Kerry cooks up a storm

When Kerry Hedges was about 10, what she wanted most in the world was to make a good samoosa. So her mother took her to Stanger (prime spicy snack territory) and besieged the lady behind the counter at a buzzing takeaway.

“I wouldn’t leave until she had shown me how to fold the dough – she used a long till slip, and folded it over and over!”

Kerry’s home-made samoosas are now among the signature savouries at the rustic Orchard Café, recently opened at the Litchi Orchard market and nursery off Salt Rock Road.

Local farm produce, cheeses and preserves, local free-range eggs and meats – Kerry’s menu pays homage to the superb ingredients of KZN. Salads and veg from Cindy Valayadam’s farm a kilometre away, nuts and other seasonal fruits from the Ebs (owners of the Litchi Orchard). A friend grows herbs for her on the farm next door. Prize-winning charcuterie (Chuck and Bob’s) comes from Shongweni, cheeses from the Berg, preserves from Cindy again, and as much as possible from the stallholders at this twice-monthly market.

Kerry still bakes to order under her Lemon Canary brand

“If I can’t get it locally, in KZN, I won’t put it on my menu,” she says firmly. “I’m a small business person, and I like to support others.”

“Fresh” and “seasonal” sum up Kerry’s inspiration and her mission. They dictate the salads, the quiches, the sandwiches – everything.  She makes her own artisan bagels, health and cinnamon bread. And she enjoys injecting distinctive local flavours into standard dishes, like a flash of fresh chilli and a dash of dhania in breakfast scrambled eggs.

She’s now doing Sunday picnic baskets, but it’s probably her beautiful, jewel-bright, feather-light cakes which are most irresistible.  She still bakes to order under her Lemon Canary brand name, but has specialised in food photography so everything always looks absolutely wonderful, but happily uncontrived.

And of course it tastes good, too.

Online picture gallery: Orchard is blooming.

Orchard Cafe, Litchi Orchard, Seaforth Avenue, Foxhill (off the N2 on the Salt Rock Road.) Open Wed-Sun, 8am-3pm. Market days are the first and third Saturdays every month. Tel: 083 2932396.