Here is what the critic’s had to say.

Espresso : full-bodied, rich, apricot/gooseberry-like acidity, pleasant lingering dark chocolate aftertaste, smooth

Cappuccino : creamy, caramel, sweet, subtle ripe apricots acidity

Filter : mouth-coating, rich, chocolate, gentle mandarin acidity, very pleasing.

The Diletto Blend

Buy your packet of Diletto biscotti and

Peter Bayly’s Cape

White Port for R84!!

All about Diletto

The Diletto Lifestyle

Diletto Online Deli

The Diletto lifestyle is all about living life to the fullest and that means that each and every meal, snack and drink must be a lively experience to remember, while healthily fuelling body mind and spirit. Live for the moment and make every meal count!

• because diletto means delight!

Nice deli – so how did it all begin?

One day, while getting dirty digging out a fallen tree’s stump and root system, we started chatting about investing and business. Realising that we had similar interests such as investing, financial independence and quitting our jobs, we decided to start a business together. Diletto was born through our shared passion for food, wine and creating a premium shopping experience for the consumer. Looking at international and local online shopping trends and the price of premium retail space, we decided to make Diletto a purely online deli.

Peter Bayley's Port

As young entrepreneurs we are on a mission to help other entrepreneurs – specifically the small enterprises who have limited exposure – in the food and wine industry achieve online sales and growth. This also allows us to bring you exclusive products and brands.

Since our ultimate goal is financial independence and since we have a passion for creating new things, we shall be starting other businesses under the diletto umbrella in the future. This is just the beginning.

Part of the Bosman Family’s philosophy regarding the growing and nursing of exceptional
plant material in their successful vine nursery, Lelienfontein, and the making of premium
wines in their exclusive 250 year old cellar at Lelienfontein in Wellington, is their belief that
good wines are made by respecting the delicate relationship between man and nature.
Following a holistic approach to farming, they believe that a healthy environment with healthy
soils should give you healthy vineyards. In the same manner an emotionally, physically and
spiritually healthy human being should possess a sound work ethic.
For decades, the Bosman Family has consistently worked at farming with sustainable farming
methods and the holistic upliftment of the families working on their farms. If you ask people in the
Wellington region about the Bosmans, the first impression that characteristically comes to the fore
is always: “They really look well after their people that work for them.”
Here are some of the initiatives that Bosman Farming is actively busy with in order to build respect
and a sustainable relationship between man and nature:

Fairtrade
Bosman Family Vineyards in Wellington are Fairtrade accredited, which means
that they are annually externally audited to a clear set of minimum progressive
criteria that insures they farm in economic sustainable and environmentally and
socially responsible manner.

Sustainable Farming Methods
Every year our vineyards and estate is farmed on a more sustainable way. All our
by-products are used in our own compost heaps and re-used in the vineyards.
Managing our soil and protecting it from erosion forms a major part of sustainable
wine growing: first to get our soils alive with effective microbes, let it rest
sufficiently and then protecting it from shorter and heavier winter rains every
season.

Spekboom Initiative
The indigenous Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) tree has some the highest carbon
sequestration capabilities because it has the ability to photosynthesize both
during the day and the night. Our established spekboom plantation and nursery is
an innovative way of contributing to the reduction of the world’s carbon footprint.
Biodiversity Wine Initiative (BWI)
We are members of BWI which means we will protect the biodiversity in and
around our vineyards, especially our indigenous Fynbos of the Cape Floral
Kingdom. We are in the process of applying for champion status in the
Biodiversity Wine Initiative.

BEE
One of the first farm workers committees was established in 1994. This farm
workers committee later formed the Adama Apollo Trust and in 2008, 260 farm
workers became beneficiaries of this trust, receiving a 30% share in all the
vineyards of Bosman Farming and in the Bosman Family Vineyards cellar. This is
the biggest (430ha of prime vineyard land) land reform transaction of its kind to
date in the Western Cape. For each Bosman generation that have been involved at
Lelienfontein, there has also been an Appollis generation (Adam Appollis is the
ancestor of most of the workers living and working on the farm). This BEE shareholding celebrates
a partnership of generations with wonderful possibilities.
De Rust Day Care Centre (Crèche)
The De Rust Daycare Centre (Crèche) was started to assist parents working for
Bosman Farming in the nourishment and care of their children. Magdalene de
Lilly, one of the farm workers, received training to operate a crèche and to care for
the needs of the children. About 20 children are involved in the crèche and
activities that they participate in include excursions, a grade ceremony and talent
concerts.

