Scottish poet Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759. Just a bit more than 100 years after Jan van Riebeeck arrived in the Cape. As no birthday should go uncelebrated this Scotsman’s birthday gave me the perfect excuse to party a little. A jollification as the New Year’s reality set in.

We started with oatcakes and Villiera Tradition MCC. Potato and leak soup with truffle infused olive oil arrived next. More bubbly followed before the main meal of vegetarian haggis was served. We moved on to Prosecco and awaited the swan song – a berry ice cream with fresh fruit and whisky cream. y cream.