Cibare 23

Cibare

London’s Food and Drinks Magazine Issue Twenty Three, Winter 2021

www.cibare.co.uk @cibaremagazine

Contents RECIPE Tequila and Lime Wings Fermented Strawberry Cocktail Tom Yun Gung Soup Double Chocolate Brownies An Indulgent Treat Vegan Pasta Pesto

REVIEW 18 20 38 42 44 48

Rising Ground 10 Crudo 56

GARDENING The Positivity Power of Flowers 64

BOOK REVIEW FEATURES The Story of the Double Heart 14 Morning Love Omelettes 24 Golden Kitcheree 28 Love is Simple 32 Seared Scallops in Peanut Crumb 48

Bake For Syria Nutmeg and Custard

4 74

CRAFTS The Kids’ Table 70

HEALTH AND NUTRITION Work Out Because You Love Yourself Love Me Love My Dog

60 76

BOOZE From The Coast With Love

52

ADVERTORIAL Embracing My Gluten Free Body 78 2

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Well, here we are again! But we are right here with you. This issue is all about Love!!!

And no, not just because it’s Valentine’s Day! Because I think that we all need a little bit of love during these miserable months with ANOTHER lockdown and the world, one way or another, gone mad. But once we get through the winter, the spring will see us back together and we just need to remember that we need to keep the flames of love for ourselves, for our own mental health as well as for each other, nice and hot. We can do this. We have to do this. So, to help you through we have some heart-warming recipes for you to enjoy, some cute reviews for you to read and features for you to get your juices flowing. Stick with us. We got your back!

Love always Eve x

Front Cover Image Credits Tempus Charcuterie The Cheese Bar Custom Woodwork Gifts Forge De Laguiole

Cibare

Editor’s Note

BOOK REVIEW

BAKE FOR SYRIA Reviewed By Despina Mina

In this edition of CIBARE, I’ve been looking at their second cook book, #BakeForSyria, but before I get to that, here’s a little explanation of how it all began… Journalist and founder of ‘Suitcase’ Magazine, Serena Guen, had worked on UNICEF’s NextGen project and wanted to do more to help - NextGen is a global initiative bringing together 4

diverse groups of young professionals, committed to helping transform the lives of vulnerable children.

The project showed her how environmental devastation following years of civil war had re-shaped Syria: mass deforestation, soil erosion and water pollution have left families starving and facing death.

UNICEF have been working tirelessly to help the children of Syria, providing them with daily essentials including access to clean water, nutritious meals, shelter, medication and education.

So, Serena pulled in her pal, the highly prolific food editor and travel writer known as ‘Clerkenwell Boy’, and restaurant PR guru Gemma Bell to help set up fundraising dinners cooked by London’s top chefs. Diners were encouraged to take snaps of their mouth-watering Syrian inspired meals and post them to social media with the hashtag #CookForSyria. This trending Cibare Magazine

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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

Without stating the obvious, I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has left us feeling bruised and delicate. So now more than ever, it feels important to spread some love and kindness to one another. To start the new year right I wanted to focus on the incredible work being done by the charity, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, also known as UNICEF. In particular, a small group of people who’ve put their clever heads together to raise money for the children of war-torn Syria, using food as the catalyst.

Being so spoilt for choice, I broke this down to three dishes.

Something recognisable with a Middle Eastern twist - Tahini Brownies by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh. Something more traditional - Atayef (pancakes) with Ricotta, Dates & Cardamom Honey by 2012 Bake Off winner John Whaite and finally something that I felt combined the two - Honey Loaf with Rose Dukkah and Tahini Cream by Alex Hely-Hutchinson, the founder of the café 26 Grains.

Next up are the Atayefs. Rather than cook them on both sides like a traditional pancake, these are cooked on one side only, so that when you add your filling the ’raw’ edges of the uncooked side stick together. What John doesn’t tell you is that when you pour a tablespoon of batter into the frying pan, you don’t naturally get a perfect circle, and rather naively it took me three attempts to realise this. FYI, to get them perfectly round, I placed a metal 3.5” pastry cutter into the centre of the frying pan and poured in the batter. Atayefs are traditionally made for special occasions and I can see why - they take time and patience to make but are well worth the effort. The payoff is a perfectly cushioned parcel, filled with a soft and delicately sweet combination of ricotta and Medjool dates. The sprinkling of crushed pistachios helps to give them that needed layer of texture and for anyone wanting a little more sweetness, drizzle some of the cardamom honey over the top.

Now unless you’re allergic to chocolate who doesn’t love a brownie, they’re the ultimate crowd pleaser. Ottolenghi and Goh’s version includes chunks of halva thrown into the mix (a super sweet Arabic confection made from sugar/honey and sesame seed paste), with a drizzle of tahini over the top. Whilst some prefer a lighter cakey texture, I like my brownies to be so dense and fudgy that you need a pint of tea to wash them down, and these ones hit the spot. They were super

Now, if I’m honest, I wasn’t expecting Alex Hely-Hutchinson’s Honey Loaf to be my absolute favourite thing I’ve baked in the last 12 months, but there you go - it was. The ground almonds give it a tight dense texture, similar to using polenta, and yields a beautifully moist cake. With every bite, and believe me there were plenty, I could taste the fresh orange juice, rose water and honey.

But to make this next level, Alex adds the dukkah, a mix of cumin, coriander,

Following the success of this, baker and cafe owner, Lily Vanilli, took on the challenge of curating the second book #BakeForSyria.

It’s crammed with delicious bakes and dessert recipes donated by an all-star team of chefs including Jamie Oliver, Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigel Slater. Equally holding their own are personal recipes from Syrianborn refugees Imad Alarnab, Ammar Awtani and Mohammed Harrah, who are carving their own paths here in the UK.

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indulgent as all self-respecting brownies should be, but I’m not entirely sure if the halva and tahini added an extra punch to an already big hitter.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

hashtag encouraged likeminded people to host more fundraising dinners and supper clubs, celebrating the rich flavours of Syria - and so the first book #CookForSyria was born.

fennel seeds and crushed peppercorn.

Call it the crowning glory if you will, but imagine a cake that’s steeped in a sweet aromatic syrup and then topping it with something completely savoury. These two opposing flavours work so well together and we absolutely loved it.

PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

The bottom line is, my friends, do something good today and give what you can to the people who need it. It doesn’t have to a big gesture; the small ones are just as meaningful. For me, #BakeForSyria was a win-win situation, I get a warm feeling inside both for helping UNICEF keep the good fight going and because I’m full of cake.

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REVIEW

RISING GROUND

By Emma Jordan

This time we’re tasting coffee by Rising Ground. Starting sometime in 2017, the company is run by the world’s 10th best barista, Hugo, and “coffee bore” and beardy tattooed man, Sean. They roast their own coffee to their own specifications in their roaster in Cornwall (which they share with others) and insist that you don’t need either tattoos or a beard to enjoy their beans. They currently have four coffees (including a decaf) on offer, including one from a women’s cooperative in Congo (sadly not reviewed here) that gives women landsecurity and independent incomes.

