ZINE #616 July/Aug 2014
Internationally Focussed An education that provides both opportunity and challenge inside and outside the classroom. A school where talent and excellence is fostered and potential is fully realised.
www.britishschool.nl Page 2
Internationally British
The British Photographer in Amsterdam WEDDINGS PORTRAITS CHILDREN’S PORTRAITS EVENTS WALKABOUTS
Call 06 83 94 35 52 for a booking & claim your exclusive Britsoc discount!
www.benjaminarthur.com .
Contents
chair/ “chairman” Page 7 article/ “blind date” Page 8 sports/ “tennis in nl” Page 10 review/ “beth’s book review concert/ “the eels” Page 14 britain/ “scottish vote” Page 16 winner/ “kings day photo” competition/ “win hard rock p food/ “nick’s nosh” Page 26 food/ “cooking coach” Page 32 article/ “texting while walkin
Page 4
Colophon >
w”
Page 12
ZINE
EDITORIAL
ISSUE #616
EDITOR IN CHIEF Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl EDITORIAL BOARD Ian Cherington | ifcherington@hetnet.nl John Richardson | webeditor@britsoc.nl Benjamin Arthur | benjaminarthur@gmail.com Andy Symmonds | asymmo@gmail.com
6
ADVERTISING
Page 20
prize”
ADVERTISING SALES Andy Symmonds | asymmo@gmail.com
Page 22
PUBLISHED BY John Richardson | JohnTheCopywriter.com FLIP MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PLATFORM www.issuu.com
2
ng”
PUBLISHING
Page 38
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEEDBACK Alison Smith | editor@britsoc.nl www.britsoc.nl
Page 5
Small classes and personal attention. At the British School of Amsterdam we get to know each and every student. We provide an all-round education that develops the whole person and delivers academic success. From Early Years to Secondary School, we provide top-class British schooling for everyone from expats to locals seeking an international education. With pupils of more than 40 nationalities, the British School of Amsterdam offers a stimulating and inclusive learning environment for students aged 3 to 18. Non-native English speakers are welcome. Our curriculum leads to the respected British A-Level qualification accepted by universities worldwide. In addition to the formal academic subjects, we teach European languages including Spanish, French, German and Dutch, as well as English as a foreign language. Every day is an open day at the British School of Amsterdam. Why not come along and visit us? For more information, see www.britams.nl, or contact us at +31 (0) 20 67 97 840 or info@britams.nl.
“It’s a friendly, caring community”
TEACHING PEOPLE, NOT JUST TOPICS
Federico Age 14 Italian/Dutch
Page 6
chairman’s blog/ July/August 2014
Dear Readers, Yet another advantage of living here is that we are involved in football tournaments a lot longer than those at home (in the UK). I really enjoy being on the outside looking in as the Dutch national team progress and turn the city and country into a sea of orange. So, apart from being innocent onlookers for the next month, it is time to find other activities to get us through the summer. This is, of course, the place to be! All of our outdoor sporting activities are now up and running so please check the website for details on sailing, golf, tennis and some special summer events. I am very happy to share some successes with you over the last month: Our long-term partnership with The British School of Amsterdam was cemented with a reciprocal agreement for their first Gala Dinner in May. As proud sponsors of this event, BritSoc can be very happy having helped raise over € 5000, which will be used to buy musical instruments for the children’s orchestra “Leerorkest”. The annual Blind Date event was another great evening, with 24 couples meeting up around town and then sharing their experiences together at Café de Jaren. Thanks to Tracey, Marielle and John for running this ever-popular party. Our King’s Day photo exhibition drew only limited interest, but our in-house professional, Benjie, was able to choose quality from the entries, and we congratulate Sally McDonald for the winning shot. We were well represented at the NBCC (Dutch-British Chamber of Commerce) golf tournament on June 24th. Our team came out winners on the day, so congratulations to John, Duncan, Niall and Paul. This event is a great chance for our BritSoc golf players to feature, so I would urge them all to compete next year. We take our customary and well earned summer break now and will be back with a Zine edition in September. Thanks to Alison, John, Andy, and Benjie for their work on Zine this year. I wish you all a great summer holiday with lots of sun, fun and relaxation.
See you out there.
Ian Cherington Chairman chair@britsoc.nl
Page 7
Blind Date Blast By Alison Smith
I always think the after party is the best bit about the Blind Date Night. Maybe that’s because I’m disqualified from taking part.
N
o, not due to some previous bad behaviour, but because my lovely guy wouldn’t like it much, especially if I came home with an artichoke or a bunch of green bananas. That’s not a euphemism, that’s what the guys on Blind Date have to carry so that their dates know who they are to look out for. So, armed
with various fruit and vegetables, 24 men set out to see if the BritSoc matchmakers had made them a match.
….and we waited…. nervously….at Café de Jaren to see how many came back. Quite a few couples made it back to de Jaren. Some went in opposite directions at the door, some stood together for a while, a fixed smile on their face, wondering how soon was polite to move off and talk to someone else, and a couple of folk seemed genuinely happy to carry on chatting. They say there are 50
Photos by Benjamin Arthur Page 8
www.benjaminarthur.com/
ways to leave your lover, but the most used excuse seemed to be a visit to the loo then come back and start talking to someone else. Subtle. I chatted to a couple of folk and asked them how it went and most remained polite. Maybe I should have asked them later when their date wasn’t standing so close by. One couple seemed to have had a lively time. Mr Charming presented her with a bunch of bananas then fired three questions at her on arrival and told her she
article/
had to answer. Questions one and two, no problem, her favourite ice cream flavour wasn’t taboo, nor was recounting her first childhood memory (good question Mr C!) but
Most people though seemed to
the answer to question three was
get into the spirit of the evening and mingled on their return. Don’t forget, BritSoc Blind Date has produced at least three long term relationships, and two marriages, so never say never again.
