Cambridge Edition December by Bright Publishing

Cambridge DECEMBER 2015

Your monthly fix of local life www.cambsedition.co.uk

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

ARTS

MAGAZINE

CULTURE

Cambridge

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CONTENTS

Welcome

The December issue of Edition is always a favourite to put together, even if it does leave me a little Christmassed out by mid-November. As always, Cambridge is pulling out all the stops for a festive extravaganza this year, so expect more pantos, craft fairs, Christmas feasts and ritzy parties than you can shake a bauble at. One of the best of the bunch, and one which Cambridge Edition has been a proud partner of for the last three years, is the lovely Mill Road Winter Fair. If you fancy getting a warm fuzzy glow this month, I suggest taking a stroll down Mill Road on 5 December, when you’ll be met with possibly the most shining example of community spirit our city offers. Wrap up warm, enjoy the vast array of delicious things to eat, catch some great local musicians and be sure to Cambridge Edition is recruiting a come and say hello to team Edition on our stall! features and web writer, please email (More details on page 40). If you’ve been charged CVs and cover letters to nicolafoley@ with making the Christmas dinner this year, Stella bright-publishing.com. For more has got some deliciously unconventional recipes details on the position, visit to inspire you (page 62), whilst Alex is taking a www.bright-publishing.com different approach – offering some interesting ideas for the inevitable deluge of leftovers you’ll find yourself with on Boxing Day. Enjoy the issue and happy Christmas!

We’re hiring!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL 5 • FIVE THINGS TO DO Edition’s pick of the crop this December 7-10 • NIGHTLIFE Live music, now booking and more 13 • MUSIC BLOG The best live gigs in the city this month, as selected by Slate The Disco’s Jordan Worland 15-17 • THE CAMBRIDGE SOUND Local music bods share their ‘ones to watch’ for 2016 19-29 • ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, shows and other cultural happenings around the city this December 30-32 • FESTIVE THEATRE It’s officially panto season and Cambridge theatreland is getting well and truly into the spirit of things 34-35• CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY The Edition Christmas Giveaway is back, and we’re giving away more than £2,000 worth of prizes! 37 • CRAFTY CHRISTMAS Jenny Shelton gets crafty at a very festive wreathmaking class 38-39 • NEW YEAR’S EVE Don’t let the most hyped night out of the year be a disappointment – read our round-up of events! 40-42 • MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR Food, music and community fun on Mill Road 44-45 • NEON MOON We step into the glamorous world of the Neon Moon Burlesque and Cabaret Club 49-53 • INDIE GIFT GUIDE Perfect prezzies for him, for her and for the kids, all from our fabulous local independents!

55-60 • FOOD & DRINK Local food news, a foodie gift guide and a look at our city’s love affair with gin 62-65 • RECIPES A festive something sweet and something savoury, courtesy of Stella Pereira 67 • FOOD COLUMN Chef Alex Rushmer on the joys of Boxing Day feasting 69-71 • WINTER COCKTAILS WITH DE LUCA We sample an array of tasty tipples at the Regent Street restaurant (it’s a tough job…) 73 • SPICE IT UP Hal Wilson from Cambridge Wine Merchants on spicing up your festive boozing. Bottoms up!

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Catherine Brodie

ADVERTISING Senior sales executive Natalie Robinson 01223 499451 natalierobinson@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499461 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Daisy Dickinson, Jennifer Shelton, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Gabrielle Watts, Stella Pereira

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

75 • REVIEW We pay a visit to the Carpenters Arms

Designer Emily Stowe 01223 499450 emilystowe@bright-publishing.com

77 • FAMILY This month’s top picks for entertaining the little ones

Ad production Lucy Woolcomb 01223 499468 lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com

78-79 • LISTINGS A quick look at what’s on in Cambridge this month

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

81 • COMMUNITY Events and news from your neighbourhood 83 • INDIE OF THE MONTH In the spotlight this month: Cambridge Toy Shop

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/CambsEdition

85-86 • CHRISTMAS SHOPPING Out-of-town gift shopping hotspots

91-94 • FASHION Party season style picks for the ladies and winter warmers for the gents

www.bright-publishing.com

96-97 • BEAUTY Looking for a great gift for the beauty fiend in your life? We’ve got it covered, whatever the budget

CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, www.cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area

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5 THINGS TO DO

this month... 1. MILL ROAD

Winter Fair

2. Carols

One big, colourful street party, the Mill Road Winter Fair takes place on 5 December. Like our own mini Notting Hill Carnival, but a bit more family friendly (and colder!), there’ll be music, performances, food and a spectacular procession along the length of Cambridge’s most multicultural street. We’ll be there too, so come say hi! Takes place 10.30am-4.30pm. www.millroadwinterfair.org

at King’s

Perhaps the most quintessential Christmas thing to do in Cambridge, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the spellbinding King’s College Chapel is an event unparalleled in its gravitas and musical quality. Queuing early is a must: arrive before 9am to ensure a place at the service, which starts at 3pm. Or tune in to Radio 4 on Christmas Eve at 3pm, and Christmas Day at 2pm on Radio 3. For more carol concerts near you, see page 27. www.kings.cam.ac.uk

3. Maskerade

What happens if you mix the sensationalism of The Phantom of the Opera, the vaudevillian quality of the Marx Brothers and the daftness of Monty Python? Answer: Terry Pratchett’s Maskerade! The Discworld novel is being brought to the stage this month as Bawds tell the story of Agnes Nitt, a plain but talented singer who leaves home to pursue the stage. Here she encounters ghosts, murder, deception – and the indomitable Granny Weatherwax. Maskerade came out in 1995, the 18th in Pratchett’s Discworld series but a story, like all of them, which very much stands alone. If you’re a newcomer to Pratchett (where have you been?!), expect surreal but likeable characters, sensational scenes and wonderful wordplay. It’s on at the ADC Theatre, 8-12 December, 7.45pm. Tickets £8-£12. www.adctheatre.com

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4. SKATE AT THE

North Pole

Glide across a 600m2 open-air ice rink on Parker’s Piece – or watch everyone else do the hard work from the cosy rink-side bar then browse the Christmas food and gift market instead. The North Pole, open now until 4 January, offers lots to explore including a fun fair and festive Alpine bar serving hot chocolate and mulled wine. A great way to see in the season. Tickets (for an adult at peak time) are £10.95 and can be bought online. www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

5. LINTON CHRISTMAS

Market

Head over to the village of Linton on 12 December for their lovely annual Christmas market. Beginning at 10am, the event takes place at the Market Square, finishing at 3pm. Hosted by The Linton Kitchen, the market will feature stalls selling all sorts of gifts, as well as sweet treats including home-made cakes. There will also be tasty street food on offer, plus mulled wine (which we always find aids a Christmas shopping session!). Local carol singers will be on hand, too, providing a festive soundtrack. www.lintonkitchen.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE cambsedition.co.uk

BOO HEWERDINE CHRISTMAS SHOW Local singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine is once again hosting his annual Christmas bash this month, featuring performances from a host of musicians and entertainers. Taking place on 15 December at The Maltings in Ely, the event is now entering its sixth year, and this time features folk musician Kris Denver, 60s band The 6TS, comedian and magician John Archer and special guest Phill Jupitus, who’ll be compering the evening. Boo Hewerdine, who we’ve previously profiled in our Cambridge Sound feature, is regarded as one of Britain’s most accomplished songwriters, having written hits for Natalie Imbruglia, Paul Young and kd lang. His most long-standing and fruitful partnership though has been his ongoing collaboration with Scottish singer Eddi Reader, which has included his penning the Ivor Novello nominated Patience of Angels. He’s also got seven solo albums under his belt, including the most recent: My Name in Brackets – a compilation of his and his former band, The Bible’s, greatest hits. “I love living in Ely,” Boo told Cambridge Edition when we asked about his yearly shindig. “I love gigging and I love my pals. Six years ago I decided to combine these wonderful things into a Christmas extravaganza! Each year I invite some of my performing friends to the Ely Maltings to spread Yuletide joy to my fellow Elyites. Over the years we have had some wonderful turns. Chris Difford, David McAlmont, John Shuttleworth, Kathryn Williams, The Bible and this year we have our most stellar cast ever. Come and have the time of your life!” The show takes place 7.30-11pm and tickets are £18.50, available for purchase at Boo’s website. boohewerdine.net

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NIGHTLIFE

LIANNE LA HAVAS

THE DARKNESS Start your December in the company of The Darkness, who’ll bringing their tongue-incheek, high-camp rock to the Corn Exchange on the first of the month. Fronted by the exuberant Justin Hawkins (who boasts a falsetto to rival Freddie Mercury’s), the band are touring in support of their album Last of our Kind, which was released in May. As many will fondly remember, the band exploded into the charts in the early noughties, spearing through a fog of forgettable indie with their kitsch glam rock. Their debut album, Permission to Land, ripped straight to the top of the chart when it was released in 2003, featuring modern classics like I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Love is Only a Feeling and of course, the most rudely named Christmas hit ever, Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End). While nobody was ever sure how much of The Darkness’ spandexy shtick was parody, how much an homage to the golden days of rock, and how much was just a band making music they genuinely loved – it didn’t seem to matter, and the band continue to hold a special place in the heart of many (even if that’s not something you’d shout about). One thing they can do is put on a great show: expect retro rock posturing aplenty, pyrotechnics and a whole lot of energy. Support on the night comes from These Raven Skies and The River 68’s, and tickets are £27.50. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

The beguiling, smoky voiced Lianne La Havas visits Cambridge this month as part of a tour of the UK and Ireland, following her triumphant set at a sun drenched Glastonbury earlier this year. The Tooting-born Lianne started out singing backing vocals for fellow Londoner Paloma Faith, signing to Warner Bros Records at the age of 21 and releasing her debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? in 2012 to widespread critical acclaim. She was an instant hit with the critics, winning both the iTunes Album of the Year and a nomination for the prestigious BBC Sound of 2012 award. She’s gone on to make good on the industry predictions of big things, winning fans with her expressive vocals and soulful tunes. Her follow-up album, Blood, was released in July this year, and saw the singer moving away from the stripped-back acoustic sounds of her first album and experimenting with R & B, doo-wop, reggae and gospel influences. Catch her doing her thing at the Corn Exchange on 7 December, tickets are £21. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

DARKNESS TRIVIA • The Darkness used to sponsor Norwich based roller derby team, the (brilliantly named) Norfolk Brawds. We’re guessing they bonded over a shared love of spandex… • Frontman Justin Hawkins funded the band’s first album by writing TV ad jingles for the likes of IKEA, Tango and HSBC. • East Anglian folklore is a recurring theme in the songs of the darkness, including Black Shuck, an ode to the fabled Fenland ‘big dog’.

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NIGHTLIFE

NME AWARDS TOUR 9 Feb 2016, £28.10, Corn Exchange A chance to see Bloc Party, headliners of Latitude 2013, in Cambridge, alongside Sheffieldbased band Drenge, indie outfit Rat Boy and hotly-tipped newcomers Bugzy Malone. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

WILL ROBERT

AN EVENING WITH NOEL FIELDING Star of the Mighty Boosh and professional surrealist Noel Fielding will be hitting the Corn Exchange this month with a magical mix of music, comedy and live animation. Swing by on Friday 4 December for An Evening with Noel Fielding, when you’ll be treated to songs, stand-up and appearances from some of Fielding’s best-loved TV characters, as well as, we’re promised, ‘muscular’ support from Mike Fielding and Tom Meeton, Fielding’s co-stars on the ’Boosh. Fancy dress encouraged. He’s on stage 7.30pm, 4 December, tickets are £27.50. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

11 Feb 2016, Junction J2, £8.50 adv You’ve probably caught this local singer-songwriter busking around town at some point over the years: he always draws an eager crowd with his unique, percussive style of guitar playing. His fanbase is growing all the time and his single City Lights was playlisted on Radio 1 recently – we reckon this local talent is destined for huge things! www.junction.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL 28-31 July 2016, TBC, Cherry Hinton Hall Tickets for our well-loved folk extravaganza go on sale on the first of this month – a perfect Christmas pressie for the folk lover in your life perhaps? www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

JIMMY CARR

C E D 7 2 WONKY DISCO WINTER ALFRESCO

18 Nov 2016, £30, Corn Exchange Catch the sharp-tongued king of one-liners next year with his brandnew show. www.cambridge livetrust.co.uk

Have you joined the party up on the roof of Lola Lo’s yet? Wonky Disco have hosted a series of guest list only, daytime events over the bank holidays during the summer months, playing house and disco for a (very) up for it crowd. They’re planning a special winter edition of Wonky Disco on 27 December – which we reckon is perfectly sandwiched in between Christmas and New Year and exactly when you’ll be in need of a good night out! Don’t worry about the cold, as we’re promised that the terrace will be kept nice and warm at the ‘Winter Wonky Wonderland’ – give or take a few snow machines that is. The line-up includes Stuart Banks, Mr Frosty and Margaret Scratcher (pictured). Hit the dancefloor from 3pm on 27 December. Search Wonky Disco on Facebook for more details.

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NIGHTLIFE

FRED’S HOUSE CHRISTMAS PARTY Favourites of the local folk-pop scene, Fred’s House are bringing their 70s infused West Coast musical stylings to The Portland Arms this month for a Christmassy gig on Thursday 17 December. After a triumphant gig at Cambridge Junction earlier this year, the band are promising to raise the roof again with hits old and new, as well as some festive numbers. Also joining them on the night are folk harmony trio, Said the Maiden. Tickets are £8 in advance from the Fred’s House website, and if any are left, you can buy on the door. www.fredshousemusic.co.uk

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HAPPY MONDAYS Party like its 1990 this December at the Corn Exchange when Manchester’s finest, the Happy Mondays, stop by as part of an 18-date tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal third album Pills ’N’ Thrills And Bellyaches. The band will perform the album, which features hits including Step on and Kinky Afro, in full, as well as wheeling out other favourite tracks. Poster boys of the ‘Madchester’ movement which emerged in the late 80s and early 90s, Happy Mondays embodied the sound, style and excess of the scene like no others. At the heart of it all was the mythical Haçienda: a warehouse turned nightclub (funded by the boss of Factory Records), which became the epicentre of acid house and rave culture in the UK for a heady few years. Alongside fellow acts like Stone Roses and 808 State, Happy Mondays were a regular fixture at the venue with a huge following, but the Mondays’ distinctive sound gained them fans far beyond their home city. Combining indie rock with the repetitive beats of acid house, powered by the witty lyrics of frontman Shaun Ryder and Bez’s, erm, mesmerising dance moves, the band became national celebrities and released four hit albums before eventually imploding in a haze of class As in 1992. Fast-forward to 2015 and it’s all changed: Bez has sworn off the hedonistic lifestyle in favour of gardening and politics (he stood for parliament this year – and won’t be joining the reunion), and Shaun is equally clean living these days, happily married with kids. “Great to be doing 25 years of Pills ‘N’ Thrills…” he says of the tour. “Here’s to another 25 years. I’m going to remember it this time.” Happy Mondays are on Sunday 5 December, tickets are £31. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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MUSIC

Jordan Worland from local music website Slate the Disco selects his must-see gigs in Cambridge this month here are plenty of alternatives to Yuletide songs, carols and Christmas-party classics this December in Cambridge. Having said that, the festive period does inspire a host of shows this month. Infectious folk-pop outfit Fred’s House, who headlined the J2 earlier this year, host a Christmas get-together at The Portland Arms on the 17th. Special guests on the night include Said The Maiden, a three-piece who perform traditionally inspired folk songs, arranged with delightful, exceptionally tight three-part harmonies, often acappella. The vibe will be much louder at the Green Mind Christmas party at the same venue on the 27th with post-punk outfit Standing Like Statues headlining the event. The Portland Arms also hosts the Church Of Noise Christmas night out on the 12th. Headlining will be the rather ace City Of Thieves. Born out of the ashes of Four Wheel Drive, these guys play in-your-face rock in the vein of Airbourne and AC/DC. The end of the year also marks the annual Christmas shows of some of our best musicians. Cambridge stalwarts Ezio play the Cambridge Junction on the 12th whilst Jay Williams (ex The Broken Family Band) returns to J2 with the I Strip for Couples ensemble on the 2nd. Promising a night of cinematic, rock, orchestral, indie, alt-country music, peppered with rap and occasional operatic moments – they will also be showcasing tracks from the two new albums Jay is currently writing. Away from the festivities, we seriously recommend the double-header at the Cambridge Junction on the 1st. Headlining are Jaws, a band who have muscled up since their debut LP and shed their former beach-pop skin. Their new sound is all crunching riffs and swirling shoegaze in the vein of Bleach-era Nirvana meets the fuzzy euphoria of Smashing Pumpkins. Support on the 1st comes from Sheffield two-piece Nai Harvest, a pair of best friends

who have found their sound on their own terms. After two years of nearly relentless touring that took them to the other side of the world and back, the band has fully articulated that sound with this year’s debut LP Hairball. Expect a sound racing through 80s and 90s-influenced indie rock, taking sharp turns into hazy garage punk and feedback-laden grunge. Staying at the Cambridge Junction, Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes brings his recently Mercury Prize-nominated solo album to town on the 9th. Released earlier in the autumn, Coombes’ latest record is both ambitious and affecting, and it’s some of his finest work to date. Other tips at the Cambridge Junction this month include Fozzy (2nd), Fish (7th) and Dr Feelgood & Nine Below Zero (10th). Anyone of a ‘certain age’ in the late 80s and early 90s will remember just how much of an influence on the dance- and

