There are many snack foods out there to choose from and it would be fair to sat that we live in the age of snacking. Whether it be in front of the TV watching episodes of Uzalo or The Queen. Whether it be at work or out on the golf course biltong is a smart and tasty snack food alternative from crisps or sweets. Full of protein and iron, which is why biltong is a nutritionally good choice to snack on. Containing only 1 gram of carbohydrate from a 28-gram size serve makes it a clever, low calorie and low-carb option.

Biltong Delivers Nutrition, Low Fat & Low Carbs

Many of us enjoy a yummy snack during the day to cheer us up and biltong can deliver that in spades. A bit of a chew gives our jaw muscles a tasty work-out as well. Foods that have texture are far more interesting to eat in my view. We live a sadly pre-masticated world and it is a stimulating change to have something to get your teeth into. Biltong delivers nutrition, low fat, low carbs and big flavour. These are just some of the reasons why biltong is a nutritionally good choice to snack on in 2020.

Naturally Air-Dried for Flavour & Health

Some folks say that biltong has a meaty flavour and is the best dried flesh product on the market. It is not smoky like jerky but has a unique very yummy taste. It is the perfect healthy snack food for the times we live in. You will avoid all those unhealthy fats, sugar, and oils that chips, crisps, pastries and cookies are full of. Biltong is naturally air dried and deliciously packed full of protein, iron and vitamins. The use of a fermented ingredient like vinegar in the biltong making process is another nutritional plus for gut health.
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My own personal favourite is snacking on this protein rich food on the golf course. I find that this nutritionally smart snack food is ideal during my competitive rounds of club golf. You do not want something that weighs you down during a round of gold, as digestion can negatively impact upon your golf swing and on-course decision making. However, a 4-hour round of golf does require some ingestion of food for fuel and biltong is ideal. A protein packed snack can make the difference between victory and being an also-ran. 

We live in extraordinary times and there seems little sign of things changing anytime soon. Here in Australia the Coronavirus is seemingly under control in most states with the exception of Victoria/Melbourne. NSW/Sydney is looking a little shaky, but fingers crossed the hotspots in the south don’t become a second wave. What about South Africa in terms of this virus pandemic? Here is a COVID-19 update for South Africa for those who want to know. According to figures and information provided by Hassan Isilow from the Anadolu Agency on Thursday 16th July 2020 the situation is as follows.

Coronavirus News in South Africa

There are now more than 300, 000 cases of COVID-19 in South Africa and deaths are listed at 4, 453. South Africa has the highest number of infections on the African continent. The country has very high infection rates globally but a low mortality rate relative to these figures. There have been around 160, 000 recoveries from coronavirus. The nation has conducted some 2.2 million tests over the last four months, since the virus was first detected. This COVID-19 update for South Africa paints a challenging but not insurmountable health crisis ahead.

Local Health Officials Preparing for Increases in Infection Rates

Local health officials in South Africa are preparing for an increase in infection rates during this winter season, as it is traditionally the time for influenza infections. The fact that South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of infection among its population, but a relatively low death rate poses a number of questions, I think. Why so few deaths compared to nations like Italy and Spain? Is it because South Africa has fewer people per capita in the extremely vulnerable age demographics? Or, is it due to the weather, as some researchers are proposing?
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Scientists are putting forward Vitamin D levels as the catalyst for the better performance of infected patients in sunny places like South Africa in comparison to Europe and parts of the United States, where mortality rates are much higher. These experts believe that Vitamin D helps modulate the response of white blood cells to the COVID-19 coronavirus. This information is available on researchgate.net. They also mention that alcohol may play a part in hindering the human immune response to novel viruses. Alcohol consumption is considerably higher in western countries than in Africa.
Wherever you are in the world, we wish you and your family good health and best wishes in the face of this pandemic.

