• Knysna’s Oyster Festival in July is the ideal time to get down to the Garden Route, visit old favourites and find out what’s new. Here are 15 dynamic reasons to visit Knysna…LISA VAN DER KNAAPThen and now… Once a sleepy fishing village that attracted a handful of holidaymakers, Knysna is now a bustling minimetropolis. Over the years it has seen a number of developments, most notably Thesen Island, a private estate encompassing 19 islands in the Knysna lagoon. Tourism, however, remains the predominant moneyspinner, which is why so many new restaurants and hotels have popped up and there’s so much…

    Offering sun, sand and seriously good food, Sydney is a must-visit destination for any foodieJULIA ROWANDSydney is a lot like Cape Town: hot and sunny over Christmas, with…

    For basic couscous, place equal amounts of couscous and boiling water or stock in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Loosen the grains with a fork, season to taste and serve hot. For buttered couscous, add melted butter and 1 finely chopped, sautéed garlic clove. For herbed couscous, add a splash of olive oil, 1 chopped garlic clove and a handful each of freshly chopped coriander and fresh flat-leaf parsley. For Mediterranean couscous, add a handful of pitted and roughly chopped black olives, sundried tomatoes, shelled pistachios and a little olive oil.

    Beef-stuffed tomatoes are hearty mains that are full of robust flavour, but won’t leave you feeling uncomfortably stuffed. These flavours are perfect together. Rich, tender and delicious! 

    The orange flavour keeps this dessert refreshing and light. Cook’s tip:  To make stock syrup, boil together 50ml of sugar and 50ml of water for 5 minutes, then…