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indie-music culture the Happy Mondays really were. Iconic Mancunian musicians that paved the way for bands like Oasis and Blur to move to the forefront of Cool Britannia later on, Shaun and Paul Ryder, accompanied by the permanently happy Bez, set the tone for an explosion of unique pop music that summed up an entire era. The Happy Mondays play the Corn Exchange on the 5th. Lianne La Havas has had a massive 2015, a summer of festival appearances was then complemented by widespread critical acclaim for her second album, Blood. Lianne La Havas made a huge breakthrough with

her top-five debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? which sold 200,000 copies and won Album of the Year at iTunes as well as Barclaycard Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello Best Album nominations. La Havas plays the Corn Exchange on the 7th. Elsewhere in Cambridge this month, the UK Subs play The Portland on the 3rd and Chris T-T plays the intimate CB2 on the 7th. Finally, anti-folk hero and the man Jarvis Cocker described as “the best lyricist working in the US today” Jeffrey Lewis is back in Cambridge. Lewis, who has a new record on the way and who always brings the goods when he plays Cambridge, is back at The Portland Arms on the 16th. Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

THE CAMBRIDGE

SOUND

6 1 0 2 n i h c t a Ones to W

this month In a special edition of our regular Cambridge Sound feature, we ask movers and shakers on the local music scene which Cambridge acts are destined for big things next year

simon baker Simon Baker runs independent music promotions company Green Mind Gigs, he thinks Mammoth Penguins are destined for greatness next year They’re not new, but my tip is Mammoth Penguins. According to Spotify’s regional map of musical tastes, Cambridge came top for indie pop and the essence of this is superbly distilled in Mammoth Penguins. Their credentials are impressive: Emma Cooper was in indie darlings Standard Fare, Mark Boxall (known by some locally as ‘the guy in all the bands’) is in local psych pop wonders Violet Woods and was in local tweecore heroes, The Puncture Repair Kit. Their music is spiky, witty and melodic with just the right amount of wonky charm. Points of reference are Blur, Courtney Barnett, Alvvays, (Norwich lo-fi heroes) Bearsuit, Jeffrey Lewis etc. I don’t know if they’ll be massive and I don’t care. There’s something joyous and life affirming about their gigs and, in true indie pop style, word seems to be spreading via word of mouth and constant gigging. Also worth checking out are Prison Whites, Lunacre, Alicia Catling, Biscuits For Bears, Control, Amber Gambler and Matty & The Bullsharks. Cambridge’s scene is probably in the rudest health I can ever remember. www.greenmind.co.uk

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th o m m ma uins peng

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

neil 'bugs' rogers

daniel flay

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Neil ‘Bugs’ Rogers runs Half-Ton Studios in Milton and has over 20 years’ experience performing and engineering. His one to watch is Daniel Flay I see a lot of bands and solo artists come through the studio and I’ve been lucky to work with some really talented people over the last few years. With this in mind, it feels very hard to choose one act to talk about – not to mention unfair on some of the others! However, an artist I feel deserves to receive some more recognition is a songwriter called Daniel Flay, who is the brains behind a band called The Travis Waltons. I’ve worked with Dan on two albums now and his first album – Your Neck is Bleeding – gets mentioned by so many bands I meet at the studio that I’m still surprised it didn’t make more of a splash when it was released. The songs Millionaire and Canned food and shotguns are essential listens if you appreciate the noisy, but melodic, side of the indie rock genre. As well as being able to make a wonderful racket with his band, watching Dan perform a solo show with an acoustic guitar is a strangely affecting experience. The slight vulnerability of Dan as a character and the songs’ themes lend themselves perfectly to a more intimate setting and allow Dan to show off his voice without having to shout above a band. His most recent album – Separation Season – saw Dan indulge himself by featuring guest vocals from the likes of Charlie Simpson, Jamie Lenman (Reuben), S H Davidson (Tellison) and Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids). The fact that all the guests gave their time willingly to perform on his record speaks volumes for the quality of the songwriting. Although a resident of Bristol now, Dan is still a regular performer in Cambridge and is well worth checking out if you can. Oh and also watch out for ex-Broken Family Band singer Steven James Adams’s album, which is out early next year. I’ve just finished mixing it and it really is quite special! www.halftonstudios.co.uk

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

prison whites

jordan worland Jordan Worland is the founder and editor of Cambridge music website Slate The Disco. He tips Prison Whites for success Prison Whites is a trio of recognisable faces from the Cambridge DIY scene, boasting some former members of prolific bands like Ill Murray. Only formed in March 2015 these guys have found a sound of punk unbounded, both structurally and emotionally, filled with brutal musicianship and lethally perceptive lyrics. After an impressive debut EP released in 2015 alongside some high-profile support slots with the likes of The Wytches, VANT and Yung, 2016 is set to be a big year for Prison Whites. Prison Whites are the sound of a grimy sweat drenched late 80s basement show, playing rattling early Replacements and Husker Du influenced punk rock with a Fugazi-esque melodic edge. Armed with a serious amount of tenacity, a sugar-coated pop sensibility and an unmistakably punk attitude and energy, Prison Whites will hit 2016 at a sprint with no looking back. slatethedisco.com

goldstar tim willet Tim Willet is a local music promoter and presenter of The New Music Generator on Cambridge 105. His pick for 2016 is Goldstar I should probably be honest and tell you that my pick for 2015 appeared to curse the act I chose rather than push them on to greater things – they disbanded earlier this year! Here’s hoping my choice for 2016 won’t follow in their footsteps, or I won’t be asked to write this again next time. My selection is Goldstar, a group who have been on the circuit for several years but one I feel has been bubbling away under the surface and 2016 is their time to break through. Their stadium dance sound is unlike any other, it’s ‘dance music written by rock stars’ and I defy anyone not to be drawn in by their infectious live performances, which promise to be even more impressive on their return. To date they’ve released three free mix tapes and received airplay from BBC 1Xtra. 2015 saw the group release a concept EP with singer Grace Sarah but next year stunning lead vocalist Lee Morris returns alongside Geoff Smith (guitar) and David Gane (drums) as the band unleash their debut EP and prepare for their live stage return in March. Having heard a preview of what’s to come, fans of this band won’t be disappointed. cambridge105.fm/shows/new-music-generator

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ARTS & CULTURE

We explore the arts and culture scene in Cambridge, showcasing some of the many exciting exhibitions and shows taking place around the city

A CRAFTY CAMBRIDGE

Christmas

Christmas gives us an excellent excuse to seek out little boutique shops and craft markets, with the guise of searching for that perfect gift – while actually grasping at yet more beautiful items for our own homes and jewellery boxes. If that sounds familiar, we’ve got THREE-DAY good news: the local crafters that VINTAGE AND form Etsy Cambridge are holding CRAFT FAIR a three-day vintage and craft fair in the city centre, which promises to be packed to bursting with unique, handmade treasures.

SELLERS HAVE BEEN HANDPICKED TO ENSURE QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF WORK More than 30 hand-picked East Anglian designers, artists and craftspeople have been busy all summer and autumn making everything from stylish handbags, cosy knitted accessories and designer clothes to dolls, exquisite jewellery, quirky, individual greetings cards, prints and Christmas ornaments. There will be cool crochet toys and crochet kits for crafty types, felted wool animals for nature lovers,

hand-printed fabric and hand-spun wool, affordable handmade ceramics and homewares you won’t find anywhere else – we especially like the sound of a ‘Jane Austen’s Bad Boys’ tea towel! Those with a taste for gifts with a history can visit the vintage hunter for a trove of unexpected finds, each with a story to tell. Says Debbie Poyser, a member of Etsy Cambridge since it launched in 2014, “The Christmas Fair is the biggest Etsy Cambridge event to date. It’s a lovely venue and the sellers have

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been hand-picked to not only ensure wonderful quality of work but also diversity. We thought about the kind of things we like to buy ourselves and tried to cover all the bases. As usual, we’ll be decorating the venue and it should look gorgeous and festive!” Meanwhile the church’s café will be open for business, serving hot drinks, cakes and light meals. Takes place at St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church, 3 December (2-8pm) and 4-5 December (10am-6.30pm).

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ARTS & CULTURE

WORDS JENNY SHELTON

LOCAL READS

Fitz and Will: the Cambridge cats Two mischievous cats have lately appeared in Cambridge – one is black and loves eating, the other is grey and white, and wears pink boots with stars on. Their names are Fitz and Will, aka ‘The Cambridge Cats’, and they are the creation of Laura Robson Brown and Katherine Mann. Both mums with media and publishing backgrounds, Laura and Katherine established their own publishing company, Little Cam Books, in 2013 with the aim of producing inspiring

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATOR: HER PICTURES BRING THE BOOKS TO LIFE books for young readers which will be enjoyed by parents, too. They published their first Fitz and Will book, The May Ball Adventure, in 2014, and have since sold over 3,500 copies. The books are delightful and filled with rhyming prose and charming illustrations of Cambridge, where the lovable felines play out their adventures. Says Katherine: “I came up with the concept, feeling there was a gap in the market for an Angelina Ballerina-type book for Cambridge which would appeal

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to tourists and residents. We decided on cats because people love cats – we originally thought mice, but I don’t think people have as much love for mice! “Will is the one who loves his food – and I’ve got a black cat of my own – while Fitz is more girly and loves shoes. The books always start and finish at the Fitzwilliam Museum, which is where they get their names. They live by the lions, which come to life and protect them.” She continues: “Laura worked for a children’s publisher in London before she had children, so she writes the stories but we agree the concepts together. And we have a wonderful illustrator called Jia Han, from Korea, who we started working with while she was doing her MA in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin. So she’s got that Cambridge background, too. Her pictures really bring the books to life.” Katherine and Laura both studied at Cambridge, but it wasn’t until later that they met. “Laura was at New Hall and I was at Trinity – but we didn’t know each other then. Our husbands went to St John’s and knew each other but not well, then Laura and I ended up meeting in a café in Fulham. We have children the same age and we got chatting. Then, by complete coincidence, we both moved back to Cambridge at the same time.” Now the pair live just 300 yards apart. Asked why they chose to set their books in Cambridge, Laura answers: “Cambridge is such a special place to so many people. Its beauty stuns tourists and residents alike, whilst students develop nostalgic memories from formative years spent under

its spell. This makes it an obvious, joyful setting in which to create children's stories. The town and gown aspects together offer a perfect backdrop for adventures which encompass everyday

Cambridge life as well as some of the more traditional events of the university. “Both Katherine and I felt that a children’s book set in Cambridge would be the perfect memento for visitors and students, whilst at the same time celebrating familiar corners of the town for young readers who live here.” Unofficial Fitz and Will tours are already starting to spring up as parents and children seek out some of the cats’ favourite haunts. Says Katherine: “We’ve included the market square, Fitzbillies, the Round Church… it gives a really good feel for Cambridge. When we launched the second book [The Graduation Adventure] at the Cambridge Literary Festival, we spoke to a lot of the children and found out that people had been doing their own Fitz and Will tours around town.” Laura adds: “It’s just lovely to watch young children studying the illustrations and recognising places they pass on the way to school or out shopping on a Saturday. One little girl and her grandmother set off on a ‘Fitz and Will

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ARTS & CULTURE

tour’ one afternoon, taking the book with them and following the path of the cats in the story. And we had a wonderful email from a parent who said that her little one was such a big fan of Fitz and Will that she had insisted their Halloween pumpkins were carved to look like them. The photograph was fantastic!” The books also have a royal fan. On his visit to St John’s College in October, the Duke of Cambridge was handed a copy of The Graduation Adventure – and seemed to be impressed. “We were so lucky with that!” beams Katherine. “He said he’d make sure he read it to Prince George and Princess Charlotte. All the press picked up on it – I think we even had a mention in Hello magazine! “We’ve had lots of great feedback from the university as well,” she continues.

THE CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE PROMISED TO READ IT TO GEORGE AND CHARLOTTE “The master and his wife at St John’s love the books and take it when they go on ambassador trips. And we’ve been working with the bursar at King’s for the last book.” The latest in the series sees the furry pair embark on a very Cambridge Christmas adventure. Katherine explains: “In the Christmas book, the cats go into town and end up beneath a big Christmas tree where Will, the naughty one, gets tangled up in it. Then they see a huge queue going into King’s College Chapel and wonder what it is. They go inside and knock over microphones and make a lot of noise then run away and fall asleep in

a professor’s study. Father Christmas comes in and wakes them up and they have a look in his sack. Then they help Father Christmas deliver a few presents before going back to the Fitzwilliam Museum and falling asleep ready for Christmas morning.” Do they have plans to take their concept to other cities? “Many people have said we should write books on other cities and this is

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certainly on our radar for the future,” says Laura. “For now we are still focused on Cambridge, possibly a book with a royal twist on the horizon...” The Christmas Adventure is available online and at Heffers, Waterstones Cambridge, Toppings Ely, The Fitzwilliam Museum Shop and many other local retailers. www.fitzandwill.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

SAFFRON HALL TICKETS £10-£25 19 DEC

BBC SINGERS at

Christmas

Gather at the spectacular Saffron Hall, a purpose-built concert venue, for the BBC Singers at Christmas on 19 December. The evening will incorporate beautiful seasonal songs such as In the Bleak Midwinter, Good King Wenceslas and Ding Dong Merrily On High, performed by Onyx Brass and conducted by David Hill. The second half will see a recital of Dylan Thomas’s popular prose poem, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, illustrated with music, and narrated by Richard Harrington. It’s a humorous and nostalgic account of Christmases past, and the concert will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3. This fantastic family show starts at 7.30pm; tickets are £10-£25. A free minibus service will operate between the venue and Audley End station, for those travelling by rail. For more information and to book, go online. www.saffronhall.com

FOUR SEASONS BY CANDLELIGHT For an atmospheric classical concert, don’t miss Four Seasons by Candlelight, taking place at Cambridge Corn Exchange, 3 December. The Mozart Festival Orchestra, in full period costume, will perform a vibrant programme of 18th century classics including Handel’s Trumpet Suite, Sarabande and Rejoice Greatly from Messiah, and of course, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. David Juritz conducts this exciting musical experience. Curtain up is 7.30pm, and tickets are £22-£35. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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HARMONISE

the dance ﬂoor

Fancy a blast of cheesy music and outlandish dance moves to shake off those winter blues? On 1 December, Cambridge University Show Choir present an all-singing, all-dancing spectacular set to knock your socks off. Join them at the ADC Theatre as they perform all your favourite dancefloor classics, showcasing brilliant harmonies and fabulously camp choreography. This feel-good show starts at 11pm; tickets £6/£8. www.adctheatre.com

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WORDS JENNY SHELTON

DEAD GORGEOUS “Someone has just brought me a puff adder. He went on a six-hour walk, came across this dead snake and has asked me to taxidermy it for him. And now I’m preserving some bees. So it’s been quite an interesting morning.” It’s not every day someone brings you a dead snake to stuff, but for taxidermist Tonja Grung, it’s a standard Monday. Striking, with red lips, jet-black hair and a colourful tattoo across her chest, Tonja works from a converted church in North London (“I can see two foxes looking at me, a skull and a few unfinished pieces”). The artist will be uncovering the secrets of taxidermy in a beginners class right here in Cambridge for the first time this month. Curious attendees will learn the basics of small mammal taxidermy, and will leave with their own anthropomorphic mouse. “The mouse class is my most popular,” says Tonja. “Here, we’ll go through beginner taxidermy, from skinning to building the body: we don’t actually stuff the animals, we use a kind of wooden form. Then we’ll add some props: everyone really loves dressing them up in cute things and it’s great to see what they create.” Tonja, who grew up in South Africa, has been fascinated by animals and their physiology since a very young age. “Apparently – and I only recently found this out from my mum – I used to find dead animals in the garden and dissect them. I was really interested in their anatomy. Then I started collecting taxidermy and going

I DON’T SEE IT AS A DEAD THING: YOU’RE BRINGING SOMETHING BACK TO LIFE to a couple of classes. I love the process of working with and learning about the animal, especially something I’ve never worked with before. For each piece I’ll research a lot about its habitat and how it behaves. And different mammals use different preserving techniques. I’ve done foxes, deer heads and next year in London we’ll be doing a class on peacocks and raccoons.” What does Tonja say to people who feel squeamish about the idea?

