#koeksister

Koeksister is a South African syrup or honey-infused fried dough. The name derives from the Dutch word “koek”, which generally means a wheat flour confectionary, and also is the origin of the American-English word “cookie”. The frying of dough strips in this manner is of Malay/Indonesian origin, possibly with Indian influence, originally eaten as an unsweetened breakfast food brought to South Africa via Malay workers. Koeksisters are prepared by frying plaited dough strips in oil, then submersing the hot fried dough into ice cold sugar syrup. They have a golden crunchy crust and liquid syrup center, very sticky and sweet and taste like honey. Recipe:

Ever since I was a child I enjoyed long trips by car or train. Only recently have I learnt to call those by car "road trips".

Of course, a road trip is more than just a long journey. It's a multi-day experience. Taking whistle-stops in out-of-the-way towns and villages. Drinking good coffee in quaint little shops and enjoying things like melktert and koeksisters.

Road-tripping means staying over in guesthouses in places like Colesberg, Hanover or Richmond; Kimberley, Victoria West or Calvinia; or on farms near Britstown and Carnarvon; or with friends in Bloemfontein, Bedford or Beaufort West. It's always a discovery, not only of hospitality, but also of unexpected spiritual and intellectual companionship. And of plates loaded with honest food served with ample wine.

When our kids were small we always tried to reach our destination as soon as possible - be it the place where were to spend our holiday, or home on our journey back - frequently travelling through the night.

The result was that it was more about the destination than about the journey. A lot of things got lost in the process: the landscape, the small towns, the opportunity to wind down the moment the journey started, opening yourself up to new places and interesting people. And most of all, the stars at night. Nowhere else have I seen such a glorious display of the night sky as on the plains of the Karoo.

Nowadays we do it differently. Taking our time. Making frequent stops. Staying over and going for long walks after a day's travel. Discovering bookshops and bakeries; coffee shops and "padstalletjies"; arts and crafts and home made jams, preserves and chutneys.

And of course, taking time means meeting people, having conversations, connecting on more than an artificial level.