Bosman Farming Karate Club
The children of farm workers would have too much free time during holidays and
they would be prone to getting up to much mischief. This gave rise to the idea of
establishing a karate club where children can participate in a positive activity.
Karate is a sport with good discipline and strict supervision. The karate club is
associated with the Hiyisha karate club. The group started with 10 children and
has grown to 15. In the first year, 6 children were awarded provincial colors and
competed in Durban at the South African National Championships.
Chinene October – winner of her category for 3 consecutive years.
Caydon Lewis – obtained national colors in karate (under 14 age group).

Frank Pietersen Music School
Youth of the parents of Bosman Farming that show an interest in music are
involved at the Frank Pietersen Music School (since 2008). The goal of Bosman
Farming is to establish their own symphony orchestra on Lelienfontein. They
currently have 62 members involved and instruments range from violin, cello,
drums and marimba.
Mariska November received 80% for her exam on the recorder (blokfluit) in 2008.
Bosman Farming also has a Steel Band that does very well. In their first year of existence, they were
elected as the best Steel Band at a local music competition.

Bosman Farming Youth
This group started with 16 members and has grown to approximately 34
members (Age group: 12-20 years). This group exists to create positive
alternative activities for youth to participate in, instead of getting involved with
negative activities, such as drug misuse.
Youth leaders were chosen and each leader gets allocated a group of young people.
The ‘leader’ sets a good example and teaches the others to be responsible and
follow his lead. Bosman Farming Youth focuses on creating HIV & TB awareness among the youth
members and they go on excursions, camps, music evenings and interact with other youth groups
on nearby farms.
The older boys in the Youth Group are also involved with the Bosman Farming Neighborhood
Watch.

Bosman Farming Neighborhood Watch
Bosman Farming Neighborhood Watch started as a result of crime on the farms of
the district. The farm workers decided to join hands with the South African Police
Forum and they received training to establish their own community watch system
that will serve the farms in the area, especially over weekends.
The members of the Bosman Farming Neighborhood Watch each man their own
mobile police unit and were also issued with bicycles by the South African Police.
Since 2008, crime has decrease by 24% on the farms.

Bosman Farming Woman Club
Bosman Farming Woman Club was established to empower woman and help in
the personal development of woman involved on the farms. Special focus is given
to skills development and entrepreneurial development. The activities that they
are involved with vary from cooking, sowing, flower arranging and decoupage.

Bosman Farming Elderly
The goal of this group (age group: 60+) is the care and housing of retired workers
of Bosman Farming. Adama, a retirement home for the elderly, was built for this
goal in Wellington in 2004. Workers that reach retirement age can voluntary
retire at this establishment, which is associated to the Service Care Centre of
Wellington.
The elderly are kept busy with various activities and excursions, receive
treatments and even have their own social club named “The Sunshine Seniors.”
Bosman Farming Library
A dedicated library was established and equipped on the farm to ensure that
literature is available and accessible to all farm workers and their families.

“Lillies” Sport Club
The “Lillies” (derived from the farm name, Lelienfontein) Sport Club was started to
involve families in extracurricular activities, especially over weekends. The Club
consists mainly of rugby and netball players and they do very well in the league
competitions.

Accommodation
Most of the 260 permanent workers of Bosman Farming are also living on the
farms and part of the social commitment of Bosman Farming toward their
employees is to provide them with accommodation equipped with working and
safe electricity, running palatable water, working sewerage systems, transport to
and from work, medical facilities & schools.

Bosman Farming Training
This exists to provide quality training to employees of Bosman Farming.
Currently, 80% of all workers involved at Bosman Farming receive training on a
monthly basis. Training is done in a purpose built training centre on the farm.
The slogan on Bosman Farming is: “Informed people make wise decisions” and as a
result the training personnel focus on the followings aspects:
Financial management
Marketing
Labor Law
Health & Safety
Leadership characteristics
Pruning course
Forklift operator course
Spray pump operator course
Digger Loader operator course
Caretaker course
Supervisor course
Fire extinguishing course
First Aid course
Pre-school Training course
Bursaries
Secondary school pupils that show great potential and do not have the means for
further studies at tertiary education institution, can apply for bursaries.
Successful candidates currently completing their courses are:
Jasmain Hendricks (Secretarial)
Monica Hartniek (Secretarial)
Nadia Morkel (Hospitality)
Jenine Goose (Marketing)
These students get the opportunity to gain experience in their field at the offices of Bosman Farming
during the duration of their course and assistance is given to find suitable employment at the end of
their studies.

