Cambridge Edition November 2019

YOUR MONTHLY FIX OF

LOCAL LIFE

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SEASON’S EATINGS

THE COSIEST FEASTS IN TOWN

F E S T I V E FA I R S TOP CHRISTMAS MARKETS TO VISIT

C U LT U R E C LU B FESTIVALS, CONCERTS & ART NOT TO MISS

S I G N U P TO O U R W E E K LY D I G I TA L N E W S L E T T E R

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EDITORIAL

Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young

ADVERTISING

Group ad manager Sam Scott-Smith 01223 499457 samscott-smith@bright-publishing.com Senior sales executive Harriet Abbs 01223 499464 harrietabbs@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Chris Jacobs 01223499463 chrisjacobs@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cyrus Pundole, Charlotte Griffiths, Siobhan Godwood, Sue Bailey, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Anna Taylor, Charlotte Phillips

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Designer Lucy Woolcomb lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com Senior designer Laura Bryant Ad production Man-Wai Wong manwaiwong@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck

CAMBSEDITION .CO.UK FIND US @CAMBSEDITION CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, 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.

This month’s cover illustration was created

by Laura Bryant and Lucy Woolcomb, designers at Bright Publishing

Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk

ooking back over past issues of Cambridge Edition, we seem to have a yearly tradition of going mad for food and drink coverage in November. For some reason, this time of year always yields an anomalous volume of new restaurants, and – perhaps some primitive impulse to stockpile calories for the colder weather ahead? – sitting down to a hearty, cosy feast seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Whether vestigial urge, a collective loosening of our belts in anticipation of the excesses of Christmas, or a simple desire for comfort food now the weather’s turned miserable, one thing’s for sure: feasting season has arrived – and we’ve got a whole lot of deliciousness in this issue to celebrate.

Our annual winter dining guide is back with a smorgasbord of excellent eateries, from cosy cafes to fine-dining spots – turn to page 85 for a mouth-watering selection of fantastic feasts and where to find them. Chef Alex has got a warming saffron risotto recipe (and some foolproof tips on mastering this famously tricky dish), plus we sit down for a cuppa and a chat with Jack van Praag, Cambridge’s favourite ice cream man. Turn to page 68 to read about our visit to his temple of frozen delights to discover how he created Jack’s Gelato, a true gem in Cambridge’s culinary crown. We also take a tour of The Grafton Centre’s flourishing Food Social, an exciting new food court for the city that shuns the usual bleak shopping centre chains in favour of interesting indie traders. Dr Sue Bailey whizzes off on another foodie flight of fancy, too, this time taking a look around a stunning new Fitz exhibition that looks at food in all its forms, serving up a feast for the senses with a European feasting table, a Georgian confectioner’s workshop and a Jacobean banquet. Find out more on page 78.

Like it or loathe it, November also signals the start of the Christmas build-up here in Cambridge, with the arrival of the ice rink on Parker’s Piece, the lights switch on and a whole load of Christmassy markets across the region, all of which we’ve got news on. If you fancy giving the festivities a swerve until at least a little closer to 25 December (I really don’t blame you), there’s also Bonfire Night to enjoy (page 6), a bumper line-up of gigs and club nights (page 45), the always-lovely Literary Festival (page 26) and a huge, city-wide jazz showcase (page 32). Enjoy the issue and see you next month!

Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF

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6 ● STARTERS Top things to do and see in the city, plus our favourite social media pics

11 ● ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, concerts and theatre highlights to enjoy in November

21 ● ART INSIDER Ruthie Collins, founder of Cambridge Art Salon, shares her arty picks of the month

22 ● MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT We pay a visit to a Cambridge gem: the Museum of Classical Archaeology

26 ● LITERARY FESTIVAL Meet your favourite author or your new favourite book at this popular event

28 ● BOOK CLUB Up this month, Stanley and Elsie by Nicola Upson, plus other great reads on our bookshelf

32 ALL THAT JAZZ ●

We find out what’s in store at this month’s Cambridge International Jazz Festival

35 ● CRAFTY CHRISTMAS Blitz your Christmas list at one of these lovely local craft fairs

41 ● COMPETITION We’ve teamed up with the Grand Arcade to give away a Nespresso Vertuo Plus!

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43 ● GET YOUR SKATES ON

78 ● CAMBS ON A PLATE

The North Pole Cambridge, aka our city’s openair ice rink and Christmas market, is back!

The history of the juicy relationship between Cambridge and pineapples!

45 ● AFTER HOURS

82 ● REVIEW

Comedy, gigs, festivals and more nightlife fun this month

A Sunday lunch to remember at Saffron Walden’s Eight Bells

53 ● LISTINGS

85 ● WINTER DINING GUIDE

Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this November

Fantastic feasts and where to find them this winter

56 ● COMMUNITY HUB

95 ● BEAUTY

Community events, charity news and more from your local hub

Daisy Dickinson rounds up the beauty products on her radar this month

61 ● FOOD NEWS

96 ● INDIE OF THE MONTH

The latest gastro goings on and happenings around Cambridgeshire

We shine a spotlight on Re:Fresh, the Mill Road salon that’s changing the face of hairdressing

68 ● THE INSIDE SCOOP

99 ● FASHION

We meet the man behind Cambridge’s legendary ice cream parlour, Jack’s Gelato

We round up the best blazers on the high street, from sequin dazzlers to chic workwear

75 ● CHEF’S TABLE

101 ● EDUCATION

Chef Alex Rushmer on what’s cooking in his kitchen this month

Advice on choosing the right sixth form, plus a look at the benefits of learning outdoors

76 ● RECIPE

115 ● HOME EDITION

A fragrant saffron risotto to warm your cockles this winter

Tips and inspiration for your home and garden this month

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© ROSE QUARTER

M I LLER HARRI S OPENS Perfumer Miller Harris has taken a fragrant first UK step outside of London (it’s in Hong Kong too), with its new store in Cambridge’s Rose Crescent. Taking botanicals as its muse, the store is home to a wide range of products, including fragrances such as Violet Ida, Blousy and Brighton Rock, which are part of its colour collection.

Whether it’s head notes, heart notes or lasting impressions, there’s everything on the fragrance pyramid you could wish for. Iconic singer and actress Jane Birkin’s L’Air de Rien is a unique and nostalgic fragrance, with chic sensuality, and you’ll find things for the home in the store too, with a range of reed diffusers, room sprays and scented candles to choose from, plus hand and body wash, and hand and body lotion. For something to wear, there’s a range of scarf wraps, inspired by the Japanese art of Furoshiki – it’s an eco-friendly way to wrap gifts too. All Miller Harris products are vegan and free from phthalates, artificial colourants and formaldehydes. millerharris.com

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STA RT E R S

BOOM TIME! Guaranteed to go off with a bang, one of the biggest free events in town – courtesy of the city council – is Bonfire Night on Midsummer Common. The fireworks are at 7pm on 5 November, with a huge selection of food stalls open from 6pm, so there’s no need to dash home from work first to grab a bite. Each year the sky is transformed into a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colour, with a sonic crackle and pop to match. The bonfire will be lit after the firework display, and for further thrillseekers, there’s the fairground too, which like the food stalls, runs till 10pm. cambridgelive.org.uk

DUXFORD LOD GE OPENS The start of this month marks the opening of The Lodge, a new boutique hotel in Duxford with 17 stunning bedrooms. The owners fell in love with the building, located on Ickleton Road, and have spent the last year lovingly restoring it to its former glory – and then some. As well as the luxurious bedrooms, The Lodge boasts a stylish co-working space plus a meeting room with all mod cons. You’re even welcome to bring your pooch to the co-working space during the day and for an overnight stay in the hotel rooms, so your furry friend needn’t get left at home.

There’s food, too, courtesy of basement cafe Graze, which is open to the public every day and serves up tasty sharing plates and plenty of veggie and vegan options. In the evenings, sample Scoff – a more intimate restaurant whose menu showcases the best of seasonal and local produce, as well as offering cocktails and local spirits and beers. thelodgeduxford.com

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T H E AT R E • A RT E X H I B I T I O N S • CO N C E RTS • B O O K C L U B

IMAGE Saxophonist Jess Gillam, who performs in Cambridge as part of the Boldfield Orchestral Series (page 13)

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A RTS & C U LT U R E

4-9 NOV

LOVELY BONES Susie Salmon is just like any other girl. She adores her charm bracelet and has a crush on a boy – there’s just one big difference: she’s dead. Alice Sebold’s bestselling coming-of-age novel The Lovely Bones comes to Cambridge Arts Theatre from 4 to 9 November, in a powerful adaptation about life after loss. Featuring a cast of 13 and creative staging, the play promises to be an exciting, emotional and uplifting tour de force. Tickets start from £20 and the play is suitable for ages 14 and up. cambridgeartstheatre.com CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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ANGL IAN P OTTE RS C HRISTMAS EXHIBIT ION Expect a showcase of the ornate and beautiful thanks to the members of Anglian Potters throwing some shapes in Cambridge this month. The group’s membership come together for an exhibition at All Saints’ Church from 9 November to 8 December, featuring outstanding ceramics including tableware, decorative items, wall art, jewellery, sculpture and handcrafted Christmas gifts, decorations and cards. More than 70 local ceramists are involved, including organiser and exhibitor Ian Vance, who explains: “With a vast range of styles at affordable prices, the exhibition, now celebrating its 21st year at this magnificent Arts and Crafts church, attracts a loyal following as well as welcoming many new visitors every year. The exhibition is staffed by potters, so someone is always on hand to chat with visitors and to explain the inspiration, process and techniques behind their work.” Entry to the exhibition is free and, with such a wide range of creative work on display, there’s something for every taste and budget. Be sure to browse the Christmas tree, resplendent with handmade ceramic ornaments for sale, which have been made and donated by the exhibitors, with all the proceeds from the sale of decorations going to Magpas Air Ambulance. anglianpotters.org.uk

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At Every Picture Tells a Story, hear the stories behind the kinds of images you may see on the news. Voluntary Service Overseas has been fighting poverty for more than 60 years, and some of the organisation’s volunteers are talking about their work at Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street, at 6.30pm on 7 November. Their work helps to improve health, education and livelihoods in some of the world’s poorest communities. The free event accompanies an ongoing exhibition running at the venue until 9 November.

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BOLDFIELD ORCHESTRAL SERIES Celebrating 30 years of bringing sublime orchestral performances to the Corn Exchange, Cambridge’s classical concerts series has returned. The timing is perfect, since by all accounts classical music is enjoying a surge in popularity – especially among younger listeners.

Earlier this year, streaming giant Deezer reported a 270% rise in the number of subscribers to its most popular classical music playlist, with 43% of those new listeners falling into the ‘millennial’ age bracket.

To encourage local younger people with an interest in classical music to come along to a Boldfield Orchestral Series concert, a special concert ticket price of £5 is available for students and people aged under 26.

Among the shows they can seek out, the Philharmonia Orchestra visits on 1 November for a performance that includes the sweeping, eerie beauty of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, and Sibelius’ Finnish folktales with Lemminkäinen’s

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Return. On 30 November, meanwhile, legendary conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy returns to the Corn Exchange with a programme of pieces by Grieg and Brahms.

The series continues in the new year, with a visit from saxophonist Jess Gillam, a young performer generating a buzz for putting her instrument back in the classical spotlight. She brings an eclectic programme of Marcello, Glazunov, Mozart and Haydn to the venue on the 31 January. On 7 Feb, the series celebrates its anniversary with a gala concert featuring Nicola Benedetti alongside the acclaimed City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performing a spectacular programme of Bartók and Berlioz.

Running through until 24 May 2020, there are plenty more musical treats in store on the programme, from Beethoven to Brahms – visit the Cambridge Live website for the full line-up and booking details. cambridgelive.org.uk

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SIR RAN UL P H F IE N N E S : L IVING DANGE ROUS LY The Guinness Book of Records’ ‘greatest living explorer’ returns to Cambridge Corn Exchange on 21 November for tales of endurance that will amaze. Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been on some of the most ambitious private expeditions and is the first person to reach both poles, the first to cross the Antarctic and Arctic oceans, as well as the first to circumnavigate the world on its polar axis. Both light-hearted and poignant, his story covers his early years to the present day. His current Global Reach Challenge is an attempt to cross both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Tickets from £28. cambridgelive.org.uk

21 NOV

I N PICT U R E & PR I N T

MAKING TRACKS Making Tracks has been bringing exciting music from all corners of the globe to venues around the UK since 2010. Showcasing unique musical traditions, sparking new collaborations and contributing towards a global community of socially and environmentally engaged musicians, the group currently includes an Estonian bagpiper, an Orcadian fiddler and a Kenyan nyatiti player. On 5 November, at Cambridge Junction, they present a series of solo and collaborative performances from each of the project’s eight 2019 Fellows. The concert is part of the Junction’s Pay What You Feel scheme, with tickets starting at just £2.50. junction.co.uk

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A two-day festival of contemporary and vintage illustration at The Guildhall on 16 and 17 November, Cambridge Illustration and Print Fair features more than 70 exhibitors.

If you’re a fan of linocuts, screen-prints, risographs and handmade books, cards and zines, there will be plenty to get excited about, with established illustrators alongside emerging talent from Cambridge School of Art starting out on their careers in illustration and design. As well as contemporary illustration, specialist dealers will have original 20th-century artwork to browse, too. It’s £2 to get in and doors open at 11am.

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B E N J AMIN ZE P HAN IAH AT S AF FRON HAL L Saffron Hall’s season of Thoughts & Talks, which has so far featured broadcaster John Humphreys and soprano Lesley Garrett, continues this month with wisdom from Benjamin Zephaniah. One of the best-loved British poets of the past 50 years, he’s almost certainly the most anti-establishment, too, having turned down an OBE for its connotations of colonial brutality and slavery.

He’s also been a driving force in campaigns against the police and other bodies, helping to expose corruption and wrongdoing, including working with the family of Stephen Lawrence.

His bestselling autobiography, released last year, offers both a trip down memory lane and a political history, highlighting his friendship with Nelson Mandela, his personal battles with racism in the UK and his vocal support for the least well-off in our society.

“They say that you mellow with age,” says Benjamin. “But if anything, I’m getting angrier and angrier. There is so much injustice in the world and there are so many things wrong in society that there would be something wrong with me if I was willing to just sit back.”

Benjamin’s book, The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah, is being accompanied by a major tour, his first in eight years. He’s taking to the road in autumn 2019 to talk about some of the stories he tells and to reconnect with an engaged fan base that supports equality and veganism, among other issues.

“I’ve been on the road with my band in the past year and we’ve played some great shows.

But it’s been a long time since I’ve done any one-man shows. I did a tour when the hardback was out last year and this follows publication of the paperback. So, yes, I’m looking forward to getting on the road again. It’s always quite daunting. But I enjoy meeting people when I’m on the road and there’s so much to talk about this time around.”

See him speak at Saffron Hall on 9 November, with tickets starting at £10. saffronhall.com

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PRISM Robert Lindsay stars in the powerful, poignant true story of Jack Cardiff, the go-to cinematographer in cinema’s golden age. Prism comes to the Arts Theatre from 18 to 23 November, following a soldout run at London’s Hampstead Theatre. His days of work and play on film sets long behind him, along with his liaisons with famous women, Jack surrounds himself with memorabilia from his lifetime’s work, and sits down to pen his autobiography. It should be easy, but he would rather live in the past than remember it, due to the onset of Alzheimer’s. His wife Nicola (Tara Fitzgerald), his carer and his son at times morph into the stars he used to work with. Tickets start at £25. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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CAMBRIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL

6-14 NOV

A boutique music event attracting some of the classical genre’s brightest stars, Cambridge Music Festival returns this month with a dazzling line-up of talent. The first date for your diary is 6 November, when the majestic King’s College Chapel will host a performance by its own world-class choir, singing Handel’s coronation anthems. First performed in 1727 for King George II and Queen Caroline’s crowning, these pieces were an instant hit; the most famous being Zadok the Priest, which has been performed at every British coronation since (not to mention serving as the inspiration behind the UEFA Champions’ League football anthem!).

Another performance not to miss is that of cellist Natalie Clein at the beautiful Trinity College Chapel on the 12th, playing a collection of masterworks from the first world war period, which includes pieces by Debussy, the Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály and the English composer Rebecca Clarke. Clarke lived at a time when women composers were still frowned on by society, and Natalie is particularly excited about bringing the little-known cello version of her virtuosic, tender Viola Sonata to wider attention. “It has moments of longing and seems to be calling out to large landscapes and large skies,” she says. “I like to imagine that Clarke was thinking of America, which at that time perhaps seemed a place of greater possibility and freedom.”

While Natalie modestly regards herself as a mere conduit for these composers’ work, her performances are the result of exactly this sort of personal engagement, and she has a reputation for intense, passionate recitals. “When you rehearse a piece, you live with it, and it lives with you,” she muses. “The longer that happens, the more it evolves and expands as a vision… There is no such thing as a perfect performance, ever. But there are moments where you think: ‘Yes, I hit some kind of a truth there, it felt honest.’ They are few and far between, but striving for them is the pain and the glory of what performers do.”

Elsewhere on the programme, catch the Britten Sinfonia at Ely Cathedral (9 November), spellbinding piano and multimedia works inspired by internet culture at the Mumford (13 November), and Joshua Bell playing Mendelssohn at West Road Concert Hall (14th). Visit the website for the full programme. cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

W I NT E R LIG HTS Winter Lights returns to Anglesey Abbey for its ninth year with a new route, exciting new live music partners and, in another first, film screenings, too. Perfect for family, friends and foodies, the illuminated 1.5-mile route features lots of effects round every corner, as you go through the winter garden, silver birch grove, past Lode Mill and along the riverside path, as well as Anglesey Abbey itself. Spread across three long weekends, 29 November to 1 December, 5 to 8 December, and 12 to 15 December, this year’s live music is hosted by Cambridge Folk Festival and Cambridge International Jazz Festival. Hot food and drinks will be available in the Orchard and the Redwoods Restaurant, while Cambridge Film Trust has created projections to make the most of the darkness, plus film screenings, too. Adult tickets are £16.50, children £11.15 and under 5s go free. nationaltrust.org.uk

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REMBRANDT EXHIBITION An exhibition featuring a specific focus of Rembrandt is at The Fitzwilliam Museum, displaying etchings that were at the time attacked as ‘intolerable’ and ‘monstrous’ by critics because they veered away from the classical norms of beauty. Rembrandt and the Nude features studies of female nudes from the 1630s and two decades later. He depicted his models naturalistically, in informal poses, concentrating on sensuousness rather than the idealised body. His treatment was fiercely attacked until the mid-20th century and this exhibition challenges that view, so make up your own mind and go see. The exhibition is underway and continues till 23 February. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

WRE ATH-MAKI NG E XPE RIE NCES Enjoy a morning of Christmassy creativity with a gorgeous decoration to take home at the end. Amelia Cornish’s wreath-making workshops are taking place at the Packhorse Inn, Moulton, on 10 December and the Rupert Brooke, Grantchester, on the 13th. All materials and a festive two-course lunch are included. Priced at £75 per person. thepackhorseinn.com/christmas-2019

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We are living in the age of intelligent machines, with AI permeating ever more aspects of our day-to-day lives. But is this technology as benign as many of us assume it to be, as we happily share our secrets with Siri and upload our selfies to FaceApp? Is it possible that AI will bring more harm than good? That’s the matter up for discussion on 21 November, in a debate being held in partnership with IBM Research. Participants include champion debater Harish Natarajan, law and ethics professor Sylvie Delacroix, and Neil Lawrence, the DeepMind professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge and the co-host of Talking Machines. Project Debator, an AI system that can debate humans on complex topics, will also be in attendance, going toe-to-toe with human debaters using crowdsourced arguments.