Blueberry Candy – Nicaragua

As the name suggests, the beans have a distinctive blueberry aroma; almost exaggeratedly so, like blueberry flavoured sweets. It’s sweet, juicy and soft, yet fruitily acidic.

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Long

It’s quite light in the cup and a watery consistency (somehow some coffees seem thicker). The aroma is still fruity, but has a hint of gravel and a slight creaminess.

On drinking, the incredible blueberry flavour is happily apparent, but there’s also something farmy which reminds me of lemony Ethiopian coffees; sometimes farmy is farmy, sometimes it explodes into intensely refreshing fruit flavours.

A bit of slurping and sloshing releases a hint of white rum. It’s quite unique in the sense that it’s very light to drink, but the flavour is rich and sweet, yet not at all cloying, which I think is quite an achievement. It’s almost like a wellbalanced cocktail – juicy, refreshing and moreish. There’s a very pleasant aftertaste that’s sweet and fruity, with a hint of rain-on-tarmac, with a light but glossy mouthfeel.

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Short The aroma has a greater acidity giving the impression of citrus and the blueberry is still there with more creaminess.

It’s by no means your typical espresso – still quite light, but very nice. The first contact hints at a strong citrus flavour but then softens back into the blueberry.

The farmy-ness is gone. Aerating yields something of a metallic flavour, which is present in the aftertaste. It’s not unpleasant by any means, but I think this coffee is excellent as a long drink.

Short

The aroma is really chocolatey – it reminds me of the smell when you open a box of chocolates. The flavour is quite different in the short coffee – the chocolate bitterness just bursts out and almost (but not quite) evokes a concentrated lemon flavour; just as it seems like it could be lemon, it turns out it’s actually dark chocolate. Beyond that, the flavour does seem to be pretty much dark chocolate, with an afterthought of tobacco. All in all, this coffee is very nice both long and short.

Foundry (Blend of coffee from Papua New Guinea, Brazil and El Salvador).

The beans have a more rounded, toasty aroma with notes of dark chocolate and, well, coffee.

Long

Again, it’s quite a light coffee, in the cup the aroma is of smooth milk chocolate.

The first thing I taste is a burst of mild dark chocolate bitterness, although this quickly opens out into a contrasting flavour of toasted hazelnuts and milk chocolate. Overall, it is subtle, sweet, warm and rounded. Aerating allows the nuttiness and bitter notes to come back out and adds a hint of black pepper to the mix. It’s a nice, easy drinking coffee that I might be inclined towards in the afternoon, still refreshing, but perhaps more relaxed and not quite as uplifting as the Blueberry Candy. The mouthfeel is glossy but develops into a chalky sensation after a while, with an aftertaste of dark chocolate.

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FEATURE

THE STORY OF THE DOUBLE HEART Designed by Brian Benton, founder of Custom Woodwork Gifts – Thinking Outside the Gift Box

By Gillian Balcombe

Brian’s always been an artisan craftsman - and no doubt always will be. For him, there’s something very special about making one-of-a-kind items for people to love. Many years ago, he trained as a master craftsman in the jewellery trade in London’s Hatton Garden, and it was there that he learned some serious skills and the joy of designing and creating gorgeous, unique pieces.

When he moved abroad over 30 years ago, Brian decided to change track and turned his computer hobby into a business. But he missed working with his hands, so woodworking became his hobby instead. These days, he’s finally found a way to combine everything that he loves to do. Computers and craftsmanship amalgamated so that he can design and make bespoke products

and gifts from beautiful hardwoods and softwoods. Notwithstanding the IT aspect, he remains very much the artisan, so that every piece is lovingly crafted and hand-finished to create a beautiful item.

Custom Woodwork Gifts have a range of standard items, that can be adapted for corporate as well as personal use, or they can make something totally different and custom-designed, as they do love a challenge. Hence Cibare’s exclusive double heart cheese and charcuterie board for the season of love, designed

by Brian in conjunction with your subeditor. The design process begins with a series of questions and sketches to make sure he really understands what his client envisages. After everyone’s agreed on the concept, a computer image is

generated for discussion and approval.

And once approved, he carefully selects the most appropriate piece of wood for the task.

All Custom Woodwork Gifts boards and platters are made from thoughtfully sourced hardwoods with stunning natural grains - usually French Oak or South African Walnut. This means that not only is each article uniquely beautiful, they are also hard-wearing and don’t chip easily. And the boards, whether cheese boards, serving platters, bread boards or pizza boards, can be personalised with a mixture of words and symbols – but unlike so many others, the wording on these boards is carved out of the wood rather than lasered, then carefully hand-finished. All the boards that are for use with food are treated with a 100% food safe oil, in a process that consists of repeated coating with oil and sanding. Each piece is treated with a minimum of four coats of oil, which enables the wood to cure from the inside, meaning that any juices or acids on the board will simply wash off, rather than penetrate the wood. This ensures longevity and enhances the natural beauty of the wood.

gift, truly something to be treasured for many years to come. www.customwoodworkgifts.com brian@customwoodworkgifts.com Instagram: @customwoodworkgifts

And it’s not just boards… Custom Woodwork Gifts also produce gorgeous plaques and signs to honour a special occasion, decorate a room, or encourage a new business, for which softwoods can also be used. Take an idea to Brian and he will make it happen. The design process doesn’t differ and is based around questions, discussion, design and approval, so that the lucky recipient ends up with the perfect, handcrafted wood www.cibare.co.uk

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RECIPE

TEQUILA AND LIME CHICKEN WINGS

By Jack’s Meat Shack

This is one of the first recipes which I cooked when starting out on my culinary escapades and it’s still one of my favourite marinades for chicken wings.

I prefer not to separate the drums and flats for this recipe and keep them whole, but of course you can do this if you prefer. These are perfect to share up to a crowd on a game day or even as a starter at a big barbecue event. Just save a shot or two for drinking! This quantity will serve four people.

Ingredients

120ml Tequila 120ml olive oil 1 tsp chilli seeds Juice and zest of one lime Salt and pepper 1kg chicken wings

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Method

Combine the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the chicken wings and mix, ensuring that all the wings have an even coating.

Cover and marinate in the fridge for two to four hours.

Heat the grill to 200°C. Lay the chicken wings on a roasting tin and cook under direct heat for ten minutes to get a bit of a crust then move to indirect heat.

Turn the wings occasionally to prevent them from burning and remove to a serving platter when the internal temperature reaches 75°C.

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RECIPE

LACTO FERMENTED STRAWBERRY COCKTAIL

By Anthony Raffo

This time of year isn’t the season for British strawberries although I’m sure there is a spike in sales around 14th February. Valentine’s Day conjures up all sorts of images such as chocolate, roses, jewellery and of course the humble strawberry. Why not do something a little different with them this year to impress someone special? When I say do something special with them anyone that knows me knows it’s a safe bet that the next word out of my mouth is fermentation. And that’s exactly it: lacto-fermented strawberries taste incredible, just as if a strawberry was injected with pure umami. My favourite use has to be this cocktail, which is very unusual and sure to impress the one you love.

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Ingredients

Lacto-fermented strawberry juice: Punnets of strawberries x2 Table salt x 2% of the weight of the strawberries

Method

Weigh your strawberries and then weigh 2% of that number of table salt. For example, if you have 100g of strawberries you would need 2g of table salt.

