As far as inspirational women go, Faldela Williams is up there with the best of them. Hers is a name recognised in many households in the Cape, across South Africa and even in many parts of the world. Faldela was the author of the popular Cape Malay Cooking, published in the 1980s and the follow-up cook book, More Cape Malay Cooking.

On Sunday, she passed away leaving behind her family, including her husband, children and grandchildren. Those nearest to her will have the best of her memories but she also leaves a fantastic legacy to all food lovers, aspiring cooks and food writers. Her recipes, her life’s work really, will leave an everlasting taste on the lips of future generations.

Most of my family members own copies of these books. It’s something commonly found in not only Cape Malay households like mine, but also households where Cape Malay cooking is enjoyed. A friend from a Catholic background recently told me that she and her mom learned to make flaky rotis from her book. Another friend, who wasn’t born and raised in Cape Town, told me her favourite Faldela recipe is her denningvleis, which she had eaten at Faldela’s restaurant in Claremont.

The books are still in circulation today and used in the kitchens of people across the globe. I recall sending one to my cousin in Australia as a wedding gift with a reminder to always remember and cook the food of her people. Where better to learn the basics of the food we grew up eating than from these books?

Filled with recipes that are popular in many Cape Malay households, her books were and still are a go-to for many first-time cooks. Even my experienced-in-the-kitchen mother sometimes uses her book as a reference when cooking something that’s not a regular dish on our supper table.

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