The event is open to members of the university and more details are available via the Cambridge Union Facebook page.

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RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH

s the nights draw in, this is the time of year when the landscape takes on its own eerie beauty – nature coming to life through myth, magic and folk tales. Yet according to the National Trust, folk tales are becoming an endangered species, as they’re at risk of losing their relevance to modern-day children. The Keeper of Stories, at Espresso Library, is a solo show from Swedish artist Karin Eklund that is peppered with the same haunting, ethereal magic that permeates folk tales – an intuitive space that allows us to explore some of humanity’s greatest fears.

“My work blurs the definitions of art and illustration. Each work could be seen as part of a collection of short stories, or individually. Just as when one story in a collection might not give you all the answers, or even a sense of space,

but completing all the stories within the covers, a feeling or intuition will help you interpret the meaning,” says Karin. A dark simplicity fuses her work, colouring it with both innocence and a timeless quality that make this show a perfect prelude to cosying up next to a roaring fire, with nothing but stories to see you through the night. The Keeper of Stories runs until 20 November.

Why do we need storytellers? What is the relationship between myth, magic and the telling of stories? “As all parents know, the way you tell a story to a fiveyear-old is different than the way you tell it to an adolescent – but make no mistake, the teenager desperately needs to hear that story, as does an old woman,” says mythologist and shaman, Martin Shaw.

“It’s a cloak around the shifting kingdom of their roaming soul.” The Storyteller and the Shaman is a morning workshop from Cambridge Storytellers with Martin at Storeys Field Centre on 11 November, with a performance in the evening, too; book tickets via WeGotTickets.

Also seeing a blurring of boundaries between art and the written word is Voyage, from Spanish artist Albarno Hernandez, at the Centre for Languages and Inter-Communication (CLIC) throughout the academic year. Cambridge has long fostered a crossover between words and art – a hotbed for culture and communication – making the CLIC the perfect setting for Voyage. The book Claro vuelo de la memoria, an artwork created

“Timely food for thought in the run-up to the most frantic time of the year” CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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in collaboration with the renowned poet José María Muñoz Quirós, is key to the show. A limited edition of just 15 copies, these are 12 poems as paintings, selected by the artist from more than a thousand of the poet’s works.

“The relationship with the poet was established in our home town,” explains Albano. “We are both from Ávila and we are both interested in memory and in the traces of history as a source of inspiration.” Theirs is an enchanting dialogue between painting and poetry, taking us on a journey of “flight between the rigour of the word and the richness of plastic creativity…”

At the heart of many cultures, of course, is food. Opening at The Fitzwilliam Museum is Feast & Fast, exploring food in all its glory, dating from 1500s to 1800s. This multisensory exhibition shares treasures from the collections at the museum and includes four reconstructions with food at each centre, from a Jacobean sugar banquet to a Georgian confectioner’s workshop. You can pop in for a curator’s talk, learn about Christmas food traditions, enjoy a bit of festive shopping and jazz in the courtyard, plus there’s the chance to watch a screening of Bright Star, a romantic film about John Keats.

Finally, those near Mill Road, make sure you see Angels Need Love Too at the Makers Gallery, a solo show of new works by Manuela Hübner, from 7 to 16 November. Large-scale oils, full of light, love and elegant contrasts explore selfdetermination – that path of figuring out exactly who you are. What gives us inner freedom? Or takes it away? What makes us who we really are? Timely food for thought, in the run-up to the most frantic time of the year – enjoy it.

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Classically BEAUTIFUL IT MIGHT BE TRICKY TO FIND, BUT A TRIP TO CAMBRIDGE’S MUSEUM OF CLASSICAL ARCHAEOLOGY IS WELL WORTH THE EFFORT, AS RUTHIE COLLINS DISCOVERS love my babies,” curator Dr Susanne Turner beams, when discussing the Museum of Classical Archaeology’s collection of plaster casts of classical sculpture, over 450 of which are on display to the public. “The word curator comes from Latin, ‘curor’ – to care; and part of my job is creating relationships between objects and people,” she explains. “I love how the public can come into the museum, see me, speak to me... it’s unusual for a museum curator to be so available.”

Tucked away above the Faculty of Classics on Sidgwick Avenue, MOCA is the smallest of the nine University of Cambridge Museums, and is a space that can sometimes be missed. “You deserve a gold medal for finding us,” laughs Susanne, who has been working at the Museum since 2013, but also worked as an invigilator at the site while studying for her PhD at the Faculty of Classics.

It’s a small team, whose forwardthinking programme of contemporary art exhibitions, talks, school visits, tours and workshops has helped attract 15,000 visitors a year, and the museum prides itself on making this largest surviving collection of Greek and Roman plaster casts accessible to visitors. “We try to give a warm welcome, we’re relaxed and really care about our visitors’ needs.

It’s all about finding those points of connection, about storytelling.”

Original classical sculpture is not always easy to visit – but here, walking around the Museum of Classical

Archaeology, is a chronological tour of 1000 years of art history at your feet.

“It’s amazing to think that the original sculptures differ from the casts by just one millimetre. Yes, marble is difficult to replicate, but here, you can see how sculpture has changed over time, in one room, which is really special,” says Susanne. Go hunting for casts of famous sculptures, such as the painted Peplos Kore, or the first ever full-sized female nude statue, sculpted in the fourth century BC, of Aphrodite – a favourite of classicist Mary Beard.

On show until 13 December is a fantastic exhibition, Goddesses, from New Zealand contemporary artist Marian Maguire. “It is a real pleasure to host work

by Marian Maguire again. Not only are her lithographs beautiful – and this series, Goddesses, is really no exception to that rule – but there is a playfulness and nuance to her retellings of ancient myth, which is just a joy. And yet, there’s also a fierceness to the eye she casts on the past: her goddesses, reassessing their place in the world and empowered to change themselves and what they see around them, feel especially timely,” says Susanne.

The show is a collection of five eye-catching etchings that explore how ancient Olympian goddesses may respond to modern life – from climate change and #metoo to war. What would they do, if they could do things differently? “We create gods in our own image. They reflect us: sometimes at our best, sometimes at

ABOVE AND RIGHT The museum houses a collection of 450 casts of classical sculptures BELOW Marian Maguire’s etching of Hera

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our worst. I want the goddesses to see they live in a different world. I want them to adapt, change, be useful again,” says Marian Maguire herself.

With the support of Arts Council England, MOCA and its exhibitions programme make a welcome platform for contemporary art in Cambridge. Earlier this summer, artist Loukas Morley hosted The Silence of Time, attracting acclaim for his stunning, playful contrasting of his modern art with figural classicism. “On paper, perhaps it shouldn’t have worked – but that it did is testament not only to Loukas’ own sensitivity to our context, but also to the ways in which temporary exhibitions bring to life our collection,” says Susanne. “It’s important to us to partner with artists, both local and from further afield, to show that ours continues to be a living, breathing collection.” The next exhibition planned is Panathenaia,

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“The museum is family friendly, too” with artist Debbie Loftus, who was Artist in Residence at the British Museum in 2018. The show will feature the works resulting from her residency, inspired by the Parthenon frieze.

The museum is family friendly, too. Children, in particular, will love counting the number of naked bums on display – higher than any other museum (167 to be precise, as calculated by @museumbums on Twitter).

“I’m proud of that figure! When school trips come, one of my pet hates is children being told to be quiet and serious. I love it when they go wild and enjoy themselves here,” says Susanne. Children are also invited to take part in Make your myth, a writing and art competition for seven to 13 year olds, inviting them to write a story of up to 500 words, or create an art piece inspired by the goddess Athena. The closing date is 20 December and you can enter via the museum’s website.

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This fresh approach to public engagement with the collection is part of the museum’s appeal. You can also book on to a series of Bridging Binaries LBTQ+ tours, on Saturdays. “Volunteer-led, the content was written by Dan Vo, who runs similar tours at the V&A,” explains Susanne. “We are really proud to be a part of this project, and provide a space for our volunteer guides to spotlight nonnormative gender and sexual identities through a range of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-related objects.”

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2020 looks set to be another packed year for the museum, with events planned for the Science Festival in February; the very popular Drink and Draw will be back in May, plus Summer at the Museums.

“The world is changing a lot, visitors have high expectations. I love the intellectual side of what I do, but nothing beats meeting the public and learning more about what they need,” says Susanne.

With this attention to people and their curiosity, we imagine the museum’s appeal will only grow in 2020.

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L I T E RA RY F E ST I VA L B O O K I S H C A MB R IDGE

AS CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR ITS WINTER INSTALMENT, WE FIND OUT WHAT’S IN STORE

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ringing writers and readers together to share stories, ideas and a love of words, the Cambridge Literary Festival returns for its winter instalment from 29 November to 1 December. Established in 2003, the event takes place at venues around the city including West Road Concert Hall and the Old Divinity School. It offers a busy line-up of talks and discussions that, according to festival director, Cathy Moore, “help us make sense of the times we are living through, and distract us from them”.

Spanning politics, religion, science, food and climate change, the programme boasts a roster of top writers and thinkers.

The fiction line-up is as strong as ever, with some of the world’s biggest authors stopping by to discuss their latest novels.

Ian McEwan – national treasure, Booker prize winner, and author of classics Atonement and The Innocent – is at the festival with his latest offering, Machines Like Me. Imagining an alt-history world where Britain lost the Falklands War and breakthroughs in AI have produced ‘manufactured humans’, the story shows McEwan at his subversive best.

You can also catch Jung Chang, author of global literary sensation Wild Swans, discussing Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister, an exploration of the stories of three different and extraordinary women, plus Turkish writer and activist Elif Shafak is in conversation with Erica Wagner.

Elif Shafak also hosts a discussion with Will Eaves, whose award-winning book, Murmur, takes inspiration from Alan Turing’s life in the aftermath of his conviction for homosexual acts. According to The Times, this dreamlike read “opens

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your mind to a very different kind of novel, one that dares to forge a generous dialogue between arts and sciences, one that celebrates the wonder of human consciousness”.

Bestselling author David Reynolds, meanwhile, is offering his treatise on the Brexit saga, suggesting that it represents a crisis of national identity that has been a long time in the making, while journalist John Crace brings his humorous touch to the topic, in a talk designed to act as “your personal survival guide to the ongoing political apocalypse”.

From politics to religion, or lack thereof, Richard Dawkins makes his festival debut with his recently released book Outgrowing God. One of the world’s leading science communicators, Dawkins was 15 when he stopped believing in God, and this latest work sees him examining the profound questions that human beings must confront as they grapple with the meaning of life and what to believe. Do we need God to explain the existence of the universe? How do we decide what is good? Join the debate at what’s sure to be a provocative and exhilarating event.

There are more than a few famous faces on the bill for the festival this year, too, including ballet star Dame Darcey Bussell. Having recently released her latest book, Evolved, she’ll be casting her eye back across her illustrious career in dance, from becoming the youngest principle dancer at the Royal Ballet to a stint as a Strictly judge. Comedian Jenny Eclair will be taking to the stage as well, serving a liberal helping of both laughter and

IMAGES Opposite page: Elif Shafak and her book, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World. Clockwise from top left: Cressida Cowell, and her new book from the Wizards of Once series; Darcey Bussell and her autobiography, Evolved: Ian McEwan and his latest novel, Machines Like Me

poignancy as she discusses her novel Inheritance, an examination of tragedy and turmoil across generations.

Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc is in town for the festival as well, in conversation with Fitzbillies owner Tim Hayward. Join them for a discussion about Blanc’s life and work, plus his new book The Lost Orchard, a beautifully illustrated love letter to the trees surrounding his restaurant.

There’s also a chance to meet the newly crowned winner of the prestigious Goldsmiths Prize, an accolade previously

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bestowed on novelists including Ali Smith and Eimear McBride. Rewarding ‘fiction at its most novel’ the prize was co-founded

by Goldsmiths University and the New Statesman in 2013, with the shortlist offering a showcase of some of the year’s most exciting new fiction. The winner will be in discussion with Anna Leszkiewicz, New Statesman culture editor and Goldsmiths Prize judge, considering the art of the novel.

There’s plenty more on the programme besides, from a hymn to the redemptive power of nature with Richard Mabey to a guide to preserving our humanity in an uncertain age with Paul Mason. Whether you’re in the mood for heated political debate, the inside scoop from your favourite author or some old-fashioned literary escapism, there’s plenty to tempt. “Come mingle with like-minded folk,” encourages Cathy Moore. “Share ideas, laughter and collective joy, and to be inspired by our roll call of uplifting writers and performers.”

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BOOK CLUB C AMBRIDGE ED IT ION

BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS WORDS BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

STANLEY AND ELSIE

BY NICOLA UPSON f the name Stanley Spencer doesn’t immediately flood your mind with intensely lavish, almost claustrophobically busy peoplepacked paintings, then a quick internet search is in order or – better yet – a stroll to The Fitzwilliam Museum, where a collection of Spencer’s paintings can be seen in Gallery One. It was one such visit to the Fitzwilliam that first inspired local author Nicola Upson to embark upon writing this month’s read, Stanley and Elsie, which tells the tale of the relationship between Stanley Spencer and Elsie Munday, his small family’s housekeeper.

“I’ve always loved Spencer’s work. I remember having a postcard of his ‘The Resurrection, Cookham’ as quite a young girl,” Nicola explains, “and although obviously then I didn’t understand all the different levels to it, the painting has always fascinated me. Being at college in Cambridge, with that wonderful collection of his paintings at the Fitzwilliam on my doorstep, meant I’ve kept in touch with his work over the years – but it was particularly an exhibition that they put on about ten years ago called Sargent, Sickert & Spencer.”

The exhibition included a small pencil sketch by Spencer of a young woman in a maid’s uniform who “seemed to be flirting, at the front door, with either a postman or a delivery man,” Nicola recalls. “As well as being a prolific painter, Spencer wrote thousands and thousands and thousands of words – all now all in the Tate’s archives – but what was selected to go with that picture was the fact that the woman was called Elsie Munday, and that she was a maid who Spencer hired when they moved to Burghclere with his family.”

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W HAT WE’ RE READING ELISHA YOUNG, JUNIOR SUB EDITOR, REVIEWS THE TESTAMENTS BY MARGARET ATWOOD This sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale was one of the most hotly anticipated literary releases of 2019, and was joint winner of this year’s Booker Prize (alongside Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other). While the first book is an introspective novel, told from the first-person point of view of Offred, I feel this follow-up has breadth rather than depth. Fans of Aunt Lydia will enjoy finding out more about her back story, while the book’s other two protagonists offer intriguing insights into details of the Gilead regime.

Spencer relocated to the quiet Hampshire village in 1926 to continue his work on what would become the Sandham Memorial Chapel – now a National Trust property, which can still be visited – originally built to commemorate Lieutenant Henry Willoughby Sandham, who died at the end of the first world war.

Henry was the brother of Mary Behrend, one half of the couple who commissioned the creation of the chapel. The book begins as Elsie joins the household – Stanley, his artist wife Hilda and Shirin, their very young daughter – and documents the shifting relationships and hidden motivations of the trio of adults.

“Stanley wrote that when [he and Elsie] were living together at Burghclere, their life was ‘as light as the air’ – and that they ‘blew about like two rooks’ in the cottage… he spoke of her with such fondness and affection that it seemed to show a completely different side to Stanley Spencer – who obviously is not known for his sensitive relationships with women,” Nicola adds. “The friendship between [him and Elsie] and the uniqueness of that relationship – I think there’s something

fascinating in writing about a friendship because a lot of people, when they hear the book’s title, think there’s going to be some sort of romantic involvement or affair, and there wasn’t – it was a genuine friendship based on a mutual understanding.”

Though the book is clearly meticulously researched, drawing on the vast reams of documents created by

Stanley Spencer himself, there was very little to go on when searching out the detail of Elsie’s life. “There are a huge number of sketches and drawings of her, as well as the paintings that he and Hilda did - and there’s a paragraph in a book published in the 1970s, which contained reminiscences by Spencer’s friends and associates – and Elsie contributed a paragraph on how much she enjoyed looking after the family – typical, discreet, servant stuff.

“But I was also able to track down Elsie’s son, Gordon, and we had a very old-fashioned and lovely correspondence – I sent him lots of questions, and he would handwrite the answers and send them back. He told me lots of detail about his mother as a mother and as a person, all of which has gone into the book – but she didn’t tell them until after they were grown up that she’d even worked for the Spencers – so there certainly wasn’t much in the way of testimony to go on. But in a way, that’s what makes the book: she can be a rich, partly fictional character, as well as including the truthful elements that we do know from history.”

NICOLA’S CAMBRID G E I would start at the Cambridge Arts Theatre: I worked there for ten years and it’s close to my heart. There’s something special in its beginnings in the 1930s – the period that most of my books are set in – and the fact that Keynes built it as a stage for Lydia Lopokova, his wife, to dance and act on is a wonderfully romantic story, and you can still feel that in the fabric of the building. My partner Mandy and I love the Orchard Tearooms in Grantchester and I’ve also drunk an awful lot of coffee in the University Library’s tea room.

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BOOK CLUB

LOOK OUT FOR THE CAMBRIDGE EDITION BOOK CLUB STICKERS IN HEFFERS AND GET MONEY OFF OUR MONTHLY PICK HEFFERS IS LOCATED AT 20 TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE BLACKWELLS.CO.UK

ON THE BOOKSHELF

“For me, the most important research – whether it’s crime or not – is the sense of place” Nicola does have a track record of adopting this approach – she is also the author of a very successful series of crime fiction books where real-life Scottish author Josephine Tay appears as the central heroine and detective. “That series started out as a biography but eventually the gaps were just as intriguing as the facts,” she says. “And her life had a lot of gaps in it. It is that blankness – not to make them completely fictional, obviously – but yes, she can be her own person.”

Researching these books is a task Nicola hugely enjoys. “I love it – it’s always the best bit. And what was particularly brilliant about this was that I spent a long time looking at Stanley Spencer paintings,” she says. “But for me, the most important research – whether it’s crime or not – is the sense of place. To go to Burghclere for the first time, to walk into that chapel

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– I’ve never quite forgotten that. It’s an incredible experience. Even when I went back after the book was published, it was as shocking and moving as it was the first time. Going to the places and immersing yourself in that atmosphere is, for me, the single most important piece of research.”

In November Nicola will be appearing at the Fitzwilliam as part of the Cambridge Literary Festival, talking about her work close to the spot where she first encountered the pencil drawing that inspired the book. “The relationship between Stanley and Patricia [his second wife] and Patricia and Dorothy is central to the second half of the book, and I did a lot of making notes, standing in front of that particular double nude that they have in the Fitzwilliam – so to go back and talk about it in front of those paintings will be very special indeed.”

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Also recently published is A Museum Miscellany, written by Harston-based author Claire CockStarkey to celebrate the intriguing and fascinating world of museums (the Fitzwilliam is one of the many museums featured) by collecting together a “cornucopia of museumrelated facts, statistics and lists – covering everything from museum ghosts, minerals that can only be found in museum drawers, dangerous museum objects, the most popular exhibitions, and cabinets of curiosity to the Museum of London’s fatberg.” One for museum lovers, and perfectly sized for stockings...