In a large bowl toss the salt and strawberries and leave until you start to see strawberry juice forming at the bottom of the bowl.

Place everything into an air tight Mason Cibare Magazine

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jar and leave for two weeks at room temperature.

Separate the juice from the strawberries and chill.

Lacto-fermented strawberry cocktail Ingredients

Lemonade x 200ml Pink gin x 50ml Fermented strawberry juice x 50ml Ice cubes Fresh strawberry x 1

Method

Measure out the pink gin and chilled fermented strawberry juice into a mixing glass with a few cubes of ice and stir for one minute.

Pour into your serving glass with a few more cubes of ice. Top with lemonade and garnish with the fresh strawberry.

FEATURE

MORNING LOVE OMELETTES

By Theo Michaels

For many people the act of creating and sharing food is a means of showing their love. It can be as complex as a lengthy dinner or the simple act of making a morning cup of tea before your partner wakes up. For me, having the opportunity to cook my wife a delicious breakfast is a luxury we rarely get (three kids under 11 and a dog are not conducive to relaxing mornings!).

Omelette: 4 eggs Handful grated Cheddar cheese Knob butter Dozen mushrooms sliced Handful baby spinach leaves ½ small red onion, diced 50g Feta cheese

Here’s my easy Mediterranean omelette with Feta cheese and a piquant tomato salsa.

Mix all the salsa ingredients together, season and taste. Leave in a bowl till later.

Ingredients

Salsa: Half dozen baby plum tomatoes 1 tbsp finely diced onion Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped Quarter red chilli, finely diced 30 ml olive oil 1 tbsp tomato purée 15ml cider vinegar

Method

Fry the onions and mushrooms for five minutes until the onions are caramelised and the mushrooms are seared, then remove from the pan.

Whisk the eggs and season generously.

On a high heat, add a knob of butter to the pan along with half the onions and mushrooms and a small handful of spinach, stir for a few seconds until the spinach starts to wilt then pour in half

the whisked eggs. Swirl the eggs around the pan and using the side of a fork gently pull the edges of the egg towards the centre as it cooks then tilt the pan to fill the ‘void’ with the egg. Repeat for your own breakfast!

Once it starts to solidify, sprinkle over the grated cheddar cheese and before the eggs are fully cooked fold one side of the omelette edge over and then tilt the pan and pour it onto a plate to create a nice clean shape.

Spoon over some of the salsa across the centre of the omelette (I use a fork to let excess liquid drain off the salsa), then crumble the Feta over the top and serve with a cup of coffee and a smug grin.

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FEATURE

GOLDEN KITCHEREE WITH GHEE AND CUMIN

By Urvashi Roe

This is a traditional Indian recipe which my mother made whenever I came home from university or my travels. It’s full of comfort and love. I didn’t understand this until I had my own children but make it when words fail you or if you don’t have the right words to show someone how much you love them. I have put this dish down in front of grumpy teens many a time and received a hug afterwards. It is soothing, delicious and mood enhancing. It’s not difficult to make and prefer, you can make it into more of a soup by adding some warm milk right at the end.

Ingredients

100g split mung beans 100g basmati rice 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp turmeric 100ml cream 6 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter 2 level tsp cumin seeds 2 level tsp mustard seeds

2-3 fresh curry leaves Handful fresh coriander leaves finely chopped Pinch ground cumin Sprinkle chilli flakes Squeeze fresh lemon

Method

Combine the split mung beans and rice in a pan and pour over lukewarm water.

Leave to soak out the starch for about 10 mins.

Drain off the cloudy water, fill the pan up with lukewarm water, rinse the rice and beans again and pour away the water.

Repeat this a few times until the water start to run clearer. It doesn’t need to be perfectly clear. A little starch is good as it makes the dish wonderfully sticky.

After the final rinse, fill the pan up again with 500g warm water, stir in the salt and turmeric and pop on a medium heat.

Bring it to the boil and then lower the heat right down and put the lid on. Leave to cook for an additional 10 minutes, giving it a stir half way.

Then turn the heat off, add the cream, stir and put the lid back on off the heat for 5 minutes. The steam will do its work to soften the rice further. Stir well before serving.

To serve prepare two to three bowls and spoon in the steaming kitcheree.

Warm the ghee in a small frying pan until it’s melted. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let them crackle and pop for a minute or so and then add in the chopped coriander.

Quickly spoon over the kitcheree.

Sprinkle over the ground cumin and chilli flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Serve and enjoy!

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FEATURE

LOVE IS SIMPLE

By Gillian Balcombe

The name of our magazine is Cibare, an Italian word meaning to nurture and nourish. It resonates with the concept of preparing your food with love, with the idea of using the best ingredients in simple ways to produce delicious, satisfying dishes. With this in mind, and knowing that not everyone has either the time or the inclination to spend hours in the kitchen, here are a couple of recipes to enjoy with your nearest and dearest or significant other, that will demonstrate the love and leave you time to enjoy it too!

For a classic but yummy starter, most of us enjoy the luxury of smoked salmon.

This particular SMOKED SALMON PÂTÉ is very tasty and quite low in fat, so you’ll be showing how much you care in more ways than one!

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Ingredients

150 grams of good quality smoked salmon trimmings (this is a better option than cheap smoked salmon) 100 grams of cottage cheese 1/8 of a medium sized onion, roughly chopped (you don’t need much - this is for a hint of flavour, not to overwhelm that wonderful salmon) 3 tsp of lemon juice 1 to 2 tsp of chopped parsley (it’s fine to use frozen parsley here, it’s so convenient and really saves waste if you can’t use up a fresh bunch all at once) Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Food processor – put all the ingredients into the bowl of the machine, starting with the onion and the salmon trimmings, and blitz till well blended.

Carefully lift out blade, scrape out the pâté and put it into a serving dish.

Stick blender – put all the ingredients Cibare Magazine

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into a bowl, blitz everything together till well blended. Transfer pâté into a serving dish.

Refrigerate till needed – it can be prepared a day in advance.

Serve with toasted sourdough or rye bread and lemon wedges. If you want to be really fancy when you serve this, make quenelles out of the pâté with two dessert spoons. For a light lunch, add sliced avocado and slices of cucumber and tomato.

The next recipe cannot possibly be described as low in fat, however it does at least use unsaturated fat and it is hands down the easiest recipe for HOME MADE MAYONNAISE you will ever find.

I have never, in all the years I’ve been making this, had my mayonnaise fail or split. And I promise you will never look at the stuff in the jars again…

Ingredients

Yolks of two large eggs (I prefer organic, or at the very least eggs from chickens who’ve had a good scamper over the landscape) 1 heaped tsp of Dijon mustard (not the stuff with the grains, it won’t work) 250ml of sunflower oil 1/4 tsp each of ground pepper, caster sugar and fine salt 1 tsp of lemon juice, wine vinegar or cider vinegar

Method

Place the egg yolks and mustard into a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk them together well.

