West Coast Cookbook

Also available in Afrikaans as WESKUSKOS

For many generations, the people of South Africa's Cape West Coast have been a fishing community but, following the rise of commercialisation, they are now confronted with the end of that tradition. The West Coast lifestyle has changed irrevocably, but to preserve one aspect of their tradition, the Bergrivier Vissersvrouevereniging, under the guidance of Ina Paarman, presents the West Coast Cookbook. Some of the recipes in the collection are very old and were born out of hardship and ingenuity often occasioned by the challenge of the sea. Included are memorable seafood dishes, delicious braai and meat recipes, soups that make you long for times past, and items for your 'pantry' because West Coast people understand the need to plan ahead for difficult times. This unique cookbook allows you an intimate glimpse into the lives of the families of the West Coast, as they see themselves.

As in many traditional fishing communities, pelagic fishermen along South Africa's Cape West Coast work for factories and are remunerated on a commission-only basis. Because fishing is seasonal and men are usually the sole breadwinners, poverty is widespread.

In 1994 a fishing quota system was introduced in South Africa to restructure the fishing industry in order to create more employment and empower members of historically disadvantaged communities. Katie Prezens, Jane Solomon and her sister, Suzanne, all from Hopefield, saw this as an opportunity to alleviate their hand-to-mouth existence. In 1996 they registered a company for the wives and widows of pelagic fishermen, the Bergrivier Vissersvrouevereniging, and applied for a quota. The quota was granted but because they did not own boats, they approached a fish factory to fill their quota and pay them a percentage of the 'catch'. Although small, this income was used to fund more economically viable projects.

The Bergrivier Vissersvrouevereniging members from the West Coast used various strategies to promote the sustainability of their community. Unfortunately, the company has been dissolved since the books first publication. West Coast Cookbook represents one of their projects and is regarded as a means of recording the history and restoring the pride and dignity of the West Coast people.