This Blind Date marks the end of an era as it was the last Friday Social for now until we can think of a better formula. Tracey and Mikaela and Rebecca before them and Nick before that have dutifully waited in bars on the first or second Friday of the month for folk to turn up and join them for BritSoc Social Friday since…well at least since I’ve been a member, but numbers are dwindling and we’d like to get something else off the ground that members would like to attend. only something you’d share with your priest or therapist so that was off-bounds! It sounds like they had a lot of fun though and were still talking when they got back. A few lads were late because of the football and got a red card, so there were a few girls who came back alone having decided that it wasn’t the best of first impressions. More Blind Date photos: www.britsoc.nl/portfolio/blind-date-2014/
So, over to you…suggestions please? Do we want to have a regular bar night? If so what time and where? …and should it be linked to dinner afterwards, or just drinks? …and how often? Fixed place or varied locations? There’s no fun without a group, so get writing to the chairman and tell him what you want... chair@britsoc.nl
Page 9
Tennis in the Ne As summer is with us and we will be past the longest day by the time the double summer edition of Zine is published, we felt that a traditionally summer pastime would be appropriate, so our featured sport is tennis.
F
The game of tennis evolved in France
tennis in the Netherlands may be
royals in both France and England, with
restricted to knowing that Richard
Krajicek won the Wimbledon Men’s
Singles title in 1996 by eliminating Pete
Sampras in the quarterfinals then going
on to beat Malivai Washington in the final whence he moved on to reach a high
point of being number four in the world singles ranking in 1999.
as an indoor game and the pastime of rackets replacing the use of hands in
the 16th century. The game was hit off a wall and this format is now known as
real tennis. The creation of the modern
version is widely credited to the work of
book an outdoor court. If you don’t mind
playing indoors in the summer (admittedly not a prime choice for most people on a
sunny day) then it’s usually pretty easy to book an indoor court even at weekends, although you will miss out on the bonus vitamin D.
Most clubs will offer membership
packages and the chance for social
interaction in the bar / restaurant as you enjoy a hard earned post game drink. There is also likely to be coaching
available if you are looking to improve your game. The British Society has
an active group of tennis enthusiasts complex every Tuesday at 20:00 and new participants are always welcome. Please
contact Geoff Dudley at tennis@britsoc.nl
if you are interested and you have some
questions. The tennis evenings are a good way to get some post work exercise and the chance to socialise afterwards in the pool / sauna and the bar.
Major Walter Wingfield who sold boxed
British Society Summer Tennis
and the rules all over the world. The first
In addition to the regular Tuesday night
Spa in 1872 and the first Wimbledon
Tennis Tournament on Sunday August
1877.
final details have not yet been confirmed
In the modern day, the game of tennis
by approximately 17:00. The format is
sets with all the necessary equipment
Tournament
tennis club was formed in Leamington
slot, there will be a British Society Summer
Championships were played in London in
3rd. This will be held at Amstelpark. The
is alive and well in the Netherlands with many active clubs. If you are looking to
play in the Amsterdam area then you are spoilt for choice, and it’s not much more of a challenge to find a club in other
but it is likely to start at midday and end
likely to be mixed doubles playing with a different partner every time. Please let
Natalie know if you are interested at this email address browesn@gmail.com
parts of the country. As ever, it’s easier
Soft Summer Tennis
during the week than at peak times (early
is also a British Society Soft Tennis club
to find an outdoor court in the summer
Page 10
will require membership for people to
that meet at the Amstelpark sports
or most British expats that do not play tennis, their knowledge of
evening and weekends), and most clubs
In addition to the regular tennis, there
etherlands
sports/
By Andy Symmonds
that meet at Amstelpark every Sunday at 16:00. Please contact this email
address soft.tennis@britsoc.nl if you
are interested in joining the soft tennis afternoons.
If you are looking for a club to play at
or join in the Amsterdam area then the
Tennis Friends website has an overview of the clubs at the following address:
www.tennisfriends-amsterdam.com/ Tenniscourts_Amsterdam.php
Page 11
Beth’s Book Review | July/Aug 2014 By Beth Johnson
Please note that in my reviews I try to avoid writing “spoilers” or otherwise divulging plot because half the fun of reading is discovering as you go, rather than having the plot regurgitated for you in advance. Rest assured that if I write about a book, I stand behind it.
Three biographical novels of high quality are out or on their way.
I
n her new book, The Anatomy Lesson, the American author and journalist, Nina Siegal, has made a brilliant reconstruction of Amsterdam at the time of Rembrandt’s rendering of Dr. Tulp’s dissection of an anonymous body. The painting is considered one of Rembrandt’s masterpieces. The narrative’s characters all speak in the first person. To avoid confusion, note that each is linked to a different part of the anatomy: The Hands (Dr Tulp, the surgeon), The Eyes (Rembrandt), The Mind (Descartes), The Mouth (Jan Fetchet, procurer of curios and cadavers), The Body (identified as the thief Aris Kindt), The Heart (Flora, the imagined lover of Kindt) and The Conservator (Pia, a 21st century art historian). Siegal weaves these figures into the bustling world of Amsterdam in 1632, with its increasing interest in scientific method and its religious search for the seat of the soul. The author’s research is meticulous,
as is her ability to write a great story in beautiful and thoughtful prose. (The Dutch translation will be published in October 2014 by The House of Books). Readers in my bookshop were delighted with Nancy Horan’s fictionalized biography of Frank Lloyd Wright, Loving Frank. In her new novel, Under the Wide and Starry Sky, Horan explores the tempestuous lives of the revered Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and his adventurous and strong-willed American wife, the writer Fanny Osbourne. The couple and Fanny’s children spent much of their lives travelling for Stevenson’s health and life was a roller coaster of poverty and an endless search for recognition – even after the successes of Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The research is again impeccable and Horan writes both accessibly and beautifully. The paperback should be in the bookshop within a week. In September, Esther Freud will publish her new novel Mr Mac and Me, the account of a young boy in a small village on the Suffolk coast at the beginning of the First World War. One of the summer visitors, a mysterious figure draped Sherlock Holmes-like in a black cape, attracts attention with his long walks on the shore, armed with binoculars. Young Thomas Maggs befriends the artist and his wife and so develops the friendship of the villager with the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. With the sketchiest of information, Freud
Beth Johnson is the owner of Boekhandel Van Rossum (Beethovenstraat 32 in Amsterdam) which sells a wide range of Dutch and English books. Page 12
builds a powerful picture of one of the most talented and misunderstood artists of the Arts and Crafts period in Great Britain. Her approach is empathetic and masterful and quite different from that of the two other biographers who ground their work in well-documented information.
