Which type of wood should you use for your braai?

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In South Africa braaing is more of a religion than a mere pastime. Firing up the perfect coals and grilling the most flavourful meat is not just an activity; it’s something of an art form. “Braaing is in every South Africans blood, there’s just something about grilling meat outdoors that appeals to everyone, regardless of their economic status, race or cultural background.

 

Be it for a birthday, Christmas, farewell, welcome home, or simply to get a few friends together, any occasion is an acceptable reason to light the fire, and any day is a good braai day – there are few things we love as much; it is all about the experience, the company and the quality of the food.

 

With the warmer months finally upon us, many might be in the market for a new braai and it is worth-while to consider all the options before you buy. We look at the fuel and the apparatus’ available for the perfect braai to help you make an informed decision:

 

Wood or Charcoal?

 

Wood was formerly the most widely-used braai fuel, however with our busy schedules these days the use of charcoal has increased due to its convenience. We have 3 options available to us to get that fire going; wood, charcoal (carbonised wood) and briquettes (charcoal residue that’s been compressed into shapes). What you use will depend on the occasion and how much time you have.

 

Undoubtedly the best braai is with wood, there is no comparison to the flavour of your meat and it is great for a lengthy social get-together. When food is grilled over wood, a compound called Guaiacol is released, this is the smoky spicy aroma compound produced when you use heat to break down lignin, which gets infused in the meat. The wood smoke goes into the meat or pot, giving it that unique flavour, which you can never get from charcoal or gas. For this reason we still remain fans of the classic wood fire.

 

We are reliant on fire as both a heat source in winter, and for entertainment. Different trees provide us with wood, with different qualities that contribute to the fire. It is the density and moisture content that determines its favourability; some types have too much moisture or are too dense and do not burn in a satisfactory manner.

 

Wood should have been given at least a year in which to dry out, leaving it with less than 20% moisture content. Hardwoods are very dense; they have more potential heat energy per volume of firewood. Therefore they tend to be the best firewood types for heat and for cooking. However, they are more difficult to get ignited, usually cost more, and take longer to dry than softwood.

 

For every wood-burning braai enthusiast out there, you’ll find someone who’s every bit as passionate about using charcoal. Charcoal is great for a fast, convenient braai as its easy-to-use and lights very quickly. Briquettes is the best option to use in a kettle braai, because they can be used in small amounts and retain heat for longer than charcoal pieces.

 

In the end it all depends on your requirements. Wood for “geseligheid” with friends till the coals are ready, and charcoal when braaing for the family and you need to get it done quickly. So go ahead and stand behind whichever method you prefer – the choice is yours.

 

Popular wood options:

  • Sekelbos – Is very popular, extremely dry and hardy. Commonly found throughout the country, and is, without a doubt, the best to use as it gives off intense heat, burns incredibly long, and also imparts a lovely smoky flavour to the meat.
  • Black Wattle – Easy to light, lasts extremely long, and provides that glowing coal. It is a bit harder to find and will be a little more expensive than Blue Gum.
  • Blue Gum – Not endemic to South Africa and it is often a little wet. The resin also makes it burn out faster than the Black Wattle.
  • Mopane – Indigenous to SA, and is the braai king next to the Sekelbos. Is very dry and hardy, and makes extremely hot coals in very little time, and stays hot for a very long time.
  • Kameeldoring – Has the lowest moisture content, is extremely dry and heavy. It takes long to burn out and creates a large amount of hot burning coals. Almost smokeless and has a natural musky fragrance.
  • Rooikrans– Very popular in the Western Cape; It usually comes in log shapes and is also a great hardwood for a braai.
  • Apple wood – Difficult to come by, but is a great source of firewood. It is ideal for a pizza oven or for smoking. It has its own sweet aroma that is known to flavour the food.

Wood density

Heavier, more dense wood, is ideal wood for a slower braai, especially if you are not in a hurry to get the fire going and want to enjoy fire making and a few cold ones while doing so.

Hard wood burns at a higher temperature for longer, this is partly due to the fact that the longer wood burns for the hotter it gets. Hard/dense wood will also leave ample time to cook and to restart the fire at a later stage in case someone arrives a little late.

Dense wood is it is usually more expensive and hard to get at times but in the end because it burns for longer, you will use less and it’ll probably work out to be the same amount of money but with a better outcome. Use soft wood for a camp fire where it can burn out quick after you’re done and it makes for a great high flame bonfire.

Community Living – Keeping property values high

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Living in gated communities and estates has become a growing trend in South Africa. This type of lifestyle offers security, hassle-free living and the type of community where everyone knows their neighbour by name. Many estates also provide the opportunity for residents to enjoy communal amenities such as a club house, swimming pool, tennis courts, gym and children’s play areas. Some estates are positioned on a golf course, others have mountain biking trails and some are equestrian. Participation in sports and recreational activities adds significantly to the lifestyle on offer as well as the demand for properties in these estates.