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J AZ Z F E ST I VA L

Jazz Fusion LOOK FORWARD TO A PACKED SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND MUCH MORE AT THE CAMBRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL WORDS BY CYRUS PUNDOLE

he innovative Cambridge International Jazz Festival returns in November for two weeks of cool tunes, exciting beats, swinging sounds and the blues. Featuring many heavyweights from the UK and beyond, it’s a celebration of the best on the musical culture scene, from modern jazz to acid jazz, spread across 28 venues, mostly close to the heart of the city.

With more than 70 gigs from 13 to 24 November, featuring 500 musicians, every audience member will have their own favourites. Bound to be a big draw are pioneers of the funk and soul mashup that became acid jazz, The Brand New Heavies. Their early albums in the 90s were hits on both sides of the Atlantic and they have featured vocalists N’dea Davenport, Siedah Garrett and Carleen Anderson down the years. They play Cambridge Junction on 14 November.

Roslin Russell, the festival’s director, said: “As ever, our aim is to offer audiences something that will change their ideas about jazz and exactly what genre of music it is. In doing this, we hope to attract people who may never have thought of attending a jazz performance, because they think it’s not for them.

“One of the greatest things about jazz is that it appeals to everyone of all ages, and from all walks of life. It’s an incredible, genre-bending musical experience.”

Among the wide range of choices to tempt you are the Black Voices Quintet, who present The Soul of Nina Simone on 24 November at Storey’s Field Centre. The group are known for their arrangements of traditional African, Caribbean and English folk songs, jazz, gospel, pop and reggae.

Saxophonist Jan Garbarek – known for his work in classical and world music spheres, too – plays Saffron Hall on the 16th, while Norwegian compatriot Marius Neset takes his sax to the Mumford Theatre on the 23rd.

IMAGES (Clockwise from top) Liran Donin (23 Nov), Binker Golding (9 Nov), Gwilym Simcock (15 Nov) and Yazz Ahmed (19 Nov) are performing at the Cambridge Jazz Festival

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Yazz Ahmed returns to the festival with her 13-piece ensemble at the Junction’s J2 on 19 November, with her psychedelic Arabic jazz promising to be a big draw.

Cambridge’s own Brass Funkeys are also back, with their pumping brass-driven funk at a toe-tapping Storey’s Field Centre gig on 24 November.

The godfather of British blues, John Mayall has featured numerous greats in his band the Bluesbreakers, including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Mick Taylor in the 60s. He plays the Corn Exchange on 17 November.

Also with roots in the 60s, Soft Machine bring jazz, rock and folk to their gig at Storey’s Field Centre on 14 November.

One of the country’s finest new funk and soul singers, Ashton Jones is at the Junction with his group The Ashton Jones Project on 13 November, together with the Renegade Brass Band.

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“One of the greatest things about jazz is that it appeals to everyone of all ages” Nominees for this year’s Mercury Prize, Seed Ensemble – a ten-piece led by alto saxophonist and composer Cassie Kinoshi – play Storey’s Field Centre on 17 November, and earlier the same evening Routes in Jazz, featuring pianist Trevor Watkis and trumpeter Byron Wallen, play the music of Dizzy Reece at the same venue. Stapleford Granary hosts Liane Carroll, Claire Martin, Christian Muthspiel and Steve Swallow, Dave Gordon and John Law Duo, and the Leon Greening Trio throughout the festival.

A celebration of Nat King Cole’s 100th birthday features Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra and special guest Mads Mathias at West Road Concert Hall on 22 November. Expect classics such as When I Fall In Love, Unforgettable, Route 66 and Nature Boy.

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Camilla George and the Harry Bolt Quartet headline Cambridge Modern Jazz on 14 and 21 November at CUC Wine Bar, while the Julia Hülsmann Quartet mark the 50th anniversary of ECM Records with a performance at Gonville & Caius College.

Highly acclaimed pianist Gwilym Simcock plays St Catharine’s College on 15 November, Richard Spaven makes a return to the festival with his trio at the Cambridge Junction on the 14th, while Bristol newcomers Ishmael Ensemble play Storey’s Field Centre on 23 November.

There are also films, workshops and talks about the roots of jazz, live painting, jams, fringe events and much, much more.

Many of the venues have multiple events on most days of the festival. cambridgejazzfestival.info

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DISCOVER A UNIQUE BLEND OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AT THE HEART OF A PLACE BUZZING WITH INDEPENDENT CAFES, RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS, ONLY AN EIGHT-MINUTE WALK FROM CAMBRIDGE TRAIN STATION.

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C RA F T FA I R S

RURAL MAGPIE A must for jewellery magpies, this fair on 2 November showcases pieces from 25 talented designer-makers. Taking place at Chesterfords Community Centre, Great Chesterford, visitors can expect tea, cake and gorgeous jewellery, which ranges from one-of-a-kind antique treasures to contemporary gold and silver pieces. Among those showing their wares will be Karen Faulkner-Dunkley (KFD jewellery), who creates sophisticated necklaces, earrings, cufflinks and more, and Birgitte Bruun, maker of contemporary silver and gold designs. The event runs from 10am to 4pm, and the same organisers will host a second jewellery fair on 23 November, at Foakes Hall in Great Dunmow. ruralmagpie.co.uk

VISIT A LOCAL CRAFT FAIR TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME WITH YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND FIND UNIQUE HANDMADE GIFTS

BLACKTHORPE BARN An unassuming medieval barn provides the chance to awaken your festive spirit, when the Blackthorpe Barn Christmas Festival opens its doors. Found on the Rougham Estate, just outside Bury St Edmunds, the barn’s Country Christmas Shop is already up and running, open all the way until 23 December.

There’s a huge range of products to browse, plus craft weekends starting at the barn on 9 November and running for the following five weekends. The weekends feature items made by talented artists and craft-makers, including sculpture, ceramics, wooden, metal and glass creations, traditional and textile jewellery, feltware, homewares and tasty food gifts.

Many exhibitors change each weekend so there are always new crafts to explore, and if you’re paying a visit from 22 November you can choose a Rougham Estate Christmas tree, from freshly cut to pot grown, in many shapes and sizes. The trees are nurtured all year round, and there’s a new tree-wrapping area and even a tree creche. There’s also a Santa’s grotto, a country cafe and food stalls in the courtyard. blackthorpebarn.com

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C AM BRI DG E MADE C HRI ST MA S FAIR 2019

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C RA F T FA I R S

Firmly established in the local festive calendar, the Cambridge Made Christmas Fair returns to St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church for a weekend of crafty delights from 28 to 30 November. From quirky and unique jewellery and cosy crochet and knits to on-trend homewares, natural skincare, upcycled treasures and original prints, posters and cards: it’s a one-stop shop for blitzing your Christmas list. The fair will include stalls from 45 designermakers from around Cambridge and East Anglia, offering a chance to chat to the people behind the products and soak up a friendly, festive atmosphere. Plus there’s a cafe where you can grab a hot drink and a wedge of cake. “The perfect antidote to a predictable, mass-produced high street Christmas,” say the organisers – and we have to agree!

Search Cambridge Made Christmas Fair 2019 on Facebook for more information.

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B U RY S T E DMU N DS C HRIST MAS FAY RE A feast for the eyes comes to Bury St Edmunds from 21 to 24 November, when the Christmas Fayre brings more than 300 stalls to this bustling Georgian town centre. There will be fireworks, a cookery theatre and food area in the cathedral grounds, plus free children’s activities and fun fair on Angel Hill and in Abbey Gardens. A farmers’ and cookware market takes place throughout the fayre and a makers’ market will feature local craftspeople and include demonstrations. The fayre opens at 12pm on the 21st, with morning starts thereafter. burystedmundschristmasfayre.co.uk

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C RA F T FA I R S

ELY CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS GIFT & FOOD FAIR

Described by Country Living magazine as ‘a lovely event to start the festive season’, Ely Cathedral’s hugely popular Gift & Food Fair returns from 14 to 16 November.

The fair features more than 150 handpicked stalls selling unique gifts, seasonal decorations and home accessories plus artisan food specialists in the magnificent Nave and Lady Chapel.

This year there will be several new traders to tempt shoppers including jeweller Dittany Rose, contemporary stationary from The Bookbinders, cured meats from Marsh Pig and fruit-infused spirits from The Tiny Tipple Company.

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Victorian carousel, meet up with friends at the mulled wine and festive fizz bar, and enjoy a feast of food traders offering raclette, churros, crepes and hog roast.

There are also demonstrations and workshops from the likes of Katie HaydnSlater, who’ll show you how to make Christmas wreaths using foraged foliage.

Retail stylist Kim Smart, meanwhile, will be demonstrating clever techniques and tricks to transform the simplest gift into something spectacular, while members from the Flower Guild will be on hand to give their wealth of expertise on how to create simple but stunning floral displays for your Christmas table. elycathedral.org N O V E M B E R 2 019

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H I S TON HAN DMADE Histon welcomes back its showcase of handmade crafts and gifts on 30 November, when a line-up of 23 leading local designers will exhibit their wares at St Andrew’s Centre. The event is free to explore and brimming with excellent quality stalls, often attracting more than a thousand visitors. Gems to discover include pieces of jewellery by event founder Claire Howieson, prints and cards from Elizabeth Fraser, ceramics

by Daniela Stief, glass by Jutta Robinson, collage from Emma Bennett (as pictured below), and decorative woodwork by Jeremy Nicholls.

The event runs 12pm to 7pm. Search @histonhandmade on social media for more info

MI L L R OAD W I N T E R FAI R

30 NOV

Perhaps the biggest community event in Cambridge alongside Strawberry Fair, Mill Road Winter Fair returns on 7 December. Closed to traffic from East Road to Coleridge Road, Cambridge’s famous street full of independent stores becomes home to more than 10,000 shoppers, people looking for good food (restaurants serve their food from the street) and entertainment from bands, singers, dance troupes and schools. There is also a host of activities just off Mill Road itself, and foodies in particular will head to the Gwydir Street car park, which is home to a plethora of food and drink stalls, offering the widest of choices. Expect to find craft and art stalls at the city end of the road and micro-music stages along the road, with some acts carrying on beyond the 4.30pm closing for the rest of the fair. The fun starts at 10.30am. millroadwinterfair.org

GRANTCHESTER ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW Grantchester is always a lovely place to head at the weekend, for a stroll through the meadows, a pub lunch and a cake and cuppa at The Orchard tea rooms. But now you can add Christmas shopping to your list of things to do in this prettiest of villages, as the seventh annual Grantchester Art and Craft Christmas show comes to the village on 23 and 24 November. 15 local artists, craftspeople and makers – almost all of whom are local to Cambridgeshire and members of Cambridge Open Studios – who will be displaying and selling their wares, including Bex Burston with her kiln-fused glass and textiles, Janet Powell with her silver jewellery, Prue van der Hoorn’s silkpainting and Lizzy McCaughan with a range of screenprinted textiles. It’s a brilliant opportunity to find truly unique, handmade gifts for family and friends, and to support the work of local artists. Entry to the show is free, and there will be teas, coffees and plenty of yummy homemade cakes to restore you once you’ve shopped till you drop. The show takes place in Grantchester Village hall and runs from 10am to 5pm on each day. facebook.com/Grantchesterartsandcraftsshow

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CO M P E T I T I O N

WIN A NESPRESSO MACHINE! W O RT H

£ 19 9 +

alling all coffee connoisseurs!

We’ve teamed up with John Lewis & Partners and the Grand Arcade to give away a Nespresso Vertuo Plus machine, worth £199, with a coffret of 12 capsules. With a sleek, modern design, the Vertuo Plus delivers freshly brewed coffee with crema, offering the ultimate brewing experience for coffee enthusiasts.

The Nespresso boutique opened at John Lewis in the Grand Arcade last winter, showcasing the brand’s gadgets, accessories and coffee blends from around the world. Experts are on hand to share their expertise in-store, and shoppers can get advice and sample different blends to

find their perfect coffee match. The John Lewis store is the hub of the Grand Arcade, but it’s far from the only reason to visit the centre this season. There are more than 60 premium shops and restaurants spread over three skylit floors, with the latest in fashion, beauty, home, technology, jewellery, dining and more. The centre’s stunning Christmas decorations are being unveiled on 17 November, with an afternoon of Christmas festivities that culminate in the light switch on at 4pm.

To be in with a chance of winning this prize, head to cambsedition.co.uk and hit the Competition tab to enter. grandarcade.co.uk

T&Cs: The competition closes on 2 December. No cash alternative available.

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N O RT H P O L E

THE NORTH POLE CAMBRIDGE IS BACK FOR A WINTER OF ALPINE FUN. WE FIND OUT WHAT’S IN STORE THIS YEAR hen the city’s outdoor ice rink and alpine-themed attraction pops up on Parker’s Piece, it’s a sure sign Christmas is on the way. Opening on 16 November for a seven-week stint and no longer exposed to the elements, the newlook North Pole Cambridge features an allweather, undercover rink, so you can glide around come rain or shine (but still see the stars through the transparent roof).

Younger visitors can pick up a penguin to help them scoot about and avid skaters can book a season pass to get in maximum practise: you’ll be channelling your inner Torvill or Dean in no time!

Once you’ve had your fun on the rink, head to the Alpine Cabin to warm up with a mulled wine or hot chocolate, or grab a bratwurst sausage from the authentic

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German swing grill. There will also be gourmet burgers, crepes and vegetarian options available.

Want to make a festive day of it?

Check out the funfair, which features dodgems, waltzers, a fun house, giant slide and more. There’s also a host of other stalls and attractions.

For those charged with planning a Christmas get-together or office party, The North Pole Cambridge is available for private hire, with packages available that include drinks, DJs, canapes and, of course, the whole rink to yourselves.

This ice-cool attraction is open every day from 16 November until 5 January, except for Christmas Day. Tickets are £10.50 for kids, and £12.50 for adults and teens. Opening times vary. thenorthpolecambridge.co.uk

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IMAGES Channel your inner Torvill or Dean at North Pole’s undercover ice rink

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NIGHTLIFE

THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

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ANDY C Drum and bass icon Andy C gives his expansive tune collection a spin at the Corn Exchange on 16 November. Almost as likely to set new records as play them, it’s hard to pick a highlight from his impressive career. A performance at BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend in 2012 was watched by more people online than performances by Rihanna and Jay Z, and he frequently treats crowds to monster sets, which sometimes total more than six hours.

As the owner of Ram Records, he’s developed several acts, including Chase and Status, and is known and loved for DJ sets that dig out the best in new music as well as diving down memory lane.

The gig is 9pm to 2am; and tickets start at £22. cambridgelive.org.uk

NOV

ROBIN INCE In a joyous manifesto of delight and curiosity, Robin Ince mashes up art and science, and throws in a few silly voices, when he brings his unique comedy to the Junction on 16 November. The show, titled Chaos of Delights, aims to be a sort-of lecture and an antidote to the world around us. It’s a celebration of the human mind, from bohemians to black holes, and Dali to DNA. Ince is probably best known for co-presenting podcasts The Infinite Monkey Cage alongside Professor Brian Cox, and Book Shambles with Josie Long. junction.co.uk

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WHOOSH!

It’s always good to end an era on a high and Whoosh! – purveyors of colourful, hedonistic parties – have Orbital’s Phil Hartnoll gracing the decks for their last hurrah at The Missing Sock on 2 November, after four years of teaming up with the venue. There will be fire performers and fireworks too, with top-notch electronic music guaranteed.

Advance tickets (£25) only. It runs from 7pm to 2am, with last entry at 9pm.

Search @whooshevents on Facebook for details.

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NIGHTLIFE

NOW BOOKING

CRAIG CHARLES 20 DECEMBER, JUNCTION, £19.50

He’s back with his trunk of funk for the Funk & Soul Club.

29 NOV

BOMBAY BICYCLE C L U B 20 JANUARY, CORN EX, £32.50

A new year visit featuring support from The Big Moon.

DODGY Dodgy, one of Britpop’s genre-defining acts, are back to play the Junction on 29 November. They will be performing their breakthrough second album Homegrown (now 25 years old) in its entirety, featuring the ultimate summer hit Staying Out for the Summer. They will also play other hits such as Good Enough (one of the most played tracks on British radio in the last 25 years) and In a Room, from their Free Peace Sweet album. Tickets are £22.50. junction.co.uk

T HE BOOTL EG BEATLES 18 MARCH, CORN EX, £35.50

The original Beatles tribute act continues to lead the pack.

ADAM ANT

Adam Ant, 80s style king, performs his first solo album Friend or Foe at the Corn Exchange on 28 November, along with a selection of other stellar hits. As Adam and the Ants, he achieved all-conquering chart success as groundbreaking videos catapulted Prince Charming and Stand and Deliver to the top of the charts. Goody Two Shoes, his first single from Friend or Foe, also hit No 1, with a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

Tickets are £41.50. cambridgelive.org.uk

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STEWART L EE 19 & 20 MARCH, CORN EX, £27.50

Dry, acerbic comedian’s two new 60-minute sets, back-to-back nightly.

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NIGHTLIFE

Gig Guide JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO GIVES HIS TOP GIG PICKS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD

aving made waves with their country-tinged indie pop, Whitney play the Junction on the 25th – and get our top recommendation this month. The duo formed after the break-up of their previous outfit, Smith Westerns, in 2014; guitarist Max Kakacek was joined by vocalist and drummer Julien Ehrlich, and after only a couple of years they have arguably eclipsed the stature of their former band.

Whitney’s debut LP garnered critical attention for its combination of soul and breezy 60s/70s-inspired rock, while their sophomore offering promises to draw deeper from jazz and soul, finding Ehrlich and Kakacek growing as songwriters and musicians.

The Mercury-nominated jazz/psych/electronic meanderings of The Comet is Coming (on the 30th) would have been our top pick had the gig not sold out months ago, but bag a ticket if you can as this show promises to be epic. Also up at the Junction, fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and peerless political campaigner Billy Bragg plays three unique shows on consecutive nights (26 – 28 November). The first night’s performance features Bragg’s current set, which ranges across his 35-year career. The second sees Bragg perform songs from his first three albums: his punkrock debut Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy (1983), its similarly raw follow-up Brewing Up with Billy Bragg (1984) and Talking with the Taxman About Poetry (1986). The third performance sees Bragg perform songs from his second three albums: Workers Playtime (1988), the pop classic Don’t Try This at Home (1991) and the back-to-basics William Bloke (1996).

Our pick of events at The Blue Moon this month begins with the highly regarded State Champion, who bring their deranged country-tinged rock to Cambridge on the 3rd. It’s been a year since the release of their acoustic-leaning fourth album Send Flowers, a record that saw the band move into a tidier, tighter sound. Mutant delta blues artist Tim Holehouse appears on the 14th, joined by Malcom Tent and Naomi Randall; and Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something (psych, pop, glam rock, indie, all of the above – and lead by a mercurial talent) complete our Blue Moon recommendations when they play on the 18th.

A hectic month at The Portland Arms includes many highlights, and names that stand out for us include Big Joanie and Spector. Big Joanie (13th) are a black feminist punk band – like The Ronettes filtered through 80s DIY and 90s riot grrrl. Spector (11th), on the other hand, create enigmatic indie with killer choruses. Other notable nights at The Portland this month include Jamie Lenman (12th), The Ninth Wave (18th) and Penelope Isles (26th).