Emma Healey
Elizabeth is Missing One of the more intriguing detectives I’ve read this year is a debut, Elizabeth is Missing, by the young author, Emma Healey. The book portrays the world from within the mind of an increasingly forgetful, aging woman. The one idea which Maud manages to hang on to is her conviction that her friend Elizabeth has disappeared. With her notes on little scraps of paper and her continuous search for the missing woman, Maud is a slippery narrator whose story moves between past and present and between the real world and the confusion of her own mind. But somewhere in that fog lies the solution to a mystery which began seventy years ago. A clever, humane and quirky novel which surprises with its ability to hold the reader’s attention.
Tom McNeal
Far, Far Away Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal is an exceptional modern-day fairy tale recounted by the ghost of Jacob Grimm who, unable to find rest in death, mentors a bullied young boy in a small town on the U.S. prairie. The story is true descendant of the real Grimm tales as this excerpt from the introduction will show: “What follows is the strange and fateful tale of a boy, a girl, and a ghost. The boy possessed uncommon qualities, the girl was winsome and daring, and the ancient ghost… well, let it only be said that his intentions were good. If more seasoned with romance, this might have made a tender tale, but there was yet another player in the cast, the Finder of Occasions, someone who moved freely about the village, someone who watched and waited, someone with tendencies so torture and malignant that I could scarcely bring myself to see them, and even now can scarcely bring myself to reveal them to you. I will, though. It is a promise. I will.” Have a great summer! Beth Johnson
www.boekhandelvanrossum.nl Page 13
AT THE CONCERTGEBOUW
E EELS CONCERT
Page 14
The last time I saw the Eels they played at the
Par The last time I saw the Eels they played at the
Paradiso, so when I saw that they were scheduled to perform at the Concertgebouw, this was an
opportunity too good to miss. And so it proved. Led by Mark Oliver Everett, or E as he prefers to be known, the Eels played music that spanned
the scale from melancholic through foot tapping
to the uplifting, interspersed with wry comments
from E about the show and how the slower tracks were “bummer” tracks. The Cautionary Tales of
Mark Oliver Everett is the latest album from the
Eels and it is a moving and intimate document of a personal struggle. Everett is quoted as saying that
“Someone I lost, by choice, and later came to regret losing. It wasn’t until I started to look at my role in
it that it began to feel like I was getting somewhere
worthwhile. The experience transformed me. This is the musical version of that experience. I’m hoping it could maybe serve as some sort of example for others. To learn from my mistakes.”
Switching from their more traditional style of
venue to the lush interior of the Concertgebouw
for musical reasons, not just the fact that they all wore suits for the performance.
The set predictably featured several songs from their new album but also a good mix of old
favourites including Fresh Feeling, I Like Birds and
My Beloved Monster. There were also a few covers (a smooth version of When You Wish Upon a Star at the start and I Can’t Help Falling in Love With
You and Turn on Your Radio in the second encore) that were planned. When the main set ended,
rather than leave the stage from the usual exit, E
walked forward down the aisle and hugged several fans. The first encore then followed and the Eels left the hall to a standing ovation and rapturous applause, prompting a more traditional encore.
This looked to be the end of the set until the noise levels prompted the Eels to return to the stage to perform a bonus cover of Don’t Stop Believin’,
originally recorded by Journey. This was probably a nod to Steve Perry, the former front man of
Journey, as he had joined the Eels on stage in the USA earlier in the tour and performed songs by both the Eels and Journey.
cannot be classed as a mistake. The acoustics
The concert was arranged in cooperation with
with their blend of instruments and occasionally
Amsterdam could be in for some great live music
were superb and allowed the Eels to fill the space quirky sounds. The crystal clarity of the sound was partly emphasised by the lack of chatter between
and during songs, a perennial complaint at gigs in the Netherlands as the locals knowledge of lyrics (that they happily sing) is only matched by their
enthusiasm for talking during quieter songs. The
Eels were given the respect that they deserved, and
the Paradiso, and if this is the start of a trend then experiences. Given the choice of the Eels at the
Concertgebouw or boy band One Direction, who
played on the same night at the Amsterdam ArenA, the level of choice is rich, although I can sign off by
saying how happy I was to have experienced great music in a great venue.
Andy Symmonds Page 15
Independence for Scotland – Who is saying what? A series of cases for voting YES/NO to Scottish Independence
by Alison Smith Page 16
britain/
Y?N >
Page 17
T
he people of Scotland will vote in the independence referendum on 18 September, when they will be asked the “yes/no” question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
The debate has divided opinion across the country and even the world.
But who has been saying what? ALEX SALMOND, First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader. “Scotland now has 100 days in which to complete a 100-year home rule journey. ... Westminster rule has turned the UK into one of the most unequal countries in the developed world. In Scotland that means too many people, including many children, are consigned to a life of poverty, while we still have some of the lowest life expectancy statistics in Europe.
Well, obviously, they would say that. It’s their job, and, we have to hope, their true conviction. Beyond politicians though, the Scottish vote has aroused a hotbed of controversy on the world stage. Several high-profile figures have questioned the topic of Scottish independence ahead of the referendum. In remarks that may resonate with Scotland’s Catholics, Pope Francis said: “All division worries me. There will be cases that are just, but the secession of a nation without a history of enforced unity must be taken very carefully and analysed case by case.”
US President Barack Obama
dealt another blow to the nationalist cause when he urged Scotland not to leave the UK, while Hillary Clinton, who is tipped to replace him as US president in 2016 (if elected), told BBC’s Newsnight in an interview: “I would hate to have you lose Scotland.” Which makes it sound like we could lose it accidently, like reading glasses or the TV remote.
That is simply unacceptable, and a Yes vote this September will give us the tools we need to ensure Scotland’s great human and natural resources are put to work to create not just a prosperous economy but a fairer and more just society.
To provide a balanced perspective, or at least a view from the Chinese government who rarely appear to agree with the USA on much, Premier Li was recently asked for his views on the Scottish referendum. “We welcome a strong, prosperous and united UK “ replied his translator (who looked remarkably like Alistair Darling)
No other nation in history has been as well-placed as modern Scotland to become independent – and when September the 18th arrives, I am nfident the people will say ‘Yes’.”
