32
2
Chef @eytanseeligsohn ‘s magical hands, preparing an Olive Recipe for the @olivebranchdeli. The smells from the smoked Sichuan like toasted lemon peel. The sweet nose of roasted Nori sheets. The pestle and mortar of roasted hemp seeds like buttered popcorn perfuming the air with nostalgia. It’s elegance and refinement crushed with great heart. #chef #video #food #lighting
23
1
One must let the day be a good day. Thank you Lord.
107
28
Everyday somebody will walk into the shop and ask, “Where’s your mom?” And we just shake our heads and shrug our shoulders. We’re never quite sure. For this reason I call my mom the Unicorn. She’s magical, constantly in demand and always about somewhere- but it’s mostly unknown to us mere mortals. She doesn’t like to be photographed. It doesn’t matter. All I know is that my mom is always, always there when we need her most and least. There wasn’t a single moment where she wouldn’t sacrifice herself for us and show great happiness to do so. She never once took for granted or rolled her eyes at having to spend time with us growing up. But instead, emphasized how much she loved spending time with just us. It often felt like we were camping together, like we could get through anything together with God. When we were in the wrong, she wouldn’t call us idiots outright, she’d take the time to bring out the best in us through her words of understanding in response. My mom takes people under her wing like adopted children. And with all her heart, she calls them her other sons and daughters. I don’t mind sharing her though. She has repeatedly exemplified how the more love you give, the more love you have in you. She is our light. I know she is the best mom in the world (and I don’t like competition or putting other mom’s down, I know there are great moms in the world too). I wouldn’t know God’s love if it wasn’t for my mother though; I wouldn’t be able to comprehend it or understand the blossoming that occurs from sacrifice. How anyone could still love another human despite them not deserving it in the moment. I can’t believe we got so blessed to have her as a mother and best friend. Always glamorous, always a healer, always so talented, always so brilliant, and beautiful, and creative, and just - my entire heart, mom, is just a small brunch of yours. I don’t know how many Kilometers you’ve done in your car for us, all I know is that you gone more than the extra mile to be with us. And we’re so grateful to you for everything, everyday. I’m so happy other people get to experience your love. It wouldn’t be right to hog the treasure of abundance that is you. Happy Birthday!
89
8
When I was done playing with my toys as a child, they’d go straight back in their respective boxes. Aligned perfectly in their allocated slots within their pristine packaging. If it was a toy that looked like a human, care and consideration would be spent to make sure they were comfortable within their box confines. Their arms placed in a relaxed fashion. A miniature blanket cast over their cold legs. The teddy bears would be placed upright from their upside down position. They each would have air space to “breath” if they were to piled on top of each other. Basically, everything had a specific placing that when adjusted for would click in my head and everything would be calm. When I see boxes piled on top of each other with their goodies not quite yet in their proper slots on the shelf...well I go a bit mad. It’s funny how the quirks of children can manifest into future talents such as fitting as my dad likes to say, “Pick ‘N Pay in a tiny space”. Taking into consideration how a customer would reach for something and/or see a product better. While this may be my nightmare, I’m sure this is most parent’s nightmare for a different reason. But hey, it’s the time of year when Sugar is no longer Fugitive Number Uno. The Candy Wall of America/Europe/South Africa, ready to be demolished by people everywhere. Available at @olivebranchdeli, all the candy you grew up watching on TV but never actually getting to taste. Until now. #candy #southafrica #sweets #deli #presents
81
9
Finding its right home on the shelf. Every knife’s right of passage. This is the Shun Premier Knife. So sharp that when a hair follicle makes eye contact with it, it bows ready to decapitated. Happy Saturday everyone. #knife #Japanese #Shun #food #reveal #deli
51
5
Take 2: It’s unbelievably gorgeous. #Kai #Shun #Japanese #reveal #video #chef #specialedition #deli #capetown
27
3
Have you ever tried to open a double wrapped Japanese knife whilst holding a camera? The excited nails trying to get a grip. The smooth pull that gets sidetracked to a loop and then a halt. The eager search for new “footholds” to scale one’s nails into. The pulling and pulling. The unwrapping to find another teasing, translucent wrapping underneath. The pair of trusty scissors like the second guard being sent in to tear down the new wall. The slip. The snip. The pulling again, and then alas- the one hand meets a new nemesis. The tight, black paper label, the flag to be captured in order to declare victory of ownership. Difficult to slip off. Let’s try again. Ring by the charming, unbelievably talented @philippagreenjewellery. #knife #food #deli #Shun #Japaneseknife
22
0
In film school they call it Mise en abyme, “into the abyss”, when referring to a copy of a picture within the picture. For us, every Saturday we receive a lonely square box left behind for us. We don’t know what it will be inside each week, so every Saturday feels like Christmas morning. It’s already a gift. Imagine our surprise when we opened it.
81
4
Is it just me or the chocolate bar melting over this artwork of food? @honestchocolate Limited Edition Chocolate Bars available at @olivebranchdeli. With the indigenous botanical of Buchu floralizing (Shakespeare also made up words) the dark chocolate essence of the bar. #art #painting #chocolate #limitededition #food #southafrica #travel #caprtwon #deli #HonestChocolate
45
3
Some feelings in life are royal. The crinkle crackle of Christmas golden tinfoiled chocolate being slowly unearthed from its tight origami. The soil of the rich, dark chocolate boasting a garden of eden of stray Buchu leaves - like the footprints of a strong wind. All leading to an adventure you didn’t expect to take. I always appreciate a chocolate that plays a movie on your palate. Taking you on a journey from where the cacao fruit grew in the womb (Tanzania) to the country in which the actual chocolate bar was birthed in (South Africa). This is the beautiful @honestchocolate Buchu and Pineapple Dark Chocolate Bar Experience available at @olivebranchdeli. #pineapple #buchu #southafrica #gold #chocolate #darkchocolate #vid #reveal #light #food #film #movie
65
0
People keep telling us we’re an Aladdin’s Pantry. And I have no idea why. I’m just polishing this genie-looking lamp. Anyways, we have these beautiful sets of Fousti and Olive Oil Fountain Pourer available at @olivebranchdeli. #aladdin #food #deli #capetown #oluvebranchdeli #beauty #interior #home #house
57
0
Remember those old product commercials? Where they’d show you how useless your old version of a cleaner was by having someone drag it limply across the ground (un-plugged in)? And then shake their head in confusion as to why it’s so stupid and doesn’t work? I loved those adverts. Please feel free to droop your old, outdated vegetable peeler across your produce. But if ever you want, we have these amazing brushes that scrub the rough skin off the veggies. Made in South Africa.
23
2
What is this? Imagine there’s a hidden pianist somewhere in the corner just playing to himself and his past. There’s a certain buzz in the air from the honey glow lights above. There a scent in the air of thousands of spices, roasted chocolates & caramel coffee bags. The pianist is gliding his fingers along the keys like a sail boat on quiet waters. That mystical melody resounding from a balance between pace and key. There on the table sits a stand. A tall one, an antique general store one. And lined on some white sheet sits these rings. If you eat enough of them, it would probably fit your finger perfectly.