With your mixer on the slowest setting, start drizzling the oil very gently into 34

the egg and mustard mixture. Once you can see that it is emulsifying, that is holding together and thickening a little, you can speed up the mixer and drizzle faster. You will end up with a wonderful, unctuous pale-yellow mixture. Now whisk in the basic seasonings to finish.

This mayonnaise forms the basis for so many sauces and salads, is a marvellous accompaniment for fish dishes or slathered on your sarnies.

There’s always a jar in my fridge!

Now here’s a main course that just screams flavour - and it’s gluten free.

These SMOKED HADDOCK FISH CAKES can be made in advance and reheated – they’ll taste just as good as when they were first fried.

Ingredients

375g undyed smoked haddock fillets (this is important – natural smoking is a much healthier option) Large (approx 300g) baking type potato 1 leek 1 to 2 tsp frozen chopped parsley 1.5 to 2 tbsp chickpea (gram) flour 1 large egg, beaten

Method

Pop the fish in a pan, cover it with a mix of two thirds milk, one third water and poach till it’s soft. The milk is necessary to take out any excess salt. Remove the fillets from the liquor in the pan, flake the flesh from the skin, extracting any stray bones that you may find, and set aside in a bowl.

Peel and dice the potato and pop it in a pot of slightly salted water to boil. Finely chop the leek and add that to the pot so Cibare Magazine

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that the vegetables cook together. When the potatoes and leeks are done, strain and rinse them and crush them up, so that there’s still a bit of texture to the potato, then add them to the fish.

Mix in the chickpea (gram) flour, parsley, ground black paper and beaten egg till all the ingredients are combined, then refrigerate for about half an hour to let it firm up - this just makes it easier to handle.

Divide the fish mixture into six patties of around 125g each and fry in about 1cm sunflower oil till golden brown on both sides, turning once. Place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel to drain off any excess oil. Serve hot with green vegetables (maybe slightly wilted spinach or Tenderstem broccoli) or salad, and a good dollop of the homemade mayonnaise you’ve just made! If you like tartare sauce, simply chop a few capers and cornichons very finely and stir them into the mayo.

These fish cakes are also a great ‘batch cook’ as they freeze beautifully. When reheated in the oven at 170°C (fan) they will be just as crispy and tasty as they were when they came out of your frying pan.

Continuing the theme of using good ingredients and not messing around with them, my go to dessert to end this meal would be delicious strawberries or raspberries (or a mixture of both while we’re at it!) with cream or a topquality vanilla ice cream. If you want something a little more indulgent, you’ll find a recipe for a super gooey chocolate brownie that you can serve with the fruit

elsewhere in the magazine. Whatever you choose, relax and enjoy the moment and the simple pleasures of life.

ICECREAM SANDWICHES HANDMADE IN EAST LONDON

www.happyendingsldn.com

@HappyEndingsLDN

RECIPE

TOM YUM GUNG NOODLE SOUP

By Ying Bower

Ingredients

For the soup: 1 cup of king prawn heads (optional - if you used fresh king prawns don’t throw away the heads as you can use them in the stock) 2.5ltr water ½ cup fresh galangal (if you can’t find fresh galangal you can get galangal paste instead) ½ cup fresh lemongrass ½ cup lime juice 4 tbsp fish sauce ½ cup tom yum paste (tom yum paste is available in most supermarkets) 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chillis ¼ cup fresh lime leaves 2 pork or chicken stock cubes 1 tbsp sugar 1 can of good quality coconut milk

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For the filling: 1 cup of cooked pork mince 12 king prawns Finely chopped coriander and spring onion 1 pack of beansprouts 1 pack of noodles (you can use whichever noodles you prefer: I like to use instant noodles, as they are easy to get)

Method

Bring the water to boil on a medium heat. Once the water is boiled add all the ingredients and leave the stock on a fast simmer for 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and leave it on a fast simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

While you are waiting for the stock to cook, start preparing the filling. Cook the minced pork by frying in the pan with a small amount of oil: when the pork is cooked set it aside. Put water in Cibare Magazine

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PICTURE CREDITS: Ying Bower

This classic Thai recipe serves four people

a deep pan on a medium heat and once it has boiled add the noodles: just follow the instructions on the noodle packet and once they are ready, set them aside.

When you finish cooking the noodles make sure to retain the cooking liquid once you have removed all the noodles.

Add the king prawns to the pan and cook them for one to two minutes or until they’re cooked - make sure you don’t overcook them or the prawns will be chewy and they won’t taste as nice and fresh as they should. When the prawns are done use a slotted spoon to remove them and bring the water back to boiling point. Add the beansprouts to the pan, cook for one to two minutes so they retain some crunch then drain and rinse them and set them aside till the soup stock is ready.

When everything is cooked it’s time to serve up the noodle soup by putting a quarter of the noodles into each bowl, followed by a quarter of the cooked minced pork on top of the noodles, and equal amounts of prawns and beansprouts for each bow. Finally pour the stock over your filling, garnish with coriander and spring onion and enjoy your soup!

Normally in Thailand, we will have extra ingredients to season the soup such as chilli powder, fish sauce and lime juice.

You can add any of these if you want your soup to be spicier, saltier or sourer, depending upon your taste.

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RECIPE

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

By Dani Gavriel

Ingredients 14 brownies

225g / 1 cup of coconut oil or unsalted butter 1 each bar of good quality milk and dark chocolate (totalling 330g) 90g or 1/2 cup of coconut sugar or brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, beaten 180g / 1 ¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 1 tbsp dark cocoa powder 60g / 1/2 cup of crushed walnuts and pecans Non-stick cooking spray, coconut oil or butter for greasing

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Method

Grease your 20 x 20cm baking tin.

Break up all your chocolate into cubes and melt along with a tablespoon of coconut oil or butter.

Mix all of your dry ingredients and add the melted chocolate, vanilla essence and beaten eggs.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (depending on just how gooey you like them!) at 190°C convention / 180°C fan / Gas Mark 4 to 5.

Serve each one with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

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RECIPE

Kids’ Corner AN INDULGENT TREAT

By Samina Iqbal

What could be better than to treat your loved one to a sumptuous decadent treat? Preferably one that doesn’t take hours to make, and something that will chase away the gloom of the year and make you feel good in the process.

Endorphins? Yes please. Try this recipe when misery is about to take you down…

Ingredients

375ml whole milk 125ml double cream 50ml whipping cream 1 tbsp icing sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon powder ½ teaspoon espresso powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 200g good quality dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids 2 heart-shaped strawberries

Method

Measure the whipping cream into a bowl. Add cinnamon. Whisk until you have soft peaks.

Chop all the chocolate into small pieces and set aside.

In a large pan, measure out the milk, double cream, icing sugar and espresso powder.

Heat until there are gentle bubbles around the sides, but do not let it boil.

Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and vanilla. Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted.

Pour into two tall glass cups if you have them, and add a scoop of the whipped cream. Gently top with a strawberry and serve.

For a dairy free alternative, use coconut milk to replace the whole milk, and whip up some coconut cream from a can for the topping.

