Pleasure of going green at Veg & Vine

Every restaurant employed hunting and gathering patrols to search the farthest corners of the realm for food suppliers, and somehow many establishments managed to remain in business.
Times have changed, and anyone who enjoys entertaining and cookery, and has a fistful of dollars, can go out and buy virtually any ingredient or commodity their heart desires.
A one stop shopping destination and gourmet’s paradise is the Veg & Vine, a farm stall just beyond Lobenvale Brahman Stud, on the Domboshava Road.
Open every day of the week except Sunday, this foodie destination sells organic vegetables pulsating with good health and energy, and a connoisseur’s selection of cheeses ranging from Cheddar to Camembert.
The charcuterie section is mouth watering, and salamis as long as baseball bats hang alongside serried ranks of bottles of Dijon mustard.
Well-stocked shelves of red, white and rose wines cater for every taste, and those who swear by Cotes du Rhone wines can indulge in the Goats do Roam selection. Lovers of Bordeaux will painlessly switch allegiance to Bored Doe wines and there is a wide selection of sparkling wines for every celebratory occasion.
Parking at Veg & Vine is beneath a lofty and spreading Syringa tree. Beyond its shade stretch rows of cabbage and rape, while off duty stud horses relax in an adjoining paddock, cropping grass.
Much of the produce in the Veg & Vine’s pleasant cold room is grown on the farm. Snowy white cauliflower, emerald green broccoli, large, well shaped carrots and ‘hot lettuce’, a frilly designer lettuce with a mustard flav-our, all find their way into the shopper’s trolley a few minutes after leaving their well tended beds.
For the health conscious, there is a variety of whole foods, including grains, pulses, brown rice and nuts. Devotees of Japanese cookery can buy sushi mats, sticky rice and wasabi sauce. Spices, condiments, nuts and chutneys abound and oak barrels are filled to the brim with pineapples and coconuts.
Every Wednesday and Friday morning, a charming trio of young ladies hands out samples of the delicacy of the day, encouraging shoppers to try out new taste experiences.
Last Friday I tasted a few delectable squares of nougat, which was available in a variety of flavours including almond and cherry. A plateful of nougat flavoured biscuits also proved popular.
The Veg & Vine opened recently and management will soon be setting up tables and benches on the surrounding shady green lawns.
Shoppers will be able to picnic in rural surroundings, nibbling on olives, smoked beef and Brie, while sipping a glass of Chardonnay or Shiraz.
So instead of ordering a fancy starter platter at a five star restaurant, go shopping at Veg & Vine and create your own delightful selection.

The Veg & Vine
139 Domboshava Road
Tel: 885209/ e-mail: ve-g_vine@ecoweb.co.zw/ mailto:veg_vine@ecoweb.co.zw
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