87
2
Available at @olivebranchdeli is @evoosouthafrica free Guide To Extra Virgin Olive Oil in South Africa. It’s concise and informative. With lots of pictures! But mostly, after flipping through it, it’s just really nice to see all our friends represented. Hopefully farmers whom you’ve met along the way too! #oliveoil #food #deli #capetown #southafrica #travel #olives
169
6
Hands down one of the best meals we’ve ever consumed. Rumo Linguine buttered with Hemelrand Lemon Infused Olive Oil with a sauce of Black Pepper Corns, a Ladle of Pasta Water, Seasoned Cream, Brandy and thinly sliced Autumn Black Truffles. With a woodshaving’s worth of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Surrounded by tear drops of this-is-so-good mom’s homemade parsley pesto. Everything except the brandy available at @olivebranchdeli. #rumopasta #pasta #linguine #food #deli #truffles #blacktruffles #flowers #presentation #chef
89
5
This is a Tonka Bean. Think of it like a Willy Wonka Bean. It mysteriously rhymes its flavour tract with vanilla and caramel, almond extract. Chocolate, Panna Cotta, Custard, Perfumes...Cocktail, Macaron, Bread & French stews. With a tonka bean, all this you can impressively do. Grate its fame against a microplane! There’s a tiny bit of a bitter bite, but otherwise the flavour will step out, real lady-like. And oh the fragrance! These train runs of spicy, vanilla cherry & almond aromas - all tempters into merry food comas. A little warning to heeded, they can be toxic if over eaten. But that’s just the Wonka in Tonka! Available at @olivebranchdeli. #tonkabeans #baking #pannacotta #dessert #bread #capetown #deli #vegan #vegetarian #glutenfree #chef #travel
49
3
Mini Copper Cocktail Straws - cool for fancy sipping outlaws. Or for little ones to sip from in their mini cups, not too quickly though or they’ll be hiccups. Hygienic genius that is copper, perfect for those crawling toddlers. Like short rolls of shiny light, they wind chime to all one’s heart delight. Available at @olivebranchdeli! #packagingfree #plasticfree #copperstraws #gift #copper #deli #capetown #southafrica
100
8
Oh so that’s what a truffle looks like. Someone once told me you could put a truffle in a carton of eggs and the truffle will infuse its fragrance through the shell into the yolk and whites. Black Truffles available at @olivebranchdeli. #truffles #food #deli #capetown
48
0
This is a short story.
87
5
Do I even need to say what these two are and how heavenly it is when you pair them together? #glutenfree
115
3
The ‘Controversial’ Hawaiian Pizza Macs with a pineapple buttercream and jam heart by @bythewhisk available at @olivebranchdeli. #glutenfree #macaron #almonds #pizza
71
8
Japanese Higonokami Pocket Knives. It’s mind blowing to fathom how one can hold something from far away that another person has held in their hand as they intensely worked upon it for hours. Their concentration sparking with their tools. It’s like holding their hand. Their talents. Their years of experience and preciseness. All of it now neatly fitting in your palm. Hopefully rubbing off their skills upon you. And the fact that these are forged with the integrity of the past adds to the image- the present holding tightly onto the past’s hand like a child with its loving and knowing parent. The smiths harness the original materials in the old manner in which they were first introduced over a century ago. A barber-like blade blossoms from the metal bases of either Original Brass, Silver-Plate, or Black Oxide. What I’ve come to learn is that one gravitates towards authenticity. And I am completely enveloped by their presence. A pocket knife for me reminds me of my dad. It’s a thick piece of cheddar cheese being cut on a fishless fishing trip. It’s the pine mushroom ethically cut at the base on a foraging mission. It’s the Biltong being thinly sliced just until the bottom so that it fans out in easy to break of slices. A pocket-knife is symbol of provision; of sharing with others, but also a way to teach others about elegantly taking from nature. Available at @olivebranchdeli from my favorite Botha.
66
0
It’s the Grinch who stole all the Peach Macarons.
98
4
A very accurate portraiture of my brother and me. Can’t wait to get these for Christmas.
77
2
Last week Saturday’s Macarons from @bythewhisk. In film school, we studied ‘El Espíritu de la Colmena’ (The Spirit of the Beehive). Where a movie about Frankenstein’s monster impacts a little girl to the point where she seeks him out in the real world. Despite the movie’s “monster” dropping a similar little girl in a river where she drowned. And him being hunted down but the village folk in revenge. Regardless, in the real world she pursues an escaped convict and tries to befriend him. Confusing, right? I’ll admit, the characters come off as a bit odd initially. I wrote a paper on the trouble of understanding a foreign language film within the confines of the English language. And what I found was beautiful: In Spanish, you don’t say that you dropped something. You phrase it as, ‘the thing fell from you’. As in, Frankenstein’s monster didn’t drop the little girl, the little one accidentally fell from him. There embedded in the language is this deep compassion towards people. Linguists call it the Sapir-Whorf theory. That language can be a guide to your reality, structuring your thoughts and the way you make sense of the world. Learning someone else’s foreign language can thus transform your perceptions of that person from odd or simple to something that attempts to encapsulate their beautiful complexities. From the perception of monster to the genius and heart behind Dr. Frankenstein creation of a friend. #macarons #art #frankensteinmonster #frankenstein #art #language #writing #elespiritudelacolmena #Spanish #food #deli #glutenfree
84
3
The first doughnut. Soft and subtle, its youth puffs the fluffiness of clouds that waft you back to childhood days of barely seeing over the counter of tiny corner doughnuts shops. The smell of oil mixed with vanilla icing, decorating the air with anticipation. Lips unable to speak to stranger, but finger already confidently pointing. Small outreached hands cupping the serviette that cradled the often still warm doughnut. Every time like a first kiss. There is no saving it for later, there is only now. Miniature life coaches that teach you to live in the moment. Childhood is great. But being an adult and controlling when you can get a doughnut is flippen fantastic. Crimson nails to outfit the jelly jam oozing Centre. Florals and magic. #food #deli #doughnut #jelly #jellyjam #travel #southafrica #capetown #rednails #fashion
118
4
These are my children. My Sour Patch Kids. Available at @olivebranchdeli. #sourpatch #sweets #candy #deli #capetown #food #colourful
75
2
Look closer. Earlier today, I said under my breath, “No one’s bought one of these yet...” Immediately after, a kind looking gentleman asked me how much they were. And then proceeded to ask for 3. “They’re for my sister. She loves Macarons!” “Aww, that’s very sweet of you!! Does she like spiders?” A cheeky grin spreads. “No.” #macaron #dessert #drawing #spider #art #food #deli #capetown
138
5
Your heart palpates. Its pre-exercise to prepare your body. You pull the doughnut up from the protective brown bag. Its crown of cream filling poking out from the top, ordaining your fingers. You save that for later. You give it a cheeky squeeze. Embrace its love handles of sponginess. And take a bite. It’s always the biggest bite as if a memory of a hungry seagull lurks, swooping in your suppressed memory to take away your joy. It can’t. The Custard smells like it’s still brewing in a warm copper pan. The sugars blossom in the cream. You look around, unsure as to why the world isn’t aware of how good this doughnut is today. The crumbly sugar coats your bottom lip like the glitter of a good night out. You save that for later too. It’s the goodbye kiss. #doughnut #friday @thatdoughnutguyct #capetown #food #dessert #sourdough
53
5
I know a kid who’s gonna be stoked that we have these. I also know a parent who’s not gonna be so stroked that we have these. Candy Galore just arrived. #warheads #jelly #sweets #candy #sour #sourtwists #deli #travel #southafrica #capetown
107
6
Baharat: A spice blend represents a blend of cultures too. It’s a trail across sand and soil. An arranged marriage of flavours to facilitate peace between kingdoms. Baharat is the Middle Eastern version of Masala. Also known as Lebanese 7 Spice. It differs from country to country. In North African ones, they add crushed rose petals. In other places they add the gold of turmeric. This quilt of spices patch-worked together: Cinnamon, Cumin, Cardamon, Cloves, Coriander Seeds, Nutmeg, Smoked Sweet Paprika, and Black Pepper. Their spirit released from the Shakespearean thumping of a Pestle and Mortar. The smell is mystical. Like each exotic aroma has read Pride and Prejudice. All waiting to take you by the hand and dance with you. You spiral in deeper and deeper. From gentle small talk of the nutmeg to the deeper kind, as you find yourself having a long conversation with base notes of Cinnamon and Cardamon. A dashing, tall, dark and handsome Black Pepper pets your nose. It’s well composed. To be rubbed on life. Baharat Available at @olivebranchdeli. #baharat #Lebanese #food #meal #spice #travel #capetown #healthy #masala #colourful #vegan #vegetarian #chef
106
5
I grew up with a family who lived for a while in a house that used to be an old age home. And every time we went over, the mom (who’s like my “Theia”- aunty) would take great delight in telling us how there were spirits in the house. They made mushrooms grow on the walls. And black mold. And in the lounge, there was this window-sized square on one of the walls, which was plastered over. Layers of paint, implying hidden narratives. In there, we were told as impressionable young children that there was a severed head. And that the plastered wall window would bleed if we misbehaved. I loved going over. Then as the night side-bumped the day away in a fascist fashion, a nude granny’s stocking would be pulled from a drawer and slid over my aunt’s head in another room. Features distorted and demented by the constricting tights. We would be in the kitchen enjoying a wholesome meal of spaghetti souped in red Old Gold Tomato Sauce. And my masked aunt would jump into the room with a screech, skinny scarecrow arms branching out into the space. And in good character form, she’d ruthlessly chased us around. I remember screaming and laughing, screaming and laughing. Especially laughing when she was chasing the other kids. And especially screaming when she narrowed me in her vision. Hiding under bar stools until my bladder wanted to mark the territory of the floor. And then having the masked face invade my hiding spot with a sudden jolt. It was painfully scary until it ended, but endlessly hilarious in retrospect. It’s such an odd thing to have two contrasting feelings rumble your tummy. Laughter and Fear simultaneously rough housing within you. It’s like mixing alcohols or eating fish and meat in the same meal. You probably shouldn’t do those ones though. But ever since then, I can endure scary movies with chuckles whilst everyone else has to leave the room. (Now I just don’t watch them because I don’t want to have a negative/skewed view of the world.) But here’s the thing: Take that of which is scary to you, create a fun memory around it, and you’ll live a more brave life. One where you laugh down a path where others fear to tread. @bythewhisk Ghost Macs!
