Seafood Platter

This platter is filled with the things I love. Some are old favourites, like the smoked fish pâté, the soutvis (salted fish) and the crayfish. Others, like the oysters and tuna tartare, are adult pleasures. But they all signify a part of me. The one does not take priority over the other. While oysters are associated with luxury and sophistication, and Maryke and I eat them often, the crayfish is and will always be associated with good family times; of outings to the seaside and crayfish braais when we weren’t rich but we were happy. Crayfish also reminds me of my friend Ernest, who lives in Pretoria. The two of us share a love of food and golf. Once, we were playing golf and on the ninth hole he passes me a Tupperware filled with a crayfish tail salad that he’d made. So there I was, leaning over my golf bag, eating crayfish with my fingers from a plastic tub. We laughed but, hell, it was lekker!