Our guest today: the word "Barakat" et al

Barakat, the movie, poster

Mauritz and I met Mortimer Williams at a party at the end of last year. And we both fell in love with him immediately. He is one of those rare people who can look right through your eyeballs and see what you would find funny. He has a voice that was handed out by Apollo himself and we could see that he loved food as much as we do. After telling him about Eating is Believing, he invited us to his house, just like that, and sommer so. 

We usually invite someone inspirational to come and eat with us. Sometimes that person is dead. Like when we travelled to Lithuania to visit my long gone oupa. Other times its a book or a writer or a violinist. We have been to Finland, Mexico, and down the Cape Malay route... We've been to France, Lebanon and Italy. (And for those of you who don't know the previous blogs, we can't really go to these place folks. Because of Covid mos. We imagine that we go there and we cook 'n storm los around this person's country and then we feel whole again. 

We didn't think Morty was famous, jy weet, and therefor we kind of invited a word to this meal. A word Zenobia taught us when we ate with our first guest, Carlos Ruiz Zafon. And the word we invite to our table today is Barakat. 

None of us knew what a barakat was back then, but now it is as part of this group as are the words 

breath or

love or

pour me more wine... 

Zenobia told us that a barakat is a gift, usually food, that is given to the guests at the end of a party. In Arabic it means good fortune/prosperity/blessing. It is not like a doggy bag at all people  get a grip né. It is a gift for the next day, a special treat, a blessing in that you don't have to cook again. It is a memory of a good time that you can relive when you open your fridge, and walla! 

When we ate with the book Like Water for Chocolate, Zenobia told us about the South African movie named Barakat and how good it was. That we all had to see it. And so, Barakat the movie became part of this Eating Club too. 

After the party in December, the one where we met Mortimer Williams, I did a quick stalk on the internet jy weet, curious mos.  And golly! There he was! Ons Morty is somme deel van die cast in Barakat! Die movie Barakat! Our movie! Here he is Left of the sambreeltjie. 

Big shock: the guy is mos famous die ou in the jacket is our man

It was then that I knew that we were  in for something big. A lot of forces came together. This was meant to be! And all of a sudden we were inviting:  

The word barakat 

Mortimer Williams 

the mesmerising Shirley Moulder (as a friend) 

and The Farm (where we have eaten and believed in the past) cause our friend Herman was landing from Heathrow that day! 

I couldn't wait to tell Zenobia, maar ek het my ingehou, until we got to Morty's house where a festive summer table was set outside. His beautiful wife Alethea Williams came out to greet us, and by golly, she is just as striking, as kind, and as talented and funny as her husband. 

So we also invited 

Alethea Williams 

and her funny as fuck book Ode to Auntie Rona too! (Of course she is also a dancer, a chef, an inspiration and founder of Lekkedjy)

Our table of love... 

The food rolled out while we poured wine. We had pies and samosas. I couldn't get enough of the date and chilli dip and later licked the bowl, using my fingers. Then the salads, shouting out that it was summer and that we should laugh more. 

The date&chilli one  is on the left... 

Mortimer started up his microphone and his connection with us, and we hung on his lips. His sense of humour went straight through the eyeballs and into the funny bones. 

Strawberry and peanut brittle salad

Turns out Alethea knows all the tannies who make the best stuff. (Like the pies and the roti) We got their numbers. Alethea made the mutton curry herself and it melted into our hearts. Mortimer sang and told stories and made us forget that covid still had us by the short and curlies. He made us forget that some of us are without jobs and others are working too hard. He made us forget about Russia standing at the Ukrainian border. For now we felt strong and able and steady and ready to carry on. 

The most delicious roti, mutton curry, tomato sambal

After lunch we dipped our feet in the water, some of us swam. We felt connected. We heard stories about Die Kaapse Klopse. We held a photo of Alethea as a little girl. We gulped and gurgled on all the shows both Morty and Alethea have been in and also on how big a struggle it is for everyone in the entertainment industry. 

Koe'sisters! 

Dessert happened three times! The Peppermint Crisp Tart came out first. Who can say no to that? It's a solid memory of dessert when growing up. Then my favourite appeared: Cape Malay Koe'sisters. Oh my, and were they fine. We ended the day with coffee and the best carrot cake I have ever had. Promise. 

A page from:  Ode to my Auntie Rona: 

Alethea prepared the barakat. And the next day I gave thanks when I opened my fridge, and found more than just a blessing in it. 

The extras is mos lekker:

• If you want to experience true Cape Malay hospitality, book your spot with Lekkedjy: Tel: 0783377461 (They can seat up to 18 people)
• Home made video of Mortimer translating Suikerbos ek wil jou hê (Thanks Zen)

• Morty is often seen at Peachie's BLUE PIANO plug in theatre evening. Every first Wednesday of the month at 6pm. 44 Stanley street. Please book. 
• Alethea co-wrote a book called Ode to Auntie Rona. It is the best keepsake of These Times! It is beyond Funny. Go buy your copy! Contact Lekkedjy. You can watch an interview with the authors here.
• My favourite blog (some times) is this one: Finland with Pekka Kuusisto
• And on other days it is Like Water for Chocolate in: Mexico
• But I also love  the soulful travel with Nico Tortorella in Italy (but on the farm)
• Watch Barakat the movie here