109
6
There are two things in our deli that I dare you or anyone to buy. The first one is the Japanese @tadafusa_hocho_kobo Soba Noodle Knife, almost as wide as an A4 book. And the second is the Wakamomo: the Baby Mountain Peaches from Japan in Syrup. If you hashtag #wakamomo, you’ll see what an incredible ingredient this preserve can be for your culinary adventures. Sliced into petals or even in half, Wakamomo can be incorporated into ice-cream, sorbet, parfaits, cakes, jellies and even cocktails. They resemble green olives - a flavour surprise awaiting for those who wants a new take on an Olive Martini. And imagine cutting into a pastry and having an emerald jewel fruit sparkle at you from inside. Dominique Ansel, one of the best pastry chefs in the world and the person who invented the Cronut, inspired a new desert with it called the PopFleur (the push-pop that creates a rose effect when you pop up its contents). It’s filled with a whipped Wakamomo Yoghurt Creation. The flavour: Muscat, Grapes, Plum and Peaches all hiding under the sour green colour facade. Health-Wise: They contain a waxy lipid called ceramide, which helps maintain your skin’s moisture. And it’s used in Chinese Medicene. It called either Bi Tao Gan or Yin Tao Gan, and is used to treat night sweats, pain and to stop bleeding. #health #domiqueansel #popfleur #wakamomo #southafrica #japan #chinese #peaches #dessert #cocktail #creation #chef #travel #deli #capetown #Tadafusa
67
4
Hay fever: In grade 1 or 2, I remember if someone sneezed twice in a row, you had to outdo them with a brag about how you could sneeze 3 times in a row. And then they suddenly “remembered” their profound ability to actually sneeze 4 times in a row. And then you yourself suddenly recalled how you could “in reality” sneeze 6 times consecutively. And so on and so on until it dawned on me we were competing to see who was the most defective at breathing. It is a thing, isn’t it? To compete for the inadequacies crown. But hay fever is different, hay fever’erers are different. They can sneeze 12 times in a row. Thus, they deserve respect and compassion. If you or anyone suffers from Hay fever, there’s a super pungent tea blend that will knock your socks off, put them in the washing machine, dry them and then neatly fold them back into your drawer. Putting your life back in order. Chamomile, Ginger, Green Tea, Peppermint and Honey. Chamomile and Ginger help relive fever symptoms. While the Green Tea green lights a natural anti-histamine effect and builds up your immune system. And peppermint tea Moses’ your nasal and sinus congestion like the Red Sea. Highly recommended grating the ginger with a zester, you’ll get the biggest punch out of their juices then. And the honey is there to make everything better. #hayfever #tea #remedy #homemade #chamomile #ginger #deli #capetown #alternative #healthy #health #antique #food #fitness
81
8
And so the knife collection grows... Japanese style Utility Knives, angled for Bar Tendering. As well as various Chef Knives. And a Carving Set. Made in Cape Town by the iron giant Jerald Blaber and available at @olivebranchdeli. #knives #capetown #deli #food #chef #art #wood #Japanese #travel #utility
105
3
Bum. #surprise #reveal #video #food #deli #capetown #travel #food #dessert #coconut #lime #buttercream #summer #fitness #glutenfree
31
2
Oh so that’s how you get a Summer’s Body by eating one. Implanted with a silicone of Coconut and Lime Buttercream, with a suntan of Carmel Centre. By the best plastic surgeon of pastry in Cape Town, @bythewhisk. Available at @olivebranchdeli. #surprise #reveal #video #food #deli #capetown #travel #food #dessert #coconut #lime #buttercream #summer #fitness #glutenfree
78
0
D-day.