The Bosman Farming story continues to be written. When working with people,
not all is perfect and challenges do occur from time to time. However, those
challenges also provide opportunities to create better solutions and Bosman
Farming continues to strive toward being an environmentally and social
responsible producer of excellent vines in their Lelienfontein vine nursery and
premium wines at Bosman Family Vineyards.

Today I thought that I would go more in depth as to what fairtrade is.

1) Growing without the help of harmful chemicals
– FAIRTRADE encourages sustainable production, initiating a long-term approach to environmental protection.
2) Labour standards
– FAIRTRADE certification makes sure that farms comply with the highest labour standards (e.g. freedom of association,
no forced or child labour,non-discrimination).
3) Handled and traded fairly
– FAIRTRADE audits farms and traders annually in order to ensure that the whole supply chain complies with the standards.
4) Fair price
– FAIRTRADE guarantees that producers are getting a fair price that reflects the costs of sustainable production.
5) Giving back to communities
– for every FAIRTRADE sale, small farmers and farm workers receive a FAIRTRADE Social Premium that they can invest in projects
benefitting the greater community.

Fairtrade

R50 at the Biscuit Mill 30th September 4pm – 11pm gets you entrance and a WLRB Beer Glass, no less.

What is Craft Beer you ask?

We’ll see you there!

Please note:  this is not the diletto newsletter – it’s the new blog!

We have moved our blog – as promised – from blog.diletto.co.za to a new home at news.diletto.co.za and we have set up the emails to be delivered to you via MailChimp – which is far more convenient than the usual feedburner.

We hope you like it and please send us comments for how we can improve this service to you.

Feel free to forward,  love or unsubscribe to the blog at will.  Blog posts worth reading will follow weekly!

much Love

The Diletto Team

Today I grabbed my mother and went to collect my harvest share seedlings from the food collective which have grown up nicely and are ready for my mom and I to put in the ground and soon we’ll have our own veggies!

Soil 4 Life did the growing job and this is what it looks like at their mini-farm in Constantia

- they sell fresh veggies, worm tea,  compost and other gardening goodies there…all towards their good “township greening” causes.  Go check them out and support!

I love supporting good causes.

Now that I did my thing for society – time to indulge in the sunlight with a jar of Blueberry Kalamata Olives!

yum

- here’s proof that you can live the diletto lifestyle anywhere, anytime!

How you can help Soil 4 Life:
Attend a workshop | Donate | Become a member

much love

Well Premier Club members receive a monthly package for R 450 worth R500 or more which is paid automatically via our hassle-free debit order system. You can either choose a fixed set of goodies, choose to change it once a month yourself, or let us choose randomly for you, making it a  surprise each time!

Additionally, you’ll enjoy these exclusive benefits:
- quarterly lucky prize draw!
- your very own 5% discount voucher for shopping at diletto.
- limited edition products exclusively available to club members.
- regular special deals exclusive to club members.
- you’ll be earning points for all your diletto purchases and referrals:
- after you have spent R5000 incl Vat we will send you a free gift.
- there is no time limit or expiration date.
- for each signed up person you refer to the premier club, you earn R1000 worth of points.
- special invitations to tasting events: be part of our tasting panel!

How do I sign up?
It’s easy! Just fill out the online form here for your basic details. Then we will get back to you with all the info. A surprise welcome package will be on it’s way to you.

We are always open to questions, comments, suggestions – you name it. Please give us a shout any time.

my rainy view

So today I’m in my office doing some diletto work and the weather is looking beautifully wet outside (I love winter as much as summer) but suddenly the temperature plummets. Time to grab the chai spice rooibos in my fav mug.

Not just for that warm and fuzzy feeling it gives me but also the fact that I’m feeling good, knowing that no farmer was ripped off thanks to fairtrade; the environment and my body is being looked after thanks to the fact that this tea is also fully organic. And yes, you can taste the difference: as this tea is made with the original rooibos species, not the many pseudo-rooibos species grown outside of the actual Wupperthal region.

my warming cuppa chai

loving it.