ENTERTAINMENT
A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS WITH
BY VENECIA VALENTINE
THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, JOÃO“ J’ SOMETHING” DA FONSECA, AND HIS WIFE, CORDELIA‘ COCO’, INVITE US INTO THEIR WORLD – ONE WHERE A SOULFUL MELODY BLENDS WITH THE CLINK OF GLASSES, THE SIZZLE OF A SPECIAL DISH, AND THE GENTLE HUM OF HOME. WHETHER IT’ S PREPARING THEIR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY PLATTER OR CARVING OUT A QUIET MOMENT FOR EACH OTHER AMID THE YEAR’ S BUSTLE, THEY REMIND US THAT THE MAGIC OF THE SEASON LIES IN SHARED MOMENTS AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS.
HOW DO YOU USUALLY CELEBRATE THE FESTIVE SEASON?
J’ Something: Family Christmas at home, usually. I stopped performing over Christmas a very long time ago, because it’ s a time of year that I really wish to be with my family, so it’ s mostly at our house – which is what we prefer – with a big festive table of delicious food that reminds us of our upbringing and that we want our family to build traditions on.
WHAT’ S THE FIRST SMELL OR TASTE THAT INSTANTLY SAYS“ IT’ S CHRISTMASTIME”?
J’ Something: The first thing I smell is the pork in the oven, whether it’ s a Leitão da Bairrada, which is suckling pig, or pork belly. That smell always gets to me. And another dish I can almost smell as I think of it now is a delicious Portuguese dessert my wife makes called arroz doce which, translated, means sweet rice. It’ s a creamy rice pudding with loads of cinnamon, and reminds me so much of Christmas from a smell and a taste perspective. Coco: Nothing says it’ s Christmastime to me more than my first biscuit from a choice assorted tray.
HOW DO YOU MERGE YOUR CULTURAL ROOTS AT YOUR CHRISTMAS TABLE?
J’ Something: I’ ve got strong Portuguese roots, and Coco’ s got strong South African Tswana roots; I think that we try and bring this across over the two days. The Portuguese celebration is on Christmas Eve; so we usually do a Portuguese celebration in the evening, and on Christmas Day we normally light the fire.
ARE THERE ANY TRADITIONAL DISHES THAT ABSOLUTELY MUST MAKE AN APPEARANCE EVERY YEAR?
J’ something: We integrate both. Whether it’ s a braai with pap and chakalaka, malva pudding and trifle, or suckling pig and arroz doce, even a good Bacalhau bake a [ Portuguese baked salted cod dish ]( Coco makes a great one!) – the Christmas food that we grew up on is what we go for.“ We usually try and mix it up, too. One of the things I actually always look forward to is the rissóis that we do. Traditionally it’ s a deep-fried Portuguese pastry with a savoury filling, but we give it a more local flavour: we fill it with a milk
DECEMBER 2025 / INBOUND SA 25