92
5
Royal Chocolate Brownies.. bronzed like the armour of a Spartan Warrior, ready to defeat your thought enemies. @thankgoodnessfoods Dark Chocolate, Spekboom and Cardamon Brownies made with Pecan and Almond Flour, sweetened with Coconut Blossom Nectar. #refnedsugarfree #chocolate #darkchocolate #brownie #food #dessert #dessert #glutenfree #vegetarian
82
0
Good morning from Sandwich Land. #sandwich #food #deli #meal #lunch #capetown #travel #lights #stars
99
3
There’s no time for pretty. Only rough cuts. Sometimes we try something so good that we instantly have to share it. I guess that’s why Instagram was invented. Tightly wrapped like a present in maroon wax, a satisfying feeling occurs when you slice through and can perfectly unpeel it from its casing. Then it’s a game of flavour courting. The first flirt is slightly mature from the conservative yet seductive glossy red lipstick of wax. The second date is more smooth, as its creaminess relaxes. And the third date is when you find out she smokes a light cigarette, but only socially so it’s culturally acceptable. It’s the epitome of refinement. And available at @olivebranchdeli. #cheese #cheeseboard #spoon #food #deli #travel #capetown
69
3
The Persian Macaron by @bythewhisk. A tale of golden threads of saffron spun with orange into a sunny Buttercream of Middle Eastern charm. And it’s not just any saffron, it’s literally the best saffron from @soltansaffron. #saffron #macaron #art #persianfood #Persian #sun #sunrise #sunset #food #deli #glutenfree
89
3
Good afternoon and have a Glorious Day! #doughnuts #sourdough #chef #pastry #food #deli #dessert #travel #capetown
90
3
Honey fountain dripping down into our decanting pot of gold. @urban_delicious ready to be poured into your honey jars. Available at @olivebranchdeli. “I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh, “There, there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.” “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” #pooh #honey #video #food #deli #travel #capetown #zerowaste #packagingfree
79
10
Every Monday and Thursday, @thankgoodnessfoods delivers such incredible baked goods that they have ruined me for other sugary desserts. I pull out the trusty ruler, get into the zone and then mark off the appropriate measurements. The end result is hopefully fairly similar in size Chocolate rectangles (mostly because baked tray goods never have perfect corners). But sure enough, someone of logic will come along and frown at the method. “A ruler hey? Surely there’s an easier way of doing that? Why don’t you do xyz and it’ll be quicker.” I remember learning in Anthropology how time saving things just end up freeing up more time so that you can fill it with more work. And then some more work. And then you sort of loose the plot in the stress of it all. But here’s the thing. I’d rather be slow and take the deepest pleasure in doing something, than to be quick and heartless. I mean how many people get the honour of slicing Freshly baked brownies and Millionaire Shortbreads every week? How many people get to use a ruler for complete fun and deliciousness? To glide the knife across the markings. To hear the crisp sound of cold chocolate breaking under the weight of the blade. Melting the knife through the soft, salted Date Caramel. And then listening for the triumphant and satisfying sound of an oat crumble crunching as you break through to the bottom. Well I get to! And it’s really a joy rather than just a task to perform. #glutenfree #brownies #millionaireshortbread #sugarfree #dates #knife #vegan #vegetarian #travel #capetown #deli #anthropology
50
1
Heritage Macarons with a Buttercream brewed with Rooibos from the mad stippling skills of @bythewhisk. Available at @olivebranchdeli. When your family drifts from somewhere else, you become something of a floating raft. As your birth country differs to theirs, a testing tide currents you into learning navigation between two worlds. To guide your parents into acclimation, one must have their feet wet in both seas at a young age. And to know the stars in many languages. You may have roots in that somewhere else place, but there’s an alien grafted onto the stem. A Protea for a Heart and Dried Oregano for feet. So you never feel like you’re fully accepted. The impression of slight difference is a longstanding wall graffitied with the notion that there’s something odd about you. And this happens on both sides so you end up feeling like Cremora: you’re not inside, you’re sitting on top. Your heart with a bed of bricks to lie on instead of a mattress to rest peacefully on. At least that’s what I used to focus on. There’s this beautiful line about how our our pain should be seen as an ally to others. Thus a deep sense of disconnection should be experienced for a purpose. If you feel like you don’t belong, take to the time to make others feel accepted. Take the story thread of your heritage and, instead of hoarding the yarn, use it to stitch together differences into a new identity. #art #macaron #southafrica #travel #capetown #food #dessert #painting #drawing #arttechnique #glutenfree #vegetarian
31
0
Mom’s love.
91
3
Whenever a person gifts my mom a plant she names it after them. Which sometimes becomes alarming when she says someone something is dying. The plant that is. So meet Helen, Kirsten and Stefan. Thank you guys. Somehow all our friends matched each other with their flowers into a beautiful bouquet. #bouquets #flowers #deli #travel #capetown #protea
88
9
Forgive me for being naughty, But does this count as a wet dream? Black Vietnamese Coffee naturally Chocolatey poured over the last Chocolate Sourdough Doughnut from @thatdoughnutguyct at the @olivebranchdeli. #slowmo #coffee #vietnamesecoffee #doughnut #donut #sourdough #food #deli #travel #video #reveal #fountain #chocolatefountain
98
2
Today, we received an unexpected new bread delivery. Shaped in my mind as an Olive Branch. And comprised of easy to break off Mini Baguettes. Their crisped shell hiding a soft center that practically screams, “Soup me!!”. I thought I’d display them to Paul Hollywood, considering how he’s always showing off/taunting his Cinnabons to me every day. The breaking of bread and the olive branch is a beautiful symbol of peace. It’s a funny, unexpected blessing. So here’s a literal Olive Branch Baguette. #bread #olivebranch #food #deli #capetown #baking #PaulHollyood #capetown #beautiful #art #light
146
5
Seems like cockily speaking about the Jaws movie the other day has come back to bite me. #Shark #Macaron #Art #Drawing #Painting #chef #pastry #joy #happy #deli #travel #capetown #southafrica #saturday
165
6
Repeat once more with me: Sourdough. Sourdough. Sourdough. Doughnuts.
72
2
Sourdough. Sourdough. Sourdough.... Melktart, Coffee Cream, Custard, Chocolate Mouse... #sourdough #doughnuts #donuts #food #deli #pastry #capetown #vegetarian
53
4
Sourdough. Sourdough. Sourdough. Jam. #sourdough #doughnuts #donuts #food #deli #pastry #capetown
98
5
Oh boy (1). Just keep telling yourself. Sourdough. Sourdough. Sourdough. Vegan Expresso Glaze, Royal Vanilla Ice and Cinnamon and Sugar rings. #sourdough #doughnuts #donuts #food #deli #pastry #capetown #vegan #vegetarian
102
7
Circle(s) of life. #sourdough #vegan #donut #doughnut #deli #travel
184
16
When we clean the deli, we move everything off the counter to a new spot. Including this vase of flowers. In retail, things placed at eye-level & or above are said to be perceived by the customer as more valuable than that of which situated below. But I was thinking how no matter where we place flowers, whether it be on the tallest of shop cabinets or on the floor, their value of beauty seems regardless of their position. People are still drawn towards them. And when they’re placed up high, they look cool & all. But you can’t really see its full bouquet unless you were blessed with great height opportunities. But when they’re closer to the ground, everyone gets to the chance to see their remarkable & natural glory in detail. Light finds a way to pour onto them. And it made me think how no matter what position you’re placed in, highest or lowest, you can remain equally beautiful in the glow of the holy. How there’s value in remaining down to earth. After all, the most fragrant of flowers grow best from the dirt. And how you are never less for serving others at a ground level. More people meet you & get to experience your grace. I read about a man who pulled out a $20 note and asked who would like it. He then crumpled up the note & asked if anyone still wanted it. People still did. Then he queried, “But what if I did this?” And he dropped it to the ground and stomped on it with his shoe. He picked it up, crumpled and now dirty. And he asked again if anyone still wanted it? Yet again, people put up their hands for it! He concluded this: “No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special - don't ever forget it.