RECIPE

EMMA’S LUSH VEGAN PASTA PESTO

By Emma Sousa

Provides 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic 50 grams of toasted pine nuts (or toasted sunflower seeds) 50 grams raw cashew nuts 80 to 100 grams of baby spinach, watercress and rocket mix A generous glug of olive oil 30 grams of fresh basil (including stalks) 6 heaped tablespoons of nutritional yeast Fresh rocket and cherry tomatoes to dress Half a fresh unwaxed lemon Pasta

Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Meanwhile cook the pasta (enough for 6 servings).

When cooked, drain the pasta retaining some of the pasta water. Add around a cup of pasta water to the pesto mix and then mix into the pasta.

Serve dressed with quartered cherry tomatoes and fresh rocket.

Serve immediately!

Method

Toast the pine nuts in a pan until golden.

In a food processor blitz the pine nuts, cashews and garlic and put to one side.

Blitz the basil, rocket and watercress together with the juice from half a lemon and a generous glug of olive oil. Add the nutritional yeast and season with salt and pepper.

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FEATURE

SEARED SCALLOPS ROLLED IN A PEANUT CRUMB … AND A PARSNIP ‘THAI CURRY’ PURÉE, PICKLED RADISHES AND PEA SHOOTS

By David J Rickett

Serves 2

For the Scallops Ingredients

6 scallops (remove the roe and clean) Small handful of salted peanuts

Parsnip ‘Thai Curry’ Purée

2 parsnips 1 small onion (finely diced) 4 large cloves garlic (finely diced) 2 thumb sized pieces of ginger (grated) 1 stick lemon grass 2 lime leaves (preferably fresh) 2 tablespoons tamarind paste 100ml chicken or veg stock 100ml double cream Juice from ½ a lime Salt to taste 48

Pickled Radishes

4 radishes 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar) 3 tablespoons boiling water 1 teaspoon honey Pinch of sea salt Pinch of caster sugar Dressed Pea Shoots: 1 handful of pea shoots Juice from ½ a lime Pinch of sea salt

Method For the Parsnip ‘Thai Curry’ Purée

Start by gently frying the diced onion in olive oil until translucent (do not brown the onion). Then add the diced garlic, Cibare Magazine

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grated ginger and tamarind paste and fry for a further minute.

Deglaze the pan with the stock and mix until combined, then add the cream, lime leaves and the lemongrass stick (bash the lemongrass with a rolling pin so that it can release its flavour, but remains intact).

Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes on a low heat to allow the flavours to infuse.

Whilst this mix is simmering, peel the parsnips and chop into 2cm chunks.

Cook the parsnips in a separate pan of boiling water until tender, but not mushy.

Once the onion/garlic/tamarind/cream etc. mixture has been simmering for 15 to 20 minutes, blend until very smooth and then add the lime juice.

For the Pea Shoots

Place the pea shoots in a bowl and squeeze over the lime juice.

Season with salt and mix. Make sure you dress the pea shoots as you are about to serve as this can’t be done in advance.

For the Scallops

Blitz the peanuts until they resemble a fine crumb.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan on a medium to high heat. When the pan is hot enough, sear the scallops until they are nicely golden brown. Flip the scallops and take the pan off the heat, allowing the residual heat to cook the scallop through. Once cooked, roll the scallops in the peanut crumb so that they are nicely coated.

Serve and enjoy!

The final step to making this purée is to add the cooked parsnip pieces into the blended mixture one or two at a time and blend until a thick purée consistency has been achieved (you may not need to add all the parsnips). Once perfectly smooth it’s very important you add salt to taste and to bring the flavour to life!

For the Pickled Radishes

In a small bowl add the boiling water and the caster sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then mix in the rice wine vinegar, honey and salt.

Thinly slice the radishes and add to the pickling mix. Pickle for a minimum of 10 minutes, however the pickles can be made well in advance.

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BOOZE

FROM THE COAST WITH LOVE

By Jessica Mason

Like all good recipes, we adapt them to suit our needs or the way we feel. I’d encourage you to do the same and create your own perfect medley of ingredients.

But the basics remain the same - make something pillowy and warming that you can hold in your hands. Then wash it down with a nip of something that radiates warmth in your throat and down to your heart. A drink that makes your eyes sparkle and dance.

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That’s why, when you want to feel loved, all you really need are pasties and rum.

Rum and pasties. The perfect bedfellows.

Here’s the adapted recipe.

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten 100g butter, cubed 225g flour 2 potatoes, cubed 1 onion, chopped 2 parsnips, cubed 1 serving of stewing steak and/or mushrooms, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C Peel and chop one ramekin of potatoes into small cubes.

Peel and chop one ramekin of onions into small pieces.

Peel and chop one ramekin of parsnips into small cubes.

Chop either one ramekin of raw beef Cibare Magazine

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PICTURE CREDITS: Jessica Mason

There are some days when you just need a hug. But while our social circles become smaller, the paucity of people to dispense hugs to each of us these days reduces too. So, in an effort to discover new ways to feel the kind of warmth and comfort only found in the arms of someone dear, I went in search of recipes that would feed my soul and make me feel satisfied as much as any wide-armed embrace.

Make a batch of shortcrust pastry. You probably already know the drill, but if not, here are the standard amounts: mix together about 225g of flour and a pinch of salt and then 100g of butter cubed or simply broken into small pieces and rub together in your hands until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs.

Add a splash of cold water a little at a time, until the mixture comes together.

Good pastry means your bowl should look clean when you take the dough out, leaving no traces of flour or butter on the sides.

Roll the pastry dough into a sausage or long snake shape and then cut it into four equal pieces. Put three pieces aside and work on one piece of pastry at a time.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about an eight-inch (20cm) circle or, using a plate as a guide, place it on the dough and cut around it.

Put a layer of cubed potatoes down the middle of the pastry circle, leaving a small space at the top and bottom edges of the dough. Season with salt and pepper.

Then add a layer of onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper, followed by a layer of parsnips and then lastly a layer of beef or mushrooms. Lay a couple of slices of butter on top and sprinkle a little flour over the filling.

Wet the tips of your fingers and dampen the outer edge of the pastry dough. Then, carefully bring the sides of the pastry up and seal the pasty down the middle.

Turn the pasty onto its side and crimp or press the edges to secure the pasty filling. Assemble each of the remaining pasties and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in the middle of each one to let the steam out.

Brush each pasty with the beaten egg mixture and bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes until golden in colour. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 10 minutes (they will be very hot inside) before eating.

Once cooled a little, for those you don’t devour immediately, wrap in a strip of greaseproof paper and secure with string, so they can be held easily while out and about without getting greasy hands. Load up each into a hamper and take them out with you. Or, if you’re staying in, you can warm them later, or chill or freeze them to enjoy another time.

Ideally though, I’d say eat them warm and wash each one down with your favourite brown spirit. Pair with small glasses or a hip flask. I chose a bottle of Tidal rum, a golden rum infused with oak-smoked Pepper Dulse which has been foraged at low tide in Jersey. It was the perfect accompaniment to the homeliness of a seaside pasty.

Take a bite of pasty and let the pastry crumble a little in your mouth. Let the flavours intermingle with the buttery peppered edge to each mouthful. Then sip your rum to chase each bite. You’ll start to feel warm and full of love very soon, I promise!

PICTURE CREDITS: Jessica Mason

steak or mushrooms (depending on preference). Set aside.

