Any foodie worth his/her salt will be well aware of the multi-award winning “Best Country Kitchen” in South Africa, Mariana’s – the jewel in Stanford’s crown. Stanford, for the less-informed, is 15 minutes after Hermanus. On the river.

My family are close friends with owners, Mariana and Peter. My dad gets special pies which aren’t on the menu when we’re at Mariana’s. And when they come round to my folks’ place, you can only imagine (as an accomplished cook herself) the performance my mother throws in the kitchen. It’s quite ridiculous, with much wine and invention. But given our (the boys) fortunate position of being at the receiving end of the production line, we let them maa’ carry on.

Getting more to the point, I’m quite used to these high levels of real cooking (every single thing cooked from scratch), and must be forgiven for not telling you about this earlier. You see, I ran out of my last jar of atchar Mariana gave me, and I haven’t had it for a few MONTHS. But just last week a brand new jar was dropped off for me at the Cape Royale hotel. I took it back to the Safe House and opened it for the first time today.

Oh my good Lord…

I don’t know if I’m even allowed to be telling you about this. For all I know Mariana just makes it for me and my mum. And if that is the case, then I apologise for making you excited. But if she does sell it, I strongly advise you prioritise your shit and get your hands on it with the greatest of urgency.

It goes with anything. Take for example the sandwich in the above photograph. Notice how the atchar has transformed your basic cheese sandwich, into a gastronomical orgasm.

You have never known an atchar like this. When you eat it, it feels like you’re doing something illegal.

When I eat is, I EXPECT to get arrested.

You need to get some of this stuff.

Even if you don’t like atchar, I bet you R1 000 you will love it.

That’s if they sell it.

I doubt they do.

And you certainly shouldn’t expect it to be dropped off at your front door, either.

[mariana’s]