111
5
To new beginnings :) Happy Birthday Macs from @bythewhisk. Birthdays in school meant someone bringing to class a packet of cupcakes with some sprinkles on them. All from the famous busy parents baker- the supermarket. But not when you’re a Greek child. No, you will not bring a Bundt cake or a “broonie” (brownie) that will signify that you are one of the others. No, Greek children will come to school with an old cookie tin or tupperware filled with home-lovingly-made Kourabethes for birthdays. These are crescent moon shaped cookies covered in a co*caine of icing sugar. My mom would make them with Ouzo. And I’d show up to my accounting class with an extra tin for my teacher. In all honesty, and in retrospect, it did feel a bit suspect. A bit like a deal was going down. Because something magical would happen. The bullying boy who normally threw things at me would instead throw a smile my way before asking for another. My mom would get VIP treatment from the teacher such as with front row seats to school fashion shows. And I’d get really good grades, probably from the special attention I received. I don’t know exactly what my mom put in those kourabethes. Whether it was the Ouzo infusion to underage children or the overdose worth of icing sugar. But it was most likely the fact that she prayed over them and God blessed them. Because they always split the Red Sea for me and allowed me to get through school. Thank you mom. #macaron #saturdays #Up #food #art #balloons #drawing
87
4
Ahh Friday evenings were spent being ambidextrous of mind: doing textbook math examples while watching TV, and pretending like I wasn’t watching TV every time that my mom checked up on me. I can look busy in a blink of an eye. I can do maths in many, many blinks and a calculator. The things is: Gossip Girl Friday’s were essential. Not because I resonated at all with the characters, but because they’d form my entire social vocabulary for the Monday following. An exciting life beyond books was beyond me. I was literally fluent in Textbook- memorizing 100s of pages by word. So TV was something to talk about that was frivolously engaging and most importantly, cool to parrot. And Gossip Girl was certainly something scandalous enough to seem interesting if spoken about at school. Or interesting adjacent? So in nostalgic honour of such a show, here’s a cringe flashback for you all: “Gossip Girl here! Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of the Manhattan elite... Where has she been, Serena? And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell. You know you love me. xoxo… Gossip Girl” Available at the @olivebranchdeli,Ed-Weswick Dark Chocolate & Penn-Badgley Hazelnut Ganache Macarons by the Serena-Van-Der-Woodsen of Macarons @bythewhisk. #GossipGirl #macaron #deli #capetown
82
0
When your father wants you to eat more fruits for energy so you make sure you have a Sourdough Doughnut filled with Raspberry Jam! Mike recently perfected The Vegan Doughnut and has started doing fillings for them. Hello Mr. Incredible and the incredibles. Dressed with a expandable pastry, and a red spandex of lava filling too! Until we again, my nemesis. All sold out for today. #fruit #sourdough #food #vegan #healthy #Friday #capetown #deli #travel #doughnut #mrincredible
76
2
And you thought you were gonna be well-behaved this weekend... Sourdough Doughnuts: Coffee Cream, Custard, Jam-Filled, Chocolate Mousse, and Melktart. And Vegan Royal Vanilla Iced and Cinnamon and Sugar kisses. #doughnuts #donut #sourdough #art #cremary #pastry #Friday #food #deli #capetown
80
4
Our Organic Veggie Boxes sometimes play Trojan Horse for snails to invade the Deli. But that’s okay, that’s how you know they’re pesticide free. Also Trojan Horses only come when there’s someone beautiful you want to snatch back so... While we thwarted this little guy’s plan, we put him on a leafy patch outside. But at home, we have a snail that lives in our kitchen. His name is Frank. Frank had babies. And they come to visit us on the window in the evening. He makes us happy.
78
0
A Sharknado of Torpedo Pretzel Sandwiches. Aimed straight at your heart strings. Strumming Da-Num, Da-Dum, Da-Num until you’re ravaged by its temptation. It’s only a matter of time. Remember when the movie ‘Jaws’ scarred you for life? Suddenly your life-saving, inflated waterwings became reminiscent of fishing floats, keeping bait suspended at specific depths. Your pale, pudgy shrimp legs dangling helplessly. Schools of tiny fish featuring roaming bullies that nipped and tormented your toes until you believed a shark could come in any size. Remember? Remember that fear? The ‘PG13’ icon expanding across the screen like an omen, reminding parents that perhaps censoring your child’s viewership is a good form of parenting. While to a child it meant Parentals Gone at 13:00, bring out the black VH tape of deathly fear. Remember? Then being left with your jaw on the floor as suddenly people weren’t coming back up for air from under the crimson waters. Well eat your heart out today sharks. Because today is the day you will meet your match, The Crushing Jaws of Hungry Man. #sandwich #deli #travel #jaws
159
7
Last week Friday.
88
10
Snow Motion. When my father walks, his mind becomes a rigid calculator of thoughts. I used to play a game with him. He didn’t know we were playing one, but it was the only way I knew how to converse with him and ransom his attention. I’d throw him the biggest multiplication sum (with decimal points) that I could imagine. Like 99989.22 x 58 and he’d go, “Give me a second....” and just like that he became the Flash Of Numbers. A Superpower not brought on by a fortuitous radioactive spill of opportunity. But through years of doing everything himself, because if you want something done right...Old photograph by old photograph, it’s him sitting behind a tiny, tucked away desk. Dimly lit by an overhanging lamp, slouching like a candle burned out on both ends. His father took him out of the luxury of education when he was in early middle school. And he was put straight to work. 18 hour shifts, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for decades until he saved up enough for his own shop. He did the Greek Trifecta of business: Casinos, Restaurants and Superspars. My father always with a plan to make it work. He’s always been so driven and capable; ingenious to the point of extraordinary. I think God actually did give him a Superpower. He x-ray envisions opportunity in every dusty corner. Everything he did, like my mother, was for the benefit of his family. He told me once how he built a big house so that it would encourage everyone to get together and stop fighting. While he slept in his small office of constant labour, probably on a worn out couch to keep up with the workload. It reminded me of a quote, “There’s a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood.” People work really, really hard in this life. Asking for family time or even a relaxed smile or easy laugh feels like unaffordable luxury too selfish to ask. I think that’s why it’s burned in my memory when my father did the unthinkable. On the mountains of Cyprus, powdered with icing. A snowball of ice broke against my chest. Who on earth? And I looked up to see my dad laughing like a kid on his playground, having a childhood with me. Throwing a game at me in a language I’d know how to calculate back.
102
1
How come there not a celebrity’s baby named Raspberry Rose? Today, the Macarons are like our jam filled doughnuts mixed with a buttercream middle. A blossom child has already throned herself on the table, asked what they are (very coy), and then queried if she can have one. Her kind mom got her one, she took a couple bites and then asked why there is Jam inside. I said because it’s nice. She said, “it is nice”. And then asked about the brownies. Available at the deli we have many puzzling things for your kids to ask really questions about. Like, “What is this? Can I have it?” Come get your Macarons before the children give us those charming eyes... #macaron #rose #art #design #flora #flower #iris #deli #travel #food #capetown
154
6
Our Herbal Forest Olives to forage in. Soaked in Olive Oil galore. Made with Herbe de Provence, Marjoram, Oregano, Sage, Basil and Rosemary toasted over a flame. Garlic and lemon for a kiss of Greek. And lots of green pepper that was ground into powder by the smothering hands of a pestle and mortar. And some warming cinnamon was introduced because my mother always said it brings families together. I kind of liked how everyone went a bit mad after trying these samples on Saturday, makes me think that there’s magic inside them. #herbs #forest #olives #greek #deli #travel #capetown #green #vegetarian #oliveoil #vegan #food #health #healthy #fitness
86
5
