All Photos By Gail

At last month’s Summer Food Fete, we discovered a few favorite new specialty foods, one being a South African cured, dried meat snack called Biltong – which is very tasty – from an indie company called Jonty Jacobs.

Jonty Jacobs Store Interior

Jonty Jacobs is so crazy about Biltong (the owners are from South Africa) and so convinced that New Yorkers will love it as well, that they have just opened a small Biltong and gourmet packaged food shop on Christopher Street, in the heart of the West Village.

Fresh, Hand Cut Biltong!

The Jonty Jacobs brick and mortar shop will allow patrons to custom-order their biltong by choosing the type of biltong (traditional, grass-fed or aged), lean or traditional, with or without spice and cut-style (chunks, shreaded or – for the aged biltong – prosciutto-style thin-cut).

We attended the shop’s soft opening in early July and had the chance to further sample not only their Biltong and other dried meat products, but to also enjoy wine pairings from the Mandela family vineyard and delicious South African style braai (BBQ)!

Mandela Family Wines Flowed Freely

South African chef and entrepreneur Hugo Uys (whom Jonty Jacobs has retained to consult on menu development) was on hand to grill up some delicious sausage and kebabs.

Grilled Sausage Sandwich

Mmm…Kebabs

The store will also offer prepackaged droewors (dried beef sausage) available with or without spice, boerewors (south-african style sausage) available in regular beef, grass fed, lamb or pork, sosaties (marinated and skewered meat) available in all beef, beef, lamb and pork or lamb and beef. Additionally, they will carry a select range of truffle products, caviar, cheese, smoked fish, dips and South African snacks such as cookies, chocolate, dried fruits and teas.

Surely Jonty Jacobs can be to South African expats what Meyers of Keswick is to NYC’s transplanted British!

Jonty Jacobs is located in the heart of the West Village at 114 Christopher Street (between Bleeker & Hudson), NYC. Visit them on the web at Jonty Jacobs Dot Com for Store Hours and More Information.