Jazz-rock legends Soft Machine play Storeys Field on the 14th.

R OB B ECKET T The Mouth of the South, Rob Beckett, is back on tour with new stand-up at the Corn Exchange on 13 and 14 November, with tickets priced £26. The host of the BBC’s All Together Now and team captain on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats, he also features on our screens in (deep breath) Would I Lie to You?, Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Play to the Whistle, Celebrity Juice and A League of Their Own. Plus he still finds time to present Dave podcast The Magic Sponge with Jimmy Bullard and Ian Smith. cambridgelive.org.uk

BRIGHTE R DAYS House music pioneer Tony Humphries is headlining the main room at Brighter Days’ end-of-year party at the Junction on 30 November. Humphries jets in from the US for a four-hour set at this shindig, which has a reputation as being one of the top club nights Cambridge has to offer. Expect disco balls, confetti cannons and lots of sequins and surprises. The event runs from 8.30pm until 5am and tickets start at £17 – snap up yours quick as it’s likely to sell out. junction.co.uk CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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NIGHTLIFE

7

DEC

HOS PI TAL ITY

CAMBRIDGE SOUL FESTIVAL

Known for its hard-to-beat atmosphere, top line-ups and friendly crowd, drum and bass night Hospitality returns to Cambridge Junction on 7 December, courtesy of the worldfamous Hospital Records.

S.P.Y. and Kings of the Rollers top the bill in the main room, along with sets from Nu:Logic, Grafix, Unglued, Bou, Saikon and Logistics, plus MCs Inja, Dynamite and Carasel.

The event starts at 10pm and runs until 6am, with advance tickets available from £20. junction.co.uk

Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band headline Cambridge Soul Festival at the Junction on 8 November. Washington moved from Indiana to England in the 1960s and quickly became a legend on the soul scene. His 1966 best-selling album, Hand Clappin’, Foot Stompin’, Funky Butt... Live! will be played live on the night.

Cult 1960s singer Bruce Lucas will perform hits by Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Otis Redding among others, while also on the bill is Samuel S Parkes, described by Motown legend Martha Reeves as, “the genuine spirit of Northern Soul”. Advance tickets are £19.50. junction.co.uk

LENNY HENRY Pioneering comedian and actor Lenny Henry looks back on his life in a live show at the Corn Exchange on 25 November. Cult children’s TV star, radio DJ, co-founder of Comic Relief and award-winning actor, he’s gone through many changes in more than four decades at the top. In the first half of the show he will provide a jam session of funny and sad memories of growing up in the Black Country, school, friendship and unashamed racism. In the second part, Lenny will be interviewed by broadcaster and author Jon Canter for further insights into his life and career.

Tickets start at £34.50. cambridgelive.org.uk

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

THE BIG SWITCH ON

The Big Christmas Lights Switch On takes place on Sunday 17 November, and Cambridge BID invites you to join in the fun and festivities. The event, sponsored

by Cambridge Independent, kicks off the festive season in style with Star Radio taking control of the stage and promising to entertain the crowds from midday onwards in the Market Square. There is a lively line-up from local schools, performing arts clubs, choirs and more, including a performance by the Rock Choir at 4.30pm. Channel your inner rock god and get ready to sing along!

Star Radio and Cambridge BID sought out a special guest to switch the lights on – this time it’s not a celebrity the duo searched for, but a local hero. They ran a competition on air and online, asking people to get in touch with a nomination for the community star they felt deserved recognition. Competition was tough, but a winner has been selected by the panel of judges, so come along to the Market Square to see who the lucky winner is!

STATION TREE SWITCH ON

This year a separate event is taking place on Thursday 14 November to officially switch on the Christmas Tree at Cambridge railway station. Join Star Radio Breakfast presenter, Josh Lovatt, to switch on the tree and officially kick off Christmas in the CB1 area. Festivities start at around 5pm, when Josh brings his decks and party tunes (and maybe the odd Christmas song) to the station and asks you to help celebrate the start of Christmas.

There will be a bar and some food stalls close by so grab a mulled wine and something to eat, and enjoy the evening! The lights will be switched on around 6pm

SUPPORTED BY CAMBRIDGE INDEPENDENT & STAR RADIO

MARKET SQUARE SCHEDULE 12PM

NETHERHALL COLLEGE

12.25PM

ON STAGE PERFORMING ARTS

12.50PM

PAULINE QUIRKE ACADEMY

1PM

STAGECOACH PERFORMING ARTS

1.40PM

ICKNIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

2PM

INSPIRATION DANCE

1.25PM

MILTON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

2.50PM

RAZZAMATAZ THEATRE SCHOOL

3.15PM

SPLITZ THEATRE ARTZ

3.40PM

VOCAL REMIX

4PM

BALLET CENTRAL

4.10PM

ROCK CHOIR – SING ALONG

4.50PM

MAYOR OF CAMBRIDGE AND STAR RADIO COMPETITION WINNER

5PM

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THE BIG SWITCH ON

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

WHAT IS LOVE CAMBRIDGE? Love Cambridge is developed by Cambridge BID to deliver events and projects designed to animate and entertain our city. These include the Love Cambridge gift card, open-air cinema nights, the Big Christmas Light Switch On, magazines, maps and more. Follow Love Cambridge on social media to keep up to date with what’s going on in Cambridge this season.

LoveCambridge_ Love Cambridge lovecambridge_ love-cambridge.com

LOVE CAMBRIDGE LOVE CHRISTMAS MAGAZINE Out in November, the Love Cambridge Love Christmas magazine is the onestop shop for all your Christmas shopping needs. Packed with gift ideas for all the family, the magazine has something for everyone. There is also a chance to win a £250 Love Cambridge Gift Card, giving you an extra boost when buying those gifts, or just to treat yourself. Available to pick up for FREE at all Park & Ride sites, hotels, shopping centres, visitor information centre and many more locations.

SUPPORTED BY STAGECOACH

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W H AT ’ S O N

YOUR AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH

2 NOVEMBER

4 NOVEMBER

HAPPY MONDAYS

LEONARDO DA VINCI 1519-2019

One of the bands at the forefront of the Madchester music scene, Happy Mondays’ ramshackle ride with attitude is back, complete with Bez on ‘freaky dancing’.

7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange £35.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk

An art, history and science study day, considering a range of Leonardo’s artistic and scientific interests, within the historical context of his time.

9.30am-4.30pm | The Fitzwilliam Museum £45 adults, £40 children | cambridgelive.org.uk 4-9 NOVEMBER

3 NOVEMBER

THE LOVELY BONES

DAVE GORMAN The PowerPoint king is back with another show about the absurdities of the modern world that you never stopped to think about before.

8pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange £30.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk

Alice Sebold’s clever coming-of-age tale about life after loss. Susie is just like any other girl – but there’s one big difference: she’s a ghost.

7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.com

8-9 NOVEMBER

CAMBR I D GE OKTOBER F EST A welcome return of this German-themed celebration, with beer, schlager and sausage very much at the fore.

Over 18s only.

Times vary | Jesus Green | entry fee varies cambridgelive.org.uk

6-14 NOVEMBER

CAMBRIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL A series of concerts across the city that aims to give a full, accessible and fresh look at classical music, from choral pieces to percussion and much more.

Various venues, prices and times cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

2 NOVEMBER

8 NOVEMBER

WIM POLE NIG H T RUN Experience Wimpole in a new light, while burning off calories, too.

Have fun at your own running pace, raise funds for conservation work – and take a head torch.

6.30pm | Wimpole Estate | £7-£14 | eventbrite.co.uk

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RICHARD HERRING (PODCAST) The winner of multiple comedy awards for his Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances comes to Cambridge for a live recording of his podcast.

Previous guests include Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Sarah Millican and Steve Coogan.

7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange £20 | cambridgelive.org.uk

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W H AT ’ S O N

12 NOVEMBER

A C HE E S E MONG ER’S HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ISLES Ned Palmer, professional cheese taster, guides you through the history of cheese. Whether it’s a fresh variety or 18 months old, Ned says that “every cheese tells a story”.

6.30pm | Heffers bookshop | £7 | eventbrite.co.uk

9 NOVEMBER

13-24 NOVEMBER

26-28 NOVEMBER

THREE WINE MEN

CAMBRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL

BILLY BRAGG

While the Three Wine Men return with another selection of grape joy, this time Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin and Olly Smith will be joined by Susy Atkins, hosting A Splash of Gin. 1pm-8pm | The Guildhall | Tickets from £11.31 eventbrite.co.uk

Featuring The Brand New Heavies, Soft Machine, Richard Spaven, Jan Garbarek, John Mayall, Yazz Ahmed, films, workshops and so much more, in a comprehensive, fresh and vibrant festival.

Various venues, prices and times cambridgejazzfestival.info

The singer-songwriter who made waves with his stripped back sound and razor-sharp lyrics in the eighties plays three dates. One his current set, another featuring his first three albums and the final date his following three albums.

7pm | Cambridge Junction | £27.50 junction.co.uk

10 NOVEMBER

25 NOVEMBER

THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF

LENNY HENRY

A warming, wintery tale set in a village of knitters – fingers flicking, needles clicking and each new Christmas jumper tells a tale...

11.30am, 2.30pm | Cambridge Junction from £6 | junction.co.uk 12-16 NOVEMBER

From comedy hero to serious actor, Lenny Henry returns to the stage for a show of two halves.

First, he tells stories – funny and sad – from his past about family, school, friendship and racism.

In part two, Lenny is interviewed by Jon Canter.

7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange from £34.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk

Light up your nights as winter begins, with a great mix of colour, sound, nature and light at Anglesey Abbey. Meet at the visitor reception for a fab 1.5mile route. Under fives go free.

Various times | Anglesey Abbey from £11.15 | eventbrite.co.uk

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

26 NOVEMBER

29 NOVEMBER-1 DECEMBER

From the team that created The Play That Goes Wrong comes this latest tale of farce, insurmountable odds and plain silliness. The members of Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are up against it, yet again!

7.45pm, 2.30pm Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday | Cambridge Arts Theatre | from £20 cambridgeartstheatre.com

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EMELI SANDÉ This hugely popular, award-winning singersongwriter drops into Cambridge on the back of recent album Real Life, which features a bold, fresh and fearless new sound.

7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange from £38 | cambridgelive.org.uk

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29 NOVEMBER-1 DECEMBER

WINTER LIGHTS

CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL

The festival of the written word, from fiction to science, politics to the environment, and more.

Ian McEwan makes his solo debut at this edition.

Various times, venues and prices cambridgelive.org.uk

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CO M M U N I T Y H U B

PUNTATHON FOR PUDSEY 12-hour puntathon to raise funds for Children in Need takes place on the River Cam on 2 November.

Let’s Go Punting and the Traditional Punting Company are taking bookings for 12-seater tours from 8am to 8pm.

Each trip lasts one hour and your punt will be decked out in a polka-dot punt wrap from Footprint Signs and Graphics.

All ticket sales will be donated to the charity, and guests can bring their own food and drink and wear Pudsey-inspired dress if they wish. letsgopunting.co.uk traditionalpuntingcompany.com

Events, ideas and openings in and around Cambridge that are making our city a nicer place to live

FULL CIRCLE ull Circle is a new Cambridge Market stall and website that aims to help you help the planet. It’s the perfect place to find items that are plastic free, sustainable, ethical and free from animal products, and is open every day except Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to 4pm.

There’s a wide range of products to browse, including stylish rCUPs – reusable coffee cups that are, rather brilliantly, made from single-use coffee cups – plus truthbrushes and truthpaste that are free of plastic, with no toothpaste tube to simply throw away.

Full Circle also delivers to CB postcodes using bicycle or low carbon transport. fullcircleshop.co.uk

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CO M M U N I T Y H U B

R A D I O GAGA

PHOTO ME CAMBRIDGE 105 RADIO’S JULIAN CLOVER & LUCY MILAZZO EXPLAIN THAT WHEN IT COMES TO RADIO, THE PICTURES ARE ALWAYS BETTER here was a time when you’d go out and record an interview, then come back in order to edit it with razor blades and sticky tape, hoping you didn’t slice through a key moment in your conversation; or a piece of finger.

The Sony Pro Walkman looked like a brick, and was almost as heavy as one, but was incredibly durable. A colleague once had his bag stolen, and when it was recovered by police, it was returned complete with Walkman. The thieves clearly couldn’t face carrying it around all day, looking distinctly uncool. In earlier times, the Uher was a portable tape recorder. At least, as a colleague of ours said, it was a tape recorder.

These days you can often use a smartphone to record an interview,

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though it helps to have the Cambridge 105 Radio logo on your microphone, to stop you looking as if you’re waving your iPhone in the air and taking a selfie.

People will hopefully recognise the logo, if they don’t recognise you. On a visit to a village shop, a local asked Julian if he was “that Jeremy Sallis”. He was disappointed to discover he’d got the wrong radio station, though spoke very favourably about our BBC rival and colleague.

With the interview in the can, you’re still not quite done. Radio these days requires pictures that can be used on the station’s website or on social media. It even extends to video.

When guests come into Cambridge Breakfast of a morning they are sometimes shocked that we might want to take their

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picture. But by doing so we’re able to extend the life of the time they’ve spent with us.

The interview is posted on our website, as well as on RadioPlayer, Apple Podcasts, and many of the so-called ‘podcatchers’, so by using a picture we’re able to flag it up for another listen.

And if you follow Cambridge Breakfast on Facebook or Twitter you may have seen something called an audiogram. This is usually a clip from an interview or piece of the show, of no more than a minute, turned into an animation. You’ll see a wave moving in time with the music. The idea, of course, is to make you want to hear more; so radio really is becoming a visual medium.

Julian Clover and Lucy Milazzo present Cambridge Breakfast, Weekdays from 7am on Cambridge 105 Radio.

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CAMBRIDGE ON A PLATE • WINTER DINING GUIDE • CHEF’S TABLE • RESTAURANT REVIEW

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FO O D & D R I N K

A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRO GOINGS-ON AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE

CAMBRIDGE OKTOBERFEST

Dig out your dirndls and step into your lederhosen for Cambridge Oktoberfest on 8 and 9 November on Jesus Green. German beer, food and music come together in a heated tent that can hold 2,000 people. A specially brewed Bavarian beer will be served, together with traditional oompah music and schlager sounds from an authentic Bavarian band.

As for food, you can expect a selection schnitzel, bratwurst and pretzels to keep you going.

Entrance to Oktoberfest is free, except for the evening session on the 9th, when it’s £6. cambridge-oktoberfest.co.uk

WINT E R B E E R F E ST I VAL The younger sibling of the longest-running beer fest in the country is back from 13 to 16 November, when the winter Cambridge Beer Festival brings casks aplenty to the University Social Club on Mill Lane.

Expect ales of all kinds, big wedges of cheese, gallons of cider and much more. cambridgebeerfestival.com

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VEGAN VICE POP-UP AT THIRSTY AND HUNGRY If you’ve been missing the hugely popular pop-up at Ta Bouche, listen up: Vegan Vice has confirmed a weekend-long kitchen residency at King Street’s Thirsty and Hungry from 15 to 17 November. Earning rave reviews for its inventive vegan burgers, the Vegan Vice team can often be found in London for pop-ups, as well as Cambridge and the north.

The menu has yet to be finalised, but Thirsty owner Sam Owens, a carnivore, is highly impressed by the flavours.

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Food gets social AS THE GRAFTON’S NEW FOOD CONCEPT COMES TO FRUITION, WE PAY A VISIT TO SOME OF THE CENTRE’S NEW EATERIES AND FIND OUT WHAT ELSE IS ON ITS WAY

T H E DUCK T RUC K Preparing to open its doors in the upstairs food court at The Grafton is independent brand The Duck Truck. A regular at festivals with its neon-lit vintage Airstream vans, the company plans to open in Cambridge before this month’s out. On the menu, you’ll find crispy duck wraps slathered in hoisin sauce, pulled duck brioche buns with Asian slaw, and confit duck leg and pomegranate salad. You can also build your own feast, tailoring the base, veg and sauce to accompany your crispy duck. The duck fat chips with rosemary rock salt sound well worth a try as well…

THE BURGER PRIE ST Cambridge has more than its fair share of venues to get your gourmet patty fix and, as of this winter, there’ll be a new option to add into the mix. Opening on the first-floor food court at The Grafton, The Burger Priest offers high-quality burgers to your specification, as well as milkshakes, cocktails and more.

Keith Fox, director at The Burger Priest, has over 33 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, and says The Grafton team’s ambition to grow its independent food offering is what particularly appealed about bringing his concept to the shopping centre. “When we began speaking about the opportunity to come to The Grafton, it was immediately clear the management team and Legal & General (the owners of the shopping centre) are very ambitious with planning to improve the independent food offering”, he explains. “It was an opportunity we couldn’t turn down. We pride ourselves on delivering good, honest burgers and have grown quickly over the last two years. The Burger Priest will bring something completely different to The Grafton and we can’t wait to spread our wings in Cambridge later in the year.”

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CHI Bao fans of Cambridge, listen up! Chi is now open for business in the upstairs food court at The Grafton, making it the first bricks-and-mortar bao restaurant in the city. In addition to lusciously filled steamed buns, there are also banh mi rolls, amazing chicken wings, noodle and rice bowls, salads, bubble waffles and bubble tea.

Owner Aidan Tjinakiet is no stranger to the hospitality industry, his father having run Chinese restaurants for many years, including one (The Ambassador) that sat just outside The Grafton. “When I was a kid I used to basically live in this shopping centre” smiles Aidan. “Fifteen or 20 years ago, I remember how popular it used to be. You could barely get into the Burger King it was so busy. They’ve spent a lot of money on the centre itself. It’s looking good and we thought, ‘Yeah, we could be a part of that.’ We can offer something different, and hopefully help bring people in. I think it works well – having us and Amélie Flam-Kuche and Duck Truck coming in. These independents, it’s a point of difference, and hopefully they will make it a destination. Now there’s a few of us here, it’s really starting to pick up.”

Food-wise, you can expect a unique, modern, pan-Asian offering that incorporates Chinese, Japanese and Thai influences. “It’s not traditional,” explains Aidan. “It’s kind of modern Asian fusion – everything has our twist on it. It’s not your same old Asian flavours and we make all of the marinades here ourselves. Our house speciality is the beef bao, and the chicken wings are really popular, too.”

The restaurant is on the cusp of opening a second branch in a shopping centre in Watford, which begs the question, can we expect to see a Chi on every high street in the next few years?

“Not every high street, no” laughs Aidan.

“We want to keep it relatively local. We might expand to a maximum of six or seven restaurants, but we want to keep it personal.”

IMAGES Slow-roasted beef rib bao with spicy mayo, pickles, spring onions and jalapeños, and chicken wings tossed in sriracha, honey and soy glaze. Just some of the delicious pan-Asian offerings you can expect to find at Chi, located in the food court of The Grafton

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LA P IA ZZA With a successful Italian deli and cafe on Burleigh Street and now a flourishing eatery downstairs in The Grafton Centre, Alex Signorelli is relishing bringing a little slice of his motherland to Cambridge. But he didn’t always have a passion for the hospitality industry.

