Remembering Dame Edna as we munch on more-ish matzos

What you should know this week

Irish eyes turn unsmiling

South Africans and citizens of Botswana can no longer travel to Ireland without a visa. The Fomolistas wonder if this is the price we have to pay for our rugby victory last Saturday. 

New night shelter for homeless people in Muizenberg

The mayor of Cape Town has just announced that he will make R4 million available from the mayor's fund for the establishment of a night shelter for homeless people in Muizenberg. A private donor is providing the same amount.

Scrumptious snack

Laureen has rediscovered matzos for her new favourite 5 pm snack with tea or a glass of wine.

Take one or two sheets of matzos, spread a thin layer of butter to prevent dryness, then a smidge of Bovril and Simonsberg's Simonzola (blue cheese) on top.

For variety, you can also put labneh on the bottom layer and season it with a strong harissa.

In Italy, the Fomolistas enjoyed their late afternoon spritzers with thinly toasted focaccia, pita chips or crostini sprinkled with oregano, coarse salt and olive oil. 

8 brilliant French press hacks

Things you can do with your French press beyond coffee. (But do yourself a favour and invest in a quality press. We've owned too many substandard ones where the sieve part inevitably gives up the ghost and you end up with a shelf full of plunger carcasses.)

#1 Froth milk
#2 Make broth 
#3 Infuse oil
#4 Steep tea
#5 Rinse grains
#6 Make cold brew
#7 Squeeze excess water from vegetables
#8 Shake up a cocktail

Read more on Epicurious.

Men’s wardrobe

Garments every man should have in his wardrobe
#1 1 white and one black T-shirt   
#2 1 good white fitted shirt
#3 1 tailored suit
#4 1 nice set of pyjamas
#5 1 good pair of blue jeans

Travel

Follow the longest wine route in the world 

The Klein Karoo Wine Route in the Southern Cape has the largest variety of wine regions in the country. It stretches from Route 62 to the Outeniqua.

A luxury train journey in Europe at a reasonable price

The Bernina Express starts in Chur, Switzerland and ends in Tirano, Italy or vice versa.

Laundry tip 

Turn your jeans inside out before you wash them. This prevents the indigo from rubbing against other colours and preserves the colour for longer.

Poetry pharmacy 

What a marvellous concept.

Prima political pod

If you are interested in American politics, The Rest is Politics: US comes with our highest recommendation.

In a pivotal year for the US, democracy and global affairs, Britain's biggest podcast launches stateside with Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci. Kay is a respected BBC US presenter, and Scaramucci is an American financier who infamously served as Trump's  White House communications director for ten days in 2017. 

The Rest Is Politics: US uncovers the secrets from inside the Biden and Trump inner circles and takes a broader look at the intricacies of US society and how they shape the world's most important economy.

Here on Spotify but also wherever you listen to podcasts.

Last Word

Quote of the day

Just because they don’t follow you on Instagram doesn’t  mean they don’t follow you on Instagram.
— @herincrediblemindset

Six quips by Dame Edna Everage

Quips by Barry Humphries, who died last year aged 89. His alter ego was the beloved Australian comedian Dame Edna. 

1. To live in Australia permanently is rather like going to a party and dancing all night with one's mother.
2. You mustn’t judge Australia by the Australians.
3. I come from a family who have a great deal of prudishness about illness. If someone was very ill, we’d say he hasn’t been very well lately, which means dying.
4. New Zealand is a country of thirty thousand million sheep, three million of whom think they are human.
5. I'm approaching 70. Unfortunately, from the wrong direction.
6. Is there a follow-up to the CBE, and if so, how long does it take?

♦ VWB ♦

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION: Go to the bottom of this page to share your opinion. We look forward to hearing from you.