In celebrityland A-Listers and B-Listers have been coming out for one side or the other.
ALISTAIR DARLING, leader of the Better Together campaign. “I want to use these 100 days not to see Scotland divided further but to bring together most of us in this nation around a common vision of Scotland leading the United Kingdom after September 18 – not Scotland leaving the United Kingdom. I want to use these 100 days to plan for Scotland’s positive, possibility-rich future as part of the United Kingdom with substantially enhanced powers for the Scottish Parliament. It is a vision that the overwhelming majority of us want. And so when voters go to the polls on September 18, I want every voter to understand that within the United Kingdom change and progress is coming to Scotland, underpinned by the commitments of all three parties.”
Page 18
Author J.K.Rowling, hit the headlines after
donating one million pounds to the ‘no’ campaign, and started a troll war on Twitter. She told the media, “My hesitance at embracing independence has nothing to do with lack of belief in Scotland’s remarkable people or its achievements. The simple truth is that Scotland is subject to the same twentyfirst century pressures as the rest of the world. It must compete in the same global markets, defend itself from the same threats and navigate what still feels like a fragile economic recovery. The more I listen to the Yes Campaign, the more I worry about its minimisation and even denial of risks.”
Even Harry Potter actor, Daniel Radcliffe, added his thoughts, saying “I personally like the UK being how it is.” David Beckham himself couldn’t have put it better. Sorry Harry, not even the Imperius Curse would change some yes voters to a no.
Especially not when 007 himself is firmly on the side of the Yes campaign. Sir Sean Connery gave his opinion from his residence in the Bahamas. “The Yes campaign has centred on a positive vision for Scotland. It is rooted in inclusiveness, equality and that core democratic value that the people of Scotland are the best guardians of their own future.” Fellow Bond film actor Alan Cumming, known for his Bond Bad Guy in Goldeneye added, “The evidence is clear - in the past 15 years we have become stronger economically, socially, culturally and globally. The world is waiting for us and I know Scotland is ready.” …but will the World be Enough Alan? The celebrity vote for yes continued with comedian Kevin Bridges, “If the referendum was tomorrow, I’d probably vote yes.” …but it isn’t Kevin, it’s on September 18th. Will that make a difference? Perhaps there’s still time for the nee-sayers to persuade him and others into a vote for a united United Kingdom?
David Bowie, musician, singer, songwriter, actor,
icon and general cool dude sent out this plea. “Scotland, stay with us.” Short and to the point, and some may follow, simply because David Bowie said it, and some may think he has a very large house and has invited all of Scotland to come and spend the weekend. Not a Bowie fan? Maybe Subo will be more persuasive. Singer Susan Boyle, was quoted as saying “I am a proud, patriotic Scot, passionate about my heritage and my country. But I am not a nationalist.” While actor, screenwriter and thinking-man’s totty, Emma Thompson, makes a philosophical point. “Why insist on building a new border between human beings in an ever-shrinking world where we are still struggling to live alongside each other?” Always good to see the bigger picture Em.
Andy Murray, first British Wimbledon Champion
for 77 years and famous for reverting back to being Scottish when he gets knocked out in the first round, wasn’t giving anything away either. “You need to figure out what’s best for the country and then come to an opinion. I don’t think you should judge the thing on emotion, but on what is best economically for Scotland. One thing I do know is that the decision is not something to be taken lightly, or to be swayed by heady patriotic emotion. It will be taken by the citizens of Scotland themselves, who need to seriously weigh up the pros and cons, as the responsibility lies wholeheartedly upon their shoulders.” Very shrewd answer Andy, but not enough to stop them shouting “come on Tim!” on Centre Court.
But the last word and the prize for the most cryptic answer, has to go to Billy Connolly. “The Big Yin” has decided not to vote in the referendum. He said he was trying to keep away from the subject and would be in New Zealand on 18 September 2014. The comedian said: “I don’t want to influence anybody so I shut up. I think the Scots will come to a good conclusion in the referendum. They’ll get
what they deserve.” Hmmmm, go figure.
Singer, Annie Lennox, sits firmly on the fence. “What’s best for the future of Scotland, her population and generations to come? Would breaking away from the UK bring long term benefits, or would the cessation of union be an unmitigated disaster from which there would be no turning back? From my perspective, I think the issue is complex and there is certainly a strong element of risk. Personally, I’m neither a gambler nor soothsayer and my view doesn’t count in any case.”
by Alison Smith Page 19
WINNER of the Britsoc KINGS DAY Photo Contest
Many, many congratulations to Sally McDonald for her prize-winning photo of Kings Day. She wins a bottle
of Pimm’s from Britsoc.
Which was presented to her by chairman Ian Cherington.
Page 20
Summer Photo Contest Win a Dinner for Two
@
. And don’t forget... we are running a
Summer Photo Contest
in which you can win a dinner for two at the Hard Rock Cafe, Amsterdam.
Please turn to next page for more details. Page 21
Summer Photo Contest
WIN
With our Summer Memories Photo Contest !!! You could win a dinner for two at Amsterdam’s
Hard Rock Cafe*
Simply by entering your best SUMMER snaps to our exclusive BritSoc photo contest. Running from June through August, get inspired with your camera this summer. Whether you are tripping to the Med or camping with the kids in Friesland, you are sure to bring home plenty of memories. All you need to do is send us your favourite 3 photographs which, for you, evoke summer memories and we will judge them. Send JPEG format images via email to
benjaminarthur@gmail.com
Benjamin will judge them along with Andy Symmonds & Alison Smith and the winner will be notified in September.
*includes one non-alcoholic drink per person
Page 22
Page 23
British Language Training Centre
bltc
English & Dutch Courses Teaching English (TEFL) www.bltc.nl Tel. 020 622 3634
Page 24
ISA campus, main entrance
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Setting the stage. At ISA, we believe that great facilities can set the stage for great learning. ISA is housed in a space specially designed for international education. And inspiration. Our facilities include a four-floor library/media center, a 400-seat theatre, science labs and specialist studios for music, art, and drama. More than 400 computers are joined in a school-wide, online network. Students work with laptops and iPads in the classroom. Two state-of-the-art gyms, discovery oriented playgrounds and adjacent playing fields are large, well equipped and secure. ISA’s campus is not a luxury. It’s where ideas are born.
