An interesting and informative hands-on retreat to learn how to make:

Sourdough Rye Bread

No-Knead Wheat Bread

Fermented Sauerkraut (Curtido)

Non-Gmo Soyabean Tofu

with

Nature walks and Qigong

Fantastic for all that enjoy the unique tastes of specialty foods.

Exploring the creative way of preparing nature’s wonders, and meeting like-minded people along the way. Tried and tested methods to prepare, and taste together, while sharing stories and enjoying the peaceful majesty of the Kammanassie mountains.

Why we have chosen these food preparations

100% Sourdough Rye Bread with Seeds

Looking for a bread considerably lower in gluten? Rye would be your go-to bread. However, it would then have to be 100% rye and sourdough with many health benefits would be best. In South Africa, other than buying real sourdough rye from a dedicated baker, the rye bread that is available is mostly not sourdough, not 100% rye, and certainly not packed with healthy seeds. When you can get the real deal you have to put your hand deep into your pockets.

 What you will learn about sourdough bread

• Why sourdough
• How to feed the sourdough starter
• The recipe, and method of mixing and leaving it to rise
• Methods of baking
• Specific baking techniques
• How to know when it is baked
• All about slicing the bread
• Storage

What do I get to do

Grow your sourdough starter, mix a loaf, wait for it to rise and bake it. Then enjoy a slice or two

What do I get to take home

• Sourdough starter
• Rye flour
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Bread tin
• Your loaf of rye bread

No-Knead Wheat Bread (Brown or White)

All store-bought bread contains chemicals to improve the texture, prolong shelf life and enhance appearance. It is amazing how long store-bought bread can remain ‘fresh’, which would indicate that it is quite ‘dead’.

Here are the ingredients of a well-known brand of brown bread.  You will see that the ingredients list is considerably larger than just wheat flour, yeast, salt and water, which is the traditional ingredients to bake bread.

“Brown bread wheat flour (wheat, gluten), water, yeast, salt, sugar, soya flour (soy), vegetable fat (palm fruit), preservative: calcium propionate, emulsifiers, flour improvers, mineral salts (electrolytic iron and zinc oxide) and vitamins.”

Our choice of wheat bread flour, whether white or brown is that it be stoneground, locally cultivated wheat, and locally milled.

 What you will learn about making no-knead bread

• How quick and simple it is to make a healthy living loaf of bread
• Alternative healthy additives
• The recipe and method of mixing and leaving it to rise
• Methods of baking, including baking in a sun oven (weather dependent)
• How to know when it is baked
• Storage

What do I get to do

Measure and mix ingredients, wait for it to rise and bake it. Then enjoy a slice or two

What do I get to take home

• Wheat bread flour
• Packet of yeast
• Mixing bowl, wooden spoon and bread tin from the rye bread
• Your loaf of wheat bread

Fermented Sauerkraut (Curtido)

Fermented vegetables not only take food to the next level, but are recommended to be an important part of gut health. Fermented foods increase thr shelf life and also, the nutritional value, to give your body the necessary probiotics, which are live micro­organisms crucial to good digestion and a healthy microbiome.

 What you will learn about lacto-fermented vegetables

• Understanding lacto-fermentation
• Which vegetables you can ferment
• What is Curtido
• The recipe for making Curtido
• How to prepare and process the vegetables
• What containers to ferment vegetables in
• How to know when it is fermented
• Storage

What do I get to do

Prepare the vegetables, massage the ingredients. Pack the bottle and label.   Taste some already make Curtido.

What do I get to take home

• Your bottle of Curtido
• The Curtido recipe and instructions
• Packet of sea salt

Non-Gmo Soyabean Tofu

Tofu, also referred to as beancurd, is traditionally made with soyabeans. First you make milk and then it is curdled with a coagulant separating the curds from the whey. The curds are then pressed into a tofu press. A half a cup of tofu contains roughly 20 grams of protein, as much as three eggs! As a source of complete protein, soya provides contains plant compounds and is rich in nutrients. It is a fallacy that the plant estrogens in soya raise estrogen levels in woman and feminise men. In fact studies show that ongoing use of soy protects woman from breast cancer.

Plain tofu is fairly bland in flavour, but it soaks up the flavour of  whatever marinade you add to it or it can be used to make a dish on its own, for example mock scrambled egg or quiche.

In South Africa tofu is only available in cities and some large towns. The better quality non-gmo from health shops is quite costly, or from a Chinese supermarket where you can purchase blocks of tofu that are inexpensive, but are manufactured from GMO soyabeans, or imported tofu in cartons from selected supermarkets.

 What you will learn about making non-GMO soyabean tofu

• What is tofu
• Types of tofu
• Understanding the process
• Which beans can you make tofu with
• How to make soya milk
• Coagulants
• How to curdle bean curd
• Pressing the curd
• Storage
• How to use tofu

What do I get to do

Soak soya beans, blend, make soya milk, cook, add coagulant, place soya curds into the mould and press. Store tofu. Split into two and contribute a half to a delicious tofu quiche.

What do I get to take home

• 250g Non-GMO soyabeans
• Epsom salts
• Candy thermometer
• Nutmilk bag
• Approx 220g tofu
• Packet of sea salt

• Be enabled to make fermented foods that will feed your gut microbiome
• Enjoy the variety of high protein plant-based meals, and feta cheese with homemade GMO-Free tofu
• Be empowered to make a quick chemical-free bread
• Looking for low-gluten bread, easily digested sourdough rye is the answer
• Decompress from the city life and remind yourself about healthy habits for body and mind
• Enjoy the experience of wholefood plant-based meals (if meals are selected in favour of self-catering)
• Peace and quiet for the mind, refreshing energy for the body
• The ideal location to unplug and enjoy the beauty of nature
• Vibrate with the calming reflections of the natural mountain-water-fed dam

ACCOMMODATION

Renewal Retreat offers a variety of accommodation designed to meet various pockets.

For this retreat, select your choice of accommodation in the application form.

Here is the link to browse through the various accommodation options.

For this retreat we will be offering a generous 50% discount on all accommodation options.
Accommodation is booked on a first come, first served basis.

Should you wish to have a room to yourself in a multiple accommodation room please select this as an option in the application form. Shared rooms will be limited to single gender.

MEALS & ACCOMMODATION

Nearby Places to Visit

• Renewal Retreat is well positioned to visit the Garden Route towns of Mossel Bay, George, Wilderness National Park, Sedgefield, Knysna, Plettenberg bay and inland to the town of Uniondale
• Travel east to Natures Valley, Storms River, Jeffrey’s Bay and Addo National Park
• Via Oudtshoorn visit the famous Cango Caves

• 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals (for those that book the meal options)
• 4 group culinary experiences
• 3 nature walks with a guide
• 3 qigong sessions
• Safe parking
• Wifi connection in designated areas

• Accommodation (Select your accommodation from the Rates Card)
• Travel expenses
• Insurance
• Shuttle from George airport
• Additional days stay to include lifestyle makeover benefits

Seasonal Information

The weather on the Kammanassie mountains can be quite variable from day to day which means that we can have very pleasant sunny days in the winter and in contrast, summer can bring gorgeous days, chilly days and very hot days. Clothing for all eventualities should be included in your case.
The hot summer days can be tempered by cooling off in the spring-water dam, and a brisk walk or a chill out at one of the fireplaces or firepits will certainly warm you up on the cold days.

What To Bring

How To Get There (Flights, Airport Transfers, Buses)

Join us for an unforgettable, beyond culinary experience

at this little piece of heaven in the mountains

Apply now for one of only 6 spaces

APPLICATION