Tuck into the sweet and savoury of annual Karoo food festival

THE knives are out in kitchens across the vast spaces of the Karoo as cooks and foodies prepare for the second annual Karoo Food Festival to be held in Cradock from Thursday to Saturday. The event promises to be bigger and better than last year's successful inaugural festival. "More cooks, more food, more classes, more to buy, more surprises, more fun ..." according to Melina Smit who heads up the organising team. The event kicks off on Thursday with an evening of spitbraai and stoepstories at the Cradock High School. Local braaimasters will do the honours. Friday and Saturday evenings both feature tapas-style events. "Karoo nights: fusion food" is the theme for Friday night. This is a celebration of the various food cultures from Europe, Africa and the East that have been absorbed into Karoo cuisine. "Karoo Harvest: heritage food from the heartland" is the theme for Saturday night's event, presented by the chefs from Victoria Manor Hotel. Visitors will be able to choose from time honoured favourites like kaiings, lamb tails, lamb shanks, skaapkoppe, springhare pie, marrow bones, vetderm and kudu tail. For both evenings, visitors will pay a cover charge, buy tokens, enjoy a welcome drink then "mingle with foodies while you meander from table to table exchanging your tokens for whatever takes your fancy," explains Lisa Antrobus-Ker, another of the organisers. The daylight hours on Friday are given over to a series of cookery classes including two sessions for young foodies and two full-day master classes. These will take place in various kitchens around town and numbers are limited to 10 per class to ensure everyone gets the maximum benefit from the experience. Saturday is market day in a large hall on the CHS campus. This is a major gathering of specialist food producers from the region – there are more than 40 on the initial listing. Sunday is 'chill day' at gracious Lowlands farm with a leisurely Sunday lunch. For market stall bookings, contact Robyn robynleemuller@ gmail.comFor accommodation contact (048)881-1650 or reservations@tuishuise.co.za More information is posted daily on the Karoo Food Festival Facebook site.