Fine Dining at Stanford Hills

Let your children experience the joy of discovery, the inspiration of creative play and the opportunity for learning in a nurturing village setting in Stanford.

Small classes. Waldorf-inspired. A wholesome learning experience.

PLAYGROUP 2½-4 YEARS

KINDERGARTEN 4-6 YEARS info@littlerivercottageschool.co.za www.littlerivercottageschool.co.za

By: Andrew Herriot

The Stanford Hills Tasting room recently hosted more than 100 food lovers to taste and savour delectable samples of dishes from across the globe, served up by our very own Stanford expert chefs, all of whom prepared rather delicious products representative of nine countries plus one other, which shall be named Butterflyland (aka the Butterfly Centre).

There were mouth-watering soups from Thailand, scrumptious pizzas via the Tasting Room prototypical in variety from Italy, your emblematic Bitterballen from Holland and, if you had any space left, the divine cheese on potato could only be Swiss. Patrons were in constant negotiations with other tasters to exchange “food” cards for ones that attracted them to their favourite. The evening was blessed to have the Butterfly Centre kids singing their hearts out with their latest renditions from Tuesday Music Day: “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” so sang Boniface and Chloe and their cohorts.

The evening progressed with a quick trip to Morocco for chicken stew par excellence and not to be outdone by the best savoury spinach pie from Greece followed by the hot chilli stuff from Texas. The climactic moment came when the sensory evaluators, having negotiated their nine best courses, merged on Butterflyland to obtain generous helpings of Malva Pudding. This was an extraordinarily enjoyable evening where all the gourmet patrons were sufficiently satisfied. Huge thanks of course must be levelled at Jami of Stanford fame to bring together willing foodies (too many to be named) all of whom prepared the most divine samplers.

Normally an evening of this nature would lead to fundraising for our very own Butterfly Centre for all of our wonderful children. Not this time. The Board unanimously agreed that all funds raised would be contributed to St Thomas Anglican Church where extensive building developments are in progress. In total, R15 000 was donated to St Thomas from the Butterfly Centre. Just another classic example of who we are in Stanford, what we believe in and how we do things.

A massive thanks to the chefs, tasting room staff and to all those local tasters who were completely and pleasurably sated by evening’s end.