If you haven’t had the chance to check out the new Porsche dealership in Umhlanga then you are in for a real treat. They have spared no expense when it comes to the look and feel of the beautiful glass and streamlined building facade which is so fitting with the “out of this world” porsche models that sit sleekly on the showroom floor. The staff are professional and friendly, although these cars come at a hefty price tag it really isn’t an intimidating experience to simply drop by for a visit – even if, like me, its just to drool.

Being car enthusiasts we were delighted to be asked to cater for the Durban launch of the Porsche Cayenne GTS. For such an exciting occasion we pulled out all the stops and made some mouth-watering canapes for the VIP guests:

• Salmon & avo, prawn mango & avo, vegetarian california rolls & fashion sandwiches on a bed of pickled ginger & wasabi
• Peanut chicken & julienne vegetable spring rolls with homemade pineapple & coriander chutney
• Mini yorkshire puddings topped with seared beef fillet, horseradish and deep fried sage
• Smoked salmon with a lemon & dill cream cheese with chives on home made bread
• Potato & mint samoosas with chutney sambles
• Toasted brochette topped with pan-fried mushroom & fresh tomato with a pesto vinaigrette
• Fresh linefish cakes topped with roasted garlic aioli, pepperdews & scallions
• Tandoori chicken skewers folded in homemade naan breads with guajarati beans & spiced yoghurt dip
• Slow roasted lamb shredded on a bed of roasted mediterranean vegetables with feta and tomato relish
• Grand brie cheese boards with jars of homemade melba toasts, poached pears, cranberry preserves & almond brittle
• Mini lemon chiffon cakes with a cream cheese icing & sweet lemon syrup.

This month Olive Twist has started to deliver a brand new winter meal plan to boardrooms, offices and desks with rave reviews.

Lunch order numbers are received before 10am each day

Olive Twist delivers in time for your lunch on platters for staff, directors or board to dish up for themselves

Lunch is presented beautifully, is healthy and carefully balanced and guaranteed to perk up your spirits on a cold wintry day.

We  also ensure there are both vegetarian and lighter options available for each day

Give Ros a call on 084 208 3799 for a copy of the meal plan!

It was advertised as the biggest motoring event of the year so we put pedal to the metal to get to the Top Gear Festival in June and had the honour of being the caterer for the title sponsor of the event – Shell V Power.

Top Gear promised a packed schedule of entertainment so it was important that we made sure our friends at Shell could do some substantial snacking throughout the day.  We donned our red, black and gold and set up mid morning snack platters followed later by a substantial mini pasta station and dessert buffet.   

Olive Twist is proud to be associated with Eatfresh – the new gourmet sandwich and smoothie bar located in Chartwell Drive in Umhlanga.  People are raving about the home baked varieties of bread with delicious toppings made fresh on site daily.  All sandwiches are served with your choice of fruit juices, smoothies and freshly brewed signature coffees. As a friend of Olive Twist you can qualify for a free freshly squeezed juice with every sandwich bought -  simply print out this coupon and take with you into store (terms and conditions apply):

photography - www.dgc.co.za

I am a Girls College old girl and it is wonderful and a bit nostalgic to go visit my old haunting ground.  Girls College has a wonderful new function venue located by the entrance of Millers Grove and we are really looking forward to making something special for the Old Girls luncheon on the 20th of July as well as catching up with some familar faces!

Girls College Luncheon

Starters

• Wild mushroom tart served with a tomato and chutney jam
• Bay Leaf salad
• Mini olive pot breads

Mains

• Linefish cakes served on a sweet potatoe crisp, danish feta, smashed chickpea salad in a minted vinagrette
• Blue cheese and broccoli home-made pies served with crisp greens and a beetroot relish

Dessert

• Teacup chocolate pot – warm dark chocolate, mint sponge & chocolate ganache served in a tea cup.

Any Old Girls who would like to attend the cocktail and canapes evening function please contact Lynne Nielson on 031 268 7200.

This year Olive Twist has had more wedding requests than ever before.  There is nothing better than being such an important part of someone’s most memorable day and that is why we take our prep work for these events very seriously.

Part of that prep work means that we like to be familiar with all new venues in and around Durban to help advise brides on what they can expect from a logistics perspective on the day.  This month Olive Twist had the opportunity to visit three fantastic new venues: 

Talloula is based in Botha’s Hill and is a mere 25 minutes outside the Durban city centre.  This is great news for those brides not wanting their guests  to pay for overnight accomodation, also it is large enough to seat 200 guests comfortably. The first to attraction when you arrive is the lovely view of the dam and wetland from the expansive veranda which wraps around the main function room.  There is a chapel in the garden and an area for pre-wedding canapes.  All amenities are brand new and the main function venue has a dance floor and folding doors the entire length of the room.  The only drawback for us is the fact that they do not allow outside catering (lets hold thumbs that this changes in the not so distant future).  Glynnis Dirksen, the owner, whom we met on our visit, and her lovely team are well known in the events industry.  They are known for being calm under pressure with a keen eye for detail – we wish them all the best with this beautiful venue.

Photography by Olive Twist

We were really excited to visit this beautiful venue situated in Nottingham Road called The Cairn of Old Kilgobbin.  This venue perfectly matches the Olive Twist style of catering which is intimate and relaxed, but still elegant, and with a touch of whimsy. I couldn’t help but be a little bit jealous that it wasn’t available when I wanted to get married.  This is the perfect venue for a classic country lunch type wedding with a rustic charm. 

Working at Olive Twist takes you on a journey to some amazing events and incredible venues.  Catering at a function at  Dube City, located within Dube TradePort  and the first purpose-planned aviation related city in Africa, is an experience second to none.  We have been fortunate to have catered for many functions at Dube City including their launch at COP 17 and Durban Design Indaba.

A visit to their Green house is a must for anyone who has an interest in fresh produce and has served as inspiration for this green inspired vegetarian menu:

Vegetarian Cocktail/ Canape Menu:

• Bruschetta topped with broad bean puree,olive tapenade, grilled sweet peppers and homemade basil pesto
• Springrolls – filled with courgettes, coriander, ginger and cashew nuts served with plum and soy dipping sauce
• Mini blue cheese & butternut ravioli with rosemary & chilli butter
• Charred root vegetable tarts served with onion preserve
• Mini wild mushroom risottos
• Salad niscoise served with asparagus and poached eggs
• Mini stir fry and tofu pad thai noddle bowls
• Vegetable breyani’s with a spiced yoghurt sauce
• Butternut and walnut veloute shots
• Mini leek & potatoe tarts with goats cheese crumble
• Mini red onion tatins with balsamic glaze
• Mini veg burgers with halloumi cheese, onion jam, beetroot, hummus, pesto, tomatoes and mushrooms