Exciting and developing young minds Sportlaan 45 - 1185 TB Amstelveen - The Netherlands - Tel. +31 20 347 1111 - www.isa.nl
Taste Life!
Kingsalmarkt, the world-famous foodstore! We are known for our wide range of products from countries all over the world. ‘Taste life’ is what we call that. Visit us for your favourite American cornflakes, brownies and soups, British jams and honey, Mexican tortillas, Spanish tapas and ham, Italian coffee and pasta and French cheese. Of course you can pick up the rest of your groceries too.
Rembrandtweg 621, 1181 GV Amstelveen-noord, tel. 020 643 37 51 www.kingsalmarkt.nl info@kingsalmarkt.nl Easily reached by car (free parking) and public transport (5 or 51 tram to Kronenburg) Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9 am – 6 pm Saturday: 9 am – 5 pm
Page 25
Page 26
NICK’S NOSH
Britsoc food correspondent Nick Nugent Reporting from the four corners of the Amsterdam kitchen Restaurant Vermeer + Rollende Keukens Page 27
Restaurant Vermeer
S
pecial occasions call for special dinners and this one was quite special. My girlfriend’s sister was leaving Amsterdam after 20 years of living in the city centre and so we wanted to have a meal to celebrate the time they have spent here. What better way to go than a Michelin starred restaurant with our very own British Chef Chris Naylor to cook for us and, to top it off, the added bonus of the Chef’s table. If you have never tried a chef’s table before you must have a go as it is a really unique experience. Those of you who love the Great British Menu or Masterchef or are enthusiastic amateurs, it is a really fantastic experience. The Chef’s table in question is directly in the kitchen of Vermeer between the meat/ vegetable section and the pastry section. In other words you’re in the thick of it. Added to that you see everything that is being cooked for you and for everyone else. All the different processes, personalities and performance which comes from being a top class chef. Our team tonight was Chris himself, Rudolf the head chef and Chen on the vegetable section. Mostly with these Chef’s tables it is a surprise menu allowing the chef to show off what he thinks are his best new dishes. Since we are well into spring and to show off the Vermeer reputation for using vegetables, we were in for a best of show for vegetables. Another great thing about the chef’s table is that they allow you to poke your nose into everything that they are doing. This fascinated me somewhat to the detriment of the conversation. I do have to take notes to give you guys the benefit of the experience after all! Each dish was served up by Chris himself or one of the chefs who explained exactly what you had on your plate. It is truly personal service. It also allowed Chris to tell us about the philosophy of Vermeer, some of the inner workings and tricks of the trade. One of the things I was interested in was the huge stock
Page 28
**** pot boiling away on the stove. Chris told us that they only make lamb and chicken stock and today we had a lamb stock. They buy whole lambs from a supplier who lets the Lambs run virtually free range across the scrubland near Heemstede. They butcher the lambs in-house and use the bones for stock. If you are interested the bones are boiled for 3 hours then the aromatics and vegetables are added for the 1 final hour. Vermeer also has its own garden in Osdorp which most of the herbs and fresh vegetables come from. It allows them to control precisely the freshness of what is delivered on the plate. The other great thing about having an English chef is the English flavours he brings to the plate. You will see below in some of the dishes. As with all of these tasting menus it is difficult to record all the numerous details of all of the dishes which come past so I will once again focus on the highlights. If you want to really know what each dish tastes of then I would suggest that you book in and see for yourself. In addition we took the matching wine package which allows the sommelier to show off his skill as well. One thing which was new to me was that in Vermeer in the standard restaurant section they have a wine tasting table. This allows the Sommeliers to really show off with the chef having to try to match the food to what the sommelier decides to serve. Interesting concept and maybe I will be back to try again. Aperitif Cava with bramble and elderflower cordial
Amuses 1. Finger food – Rhubarb with sugar, Fennel Sponge, Melon Puree with Liquid nitrogen sorbet of tarragon and ginger.
This was impressive as the sorbet was made directly at the table. Each of the dishes challenged and surprised the taste buds. The
sorbet was the highlight for me with a slight aniseed hint from the tarragon. 2. Pickled mackerel served on crushed new potato with parsley egg sauce (like mayo) This was very good. I have in my notes that I could have eaten 3 bowls of this that is how much I liked it. When you have the freshest potatoes it is like a whole different vegetable compared to the old ones you get at the supermarket. This was served with a slightly chilled Mouthes Le Bihan 2009, which matched the flavour pretty well
1st Starter Fresh wild Scottish Salmon with garden vegetables, horseradish sauce, pea Camilla juice.
The salmon was absolutely divine and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. Fish Course Seared sea bass with onions, seaweed, onion bouillon, soya beans, cockles and mushrooms.
This was my foodgasm for the evening. The depth of flavour in the broth was outstanding, sweet, smokey, slightly burnt. This matched everything else on the plate. I was really impressed with this dish. Vegetable Plate This, Chris told us, is what is considered “Vermeer on a Plate!” There were 20 vegetables, each treated differently, all wonderfully cooked. There were 3 difference vegetables all out of this world with the carrot and cauliflower ones a particular highlight for me.
This was served with a cider. The sommelier told us he had real difficulty matching this to a wine, which was why he eventually chose a cider. The Cider in question was British Aspall 2012 vintage cider. It was nice, but since I am not a huge fan of cider I would have preferred an earthy white wine.
The wine to accompany this dish was a Trapan 2011 Niga Virgo Revolution which was a really surprising Croatian wine. This was my favourite glass from the evening, so much so that I asked for another glass of it.
Pre-Dessert Asparagus ice cream with peas, mango sorbet, white chocolate foam and brandy snaps.
This was a surprising fusion of their vegetable theme and dessert. It was challenging and delicious. The brain was really under pressure to understand this sweet and savory combination. It worked, only just. This was served with a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. This had honey flower and nutty notes and matched pretty well. Main Dessert Tasting of Strawberries.