“I grew up in a family of professional restaurateurs and I hated every moment of it!” he laughs. “I was finishing school and having to go to straight to work in the evenings where we lived in northern Italy. When we came over to England when I was about 13, the family set up a restaurant in Colchester, and again, I was working there constantly and never really had time to enjoy growing up. So, I promised myself I’d never go into it…”

Determined to make good on this, Alex went off to university and got a corporate job, but it wasn’t long before the call of the stoves returned. “At one point I just thought to myself, I want to go back,” he recalls.

But this time, he wanted to do it differently, importing his own products and baking on site. Signorelli’s opened two and a half years ago, instantly becoming a hit for its delicious patisserie, gourmet sandwiches, Italianstyle pizzas and melty arancini. When the opportunity arose for a second branch in The Grafton, he jumped at the chance. Located on the ground floor of the shopping centre, by the foot of the escalators, La Piazza has already animated this large space into a buzzing meeting spot.

“I wanted to create a typical Italianstyle square, with a Mediterranean approach: tapas, cocktails. It’s one fixed price for two terracotta pots – one side and one main, or you can get a Mediterranean tasting platter, which is three pots. One of our house specials is the parmigiana, which is great, and our Tuscan sausage and mushroom lasagne is going down a storm, too,” says Alex.

As well as the tapas and hearty Italian mains, you can grab a scoop of gelato, plus there’s a well-stocked bar with interesting spirits from all kinds of indie distilleries, and craft beer from Alex’s home town. There are also cocktails on offer, including a Frangelico and limoncello number which sounds ideal for a quick pre-cinema tipple.

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IMAGES La Piazza on the ground floor of The Grafton, plus some of the delicious treats on offer, including pistachio cannoli, black forest cheesecake, and a speck and fontina sandwich

SKEWER

Offering authentic Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine, Skewer is another independent local brand bringing its food to The Grafton this year. It’s the second eatery for owners Ali Karakilic and Murad Temel, who also run the successful BBQ Grill N Bar restaurant near Cambridge train station, and plan to offer “an upmarket Turkish experience with Mediterranean flavours”, including sumptuous meze and moussaka, plus cocktails and wine to drink. “We’re very excited to be opening Skewer at The Grafton and being the first Turkish restaurant to come to the shopping centre,” says Ali. “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback about our food and service at BBQ Grill N Bar and we see this as the next step for us. We believe Skewer is going to be bigger and better and will deliver a real authentic Turkish experience. We can’t wait to work with the team at The Grafton to bring our vision to life.”

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

A TEATIME TREAT THIS FESTIVE SEASON Add a little sparkle to your winter with a luxurious Christmas afternoon tea at Parker’s Tavern is the season for indulgence, and there’s nowhere better for eating, drinking and merrymaking this winter than Paker’s Tavern at the University Arms Hotel. As well as a splendid festive feasting menu, the restaurant has given its afternoon tea a seasonal twist, offering a lavish Christmas treat to be enjoyed by a roaring fire in the oak-panelled library.

As with all of Parker’s Tavern’s culinary offerings, the menu draws on tradition and heritage, while adding a playful spin all of its own. Guests begin with savoury treats, including delicate crayfish pastry boats, fresh-from-the-oven sausage rolls, and sandwiches filled with smoked salmon, cucumber slices and turkey with lashings of cranberry sauce.

The tier above yields billowing clouds of freshly baked scones, ready to be smothered with clotted cream and homemade lemon curd or plum jam, and then it’s on to the top tier, which offers an array of artful, sugar-dusted creations. Among them are a dainty orange and cardamom cake with chantilly and candied orange, and a pastry tart filled with mincemeat jam and brandied custard. There’s also the Parker’s Tavern take on Ferrero Rocher: a handcrafted dome of dark chocolate praline ganache coated in milk chocolate glaze on feuilletine biscuit, finished with a dusting of gold leaf. The crowning glory is the paris-brest: a classic French pastry

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that takes its name from a famous cycling race, created with almond choux, praline cream and almond nougatine.

Be sure to save some space for the final flourish, a wedge of Duke of Cambridge tart. Sharing similarities with a bakewell tart, our city’s take on this

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ABOVE A white chocolate snowman macaron nestles among the other sweet treats available at Parker’s Tavern

dessert has richly candied lemon and orange peel encased in a crisp and sticky biscuit base, combining bitter and sweet flavours with alchemic deliciousness. If you simply can’t eat any more, the staff are happy to package up the leftovers in a smart yellow Parker’s Tavern box to take away, along with a home-made gingerbread man for the road.

To drink, there’s an extensive range of teas on offer, from malty assam to muskysweet darjeeling, or you can add a crisp glass of champagne.

The afternoon tea launches Monday 18 November and is priced £29, or £40 with champagne. Mention “Cambridge Edition” to receive a complimentary glass of prosecco when purchasing the festive afternoon tea.

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The inside scoop AT JACK’S GELATO, ICE CREAM IS MORE THAN JUST A SUMMER TREAT; IT’S A YEAR-ROUND WAY OF LIFE WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHARLOT TE GRIFFITHS

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FO O D & D R I N K ce cream might not be the first treat on your mind in the colder months, but it’s time to have a rethink. The perfect moment to visit Jack’s Gelato is 11am on a winter’s day: soft morning sunlight pouring through the sash window and open door, gentle background beats providing a restful soundtrack and one or two members of Jack’s team pottering around the justopened shop, gearing up for the day ahead.

Occasionally the tranquility is broken by a new student or tourist stepping up to the counter, bewildered by options – but they soon wander out again, happily clutching a cone of the newest flavour on the wall, leaving you alone to enjoy this temple of frozen delights.

Though you’re guaranteed to encounter an array of extraordinary flavours all year round, one thing you are less likely to see in the winter is Jack van Praag himself, the creator of this ten-yearold Cambridge institution. If Jack’s there, he’ll be in plain sight serving customers or possibly hidden below stairs, tinkering with a recipe – but if he’s not in the building, then your guess is as good as mine. He might be reading in a hammock on a beach in South Africa, recovering from a solo skydiving class, running in the mountains of the Pyrenees, or scoping out the eastern coast of America for iced inspiration.

Travelling is one of the activities that Jack saves for the winter months, when owning his own business enables the former chef to take time out and explore the world.

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“I don’t really like routine. Before I would do two, three years somewhere, then after two years I’d want to move on.

It’s different when you’re in a restaurant: you’re in the same place, doing similar things every day, and it’s easier to get bored. But here, every day is different.

There’s not really an average week. This time last week I was cycling from Beirut to Jordan – this time next week I’ll be in the south of France – this week I’m having tea with you,” he grins, over cups of earl grey in the Senate. “Travel gives me perspective on my life, my business; I always come back with new ideas.”

When Jack is in the country, the calmer pace of the cooler months is definitely appreciated. “At the moment the shop’s busy, but not crazy, and there’s no events on – so I can wake up, go for a run, come back, shower, meditate and head in – I love it.” Jack says. “I can open my book, work out what I want to focus on – recipe development in the shop, sorting this or that out – rather than being pulled along.”

Summer as a gelatician is a different experience: for the past few years, Jack hasn’t taken a day off between April and September. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s visited the shop in the warmer months, when queues often stretch far down Bene’t Street. “I’d say 90% of our business is in the summer, but it’s essentially two, three different businesses,” he explains: “We have the unit where we do wholesale and events from, and the shop where we do retail – but they’re different things. That’s the tough bit. There are plenty of weekends in the summer when we’ll be scooping at five different locations simultaneously: the

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J ACK ’S SCOOP S Regular visitors to Jack’s Gelato will have spotted that his plastic spoons are a thing of the past: replaced with smooth bamboo sticks for tastes and cup-based ices. “That’s taken years,” he says. “I hate those normal wooden spoons, made out of birch – they’ve got a texture on the tongue, they taste of wood – they’re just horrible. So that wasn’t an option. Bioplastic wasn’t an option either: we looked into it and it needs to be processed properly, it’s not compostable like a lemon peel is – and Cambridge doesn’t have those facilities yet. So we got these bamboo ones, which are smooth and tasteless – but we had to get them custom made, and buy half a million of them, which is about 20 years’ worth. It took a while, but we did it, and now they’re all in my attic,” he laughs. “The amount of time, effort and investment in one tiny little aspect of the business – we don’t bang the drum about it, but we do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

“It’s the variety and intensity of flavours that keep Jack’s gelato at the forefront of Cambridge’s mind” shop, a wedding, a festival, something else somewhere else – and each event often has their own flavour… coordinating all of that can be a bit overwhelming - but we have a fantastic team of people to help,” he says.

“There can be weekends where we have 35 different flavours coming out of the unit.”

It’s the variety and intensity of flavours that keep Jack’s Gelato at the forefront of Cambridge’s mind: the list genuinely does change every day, with no single variety as a constant (“the tourists ask for the most popular flavour, and you have to say ‘ah, but the flavours change every day’”). You might encounter Lebanese sesame – a creation dreamed up on his most recent trip to the Middle East – or mille-feuille; or cinnamon and

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Bramley apple ripple. When I stop back a week later to take photos, there’s a vegan poached pear and ginger, five-day cultured yoghurt, roasted Macadamia nut, and chocolate fudge ripple.

This ever-changing list gives Jack and his team flexibility to experiment with wild combinations of flavours, but there’s never been a type that’s “tanked”, as Jack explains – it just depends on what individuals like or don’t like. “The only time it’s ever rattled me was at a wedding, where I’d left the stand to fetch something and heard a guest say that the salted licorice was disgusting. I stopped, backtracked and said: ‘Care to elaborate on that?’ and he said: ‘It’s just so… licorice-y’. That’s actually the perfect

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example: Scandis or people who’ve spent a lot of time there love salted licorice, but it’s not for everyone. It’s the same with the alcoholic flavours: some people find them too much, some people go nuts for them.

There’s a family who live about 30 miles away – whenever they see a new [alcoholbased] flavour come up, they drive down and get double scoops of each.”

Next year will mark ten years of Jack scooping on the streets of Cambridge, and 20 years of working in food. He grew up in Cambridge, starting working life as a cycle courier – the pre-internet, nondigital equivalent of an email. “I loved it,” he says. “I was 16, it was the summer between my GCSEs and my A-levels, and I was really into cycling – and we were

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FO O D & D R I N K IMAGES Gelato recipes at Jack’s change every day; Jack put a huge amount of time and effort into sourcing the new, biodegradable bamboo gelato spoons

firing documents all over the city. You’d have your messenger bag and your radio, and you’d hang out on Parker’s Piece while waiting for jobs – there were, like, 30 of us… you’d wake up in the morning, radio in – 2-8, ready to work – and then they’d tell you where you’re going and you’d sprint across town. I definitely have a long history with bicycles,” he laughs.

After Jack’s A-levels, the impulse to travel kicked in: a gap year and trip to California led him up the West Coast of America to Vancouver, where he decided to stay for a season in Whistler – which is where the chef first entered a kitchen as a professional. “I was just doing it as a means to an end to fund my snowboarding,” he says, “but it was better than washing cars and cleaning hotel rooms. Working in a car wash in Canada, in the winter, it’s… hard work,” he smiles.

“When I did come back [to the UK] I carried on working in kitchens, then decided to take it seriously and started working in better places. Then I opened Cotto with Alison, sold it to Hans and Ruth a few years later and moved to Paris – and then came back two years after that when Mattie, my daughter was born.”

And it was then, ten years ago, that Jack started wondering if creating and selling gelato might be easier than working in restaurants. “It is now, but it wasn’t for the first few years,” he says. “In a restaurant you might work 80 hours, but you never work through the night – and in the early years of [Jack’s Gelato], I’d do countless all-nighters – even double all-nighters. I did a 54-hour shift once… I had wholesale orders, and it just needed to be done.”

For the next few years Jack’s custom ice-cycle became a fixture at street food events and weddings, and part of the routine of a sunny weekend in Cambridge was checking Twitter to find out where he’d be scooping. Although the work was back-breaking, it was Jack’s continual presence – and, of course, commitment to creating excellent products – that led to him getting the lease on Bene’t

Street when it came up in 2017. “The estate agents basically wrote us off, but the college that owns it gave us the lease because the bursar knew us from around Cambridge,” he says. “The estate agent was like: ‘You can’t just do ice cream – there’s never been a shop in Cambridge that’s only done ice cream and survived. Are you sure you don’t want to do waffles?’”

Thanks to the hard work of Jack and his team, the business is thriving, all year round: warmer months see queues of icecream lovers stretching down the street or dropping by for a late night scoop to finish off an evening out, while cooler months see fewer, but just-as-dedicated fans of frozen treats dropping in to the shop for a cone or cup of hot chocolate.

The relaxed yet purposeful atmosphere encountered in the shop is mirrored in the business plan: Jack’s never taken investors or partners, preferring to grow it himself, quietly, steadfastly, and enjoying the flexibility offered by working on his own. “Any investor is naturally going to be bottom-line driven, and I wanted to be able to close for a few days without running it past anyone,” he says.

“Plus if I had an investor, they’d be like: ‘Right – where are we going to open next?

We’re going to open one in Oxford, we’re going to open one in London, one in Bath – and I don’t want that. We will do more stuff, but I’d prefer to open a shop in…” he looks around the room: “Copenhagen,

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JACK’S GELATO GLOBE JACK KEEPS A LIST OF INTERNATIONAL GELATERIES OF NOTE ON HIS GOOGLE MAPS: IF YOU’RE HEADED OFF TO FOREIGN CLIMES AND ASK NICELY NEXT TIME YOU’RE IN HIS SHOP FOR A SCOOP, HE MIGHT JUST GIVE YOU SOME RECOMMENDATIONS...

Pica in Rome Fata Morgana in Rome San Stefano in Bologna Gelupo in London Their white truffle is insane Gelato Messina in Australia They’ve got their own dairy farm, they’re going back to basics and doing some seriously amazing stuff

for example – and make a quarter of the amount of money that opening a shop in Oxford would. We’re a stable business now: we don’t have to worry about where the next months’ rent’s coming from, so we don’t have to juice every pound out of it – let’s have some fun.”

And it sounds like that fun might not always be of the frozen variety. “While on the bike in Lebanon I had time to think – this is one of the best things about going away, the perspective it gives you: ideas just bubble up,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about a charity project based around falafel. I was blown away by the falafel in Israel; it’s just unbelievable – so I want to do something that’s completely focused on charity, none of this ‘5% of our profits’ and so on – one where no-one involved has any kind of financial stake or incentive.” His bike-based Lebanese ponderings quickly moved into action when back in Cambridge, with Jack heading to Mill Road to buy chickpeas and fava beans for recipe development in the kitchens. “I popped down and talked

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to Leo at Steak & Honour, and asked to borrow the restaurant for an evening – he said yes – so that’s just how this idea’s happening, fast and quick. Turns out it’s quite hard to make a good falafel,” he laughs, “but we’ll get there.”

With exciting side projects in the works, a stable and thriving business on one of the busiest streets in Cambridge and a presence at most foodie events throughout the summer months – it sounds like Jack’s in a good place.

“My 20s were very much about hardcore being in the kitchen, learning how to cook: my 30s have been about Mattie, and running my business – so my 40s, I do see being more about a larger purpose.

I’m going to try putting more energy into that over the coming years.” And what would he say to himself at the start of his gelato journey, ten years ago, with all this ahead of him? Jack laughs, quietly: “I’d probably tell myself not to do it – if I’d known what I was in for, I probably wouldn’t have done it.” He smiles: “But now, I’m glad that I did.”

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FO O D & D R I N K CHEF’S TABL E

Rice & easy ALEX RUSHMER RECALLS HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT MAKING RISOTTO. BUT IS THIS WINTER CLASSIC AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS?

t took an hour and a half of near constant stirring, but the first risotto I ever made was a reasonable success.

Aside from the temporal commitment, of course. I realised my mistake several years (and several thousand risottos) later. It was my first sojourn into the real world – a generously appointed kitchen in a shared house in west London. Fresh out of university and brimming with ideas, a gastronomic curiosity that could not be sated, I made chicken stock and dutifully stored it in the freezer, little cubes of bouillon ready and waiting to be used for ‘enriching a sauce or making a quick noodle soup’ or whatever else the cookbook had said. I went for risotto.

I missed the instruction saying it’s necessary to use stock at a gentle boil when adding to the rice, and instead plopped a large dice of frozen stock into the pan every time it looked a little dry. Thankfully, I’ve learned a few things since then.

My second lesson in making risotto was more pressured and came a few years later in the kitchen at Le Calandre, a restaurant in Padua, Italy. It’s owned by Max Alajmo who, at just 28, became the youngest-ever chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. I was tasked with cooking the restaurant’s signature dish for the chef and his brother, aided only by a quick run-through, some brief words of wisdom (mostly in Italian) and an abstract drawing of a cross-sectioned plant. A young chef de partie was on hand if I got terribly stuck, but mostly it was up to me to recreate what seemed to be the simplest dish on the restaurant’s fifteen-course tasting menu.

And that’s the thing with risotto: it is, in essence, very simple, but that also means there is nowhere to hide. A badly made risotto is a slog to eat, mouthful after mouthful of too stodgy, too wet, too crunchy or too dry rice. Seasoning is a tightrope and needs to be done cautiously, often and with a delicate hand. Additions need to be made at precisely the right time in order to ensure adequate doneness of shellfish, vegetables, herbs or meat. Those last couple of ladlefuls of stock need to be dribbled with care and the final flourish of butter and cheese mustn’t negatively affect the cuisson of the rice or the texture and seasoning of the finished dish.

There are so many potential hurdles that anyone thinking of adding a risotto

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to the menu of a three Michelin-starred restaurant needs to be absolutely confident in both their ability and that of their cooks.

Thankfully, my efforts were deemed worthy. Max and his brother insisted the dish was as good as that which graced their menu. Consequently, I’ve made every risotto in exactly the same way ever since, both at home and at the restaurant, where it often finds its way onto the menu, especially at this time of year when we yearn for food that is comforting, warming and wholesome.

Ever mindful of the increasing trend towards veganism (at Vanderlyle we serve around a dozen vegan diners a month), we’ve even developed a completely dairyfree version that eschews the traditional cheese and butter for ingredients that are entirely plant-based and result in a dish that is virtually indistinguishable from the traditional recipe, although whether it would pass muster in Italy remains to be seen.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY © CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

RECIPE

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S E RV E S WORDS BY ALEX RUSHMER

Risotto Milanese This is a near replica of the dish I cooked at Le Calandre back when I filmed MasterChef ten years ago. It is traditionally accompanied by slow-cooked veal shin and a sharp gremolata but also makes for a satisfying dish when paired with nothing but itself. Don’t be shy with the saffron; not only does it lend a beautiful colour but the scent and flavour is so important to the dish that it’s a shame to scrimp. Although it’s slightly more expensive, I’ve found Iranian saffron to be the best available.

INGREDIENTS

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

• • • • • • • • • • •

• Bring the stock to a gentle boil in a saucepan and leave over a gentle heat. The stock should be near boiling but not boiling too ferociously so as to evaporate. Add a tablespoon of stock to the saffron in a small bowl.

• Add the olive oil, shallots and garlic to a saucepan and cook gently over a low heat for 20 minutes to soften; but do not allow them to colour. Add the wine and boil until the liquid has reduced to a volume about 1/5 of the starting quantity.

• Remove the shallot, garlic and wine mix from the pan into a small bowl and wipe out the saucepan.

• Add the rice and cook in the dry pan for three to four minutes to allow the grains to heat up but not to toast or colour. The hotter the rice, the faster it will absorb the stock.