“I have a little shop in Brick Lane, so I do see lots of people’s reactions. Some pull faces, but that’s about it. Actually my partner doesn’t like taxidermy – he doesn’t understand why I would want something dead in my house. But I don’t see it as a dead thing: you’re bringing it back to life and making something beautiful. We get a lot of vegetarians and vegans in the classes, and they’re happy as long as they know it’s been ethically sourced.” Tonja gets her specimens from pest controllers, pet shops and as donations from the public. “I do about ten commissions a month,” she explains. “The biggest bird I’ve worked on was a European eagle owl which had been someone’s pet. That was challenging. It took three sittings of about eight hours, and I had to freeze it in between.” Is taxidermy something that’s becoming more popular? “Yes, I think it’s because we’re seeing it more in the media and it’s becoming more ‘normal’. Years ago, you had to go quite far

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and pay a lot to do a class. Now, there are more classes and it’s more accessible.” Tonja takes inspiration from the Victorians, often using antique display cabinets to conjure that feel of Gothic opulence and intrigue. But the Victorians didn’t always get it right – often misunderstanding how an animal looked or moved, resulting in some seriously questionable critters. If you haven’t seen the startled lion, Google it. “I love the website crappytaxidermy. com,” she laughs. “But I also know how difficult it is to get the reference of an animal right, and of course they didn’t have the Internet to find tips and pictures. It reminds me that sometimes things don’t work out exactly as you want!” Beginners Taxidermy with Tonja Grung, Cambridge Junction, 12 December, 4pm. Tickets £25. www.junction.co.uk Instagram: @madefromthedead_ taxidermy

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ARTS & CULTURE

LIANE CARROLL

& friends

Cambridge Modern Jazz presents a Christmas cracker of a show on Thursday 10 December. Jazz singer Liane Carroll, whose new album, Seaside, recently launched to great acclaim, will warm your cockles with her beautiful ballads and tender vocals. Hear her at subterranean cocktail lounge The Hidden Rooms, Jesus Lane, Cambridge, from 8pm. Prices are £12/£15. www.cambridgejazz.org

Christmas crafts FOR ADULTS

WEST ROAD CONCERT HALL 14 DEC

Handel ’s

MESSIAH

With its soaring, magnificent choruses, passionate choral singing and biblical content, Handel’s Messiah is a Christmas staple for many a classical playlist. The music will be performed at West Road Concert Hall by the Britten Sinfonia Voices with soloists Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Allan Clayton (tenor) and Christopher Purves (bass), all of whom will be conducted by Eamonn Dougan. Don’t miss this jubilant concert with a stellar quartet of soloists. Takes place 14 December, 7.30pm; tickets are £16-£33 (£5 students). A pre-show talk will take place at 6.30pm; entry to which is free for ticket holders. www.westroad.org

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We’ve long championed Cambridge PPF’s excellent children’s activities, taking place at the lovely Wandlebury Country Park. But new for 2015 is their Christmas Crafts for Adults class, in which big kids who love crafts and the countryside can let their creative juices flow. On 12 and 14 December, you’re invited to come and make natural Christmas decorations, from baubles and wreaths to table centrepieces, with the friendly Wandlebury team over cups of hot coffee and tea. So pack away that gaudy shop-bought tinsel and embrace a more rustic Christmas this year! The class costs £10; don’t forget to dress warmly. www.cambridgeppf.org

GARETH MALONE Regular warbler or not, chances are you’ll find yourself engaging your vocal chords at some point over Christmas, whether at your kids’ school carol service or drunkenly at the office bash. This month, the nation’s favourite choirmaster, Gareth Malone, will be leading a mass singalong at the Corn Exchange. He’ll be joined by his choir, Voices, who’ll be performing songs by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, as well as some seasonal classics. Awarded an OBE in 2012 and two BAFTAS for The Choir, the 39-year-old has made a career out of helping people channel their emotions through song. In 2011, his Military Wives choir had the nation in bits with their tender recording of Wherever You Are, knocking Simon Cowell’s Little Mix clean out of the running for Christmas No.1. The following year he was coaching workplace choirs in Sing While You Work, while 2013 saw him embark on a search for the nation’s most talented young singers. Lately, he’s been hunting for Britain’s best amateur singing group in The Naked Choir for BBC2. 2015 marks ten years since Malone’s first show, The Choir, so now’s a perfect time to be part of his global classroom of singing. Gareth Malone is at the Corn Exchange on 9 December, 7.30pm; tickets are £27.50-£40. www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

Carol concerts IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGE

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 15 December Popular touring group The Locrian Ensemble will perform a lavish concert, in period costume, at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds. Expect festive favourites like White Christmas and Walking in the Air alongside Handel’s Messiah, sung by West End soprano Jill Washington. Take your seats for 7.30pm; tickets cost £19. www.theapex.co.uk

SING WE YULE! Great St Mary’s Church, 18 December Soak up the sound of Christmases gone by at Cambridge Early Music’s effervescent concert in Cambridge. The programme contains traditional carols, lullabies and Celtic dance tunes, played on fiddle, harp, bells and bagpipes. The concert starts at 7.30pm; tickets are £20 (£15 concessions). www.cambridgeearlymusic.org

A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION Church of St Peter and St Paul, Lavenham, 19 December Start the season with a celebration of Christmas music at the beautiful parish church in Lavenham. The historic village, featured in the seventh Harry Potter film, is always worth a visit at this time of the year. The concert itself, performed by the Bury Bach Choir, will include seasonal favourites with some lesser-known pieces, plus readings. It starts at 7.30pm, with mince pies before the show. Tickets are £12. www.burybachchoir.co.uk

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT Leper Chapel, 20 December Escape the commerce of Christmas and cluster into the Leper Chapel, off Newmarket Road. This humble, ancient building is the oldest in town and the Rev Dr Roger Williams will be joined by the Cottenham Brass Band for this cosy Christmas singalong – with mince pies and mulled wine. Free (donations

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welcome), it starts at 6.30pm. www.cambridgeppf.org

HARK THE HERALD Ely Cathedral, 23 December Take your seat under the 30ft Christmas tree and hear the Cathedral Choir, accompanied by Prime Brass, perform a programme of traditional carols in this spectacular setting. While the choir will be demonstrating their skills, there will be carols you can join in with too. It starts at 7.30pm; tickets are £10-£20. www.elycathedral.org

A FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS King’s College Chapel, 24 December A famously magical Christmas treat to do at least once is to take your place under the fan-vaulted ceiling of King’s College Chapel and hear some of the finest choral voices in the country sing soaring carols at A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This event is free and open to the public, but an early start is essential. Another, private concert at King’s is recorded earlier in December for the TV broadcast on Christmas Eve, while this one will be broadcast live on Radio 4. www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/chapelservices/nine-lessons.html

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r © Louisa Taylo

ARTS & CULTURE

t’s easy to want to hide during December. That, or go all out to every single shindig, bash and tinselly grotto until you do want to hide during December. Why not try an alternative route of cosy merriment forged by artists at their open studios, art markets and Christmas fairs? This is the time of year that many of the city’s makers throw open the hatches to invite friends round to buy their wares – one of the best ways to turn Christmas shopping hell into a fun chance to meet and support independent artists in the city. On 16 December, snap up quirky cards, books or beautiful works made nowhere else in the world at a craft fair in aid of Cambridge to Calais action group. The event is hosted by stained glass artist Jill Fordham who is based at Cambridge Art Salon’s new(ish!) UNIT 13 studios in East Cambridge. The fair is in the lounge area at Barnwell Baptist Church as part of Abbey People’s Christmas Dinner on 16 December (there’s a lantern parade, too). Cheryl Warren’s open studios on Cavendish Road are a must-visit for those in search of elegant contemporary paintings, with plenty of affordable prints and cards offered, too, to suit your budget. Running Above Artist Cheryl Warren's contemporary paintings are on show 5-6 December at her studio Below Taxidermy for beginners comes to the Junction on 12 December, and attendees can leave the event with their own taxidermy mouse!

5-6 December, it’s a perfect chill-out escape for attendees of Mill Road Winter Fair, which is my go-to Christmas market, with thousands flocking to eat delicious food and visit hundreds of stalls every year. Check www.cherylwarren.com for more of her stunning work (I have one of her pieces cheering up my kitchen). Festive art lovers should also pop into Byard Art’s Christmas Cracker show, open all month to savour the Christmas nostalgia of mixed-media artist Ann Winder-Boyle, whose warm-hearted pieces feature roaring fires and vintage English scenes that are a perfect accompaniment to any Christmas in Cambridge. I’m spending Christmas on my boat this year. This year, we’re bringing Santa to the river for the Cam’s growing community of boater children, though my boy did worry that he might ‘sink the boat’! We’ll be enjoying the festive countdown making art at Stir, a new café on Chesterton Road, where toddlers can pop in to take part in art classes on Tuesdays and Fridays (check the noticeboard or website for more details). Those hunting for the perfect pressies for children this year, why not pick up one of the many books by talented Cambridge illustrators? Choose from the likes of Marion Lindsay who illustrates the bestselling

Toddlers can pop in to enjoy art classes at Stir Maisie Hitchins series by Holly Webb, or the wonderful Louise Pigott (babies will love her Forest Lullaby board book of illustrations for Cottage Door Press – just gorgeous). Fans of the ever popular Cambridge cats Fitz and Will, can buy their new book, The Christmas Adventure at Cambridge

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Waterstones (more on page 20), which was released this October. Plus you can buy gifts and treats from the likes of the fantastic Jo Clark, who is a huge hit with animal lovers, at www.joclarkdesign.co.uk or buy direct at Cambridge Contemporary Crafts. Finally, those looking for imagination and a well-being boost, buy Sa’adiah Khan’s adult colouring book – Alternative Escapism 1, which is being snapped up by buyers from all over the world. She lives in Cambridge, with a huge and well-deserved following, known in the community for her beautiful work – check www.sadisoularts.com. Or learn taxidermy and craft a one-off Christmas gift at Cambridge Junction, with artist Tonja Grung as part of Junction University on 12 December, for £25. Learn skinning and tanning through to mounting with inspiration from all things Victorian macabre! Or how about wizarding foraged twigs and feathers into an elegant wreath, infusing it with your own symbolism? On 1 December from 6pm, a free workshop from Cambridge Junction takes you foraging with artist Sheila Ghelani. Those of you looking for a welcoming crowd of artists, can get sketching Cambridge with Urban Sketchers, a new meet-up founded by artist Yasemin Gyford – www.facebook.com/uskcambridge. Why not make this Christmas a creative one? Enjoy it, all.

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FESTIVE THEATRE WORDS JENNY SHELTON

Cambridge Christmas show © Tony Meehan

! r a l u c a t spec © Tony Meehan

Cinderella

CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE 3 DEC-17 JAN

For Suzie Mathers, star of this year’s Arts Theatre pantomime, Christmas is normally a time for lounging by the pool over a barbecue breakfast – blokes in dresses and heavily madeup villains (boo! hiss!) are thin on the ground. This year will be different however, as the Aussie actress (pictured above centre) gets her first taste of panto culture in the title role of Cinderella. “I’m super excited about doing the panto, and Cinderella is THE one you want to do,” she enthuses. “I grew up in Australia where we don’t have the big panto culture – so I’d never heard of Buttons – but I’m really looking forward to immersing myself in it.” Panto must seem pretty bizarre to an outsider, does it? “It’s very different! It is mad, but really great how the audience can have the run of the show. No two performances are the same, the audience brings their own energy and you get different reactions, and panto has that flexibility to change which makes it really exciting.” Suzie comes to us after playing Glinda in the Australasian production of Wicked. “It seems like a good transition to be playing Cinderella after Glinda,” she laughs. “To play that role so early in my career was a dream come true. It’s a wonderful show with wonderful music. I know it’s really clichéd, but Popular was my favourite song to do! I always had a blast with that.” Talking about Christmas down under, she says: “It’s very different. On Christmas Day we start with a seafood barbecue, then a roast with all the trimmings later in the afternoon, then usually cocktails by the pool or on the beach. In Perth, where I’m from, it can be anywhere between 35 and 42°. I was with family in Aberdeen last year which was my first cold Christmas. The fact that I could wear a Christmas jumper at Christmas was such a novelty for me!” She adds: “I’m so excited to be coming to Cambridge this Christmas. The minute I arrived I fell in love with the place: it’s like a fairytale land. I’ll be staying right opposite King’s College, so I’ll be right in the heart of it. I really hope it snows, that would be a dream come true! I’m keeping my fingers crossed!” Cinderella at Cambridge Arts Theatre runs 3 December until 17 January 2016. Go online for times and ticket prices. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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FESTIVE THEATRE

CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE 14 DEC-9 JAN

Horrible Christmas How did the Tudors celebrate Christmas? What would Oliver Cromwell – not a fan of jolly feasting and parties – have to say about Slade and Wizzard? And who was Good King Wenceslas? Not a king, for starters… Described as an ‘action-packed festive adventure that’s a romp from start to finish’ (Derby Derby Telegraph), Telegraph this raucous live show comes from the brilliant Birmingham Stage Company and features all the comedy of their Horrible Histories shows, with added Yuletide spirit. Join characters including Henry VIII, Charles Dickens, a rapping Charles II, Santa himself and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for a lavishly-staged, fastpaced Christmas show for all the family, featuring madcap action, contemporary nods (Doctor Who gets a mention), and silly songs and sketches. Horrible Histories is on stage the Corn Exchange from 14 December until 9 January. Tickets are £22.50 (£17 children) or £55 for a family ticket (two adults, two kids). www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

Jack and the Beanstalk

MUMFORD THEATRE 18, 19 & 20 DEC

Swap your prize cow for tickets to the Mumford Theatre’s family panto, taking place for three nights only on 18, 19 and 20 December. Jack lives a quiet, humble life with his somewhat eccentric mother, Mrs Lumpkin, but when he comes into possession of some magic beans, adventure beckons. Join in this giant adventure, boo the villain and cheer our young hero as good triumphs over evil. Hurrah! Tickets are £7.50; check online for times and booking information. www.anglia.ac.uk/mumford

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FESTIVE THEATRE

CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION 8-31 DEC

Snow White & Rose Red Cambridge Junction’s Christmas show sees two daring, mischievous sisters set out on an adventure across a wintry wilderness. No, it’s not Frozen (everyone’s over that by now, surely?), but Snow White and Rose Red Red, created by awardwinning theatre company RashDash. This enchanting tale is based on the Brothers Grimm’s original story of two girls who befriend a bear and rescue a dwarf with a magical beard. (Don’t worry if you don’t recognise it from the Disney version – that was based on a completely different Brothers Grimm fairytale!) Helen Goalen of RashDash, who went to school at Swavesey Village College and Hills Road Sixth Form College, tells us more: “We want it to be a really fun, festive family day out. It’s going to have lots of great songs, live music and should be a great visual spectacle. It should take people on a real adventure. “Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was taken from a completely different story,” she explains. “In the original Snow White and Rose Red Red, two sisters meet a bear and keep bumping into this little old man with a beard which keeps getting stuck in things. But there’s not much more to it than that, so we’ve turned it into a big adventure story for the girls. There are magic spells, lots of great characters and a big battle at the end.” As well as creating the show with RashDash co-founder Abbi Greenland, Helen will be on stage as Snow White. She says: “We always have very strong female characters at the centre of our shows. Rose Red is streetwise and a bit of a tomboy, whereas Snow White is more dreamy and always getting lost in her own head. But they both love stories and adventure. “I’m really excited about it. We’ve never made a show with Cambridge Junction before but we’ve toured there a few times. It’s a show for five- to 105-year-olds – though 106-year-olds are very welcome! The humour works on lots of different levels, and it should be a nice alternative to a panto.” See it 8-31 December, Cambridge Junction; tickets £15 (£10 concessions). Check online for times. www.junction.co.uk

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Robin Hood Catch the famous ADC THEATRE Footlights/CUADC pantomime at the ADC UNTIL 5 DEC Theatre, which ends its run on 5 December. Known as a more grown-up alternative to your usual spangly, rosycheeked family pantos, these student efforts are worth a punt if you like your humour quirky and your song lyrics tongue-twistingly intellectual. This year’s story is Robin Hood Hood, so prepare to be taken to a turbulent Nottingham of yesteryear, where the divide between rich and poor is causing the townsfolk to break into unruly songs. Enter Maid Marian, who sets in motion a Marxist plan to break the Sheriff’s iron rule. You’ve only got until 5 December to see it, so book now; tickets £9-£15. www.adctheatre.com

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COMPETITION

ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN

all of this!

WORTH

£217

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VIRGIN CHRISTMAS SUNRISE HOT AIR BALLOON PACKAGE FOR TWO

The Edition Christmas giveaway is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever! We’re giving one lucky reader more than £2,000 worth of fantastic prizes – happy Christmas!

