Our Harvest crockery collection makes a bold statement on its own, but when culinary expert Ilse van der Merwe joined us for our latest campaign shoot, she took this stackable stoneware range to a whole new level. Ilse (@the_foodfox), a cookbook author, recipe developer, content creator and food stylist, conjured up three mouth-watering side dishes that are a cinch to make. Choose between loaded hummus, a feta and herb dip, and roasted tomatoes on spiced yoghurt – or better yet, try them all! Ilse also demonstrated how to create an eye-catching artisanal cheese tower with the use of our Delight cake stand. 

Get 15% off the Harvest crockery collection or other full-priced merchandise by using the code FOODFOX15. Offer valid until 31 March 2025. Applies exclusively to online purchases on hertexhaus.co.za. This offer cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. Enter the promo code at checkout to redeem the discount.

Showstopping sides

Ever the crowd-pleaser, hummus can be served at any time of the day. Spread out on a wide Harvest dinner plate and topped with chopped nuts, herbs and olives, it becomes a beautiful and generous addition to any feast. To save time, use tinned chickpeas. The secret to creating really smooth hummus is to boil the chickpeas for an additional 15 minutes, before processing them in a high-powered blender for 3 – 5 minutes with the other ingredients until you have a silky, grain-free dip.

With their sweet-savoury profile and burst of flavour, these slow-roasted tomatoes are sure to be one of the tastiest additions to any Mediterranean spread. They’re also ideal to make if you’re entertaining as they can be prepared well in advance before your guests arrive. Served on top of cool spiced yoghurt, they’re perfect for scooping onto a slice of toasted bread. 

Our Harvest crockery collection, on which Ilse’s delicious creations are displayed, is made of high-quality stoneware, and combines timeless elegance and minimalist design, giving it a bespoke feel. Being both dishwasher and microwave safe, the range also brings practicality and functionality to the table, affording you more time to break bread with friends and family, and less time in the kitchen cleaning up.

The collection includes dinner plates, side plates, pasta bowls and smaller bowls, making it easy to mix and match to suit your needs. Harvest crockery is the perfect choice to elevate your table setting, whether you’re serving a hearty pasta dish or sharing a plate of one of Ilse’s sides.

The pièce de résistance

How to create an artisanal cheese tower

No matter the occasion, a generous cheese board is always a welcome addition. For extra-special celebrations, why not elevate the humble cheese board – literally! Create a cheese tower by sourcing whole truckles of artisanal cheeses, choosing various sizes that can stack on top of one another to create a layered-cake effect. Opt for cheeses with different textures and rind colours to produce a stunning, natural-looking centrepiece. 

We’ve chosen three locally made cheeses for our tower: at the top is a Dalewood Boland truckle; in the middle, a Langbaken Karoo Williston truckle; and at the bottom, a wheel of Dalewood Brie Superlatif­ (the largest wheel of brie produced in South Africa). All these cheeses are available from the Wild Peacock deli in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.

Here, the cheese tower is displayed on our Delight cake stand for maximum impact. With its dark steel base paired with a sophisticated round marble top, this handmade cake stand’s contrasting modern design elevates the presentation of the cheese tower.

Rather than buying a wider array of small cheeses, choose a few large ones, as this creates a sense of generosity and abundance. In terms of variety, opt for at least one softer cheese (like a white mould Brie or Camembert) and one semi-hard cheese (like a mature Cheddar or something similar). Optional extras could be blue cheese, any specialty aged cheeses, goat’s cheese, or even a smooth, sweet Gouda. Add your choice of fresh fruit, bread, crackers, preserves or jam and butter to serve up a simple yet generous feast.

Buying whole truckles might seem intimidating in terms of size and price. But remember, any leftovers will last for a long time in the fridge, as long as they are wrapped securely in clingwrap or foil. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy more than one festive cheese occasion for a few weeks to come.

Find more of Ilse’s amazing recipes here.

Get 15% off the Harvest crockery collection or other full-priced merchandise by using the code FOODFOX15. Offer valid until 31 March 2025. Applies exclusively to online purchases on hertexhaus.co.za. This offer cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. Enter the promo code at checkout to redeem the discount.

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