This was a lovely way to end with wild strawberries, meringues that melted in the mouth and great creamy ice cream. We got even more tidbits with our coffee as well such as twills, brittles, brandy snaps, oliebollen etc etc. By this point I had stopped caring about the food. This is truly a unique experience, one that has to be experienced really to understand what it is about. If the Vermeer price tag is a bit too rich for your wallet, then around the city of Amsterdam you can try many chef’s tables. Below is a small selection of ones I have found. Andaz Bo Cinq Ciel Blue De Kas
Main So this lamb that they have is in fact a British Lamb – Wiltshire Horn - which has been imported and then roams free on the dunes near Heemstede. We had it done 2 ways; a herb crusted rack and a loin, simply roasted. This was accompanied by carrots and turnip, Bolognese sauce on the side and a salad. The meat was cooked perfectly and the lamb, since it is wild, was almost game like in flavour.
http://www.restaurantvermeer.nl/en/home Page 29
Rollende Keukens
W
hen I first heard about this festival I was thinking it was going to be a few burger/hotdog stands in a field, so when I arrived with this level of expectation I was completely blown away by what I saw. It is enormous. There must have been over 100 vendors, plus entertainment venues and bars - this festival is huge. So going from small expectations to this size I suddenly expected more from this festival. As with all these big food festivals you have to have a strategy in place about what you are going to do. Taste of Amsterdam for example is set up to give you small tapas size plates so you can try a lot of different things. Here however the vendors sometimes have tasting portions, but most are giving you a pretty full meal. You can try to look for all the small stuff or share a full portion between a few of you, difficult though when it comes to a burger for example. Or you trawl all of the stalls until you find exactly what you fancy and then have a big portion of that. This second strategy is risky of course as you could end up not liking what you have bought. Then you have a couple of choices, either throw it away or continue to eat it to get your money’s worth. Either way you have lost as you have spent your money or you are too full to enjoy anything else. For this festival I was lucky as I sort of knew I would be going twice. The first time I was able to walk around and try all the small portions and the second time I had honed in on one particular vendor which I was keen to try, which I will expand Page 30
on in more detail later. The weather for this event was pretty ok throughout the 5 days it was on, which meant that it was pretty busy all of the days. The first day I went was the Thursday, which turned out to be less busy than the Sunday, which was really full. There was a really interesting and huge variety of food available which makes it difficult to decide what to go for. There were many typical burger, meat sandwich and sausage type places so I wanted to try some other stuff for you. A few of the interesting things which I did not try were a make your own smoothie stall where they had made homemade ice-crushing machines from bicycles and also some mealworm spring rolls. I tried a soup to start with on Thursday from La Cucinadei Pompeii. I tried Couchette and my friend had Pepper. Both were unfortunately very watery and lacking in flavour, so not a good start. Next I tried some dim sum which consisted of 3 tasty dumplings with various fillings. This was excellent! After this we had a wander around with a few beers and listened to some of the entertainment on offer. Some of the stalls themselves had arranged their own music performances or you could go to one of the main stages to listen to what was on offer there. I would say that jazz, blues and rock
By Nick Nugent
where the most prevalent musical styles on offer.
• Wild van Wild (Wild = Game so wild about game)
After a bit more wandering we stumbled upon the Rolling Rock Kitchen which mixed meatballs with rock music. We took the Rolling Rock medley which consisted of 3 different meatballs – the Godfather, the Bollywood ball and the Chaabi nights. I will not go into too much detail other than to say that the rock music was better than the food.
• Ofjespaanseworstlust (from a saying in Dutch ofjeworstlust which you say back to someone if they say “what” if they did not hear you properly and you are annoyed by that).
So some friends I knew where heading to the festival on Sunday and I had one target for this day which was to try these supposedly award Later on at the Wood Grill we had some winning burgers. So myself and a friend took sardines which had been cooked on the a classic and a Kimchief. On the “we love grill. These were pretty good if a little bit burgers” stand they say if juiciness is a crime overcooked, but hey what can you expect then we are guilty! So what about the burgers? from a BBQ. Well the meat is indeed very juicy and well One concept which I saw which I was quite cooked. My Kimchief burger was dominated by intrigued by was the “Box Ouwe” who were the Kimchee which was too salty, but did add offering a picnic in a box. It seemed like a hell a really nice spicy and sour edge to the burger. of a lot of work to sell something but I liked The juiciness which meant the burger dribbled the concept nevertheless. quite severely meant it was pretty awkward to We saw the Vega met Ballen stand which you eat and the brioche bun became soggy before may remember from the los Dalias review last you could finish. I also tasted the classic and this was really good, on hindsight this would month. have been the burger to go for, but still suffered One stand which I was very interested in as it from the same soggy issues. I also have had by far the biggest line of any at this event problem with this penchant for brioche buns was “we love Burgers.” I asked someone in with burgers as I just think they are too sweet. the queue what was the reason for the long Nevertheless it was a great burger. queue and he told me that they won the best If you have not tried Rollende Keukens yet I burger in Amsterdam in a recent poll. I have yet to verify this, but I was determined on my would definitely put it on your list of events for next year as, for a free festival, it has a lot to second visit to try their burger. They had a choice of 2 which was a classic cheeseburger offer. or the KimChief which included, as part of the toppings, Kimchee which is the Korean fermented, spicy and sour vegetable mix. Anyway before we get to Sunday we tried one more stall which was a Mexican stall where I had a spicy beef taco just to fill in the final spaces if there were any left. We ended the Thursday listening to the jazz in the main festival tent while we finished a beer and reflecting on the seriously bad food puns we had been witnessing all day such as: • Kip it Real (a chicken stand) • Power to the piepers (Piepers = spuds in Dutch and this was a baked potato stand)
http://www.rollendekeukens.nl/ Page 31
Time for... Tapas!
Page 32
food glorious/
Karen Vivers
Page 33
food glorious/ K
aren Vivers, originally from Scotland, has lived here in Amsterdam since 1997, and has set up the Cooking Coach to help inspire people to get back into the kitchen. The basis of the cooking lessons are easy, tasty, healthy recipes. Each course starts with a free introduction session, to make sure that you only cook what you like to eat. As well as cooking lessons, Karen offers Culinary Tours in Amsterdam, is a passionate Food Blogger and works freelance as a Culinary Consultant, specialising in small and medium businesses, helping them get started, grow and deal with commercial challenges.