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MURAD BEAUTIFUL FIRM SKIN

BETTER HEALTH & FITNESS MEMBERSHIP

The highest value prize in this year’s bundle, we’re giving away an annual membership from Better Health & Fitness worth £394.50. The membership can be used at all Better Health & Fitness’s Cambridge locations (Parkside Pools & Gym, Abbey Leisure Complex, Jesus Green Lido and Cherry Hinton Village Leisure Centre) and includes full, anytime access to the gyms, pools and exercise classes.

www.better.org.uk

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PAMPERING EXPERIENCE AT FINN JORDAN BEAUTY & HAIR SALON

The city centre pampering experts are offering an indulgent experience, which includes a relaxing 60-minute Ultimate Aromatherapy Associates Experience massage, followed by a Redken Hair Treatment. The treatment, tailored to the client, will be followed by a blow dry by the salon’s expert hair stylists. Voucher valid for six months and subject to availability.

www.finnjordan.co.uk

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£244 HIS & HERS

£129 WORTH

£99.99 DIVA FEEL THE HEAT ULTIMATE STYLER

HIS & HERS KRUG BAÜMEN WATCHES FROM CHRISELLI

We have teamed up with ChrisElli to give one lucky winner the chance to own these stunning Krug Baümen Tuxedo watches worth £244. Both the male and female design exude charisma and elegance. ChrisElli want you to look and feel your very best, offering a vast array of watches, sunglasses, jewellery, handbags and accessories from world renowned designer brands including Michael Kors, Ray Ban, Fossil and many more.

www.chriselli.com

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Sleek and chic, Diva Feel The Heat Ultimate Styler offers mirror titanium plates and high heating technology for ultra-hot, super-smooth styling and absolute control. Packed with advanced technology, from variable heat settings to an LED that lets you know when it’s reached the right temperature, it creates perfect looks for all hair types, and it looks super sleek as well.

www.sallyexpress.com

INSTAX MINI 70 CAMERA

The perfect addition to any party or family gathering over the festive season, the instax Mini 70 delivers credit card sized photos in an instant! The team at Fujifilm are giving away an instax Mini 70 instant camera in Island Blue worth £99.99 to one lucky reader. Stylish and compact, the camera comes with 10 shots of film, so the winner will be all set to start capturing and sharing their memories with family and friends!

www.instax.co.uk

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W £2 orth ,00 over

TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING THIS FANTASTIC PRIZE BUNDLE, VISIT WWW.CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

WORTH

£19.95

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£99 WORTH

£39 CAMBRIDGE: THE WATERCOLOUR SKETCHBOOK

A beautiful showcase of our city’s architectural heritage by talented artist Graham Byfield, with commentary by Marcus Binney. Graham strolled around the city, sketch pad in hand, capturing college gateways, courts and gardens, along broad streets and narrow alleyways, great ceremonial buildings and medieval pubs full of character to put together this gorgeous book.

AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO AT THE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON

Located on the banks of the Cam, the DoubleTree by Hilton serves up one of the best afternoon teas in town at their renowned Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, Bar & Grill. Soak up the stylish surroundings and enjoy a heavenly selection of freshly made sandwiches, scones and irresistible miniature desserts, served with Twinings Tea or Musetti Coffee.

doubletree3.hilton.com

£25 VOUCHER FOR PETRUS DESIGN

CAVIAR & CHAMPAGNE AT HOTEL DU VIN, CAMBRIDGE

With branches on Bridge Street in Cambridge and on the High Street in Saffron Walden, Petrus Design offers stylish, design-led clothing for men and women, with a selection of highquality brands including Sandwich and G Star. They’re giving away a £25 voucher, so you can treat yourself to a gorgeous new garment to keep you snug and stylish this winter.

Love a bit of luxury? Trumpington Street’s sophisticated boutique hotel and bistro is giving away a decadent foodie treat for two guests. Enjoy this centuries old perfect pairing as you indulge in Royal Siberian caviar with Lanson Noble Cuvée champagne, all in the sumptuous setting of this elegant city centre hotel. Sounds like heaven to us!

www.petrusdesign.co.uk

www.hotelduvin.com

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£50

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GOGS HAMPER

Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop are giving away a hamper filled with delicious artisan foodie treats including Black Cow farmhouse cheddar, Cartwright & Butler acacia honey with comb, Peter’s Yard sourdough crisp breads and Paiarrop Fig & Almond Cake and Fig Jam, as well as some mini chocolate fig bon bons and a bottle of Hacienda Lopéz de Haro Rioja.

www.gogmagoghills.com

£25 VOUCHER FOR COUNTRY KITCHEN, HASLINGFIELD

We at Edition are huge fans of the lovely Country Kitchen in Haslingfield, a small but perfectly formed village store which is brimming with excellent food and wines (inlcuding their delicious home-made ready meals), gorgeous homewares and a range of carefully selected gifts. They’re giving away a £25 voucher to spend on whatever takes your fancy!

www.ckhaslingfield.com

£20 VOUCHER FOR THE LIGHT CINEMA

DINNER FOR TWO AT FITZBILLIES

Enjoy a trip to the movies for free, courtesy of Cambridge’s Light Cinema. Located at Cambridge Leisure Park, the cinema features the latest blockbusters, independent and international films, plus the best live opera, ballet, theatre and pop concerts from around the globe at their ninescreen cinema. Perfect timing for the crop of great new films January yields!

cambridge.lightcinemas.co.uk

A bona fide Cambridge institution, Fitzbillies needs no introduction, but beyond their gloriously sticky famous Chelsea buns, they serve up an excellent dining menu from their Trumpington Street premises. The menu features elegant takes on hearty British dishes, such as Porter’s pie with seasonal veg and mash, or ox heart on sourdough to start. Fitzbillies is giving away a dinner for two worth up to £75.

www.fitzbillies.com

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£70 WORTH

£260 HOTEL CHOCOLAT CLASSIC CABINET WITH PROSECCO

With a store on Petty Cury and a brand-new café in the Grand Arcade, Hotel Chocolat sell a mouth-watering array of handcrafted chocolate and decadent sweet treats. They’re giving away a prize that anyone with a sweet tooth will adore: their Classic Cabinet with Prosecco, which is filled with their finest chocolates and a bottle of top quality fizz. We approve!

www.hotelchocolat.com

SIX TICKETS FOR NORTH POLE CAMBRIDGE

A fun and festive family experience like no other is up for grabs, as we’re giving away six tickets to North Pole Cambridge. The attraction, which runs throughout December and up until 4 January, sees Parker’s Piece transformed into a winter wonderland, offering not just a huge outdoor ice rink, but a host of stalls, food and drink, fairground rides and an cosy alpine bar.

www.thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

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£25 VOUCHER FOR CAMBRIDGE WINE MERCHANTS

SCUDAMORES CHAMPAGNE PUNT TOUR FOR EIGHT PEOPLE

www.cambridgewine.com

www.scudamores.com

Voted the UK’s No. 1 Independent Drinks Local faves Scudamores will do all the Retailer, Cambridge Wine Merchants hard work on this luxury punt tour have four branches across the city, each while you recline, soak up the views offering a huge range of wines and and enjoy a glass or two of chilled fizz. staffed by friendly experts. Each branch As well as taking care of the punting, offers free local delivery, tempting your chauffeur will offer a guided tour tasting and dining events, and the with lots of interesting facts – even if Bridge Street branch also has a wine bar, you’ve lived in Cambridge your entire complete with delicious food. They’re life we can guarantee you’ll learn giving away a £25 voucher – bottoms up! something new!

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CRAFTS

Crafty

Christmas

WREATH MAKING 3-15 DEC

Jenny Shelton tries her hand at wreath making with Violets and Velvet

here’s a wonderful aroma filling Sam Cotterrell’s garden studio. It’s a cold November day outside, but in here it’s all cosy and twinkly: as we rummage through various bits of garden foliage, picking out pretty seed heads and evergreens, a lovely earthy smell mingles with the spicy, Christmas scent of our mulled wine. I’ve joined florist Sam Cotterrell of Violets and Velvet, Bishop’s Stortford, on one of her wreath-making courses. Held throughout December, they take place at her gorgeous garden workshop: a hideaway of vintage furniture and treasures, and the perfect setting for getting creative. “My main focus is wedding flowers but I do a few workshops, especially at Christmas,” says Sam. “As well as wreath making, we’ve got a table centrepiece workshop; they’re all really popular. Some people come back every year, so I make sure I’ve always got lots of new, different bits in! There’s always mulled wine and mince pies on the go, and we stick a bit of Christmas music on… It’s a nice, sociable evening. People like to come and have a play – it’s quite messy, so it’s not something you can easily do in your own kitchen.” Sam came to floristry fairly recently, from a background in costume and textiles. “I worked in theatre and on a few films…

I worked on Harry Potter – I had to dye lots of Harry’s pyjamas!” she laughs. “I did about ten pairs just to get the right blue. Then I worked at a costume house four days a week, and me being me, I thought ‘I can squeeze something else in!’ So I took a little job at a florists. I helped with weddings and in 2008, I left to set up on my own.” While we chat, Sam shows me how to secure tightly-packed handfuls of moss to a circular frame, creating a padded base for our wreath. Then we wire in some pine branches to create a fluffy outline, before adding dried slices of orange and lime, silvery olive branches and other natural decorations to it. “Some people are very neat and have an idea for a colour scheme, but others like to stick everything on,” Sam smiles. “People often amaze themselves in terms of what they can do. You can’t really go wrong with a wreath, it’s quite simple and doesn’t have to be neat. “I get my flowers and foliage from wholesalers,” she explains, “but things like pine cones and poppyseed heads I’ll forage for. My daughter loves looking for pine cones, which is helpful! Holly is difficult because it’s quite prickly, but nice for the

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berries. I like to use rose hips, which last well. The dried oranges are lovely – last year we used sprouts, too. I like to have lots of natural decorations.” In 2014, Sam’s blowsy, natural approach won Violets and Velvet Perfect Wedding magazine’s Award for flowers – a top industry accolade with some stiff competition. “I’d done bouquets for their cover shoots, then they asked if I wanted to enter their awards. I got shortlisted, which was amazing. So I went along to the ceremony thinking I didn’t have a hope in hell. There were some really big florists up for it, so when they called out my name I had a sort of out-of-body experience!” Asked what she loves most about the job, she says: “I love the creativity of it, and that every week is different. It’s lovely working with the seasons and with nature – you really look forward to the new season and what flowers you’ll be working with.” Wreath making takes place 3, 7, 8, 14 and 15 December, either 12-2pm or 7-9pm (£40). Or make a table centrepiece on 21 December, 7-9pm (£70). www.violetsandvelvet.co.uk

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NEW YEAR’S EVE

WORDS JENNY SHELTON

NEW YEAR’S EVE IN CAMBRIDGE

Have you made your plans yet for the most hyped night out of the year? See in 2016 in style at one of these glamorous new year's celebrations

PARTY

LA RAZA There’ll be funk, disco and R&B pumping from underground bar La Raza on New Year’s Eve when Crump, Pete de Vit and Margaret Scratcher take to the decks. Make your way through La Raza’s extensive cocktail list and tear up the dance floor from 9pm to 2am. Tickets cost just £5 on the door. Bargain! www.laraza.co.uk

THE HIDDEN ROOMS Discover something different this New Year’s Eve: head for an underground party at the Hidden Rooms on Jesus Lane. Expect a night of classic house

music, 8pm-2am, from Cambridge’s Jason Petchell. Tickets are £10 in advance or £15 on the door (no entry after midnight). Advanced ticket price includes a bottle of Becks, glass of house wine or juice. www.hiddenroomsonline.com

NEON MOON’S THE NIGHT CIRCUS For a cheekier, more sensational affair, get your tickets for Neon Moon’s burlesque and cabaret New Year’s Eve Spectacular. Known for throwing flamboyant parties around the city centre, featuring top artistes, this show promises to be the best one of all.

There’s a circus theme, so dress as sequined showgirls, retro ringmasters or put an animal twist to your costume (but strictly NO onesies! This is a glamorous occasion, darlings). Acts for the night include sword swallowers and cabaret, then dance into the New Year to vintage music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, as well as from around the world, as the cocktails flow. Sure to be a New Year’s you won’t forget, it runs from 8pm to 2am, tickets are £50. Come, run away with the circus… www.theneonmoonclub.com

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NEW YEAR’S EVE

HOTEL DU VIN, CAMBRIDGE See in the new year in style at classy hotel and bistro Hotel du Vin. The Trumpington Street venue invites you to enjoy an evening of live music, great food and plenty of fizz, rounded off with

a stay in one of its beautiful rooms, with a full breakfast in the morning. From £499 per night. www.hotelduvin.com

NO.77, CAXTON Over at a no.77 in Caxton, you can enjoy a sumptuous six-course meal this New Year’s Eve. On the menu you'll find Thai classics like spring rolls, green and red curry and Pad Thai, and gven the fact that this stylish eaterie was recently included in the Michelin Guide, it’s bound to be quite the feast. There will also be a DJ and fireshow - tickets are £60 (or £20 for non-dining passes). www.77cambridge.com

THE SHEENE MILL, MELBOURN Dine at a beautiful, rural, historical setting and enjoy the fruits of The Sheene Mill’s award-winning kitchen at their New Year’s Party. For £98 per person, you’ll receive champagne and canapés on arrival, then lobster ravioli, French onion soup or salt-baked beetroots with whipped feta cheese to start. Mains include 28-day aged steak, guinea fowl with pomme rosti and truffle jus, sea bass and dauphinois

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DINE

HOTEL FELIX, GIRTON Love live jazz and great food? Head for Hotel Felix this New Year’s Eve, where you’ll enjoy a fabulous four-course meal at the stylish Graffiti restaurant (including a glass of fizz on arrival), then dance the night away to the sound of a local jazz ensemble. Situated in spacious grounds a short drive from Cambridge city centre, this boutique four-star hotel is set in pretty grounds with 52 luxurious bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant, an orangery and a bar. Tickets for the New Year’s Eve Dinner are priced at £75 per person. www.hotelfelix.co.uk

potatoes, and a seasonal vegetable tagine. The dessert menu features dark chocolate and cherry clafoutis, pear tarte Tatin or a delicious selection of English cheeses. After dinner, there’s a disco and dancing until 1am, with a countdown to and fireworks at midnight. www.thesheenemill.com

THE PACKHORSE INN, MOULTON This smart, cosy country pub would make a wonderful New Year’s Eve getaway for anyone looking for a topnotch champagne dinner with the option of an overnight stay in one of the inn’s boutique rooms. Tuck into a beautifully presented seven-course tasting menu, which makes use of local game and seasonal vegetables, whilst a live pianist sets the mood. It’s £95 per person, including champagne on arrival plus another glass to clink at midnight. Dinner plus an overnight stay and a Buck's Fizz breakfast is £379 per room. www.thepackhorseinn.com

THE CHEQUERS, ORWELL Indulge in a delicious seven-course dinner at beautiful gastropub The Chequers in the village of Orwell. While the pub’s cosy, rustic interior lends itself very well to a winter feast, the food itself is greatly acclaimed. Enjoy wild mushroom velouté, ballotine of partridge, smoked salmon, a cheeky Martini and British rose veal cushion, finishing with a chocolate and citrus explosion. Tickets are £65 each. After dinner, there’s live music from 11pm to 1am. Dress to impress! www.thechequersoforwell.co.uk

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MILL ROAD FAIR

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

D A O R MILL ambridge’s most lively neighbourhood, Mill Road, welcomes back its annual winter shindig this month, offering a day of colourful community fun for the whole family from 10.30 to 4.30pm. Kicking off at Ditchburn Gardens with an opening ceremony led by the Mayor, the event takes over the whole of Mill Road and many of its side streets, offering a food market, a busy line-up of music performances, family activities and plenty more besides, from theatre performances to circus workshops.

This community event offers an unbeatable atmosphere plus feasting, crafts, music and family-friendly fun

Wrap up, eat lots and stock up on christmas gifts

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entertainment – personally I’m looking forward to interacting with the roaming Pivotal Players, and I also want to make my own Ukulele with TUB-Ukulele Project!” So wrap up, eat lots, stock up on Christmas gifts and enjoy the fun! Here’s what’s in store.

KIDS Little ones certainly won’t be getting bored at this year’s Fair, with lots of familyfriendly fun taking place throughout the day at various locations. There’ll be kids activities, cake and a bouncy castle at Romsey Mill, whilst the Cambridge Museums will host a Make and Create winter special at the Salisbury Club. At the same venue, CHaOS (Cambridge HandsOn Science) will present an array of fun,

interactive science experiments – perfect for inquisitive kids. Children will also go wild for the traditional Chinese Lion show and all its colour and theatre, set to take place outside the Co-op at 1.45pm. © Adam Cash

“If you’ve been to the Mill Road Winter Fair before, you know how unbeatable the atmosphere is on the day,” says Marisa Crimlis-Brown, one of the Fair’s organisers. “The smells of baked and barbecued foods, the amazing crafts for sale and the huge range of diverse entertainment. Of course, the best part is being able to stroll down Mill Road without spotting a car for hours! It’s a real community event and a great showcase of what Mill Road is all about for those who’ve come from further afield to check out what all the commotion is about!” “The Fair is a microcosm of the rich diversity which is Cambridge,” adds events manager, Jonathan Mills. “It’s also the best way to meet new people and enjoy free

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MILL ROAD FAIR

Get set for the first-ever Cambridge Christmas Pudding Race, taking place on Parker’s Piece during this year’s Mill Road Winter Fair. Sponsored by Cole’s Christmas Puddings, based just down the road in Great Chesterford, the race will help to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Opened by the Mayor at 11am, the race will see teams of six take to an obstacle course whilst carrying a Christmas pudding for the chance to be crowned Christmas Pudding Royalty 2015! Search Cambridge Christmas Pudding Race on Facebook for more info.

