because of bad breath is one thing. Having to avoid the festival altogether is even worse. Why put yourself in this position? Think ahead and be smart. Consider yourself warned!
3. There is no better way to celebrate spring.
Some people think Spring Day means you have to sit in a botanical garden surrounded by pretty indigenous flowers. This is a fable. Garlic is a plant too, so let’s not neglect it this Spring.
4. No excuse is good enough for not being there.
None.
5. This is a Slow Food market.
As opposed to ‘fast food’ which has been described as culinary pornography, ‘slow food’ has been sourced, grown, raised, harvested, caught, preserved and transformed by the producers themselves. Slow food is pleasure and responsibility playing together in every delicious bite!
The Slow Market Garlic Festival will be held on 1 September 2012, at the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, from 9am to 2pm. Entrance is free. Make a weekend of it and check out some of the awesome accommodation we have available in Stellenbosch and the surrounding areas. See you there!
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
