The holidays are over, and mid-summer is behind us, but there’s still plenty of time to make the most of the warm season, and no better way to do that than around our outdoor tables. From casual family braais on weekdays to sunny get-togethers with friends over weekends, getting outside to cook and share good food connects us to what is truly important in life.
A table set in the shade. Fresh bread and sliced stone fruit on platters. Dishes, hot and cold, savoury and sweet, all laid out. Plates passed from hand to hand. South Africans don’t need special occasions to do this; it’s simply how food fits into life in the late summer.
What makes outdoor eating so joyful isn’t just the food, but the way it changes how people gather. There’s less formality, more movement. People get up, come back, top up glasses, and cut more fruit. Al fresco meals are less about courses and more about time – time spent together, enjoying the warmth, letting the season set the rhythm.
Wilechia van der Westhuizen, spokesperson for Juicy Delicious, says, “These last weeks of summer bring locally grown stone fruit at its most generous. Peaches, nectarines, and plums are ripe, fragrant, and juice-heavy. These are fruits that suit outdoor tables sliced into salads, grilled lightly over coals, baked into simple desserts, or eaten straight from the bowl while children play barefoot on the lawn and adults linger over conversations.
Stone fruit works across it all, bright against savoury flavours, refreshing after smoky food, deliciously and naturally sweet at the end of the meal when no one feels like leaving the table yet.”
For inspiration, Juicy Delicious has curated a new al fresco recipe collection showcasing the talents of four top South African chefs:
- The Roasted Dad, aka MasterChef winner, Shawn Godfrey, leans into the perfect pairing of stone fruit and grilled meats with his recipe for Spicy Chicken Wings served on a peach, avocado, mint, and basil salsa. Marinated in mango achar and sriracha mayo, the wings are first grilled and then braised in a potjie over the coals for optimum flavour and tenderness. Served on a fresh, peach-forward salsa, this is a dish destined to become a family braai favourite. His Nectarine Tarte Tatin baked in a kettle-braai takes al fresco eating to a new level. Juicy wedges of nectarines are caramelised with toasted walnuts, thyme, and vanilla, and topped with puff pastry. Baked using the indirect cooking method, the tart is turned over and served warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Masego Mbonyana, chef, recipe developer, and content creator of Meals with Masego fame, uses the stone fruit of the late-summer season for both savoury and sweet braai dishes that will delight family and friends. Her recipe for Grilled Nectarine, Prosciutto & Mozzarella Flatbreads combines lightly caramelized stone fruit with creamy, melted cheese and salty charcuterie – perfect for a quick evening family braai. Follow it up with Stone Fruit Skewers with Amasi Ice Cream or irresistible Stone Fruit S’mores. Both recipes use lightly braaied stone fruit wedges, and her ice cream recipe is an easy-to-make, no-churn version.
- Cookbook author and MasterChef SA judge, Justine Drake, combines the succulence of pork with the juicy ripeness of fresh plums with her Pork Rashes with sticky plum sauce and fresh plum salsa recipe, and her Spiced Plum Rum cocktail adds an elegant, celebratory touch to the outdoor table.
- Caramelised peach and cream cheese cupsby Celebrity chef, Jenny Morris highlights how simple and easy it is to make delectable desserts with stone fruit. Her Peachy Piccalilli recipe adds rich flavour to cheese boards and picnic spreads, and is a reminder that it is a good time to start making stone fruit preserves for your winter pantry.
Stone Fruit Sangria
Make a beautiful glass jug of refreshing stone fruit sangria the centrepiece of your outdoor table. This Juicy Delicious recipe combines chopped peaches, nectarines, plums, or cherries with a bottle of crisp white or rosé wine, a splash of brandy or orange liqueur, a sweetener such as a simple syrup or a little juice, and a dash of citrus. Preparing ahead and chilling for hours allows the fresh fruity flavours to meld. Stone fruit sangria is served over ice and topped with sparkling water or soda with extra sliced stone fruit and mint for garnishing.
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