Please note all ingredients are raw.

REVIEW

CRUDO

By Eve Tudor

The newest fishmonger and seafood restaurant in town!!

Just as Lockdown 2 was over, I managed to grab a bubble buddy and go to the new Crudo restaurant in Shoreditch. I can’t tell you how pleased I was that we made it before life had to stop once again!

But what a beautiful night. The lighting was warm and so inviting. The décor was fresh and modern and everyone was so happy to see us with such kind eyes. It put us at ease so that whilst the world outside was worrying, we, along with everyone in the restaurant, were excited for a lovely evening. Let’s face it we haven’t had enough of those in the last year!

Obviously, we began with some cocktails!

My favourite, the Squid Ink Mary, was perfect! Squid Ink infused Vodka with a homemade gazpacho and it was divine.

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(I may have had more than one.)

Then the food. We wanted everything, so we had a little mixture. But we began with the Carpaccio of Red Prawns and Truffles. The buttery prawns and the strong truffles played with joy on my taste buds. My eyes rolled back into my head with every exquisite mouthful. I’m not sure of the last time I was that happy eating prawns. Or maybe anything. I lost track of time and space putting that into my mouth I’ll be honest with you.

Bliss is the only thing I can say. That and when are you open again? Obviously.

Then the Sea Bun, filled with Tempura Octopus. A fresh ciabatta bun filled with light octopus tempura and black cabbage with a spicy olive mayo. The bun was filled with big beautiful pieces of octopus in a light, crisp tempura batter. The olive mayonnaise was just the right level of olive to creamy mayo Cibare Magazine

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and complimented the entire plate perfectly. I just took a great big mouthfilling bite and delighted in the flavour combinations. It was wonderful. This was a dish that was ordered twice seeing as sharing wasn’t an option as, to be perfectly honest, we were fighting over it!

We also had the Wild Brill and ’Nduja which was another amazing dish. I wondered how it would work as sometimes the ’nduja can be hot and overpowering, but this wasn’t. It complemented the brill’s soft fishy flavours whilst adding just the right amount of spice and a hint of heat.

It harmonised perfectly with the tender, juicy fish.

All of the food that we had was just wonderful. From the Miso Cornish Monkfish Tapas to the Crushed Spiced Potatoes that were hot and a lovely side to go with all the different kinds of seafoods that we had that evening.

These plates really stuck out for me as memorable fare through the evening.

We could have eaten everything off the menu as it was all incredible but, let’s face it, I’d have never have got out the door with the need for continuous second helpings!!

Crudo gave us an amazing night of beautiful food, inventive cocktails with a cosy atmosphere that we really loved!

We can’t wait to go back for more second helpings and hopefully soon enough with more friends too!!

HEALTH

WORK OUT BECAUSE YOU LOVE YOURSELF

NOT BECAUSE YOU HATE YOURSELF

By Suzanne Purton

Most people’s goals are to lose weight … they look at themselves in the mirror and they don’t like what they see. They take all the necessary steps to change this image in the form of punishing workouts in the gym and restrictive eating regimes. However, this method of change can only last so long until a point comes that the punishment is too much to bear, they get sick of looking at their body and hating it, the willpower fades 60

and they fall off the wagon and binge on all their favourite foods and stop all the exercising.

And after doing this for a while, one day they find themselves staring at the mirror and once again hating the body they see before them, so back on that cycle, starting at the beginning again, and making those drastic, punishing changes which are not sustainable.

So how about we change the scenario, and they looked at their body and said to themselves, “I love this body that I am in, but I feel that I could tidy it up a bit, I could nourish it from the inside out and Cibare Magazine

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PICTURE CREDITS: shutterstock InnaPoka

I saw this statement recently which really made me think, this is exactly the opposite of why many people come to me for fitness sessions and nutritional advice.

look after this body in a calmer and more sustainable way”.

The decisions that they would make would be very different. Rather than the punishing gym workouts, pushing on days when really a lighter load would have been a better decision due to tiredness or possibly a stressful day, the choice of a walk out in the fresh air, surrounded by nature, would be the more appropriate workout for that particular day. And they would still feel fulfilled knowing that they had exercised their body but in a way that made them feel much happier.

Change the process, make good eating and fitness sessions part of your ongoing lifestyle.

Just learn to love yourself and you will surely end up taking care of yourself.

Hating what we see can be a big motivator to make changes to our fitness and eating regimes. But wouldn’t it be a much nicer approach to learn to love ourselves, and because we love ourselves, make healthy changes, one small goal at a time.

Changes that we can adhere to rather than changes we are always chasing and feeling exhausted and a failure when we don’t achieve them.

PICTURE CREDITS: shutterstock WAYHOME studio

Remember fitness sessions can be in the form of any exercise that you enjoy, it doesn’t have to always mean going to the gym or taking part in a fitness class.

Learn to love this lifestyle and you might just find that the motivation will always be there.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t feel like training and you miss a gym session, maybe that was the best thing for your body today. Don’t punish yourself for eating that indulgent chocolate bar, maybe your mind needed those feelings of temporary pleasure today.

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GARDENING

THE POSITIVE POWER OF FLOWERS

By Emma Sousa

Ok so I may be a little biased. I am a florist and flower grower after all but there is definitely something special about flowers and the way they make us feel. I am always talking about being in the great outdoors, the positivity of gardening and the effect it has on our physical and mental wellbeing. Even a 20 minute walk each day amongst nature will lift your spirits and has so many great effects on us that it should be prescribed by doctors to anyone and everyone who enters their surgery! Now more than ever we need to focus on the positive, surround ourselves with nature and, in my humble opinion, reap the rewards of the positive power of flowers!

So, what has this actually got to do with a food and drinks magazine I hear you say? Well, apart from all the good things already mentioned above it actually has 64

quite a lot to do with the food we grow and eat. Without flowers and flowering plants there would be less food for pollinators which as we know are a vital part of our fragile eco system. They all help sustain our ecosystems by helping plants to pollinate.

Without pollen (flowering plants) and pollinators such as birds, bees and butterflies and even bats, beetles and other small mammals, our natural food systems would essentially collapse. A huge amount of the food we grow relies on pollination and of course flowers are a great source for our native species to feed on throughout the summer months.

But what else is so important about flowers? Well, in studies it has been found that they improve episodic memory, especially in older people.

Many plants and flowers have special Cibare Magazine

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properties (think camomile, rose, lavender, passionfruit flower, calendula).

People who have flowers by their bed in hospital have been shown to need less pain medication, are less anxious and have lower blood pressure than those who do not.

The giving and receiving of flowers lift the spirit (and yes, I did say giving them too - try it - doing something nice for someone else makes you feel good, right?!).

Having a jar or vase of flowers in your home or office makes you feel happier, calmer and less stressed. It generates positive energy (a bit like that walk in the fresh air, a digging session in the garden or allotment). It connects you with a little bit of nature and it looks pretty too, immediately lifting your spirits.