For investors and home buyers, the ‘community living’ lifestyle is attractive. But in order for estates to work properly, where residents are content and property prices remain stable, or better still appreciate, they need to be well managed.

Living in a well-run estate can be bliss, but the opposite also holds true. It is immediately evident if an estate isn’t properly managed – the gardens within communal areas aren’t properly cared for, general maintenance is lacking, cars are parked where they should not be and the like.

For complexes to be well managed, it is beneficial for home-owners to understand what it entails and who the responsibility falls on. Below are the outlines of the two types of schemes pertaining to complex rules.

Full Title and Sectional Title Management
The way a residential community is managed depends on whether the homes are full title (free-standing or free-hold) or sectional title. Full title means that an owner has full ownership rights to the building and the land it is built on and refers to free-standing houses, cluster houses and small-holdings.

Sectional title refers to separate ownership of units within a complex or development. When you buy within a sectional title development, you purchase a unit together with shared ownership of the common property. Sectional title properties include townhouses, flats, semi-detached houses and duet houses.

As such, different rules and regulations apply to full title and sectional title properties.

Full Title property and Home Owner’s Association
Full title homes in estates fall under the rules and regulations of a Home Owners Association (HOA). Estate residents who own property in the complex are elected on to an HOA board of trustees. The board is responsible for making sure that the rules and regulations agreed upon by the residents are adhered to. Usually these leaders are elected because of their abilities and time capacity. For example, it is beneficial to have someone who understands property law to be part of the HOA board, as well as an accountant, an architect, landscaper and someone who works within the relevant municipality.

People who are retired also offer valuable expertise as they have the knowledge, the time and the interest in maintaining standards within the estate. Having the right people lead the HOA will hugely benefit the entire estate community.

Sectional Title property and Body Corporate
When living in a sectional title unit within a complex, the governing body is the Body Corporate (BC). All registered unit owners within the complex are members of the BC. The BC is responsible for managing the scheme and taking care of its finances. The members elect trustees who ensure that the daily running of the complex is carried out. Also, when the buildings need painting and walkways need to be repaved, it is the responsibility of the trustees to manage the implementation of the project, on behalf of all owners.

A managing agent is often appointed to take care of the duties of an HOA and BC. Duties include ensuring compliance with the relevant Acts, collection of monthly levies, paying the scheme’s insurance, arranging meetings, and making sure that the owners and tenants adhere to the rules.

Estates to fit your lifestyle
When buying property within estates and complexes, you should always look at the rules and regulations first, as well as the financial statements. Some estates don’t allow pets, while others have various rules pertaining to animals. Some communities aren’t child-friendly while others are made up of young families and children are allowed to play freely in the streets and in the communal areas.

With estate living there are complexes to suit everyone’s life stage and needs. In this way, you will get the very best out of community living as you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people with similar lifestyle requirements, which makes for optimum enjoyment of your home and its surroundings.

The Benefits of Imaginative Play

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Chiquita Patrizi, spokesperson for Prima Toys, outlines how children benefit from imaginative play and why it is so important for their development and well-being.

  1. Why is imaginative play so important for children?

 

Imaginative play, or free play where playtime is unstructured, is fundamental to early childhood development because children learn through play. Playing, in general, allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, their dexterity as well as physical, cognitive, and emotional strengths.

 

 

  1. The Benefits of role playing

Play basically prepares children for life. It teaches them mental and emotional strength and they also gain knowledge of how to behave in certain situations. Children will role play in order to try out situations, see what it feels like to be, for example, “a teacher”, “a mom”, “a baby”, “a baddie”, their favourite superhero and the list goes on.

 

 

  1. Play makes everything possible

Free play allows children to create their own worlds and master those worlds. This is one of the reasons that children enjoy playing with toys. They can use their imaginations and create imaginary worlds where nothing is impossible – their toys can fly, become invisible or turn into something else.

 

  1. Developing new Skills

Through play with other children, kids develop new skills, they become more confident and lean how to be resilient. This interaction also allows children to learn how to work together, solve problems together, share, negotiate and resolve conflicts – all tools that they will need as they grow older.

 

 

  1. Play outdoors

Unfortunately there has been a decline in outdoor play, especially in urban areas. Parents need to make a point of taking their children outdoors, to a nearby park and let them climb trees, play on the jungle gyms and run free in a wide open space. This type of activity will help with muscle development, muscle strength, co-ordination and balance.

 

 

  1. Easy games to get kids playing

Children love adventure games, so give them a scenario and let them play it out. For example: you’re at the top of a volcano, it’s about to erupt and you have to save your baby sister. You are the hero, what do you do? Let them run, jump and climb their way out of the imaginary scenario. Another favourite is “crocodile, crocodile” where kids need to jump over or cross imaginary rivers and avoid falling in and being eaten by crocs. Kids will love to hop, jump and balance their way across these “rivers”.

 

For more information go to www.Facebook.com/PrimaToys