Winter is a time to pig out, let’s not beat around the bush. The colder months provoke our appetites to seek satiation. The good news is that we need more calories and burn them off when it is chilly. There is nothing better than sitting at home around a fire and chowing down on delicious South African winter treats. My favourites include: Koeksisters, milk tarts and Hertzoggies. Indeed, 27th February is National Milk Tart Day in South Africa. Do you have a memorable melktert moment from your childhood or adulthood?

Sweet Things Are the Treasure of Childhood

Sweet things are so very important when you are a kid. It seems like the world revolves around getting hold of sweet treats when you are young. Vanilla, melted butter, sugar, milk, eggs and flour – these ingredients make childhood treasure like milk tarts. Life would be pretty ordinary without the occasional yummy dessert I reckon. Malva Pudding is another of those Dutch origin South African winter treats, which make living a bit more special. Close your eyes and imagine the apricot jammy, spongy caramelised texture flooding your senses. Mmmmmmm.

So Good that Sugary Taste

The colder months are perfect for eating good food and sweet things. My mum used to make jam roly poly and a trifle to die for. Dessert was the best thing about her cooking and we all could tell that this was where her heart truly lay. Puddings, tarts and slices littered my yellow brick road rather than any roadmap to worldly success. When the frost lay upon the fields and mist issued from mouths like dragon smoke, we were all safely ensconced inside with tea and toast. A family that indulges together, generally, loves one another for better or worse. We may not have had a lot of material wealth, but we had milk tarts and each other.

Peppermint crisp tart is another special South African winter treat and together with Hertzoggies I have fond memories of stuffing my face. It seems as a kid my stomach was a limitless vault capable of consuming vast amounts of sensational sweet things. No dire warnings from well meaning relatives could deter me from eating too much. Indeed, too much was not a concept with which I was familiar back then. I once ate a giant bowl full of cherries whilst visiting relatives in Ficksburg around Christmas time. My parents were not impressed by my gluttony and did not know where to look in the face of this eating machine in the guise of their son. I paid the price later in the restroom with a super sore guts.

Drywors and biltong are both dried and cured meat products. They were developed in pre-refrigeration times to preserve animal flesh and avoid botulism poisoning. The use of salt, vinegar and spices inhibit and kill potentially dangerous bacteria from these products. Today, in most cases, we are not so worried about preserving foods outside of the fridge and eat these dried meat products for their yummy taste. So, does drywors deliver better taste than biltong? Yes, because, in this writer’s opinion, drywors is made from a sausage, which offers a more complex flavour base than a single meat.

Drywors is Related to Dutch Metworst

Some folks will disagree with my view on this culinary topic and I welcome a plurality of opinions on this tasty matter. Drywors is akin to a salami in some ways, as it is made from a thin sausage. However, drywors is cured quickly in warm and dry conditions, unlike salami which is cured slowly in a cool but humid environment. Drywors is related to the Dutch droge worst or metworst. Does drywors deliver better taste than biltong? I think so and invite you to take the taste test yourself to see if I am right.

Purists Reckon Biltong is the Truer Meat Taste

Purists may state their case that biltong is the truer dried food than droewors or drywors. In the vein of my daughter’s predilection for keeping all foods separate on her dinner plate i.e. not letting the peas touch the carrots, these are typically deeply personal matters. If you prefer to not mix your foodstuffs, then biltong may be the better option for you. Both South African wonder foods are delicious and well worth trying if you have not done so. These tasty treats deliver an African vibe to your palate.

Both drywors and biltong are excellent accompaniments for quality beers and wines. If you are like me and enjoy meals that offer a selection of tasty treats with drinks, then you will love these two cured meat products. I recommend drywors and biltong as great party platter fare and your guests will sing their praises. You can pick up drywors and biltong from quality South African grocers in Sydney and around the nation’s main cities. Indeed, you can even order them online. Whether drywors is your preferred dried sausage or biltong is your first choice, both of these classic South African treats will make your tastebuds sing.