Ottolenghi found himself in a village in Crete where the traditional Dakos meze was prepared for him. The food equivalent of an ice cold frappe on a sunny day. It’s ABC to make, adding to its easygoing feel of lightness. Greek Barley Ring Rusks are lined up in a tray like sturdy soldiers that can take on anything without buckling. A stream of emerald green olive oil makes its way down, dripping into its canyons. Tomatoes as red as my favourite lipstick are carefully selected, grated into their smooshy soul, and left to be strained into rustic refinement. Then this pulp is lavishly spooned onto Greek Barley Ring Rusks. Thin slices of garlic are rubbed into the tomato. It’s weathered with a hailstorm of Fleur de Sel and Pepper. Snowed in with a school’s cancelled equivalent of crumbled, creamy feta (our Famous one of course). Dusted with oregano from my uncle’s village in Cyprus. While Fynbos Botanically enriched vinegar from Rozendal adds that zing. All before being finished with another waterfall of olive oil straight from the heavens of Early Harvest Olive Oil. A few sneaky snips from my mother’s mint and basil plants make a risky, but worth it appearance. As well as her pine nuts... I took the strained juices of tomato and used it to make a dressing for a village salad. Tossed in some seasoned, creamy chickpeas and avocado cubes. Rustically chopped some Heriloom tomatoes that tasted like fruit much like persimmons. Dragon breathed it with smokey, chili flakes. And to connect the two dishes, a little bit of the Fynbos vinegar, oregano and garlic were snuck in. Tips: the mini barley ring Rusks make for the perfect crunch ratio. It’s quite an acidic dish so a fried egg adds that level of salty, rich body. The more oregano and dried herbs the better. Make more rather than less, because the barley rusks don’t get mushy and can be eaten the next day. You can also add capers! Aside from the red tomatoes, all made with @olivebranchdeli ingredients. #crete #dakos #oliveoil #greek #food #deli #travel #ottolenghi #chickpea #vegetarian #mediterraneandiet #mediterranean #oregano #health #healthy #island #capetown
94
5
A basket of fairy tales. Heirloom tomatoes at the @olivebranchdeli. Do you want to believe in the wonder of the world? Google The Land Pavilion’s Giant Tomato Tree in EPCOT at Walt Disney World, Orlando Florida. Imagine the fairy tale of Snow White with the tree of impossibly glossy, red apples. So perfect, it could only be recreated in dreams. Well who better to bring dreams to life than the most famous animation group? At Walt Disney World, a tiny seed from China grew into the world’s largest Tomato tree. Like an odd, green monster with a single short spine and multiple arms of disproportionately long length, this tree shot up within its green house. And from corner to corner, the busy stems were so dense they completely covered the ceiling. Polka-dotted with cheery, cherry tomatoes the size of golf balls. It almost looks like it’s about to shatter the glass ceiling, which is ironic because it did in fact shatter the world record of tomatoes produced within a single year’s harvest from an individual tree. The previous record set in 2010 was 488. This tree, from a dismissively small foreigner seed, bloomed 32,194 tomatoes within a year. It just goes to show. It doesn’t matter how small you feel or where you come from, if you surround yourself with people who have vision and big dreams, you yourself will grow into a wonder of the world. And who better than to immerse yourself with than with the greatest Creator in the universe? #WaltDisney #story #tomatoes #SnowWhite #animation #deli #food #travel #capetown #Google
103
4
We’re basically a Food Toy Shop where you now get to use your imagination to tell culinary stories. And then at other times, there’s the opportunity to sample other people’s narratives. Such as the story of @thankgoodnessfoods Brownies. The way the featured Spekboom reimagines the eucalyptus freshness of mint chocolate. The slow dance you do with the dark chocolate as you melt into its embrace. The colour of earthly soil, fitting as it too is nutritious. Ground Pecan and Almond nuts to flour, coconut blossom nectar to sweeten. Cardamom to add that touch of exotic mystery... Available at @olivebranchdeli. #glutenfree #recipe #brownie #health #healthy #food #deli #travel #capetown #chocolate #darkchocolate
97
2
“We live on a farm. You must come visit us with your family! And we’ll break bread together,” said within 1 minute of telephone conversation. Without having met Nicole from Terra Madre in person before. If that’s the level of genuine hospitality that Nicole extends to a stranger, you can have faith that each of her farm-grown products feels like a golden ticket into her home. Like you’re having a specially prepared, family meal together in a prepackaged form. You can taste the care, the affection, and the homeliness. As a more than generous gift, she gave us a sample of nearly everything. My mom - who lets just say is honest, like really really painfully honest - went nuts over her range. She kept saying over and over again, “There’s magic in here, what did she put in here? Magic?!This lady, you know mummy is picky, but this woman...magic!” With our pieces of bread in hand, both of us went from dip to dip like we were Island hopping in the Mediterranean. Terra Madre does a meze range of Taramasalata, Aoli, Sweet Chilli Yoghurt, Humus, and both meat and vegetarian Dolmades. etc. And she’s ridiculously good. It’s so serendipitous that Nicole mentioned the breaking of bread together. That’s exactly what her food naturally encouraged my mom and I to do, as we kept tearing off pieces of Woodstock Sourdough to slither into the dips. Mediterranean food is Healing not just because it’s refreshingly healthy, but because it lends itself to communion by being composed of sharing plates. It literally fosters the breaking of bread together so that you can share in the experience. There’s something powerfully connective about sharing a look whilst your simultaneously enjoy a bite of food. At the end of the day, everything good comes down to communion. #healing #meze #greekfood #food #deli #capetown #health #healthy #capetown #travel #fitness #bread #vegetarian
104
11
When my mother was steeped in childhood, she and her dad would stand side-by-side in the kitchen and prepare Lacmajum. The Turkish Flat Mince Pita, which one could substitute with canned tuna or soya mince. Spiced with crunchy green chilies and a fire storm of chili flakes. Sweetened with tiny rectangles of chopped onions and strained fresh cherry tomatoes. And herbaceously forested with peppery parsley and the perfume of black pepper. My mom painted the memory: the pitas would all be lined up on a long wooden table that was given to my grandmother from her family in Egypt. My mom, the child version, tippy toes on a stool to watch her dad prepare them with her, as she precisely followed in his shadow. “Everything must be done by hand, it’s so important,” my mom will stress. You twist the topping deeply into the bread with your fingertips. So everything chopped must be done so finely that only the sharpest knife will do. And then my grandfather would harness the pizza shovel and ease their efforts into an old, wooden fire oven. And in the end, the warm and spicy was balanced with the cold and crunchy touch of a Tzanziki and Parsley Salad. And of course, a hug of lemon. He in turn learned how to make them from his Turkish neighbours who used to sneak him into their homes after government curfew and let him stay on the Turkish side of Cyprus. And now, across the border into South Africa, my mom and I make it together. I never met my grandfather. In fact, it often makes me feel quite sad to think about it. But from endeared food traditions such as these, I feel like I get the chance to meet him every time. Especially when I try improvise and suggest other ingredients. My otherwise very supportive mother will shut me down saying, “No! That’s not how Pappou Chrystanthos used to make them!” Apparently he didn’t like canned foods either; he said that they were poison for the body. So I’m always tucking away the canned goods of the deli in a dark corner. You know, just in case he’s watching out over us. Spend time with your parents in the kitchen & you will meet every generation of your family in the way they prepare the food. Food culture is the most personal genealogy.
88
4
When Mike’s away (i.e. @thatdoughnutguyct) we feel like a doughnut. You know...with a hole in our hearts, missing something, in desperate want of some more doughnut to fill it.... But he has returned. And so have these Sourdough Wonders. Though admittedly, only a few are left lurking. Cinnamon and Sugar Lovers as well as Custard or Jammy Doughs left to enjoy. #vegan #sourdough #icing #doughnuts #healthly #ish #food #deli #capetown #dessert #pastry #treat #friday
194
24
On an odd occasion, a strange thing happens in the Deli. I will go down the deli alley with the phone to take a photograph. And the camera will pick up the dim light as per usual. But on a rare occasion it will capture this- a heavenly army of sword lights. And when I try reproduce the light effect on another day, it doesn’t appear. I often joke how from being in the shop all day, I never get to see the sun. So it’s funny how the Lord always finds a way to bring the light of your heart’s desire in anyway. Often in a better and unimagined way that makes you exclaim, “Oh that’s so much more clever!” It just takes me a while to figure that out. I feel compelled to respond with this when people try complement us on the shop’s design: The Olive Branch Deli has its own anointing on it that’s beyond us. And every day I get to experience love here. I get to see people’s kindness and generosity. I get to see more often than not, the best in people. And that’s what I take home with me. Your every friendliness and support. The giggles of your children as they twist my heart into giving them chocolate from behind the counter. The quick gift wrapping on behalf of someone who wanted to surprise their present friend with something they just eyed (while they’re off looking somewhere else). Those little things makes everything worth it. We feel very grateful to serve such a community of people. And even more so, to call you friend. Happy Sunday everyone!
