Festive Pt 3: Braaied Alaska

Ystervark (Porcupine) Braaied Alaska

We'd like to thank an anonymous delegate from the Deep South for this recipe, which draws on traditions of the developed and developing worlds. The reason for the anonymity is that we actually couldn't find out exactly which BIP delegate submitted this. We do like this recipe however for its encouragement of cross-gendered activity as men get to bake while braaing. We do need to caution that this recipe is normally reserved for BIP delegates who have already earned the title of BIP Braaimeester.

Festive Pt 2: Braaied Turkey

BIP Review of Braaied Christmas Turkey

BIP leadership were recently invited to a preview of turkey braaing by a leading BIP delegate. We have used the pseudonym Semen to describe the delegate in order to protect his identity. We trust that the following review will provoke deep introspection amongst our BIP fraternity and sorority respectively.

On our arrival, we were somewhat perturbed that Semen had purchased a deboned turkey with pre-prepared stuffing and immediately challenged his BIP credentials. If you can't make your own stuffing, can you be called a braaimeester? As for deboning the turkey, why not just buy a large polony and hollow it out? However, his excellent wine (albeit red) soothed our ruffled sensibilities and with the idyllic day looming ahead, we permitted him to proceed.

Festive Pt 1: Drip Cocktails

Dear BIP members

This will be our last newsletter for 2009. As we write this, we know that all BIP members will be gearing up for one of the most intensive braai improvement processes of the year - the festive season braai.

We'd like to wish you all of the success that may have eluded you during the year and to help you we've reviewed some braai party approaches that you may want to try out.

Embarrassing Learning Curves

As BIP professionals, I feel it is important to acknowledge our inner fears and failings as a conscious reflective strategy for improvement of our braai skills. I wish to place on record two 'incidents' in which I felt that I was not in control.

Heritage Day Braai Stats

Dear All

With the founding member, Little Dreb's permission, we would like to credit BIP for the fact that nearly 50 million South Africans will be eating braaied food tomorrow. Your collective efforts in this regard are to be marvelled at and our sincere congratulations go out to all BIP members.

It is with great sadness however that we note the latest national braai statistics.

Braai the beloved country

Having freshly arrived back from a holiday in the Eastern Cape, which involved a significant number of braais, I feel compelled to inform BIP of the fact that radically different braai cultures exist within our beloved country. Whilst this is not necessarily a bad thing, I do feel that we need to include a guide to braaing food in an edible way within our BIP manual.

As the following BIP case studies involve people that we actually know, I have changed their names to protect their braaing prowess.

Braai accessories at Harrods

Dear esteemed members

BIP has not really focussed on braai accessories to date and it strikes me that we really need to keep up to speed on such matters. I would be interested in your thoughts on this.

Regards
Shadfish on behalf of the BIP National Executive

Psycho-social braaing

Dear Dreb Jr,

I would like to formally thank you for yet another fabulous BIP missive , which I unfortunately only received yesterday. I myself have been reflecting on the meaning of braais recently and have come to the conclusion that they are psycho-social cultural events. To explain how I arrived at this conclusion, I offer the following applied research case study.

During the last weekend, I spent Friday and Sunday amusing Australians. On Saturday, I spent time with my sister to take a break from amusing Australians. Part of my amusement strategy was to braai for the Australians - I did inform them about BIP, but announced that BIP membership was not open to Australians or anyone else who uses the word "barbecue" to describe braaing.

Kameeldoring Secrets

Howzit guys

It dawned on me the other day that i have not braaied with my friends for many a long day, so i want to have a braai on saturday afternoon somewhere nice - they are only forcasting a mild NW which goes west as we prepare the coals at about 5 pm and only 1 or 2 mm may fall - behind my house is perfect in these conditions...i have a galjoen and a fillet steak from polokwane to braai...

the last time i had a braai was in sagebrush last weekend after the kak rugby match. As the final whistle blew I said I better make a fire - my father sitting just next to me in his chair shot a few meters into the air and his head almost touched the roof "nobody told me we were going to have a braai!?!" he yelled "we haven't got any blooddy wood for christs sake!"

Protocol (not a proctology lesson)

Dear Members

I am sure you have been alerted to a possible braai on Easter Sunday with a certain Brian who shall be called Braain. For me, this invitation lacks any form of protocol. For a start, BIP has not been prioritised or even consulted. However, I do concede that BIP's universal presence may not yet have penetrated into the Eastern Cape.