IS A PROUD PARTNER OF MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR

CAMBRIDGE CHRISTMAS PUDDING RACE

As ever, there will be lots of chances for Cambridge to show off its creativity at the Mill Road Winter Fair. Check out Thinking Outside the Box, a unique art installation that combines film, theatre and visual art to provide an insight into the lives of those involved with Total Arts – an arts group for young people with additional needs. Takes place from 11am to 3pm at the Salvation Army Centre. Elsewhere, old and young can enjoy tales spun by some of our city’s finest raconteurs as the Cambridge Storytellers regale crowds with their favourite yarns at the St Barnabas Centre, with sessions at 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. There’s a busy day planned over at the Bath House too, with craft stalls, freshly cooked soups on offer and an art exhibition by Pick ’n’ Mix: a collective of artists from different backgrounds expressing themselves in a variety of media.

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ARTS

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MILL ROAD FAIR

Eastern Street car park, pick up freshly baked artisan pizzas from Fired Up Pizza and chocolatey treats from Gourmet Brownie Ltd. Or head to Donkey Green and warm up with a coffee from Caffé Mobile then grab a piece of something tasty from Tom’s Cakes or the Ely Fudge Company. On St Barnabas Road, there will be Keralan-inspired cuisine from Rice Boat and vibrant veggie food from The Wandering Yak, whilst the Carpenters Arms pub will be pitching up in a tent to serve tasty home-made pies. You can also check out two newbies making waves on the local street food scene: Holy Schnitzels and Rösti Strasse. Finally, outside Bharat Bhavan you’ll find South-East Asian street food from Jalan Jalan, and Warming Your Cockles will be serving up delicious drinks (their luxury hot chocolates are a must!), as well as cakes.

IS A PROUD PARTNER OF MILL ROAD WINTER FAIR

TUNES

Taste your way around the cream of the crop at the winter Fair this year Be sure to catch the Pivotal Players street theatre group, who’ll be performing Futures for Sale – Candidates for a Better World. This show, part of the global Festival of Change and ArtCOP21, will see seven actors presenting six visions of the future… which will you vote for? Also creating art with a conscience will be Kay Barrett and her team over on the patch of grass where Mill Road meets East Road. Stop by from 10.30am and witness the creation of a magical labyrinth, to be illuminated with tea lights after nightfall, which will raise awareness of the work of Jimmy’s Night Shelter for the homeless and the organisation Link-Up, whose slogan is ‘homeless not helpless’.

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EATS The Mill Road area is famous for its fantastically varied food: from the great indy coffee shops and cafés to the international supermarkets where the shelves are laden with intriguing ingredients from every corner of the globe. Taste your way around the cream of the crop at the Winter Fair this year, which as always will present a delicious treat every few feet. The main foodie hotspot is the Gwydir Street car park, which will host stalls from Steak & Honour, Cadwin Curries, The English Spirit Distillery, Guerrilla Kitchen and Azahar Artisan Spanish Food, as well as GoGo Gogi Gui, The Lick, Rocking Raw Chef and Mr Cake. Down the road at the Great

Walking up and down Mill Road on Fair day always yields a variety of aural delights, with the event acting as a lively showcase of local musical talent. Bop along to the Cambridge University Brass Band, enjoy the Americana bluegrass musical stylings of Lodi Pickins, take in some rock ’n’ roll covers by The Flying Aces, and have a boogie with the brilliantly named Misspent Ukes, who’ll be taking on all sorts of songs on their trusty ukuleles. There’s loads more music on offer too, from the hillbilly blues of Banjo Nick, to the lively folk rock of Flaming June – check out the programme for the full line-up.

ACTIVE There’s lots of chances to eat, drink and be merry at the Mill Road Winter Fair, but if you fancy breaking a sweat, there’s plenty to try, too. Flex your way through a free yoga taster session at The Bodywise Studio (Gwydir Street), from noon onwards, or try out a new two-wheeler with Cambridge’s all-ability cycle project, You Can Bike Too (outside Cycle King). Over on Mortimer Road, watch and join in a tai chi session with the Taoist Tai Chi Society, or try your hand at juggling, spinning plates or mastering a diabolo in a circus skills workshop with Cambridge Community Circus (opposite Al Amin). www.millroadwinterfair.org

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NEON MOON All photos courtesy of Samantha Adamson, www.blackcravat.co.uk

WORDS GUY SMITH

We step into the intriguing world of the Neon Moon Burlesque and Cabaret Club, enjoy a tipple and find out about the next outings for Cambridge’s most glamorous party little while ago The Neon Moon Burlesque and Cabaret Club set out on a unique journey with cocktail veterans La Raza to create a drink that embodied the famously decadent Neon Moon nights. The idea behind the events themselves was to create a glamorous show that was powerful and mysterious, like the pull of the moon, with an electrifying twist. The spectacular shows and neon artwork of Las Vegas were the initial inspiration for what Neon Moon

WE WANTED TO CREATE A DRINK TO EMBODY THE FAMOUSLY DECADENT NEON MOON NIGHTS

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should become. But how to encapsulate this in a drink? In the years that this event has been running, the eclectic shows have covered themes from the mystery of the Orient to a garden of unearthly delights. In the end the team settled on three core ideas. It should be refreshing, a real palate cleanser to remove all traces of everything else out there. It should be powerful, leaving a lasting impression on the drinker. And it should most definitely be intoxicating! With this in mind, renowned mixologist Sean created a completely unique drink, and we were amazed at what he came up with first time. Whirling the bottles around in some kind of alcoholic alchemy, with a flourish he produced a delicious drink in a vintage

martini glass that looked like someone had poured moonlight into a glass, so soft was its gentle glow. We couldn’t believe our eyes – but that was nothing compared to the taste. With notes of gin, lychee and elderflower, it went down remarkably smoothly. It was only after the second or third glass that we started to realise the true potency of this delicious tipple. So what goes into a Neon Moon? We asked La Raza to help us look at this delicious concoction through the eyes of a cocktail expert. “We used Beefeater because it is an exceptionally clean, bold gin whose extravagant juniper character is balanced with strong citric notes,” Sean told us. “When it is mixed together with the crisp apple and lychee juice it will

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NEON MOON

Coming up…

Magical Winter Ball 5 December, 8pm-2am, £28.50 adv Step into the gorgeous, glitterdoused world of Neon Moon this month at the Magical Winter Ball on 5 December. Promising traditional style with a hint of Russian kitsch, this glamorous festive knees-up takes place at the Cambridge Union Society and features internationally acclaimed burlesque and cabaret acts. Dance until the small hours of the morning to vintage tunes from the 50s, 60s and 70s, and browse beautiful clothing, trinkets and curios whilst enjoying a cocktail or two – and most importantly, dress to impress! If you’re looking for an authentic outfit, we recommend heading to The Old Chemist Antique Shop on Mill Road to discover Vintage Home & Wear. You’ll find a huge array of vintage clothing and accessories to buy or hire, from dresses and suits, to fascinators and top hats!

Recipe Of course, you can always make your own magic at home. Here’s the Neon Moon recipe so you can try for yourself!

New Year’s Eve Spectacular 31 December, 8pm-2am, £50 adv Roll up, roll up for the Neon Moon new year party, The Midnight Circus. Once again taking place in the Guildhall, the event will see this historic building transformed into a bawdy vintage circus, filled with decadent delights. Expect sweeties, candyfloss, death-defying stunts and a magical surprise around every corner. Entertainment on the night includes burlesque queen Violet Blaze, ‘boylesque’ pole dance artiste Sir Midnight Blue, and the body bending, hand standing, bow shooting Orissa Kelly.

produce an amazing taste on the palette with the elderflower coming through right at the end. “By using vitamin B and quinine, the drink glows under ultraviolet light. Quinine is mostly used in small amounts as a bittering agent (such as in tonic water). The vitamin B helps bring the fluorescent out creating the magical Neon Moon glow.” La Raza on Rose Crescent will be featuring the Neon Moon Cocktail as its December cocktail of the month – but if you’d like the full Neon Moon experience, then don’t miss out on the upcoming shows in December. New Year’s Eve is promising to be one of the most spectacular yet featuring the amazing Violet Blaze and Orissa Kelly who performed at the recent MOBO Awards.

Step 1: Dress up in your most outrageous finery. Step 2: Arrange for international burlesque and cabaret acts to entertain you while drinking. Step 3: Mix a large measure of Beefeater gin together with apple and lychee juice, elderflower cordial, lime juice, vitamin B and quinine. Step 4: Pour into a vintage martini glass and decorate with a moon shaped piece of apple on the rim. Step 5: Use a UV light to bring out the glow in your drink, while you enjoy the performers. Step 6: Clean up the copious amounts of glitter left by the burlesque performers. Step 7: Realise it’s much easier and more pleasant to have someone else do all this for you and buy tickets to the next show!

www.theneonmoonclub.com

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s er n b pe m O ce e D

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Jessops store opening on Fitzroy street Grand opening 11 December, visit the new store at 15 Fitzroy street, just outside the Grafton Centre

FROM YOUR FIRST CAMERA, THROUGH TO ACCESSORIES FOR PROS, ACTION CAMS, DRONE FLYING AND PRINTING YOUR OWN PICS ON FUNKY ACCESSORIES – JESSOPS HAVE IT ALL AND ARE BACK IN TOWN Experts in all things photographic, Jessops is opening a new flagship store by the Grafton Centre, offering shoppers more than just the latest range of cameras and lenses. A real one-stop-shop for imaging, the store features a professional photo lab where you can have your favourite photographs made into prints in just 25 minutes, or if you’ve left it a little late for Christmas – don’t panic! Jessops can turn your pictures into stunning keepsakes in-store in just one hour (including Christmas Eve!). Create everything from key rings and jigsaw puzzles, snow globes and baubles, even stunning canvases – perfect for any last-minute prezzies. If you’re looking to purchase your first camera, Jessops will be on hand every step of the way, with expertly trained staff who can advise you on which kit is best for your needs: from kids’ compact cameras and tough waterproof models, to lightweight and feature-rich mirrorless gear like the Sony A7 and digital SLR cameras to suit all abilities like the Canon EOS 700D for beginners. Jessops even offers the chance to try before you buy with its rental service. When you are ready to buy, don’t forget to ask about kit available exclusively to Jessops as well as the latest offers. There are plenty of savings to be had on bundles, with free accessories when you buy with certain gear, and cashback available

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too – plus if you are trading in your old gear, you can save again. More into movies? Check out the latest in video technology in-store, including the intuitive hybrid 4K Canon XC10, or if action’s your thing, you’ll want to get your hands on the latest offerings from GoPro, Ricoh and Sony. For those hoping to get more from their photography Jessops also stock an impressive range of accessories including lenses, bags, tripods, filters and flashguns – but it doesn’t end there. Pop into the Fitzroy Street store and discover the world of drones. See the latest gear designed to get your photography off the ground and flying high. Set over two floors, the Cambridge store will feature a full-purpose training facility where locals will be able to book with the award-winning Jessops Academy service. Offering photography courses of all levels for beginners, amateurs and advanced photographers, there are also workshops and experience days – ideal gifts for the photo enthusiast this season.

VISIT THE NEW JESSOPS STORE & YOU’LL FIND: - The latest photography kit - Expert advice - Training & workshops - Photo printing & gifts - Compact & bridge cameras - Mirrorless cameras - Digital SLR cameras - Camcorders & action cams - Drone display area - Accessories - Telescopes - Rental & trade-in 15 Fitzroy Street, Cambridge CB1 1ER. 0344 800 4444 Shop the full range online at jessops.com.

jessops.com

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GIFT GUIDE

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Sawako Furuno floral helmet £79 BEG Bicycles Decléor gift set £69.50 Dragonfly Beauty Spa, Burwash Manor Pink Fizz bath salts tube by Bath House £10 Lilac Rose Aubade La Meneuse de Revue plunge bra £99 Thong £49 Elouise Lingerie Gold ring £170 Silver ring £50 Trollbeads Paper Dolls red lace dress £55 Petrus Holdsworth truffles £8.99 The Larder, Burwash Manor Phoebe gold oak drop earrings £75 Podarok Inwear sequin top £74.95 Petrus Tweed bag £35 Inside Out, Burwash Manor Felt hat £32 Ark Pamper Her £13 Country Kitchen

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Paxton & Whitfield Cheese & Wine Sommelier Set £36 Gog Magog Farm Shop Cherry & almond fruit cake £12.99 The Larder, Burwash Manor Paxton & Whitfield Camembert Baker Dish (available in cream or grey) £15.99 Gog Magog Farm Shop Posh & Dandy silk ties £37 Petrus 700ml Cambridge Dry Gin £45 Cambridge Distillery Folk Clothing football socks £16 DogFish Our Legacy knitted hat £59 DogFish Sam NKD £675 BEG Bicycles Scaramanga Large Overlander £170 Podarok Luxury scented candles £21 Ark Cambridge Colouring Book £5.99 available from Waterstones, Heffers, Fitzbillies and at other local outlets. Penguin touchscreen gloves £21 -Petrus Pamper Him Hamper £15 Country Kitchen

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Red metal car £75 The Old Pavilion Wooden Bear egg cup £17 Hop & Peck Ceramic elephant £5.99 The Rocking Horse, Burwash Manor Fox cuddly toy £23.50 Ark Mother hedgehog wooden toy £32 Hop & Peck Neon Jellyfish Tank, from £20.99 University Museum Shop Bobo Buddies giraffe £22.99 The Rocking Horse, Burwash Manor TARDIS rucksack £34.99 Jack’s on Trinity Magformers from £15 The Cambridge Toy Shop

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FOOD DRINK A N D

GET THE INSIDE TRACK ON CAMBRIDGE’S FOODIE SCENE WITH EDITION’S MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT

Festive recipes WINTER COCKTAIL INSPIRATION

Foodie Christmas gift guide

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FOOD

Kelly Molson and Vhari Russell, founders of Grub Club Cambridge, select their favourite foodie finds for Christmas

CANESMITH A must-have this Christmas, perfect for watching a film with. We love the sesame and soy caramels. SRP £5. www.canesmith.com

PINKSTERS BOOZY BERRIES A wonderful combination of gin and raspberries, what’s not to love! These are perfect in a meringue and cream for a quick and easy dessert. SRP £6. www.pinkstergin.com BRECKLAND ORCHARD POSH POP GINGER BEER & CHILLI POP Perfect for those who want something warm and tasty this festive season. SRP £1.75-£2.75. www.brecklandorchard.co.uk THE GOURMET BROWNIE COMPANY The bakers of wonderful, indulgent brownies, stock up on their tasty treats for a perfect gift for any chocolate lover. £5.99 for a pack of four. www.gourmetbrownie.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE ARTISAN The new kids on the block are offering foodie hampers and boxes packed with delicious Cambridgeshire treats. Looking to send a wonderful foodie gift to someone this Christmas? Look no further! Boxes and hampers start from £50. www.cambridgeartisan.co.uk

SEDGWICKS A delicious selection of rare-breed, freerange cured meats presented in a gift box for £30. The perfect foodie gift. www.sedgwickscharcuterie.co.uk

A CASE OF GREAT WINE Match each of your festive dishes with a fantastic case of wine from WineTrust, whether you’re after the perfect fizz for Christmas morning or a dessert wine to accompany your granny’s Christmas pudding. Cases start from £50. www.winetrust100.co.uk

DHANIYA CURRY PASTES These are a must-have to turn the leftover turkey into something delicious and different. The pastes are available at Burwash Manor, with an SRP of £3.69. www.dhaniya.co.uk

Grub Club Cambridge run social networking events for food and drink professionals to chat, collaborate and network – all whilst enjoying some great grub! Find out more at www.grubclubcambridge.co.uk