4 banana shallots, peeled and very finely diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated 25ml olive oil 125ml dry white wine 200g risotto rice 1.5-2l good-quality stock 2g saffron threads Fine sea salt 30g unsalted butter 50g finely grated parmesan cheese Juice of half a lemon

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• When the rice is hot, add the shallot, garlic and wine mix back to the pan, stir briefly and then add two ladles of stock. It will boil immediately.

Stir and taste regularly. Adding a little salt often through the cooking process will result in a properly seasoned dish as opposed to one that tastes salty. Add stock incrementally as the risotto cooks, whenever the rice begins to look dry.

• When the rice is almost cooked, but still has a little bite (if you squeeze a grain, the central germ should split into three distinct pieces – total cooking time for the rice should be 12 to 14 minutes), remove from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan and saffron-infused stock.

Add a final half ladle of stock and stir rapidly to incorporate the fats.

• Season with salt, if necessary, and the lemon juice and serve straight away.

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RECIPE

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CA M B R I D G E O N A P L AT E

Eat, Feast, Fast THIS MONTH, DR SUE BAILEY DISCOVERS A FRUIT WORTHY OF THE KING ’S TABLE, WITH A 300-YEAR LINK TO CAMBRIDGE AND THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM

s you pass by the spiky, brightgolden pineapple ends on the black railings outside The Fitzwilliam Museum, you won’t find any bikes tethered to defile the historical site. But what is an enormous glowing yellow pineapple – lent by jelly makers Bompas & Parr – doing beside the somewhat affronted stone lions flanking the grand entrance to The Fitzwilliam Museum?

This symbolic fruit of welcome heralds a stunning exhibition that focuses on food in all its forms and is a feast for the senses, which is running from the end of November until mid-April. The ambitious interdisciplinary event not only includes hidden and newly conserved treasures, but also focuses on the physicality of food.

The creative elements linking the objects and art are the spectacular historical reconstructions, with food at the centre, produced by renowned food historian Ivan Day. Ivan is a scholar, broadcaster and writer, producing historic food recreations globally, as well as being a gifted professional cook and confectioner.

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For the exhibition, he has created a European feasting table replete with swan and peacock pies, plus a Georgian confectioner’s workshop with a pineapple ice cream mould among the display.

In addition, there is a Jacobean banquet featuring a beautiful sugar paste, tabletop version of the banqueting house at Melford Hall, including many disguised sugar foods, such as eggs and bacon, which draw in the senses to challenge the visitor to work out what is real and what is edible.

Dr Victoria Avery, keeper of applied arts at The Fitzwilliam, says: “One of the aims is to reanimate the objects and art work in the collection, and take people on a journey as to how these were actually used – for example, in Jacobean or Elizabethan times. Ivan has worked creatively, but accurately to interpret these, and the displays are visually stunning”.

Cultivation and consumption, together with the political, economic and cultural aspects of food, are linked to displays of preparation, equipment, early English cookery books, china, silverware and artistic inspiration.

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CA M B R I D G E O N A P L AT E

“Pineapples became so popular that growing them was a craze” The exhibition also aims to challenge the visitor to consider the religious and cultural ideologies around feasting and fasting, and how people make food choices, including examining early health and vegetarian movements. Dr Melissa Calaresu, historian at Gonville & Caius College and co-curator, tells me: “By the early 18th century, people were looking at vegetables in a different way. It wasn’t about putting lots of sauces, salt, sugar or spices on – it was letting the taste of the vegetable come through.”

But what of the pineapple? How can a fruit show power and status – and what have pineapples got to do with Cambridge?

Christopher Columbus first encountered the pineapple in Guadeloupe at the end of the 15th century, finding it to be incredibly tasty and full of health benefits. Botanist John Parkinson described its taste “as if rosewater, wine and sugar were mixed together”. Although young pineapple plants were shipped from the West Indies to be matured in England, it was not until the early 18th century that, thanks to Dutch expertise, the first pineapples were grown from scratch on English soil.

The Cambridge and Fitzwilliam connection stems from the Dutch-born politician and merchant Sir Matthew Decker, the maternal grandfather of Richard, Viscount Fitzwilliam, founder of The Fitzwilliam Museum. Sir Matthew was so pleased with his Dutch gardener’s triumph in growing a tropical fruit in English soil in 1715 that, five years later, he commissioned a portrait of his fully grown pineapple flourishing in an English landscape. This is owned by the Fitz and marks the celebration of three hundred years of pineapple growing in England.

For his services to the crown, Decker was knighted and, that same year, invited King George I to dine and taste his

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pineapple. Pineapples became so popular that growing them was a craze for the rich, and was a fashionable test of good gardening by the end of the 18th century.

Cambridge’s first professor of botany, Richard Bradley, was a good friend of Decker and published both botanical and cooking texts. These included the first recipes in English for “a Tart of the Ananas, or Pine-Apple from Barbados” and “Marmalade of Pine-Apples, or Ananas”. He also estimated it would cost £80 to grow a pineapple from planting to harvesting – equivalent to over £9,000 today – a symbol of wealth indeed.

Those who could not afford to grow their own could rent one for dinner parties, but they cost a guinea each, two if eaten. At Wimpole Hall, there is a pineryvinery and the remains of pineapple pits where, in the 19th century, 250 pineapples were being cropped each year for the table.

To celebrate this glorious fruit, Ivan Day has used his own 18th-century pineapple mould to recreate the ice cream picture in the book produced to coincide with the exhibition. “A lot of academic writing on food ignores the food – but you have got to get your hands dirty and understand the food by actually making it,” he says.

Ivan emphasises that his aim includes how to bring the objects to life.

“Confectioners carved their own moulds.

These people were highly creative, highly skilled – the kitchen staff were innovative, helped by skilled artisans who made the kit. What has driven me is to really understand what it was like.”

The exhibition is also aiming for engagement and involvement with a community-produced film, multisensory experiences and a creative public response zone (painted yellow) at the end of the exhibition. Visitors can include their memories of feasting and fasting and reflect that ‘eating right’ in early modern Europe was as complex as making food choices now, and that our contemporary concerns about our relationship with food are nothing new.

So, come and hunt the Cambridge pineapple – and celebrate food and artistry in all its dimensions.

Feast & Fast runs at The Fitzwilliam Museum from 26 November to 26 April

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

WAGAMAMA OPENS AT CAMBRIDGE LEISURE PARK We get the lowdown on the fresh flavours on offer at wagamama’s new branch in the city

s the autumn chill starts to set in, nothing appeals more than the idea of hearty, nourishing food. So, what could be better news than wagamama opening a second restaurant in Cambridge? Known and loved for its generously portioned and deliciously warming ramen dishes, it’s the perfect place to shelter from the weather and enjoy tasty, Japanese-inspired cooking.

Situated in Cambridge Leisure Park, the new wagamama is within easy reach for when you’ve worked up an appetite at the nearby gym or bowling alley – or serves as the ideal spot for a post-cinema meal. Plus, it’s only a short walk from Cambridge train station, making it a convenient lunchtime location for anyone working in the nearby offices.

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The Cambridge Leisure wagamama boasts a sleek interior, with hip neon signs, exposed stonework and an open kitchen, lending it a distinctly modern look. In keeping with its contemporary aesthetic, the restaurant is also accessible and inclusive for everyone. There is an extensive range of vegan and vegetarian dishes, and disabled and gender-neutral toilets,too.

On the menu, as well as classics like the gyoza and yakitori, you can also enjoy bang bang cauliflower with firecracker sauce, or light and crispy vegetable tempura. As for mains, one of the new additions to the menu is nikko curry.

Nikko means ‘sunshine’ in Japanese, and it certainly lives up to its name: a vibrant yellow bowl of coconut, lemongrass and

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turmeric soup bursting with flavour and full to the brim with vegetables and tofu.

If you have a sweet tooth, the dessert menu ranges from the iconic white chocolate and ginger cheesecake to the vegan mango and matcha layer cake, or even the unusual and indulgent smoked chocolate caramel cake. And that’s not even mentioning the extensive drinks offering. From juices and cocktails to loose-leaf teas, wagamama has something for everyone. wagamama Cambridge Leisure, Clifton Road, Cambridge, 01223 803448, wagamama.com

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FO O D & D R I N K

R E STAUR ANT REVIEW

The Eight Bells THIS TRADITIONAL 16TH CENTURY TIMBER-FRAMED PUB SERVES UP A SUNDAY ROAST TO WARM ANY CHILLY NOVEMBER WEEKEND

restaurant refurb is a hard thing to get right, and a restaurant refurb in a muchloved, Grade II-listed building in the heart of historic Saffron Walden is even trickier – but the Chestnut group has risen to the challenge and deftly updated The Eight Bells into a dining pub that’s going places.

Team Edition arrives late on a Sunday afternoon, invited to visit and try The Eight Bells’ roast dinners. A large party celebrating a 60th birthday are wrapping up their feast in the section of the bar to the right of the entrance, while the happy buzz emanating from the restaurant’s rear dining room suggests that lunch service is still in full flow. We step up to the bar, admiring the neon backlighting behind the array of spirits, and order drinks while our table’s prepared.

Walking through the low-ceiling area towards the back of the bar makes the big reveal of the dining room even more spectacular: the double-height, vaulted beamed ceiling of The Eight Bells’ main eating space is quite a sight, and genuinely made us stop in our tracks as we stepped into the room. Suspended from the roof by transparent wire are clusters of tiny plants in glass vessels: these rows of botanicals continue along the side walls of the restaurant with potted plants leading up to the dramatic foliage-inspired wallpaper

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at the end of the room. It’s quite a space, but not one they tend to use for events (which are big business at The Eight Bells, especially leading up to Christmas) – preferring to keep this majestic dining room for the locals to enjoy dinner in.

We’re shown to a table toward the back of the room, and presented with the Sunday lunch menu (plus some bread and butter to be getting on with): there’s the traditional choice of four roasted meats, plus other options including sausage and mash, fish and chips and a vegetarian orzo pasta. We stick with the classics and start with prawn cocktail and a celeriac soup, to be followed by roast chicken and roast beef, and settle down in the comfortable seats – with plenty of cushions on the banquettes for an even cosier experience.

The starters arrive: the soup is velvety and sweet and generously portioned, and piping hot – the prawn cocktail is precisely as it should be, served on a bed of crispy iceberg lettuce with a lemon wedge on the side. Our plates are cleared promptly by the still-cheery staff (who’ve already served nearly 120 guests by this point, including that large party in the bar) and it isn’t too long before the main event lands on our table – The Eight Bells’ roast dinners.

The chicken is moist and perfectly seasoned; the roast rump of beef has been slow cooked overnight to 58°, and can be served either medium rare or welldone – it arrives pink as requested, hidden beneath a towering Yorkshire pudding and

heap of vegetables. And what vegetables!

We counted peas, mange tout, kale, courgette, cabbage, swede, carrot-andswede mash AND a parsnip puree, as well as roast potatoes – all cooked very ably and deliciously buttered. The combination of the parsnip puree and the redcurrant jelly that the front of house staff bring to the table makes the dish taste like Christmas: no bad thing whatsoever, especially on a wintry Sunday.

Desserts are offered: we go for a cheeseboard, featuring Baron Bigod, Norfolk Dapple and Binham Blue cheeses – the trio of East Anglian cheeses perfectly representing Chestnut’s frequently-stated commitment to local produce – and a truly delicious apple and pear crumble that arrives in a small cast-iron pot that’s already full to the brim, with nowhere to add the accompanying cream or ice cream without making a mess – so we dive in, and make a mess.

We decline the offer of tea and coffee and step out into a now sunny East Anglian afternoon, pleasantly surprised and definitely full – like hundreds (if not thousands) of other diners enjoying the Chestnut group’s hospitality around our region. The Eight Bells’ stylish yet unobtrusive interiors are the perfect update to this 16th century inn, giving it a new lease of life for the start of the next decade of its story – and with a three course Sunday lunch for £26, it’s also a total steal.

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FO O D & D R I N K

WHAT:

Pub food that’s a cut above the rest in a 16th century timberframed pub

W H ER E:

18 Bridge Street, Saffron Walden

HOW MUC H ?

Three-course Sunday lunch for £26

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WINTER DINING GUIDE

AS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON FAST APPROACHES, WE’VE ROUNDED UP OUR TOP PICKS FOR FESTIVE EATS, NO MATTER HOW YOU’RE CHOOSING TO CELEBRATE

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WINTER DINING GUIDE IMAGES Dine on some tasty international dishes, such as the bucket biryani served with aubergine raita, guinea fowl and truffle naan from The Tiffin Truck. Or why not try some vegetarian tostones with guacamole and sour cream from La Latina Bustaurante?

DE LUCA

A reliably delicious choice for a meal out, De Luca is one of the longestrunning restaurants in Cambridge.

The secret to its enduring success is its indulgent, classic Italian food, but the upstairs piano and cocktail bar definitely helps keeps the punters coming back, too.

This Christmas, the restaurant is once again adding a seasonal spin to its menu, offering dishes like baked turkey breast stuffed with sausage meat and dates, plus panettone with pistachio and white chocolate creme for pud. It’s priced at £25 for two courses at lunch, or £32 for three courses at dinner – add a glass of prosecco for an additional £4, and don’t forget to mosey up to the top floor bar for a digestif.

TABANCO

International inspiration

Fans of Spanish food should get this excellent Green Street eatery on their radar, pronto. It opened its doors in the spring of last year, under the same ownership as both Cambridge burger restaurant Butch Annie’s and the acclaimed Drakes Tabanco in London’s Fitzrovia, and has been quietly building up an army of loyal fans. Stop in for a chilled glass of fino and avail yourself of the excellent tapas menu, which includes chorizo swaddled in rich red wine and honey sauce, fluffy, crunchy patatas bravas with creamy aioli, authentic Spanish tortilla and iberico pork cheeks with buttery mash and crispy shallots. Is your mouth watering yet?

IF THE IDEA OF TURKEY DINNERS AND CHRISTMAS PUD DOESN’T APPEAL, TAKE YOUR TASTE BUDS ON AN INTERNATIONAL ADVENTURE WITH A VISIT TO ONE OF THESE TOP SPOTS N O V E M B E R 2 019

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WINTER DINING GUIDE THE TIFFIN TRUCK

The sibling restaurant of fine-dining spot Navadhanya, The Tiffin Truck on Regent Street takes a more relaxed approach, offering Indian street food and craft beers. The tapas-style menu means you can try lots of dishes in one sitting, from classics like masala dosa to lesser-known gems such as sambar vada, a lentil doughnut in a hearty stew.

For something a little different, you can also enjoy TT’s twist on an afternoon tea, and there’s a range of Indian spiced cocktails on offer, too – ours is a chai martini.

LA LATINA BUSTAURANTE

On a grey, wintery day, bring a little Latin sunshine to your life with a trip to Cambridge’s first and only restaurant on a bus. You’ll find La Latina Bustaurante parked up at Cambridge Retail Park, providing a burst of colour and a breath of fresh air. Hop aboard this beautifully refurbished double-decker bus and take a seat for your feast, which should include the full trio of La Latina’s specials: tostones, empanadas and arepas. The perfect antidote to dry turkey and sprouts.

DON PASQUALE

This family run restaurant in the heart of the market square is offering an Italian festive feasting menu from late November until 23 December. As is traditional on Italian Christmas day, you can begin with an antipasti board laden with cured meats and cheeses, or go for the hearty option: a steaming bowl of minestrone with meatballs.

Main courses, meanwhile, include a fragrant lamb shank with rosemary on garlic mash, or a turkey escalope in a cream of porcini mushrooms, white wine and sage. The decadence continues on the dessert list, which features panettone bread and butter pudding, and chocolate and dark rum-soaked raisin mousse topped with crushed amaretto biscuits. It’s priced at £29.90 for three courses at dinner time, or £25.90 for lunch.

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WINTER DINING GUIDE

Cosy cafes

FOR QUICK CATCH-UPS WITH FRIENDS, REFUELLING MID-SHOPPING SPREE OR A MOMENT OF TEA-AND-CAKE INDUCED CALM AMONG THE FESTIVE BUILD-UP, THESE LOVELY CAFES WILL HIT THE SPOT

JAMAICA BLUE

With trips to the Lion Yard increasing at least tenfold for most Cambridge dwellers in the lead-up to Christmas, you’ll be needing a nice calm sanctuary to caffeinate and refuel in. Perfectly located on the ground floor of the centre (opposite JD Sports) is Jamaica Blue, a cheerful eatery with great coffee and an all-day food offering. From eggs benedict with jerk pork belly at brunch to a hearty lunch of chunky lamb moussaka or a vegan burger, it’s the ideal spot for a bite mid-shopping spree or a conveniently placed catch-up with friends.

RELEVANT RECORDS

Vinyl, board games, cocktails, coffee and cake combine at Mill Road’s Relevant Records, a favourite hang-out for Romsey towners. Downstairs is a mid-century modern living room crossed with a record store, while upstairs is a cosy cafe and gig space. Expect hearty brekkie (we love the Mexican: a comforting bowl of steaming potato, melty cheese and chorizo), handmade pizzas, ice cream and chunky sausage rolls.

IMAGES From poached eggs on toasted sourdough at Jamaica Blue to a four cheese and cured ham toastie at Café Foy, there are plenty of charming cafes to choose from

HOT NUMBERS

A Cambridge coffee house that needs no introduction, Hot Numbers now has three branches, but it was Gwydir Street where the story began. Named after a long gone record shop on neighbouring Kingston Street, visitors are greeted with a happy hum of customers, the sounds of jazz and the sweet aroma of freshly-ground coffee beans as they step through the doors. The food ranges from virtuous (smoothie bowls), to indulgent (thick wedges of cake, syrupy pancakes), and musicians often perform live in the evenings.

CAFÉ FOY

Everyone knows that Quayside’s fun in the sun, but it’s lovely in the winter, too – all twinkly lights on the river and cosy bars and cafes. One of our favourite spots in this corner of Cambridge is Café Foy, a cute-as-a-button independent eatery known for its epic toasties, scotch eggs, home-made cakes and brunches. If you’re planning a group night out, the cafe is offering a special drinks and Christmas canapes menu, which we think would make the ideal start to a festive knees-up in town.

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WINTER DINING GUIDE THE RUPERT BROOKE, GRANTCHESTER

Conclude a blustery ramble on Grantchester Meadows with a pint and a hearty lunch at The Rupert Brooke, one of Cambridgeshire’s loveliest rural pubs.

Unexpectedly modern inside, this smart venue boasts a beautiful conservatory dining room, striking rooftop terrace and a large, open-plan dining room, and the team is going all out with festive food and fun this year. For groups, there are the Christmas party packages, plus you can spend the big day itself there, enjoying a feast of smoked salmon mousse, roast turkey, sticky fig pudding and more, while someone else slaves over a hot stove and does the washing up for you.

THE THREE HILLS, BARTLOW

Ward off winter chills and retreat to The Three Hills, a venue that is the stuff cosy country pub fantasies are made of. Surrounded by gorgeous countryside on the Cambs-Essex border in Bartlow, this historic inn welcomes you in with roaring fires, leather armchairs and a book-lined snug, making staying for hours easy and leaving very unappealing. Lucky, then, that there’s a series of luxurious bedrooms across the car park, if you simply can’t tear yourself away. The pub is offering a Christmas party menu (starting at £24 for two courses), featuring vegetarian delights, a classic turkey dinner, plus a rather tasty-sounding mulled berry creme brulee for dessert.