In Victorian times ‘the language of flowers’ was used as a means of communication between people sending flowers conveyed secret messages to others, whether of love, hate, infidelity… even today there has been a bit of a revival of the language of flowers - I often include fresh rosemary in a bouquet or buttonhole to remember loved ones who are no longer with us on our special day…

February time is a great time to start sowing some seeds to bring colour and vitality to your garden or allotment later on in the year. Why not sow some hardy annual seeds to give the garden a kickstart this year and brighten your space and ultimately your life? A few ‘cut and come again’ flowers (the more you cut the longer they continue flowering) 66

will keep you going for the summer season. Some lovely and easy varieties to grow are cornflower, calendula and nigella amongst others. All are great for attracting these all-important pollinators into the garden and keeping unwanted pests away. And if you really can’t be bothered to sow and grow, right now your local supermarket or florist will be selling freshly cut British daffodils by the bunch for a few pennies, so go grab a few bunches and spread them around your house and get the positive benefits of being around flowers!

Other things to be doing in February at the veggie patch...

So, February is a strange month with not a ton of stuff to do around the veggie patch. Technically the soil should start to warm towards the end of the month so you can start to think about sowing a few things - but remember it’s still quite cold so go slowly and take your time. You can cover beds with cloches or cardboard to keep the soil warm in the month or so before planting / sowing or start things undercover if you have a greenhouse.

Sow salad leaves and hardy herbs such as parsley. Spring onions, lettuce, radish, chard and some peas can all be sown for example. Broad beans can be started off into root trainers for planting out around five weeks later. Prune fruit trees now before the new growth starts.

You should have started to chit early potatoes but if you haven’t start now!

Turn the compost beds and empty any that are ready straight on to your veggie beds ready for sowing. Make sure they have all been weeded and hoed but don’t Cibare Magazine

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disturb the soil too much, the more you leave your soil alone the better it will be. I don’t recommend ever tilling your soil if at all possible - I am a big fan of no dig beds which means cardboard, a thick layer of compost and then leave until ready to plant. For shallow rooted plants and flowers, you can even plant in them immediately although the earlier you can start your no dig beds and leave them to ‘settle’ the better.

Check water butts, taps and hose pipes, make sure you tidy your patch while you still have the time before all the growing madness starts and most importantly ENJOY! If you have any queries about growing flowers or vegetables please email editor@cibare.co.uk and I will be happy to answer your questions.

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CRAFTS

The Kids’ Table A ‘RECIPE’ TO KEEP THE KIDS ENTERTAINED AT HOME

By Sarah Frow

If, like thousands of other families around the nation, you are getting thin on the ground for ideas to keep the kids entertained during lockdown, especially now that, unlike lockdown #1, we don’t have the luxury of sunshine, paddling pools and dry swings at the park (anyone else taken to packing a tea towel when they go to the playground these days?!), then turn to The Kids’ Table. London’s pop-up kids’ corner service for pubs and restaurants is offering how-to craft tutorials on its Instagram and You Tube channels to bring the crafty fun to kids at home while the business is closed.

For a bit of Valentine’s fun try making these cute love heart bunnies – why not make a few in different colours to create a whole family to play with during the 70

month of love!

Follow The Kids’ Table on Instagram (@TheKidsTableUK) for more crafty ideas for the kids during lockdown and beyond.

VALENTINE BUNNIES Ingredients

1 piece of coloured A4 card (any colour) White paper Eye stickers / wiggly eyes One pipe cleaner One small pompom (this is for the nose; you can use a small circle of card if you don’t have pompoms) Glue stick / glue dots Sellotape Scissors A colouring pen / pencil Cibare Magazine

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Method

Cut one piece of A4 card in half lengthways Roll one half into a tube and secure with Sellotape Use the other half to draw out two long thin heart shapes – these will make the ears From the piece of white paper, cut a heart shape for the rabbit’s belly and two little heart shapes to glue inside the bigger heart ears to make the inside of the ears Glue the small white heart shapes inside the larger card heart ears and secure inside the tube at the top to create the rabbit’s ears Stick on the eye stickers or glue on the wiggly eyes, add the pompom nose with glue or glue dots (use a little circle of card / paper if you don’t have pompoms) and add a mouth and whiskers with a coloured pen or pencil Glue the white paper heart onto the centre of the tube to make the rabbit’s belly For the finishing touch use the pipe cleaner to wrap around your bunny’s neck to make a scarf!

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BOOK REVIEW

NUTMEG AND CUSTARD

By Marcus Wareing

By Rebecca Stratton

Weekends: Take your time and spend a leisurely couple of hours in the kitchen fixing a treat. For breakfast how about Homemade Crumpets or Chorizostuffed French Toast with Manchego.

For a Sunday lunch with a difference, how about a Poached and Roasted Chicken with Almond and Thyme Crust or Pot-roasted Quail with Lentils and Winter Vegetables.

Orient: Beautiful bold pan-Asian flavours with Shredded Chicken Noodle Satay soup for pure comfort, Aromatic Braised and Roasted Whole Duck, Vegetable Gyoza and Vietnamese Fish 74

Cakes with Hot and Sour Dipping Sauce.

The Bakery chapter has some lovely recipes – Cheese and Pickle Savoury Muffins, Nutmeg and Custard Yoyos, Spiced Chocolate Cornflake Cookies, Homemade Jaffa Cakes and Chocolate and Blackberry Jammy Dodgers.

Puds: Tiramisu Doughnuts, Gingerbread and Butter Pudding and Espresso Mousse with Cinnamon Madeleines. Chocolate and Cointreau Self Saucing Pudding … any of these would be a welcome treat to combat the winter blues.

Popcorn: Yes, a whole chapter on popcorn.

Not just any popcorn (obviously), these recipes will take cosy movie nights to another level. Think Sweet Spiced, Pesto, Parmesan and Prosciutto, Honey Mustard and Chilli Lemon.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Marcus Wareing

LOVE... to me it’s spending a little extra time in the kitchen preparing something you wouldn’t have every day. Whether that’s for yourself, for a special someone or for your family. Although some of the recipes in this book are quicker than others, none of them are to be rushed.

Ice Cream Parlour: I don’t know if you’ve ever made ice cream, but if you have the time it’s actually not very difficult at all. Like most things, when you’ve done it once you soon get the hang of it. Strawberry Mivvi, Liquorice Allsorts, Gin and Tonic – come on, you weren’t expecting vanilla in this book, surely?!

Sweet Shop: If you think making your own homemade ice cream was impressive, how about your old sweet shop favourites? Turkish Delight, White Chocolate and Raspberry Coconut Ice, Almond and Honey Marshmallows and Peppermint Creams.

Home Larder: Now I am not much of a preserver to be honest, I just don’t have

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the patience for it, but am in awe of those who make their own jams and chutneys.

Curried Pickled Onions, Barbeque Sauce and Red Pepper and Chilli Jam to name but a few.

This book is heaven, each recipe almost a mini project to pass a few blissful hours in the kitchen. Although some are more advanced than others, I don’t feel any would be too daunting for a competent cook. The photos are great and the recipes are well presented. I am someone who needs a picture so I know what I am aiming for! And if you loved this book, I can also recommend MW’s ‘How To Cook The Perfect...’, a more classic collection of recipes.

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PETS

LOVE ME LOVE MY DOG TREAT!