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FOOD

PINT SHOP LAUNCHES NEW MENU Every local foodie knows (or should know) that the Pint Shop is one of the eateries at the forefront of Cambridge’s ongoing gastro revolution. Specialising, as their slogan promises, in ‘Meat. Bread. Beer’, this popular Peas Hill venue have upped their game even more in recent weeks with the appointment of celebrated chef Rosie Sykes, who, as well as being a regular food writer for The Guardian, is known for setting up acclaimed gastropub The Sutton Arms in Smithfield, London. As a Cambridge local and Pint Shop regular, the new post was a match made in heaven for Rosie, who says: “I quickly realised that we share a lot of values; a love of British food, a commitment to impeccable provenance and a passion for seasonality. Pint Shop is doing really amazing things and I was keen to be a part of the story. I truly admire their ethos.” Having been fortunate enough to sample her new menu, Edition can attest to the fact that she’s doing marvellous things in the kitchen – taking Pint Shop favourites and putting her own innovative spin on them, as well as introducing lots of interesting new additions. It’s hard to pick highlights from a menu where pretty much each and every dish looks irresistible, but stand-out starters include the smoked haddock pastry with candied beetroot and orange, deep-fried back ribs served with chilli and fruit sauce and the rather intriguingsounding southern fried rabbit, which comes accompanied by a green sauce. Our personal recommendation, however, is the heavenly bacon and egg croquettes: perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, which arrive with a dollop of rich plum sauce for dipping. Exactly the right balance of textures and flavours, and lip-smackingly good for it. The mains list doesn’t slouch either, with options including overnight pork belly with braised cabbage, apple and smoked bacon, and the soon-to-be legendary devilled lamb shoulder kebab (with home-made flatbread and super-hot chilli sauce). This culinary masterpiece, loaded with tender meat and fresh, crunchy salad, elevates the humble kebab from drunken error of judgement to bona fide, elegant fine dining fare. Bravo, Pint Shop! Prices start at £5.50 for starters and £10 for mains. www.pintshop.co.uk

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FOOD

ASK THE FOODIE

HEIDI WHITE AKA THE MOVING FOODIE ANSWERS YOUR BURNING ' ' QUESTIONS ON THE CAMBRIDGE FOOD SCENE

Q. WHERE CAN I FIND THE

THIS MONTH AT NO.77 Run by the team behind Bourn’s celebrated gastropub The Willow Tree, stylish Thai eaterie No.77 in Caxton is offering a five-course Thai tasting menu, 1-24 December. At £30 per person, the menu is ideal for Christmas parties and begins with a festive cocktail (we love the sound of the Gingerbread mule!), followed by dishes such as squid tempura with sweet chilli dip and spicy basil chicken stir-fry with jasmine rice. Throughout December, No.77 (which has been featured in the 2016 Michelin Guide) will also be running a season of Christmas films on Cinema Sundays (every week films will be shown at 3pm and 6pm), and they’re also launching the 77 Sessions – a chilled Sunday afternoon acoustic gig, 4-6pm. www.77cambridge.com

BEST QUICK EATS IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW? With so much going on in December – and many foodie feasts on the horizon – I recommend including some awesome food and drink spots in your winter survival plan. You’ll need somewhere warm and cosy with good, filling food on offer. Somewhere to grab the perfect cup of tea or a quick bite between braving the Christmas shopping queues and heading off to the next festive party. No dilly-dallying; no traipsing the streets laden with bags looking for somewhere to eat. Advance planning is the key. I know where I’ll be escaping the cold and refuelling this month. I suggest that you join me… If you’re not planning to do all your Christmas shopping online (tempting I know), you’ll need some steadfast city centre dining options. Check out new chicken restaurant Reys just outside the Grand Arcade for a fuss-free and filling lunch. Service is super quick, so there’s no danger of lingering here. Pulled chicken bun, slaw, BBQ sauce, done. Perfectly positioned on Regent Street, burger superstars Steak &

Honour’s winter residency at Novi couldn’t have come at a better time. Serving from 5.30pm Wednesday to Saturday evenings, the menu features the usual Steak and Honour favourites plus the One For Ella and Some Like It Hot burgers, a new vegetarian-friendly bean burger, and chilli fries on tap. Novi’s winter cocktail menu might tempt you to extend your recovery time at this hotspot. Go on, you deserve it. If you find yourself at a loose end as the sun goes down, ditch the city centre crowds and pop into Espresso Library to sample the new evening menu and drinks list. The super-cool café on East Road stays open late Monday to Saturday and transforms into a stunning bar by night, serving platters of local charcuterie and cheese, perfect for a quick bite alongside a soothing glass of wine or craft beer. There’s an oasis of calm waiting for you over the bridge on Mill Road, too. New kids on the block The High Tea Club are there to pick you up, day or night, with an intriguing menu of restorative teas, all-day brunch, afternoon teas, authentic Chinese dim sum and tea cocktails. The café-cum-tea bar-cum absolute haven of serenity is perfectly chilled, beautifully decorated and delicately scented with the aroma of freshly brewed premium teas. So, there’s the quick-eats list sorted. Now for the Christmas shopping…

For more top tips on eating and drinking in Cambridge, visit Heidi’s blog www.movingfoodie.com Got a question for the Moving Foodie? Tweet us at @cambsedition or @TheMovingFoodie using the tag: #askthefoodie

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FOOD

WORDS IAN BUXTON

CAMBRIDGE AND THE

GIN REVOLUTION IAN BUXTON AUTHOR OF 101 GINS TO TRY BEFORE YOU DIE REFLECTS ON OUR LOVE AFFAIR , , WITH GIN AHEAD OF HIS VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH e’re in the middle of a new Gin Craze. From being the drink of choice of middleaged, Jaguar-driving golfers and an easy target for stand-up comedians, today it’s hard to find anything hipper on the international bar scene. I look at some of the reasons for this transformation in my new book 101 Gins To Try Before You Die. For some reason, my talks about gin’s history always go better when the audience gets to taste the product, so I’ll make sure there’s enough to go round.

IT'S HARD TO FIND ANYTHING HIPPER ON THE INTERNATIONAL BAR SCENE In Cambridge, it helps that you’ve already got a fine distillery on your doorstep. So we’ll probably start off with a sip of Cambridge Dry Gin (£50 a bottle at Selfridges) made by Will Lowe at his distillery – he claims it’s the smallest in Britain – on Silver Street. Will is truly dedicated to his craft, and has a neat sideline in creating individually ‘tailored’

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gins for his customers. It costs you up to £300 to nose which distillates you would prefer, and to then test and approve a prototype – but you would then get the chance to produce your own personal gin. He can only produce 60 bottles at a time, so you won’t be ready to challenge Gordon’s for market share just yet. A cool Christmas present all the same, I hope you agree. Equally cool is the brand new Gin Laboratory at The Vaults, which gives guests a unique glimpse behind the scenes of the Cambridge Distillery, offering tasting

sessions which guide you through the history and mysteries of gin before giving you the opportunity to blend, bottle, label and seal your own bottle. Next in my talk, we’ll delve back into the past. Not as far back as 1721, when Middlesex magistrates concluded that gin was “the principle cause of all the vice and debauchery committed among the inferior sort of people”. We don’t want any of that, thank you very much, so we will only be doling out samplers of Hayman’s Old Tom – a 2007 revival of those sweeter-tasting gins they preferred knocking back in the Age of Enlightenment. Made at Witham in Essex by England’s oldest-established family gin distilling business, Old Tom is faithfully recreated from an 1870 family recipe. If you want the true taste of the gin the Victorians drank at the height of the British Empire, this is it. We’ll round off with a mystery gin. Which one, I haven’t yet decided. But as I could happily talk about all 101 in my book, maybe I’ll just wait and see how the spirit moves me! 101 Gins to Try Before you Die, published by Birlinn, is priced at £12.99. Ian will be talking about it (with samples!) at Heffers Bookshop, at 6.30pm on 3 December, tickets are £4. Buy the book on the night for £10.

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WORDS & IMAGES STELLA PEREIRA

Roast quail

with Chestnut, Sage and Cornbread StufďŹ ng, Braised Chicory, Pan-Scorched Pears & Roots

www.littlecakepot.com

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RECIPES

Ingredients FOR THE ROAST QUAIL • 4 quail • 4 pancetta strips • 4 sage leaves • 2 red onion, sliced

is a cook, cake designer and artist, originally from Portugal and now living in Cambridge. Visit her website at www.littlecakepot.com

FOR THE BRINE • 1l filtered water • juice of 2 lemons • 1 lemon, sliced • 50g sea salt • 40g brown sugar • 3 bay leaves • 1tsp black peppercorns • 8 sage leaves FOR THE MARINADE • 50ml oil • 1 clove garlic, minced • 4 sage leaves, finely chopped • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE STUFFING • 200g chestnuts, cooked, peeled and roughly chopped • 8 sage leaves, finely chopped • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped • 1 clove garlic, minced • 100g cornbread, crumbled • 100ml chicken stock • 15ml olive oil • 15g butter • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE SCORCHED PEARS • 3 firm pears, quartered • 10ml olive oil • 15ml butter FOR THE BRAISED CHICORY • 4-5 chicory, halved • 10ml olive oil • 30g butter • 100ml vegetable stock • splash of white wine • 4 pancetta strips FOR THE ROOTS • 1 bunch baby carrots, washed and scraped • 30ml olive oil • orange zest • Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step by step: 1. Place brine ingredients in a medium-sized pan and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and set aside until it has cooled completely. Next, gently arrange the quail in the pan, add more water if necessary, and weigh down with a plate to completely submerge the quail. Refrigerate overnight. 2. To make the stuffing, add olive oil and butter to a medium-sized pan over gentle heat. Add garlic, shallot and sage. Cook gently until soft. Add chestnuts and continue to stir, break any big chunks. Add chicken stock and cornbread. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. The stuffing can be prepared a day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge. 3. On the following day, remove quail from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Gently lift the flap of skin around the neck and stuff with chestnut stuffing. Coat with marinade, gently place one sage leaf on each breast side and wrap with a strip of pancetta, set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 200°C fan oven (220°C conventional oven, gas mark 7). Line the bottom of a roasting tin with red onion and

arrange quail over the onion. Add a few extra pancetta strips to the roasting tin to sprinkle over braised chicory later. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, baste as often as possible. Remove quail and set aside to rest for ten minutes. 4. For the scorched pears, place a cast iron pan on medium to high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Arrange the pears with the cut side down. Do not swirl or move the pears until they have scorched on one side. Turn skin side up, remove from heat and allow to sit in hot cast iron pan to gently cook. 5. In a medium-sized pan, blanch the carrots and orange zest in salt water up to five minutes. Transfer carrots to a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast for ten minutes at 200°C fan (220°C conventional oven, gas mark 7). 6. For the braised chicory, heat olive oil and butter in a cast iron pan. Place cut side down and allow to caramelise slightly until golden brown. Add a splash of white wine and vegetable stock. Swirl pan gently and allow to cook on low for five minutes. Pour over quail and serve immediately with a sprinkling of crispy pancetta.

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Ingredients • 180g plain flour, sieved • 60g cocoa • 80g brown sugar • 60g butter, softened • 1 egg • 10g stem ginger, freshly grated • ½tsp cinnamon • ½tsp baking powder • royal icing to decorate

Step by step: 1. Mix flour, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. 2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg and ginger, continue to mix gently. Add cocoa, a spoon at a time. When well incorporated add flour mixture. 3. Remove dough from mixer, cover with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To roll thinly, sandwich dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll as thinly as possible, cut using cookie cutters or a sharp knife for houses. 4. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C fan (180°C conventional, gas mark 4) for eight to ten minutes. Allow to cool on a rack, decorate with royal icing.

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RECIPES

Ingredients • 200g chocolate (80%), finely shaved • 80g double cream • 120g port • 4 egg yolks, 2 egg whites • 60g brown sugar

Chocolate and port pots de creme

Step by step: 1. Place the shaved chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside. 2. Add cream, sugar and port to a medium-sized pan over low heat. Allow to simmer gently. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, add a stream of the steamy cream mixture. Return to the pan and cook on low heat until it begins to coat the back of the spoon. Pour the custard mixture over the shaved chocolate and whisk for two to three minutes. 3. Place egg whites in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into coffee cups or Port chalices. Serve chilled.

www.littlecakepot.com

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FOOD

WORDS ALEX RUSHMER

LEVEL UP YOUR

LEFTOVERS FORGET THE HIGH-PRESSURE CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES ALEX RUSHMER LOVES THE , OF BOXING DAY FEASTING RELAXED VIBE t’s always about Christmas Day. I suppose there are many obvious reasons why food articles at this time of year focus on crafting the idealised feast for your loved ones to enjoy round a laden table, crackers popping and a fire burning in the inglenook as a burnished turkey is brought to the table and carved by a smiling (and sober) father figure. But the reality is often not quite as Nigella-esque and the pressure it can put on even the most experienced cook is phenomenal. No wonder the first bottle of sparkling perry gets opened before 9.30 in the morning and cream sherry becomes so appealing before the turkey has even defrosted. This year I’m shifting my focus to the day after; the neglected opportunity to feast

that is the vastly underrated Boxing Day. As a child I loathed Boxing Day. It represented the precise point in the calendar when it was the longest possible wait until the next Christmas. All the presents had been opened and much of the excitement had dissipated. The grown-ups were always tired and a shade tetchy, and I was never allowed to go shopping. As I grew up my attitude shifted, quite significantly: there is little or no ceremony to Boxing Day, the expectations

WHILE A SANDWICH IS A NATURAL CHOICE SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY TO , GO BEYOND THE OBVIOUS are far more relaxed, the laziness is welcome, the relief is almost as palpable as the pile of new gifts, and the food is heaving with potential. Clearly, any discussion of Boxing Day food must revolve around leftovers. My brother rarely waits until the clock has ticked over to the 26th itself to make a legendary BDS (Boxing Day Sandwich) which must contain all the savoury items from Christmas lunch, only cold, between two enormous

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slices of bread but with extra sauces, pickles, chutneys and other ‘moist makers’. Whilst a sandwich is a natural choice for the Boxing Day gourmand, sometimes it is necessary to go beyond the obvious. Sprouts and roast potatoes can be fried up into a stonking bubble and squeak which, topped with a fried egg or two, makes for a formidable breakfast. Add a couple of slices of that leftover ham and you are well set up for a lengthy and bracing walk, perfect for blowing away the cobwebs and priming you for a well-earned hot toddy or mulled wine. If you are feeling the need to be a little more virtuous, all other leftover vegetables can easily be turned into a soup with extra stock and a gently sweated onion – blend until smooth and top with shredded meat or crumbled cheese for a great early evening supper to enjoy in front of a movie. Finally, when it comes to the sweet parts that inevitably don’t get finished on Christmas Day there are always options there. Although not quite as wholesome as a vegetable soup, pieces of Christmas cake or pudding can either be set into a breadand-butter pudding and baked or lightly battered and deep fried to act as a vehicle for any brandy sauce that remains. Naughty, but very nice indeed.

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DRINKS

Cocktails

r e t n Wi

with De Luca Cucina

Colin Norman, cocktail maker extraordinaire at De Luca, whips up a selection of Christmassy concoctions to warm your cockles this festive season… WORDS COLIN NORMAN IMAGES DAISY DICKINSON

Cambridge Edition Christmas Cooler • 37.5ml amaretto • 12.5ml Cointreau • cider to top up • apple slice and cinnamon stick to garnish Add the amaretto and Cointreau into a tall glass with ice and top up with cider. Garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick A lovely cider cocktail balancing the flavour of almonds, apple and a touch of orange.

De Luca Cucina & Bar 83 Regent St, Cambridge 01223 356666 www.delucacucina.co.uk

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DRINKS

Winter Warmer • 50ml strong coffee • 25ml Kahlua • 25ml Frangelico • 25ml Cointreau • 50ml cream • whipped cream; cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon or marshmallows, chocolate flake and chocolate powder to garnish Layer the liquids in the glass in order using a spoon. Float the cream on top, make a spiral with the whipped cream and add the cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon. Switch the cinnamon for marshmallows, chocolate flake and powder for added sweetness. A indulgent combination of orange, hazelnut and coffee make this a perfect combination for those cold winter nights.

Candy Cane Martini • 50ml Warninks White chocolate liqueur • 25ml candy cane infused vodka • 25ml cream • strawberry syrup • grenadine and white sugar for the glass rim, and candy cane to garnish Swirl strawberry syrup in a martini glass and put in the freezer. Crush a candy cane in the vodka in a cocktail shaker. Add the cream and chocolate liqueur. Fill up with ice and shake hard. Dip the martini glass in grenadine and then in white sugar. Double strain the shaker mixture into the glass (retrieved from the freezer) and garnish with a candy cane. Sweet, chocolatey with a hint of vanilla perfect for Christmas.

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DRINKS

Snow Jack • 50ml Jack Daniels • 12.5ml lime juice • 12.5ml sugar syrup • 1 egg white • rosemary, fresh cranberries and icing sugar to garnish Add the egg white to a cocktail shaker and shake hard, then add the rest of the ingredients with ice and shake hard again. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and 3 cranberries on a cocktail stick. Sprinkle icing sugar over the rosemary for a snowy effect. A smooth velvety finish makes this a winter must-have for whiskey lovers.