Out of town treats

ALTHOUGH CAMBRIDGE TOWN CENTRE IS FULL OF EXCELLENT PLACES TO EAT, VENTURE JUST A LITTLE FURTHER AFIELD AND YOU COULD DISCOVER SOME HIDDEN GEMS

IMAGES If you travel out of town, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts. From Sunday roasts at The Old Crown Girton and Brix & Mortar, to local and seasonal vegetarian cuisine at 68 Market Street, there’s plenty to try

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WINTER DINING GUIDE BRIX & MORTAR, WHIT TLESFORD

This Whittlesford gem, which is open from brunch to dinner, specialises in seasonal dishes cooked over fire and inspired by produce from the area.

The Christmas menu is priced at £25 for two courses and £30 for three, and includes juniper smoked trout with orange and fried capers, or a Brix & Mortar take on the classic roast turkey with cranberry, rosemary roasties, sausage and bacon stuffing and wood-fired winter veg. The desserts are to die for, too, like chocolate truffle cake with milk crumbs and caramel ice cream.

68 MARKET STREET

This newly launched Ely restaurant focuses on locally sourced and seasonal produce, with a menu created by renowned chef Stuart Tuck. Taking a creative approach to vegetarian cuisine, the festive menu is available from 4 to 21 December (£27 per person for three courses) and includes dishes such as jerusalem artichoke soup with salsify chips, chestnut and squash wellington with celeriac dauphinoise and winter greens, and a sugar plum brulee. This restaurant has excellent eco-credentials: it promotes zero food waste and the building is carbon offset.

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THE OLD CROWN, GIRTON

A treat for Girton dwellers, but worthy of visitors from much further afield, The Old Crown got new owners and underwent a dramatic renovation in 2018, before coming under new management in the spring of this year. Happily, the quality has stayed consistently excellent, and this lovely country pub has settled into its groove, offering gorgeous interiors and elegant meals. The Christmas menu, available from late November and priced at £26 for lunch and £30 for dinner, includes braised ox cheek with horseradish mash, veggie wellington, and brioche and butter pudding with white chocolate and orange.

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A cosy cocktail den on Trinity Street, 2648 has plenty of treats to tempt you in this winter.

From quiet Monday evenings playing board games, to dancing the night away at the weekend, this underground venue has it all. There’s a new cocktail menu, plus new food choices – we’ve got our eye on the beef nachos and the arancini. For the festive season, 2648 is offering Christmas sharing platters that can be enjoyed either in the main venue or in the rather cool Secret Library and tequila den.

The venue is also putting on a Xmas disco every Wednesday and Thursday in December – so if you fancy a bop, head on down there to dance off all those turkey dinners. To top it all off, the team behind Wildwood Festival is bringing its enchanted woodland vibe to the bar, in the guise of Disco Underground, featuring none other than Mr Seb Fontaine.

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WINTER DINING GUIDE HOTEL FELIX

Girton’s glamorous Hotel Felix is a gorgeous spot for a Christmas feast, a romantic minibreak, an office party or a New Year’s Eve night out. The festive dining menu (priced from £22.50 for lunch, £38.50 for dinner) is available from 1 to 24 December, and includes Christmas classics like roast turkey with all the trimmings alongside indulgent crowd-pleasers, such as slow-cooked beef cheeks with truffle mash potato, plus veggie options like a mushroom and tarragon torte. If you’re entertaining kids over Christmas, check out the afternoon tea with Santa (8 and 15 December), or if just you want to get away from it, you can bag a Boxing Day escape for £65 per person. Call 01223 277977 or email Kerry at christmas@hotelfelix.co.uk for info or to book.

Gourmet feasts FOR A TRULY INDULGENT DINING EXPERIENCE, TURN YOUR FEET TO ONE OF THESE CELEBRATED LOCAL RESTAURANTS. AFTER ALL, IF YOU CAN’T INDULGE AT CHRISTMAS, WHEN CAN YOU?

RESTAURANT TWENTY-TWO

A sleekly restored Victorian town house on the banks of the Cam, Restaurant Twenty-Two has been flying since being acquired by owners Sam Carter and Alex Olivier in spring last year. Bold flavours, exciting ingredients and dishes inspired by the seasons are what diners can expect from a visit to this restaurant, as well as a team so knowledgeable and passionate that it’s impossible not to be swept up in the enthusiasm. Treat yourself this festive season and book in for an extra-special lunch with friends (three courses for £32.50 set menu or five-course tasting menu for £50). If there’s a large group, you can take advantage of the upstairs private dining space, the Chesterton Room, which seats up to 12 people.

HOTEL DU VIN

Great food, great wine and a handsome location on Trumpington Street make for a winning combo this Christmas at Hotel du Vin, where there are lavish dinners, party nights, overnight stays and more in store. We love the sound of the festive afternoon tea (chocolate truffle Christmas pudding and champagne? Yes, please!), and the New Year’s Eve gala, which includes a slap-up feast, DJ and dancing until the small hours. You can also enjoy the three-course menu (27 November to 24 December), with duck liver parfait with plum and figgy chutney, daube of beef provençale, and chocolate and clementine yule log with coconut ice cream.

It’s priced at £29.95 Sunday to Wednesday and £34.95 Thursday to Saturday.

PARKER’S TAVERN

The Telegraph called it “clever and charming” while The Guardian’s Jay Rayner said you simply “won’t want to leave” – it can only be Parker’s Tavern, a restaurant so singularly crowd-pleasing that it became the jewel in Cambridge’s restaurant scene within weeks of opening its doors. Stylish interiors, killer cocktails and a decadent (but fun) menu make it a winner every time, and the festive season is no exception.

For larger groups, there’s the ballroom, with echoes of a college dining hall, which can accommodate up to 200 people. Get dressed up and enjoy a Christmas feast that includes pheasant wellington, roast Norfolk bronze turkey and Christmas pudding trifle.

IMAGES The festive season marks an abundance of delicious, indulgent food. Treat yourself to festive afternoon tea at Hotel du Vin, or perhaps a cocktail (or two) at the bar in Parker’s Tavern

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B E AU T Y

WORDS BY DAISY DICKINSON

remember when the rose gold trend first came around with the introduction of the iPhone 6S. Consumerism went bonkers and suddenly everything – including beauty products – was dripping in a pretty metallic frosting. A few years and fashions later (marble, unicorns and mermaids, anyone?) I feel that rose gold, much like the same iPhone 6S I still use, is very much pretty enough to be “a thing”. With the festive season almost upon us, it’s the perfect time to embrace this shimmering trend and add a little lustre to your look.

For styling tools worthy of Instagram, the T3 SinglePass Luxe Straightener (£145, spacenk.com) is just dreamy. Forget about ghds, this ceramic-plated beauty can straighten, curl and shape and is set in white and rose gold with five adjustable heat settings. For a budget-friendly option, Lily England’s Deluxe Hair Straighteners in rose gold (£34.99, lilyengland.com) work wonders to banish frizz and smooth hair, with rounded handles that make it easy to create curls and volume.

Fit for any magpie, the Lily England Face Makeup Brush Set in Rose Gold, (£24.99, lilyengland.com) is perfect for beauty beginners and professionals alike and would make a gorgeous Christmas gift. This five-piece vegan and cruelty-free make-up brush set includes brushes to apply foundation, powder/bronzer, blush/ highlighter and eyeshadow plus an angled brow brush with spoolie, all wrapped in a white and rose gold cosmetics bag.

For skin, the Foreo UFO (£249, spacenk.com) comes in three gorgeous

colours; mint, fuchsia or pearl pink, with a beautiful rose gold centre responsible for delivering a 20-minute sheet mask in just 90 seconds. Using Foreo’s mini masks, the UFO activates ingredients along with cooling, heating, T-Sonic pulsations and LED light therapy for spalevel bliss. Slightly cheaper for the pocket, T-Zone Rose Gold Peel Off Mask (£3.95, Superdrug) is fab for brightening skin, promising to help unclog pores. Or try the MasqueBAR Rose Gold Foil Peel Off Pod (£3.99, Next); in super-cute packaging it’s fab for travelling and leaves skin soft and supple. Another favourite in the sheet mask aisle is Seoulista Beauty Gold Glow Instant Facial (£14, soulistabeauty.com), with primrose oil and rose oil extract for a restorative, anti-ageing treatment.

I love to follow a sheet mask with an oil and the Rose Gold Oil from Jane Scrivner (£30, janescrivner.com) is packed with rose oil for soothing and reducing redness, and jojoba for balancing and hydrating.

Before using any masks, exfoliating is a must; to allow the product to reach new skin, sloughing away the dead cells is crucially important. Adarci is a vegan and cruelty-free brand with Radiance Enhancing Exfoliator (£64, adarci.com), which uses AHAs to break down skin cells. It harnesses fennel seed oil, frankincense oil, and Persian lime oil for a therapeutic and nourishing experience.

THE ONE THAT I WANT I’m a total sucker for packaging, and new luxury brand Dear Dahlia has just launched in the UK, with ridiculously beautiful packaging. Rose gold and marble surround each of the products in the line, including beautiful lipsticks at £28, plus all products are vegan and cruelty free!

Elsewhere, Kat Von D brings a touch of luxury to eye makeup with her Creamfoil Long-wear Eyeshadow in Crystal Rose (£17, Debenhams). This pretty pinky gold can be applied using fingertips for a super sheen, or a brush for a more subtle glow.

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Re:Fresh SIOBHAN GODWOOD FINDS OUT HOW THIS MILL ROAD SALON IS CHANGING THE FACE OF HAIRDRESSING IN CAMBRIDGE

n the past couple of years it feels as though there has been a real shift in the way people think about natural, organic and eco-friendly products, from what we eat to what we use on our skin and hair. This change has been very clear to Hollie Meddings, a Cambridgebased hair stylist; for her it’s changed not only the way she lives, but the way she works, too.

Hollie was diagnosed with skin cancer a few years ago, and had started to look into the chemicals in all the products she was using on herself and on her clients.

This led her to becoming more aware of our impact on the planet – particularly in terms of packaging. “When I first started doing my research into natural and ethical haircare, there wasn’t that much around.

That’s changed hugely; people have started being much more aware of the impact of chemicals on their health and wellbeing.

Lots of industry professionals like myself don’t want to use these products on our clients, but equally we don’t want to be coming into contact with them all day in our work.”

Hollie was looking for a salon of her own where she could put what she’d learned into practice. Luckily, the owner of the salon where she worked wanted to sell, so in 2018 Hollie and her colleague Vanessa took on the lease, and it became Re:Fresh.

“The challenge then became finding organic and ethically sourced products at scale to use in the salon, and looking into other ways to make the business as environmentally friendly as possible.”

Many of the small companies that Hollie discovered when she started looking for cleaner products have really grown, as more and more people have started to seek out natural alternatives. And because

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the salon is independent, Hollie has been able to cherry-pick her favourite products from different ranges. She’s even kitted the salon out with towels that are kind to the planet, made from sustainable bamboo and completely compostable. The teas and coffees that she serves in the salon are organic and ethically sourced, and all the packaging she uses is made from recycled plastic and is recyclable.

“I already had quite a few vegan clients, as none of the products I use are tested on animals, so I had a base of customers that were thinking in similar ways to me,” says Hollie. “But we’ve really noticed an increase in people who are starting to change the way they think about what they put on their bodies.

Also, I’ve got customers who wouldn’t

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IMAGES The salon has a fresh, clean look that goes well with Hollie’s eco-friendly ethos. Services on offer include refillable shampoo and conditioner

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necessarily have thought about seeking out organic or eco-friendly haircare, but are really happy when they find out that’s what I’m using, and that they’re still getting their hair done in the way they want. So I’m changing a few hearts and minds along the way, which is great!”

Along with looking after the planet, Hollie’s other big focus was slightly closer to home, and involved looking after herself and the people that she works with. “In most salons you work on commission and it’s quite hard to earn over a certain barrier. You feel bad about taking days off and holiday, too, as it’s always a worry that your clients will switch to another hairdresser. So when the team at Re:Fresh sat down to discuss how we would like the salon to run, we came up with an idea where we all – including myself and Vanessa, my co-owner – pay the same amount in the business, as a weekly rent.

So the salon itself isn’t profit-making, and Vanessa and I don’t make a profit from the other members of staff, but we’re creating a sustainable work environment for us all as a team.”

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“I’m changing a few hearts and minds along the way!” to the salon because of the system. “We all work together, and help each other, because we’re not in competition,” says Hollie. “We can take time to be with our families and friends, so that we have a healthy work/life balance, and don’t have to work non-stop for fear of losing money or customers. Re:Fresh is a healthy place to work, not just because of the products we use, but because the way we work contributes to a happier and healthier way of life.”

All of this innovation by Hollie and Vanessa has helped make Re:Fresh a really appealing salon; customers comment on the calming, happy feel of the place. And it has a unique look, too, with its clean, fresh lines and light, airy atmosphere – quite different to the look of other salons. Add to this the contented, supportive staff and the

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absence of harsh chemicals and harmful plastics, and you get a place that makes its customers feel as well as look better.

Hollie really seems like a woman on a mission – and she has plenty more ideas to continue improving her salon. “I’m constantly looking into new ways to make the business more ethical and kinder on the planet – at the moment I’m trying to find ways that we can use less water, and we’re setting up a refill station so you can bring in empty bottles of our shampoos and conditioners and get them refilled.”

Re:Fresh might be a salon that’s very ‘of the moment’, but Hollie has her eyes fixed firmly on the future – not only the future of her team and her customers, but of the planet.

Re:Fresh | 16A Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AD | 01223 464064 | refreshcambridge.com

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SIXTH FORM SPECIAL•LONG LIVE COMMUNITY LEARNING•SPOTLIGHT ON KING ’S ELY

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E D U CAT I O N S P OT L I G H T

E D U CAT ION SP OT L IGHT

Let’s Go Outside KING ’S ELY STUDENT MOLLY WHYMARK LOOKS AT THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR LEARNING

here are hauls of studies which reveal that young people’s attitudes to learning and their achievements – in and out of the classroom – improve when they experience as much outdoor education as possible. Outdoor learning is said to improve students’ behaviour, increase school attendance and, most importantly, boost pupils’ physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Molly Whymark, aged 16, is reaping the benefits of being at King’s Ely; a school where there is a world of opportunity outside the classroom. Molly was one of the first Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award Ambassadors to be appointed in Central England earlier this year, meaning she is now actively promoting the benefits of outdoor learning, not just in school, but with schools and students across the region.

Molly, who is in Year 12 at King’s Ely Senior, says: “I was appointed DofE Ambassador for King’s Ely in March this year. I was one of the first ambassadors to be appointed in the Central England

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region and the first to occupy this role at King’s Ely ever.

“I am so pleased to be promoting DofE to our school community and beyond as I find it, and learning outdoors in general, so rewarding. When taking on different challenges and completing expeditions with my friends, we learn to be independent, to appreciate each other’s strengths and to pull together as a team to achieve a shared ambition.

“DofE and the outdoor education opportunities on offer at King’s Ely have helped me set achievable goals that have, in turn, developed my courage and initiative.

In order to complete the larger DofE Awards, I have learnt to work strategically and plan carefully. I have grown in confidence and I can stand up in front of my peers and present ideas in my classes.

Hopefully this growth in confidence will help when it comes to interviews for university, as well as for my future career plans, which will rely on my initiative and courage when I strive to achieve my goals.”

Molly was first introduced to King’s Ely’s outdoor education programme – Ely

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Scheme – in Year 9. She says activities like hill walking and navigation expeditions confirmed how much she loves the outdoors. She has since completed her Bronze and Silver DofE Awards and is currently working towards completing her Gold.

Molly said: “Out of the DofE programmes that I have done, my favourite element would have to be the expeditions as I love the challenges and sense of adventure. Being more selfsufficient and finding my way through a range of new and wild locations has helped to shape me as a person and has really developed my team-building and leadership skills.”

King’s Ely offers students the chance to undertake their DofE Award at all three levels as part of its Ely Scheme programme, which offers boundless opportunities for pupils to explore and learn through outdoor education. All activities are facilitated by specially selected and trained pupil instructors, who learn to become exceptional leaders themselves.

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E D U CAT I O N WORDS BY CHARLOT TE PHILLIPS

Sixth (form) sense CHOOSING THE RIGHT SIXTH FORM CAN SEEM LIKE A DAUNTING TASK, SO HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR PICKING THE PLACE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU

or Year 11 pupils contemplating their sixth form options amid the hurly-burly of GCSE preparation (revision, revision, mock tests and more revision), the choices can appear overwhelming, with a smorgasbord of courses and subjects on offer.

So, where to start? Ruth Taylor, head of sixth form at St Mary’s, stresses that the decision-making process is something to look forward to and feel excited about. “Sixth form is the first time in the educational journey that you have real power to determine your own direction.

Up until this point, you have had choice on some occasions, such as GCSE options, but not total freedom,” she says.

She suggests students project into the future, thinking ahead and imagining an older version of themselves, and encourages them to consider which direction for the next few years they would

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choose right now. Ask them: “Where would you be, what would you be doing and what might your life look like in one year if you had absolute choice?”

Ruth Taylor says: “Maybe you already know exactly where you want to be, or maybe the idea of having to make choices and decide on a direction feels chaotic.

Or maybe you know that you’re at the start of an adventure. You’re not entirely sure where you’re going, but you are excited to get started.”

While life in sixth form is the time when horizons are starting to expand, it’s also sensible to stay grounded. It’s never a bad idea for students to begin with the subjects that float their boat – they’re going to be getting to know them in an awful lot more depth when studying just three or four subjects at A-level rather than eight, nine or ten GCSEs. Katie Banks, head of sixth form at Bishop’s Stortford College, advises students to strike a balance between

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“A-levels help you to determine the direction of a student’s educational journey” picking subjects they know, enjoy and are good at, and venturing into the unknown.

“Don’t pick too many new subjects you haven’t studied before – while you might like the sound of them, you might find the reality is very different.” Doing a bit of advance planning will reap dividends, she says. “Have a good look at the content the syllabus covers: are they topics that sound interesting to you?”

Ruth Taylor suggests that students imagine they’ve been gifted an extra hour in the school, thinking about how they’d spend it and using it to guide their decision. “What would you do? Science?

Food? Music?”

When it comes to deciding which sixth-form course to take, A-levels remain by far the most popular choice. A major refurbishment exercise saw curricula overhauled (and made, basically, harder) and an end to grade inflation (where successive years saw increasing numbers of pupils achieving As and A*s), resulting in A-levels regaining their credibility and status – returned to gold standard.

“A-levels help you to determine the direction of a student’s educational

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journey through specialisation,” says Ruth Taylor. “They also enable students to take a breadth of subjects – up to four choices, plus the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which gives more academic freedom and exploration.”

But what happens if a student is more of a generalist who happens to love Music as well as Maths and English on top of Engineering, and doesn’t want to let any of them drop? In that case, the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) Diploma Programme could be the best option. Though it remains a minority option, the IB has gained in popularity as a highly rated alternative to A-levels and has had its place, even if a somewhat niche one, on the qualifications roster for decades.

Its reputation – more challenging than A-levels, requiring not just sky-high levels of academic ability, but impeccable organisational skills – is one that Jon Ellams, director of International Sixth Form at Parkside International Sixth Form, a member of Cambridge Academic Partnership, is keen to put straight.