By Roz Lishak

Believe it or not, Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest of events in the dog world.

Goes without saying when your pooch is a very much-loved member of the family!

Unfortunately, for those culinary canine lovers out there, sharing is not caring when it comes to the most romantic of gifts... namely chocolates and flowers!

It’s an age-old read for some, but always worth reminding that chocolate in all its beautiful, glorious, indulgently delicious ways is dangerously toxic to your pet.

This brings me to get my soap box out and unapologetically stand firmly on it to say please, please, please don’t think that ‘Look-Alike’ dog chocs are a good idea!! Whoever decided that choc bars or chocolate treats for dogs makes sense obviously hasn’t seen a dog’s reaction to eating human grade chocolate, after having seen a tempting box on a table and chomping their way through it. Yes, a closed box of chocolates too, as dogs care not for a lid - if they can get their noses inside, they will. For as clever as

they are, the truth is they still cannot read the label to distinguish dog friendly confectionery from not so don’t risk it.

Sending flowers? Many plants and cut flowers are also to be avoided for pets, not just thorns or sharp stems that can get stuck in their throats but many varieties are toxic too!

In all this it is reassuring to know there are many healthy and pet appropriate products out there: please choose wisely, love your pet all year round and when it comes to spreading the love, they love a high value treat or a a treat toy. So if you want to send a Valentine’s message, don’t say it with flowers and chocs.

Officially off the soap box!

ADVERTORIAL

EMBRACING MY GLUTEN FREE BODY

By Sylvette Constable-Wilson

I am often asked about my gluten-free lifestyle and how it has impacted my body. There are many misconceptions about gluten-free products or lifestyle.

I have always laughed at the multiple questions that I’ve had to answer because it’s hard to comprehend why people would assume that we don’t eat food, don’t socialise etc. My gluten-free journey began at a difficult period in my life. My son was diagnosed with Severe Brittle Asthma and was continuously hospitalised so needed a new direction, a new solution to assist in easing his pain.

Coming from the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, we were taught that food and herbs should always be prevalent in our daily diet and living.

My grandmother cultivated and processed cassava, a tuber, which is naturally gluten-free, and always spoke about the differences between cassava flour and wheat flour. We discussed the health benefits of cassava, particularly

when it’s used to aid those with gastrointestinal disorders. As a child I thought farming was completely hard work, “I should be playing with the other kids, not learning about farming,” I would say. Her response was always the same, “Sylvette, knowledge is power.” Little did I know that her theory would be the beginning of a new era for my family.

Desperate to find a solution for my son, my husband and I decided to focus on the lessons we were both taught about farming, but most importantly how food can impact the body.

Our gluten-free journey began. We started focusing on creating glutenfree products, as well as by–products made from cassava. The vegetable tuber is so versatile, it can be used to create both sweet and savoury dishes that can be eaten in meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, as well as a snack.

And the benefits of cassava don’t stop there: • It is a great source of

ADVERTORIAL carbohydrates which means it will help keep you full and steadily release energy over a longer period of time, making it a suitable fuel for sports or activities.

• It is low in fat.

• It can be made into a flour as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour.

• It can be used in both sweet and savoury meals.

• It is a source of valuable vitamins, electrolytes and essential minerals • It can feed good bacteria in the gut.

• It is low in cholesterol.

• It has a low Glycaemic Index, or GI, which is great for people with diabetes because it helps to keep blood sugar levels stable and prevent sugar ‘spikes’.

We started making gluten-free cassava flour, breads and wraps in over 70 different flavours. We used our families as “guinea pigs” to test our products.

Within two months of adopting a glutenfree and largely plant based diet, there was an enormous difference in my son’s asthma, as well as my own gastro issues.

My digestive health improved, my energy levels were at a new high and the icing on the cake was when my doctor confirmed my cholesterol levels were greatly improved. I began to train for longer periods and my endurance levels increased.

This led to greater determination to sustain our new gluten-free lifestyle and the great urge to share our knowledge so as to impact others who might have the same struggles that we did. We started helping people with IBS, Crohn’s disease, coeliac, diabetes and the results were all the same. There were enormous improvements in their digestive health,

in their energy levels, and less gastrointestinal pain. Our products created a better quality of life and so became a main staple in their diets.

“You are what you eat” shouldn’t just be a slogan but also a way of life, let’s put our words into action. We love our glutenfree lifestyle but most importantly it has helped us become business entrepreneurs in a way that has changed our lives and those of many others. We have one body, let’s cherish it.

Tofu & Black Bean Wrap Ingredients

Zur Gluten Free wrap Cauldron organic marinated tofu Black beans 1 tbsp paprika or all-purpose seasoning 1 tsp coconut oil Salt Pepper Teriyaki stir fry sauce (optional) Hoisin stir fry sauce (optional) Mayonnaise or avocado (optional) Handful of spinach

Method

1. Add 1 tsp coconut oil to pan on medium heat.

2. Add tofu, salt, pepper and paprika or all-purpose seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes 3. Wash black beans and then add to pan.

Cook for another 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp teriyaki or hoisin sauce for added flavour (optional).

4. Heat up wrap according to package instructions.

5. Add the tofu & black beans to the wrap, add a handful of spinach and avocado or mayonnaise (optional).

6. Close wrap and enjoy!

CANDIED SMOKED SALMON Premium Scottish Salmon, dry cured, brined with pure Canadian maple syrup, air dried and smoked over old whisky barrel oak.

  @can_Dfood  canDfoodco

Team Links

Despina Mina - @forkedldn Emma Walton-Moore - @supperinthesuburbs Jon Moore - @beerinthesuburbs Dhruv Baker -@dhruvbaker1 Sam Wilkin - @cellarmansam Charlotte Benbow - @charlotte.benbow Katie Goodchild - @heritagewinesuk Emma Sousa - @theurbanflowerfarmer Ying Bower - @yingenough Dani Gavriel - @dani_gavriel Roz Lishak - @yourpupparazzi Rebecca Stratton -@cakerebecca Gillian Balcombe - @gillianbalcombe Jo Farren - @jo.farren Samina Iqbal - @samina.i Sarah Frow - @thekidstableuk Suzanne Purton - @suzanne4fitness Eve Tudor - @iameditoroffood Theo Michaels - @theocooks

Jack and Hayley Rowbottom - @jacksmeatshack Anthony Raffo - @anthonyraffo Jessica Mason - @drinksmaven Urvashi Roe - @urvashiroe 82

Cibare Magazine

www.cibare.co.uk

wwww.theburntchefproject.com

Speciality Coffee Roasters

Our mission is to become a key part of UK’s wonderful speciality coffee community by roasting the very best coffee possible.

We hand pick a range of ethically green beans to roast in a specific Brood way to produce coffee beans we are extremely proud of. We are always looking for ways to get even more from our roasting

coffee beans coffea bags coffee bar wholesale roastery design equipment training

profiles & stand out from the crowd.

INSTAGRAM.COM/BROODROASTERY WWW.BROODROASTERY.COM INFO@BROODROASTERY.COM

BROOD ROASTERY 113 Essex Rd, Islington, London N1 2SL

Nurturing your love for speciality coffee.