Time for Tapas!
Is there anything better on a warm summer evening than to enjoy your favourite tipple with some delicious snacks? Of course not. That’s why, this summer it’s all about tapas. The tapa had very humble, and practical beginnings. The story goes that somebody (some very clever Spanish person to whom I am eternally grateful) decided it would be a good idea to cover their drink with some bread to prevent flies and other insects from getting at it before they did. They also decided that the dry bread was a bit boring and so added some tasty toppings. From this, came the seemingly never ending list of tapas options with regional variations and specialties from the whole country. Spanish food, in general, is very often (and very unfairly) under rated. We hear so much about the great food of its European neighbours in Italy and in France, but Spain is left out of this foodie club. Since I have been lucky enough to travel through the country on a few occasions, I find it hard to imagine why their food is not held in the same high regard as these other countries. Could it be that so many tourists from northern Europe head for the all inclusive style resorts on the Costas where they find only the ubiquitous pastas, chicken nuggets (for the kids) and chips? By missing out on the local cuisine not enough people come home from the Costa’s raving about Spanish food and wanting to have it at home too. I also have a sneaking suspicion that it has something to do with the Spanish culture itself. I find the Spanish to be slightly more reserved than their Italian cousins and not as boastful as their French friends when it comes to promoting their food culture. I am not saying that the French and Italians have no grounds to be proud of their cuisines, of course they do. The point is that the Spanish have just as much right to show off internationally, the way they do at a local level. The Spanish, amongst themselves, celebrate food like nobody’s business.
Page 34
If you take the time to move away from the typical Spanish holiday resort you will find that every village has its own speciality, which every local can tell you about with knowledge, passion and a sense of seriousness that makes it feel as though their life almost depends on their own particular local delicacy. Which, probably at one time, it did. These are some of my favourite tapas dishes to make at home. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Spanish Meatballs “Albondigas” Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients for 6 tapas servings For the meatballs (makes about 18 meatballs about the size of walnuts) 1 x tbsp olive oil 200gr minced beef 1 x tbsp porridge oats (or breadcrumbs) 1 x garlic clove chopped finely (or crushed) 1 x spring onion, chopped finely The leaves of 8 flat parsley stalks chopped finely ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper About 1 x tbsp of flour (plain) Salt and Pepper to taste For the Sauce 1 x tbsp olive oil 1 x tomato chopped finely 1 x shallot chopped finely 100gr carrots chopped finely 2 x garlic cloves chopped finely 75gr peas (frozen) 1 x tsp paprika powder 150ml water 50ml white wine 2 x tsp tomato purée Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
1. Place all the meatball ingredients, except for the flour and the oil in a bowl and mix them together, easiest is with your hands, until everything is evenly distributed. Make sure you season well with salt and pepper. 2. Sprinkle the flour onto a dish/plate. Taking little bits of the meat mix, roll them in your hands to make walnut sized balls. Then roll them in the flour to cover all over, and set aside. Carry on until all the meat mix is rolled into meatballs. 3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Place the balls into your pan, allowing them to cook a little on
food glorious/ each side (yes, I know balls, don’t have sides, but you know what I mean). If you are making small, walnut sized balls as suggested, this will only take a few minutes on each side. Best to do this on a medium heat, so that you get some colour and a bit of a crust, but no burning. 4. When cooked, remove the balls and set aside, making sure you keep the oil in which they were cooked and any juices they created whilst cooking in your pan. You can of course eat the meatballs as they are without making a sauce. 5. Put the pan in which you made the meatballs back onto the heat and add the oil. Once hot again, add the shallot and garlic. Cook to soften for about two minutes, add the carrot, stirring and cooking for another minute or so. 6. Add the peas, tomato, tomato purée and paprika powder, stir through. 7. Add the water and wine, stir through to get all the flavours mixed evenly into the liquid. On a low medium heat, cook until the carrots have softened, liquid has reduced and the sauce thickened. This will take about 10 minutes. If at any time the mix gets too dry, add a little water, and you may also need to turn down the heat so that it doesn’t reduce too quickly. 8. When cooked, check for seasoning, return the meatballs to the thick sauce, turning them over carefully to cover, but not to break them. 9. Best served warm.
Tips and Variations • • •
If you would like to serve the meatballs without the sauce, just add a little more salt, pepper, cayenne than in the recipe above. You can easily keep these “Albondigas” in the fridge for 4 or 5 days. Try serving as a main course with rice or pasta.
Spinach and Chickpeas Preparation Time: 7 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients for 6 tapas servings 2 x tbsp olive oil 1 x shallot chopped finely 2 x garlic cloves chopped finely 1 x tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (tin is 400gr, drained weight is about 280gr) 1 x tsp cumin powder 1 x tsp turmeric ½ tsp paprika powder ¼ tsp of each, cloves and cayenne pepper 1 x tsp red wine vinegar 1 x tsp honey 500gr spinach washed, chopped roughly (remove any woody stalks) Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the shallot and garlic, cooking until browned and softened on a medium high heat. 2. Add the spices, stir through until they cover the shallot and garlic. Give this about 30 seconds or so, being careful not to burn your spices. 3. Add the vinegar and honey – and a little water if your mix is too dry. If you add water, this should be no more than a tablespoon. 4. Add the chickpeas and stir through the mix to coat them. Add some salt and a good grind of black pepper. 5. Then add the spinach, allowing it to wilt, and mix through. You may have to do this in batches if your pan is not big enough to take all the raw spinach in one go. Once wilted, check for seasoning and serve warm.
Tomato and Anchovy Tostada recipe >>>
The Cooking Coach Love Food, Live Healthy www.thecookingcoach.eu Mobile : 06 1424 0009 Email: karen@thecookingcoach.eu Page 35
food glorious/ Tomato and Anchovy Tostada Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: none Ingredients for 6 tapas servings 300gr/10.5oz. ripe tomatoes 1 x large clove of garlic, peeled and halved. 12 slices of a baguette style bread (ciabatta works too) About one tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 12 good quality anchovies Salt to taste (if you need it, the anchovies will provide quite a bit of salt)
Method 1. Quarter the tomatoes and place them in food processor (or liquidizer) and blitz them until they are smooth. 2. Toast your bread, either in your toaster, under the grill or in a grill pan if you prefer. 3. Whilst still warm, rub each slice of toasted bread on one side with the cut side of your garlic. 4. On each slice of bread spoon over the puréed tomato, then lay an anchovy over each slice, then drizzle some olive oil over each tapa and add salt if you wish.