Winter Old Fashioned

• 70ml Woodford Reserve Bourbon • 2 dashes chocolate bitters • orange slices • 1tsp brown sugar • 5ml soda • ½ orange to squeeze for juice • 2 chocolate orange sticks, cinnamon stick and a raspberry to garnish In a rocks glass crush the sugar, bitters and soda to a fine mixture. Now add the ice and bourbon, and stir – 50 stirs clockwise, then 50 stirs counterclockwise. Add the orange slices and top up with ice. Squeeze half an orange and add the juice to the cocktail. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, two chocolate orange sticks and a raspberry. A chocolate twist on a firm bourbon favourite, not for the faint-hearted.

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DRINKS

SPICED CAMBRIDGE WINTER FLIP Flips date way back to Jerry Thomas’s first cocktail book, circa 1862, making them one of the oldest-recorded (credible and tasty) recipes around. Flips are essentially an alcoholic eggnog which can be served hot* or cold, and often contain warming winter spices.

WORDS HAL WILSON

SPICE IT UP! HAL WILSON OF CAMBRIDGE WINE MERCHANTS TELLS US HOW A LITTLE SPICE CAN GIVE YOUR DRINKS A CHRISTMAS FLAVOUR ne of the most evocative sensations at this time of year, and one that really heralds Christmas, is the enticing aroma of Asian spices like cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom. Not hard to run into while wandering around Cambridge shops and markets, those aromas immediately conjure up Christmas parties from my childhood and put a nostalgic smile on my face. They also get me diving to the back of the spice cupboard to cook up some spicy food and drinks of my own. One of our favourite spicy drinks is, of course, mulled wine, though mulled cider and mulled apple juice are really delicious, too. I like to keep the liquid appetisingly clear rather than muddy, so I use real oranges, avoiding juice, and whole cinnamon sticks and cloves (not powdered). My colleagues are perfecting the mulled wine we serve in branches of Cambridge Wine Merchants. This season’s innovations include adding a sweet sparkling wine to cut down on sugar (and calories!), as well as star anise which adds a lovely liquorice edge to the flavour. If you haven’t tried a cup, which you can even take away, then drop into our city centre branches on King’s Parade and Bridge Street anytime over the season.

When I’m tasting wines I often detect a spicy component, which can come from the fruit or the oak barrels used to age wine. Liquorice, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, mint and ginger can quite easily be smelled, particularly in good-quality shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache. Some particular favourites at the moment are Raúl Acha’s award-winning La Garnacha Olvidada de Aragón 2011 Calatayud, Vintae (£10.99), Tim Smith’s charming Barossa Shiraz 2013 (£14.99), and the classy claret Ch. Bernadotte 2008 Haut Medoc (£14.99) – all exclusive to Cambridge Wine Merchants. Spirits and fortified wines also have lovely spicy manifestations. I’m into rare, exotic island wines from Madeira right now, which come in dry to sweet versions, all fortified. Naturally spicy examples are Blandy’s ten-year-old Bual (medium dry, £19.99 per 50cl) and Henriques & Henriques ten-year-old Malvasia (aka Malmsey, sweet, £18.99 per 50cl). We are blessed to have some great spirits experts at Cambridge Wine Merchants and have an amazing range of more than 800 whiskies, gins, rums, brandies, liqueurs etc. Peter Rawlings, a former mixologist from La Raza, has created a spicy winter flip for the season (right). See him at the King’s Parade branch to discuss all things spirity.

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• 30ml Laubade VSOP Armagnac • 20ml Edradour Cream liqueur • 5ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao • 5ml Edmond Briottet Pain d’Epices liqueur • 20ml whole milk • 1 egg yolk • 15ml sugar syrup – make at home by boiling water and white sugar with a ratio of 2:1 until syrupy • grated fresh nutmeg • Terry’s Chocolate Orange and orange peel to garnish Shake these ingredients apart from the nutmeg and garnish ingredients very hard with lots of cubed ice. Strain immediately into a large wine glass or a goblet-style glass. Dust nutmeg over the surface of the drink. Add shaved Terry’s Chocolate Orange and a twist of orange peel to garnish. *If serving this drink hot go through all the above steps and gently heat in a pan or with a steam wand if you have a barista machine. Be careful not to overheat or you will end up with a scrambled-egg cocktail! I wish you all a lovely spicy Christmas. Cheers!

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EATING OUT

WORDS JENNY SHELTON

THE CARPENTERS ARMS THE TRANSFORMED NORTH-CAMBRIDGE LOCAL DELIVERS A SENSATIONAL MENU IN A LAID-BACK SETTING WRITES JENNY SHELTON , t’s been two years since Mike Champion reopened The Carpenters Arms on Victoria Road, dramatically turning around the fortunes of what had become one of Cambridge’s less-appealing pubs. I’d heard a lot about its transformation into a welcoming neighbourhood pub and restaurant with great pizzas, chesterfield sofas and a more homely, family-friendly feel. An unassuming entrance leads into the large bar area, with real ales on tap (though no Milton ale on our visit, alas!) and more than 50 varieties of gin and rum. The wine

list is good, too – I chose a smooth merlot on the landlord’s recommendation which sat nicely on the palette. The discerning drinker won’t be disappointed. To dine, we were shown through to the small restaurant area at the back. The place achieves a cosy, shabby-chic look – with comfy, worn leather sofas to sink into beneath fairly lights – and we reckon that if you’ve had enough of pretentious gastropubs and crave somewhere a little more ‘real’, which serves stunning food, this is the place for you. The food is exceptional both in taste and presentation, and it is well deserving of its AA Rosette. I ordered the salmon starter: a generous, vibrant tower of chilled salmon on a warm, crisp pancake topped with crème fraiche and a spoonful of caviar. It’s probably

THE FOOD IS EXCEPTIONAL IN BOTH TASTE AND PRESENTATION - AND WELL DESERVING OF ITS AA ROSETTE one of the best starters I’ve ever devoured in Cambridge. My husband had opted for the rich and tender sliced pigeon breast, served on brown lentils with thin potato crisps for that contrasting crunch, and he was similarly impressed with his starter. The pub offers a beautiful range of pizzas – 13 varieties by my count – each stone-baked in their purpose-built pizza oven (in warmer months, you can sit out and enjoy watching them being made from the beer garden). The carbonara pizza caught my eye, and there are lots of great, creative options alongside usual favourites like the four seasons and florentine. I went for the chicken and chorizo, and loved the meeting of the

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peppery, salty cured meat with the mild, succulent chicken, presented on a deliciously thin, crispy base. My only tiny qualm was not receiving the artichoke I’d requested as an extra topping. Across the table, the sea bream was also proving a hit. Cooked with oyster mushrooms, the dish yielded a wonderful, wintery smoky flavour, while the fish flesh was soft and the skin crisp and buttery. It was served with a large helping of creamy mash, decorative foam and verdant green beans with just the right amount of crunch. Though too full for dessert, I spied a nicelooking sticky toffee pudding as well as a chocolate mousse… Next time. There’s still a grungy edge to this north Cambridge local: it’s not quite a gastropub, but its laid-back look is no reflection on the superb quality of the food, which impressed me beyond expectations. As we finished, an acoustic singer-songwriter was tuning up in the bar, and there’s no doubt The Carpenters Arms serves as a much-loved community hub, whether for an evening pint, a lunchtime bite or for local groups to meet. The Carpenters Arms, Victoria Road, Cambridge CB4 3DZ www.carpentersarmscambridge.co.uk

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FAMILY

PET PREZZIES AT WOOD GREEN Make unique gifts for the furry members of your family at Wood Green, Godmanchester, on 22 December. Come along from 10am to 3pm and get crafty as you learn to make rabbit and dog bottle toys, rat ladders, guinea pig hay kebabs and treat bags, hamster crackers and more! There’s no need to book, and it’s suitable for everyone aged two and above. Better still, it’s absolutely free. A great family day out that’s bound to get tails wagging. www.woodgreen.org.uk

CHAIN REACTION: DESTINATION SPACE Cambridge Science Centre’s fantastic, interactive, huge science experiment is back! On 6 December, families, schools and local companies will join together at Cambridge Corn Exchange to build a huge chain of crazy contraptions – Mousetrap-style. This year’s theme is Destination Space and aims to inspire the next generation of engineers, astronauts and scientists. Either build your section of the chain at home to bring along on the day (guidelines can be found online), come along and build something on the day, or stop by and try some hands-on activities and cosmic toys, and watch the machine launch. Takes place from 11am to 4.30pm; prices are £5-£32. www.cambridgesciencecentre.org

PETER PAN THE MUSICAL Since Christmas is a time when we all regress to childhood a little bit, the story of the boy who never grew up seems like an excellent show to take the family to this Christmas. Peter Pan The Musical is at the ADC Theatre, performed by KD Theatre, 16-20 December. Fly away with Peter, Wendy, John and Michael, and encounter pirates, mermaids and Indians in the magical world of Neverland. J M Barrie’s classic family adventure is given a musical reworking by this professional company, and it promises to be a spectacular treat for all ages. Performances are at 7.45pm; tickets from £9-£14. www.adctheatre.com

CHRISTMAS AT AUDLEY END Forget the Downton Abbey Christmas special – pay a visit to the stately Audley End House and see how life was celebrated in a great house, both above and below stairs. The English Heritage property in Saffron Walden will be trimmed and decked for the festive season, with costumed Victorian characters busy at work on 5 and 6 December. Step into the hustle and bustle of the kitchens as Mrs Crocombe and the gamekeeper organise Christmas dinner. The service wing yard will be transformed into a Victorian street with music, festive games and traditional rides on the lawn. Try some hot chestnuts from the fire, sing along to festive tunes and fill up on Christmas cheer with a spot of seasonal punch. Younger visitors will have the chance to enjoy an audience with Father Christmas as he tells tales of Christmases past amidst the Yuletide decorations. He may even hand out the odd gift or two – if you’re good. Two carol concerts will also take place on 8 December, sung in the beautiful Great Hall by Christ’s College Choir. See the website for times and prices. www.english-heritage.org.uk/audley

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LISTINGS CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE

cambsedition.co.uk

A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS DECEMBER 1 DECEMBER THE DARKNESS Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27.50 Description: Singers of one of the best Christmas hits this side of the 1980s, The Darkness bring their guitars, swagger and skintight trousers to Cambridge on their Blast Of Our Kind tour. They’ll be tearing through their back catalogue, which includes I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Get Your Hands Off My Woman. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 2-5 DECEMBER GIRLS LIKE THAT Time: 11pm Location: ADC Theatre Price: £5-£7 Description: The very current issues of cyberbullying and online privacy inform this play about a schoolgirl whose naked photo goes viral, triggering a bitchy backlash amongst her peers. adctheatre.com 3 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS CRAFT WORKSHOP Time: 6pm Location: Museum of Cambridge Price: £18/£20 Description: Local basketmaker Nadine Anderson will demonstrate traditional techniques before letting you loose on your own creation to take home. All materials are included. folkmuseum.org.uk 3 DECEMBER FOUR SEASONS BY CANDLELIGHT Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: From £22 Description: A candle-lit concert of stirring 18th century music, performed in period costume by the Mozart Festival Orchestra. The programme includes Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, of course, and music by Handel. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

8 DECEMBER COMEDY LIVE Time: 8pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £15 Description: The Corn Exchange’s new live comedy shows continue with satirist and ad-lib merchant Matt Forde. Support comes from Adam Hess and the MC for the evening is Hayley Ellis. Also, check out the Grub & Glug menu for tasty snacks to nibble on while you watch. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

4 DECEMBER NOEL FIELDING Time: 8pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27.50 Description: The Mighty Boosh star invites you to spend An Evening With Noel Fielding for a magical and unique mix of comedy, music and live animation. Fancy dress is optional! cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 5 DECEMBER SEAN MCLOUGHLIN Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £11 Description: The comedian, profiled as ‘one to watch’ by Time Out, questions why his personal life has started to fall apart as his career takes off. All resulting in an hour of hilarious stand-up. junction.co.uk 7 DECEMBER LIANNE LA HAVAS Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £21 Description: She wowed the crowds at Glastonbury and released her new album, Blood, to great acclaim this summer. Now, the talented folk and soul singer embarks on a headline tour. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

8 DECEMBER FESTIVE BREAD Time: 10am-2pm Location: Cambridge Cookery School Price: £145 Description: A fabulous festive class teaching you how to make seasonal breads, including a spiced fruit loaf, Swedish saffron plaits and German stollen. Once made, they can be frozen to bring out on Christmas Day. Class includes tea, coffee and lunch. cambridgecookeryschool.com

9 DECEMBER GARETH MALONE Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: From £27 Description: The nation’s favourite choirmaster and presenter of The Naked Choir is on tour with his choir, Voices. They’ll be performing in a stunning concert which is sure to get you singing. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 9 DECEMBER CAN IPODS GROW ON TREES? Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £7 Description: Ponder questions about the future of our planet and technology with artist/designer Gavin Munro and scientist Chris Forman. Part of the Cambridge Festival of Change. junction.co.uk 10 DECEMBER KATE RUSBY Time: 8pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £17.50/£27.50 Description: For an evening of warm and inviting carols and songs, join Kate and her band, complete with brass quintet. Together, they’ll bring their own slant to familiar festive favourites. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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LISTINGS

13 December

12 DECEMBER TAXIDERMY WORKSHOP Time: 4pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £25 Description: Learn about the fascinating art of taxidermy at this beginners’ workshop, and create your own white mouse to take away. A unique Christmas present for someone, perhaps? junction.co.uk 15 DECEMBER MULLED WINE & CAROLS Time: 6pm Location: The Museum of Cambridge Price: £5 Description: Gather at the festively-decorated museum (formerly the Folk Museum) for seasonal songs and refreshments to spread the Christmas cheer! Children under 12 go free. folkmuseum.org.uk 16 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS WINE TASTING Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Wine Merchants, Cherry Hinton Price: £20 Description: Try some handpicked wines which should perfectly complement festive dinners and desserts, and eye up a bottle-shaped present or two. Nibbles included. cambridgewine.com 18 DECEMBER THE FIVER – DECEMBER Time: 6.45pm (doors) Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £6 Description: Not five, but SIX great local acts will be performing

THE GRUFFALO & THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD Time: 4pm Location: Saffron Hall Price: £8-£20 Description: A double-bill of the children’s tales by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler will be screened at this impressive venue, with live musical accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia. saffronhall.com

at Cambridge Junction for a December special. The Staycations are tipped for big things, joining them are High Tyde, Glue, Room C, The Saps and The Lost Volts. junction.co.uk 20 DECEMBER CHRISTMAS BY THE FIRESIDE Time: 4pm and 6pm Location: West Road Concert Hall Price: £7.50 Description: Bring your mum, gran, kids and any other Christmas hangers-on to this fantastic musical celebration of the season. Prime Brass band are joined by Junior Prime Brass and King’s Junior Voices. westroad.org

27 DECEMBER GREEN MIND CHRISTMAS PARTY Time: 7.30pm Location: The Portland Arms Price: £5.50 Description: An indie Christmas bash at the Chesterton Road pub and live music venue. The headliners are local pop-punk/ alt rockers Standing Like Statues, who’ll be joined by special guests. theportlandarms.co.uk

20 DECEMBER THE SWALLOWS READING GROUP Time: 10am Location: Toppings, Ely Price: £3 Description: Know a little bookworm aged 9-11? This local reading group meets on the last Sunday of each month to talk about books over squash and nibbles. You’ll also receive your own journal in which to write reviews. In December, they’re reading John Masefield’s The Box of Delights and Sam Gayton’s The Snow Merchant. toppingbooks.co.uk

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23 DECEMBER HARK THE HERALD Time: 7.30pm Location: Ely Cathedral Price: £10-20 Description: Hear the Cathedral Choir and Prime Brass band perform a traditional carol concert in the magnificent setting of Ely Cathedral. A spectacular event for the family. elycathedral.org

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COMMUNITY

Community news Rudolph RUN

Runners of all abilities are invited to don a pair of antlers or shiny red nose and join in a fun 10K Rudolph Run on 6 December in aid of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). The run will start from the hospital, with the option of taking a 5K route if you prefer. The money raised will go towards helping patients throughout the hospital and the Rosie maternity hospital. Registration is £20 for the 10K or £10 for the 5K, £5 for children under 16. A suggested sponsorship goal is £100. Arrive for a 10.30am start; fancy dress is optional. www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk

CAREERS AND CONFIDENCE COACHING for

women

Are you a woman in Cambridge looking for advice and support in your career? Then head to Cambridge Womens Resources Centre for their free Careers and Confidence Coaching. These one-to-one sessions explore how to research job opportunities, demonstrate how to write or update a CV, prepare a covering letter and improve interview techniques. Nicky Wrigley, chief executive officer, says: “This is a wonderful opportunity for women in the local community to develop existing skills and acquire the confidence and self-assurance required to re-enter the workplace. Women will receive emotional support in handling change, sensitively, and work towards removing stumbling blocks in order to reach their full potential. Delivering practical careers and confidence coaching like this is important to ensure that there is support and guidance in place for those who need it most in the Cambridge area.” The scheme is designed to help women develop confidence and self-esteem, become more assertive and acquire the sort of communication skills valued in the workplace. By identifying goals and developing achievable action plans, it’s hoped this will help women take steps to a better future, both personally and professionally. The sessions, by appointment only, take place Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-17 December at the Cambridge Womens Resources Centre. www.cwrc.org.uk

