Christmas in July

Winter holidays in South Africa has this year yielded scant cause for jollifications, as the country hunkers down to abide by Level 4 restrictions. But this should not deter you from planning some merriness – especially as July 25, celebrated as ‘Christmas in July’, draws near.

To avoid crowds and stay safe, these cheerful food, travel, and home-entertainment suggestions are sure to lift your spirits…

Mountains of snow

Several spots within South Africa are currently providing ample opportunity for snow junkies to get their fix. The quaint town of Clarence is a 300-kilometre drive from Joburg, with a variety of hikes, bike, and 4×4 trails traversing its alpine surrounds.

The village of Rhodes and Tiffindell Ski Resort, located in the Eastern Cape’s Southern Drakensberg region, are perfect destinations for prime powder action, too.

For Western Cape residents, the Matroosberg is located two hours from the Mother City and rated ‘most-reliable snow spot in the province’. It attracts several day trippers when the flakes start falling, but you’ll share these mountains in the safe outdoors.

Follow that star

If you’re dead-set on emulating the sub-zero climes that characterise Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere, why not combine it with a stargazing experience to celebrate Christmas in July?

Not only is Sutherland the coldest town in South Africa (its lowest recorded temperature being -16.4°C/2.5 °F), but it is also regarded as one of the world’s prime stargazing destinations.

Falling within the Northern Cape’s Namakwa District, it houses the SA Astronomical Observatory. Africa’s giant eye on the universe, the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is located at the observatory and rates among the largest telescopes in the world. Various day and night tours are offered by knowledgeable local guides. During July, these excursions take place from 6-8pm.

Chef Murray’s merry recipes

Pastry chef par excellence and finalist on DStv’s Koekedoor, Murray Pienaar is based on the Garden Route but cooks wherever his clients require his services. He recommends a Christmas in July feast of springbok pie and coconut rice pudding.

Murray says: ‘Game meat imparts a truly South African flavour to this hearty main course that will lend class and taste to your festive table, while the zest and sweet goodness of the rice pud perfectly complements any Christmas-in-July menu.’

Here’s how you can make them yourself:

Springbok Pie

Ingredients

• 1kg Springbok meat cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 tin evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 5ml mixed spice
• 500ml beef stock
• 2ml ground cloves
• 3ml ground cinnamon
• 5ml ground coriander
• 5ml smoked paprika
• 1 can (400g) whole peeled tomatoes
• 250ml dry red wine
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 250g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• 400g roll of puff pastry
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Marinade meat overnight in evaporated milk.
2. Heat oil in large pot, brown meat in small batches and keep aside.
3. Fry onions for five minutes until cooked, but not yet browned. Add garlic and fry for another two minutes. Add spices and stir well.
4. Add meat, tomatoes, red wine, and stock and simmer for 60 minutes on low heat stirring every 10 minutes. Add water if moisture evaporates too quickly.
5. Add carrots, mushrooms and spinach and simmer for another 10 minutes. Allow stew to cool down to room temperature.
6. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease 24cm spring-form pan.
7. Roll pastry out on floured surface. Cut a pastry circle the size of pan to cover pie. Use rest of pastry to line pan on bottom and sides.
8. Carefully spoon stew from pot onto pastry and even out. Put pastry circle on top and press top pastry tightly into side pastry, ensuring it sticks and seals.
9. Cut a small hole in pastry for steam to escape while baking. Brush top of pie with egg and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Coconut Rice Pudding with Caramelised Sugar

Ingredients

• 1 can (13.6 fluid oz.) full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup long grain basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ½ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup dried coconut flakes

Instructions

• Mix coconut milk, water, orange juice, vanilla extract, salt, and rice in medium-sized pot. Bring to boil and reduce to low simmer. Cover pot but leave lid slightly ajar to let steam escape.
• Simmer rice for 30 minutes, or until most of liquid has absorbed. Stir in maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, and zest. Continue cooking until rice is creamy and soft.
• Spoon rice mixture evenly into oven-proof dish. Sprinkle with caster sugar and grill for 10-15 minutes, until sugar has caramelised.
• Toast coconut until slightly browned. Sprinkle onto warm caramel as soon as it exits oven.

Marvellous Christmas movies

If you’re a keen couch surfer, there’s big selection of Yuletide entertainment to choose from on Netflix, including The Christmas Chronicles 2, Christmas Land, A Christmas Prince, Holiday Rush, classics like The Holiday and, if you’re up for a laugh, Jack Whitehall’s Christmas with my Father.

Finally, if a full-length film is too much of an ask; consider adding a Christmas-themed tune list to your Spotify account – free for the first 30 days, then R59.99 per month, see spotify.com.