Parkside has been offering the IB Diploma since 2011, with consistently good

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results. The college makes no bones about the benefits, stressing that during their two years there, students will be thinking not just “about the person they’ll be when they are 18, but the person they’ll be at 80, and at every stage of a rich and rewarding life”, says Jon Ellams.

Students opt for six subjects – generally three taken at higher, three at standard level. This adds a welcome breadth that can keep more doors open for longer – something that can be helpful for students who get to UCAS application time only to find that the area of study they’d dreamed of doing no longer inspires them, and need to think again.

The IB’s structure also includes lots of attractive extras like the CAS (creativity, activity, service) component, which can be a convenient wrapper for activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award or charityrelated work.

Subject range aside, what IB and A-levels do have in common (together with other sixth-form options, such as the Pre-U) is a largely linear structure with final grades determined by performance in exams taken in the second year.

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E D U CAT I O N However, for those who prefer a more modular approach, where instead of relying on a once-and-for-all throw of the dice to determine your results, university place and possibly your entire future (it’s rarely that black and white, but for an overwhelmed teenager, it can certainly feel that way), courses such as BTECs can be the answer. Traditionally considered as more a vocational option, they are increasingly acceptable to universities (many Russell Group establishments certainly won’t say no to a clutch of starred distinctions, as long as the subject relates closely to the degree course).

Then there’s the conundrum of where to study. In Cambridgeshire, that’s a pleasant problem to have. If there’s one thing we aren’t short of, it’s schools and colleges with top-quality sixth forms.

Independent or state, many garner plaudits for a combination of excellent results and pupil progress year in, year out.

Some have a particular speciality.

The Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, also – like Parkside – part of Cambridge Academic Partnership, is a vibrant specialist science academy located slap bang in the heart of our city’s Biomedical Campus, giving unique opportunities for pupils to work with top academic and commercial organisations and the option to choose from nine career pathways – from life or applied sciences to STEM. In some schools, new sixth-formers will be joining an existing community and, as part of their time there, taking on additional responsibilities. St Mary’s values students who want to learn and are thoroughly engaged in what they are studying, but who are also interested in going beyond the curriculum. “We are looking for students who engage academically and who are proactive about their own educational journey,” explains Ruth Taylor.

While pupils are far more responsible for organising their time, there’s no shortage of help and advice when it’s needed. Bishop’s Stortford College looks for intellectual curiosity, willingness to work hard, and an enthusiasm for life and learning. Sixth-formers are encouraged to take on leadership roles with younger pupils (school houses run from Year 9 to

Year 13) and sign up for extracurricular activities – and also have a strong, easily accessible support system in place.

“Students are placed in tutor groups according to their subjects, so they can get individualised expert support,” says Katie Banks. “We have a team of full-time higher education and careers experts to help with next steps, and our Pathways programme focuses on developing 21stcentury skills.”

Other sixth form colleges specialise solely in educating 16 to 18 year olds.

Teaching staff, facilities and activities will all be focused on this age range – a specialism that can be highly successful.

Visiting schools and colleges can be the starting point in providing many of

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the answers, whether through open days or individually organised tours. You’ll garner more information on subjects you’re interested in, with St Mary’s, for example, laying on subject-related activities on sixth-form open days, so you can see if they shape up to expectations or might not, after all, be right for you.

And students can find out not just about the academic side, but look at all the other aspects that go into shaping the sixthform experience – from work experience to enrichment.

That richness of opportunities is also stressed by Katie Banks at Bishops Stortford College. “Sixth form isn’t just about A-level lessons,” she says. “Look for somewhere that will give you the allround experience.”

Jon Ellams at Parkside stresses the importance of not just looking where you’ll be in two years’ time, but far beyond that. He concludes: “I make quite a big deal about saying, ‘Look, it’s not about where you’re going to be when you’re 18, it’s where you’re going to be when you’re 25, 35 or 45.’ Get it right now and you’ll benefit for the rest of your life.”

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A D U LT L E A R N I N G E DUCAT ION SP OT L IGHT

Long live community learning ZOE SWEET, ADULT LEARN AND TRAIN OFFICER AT CAMBRIDGE ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP, ON WHY WE SHOULD VALUE EDUCATION BEYOND OUR SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY DAYS

dult learning has been popular for many decades, since Henry Morris first championed community learning in the 1920s, during a time of depression in the UK. Community and adult learning has been a gateway for adults, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills out of the workplace, start or develop new hobbies and interests, and update their CVs. Community learning has benefited from a rich heritage of provision, with courses on offer varying from formal GCSE qualifications to beekeeping and horticultural. Adult learners experience great enjoyment from undertaking a course, even when this may involve personal challenges. The tutors are knowledgeable, helpful, thoughtful and intuitive, as well as talented, and provide a supportive environment in which to learn.

Having an inspiring tutor helps learners achieve great things, both in and outside of the classroom, while the tutors themselves gain professional satisfaction from seeing the learner thrive and from sharing their passion for the subject.

Nowadays, if you need to learn how to do something, you are more than likely to find a tutorial on YouTube. It appeals to many as it is so convenient, it’s free and you can view it whenever you want, and without leaving the comfort of your house. Adult learning offers much more than just acquiring a new skill – you do not just learn an instruction, you learn how, why, when. If you don’t understand the way something is taught, the tutor will adjust and show you in a different way. We all have different learning styles – visual, auditory, reading, writing and kinaesthetic.

It’s why excellent classroom-based learning is so effective.

As Benjamin Franklin famously explained: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Many people have relied on courses for mental stimulation, stress relief, friendship, and the achievement and satisfaction they bring. Having a regular activity has been shown to decrease feelings of loneliness and improve mental health. In the current economic climate it has been a challenging time for adult learning across Cambridgeshire: most funding has been reallocated to other priorities and people do not want to spend their hard-earned disposable incomes while times are so uncertain.

Recently, Cambridgeshire has witnessed community learning provision diminishing, and although there are challenges ahead, the providers who are still delivering are evolving, they are listening and looking at trends, and adjusting normal course patterns to appeal to learners.

Centrally based in this thriving city you’ll find Adult Learn and Train,

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Cambridge Academic Partnership. Many adults who travel into Cambridge for work choose to take the opportunity of a class in the evening, with the added bonus of avoiding Cambridge rush hour!

Adult Learn and Train is always striving to improve its service; this year you will find courses relevant to what is going on in the world, for example politics or climate change. You will not only find the old favourites such as dressmaking, DIY, Italian and flower arranging but new, oneoff sessions during the week in cookery, Christmas wreath making, eco beeswax wrappers and more.

Just as your local post office, libraries and shops rely on community use to continue to offer essential services, community learning is no different.

Without your support, it may cease to prosper. Get involved, see what is on offer, and if you have any suggestions or comments, contact your local centre.

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A DV E RT I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AT THIS EXCITING CAMBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT Cambridgeshire buyers are encouraged to consider this five-star homebuilder’s Trumpington Meadows development hallenge Barratt to help you move to a new home now. Whether you want to buy your first property, or move up to a larger home, there is no need to wait.

If you’re worried about selling your existing home, let Barratt take away the problem by selling your home for you with the popular part exchange or agency selling services. Or, if it’s a deposit you’re struggling with, it can help with that, too.

Trumpington Meadows offers the best of city and country living. Off Hauxton Road in Cambridge and adjacent to a 148-acre country park, Trumpington Meadows offers two-bedroom apartments overlooking the country park, as well as three-, four- and five-bedroom family homes, some of which are ready to move into for Christmas.

The properties are built to the highest specification and provide a stylish way of living, with contemporary open-plan layouts. Expertly crafted with the modern family life in mind, the apartments and homes are perfect for young couples, working professionals and families.

Growing families can benefit from the

variety of schooling options nearby, including Trumpington Meadows Primary School, located on-site. Great days out will never be too far from home with an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants for the whole family. Easy access to the M11 and Park & Ride makes Trumpington Meadows a great place for your new home.

Barratt Homes has been awarded a five-star rating for the tenth year in a row from the 2019 Home Builders Federation (HBF) annual customer satisfaction survey. Annette Hurst, sales director at Barratt Homes Eastern Counties, says: “Receiving five stars for the tenth year in a row is testament to the high-quality homes and service we deliver.”

There are plenty of schemes househunters can use to help them when reserving a property at a Trumpington Meadows, including Help to Buy with just a 5% deposit (for properties up to the value of £600,000), Part Exchange (where Barratt Homes could be your guaranteed buyer) and Movemaker (where Barratt pays your estate agent fees). All of this is designed to make the moving process as simple as possible for buyers.

Please visit the Barratt Homes marketing suite at Trumpington Meadows, open Monday 12.30-5.30pm and Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5.30pm. For more details, call 01223 844845 or email trumpington@barratthomes.co.uk

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Offers available on selected plots only. Terms and conditions apply. See website for details, subject to contract and status. Prices correct at time of going to press. Images include optional upgrades at additional cost.

Following withdrawal or termination of any offer, we reserve the right to extend, reintroduce or amend any such offer as we see fit at any time. Calls to 03 numbers are charged at the same rate as dialling an 01 or 02 number. If your fixed line or mobile service has inclusive minutes to 01/02 numbers, then calls to 03 are counted as part of this inclusive call volume. Non-BT customers and mobile phone users should contact their service providers for information about the cost of calls.

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N O V E M B E R GA R D E N T I PS • E D I T I O N LO V E S • I N T E R I O R S I N S P I RAT I O N

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GA R D E N S

ANNA TAYLOR, OWNER OF ANNA’S FLOWER FARM IN AUDLEY END, SHARES WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH y the time you read this, we may have had the first hard frost, which signals the final curtain for our beloved dahlias. They were kissed by Jack Frost and cooler night temperatures in early October, and the flowers showed the cold damage on their delicate petals. But until the first true ground frost, they and many other summer flowering plants flower harder and more prolifically after the autumn equinox, when night is longer than day.

Fresh dew every morning keeps the ground moist, so if it’s still reasonably mild or above freezing, it is the perfect opportunity to mulch your beds with compost. This is my number one top tip for a thriving garden. Soil health is key and applying a thick layer of organic material on a bed will always improve its condition.

Try to do it even if you do nothing else in the garden this month.

Here in our gardens and plots, we create our own compost to mulch our beds. Essentially, we layer all our green nitrogen-rich weeds and flower cuttings with brown carbon materials like dried spent stems, chopped hedge clippings and the straw and paper bedding from our chickens in heaps made from recycled pallets. Ideally, we would fill the heap with all the materials and wet the layers as we go in one session, to create ideal conditions for fast decomposition.

Realistically, though, we fill the heap with materials as we generate them, which means the heap won’t achieve the high temperatures that result in quick compost if made in one go. We simply can’t produce enough for our many planting rows, so we will buy in mulch to supplement our own.

Madingley Mulch Field Compost is a great supplier and will advise as to the

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“Fresh dew every morning keeps the ground moist” best mulch; it could be bark, manure, or a prepared mix for your soil, situation and growing requirements.

Alternatively, buy soil improver from the Council Recycling Centre made from our composted green waste.

Spread a thick layer of compost over wet soil, adding humus to improve soil structure, retain moisture and slowly release nutrients. Our production and quality of flowers and vegetables are noticeably reduced when we haven’t mulched deeply together, with more need to water and weed the following season.

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And when the frost does hit the dahlias, we leave them for a few cold nights so all the foliage is blackened before lifting the tubers for storage. We need the space for next spring, and we rotate the crops to ensure good soil health. However, in your own garden, I would simply cut dahlias to the ground and cover with a bucket of compost. This will protect them from water running down the open stems and rotting off the plants. They will emerge again late next spring and give another summer of flowers for you to cut for your home.

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WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS AND THE NIGHTS DRAW IN, THERE’S NOTHING BETTER THAN HUNKERING DOWN INDOORS. ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE REVEALS HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME INTO A COSY COCOON WITH COMFORT AT ITS HEART

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mbrace the chilly days and dark evenings by creating your own wintery retreat. The good news is, with a focus on detailing, it is easy to achieve the ultimate cosy look.

Flickering scented candles and soft-lit lamps will bring a welcome ambience, while a mix and match of textured accessories – think faux-fur throws, knitted pillows and shaggy rugs – will draw you in. It’s all about making your home somewhere you yearn to be – so surround yourself with pretty possessions and restful colours for a relaxed vibe.

For the ultimate in cosiness, start by investing in the most comfortable sofa you can find. Lovely Sofa’s Linda is a modern version of the classic chesterfield, with sweeping scroll arms and deep buttoning. Choose a vibrant shade in an indulgent fabric, such as buttercup yellow velvet or peacock blue linen – and add contrasting cushions for immediate effect.

Saxon’s Knightsbridge sofa, meanwhile, is available in a wide range of textiles – such as crushed velvet and buttery leather – and is guaranteed to be your go-to place once winter sets in.

Of course, there’s nothing quite like a roaring fire to set the scene in a living room. ACR Stoves’ multi-fuel models are practical choices – giving an inviting appeal without any mess. While Morso’s modern shapes lend a contemporary edge to a classic fireside appeal.

Jon Butterworth, sales director at Arada Stoves, says: “It’s not just the warmth of a stove that makes an indoor fireplace so appealing. Fires have

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Previous page Invisible Green matte emulsion, £50 for 2.5L, Little Greene Opposite page The i600 slimline stove, prices vary, Arada Stoves Above Knightsbridge threeseater sofa, £1,709, Sofas by Saxon Left Linda large sofa in Amalfi buttercup clever velvet, £1,695, Lovely Sofas Below Accessories, prices vary, Dibor

FIRES IDE FIXTURES SARAH BOARDMAN, DIBOR’S CREATIVE STYLIST, REVEALS THE BEST FARMHOUSE ACCESSORIES

Antique copper kindling bucket, £24

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Woodland tree curved black fire screen, £48

Antique brass companion set, £89

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This image Duck Egg, Teal and Stepping Stone matte emulsion, from £14 for 2.5L, Crown Paints.

Below left Bone China Blue Mid and Shirting matte emulsion, from £22.50 for 1L, Little Greene

“Farmhouse accessories evoke that warm, country-cottage feel” been used in the English country home for as long as people have been living in buildings. It’s almost impossible to replicate the feel that a real wood-burning stove brings into the home with its smoky smell, crackling sound and warm light.

Traditional wood-burning stoves often look best when placed in a modern home setting as they provide an attractive contrast that combines old with new.”

“There really is nothing better than coming in from the cold to a warm, roaring fire,” agrees Sarah Boardman, Dibor’s creative stylist. “Whether you use

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logs or coal, the warm glow that comes from an open fire or wood-burning stove just can’t be replicated with gas or electric heating. To make your fireside feel even cosier, add some stylish yet practical farmhouse accessories, such as kindling buckets and companion sets, to really evoke that warm, country-cottage feel.”

When it comes to calming colours, take note of the latest trends. Blush, peach and berry tones feel modern and fresh. In fact, any colour that is made up primarily of red or orange will make a room seem much warmer, says a spokesperson for Crown Paints. Use two or three varieties of these hues together to create a warm palette with tonal interest, while earthy tones – mossy greens, amber and dark navy – are also warming and bring a certain contemporary charm. Blend the shades by adding pops of colour with printed cushions, thick rugs and painted ceramic lamps.

Ruth Mottershead, marketing director at Little Greene, gives her advice: “Ensure your room feels inviting during the

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COSY COLOURS JUDY SMITH, COLOUR CONSULTANT AT CROWN PAINTS, ON HOW COLOUR CAN INVITE YOU IN Go for mid-tones.

Berry shades are warm without being as intense as crimson, and the earthy tones of terracotta are much softer than an orange.

Lying somewhere between the spectrum of blue and green, teal is a versatile colour that can bring relaxation to the home. Despite its overall cool tone, this colour has an enveloping feel that will create a moody atmosphere, perfect for the colder months.

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winter months with extra cushions and throws, soft lighting and, of course, a clever choice of paint colour! Subtle, muted tones – dark or pale – are both elegant and reassuring. They look especially effective following the on-trend style of painting both walls and woodwork the same colour. This gives a harmonious and soothing feel to a room and acts as a powerful yet understated backdrop to the rest of the furnishings.”

These bolder neutrals also perfectly complement the current fashion for black furniture and accent pieces – as seen, for instance, at My Furniture, with black sideboards, dining chairs and sofas giving a slice of drama to a room.

Inspired by the Scandi sense of hygge – the feeling of contentment through the simple things in life – it is the sum of all these different parts that will result in a cocooning environment. A beautifully woven rug underfoot feels wonderfully indulgent, a well-crafted light fitting will bring a sense of satisfaction and a full bookcase of well-thumbed books will offer inspiration.

“The Scandinavians have a word for it – hygge,” agrees Declan Kingsley-Walsh, managing director of Morso UK. “That

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“Layering opulent textures, using colour and bold designs, instantly cosies up a room”

Above left Luxury round glass wall mirror, POA, Juliettes Interiors Above All furniture and accessories, prices vary, from My Furniture Below Orla Kiely Alexa bed frame, from £1,029, Sleep Lab at Glasswells Opposite page The 3112 Stove, £1,099, Morso

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feeling of contentment and comfort that comes from sitting in front of a woodburning stove. The crackle of the flames and the light bouncing all around the room. As the room quickly heats from a wood-burning stove, a feeling of relaxation comes over you and the troubles and bustle of the day almost melt away.”

For a final flourish to your scheme, add a sprinkling of sparkle and embellishment with a layering of copper-framed mirrors, shimmering glass accent pieces and gold-legged side tables. Bursting with glamorous additions for the home, Juliettes Interiors is a treasure trove of unusual finds. “Layering opulent textures, using plenty of colour and bold designs, instantly cosies up a room and adds a touch of elegance to your home,” says the company’s founder, Juliette Thomas.

Finally, those looking for the definitive hibernation experience this winter should pay a visit to local independent retailer Glasswells. Its Sleep Lab service sees its in-house experts advising customers on how to get the ultimate night’s sleep – from the best mattress for you to the most stylish bedstead that will work for your space. All that’s needed from you is to hit the snooze button...

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STOCK I STS ACR Stoves 0121 706 8266 acrheatproducts.com Arada Stoves, 01297 632050 aradastoves.com Crown Paints crownpaints.co.uk 0330 024 0281 Dibor 0800 408 0660 dibor.co.uk Glasswells 01284 752804 glasswells.co.uk Juliette’s Interiors 0203 811 3038 juliettesinteriors.co.uk Little Greene 020 7935 8844 littlegreene.com Lovely Sofas 0800 029 4949 lovelysofas.com Morso morso.dk My Furniture 0800 092 1636 my-furniture.com Sofas by Saxon 01204 368413 sofasbysaxon.com

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FLORAL LIGHT WALL MIRROR £250, oliverbonas.com YELLOW MONGOLIAN ROUND CUSHION £45, riverisland.com

HAY DOT CUSHION SOFT £69, nest.co.uk

E DI T ION

GOLDEN HERON SIDE TABLE £179, cuckooland.com

BOLD MONKEY STITCHY ROSES RUG £269, cuckooland.com

SLEEK DOME PENDANT £144, industville.co.uk

MICHELLE KEEGAN HOME CARVED GLAMOUR RUG £69.99, very.co.uk

CARTER CHAIR BLUSH PINK £149.99, my-furniture.co.uk

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