THE GIVING TREE Give a gift to a child in need at the Grafton Centre this Christmas, and support the centre’s Giving Tree. Every year, the shopping centre puts up a special Christmas tree, under which shoppers can place a present to someone in your community who needs a little extra love. Last year, thousands were distributed amongst local children’s charities: EACH, Teenage Cancer Trust, CLIC Sergeant, ACT (Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust), Home-Start, Cambridge Women’s Aid and The Hawthorns Centre and Social Services. www.graftoncentre.co.uk

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INDIE OF THE MONTH

Cambridge Toy Shop From the ever-popular Lego to the new and intriguing Magformers, this independent is a treasure trove for kids and grown-ups alike inosaurs are always popular. Dinosaurs and dragons.” So says Vivienne Watson of Cambridge Toy Shop, currently sporting a fantastic space-anddinosaur-themed Christmas window display, alongside their familiar giant Playmobil Father Christmas. Cambridge Toy Shop opened 11 years ago after Cambridge-based Vivienne gave up her London job to have a family. “I met some other ladies with young families and we were bemoaning the fact that there wasn’t anywhere decent to buy toys in Cambridge

– there was only the old Robert Sayle. There were a lot of online companies, and we ordered all our Christmas shopping online that year – but half of it didn’t show up or wasn’t as we expected. So we still ended up going out to find things. “A few of us went to the London toy fair in January and there were hundreds of toys there which we knew we could sell. And we did! We set up a shop, round the corner, then moved here to this much bigger premises.” Having a shop rather than simply an online presence means the Cambridge Toy

Shop fulfils Vivienne’s aim not only to bring a huge diversity of toys to the city centre, but also to offer “somewhere fun where parents and children could shop together with confidence. Children can try out the new toys while adults can rediscover their old favourites. “All the big brands, like Lego, Playmobil and BRIO trains, that have been going for years are the ones that are doing well now. Sylvanian Families have become collectable: I have teenagers coming in who can’t resist adding one more to their collection.” Inside the Sussex Street store is a Santa’s workshop of colourful toys, from cute plastic animals, puppets and soft toys upstairs to games, perfect for the family at Christmas, below. “There’s no gender split; we’ve won awards for that,” says Vivienne. “The truth is, when I put a kitchen out in the shop, more boys than girls play with it. And we get just as many girls as boys playing with the BRIO trains – actually, it’s mostly the fathers!” Asked what’s new in, she says: “The best new toy this year is something called Magformers. New to this country, it’s made up of clear plastic shapes with magnets which snap together to make fantastic structures. It’s very tactile and satisfying.” Vivienne shows me her range of Animal Poppers – amusing-looking animals which spit foam balls from their mouths. “At just £8 they’re perfect party presents and we sell no end of them. Children love them – they’d be as happy with one of these as they would with a high-tech toy, I can guarantee. People don’t need to spend a fortune

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at Christmas. When kids come in and look around, it’s the simple things they pick up.” Independent stores are not just about selling, and the Cambridge Toy Shop is no

When kids come in, they pick up the simple things different, with their events and competitions (keep up to date with everything on the website). “Of course you can get things cheaper online,” agrees Vivienne, “but people like to touch and feel products, and we’ve got lots of mums working here who can give good advice, while our kids can tell us what’s the latest craze in the playground. And because we’re independent, if a customer has a particular request, we can meet that. That’s what sets an independent store apart from a multiple.” Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street www.cambridgetoyshop.co.uk

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

of t u O n tow

Christmas SHOPPING

Pay a visit to one of our neighbouring towns to pick up some perfect presents this December. Here are our must-visits for Ely and Saffron Walden Waterside Antiques

Ely

The largest antiques centre in East Anglia, Waterside Antiques has been providing treasure hunters and vintage aficionados with a place to rummage since 1986. It’s situated in the old Maltings building (used as a morgue in the Second World War – look out for their resident ghost) and today houses more than 65 antiques dealers. The beauty is, you never know exactly what you’ll find week on week: giving you an excuse for lots of visits. Find them at 55a to 55b Waterside, Ely. www.watersideantiques.co.uk

The Eel Catcher’s Daughter T

Opened in 2013 (they’ve just celebrated their second birthday), this pretty shop on the High Street sells vintage homeware and collectibles, jewellery, accessories and locally-sourced gifts, making it the perfect haunt for a spot of Christmas shopping. It’s run by local mum-of-four (though not an actual eel catcher’s daughter) Helen Peckham. Expect to find lovely scarves, unique drawer handles and a smattering of classy Christmas decorations in a modern, rustic setting.

Allgoods of Ely Pick up a lovely hamper or some artisan foodie gifts at Allgoods of Ely, right in the centre of town at 9 Market Place. The deli is housed within a beautiful 17th century coaching inn, with views of the cathedral. Look to them too for your Christmas cheese – they have more than 30! – as well as chutneys, cakes, gin and other treats, most of which are sourced from within 50 miles of Ely. You’ll likely find owner Tracy behind the counter, assisted by her mum, Marion. www.allgoodsofely.wordpress. com

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Interiors of Ely While a kitchen dresser or new table and chairs might be hard to fit under the Christmas tree, there’s lots more to discover at Interiors of Ely which could make that perfect gift. In their interiors shop on Chequer Lane, look out for unique, handmade objects and vintage treasures, pictures and home accessories. As well as painted chairs and restored cabinets to really bring character to a home, they also offer engraving for truly personalised pressies. www.interiorsofely.co.uk

Samovar Tea House

Know someone who loves tea? This delightful tea shop on Fore Hill specialises in quality loose-leaf teas (stocking more than 100 varieties), from smoky lapsang to fruit tisanes, most of which are served in the appropriate ‘tea ware’. In other words, after tasting tea all around the world, these guys know their stuff. They sell tea to take home and some lovely chinaware, plus home-made cakes with vegan and gluten options aplenty, making it the perfect pit stop after a hard day’s Christmas shopping. www.samovarteahouse. co.uk

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

The Toy Box Kids will love The Toy Box, tucked away on Market Row. A traditional toy shop that’s filled, floor to ceiling, with toys and games for all ages, there’s plenty inside to help bulk up that Christmas wish list. From dolls, dressing up and crafting to remote control cars and train sets, there’s bound to be something that your little ones will love – and there’s even a bright red Christmas postbox ready for letters to Santa! www.toyboxsaffronwalden.co.uk

As well as adding some stylish pieces to your own wardrobe, Blue is also a great spot for finding a special something for someone else – we think their range of beautiful scarves would make great gifts! www.bluesaffronwalden.co.uk

Abracadabra Teddy Bears

Saffron Walden

Blue

After a cosy winter knit to keep you snug? Perhaps you’re in the market for a pair of stylish but practical boots to see you through until spring? Be sure to pop into the lovely Blue on King Street, an independent fashion boutique which is bursting with gorgeous garments and eye-catching accessories. Since opening in 2000, the store has offered easyto-wear, timeless pieces, and the staff pride themselves on providing a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

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It’s impossible not to fall in love with at least one of the furry faces that line the shelves of Abracadabra on Cross Street. Whether you’re looking for an extra special present for a small relative, or you’re a grown-up looking to expand your collection, there’s something for bear lovers old and young. The shop stocks prestigious teddy brands such as Charlie Bears, Isabelle Collection, Steiff, Merrythought, Hermann Teddy Original and Hansa Toys, as well as the unique array of ‘artist bears’. What could make a better Christmas present? www.abracadabra-teddies.com

Café Cou Cou

When you need a refuel on your Christmas shopping spree, visit the delightful Café Cou Cou for scrumptious cakes, hearty lunches and giant home-made scones, fresh from the oven and slathered in clotted cream and jam. The café uses lots of local produce, as well as producing their own lovely range of relishes and chutneys, which are available to buy in individual jars or in special hampers – perfect for a festive gift for the foodie in your life! www.cafecoucou.co.uk

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FASHION NEWS

LEATHER BOX BAG £42 ARK, PEAS HILL

Check out our top picks this month from some of our favourite local independent fashion boutiques

BLACK AND GOLD COWL NECK DRESS BY CLOSET £58 LILAC ROSE, BRIDGE STREET

YOSHI SAFFRON LEATHER TURING BAG £56 PODAROK, BENE’T STREET

COCOON MONOCHROME COAT BY MAISON SCOTCH £239 ANNA, HIGH STREET, SAFFRON WALDEN

All of a Quiver! Quiver, purveyors of gorgeous corsets, costumes and curios on Newnham Road, have announced an exciting new addition to their collection, just in time for Christmas. You’ll now be able to pick up pieces by Headen & Quarmby, who’ve chosen Quiver to be the exclusive outlet for their new bespoke range of luxury bedroom wear. A British heritage brand with a modern twist, Headen & Quarmby drew inspiration for the range from its founder’s fascination with glamour of the 1930s. Pop into the store now to peruse the range, which includes beautiful lingerie, silk pyjamas and robes. Prices start from £85. www.quivercompany.co.uk

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IVES CARDIGAN BY LOUCHE £35 LILAC ROSE, BRIDGE STREET

FOR HIM

FJALL RAVEN OVIK KNIT SWEATER £130 DOGFISH, TRINITY STREET

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FASHION

CHRISTMAS

L STYLE SPECIA ON FOR ‘TIS THE SEAS GLITZ ON: GETTING YOUR UND-UP RO UR HERE’S O REET’S ST GH HI E OF TH AND RY MOST GLITTE SES AND ES DR US GORGEO ACCESSORIES

BLUE VELVET PINNY £17 PRIMARK, BURLEIGH STREET

MIDI CROSS-BACK DRESS BY OH MY LOVE £35 TOPSHOP, GRAND ARCADE & GRAFTON

SEQUIN T-SHIRT £24 NEW LOOK, GRAND ARCADE & GRAFTON

MATT SEQUIN LONG SLEEVE DRESS £169 LABEL LAB, HOUSE OF FRASER

BROCADE BLAZER £125 BLACK FAUX LEATHER WRAP SKIRT £49 BOTH BIBA GUNMETAL CLUTCH £40 UNTOLD, HOUSE OF FRASER LOUCHE DIRELL DRESS £49 JOY

TILLY £60 OFFICE, MARKET PASSAGE

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FASHION

BODY FROCK LISA DRESS IN BLACK AND GOLD £190 ASOS

BLACK EMBELLISHED BODYCON DRESS £39 MISS SELFRIDGE, PETTY CURY NO.1 JENNY PACKHAM £225 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE

Christmas party season calls for high voltage glam: think all-over sequins, metallics and of course, killer heels!

ASOS SEQUIN CROP TOP SKATER MINI DRESS £95 ASOS

LITTLE MISTRESS SEQUIN BANDEAU DRESS WITH TULLE PROM SKIRT £65 ASOS

BAMBI £79 DUNE, MARKET STREET

CONTRAST LACE DRESS £49 TOPSHOP, GRAND ARCADE & GRAFTON

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FASHION

RED HERRING JUMPER £35 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE

HUGO BOSS BLUE PADDED JACKET £330 HOUSE OF FRASER

R E T N I W S R E M WAR STAY SNUG IN ESE STYLE WITH TH D AN L COLOURFU R EA SW EN M COSY S CK PI

WOOL SWEATER £29.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET

JUMPER WITH ZIGZAG DESIGN £32 ASOS

BOBBLE BEANIE IN MUSTARD WOOL MIX TWIST £10 ASOS

ECRU TARTAN CHECK SCARF £14 TOPMAN, GRAFTON CENTRE & GRAND ARCADE

ETHNIC PRINT SCARF £19 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET

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RED HERRING WOOLLY HAT £18 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE

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BEAUTY

S w eet savi ng s

If you’re shopping for multiple friends or are on a shoestring, a clever way of gifting a quality product is by breaking up gift sets. You’ll often find products grouped together for the festive season with great savings to be had. Bare Minerals Precious Gems 1 is a set of three super-slick lip oil-balms in nude shades, and at £25 from John Lewis that means they cost just over £8.30 each, rather than the £16 individual selling price – hoorah – so you could probably treat yourself with one, too! Similarly Benefit’s Pucker Up and Party balm set (£19.50, John Lewis) 2 offers great value where you could easily split the two balms and tints between friends. To relive those summer memories this winter I’m loving the Yes To Coconut range 3 , and this Hydrating Body Collection set is just £23.99 from feelunique.com including polishing body scrub, an ultra-light body lotion spray and a rich hand and cuticle cream. Split, gift or save for yourself!

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WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

Whether you’re treating yourself or looking for the ideal Chrstmas present for the beauty fiend in your life, we've shopped till we've dropped to find the perfect pressies for every budget. Here's to a gorgeous Christmas!

T op of t h e l i s t

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At Christmas it’s hard to resist a bit of a splurge, and it’s well worth keeping an eye out for any limited-edition sets, where brands offer something special for various budgets. This Regal Wardrobe palette (£35, John Lewis) 1 from Bare Minerals features a beautifully coordinated assortment of eye and cheek colours, and is top of our wish list along with this jewel-toned Zoeva’s Cocoa Blend palette (£15.50, beautybay.com) 2 with ten deliciously pigmented colours. For the Benefit fan in your life, don’t fear if you were too late to get your mitts on one of their legendary advent calendars, this year’s collection also sees a gorgeously quirky choice – You’re So Party (£39.50, Boots) 3 which includes Hoola bronzing powder, They’re Real mascara, Hoola lip gloss and POREfessional primer all packaged in a retro tin. If your heart’s still set on an advent calendar, try a cheap and cheerful box from Mad Beauty (£19.99, findmeagift.co.uk) 4 . Too Faced are taking us away to Paris with Le Grand Château (£46, Debenhams) 5 , a perfectly Parisian-styled set including three gorgeous eyeshadow palettes with two blushes, a bronzer and a Better Than Sex Mascara (bear with the name, this mascara is seriously awesome!).

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Sassy

Big beauty gifts

st ocki n g fi ller s

BAGSY PRETTY CHEEKS £18 FEELUNIQUE.COM – CUTE COLOUR FOR CHEEKS

PURE COLOUR METALLIC NAIL POLISH BAUBLE £4.99 NEW LOOK – BEAUTIFUL COLOUR IN AWESOME PACKAGING

nottheninetofive.com

Growing up, my sister and I would get one ‘big’ present at Christmas, and since graduating from Barbie’s pink jeep, these stunning beauty gifts definitely fall under that category for me. A little more expensive perhaps, but top quality and excellent investments – this beautiful Zoeva Rose Gold Vol. 2 Luxury brush set (£56.96, beautybay.com) 1 for example should last you for years and provides everything you need for perfect face and eye make-up application. A new discovery to me, BRYT skincare have some seriously good products on offer, and their Haute Couture gift boxes (£80 for her, £65 for him, brytskincare.co.uk) 2 contain the complete collection with make-up remover, cleanser, creams and serums, or for the guys; hair and body wash, cleanser, shave and moisturiser. If you haven’t heard of Makeup Revolution (£85, Superdrug) 3 ; where have you been? Super-affordable and excellent quality, this pro-style range offers some excellent dupes, and this year their festive Chest has 25 drawers of goodies – much excitement! Forget those repetitive face cream adverts, mum doesn’t want that – she wants the new anti-ageing collection from Goldfadden MD. After trying it myself, so do I. The Plant Profusion range (from £115, Space NK) 4 includes Supreme Serum, Energetic Eye Cream, Lifting Neck Cream and Regenerative Night Cream. Hot up your wish list with a new straightening iron or hair dryer, and we cannot rave about these Diva offerings enough. The Radiant Shine styler (£79.98) 5 heats in just 20 seconds with various settings, but the best bit: it comes in a choice of TVR-style (ask your dad) two-tone colours. Matching hairdryers are available, like the Dynamica 4000 Pro (£49.99) 6 , offering powerful drying. And the gorgeous Feel the Heat Rose Gold Limited Edition styler (129.99) 7 features mirror titanium plates ). The Braun SensoCare Styler for smooth styling (all from sallyexpress.com). (£54.26, John Lewis) 8 is a great first-time tool, with built-in sensors that automatically adapt to the ideal temperature.

BAGSY LIP VELVET £12 FEELUNIQUE.COM – SOFT MATTE LIP COLOUR

2 TARTE EYELASH CURLER WITH MINI MASCARA £14.50 QVC.COM – WE DIED AND WENT TO MAKE-UP HEAVEN

CREAM LIPSTICK IN MAROONED £7.99 H&M – CREAMY VIBRANT COLOUR

7 THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS BUBBLE BAR £5.95 LUSH – CREATES BUBBLES FOR MILES

BALANCE ME HEAVENLY HANDS £7.90 JOHN LEWIS – SUPER RICH HAND CREAM

SLEEK CANDY TINT BALM £6.49 SUPERDRUG – MOISTURISING COLOUR IN 6 SHADES

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