"But, of course, they are cooking all the side dishes, making sure there are starters, and feeding the children," who are frequently asleep by the time the braaivleis (grilled meats) are ready.
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Koos Ras (Jacobus Adriaan Gerhardus) was born on 4 August 1928, on a farm named Paardekop in Northern Natal Province in South Africa. As a young boy he often visited his father's neighbour (name unknown), who taught him how to play a "Konsertina". Ras was famously known as a comedian, singer, composer, writer and businessman. He recorded 14 LP records including Spoke ("Ghosts"), Lekker ou braaivleis aand ("Pleasant barbecue evening").
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White South African culture was encapsulated in the 1970s Chevrolet radio jingle "Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet" based on the United States version "Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet". Although nationwide television in South Africa was introduced in 1976, many older South Africans of British descent had little exposure to British television and humour as a result of an Equity union ban on British television programme sales to South Africa during apartheid.
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A typical braai on a small braai stand The word braaivleis (; ) is Afrikaans for grilled meat. The word braai (plural braais) is Afrikaans for barbecue or grill and is a social custom in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. The term originated with the Afrikaners, but has since been adopted by South Africans of many ethnic backgrounds. The word vleis is Afrikaans for meat, cognate with English flesh.
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Chevrolet Firenza CanAm 302, South African homologation special In South Africa, Chevrolet was GM's main brand name until 1982, with a number of Vauxhall Motors and Holden derivatives being built under the Chevy name from 1965. In the 1970s, the advertising jingle "braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet" (adapted from the US "Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pies and Chevrolet") came to epitomise the ideal lifestyle of white male South Africans. Holden in Australia used the jingle "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars". Originally, Chevrolets were CKD kits of US models assembled in their plant in Port Elizabeth.
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Their stock varies from own and adjacent homemade farm products like jams, butter, bread, cheese, dried fruit & nuts, free-range eggs, pies, coffee or wines up to wrought-iron works, wooden furniture and other handicrafts. Local farmworkers can earn an extra income by producing the jams, preserves and also clothing which is available to buy. Sought-after also the wood for a popular braaivleis. Most farm stalls go along with a coffee shop where typical South African food like roosterkoek (a kind of roll unique to South Africa, cooked on grill and slightly charred), lemon meringue pie, koeksister, bobotie and beverages like ginger beer is offered.
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In South Africa, pannenkoek is typically used in singular: "Kom ons eet pannekoek" (Let's have pannenkoek) (Pannenkoek is Pannekoek in Afrikaans and South Africa) It is served with cinnamon and sugar; the cinnamon sugar mix is sprinkled over the pancake which is then rolled up and—unless consumed instantly—will be wrapped in wax paper to maintain warmth. The cinnamon and sugar melts into this warm and soft treat. It is often prepared as you watch at church bazaars, school fetes, and most any outdoor event which serves freshly cooked food such as barbecue (braaivleis). As a former Dutch colony, Indonesia also inherited the dish.
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What often makes a braai different from barbecue in that it is the 'go-to' social event for many South Africans, from Christmas Day, to graduation parties, to birthdays and every day get togethers, used as a means to celebrate. Other cultures may reserve a barbecue as a special event in its own right. General Motors South Africa used the term braai in the 1970s in its localized jingle "Braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies, and Chevrolet" to advertise their cars in South Africa — equivalent to the slogan "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet" in the US and, to a lesser extent, "football, meat pies, kangaroos & Holden Cars" used in Australia. Braai Day is a celebration of South Africa's rich cultural heritage and its unique national pastime, the braai.
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