It’s only been about a year that I have been able to pronounce the word correctly, but luckily charcuterie now rolls confidently off my tongue. Quite often, in fact, as I have had my fair share of cold meats recently.

At the weekend I was lucky enough to sample the best charcuterie in South Africa, made by meat master Neil Jewell from Bread and Wine Restaurant on the Môreson Wine Farm in Franschhoek.

Neil’s passion for anything pickled, smoked or brined, and artisan-made salamis, confits, hams, terrines and pâtés is quite evident, not only when he describes his selection to you, but also in the taste of the creamy, delicate slices of coppa that melt away in your mouth; saucissons, a French-style sausage; and the biltong, which is just on another level.

Neil adheres to his philosophy of keeping with authentic tradition, and shared with me that it all starts with the happy pigs. These he chooses from farmer Charlie at Glen Oaks in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, which is where the pasture-reared pigs are raised.

If you are lucky enough to visit Neil, ask him to open the cold room where a magnificent array of meats are ageing, made by the perfect fleischmeister.

The best thing about the visit is that my fridge is now stocked with a few treats: a string of saucisson, some shavings of lamb biltong, and a stickie of chorizo. Not for long, though, I’m sure! They may suffer a similar fate to that of the roll of smoked rooibos butter, which was demolished the night I got back – spread cold on slices of hot buttered sourdough.

Happy eating!

Abigail

Photograph: Donna Lewis