Tips and Variations •
If you have any puréed tomato left over, keep it in some Tupperware in the fridge. I like to eat it on toasted bread without the anchovy or garlic. This is a version you will see very often being served in bars and cafés in Spain as a sort of elevensies style snack. Or of course you can add it to any tomato sauce you may make.
Page 36
food glorious/ all skill levels. As well as the recipes in the book showing you what to eat, there is lots of information about how to eat to stay healthy. This book started life as a collection of recipes used by Karen to lose over 40kgs. Karen was diagnosed with a Binge Eating Disorder (B.E.D) in 2003 and had lost and gained 100’s of kgs over her teenage and adult life. Karen realized that she had to face her fear (and her great love) – food - and take a whole new approach. This became the start of her successful and sustainable weight loss and the inspiration for her business “The Cooking Coach”. The book can also be downloaded to kindle and other E-readers and is compatible with tablets and smartphones as well as laptops and PCs.
Karen’s COOKING BOOK “Love Food, Live Healthy” now available on Amazon.
Learn How to Cook the Healthy, Tasty Meals you WANT to Eat!
Karen has recently published her first book ‘Love Food, Live Healthy’ ,which is ideal if you want to eat more consciously or lose weight without compromising on flavour or your enjoyment of food. A very achievable, common sense approach to healthy eating and cooking. With over 150 no-fuss, contemporary recipes suitable for cooks of
The Cooking Coach Love Food, Live Healthy www.thecookingcoach.eu Mobile : 06 1424 0009 Email: karen@thecookingcoach.eu Page 37
Texting while driving When did this zombie behaviour begin?
John Richardson
Oh really... • More than 3,000 teens are killed every year in US due to texting
• Pedestrian deaths and injuries have risen dramatically because of texting while walking.
• 1.3 million crashes happened last year as result of texting while driving.
• Texting while driving makes a driver 23x more likely to crash.
• 5 seconds is the minimum amount of
time your attention is taken away from the road while you are texting while
driving.(If you are travelling at 55 mph There are some really frightening statistics
Then, a few days later, I was limping
I will get to those in a moment, but first I
the earlier texting incident— near the
about the victims of texting while driving. want to recall some personal experiences of a lesser but equally dangerous form of texting behaviour: Texting while walking and cycling.
Amsterdam’s Zombie Nation
I live in Amsterdam, so most people either walk or cycle. It should be no surprise that many people text while doing one or the
other. It’s something I hadn’t noticed until I was hit recently by a female cyclist from behind while I was stationary and saying goodbye to friends. She apologised
profusely and said she had been texting and not looking where she was cycling. She was unaware, I think, of the irony of this as she carried on texting while
apologising to me. Unfortunately for me she hit me on my damaged leg with her wheel. I had recently torn my meniscus
in the gym, but luckily I had a very tough brace on it. However, she still tore a
ligament in my calf muscle, which left me rather incapacitated.
along with my walking stick—thanks to Amsterdam library when two women
walked into the back of me as they were texting. Their apology was similar to
the lady on the bike, only it was the kind of apology where you are supposed to
understand their predicament more than your own. I actually was too stunned to say anything. They just walked off
apologising profusely, but without looking up at me from their smartphones. They
couldn’t even look up for a nanosecond to apologise. It felt very unreal and
unnatural. Like it was somehow my fault. That’s when it struck me: “We’ve created a nation of texting Zombies.”
Stick a stake through its heart
And here’s my point. This is where it starts. If we don’t stick a stake through the heart of the problem now, we’ll have created a
nation of texting Zombies that will progress to driving and texting on our roads. So this is my humble effort to wave an early warning sign
at people who text while walking and cycling, especially those that see no danger in it.
Page 38
this is driving the length of a football field without looking at the road).
• 77% of young adults see absolutely
no problem and are extremely confident that they can text while driving.
• 55% of young adults even claimed that is easy to text while driving.
Talking to death: add 70 feet when texting while driving. Texting while driving is SIX times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. A national study informs us that texting while driving is also
more dangerous than driving while high on marijuana.
After alcohol REACTION TIMES: 8% WORSE
KEEPING A DISTANCE: 19% WORSE SWERVE FACTOR: 74% WORSE
Eating a sandwich REACTION TIMES: 19% WORSE
KEEPING A DISTANCE: 27% WORSE SWERVE FACTOR: 37% WORSE
Texting REACTION TIMES: 25% WORSE
KEEPING A DISTANCE: 40% WORSE SWERVE FACTOR: 85% WORSE
Speaking on mobile REACTION TIMES: 14% WORSE
KEEPING A DISTANCE: 24% WORSE SWERVE FACTOR: 47% WORSE
Brilliant. I think I’ve found a new business angle. Texting more dangerous than drink driving.
Performance deteriorated by 85 per cent
Journalist TOM RAWSTORNE from the
deteriorated by 85 per cent, massively
Daily Mail took the theory for a test. While many might assume drink-driving
is as bad as it gets, using a mobile can be
even more deadly: while drinking dulled his reaction times 8 per cent, texting slowed them by 25 per cent.
When driving while texting his performance increasing the risk of my car mounting a
kerb and hitting a pedestrian or drifting into the path of oncoming traffic.
That compared with a 74 per cent
deterioration when under the influence, 47 per cent when holding the phone to
To put that into context, if he had been
make a call, 37 per cent when eating a
8.5 metres further before hitting the brakes
call hands free.
travelling at 70mph, he would have travelled in response to a problem than if he weren’t
distracted. That’s more than two car lengths. When it came to keeping a safe distance between his car and that in front, again,
sandwich and 20 per cent when making a Having seen in black and white how
dangerous a driver he became when he
had a phone in his hand, he said he would never do it again.
texting was the most disruptive. But most shocking of all was the way mobile use
affected his ability to keep his car safely in
the middle of a lane as he negotiated a series of gentle bends at 40mph.
Page 39
Page 40