Cibare Issue Fourteen, Autumn 2018
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Contents
FEATURES
FOOD FOR THE SEASON Baked Garlic Fish 16 Paella 18 Coconut Fish 20 Poke 22 Yings Bass 24 Prawns 26 Salmon Kebabs 28 Teriyaki 30 Cuban Cod 32
Rise of the Dark Spirits 10 Fish 34 Juble Beer 42 Fish and the Sea 44 A Fishy Tail 48
GARDENING Top Tips for taking on a new allotment 38
BOOKS Little Viet Kitchen 6
SOURCES AND CREDITS 2
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Well this issue of Cibare is a little different. Having had to push our summer issue till now we may have been a little laps with how long we could wait to try our recipes before photographing them, and that time line may have determined how you are viewing them in our issue today. As foodies we are ‘always hungry’ and we just cant’ help ourselves. Sorry. I promise that if you follow us on social media you will see a before shot too, but you will have to catch us before we eat! I am also very excited to introduce a new writer to our team this issue. Scott Winston has finally given into our begging for a real pro to give us his thoughts on new and amazing products changing our shop floors and in this issue he starts with BOOZE!!! We do need more alcohol in these pages that’s for sure, so please read his thoughts on the changing climate of what we are favoring as our new tipple. This of course as well as being full of little fishes and crustaceans for you to enjoy!
Cibare
Editor’s Note
FOOD
Fishy Sandwiches
REVIEW
The Little Viet Kitchen By Despina Mina
The problem is, home-made Oriental food reminds me of the shared kitchen I had as a student, loading everything with Chinese five-spice and plonking it on boiled noodles. It’s not the greatest representation of an entire continent, but I guess it was more nutritious than a Pot Noodle. Then I go somewhere like The Little Viet Kitchen in Chapel Market and sample Thuy’s food, which only affirms how pathetic my cooking attempts have been. The thought of emulating all those delicious plates of food becomes a tad intimidating. Flicking through her new book makes my mouth water: page after page of stunning recipes, 6
from the instantly recognisable Pho to the less familiar Beef Betal Leaf Skewers. Thuy writes with good humour and charm about her childhood in Vietnam, with respect and admiration for her parents. A slight uneasiness washes over me. I have to cook and present a meal for six people all from this book. I stare in doubt at the Pork and Seafood Noodle Soup – a recipe requiring over 30 ingredients – and turn the page. I base my menu choice on the ingredients that can be found in local supermarkets, mainly to see if it can be done, or if the book relies heavily on me finding a Vietnamese supermarket. This issue of CIBARE is all about fish so, after some consideration, I decide on Tofu and Vegetable Spring Rolls, Salt and Pepper Spring Rolls, Sea Bass, Passion Fruit and Blood Orange Ceviche and Steamed Banana and Coconut Cake. As blood oranges are no longer in season, I used the regular kind and substituted wood ear mushrooms for dried shiitake mushrooms in the spring rolls.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina
Over the years I’ve come to realise that the simple act of eating can bring me so much pleasure. Shopping for certain ingredients inspires and stimulates my taste buds, and at times when I cook it’s therapeutic. I’ll try my hand at almost every cuisine. I do say ‘almost’ because the food of the Orient is one I very rarely explore in my kitchen and my skills generally only stretch to the prosaic stir fry ‘because it’s quick and easy’.
The ceviche and king prawns didn’t require the same length of prep and were put together not long before we sat down to eat. Ceviche is claimed to be the Peruvians’ national dish and is traditionally marinated in acidic citric juices. Thuy’s version, with added passion fruit and fish sauce, packs a punch and received lots of praise. Its fresh 8
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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina
I’m going to explain the rest a little uncon- mouth-watering flavours were a welcome ventionally, starting with the negatives and delight on a warm balmy evening. The sweet moving swiftly on to the positives. juicy prawns lay on an alluring of bed of textures and flavours. As a side note, be aware The Steamed Banana and Coconut Cake ob- that lemongrass and spring onions can look viously looked delicious in the book, pale in a little similar when thrown together. You colour and a nice height to it, with coconut may not see it, but your teeth will feel it! custard poured over the top. My first obstacle was to either find a cake tin small enough As the last king prawn sat lonely on the plate for my steamer, or a pot big enough in which waiting to be taken, we came to realise that to steam my regular-sized cake tin. I hadn’t pudding wasn’t missed. In fact, Thuy says thought this one through and, with guests that the Vietnamese don’t tend to eat it at the arriving later that evening, cobbled together end of their meal, so really my cake disaster a steaming apparatus and crossed my fin- helped keep us in the spirit of authenticity. gers. An hour later (it should have taken 20 minutes) I had a flat, gelatinous dark matter As we sat and ruminated over each dish, I with bananas in it. This was undoubtedly to was asked the one most important question: do with my ad-hoc steaming technique, but Will you cook from this book again? Yes, with as I had no back-up plan, we were now one more time to prepare. I’ve already made dish down. plans to head to the far east (of London) to source the more exotic ingredients, and next The spring rolls had a long list of ingredi- time I’ll make sure I have the right kitchen ents, each requiring some prep, so took a lot tools for the job. longer to make than I anticipated. If, like me, you haven’t used rice papers before, they take a little getting used to. Soak them for more than 5 seconds and you have a gloopy mess on your hands. I also ended up with a few spring roll casualties, with some splitting in the fryer. Don’t let that stop you giving this a go, as once they’re cooked, you soon discover they’re worth the effort. Crispy on the outside with a sweet textured filling, this was the evening’s crowd pleaser and for as long as they were on the table, my guests ate them enthusiastically. Not bad for my first attempt!