62
5
Pronounced, “Choe-loo-la”, this nostalgic brand of Hot Sauce was named after a 2,500 year old city in Mexico. Measuring at a comfortable 1,000 Scoville Units, this Hot Sauce is best enjoyed with eggs, white meats and fish and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes with its delicate heat and vibrant acidity. #cholula #cholulahotsauce #deli #communitygrocer #delicatessen #instagood #instafood #hotsauce #hotsauceporn #foodporn #hotones #firstwefeast #heatonist #heat #burn #chili #hot #capetown #hotsaucecommunity
101
10
My friend who is a wandering bird spoke of a dessert that people, including herself, will uncompromisingly fly from Singapore to China just to have warm between their hands. Based on a traditional Chinese Black Sesame Dessert, this is an example of a Tong Sui- a collective term for any sweet, warm soup. Think of it like a nostalgic rice pudding with a salted & toasted black sesame seed tahini staining the creamy white neighborhood of rice milk an exciting Adam’s Family Black. As if it were a cold and rainy day in your life, it umbrellas you. A toasted nuttiness of warmth envelops your heart in cashmere when the spoon courts your mouth. It’s textured rather than monogamous to eat. Like Braille for the tongue, it tells an adventurous story to a sense that’s been blinded by the usual. And it’s wonderful. It really really is. Though a bit untraditional, I toasted the black sesame seeds with a teaspoon of creamed coconut so they brightly shone a glossy black coated in the natural sugars. And added Kurosato (Black, unrefined sugar from Japan) to add mystical depths of smokey sweetness. Pandan Leaf was introduced to the steaming rice milk to aromatize it with vanilla oils and flavour. And a snowfall of desiccated coconut was weathered on top. And it was perfect. I can still smell its perfume on me. The wholesomeness of coconut satiating the senses. My mom insisted on velvety violet flowers, the colour of royalty to crown off the Dessert. And speaking of crowns of joy, black sesame seeds are incredibly good for enriching your hair. All this and yet, where is my prospective husband? This part’s a joke for my family. I love having a deli where I can source anything needed. Thank you Christine for your wings that are a constant carrier of inspiration. #travel #dessert #china #japan #singapore #pandan #chef #deli #food #capetown #vegan #glutenfree #healthy #health #tongsui #adventure #fitness #art #black #design #sesame
45
1
One time a guy asked his Twitter audience what he should do when a crazy lil’ bird flew into his room. I responded, “You should tweet him.” I totally got a retweet. @bythewhisk magic Available at @olivebranchdeli. And as always, the bad jokes are complementary. #art #macaron #bird #littlebird #travel #food #deli #capetown #blue #flying #pastry #dessert
101
5
Just take a moment to be happy. Blue Bird Macaron filled with a Forest Berry Tea enchanted Italian Buttercream. #macaron #blue #bird #dessert #treat #tea #pink #art #painting #drawing #design #nest #nature #glutenfree #packagingfree
70
6
This isn’t a product. I think this is Nikita’s actual heart. Take a moment to read the letter paired with each bunch. While our fridge doesn’t nest these little guys yet, it’s really too moving not to share. The pages of the card remind me of the wings of a dove, waving peace to your mind from your body.
105
9
Gastronomic Perfumery. Base Note: Grass-Fed Beef & Porcini Granule Dashi. Middle Note: Leek, potato, spinach & fresh mushroom medley. Top Note: Pasture-Reared Egg’s, Coriander & Fresh Lime. Served with Somen Noodles. #olivebranchdeli #foodporn #ramen #instafood #foodporn #capetownfood #foodcapetown #deli #delicatessen
117
2
In my family, we put the Woodstock Bakery Breadsticks in our snackwicher. Let them soften into warmness. And then nibble on the caramelized natural sugars of the olives, seeds and bread. Before dunking them into a thick soup. They’re basically soup wands. In India, there’s a company that makes hard cutlery out of gluten free bread. Which is to replace the need for all the plastic knives, forks and spoons given with takeaway meals. They’re essentially culinary cutlery crackers. And you just eat them after using them. But until the day we get those, I’m just gonna nom nom on these. #bread #breadstick #wooodstockbakery #travel #capetown #supper #soup #meal #food.
61
2
Copper reusable straws from @ebonymoondesign available at @olivebranchdeli. They’re anti-microbial and flavourless. And according to every child that have ever walked past them, they’re also apparently loose ninja sticks to be waved around recklessly. There’s also material sheaths to reign them in colourfully. As for the copper and brass spoons... Well in the old days any Greek or Italian child knew that a wide spoon doubled as a disciplining tool. But I think if I was smacked with one of these as a kid it would have been a little more glamorous and magical (and probably a lil more sore). Thankfully these days, they make for happier uses. #reusablestraws #straws #copper #flower #spoons #brass #art #craft #food
91
4
In 2003, a crafty man in Belgium endeavored to steal a $100 million worth of diamonds from a highly specialized vault. To do so, he had the most improbably task ahead...To stealthily maneuver past the most high-tech security mechanisms. Which included the following: A lock with 100 million possible combinations, a Seismic Sensor, Infrared Heat Detectors, a Magnetic Field, and a Doppler Radar- which bounces a microwave signal off of a specified target, picking up how the object’s motion has altered the frequency of the returned signal. And you know what? He actually did it! And got away! Unfortunately, he made a grave mistake. He forgot his partially eaten sandwich behind near the crime scene. And from that the police managed to appropriate his DNA evidence and catch him. Here at @olivebranchdeli, our sandwiches are just too good to forget behind. There’s probably no such thing as a partially eaten sandwich from here, only the completely devoured kind. Thus, we have the perfect getaway sandwiches. #sandwich #food #deli #travel #story #fun #basket #paninis #vegetarian #tuesday #pretzels #capetown
78
8
Our treasured friend with a good sense of humor, Ulrike, bought some of our Super Sour Warheads for her kids (who I actually love). And well, the best advertising I’ve ever seen for a product was born. She sent us this video, and pic of the culprits. Thank you Stella and Rafa for letting me share this and for mamma @ashtangayogacapetown for filming it. We sell the super nostalgic Warheads at our shop. There’s cherry, watermelon, apple, raspberry and lemon! To both delight and frighten the palate. #video #funny #wareheads #sweets #reveal #reaction #soursweet #deli #capetown #food #sweetshop #candy #monday #nostalgia #suprise #viral
180
9
I’ve resigned into thinking that @thankgoodnessfoods just has that magic touch. Rows of Millionaire Shortbread to match our chocolate brown rows of shelves. These guys are also coincidentally Vegan, consisting of a thick 85% Dark Chocolate Top Deck, A Salted Date Caramel Centre and Toasted Oat Crumble Base. Gluten and refined sugar-free. And available at @olivebranchdeli. #glutenfree #vegan #vegetarian #millionaireshortbread #deli #food #capetown #travel #dessert #chocolatecheesecake #fitnesa #dates #caramel
81
2
Do you know the story of the Teddy Bear? There’s this brilliant TED talk by Jon Mooallem about it. When Theodore Roosevelt was president in 1902, it was a time when bears were seen as vicious tyrants, destroyers of livestock, and murderers. As a result they were almost culled to extinction by the federal government. The notoriously impatient Roosevelt went on one of these hunting expeditions and because he hadn’t found any that day, his fellow hunters felt bad for his ego. They tracked down an old, female black bear, clubbed its head, and then tied it to a tree and encouraged Roosevelt to shoot it. But when he looked upon this poor beaten bear and its helplessness, something in his heart convicted him and the bear was pardoned in great remorse. The media portrayed his act of compassion in articles and cartoons. And from those illustrations, they developed the plush Teddy Bear Toy named after Theodore’s nickname. This toy’s sales sky rocketed based on all the media attention. And bears became associated with affectionate & cuddly feelings so people cared more about their survival. When the next president was in power, toy companies got smart and tried to make it a thing to associate presidents with a animal so that they can sell more toys based on them. When President William Taft took office next, they linked him with Billy the Possum - and well, have you ever heard of Billy the Possum? Probably not. It’s toy sales didn’t do anywhere near as well as the Teddy Bear’s did. Jon ended the talk by highlighting why: how a story is what captures people, attracting them. Therefore people should fully realize the power of narratives and harness them so that they can change others’ perceptions on issues of conscience. He said this, “In a world of conservation reliance, the stories we tell have very real consequences. How we feel about an animal affects its survival. Our imagination has become an ecological force...The legend of Teddy Roosevelt and that bear in Mississippi was an allegory for this great responsibility that society was just beginning to face up to then.” Thank you @bythewhisk for helping with that great perception with your Chia Macarons. #story #tedtalk
50
0
Every chef’s Weck dream. Something about being able to see your food and spices encourages you to consume them. Sealable Glass Jars and Milk/Juice Bottles from Weck available at @olivebranchdeli. #weck #jars #reusable #chef #spices #vegetarian #storage #design #kitchen
85
1
I hope one day an egg hatches. And I can finally be a chicken mother. And I shall call him Eggie.
60
1
It’s a golden dream to capture them in photos, and a dream to use them in person. They’re always the perfect size. Weighted so you feel their value but light enough that it’s a pleasure to hold them. In a form that follows function. Something special that makes every day tasks, like scooping spices from jars, a little more magical. @ebonymoondesign molds into being handmade spoons ranging from the mixology kind, teaspoons, mini ones, salad serving and soup spoons. All available at @olivebranchdeli. All locally made. #spoons #craft #mixology #flowers #art #food #deli #travel #capetown #southafrica #soup
96
5
A short film shares the story of a dying Turkish and Greek calling custom that actually happens on the island of Cyprus. Such a small island itself, the villages are even more personal. And so any relationship means neighbour by default. Everywhere you look there’s stone made houses, and wild flowers waterfalling over cracking walls. So as you extend your hand out in childlike curiosity, it always catches something beautiful and authentic to touch. The sun is charged with a island feeling and shaded by overarching fig and orange trees. Dust is swept onto cobbled pathways, making it feel like a town immune to modern amenities. The scent of a village is always enviously of a neighbour’s cooking. And then comes into frame, a well life-storied woman headscarved in her Turkish Identity. There’s not really walls between houses in Cyprus. At most there’s low fences of trust. So she freely walks down the pathway to a home and confidently knocks at its door. “Gomşu! Gomşu!” She yells. It means neighbour in Turkish. In this case it was a Greek Cypriot friend. But alas, no one is there. Instead of just walking away, she performs the sweet honeysuckle equivalent of an act. You see, there’s this old tradition of letting a vacant household know of your passing visit by taking flowers or branches from their garden and tagging it onto their door. The way the foliage is consciously pinned or the specific kind chosen would be indicative of the person’s identity leaving it. Imagine coming home, and finding flowery footprints of a friend? Yesterday our friend gave us this bouquet of Peonies and Fynbos. And when my mom saw them today, she exclaimed, “Who gave you these beautiful flowers?! It must be Kirsten!” And it was. Like I was once told by a wise woman, what you give must be representative of who are. #cyprus #flowers #greek #turkish #beauty @kirstenlipschitz thank you! #shortfilm #story
168
7
From one out of the world thing to another, Spiral Galaxy Macarons available at @olivebranchdeli from @bythewhisk! Filled with Pinkly Tart Hibiscus Buttercream! And probably a 100 hours of painstaking work. How does one even eat something so beautiful? Five at a time? In space no one judges. #galaxy #stars #universe #space #art #painting #drawing #colorful #deli #food #travel #glutenfree #italian #buttercream #pastry #chef #starry #travel #vegetarian
114
2
Nothing like a fluffy white sandwich, filled abundantly to the brim, lathered in buttery delight...doused in Hot Sauce galore. Available at @olivebranchdeli. #sandwich #food #deli #meal #lunch #capetown #hotsauce #chilisauce #basket #capetown #mozzarella #chili
64
2
The Fire Olive’s Beginning! Like the cold breath of the morning, smoke plumes as the flames ignite in quick sparks along the now crispy, intensified nuttiness of black sesame seeds. Engulfed too are dried herbs and caraway seeds. It’s a fragrant memory of a wintery Tokai Forest Braai. This all would be later indoctrinated into a roasted black chilies gang, a mafia of gun smoke punch to the palate. Rivaled by the cherry gang of Sweet Paprika and Silan. We’re so excited to see how it turns out later in the week! #olive #smoke #flame #blowtorch #vid #recipe #chef #deli #food #vegan #vegetarian #hotsauce #fire
72
0
One of the best smiles in the game! The doughnut hole of our eyes, our very beloved, Mister Prince Albert! Him, Charity and Thobani teach us every day the blessing of having a good attitude & always being ready to help. Some people break bread together, we do it with doughnuts. Sourdough Doughnuts available at @olivebranchdeli from the joyful spirit of @thatdoughnutguyct. Both Vegan options as well as Jam, Custard, Coffee Cream, Milktart and Cinnamon and Sugar. (The vegan ones sold out for the day). #doughnut #smile #food #deli #capetown #dessert #vegan #custard #cinnamon #pastry #sourdough #coffeecream #jelly
28
2
Oreo-Mini Go Packs! Imagine your eating popcorn, but your not. #nostalgia #deli #capetown #snack #treat #oreo #instafood #instasnack #foodporn
67
1
Fondly nicknamed Battery Packs for people! They’re hockey puck power slabs of ground Cashew and Walnuts bound together with Cocoa Butter & Maple Syrup into something reminiscent of a nutty chocolate bar. Enhanced and Textured with Chia, Hemp & Sesame seeds, GF oats and activated buckwheat. Vanilla imbued. Kalahari Dessert Salted. And available in either Chocolate, Cinnamon, Original or Lemon zested. They’re more than just healthy snacks though. I really really respect the person behind Awake Superfood Snacks. We always say, ‘Who you are goes into what you create’. And what that means for those who sample them: you get to receive the creator’s genuine care, honorability, and her gentleness of being. All in form of something satiating. She’s always ready to listen, and to support us right back. She’s really generous- I can’t imagine these guys are inexpensive to produce and yet she always offers us a full bowl of samples. Never arrogant or snooty, despite her firm beliefs in the natural way. If so much gentle heart goes into our interactions, I can only imagine how much more is imparted when she binds everything together. And the way they stack on top of each other like the Alice and Wonderland wonky tea cups just suits our deli perfectly. They’re so easy to pop in a school lunchbox. Or have, like I do, when it’s stressful and you need a motherly pick me up. And the fact that the ingredients have been activated through soaking means your body stands a greater chance of absorbing the nutrients better. Mostly, it’s just so nice to have good people and their wholesome products on our shelves. #hempseeds #health #healthy #vegan #vegetarian #food #deli #fitness #superfood #buckwheat #glutenfree #sugarfree #maple #maplesyrup #snack #aliceinwonderland
92
1
Available at @olivebranchdeli: @bythewhisk Top Deck Football Macarons inflated with a 70% Dark Chocolate Ganache and a chalky white, sectioned off outline of Vanilla Buttercream. I think there must be some sort of big soccer event happening or something... I really wish I had a packet of gold stars and a board to put them on just to show what a champion job @bythewhisk consistently does with her talented hands. #soccer #football #macaron #dessert #chocolate #treat #ganache #buttercream #pastry #chef #pastrychef #glutenfree #almonds #art #health #cream
71
1
Imagine Apothecary Jars filled with Sourdough Doughnuts because they’re medicinal for the soul.
65
2
My thoughts the second I finished one. “Please sir, May I have another day one? #doughnuts #donuts #food #deli
76
2
I’d rather have the Sandman bring me a nice cup of Chamomile Tea. Doesn’t it just smell like everything little thing is gonna be alright? Organic Chamomile sold loose from the cradle of a golden spoon. #spoon #gold #chamomile #flower #tea #pretty #deli #capetown #food #travel #organic