FEATURE
Rise of the
Dark Spirits by Scott Winston
Before the boom, I was ordering Gordons and sweet fizzy tonic. Now I have untold options: matching the incarnation of my favourite tipple to my mood, or the time of day, the event I’m at, even the décor of the room. But for some time now, like plotters planning the overthrow of a despotic 10
dictator, in hushed voices and quiet corners people have been whispering in my ear, ‘Gin is over, try this delicious whisky’ or ‘Have you tried British rum with this new mixer? It’s simply amazing’. Sometimes the universe speaks and you are compelled to listen. There was no real epiphany for me – more of a slow erosion of faith in the juniper-forward spirit that had been my close friend for so many years. Firstly, I fell in love with mixing cocktails at home. Difford’s The Bartenders’ Bible (10th edition) with its 3000 wonderful recipes forced me to broaden my spirit horizons. Then I started frequenting Burlock rum bar in Central London, a wonderful underground speakeasy of dark spirit-based delights. Finally, three aspects of my work collided to seal the deal.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Long Tail
No, this isn’t the latest instalment in a supernatural, comic book-inspired film franchise. It’s the reality that (deep breath) gin is dead. Well, let’s be honest, it had to end sometime. It’s had a good run and frankly it was all getting a little out of hand. Gin has come full circle. It has maximised its craft artisan, small batch, exotic botanical, flavoured, regional, heritage-inspired potential – and we gin lovers are left with a bewildering amount of choice. Even a diehard fan such as myself (for as long as I can remember) is feeling fatigued.
Firstly, my role as a judge at Great Taste put me in a room full of bottles of spirit, all to be assessed and evaluated in search of the converted Great Taste stars. Around half of this year’s entries were gin. Half! Which didn’t leave much room for anything else – surely a sign we’re reaching peak gin. Gin saturation if you will.
Ginger & Lime offers fresh zest of lime which is warmed and softened by ginger, while the addition of chai spice brings further depth. Blood Orange takes the soft blood orange top notes and balances them with the zest of red grapefruit. Island Spice is unashamedly tropical and punchy. The spices work in perfect harmony with bitter chinotto and botanical gentian to create a Secondly, I was asked to mentor entrants at distinguished and distinctive mixer. this year’s Seed Fund competition. The programme nurtures new food producers Brands such as Rathlee Rum and Long Tail and nominates a winner to receive funding mixers are lighting a fire under the British to help grow their business. dark spirit business and personally I’m excited to see where it all leads. There’s a One of this year’s finalists was Rathlee risk that this reads as an obituary to gin, but Cornish Rum. I was captivated by their story on the contrary – I still love my gin. I and fell in love with the spirit immediately. simply visit the dark side more often than I may have in the past. Variety is, as they say, Finally, I was approached by a new mixer the spice of life. I encourage you all to join brand called Long Tail to support the launch me. Cheers! of their fledgling brand. Why is this relevant? Because Long Tail’s three recipes are ALL for dark spirits – either rum, whisky or bourbon. My interest was piqued, as I’m always looking out for brands that can demonstrate a genuine point of difference, or are part of an up-and-coming trend. Long Tail ticked all the boxes. When I met founders Alex and Tom in the plush surroundings of Fortnum & Masons, we talked at length and with great enthusiasm about the market, how it’s changing and the relative successes and excesses of the gin boom. Their passion was genuine and infectious. Lifelong friends, they joined forces to create Long Tail through a shared love of rum and shared frustration at the poor quality of suitable mixers. Cola just wasn’t good enough – too much syrupy 4sugar was killing the flavours of the rums they adored. After months of blending and experimenting, they settled on three separate, unique recipes.
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FOOD
A Little Fishy For My Little Dishy
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KID’S CORNER:
Baked Garlic Butter Fish in Parchment Parcels By Samina Iqbal
Getting kids interested in cooking that isn’t cake or biscuit-related takes a bit of cunning. Or even a bit of magic. This quick and easy recipe turns a simple fillet of fish into something awe-inspiring. The sauce couldn’t be simpler, and once kids see the parcel puff up in the oven they’ll be excited to see how it turns out and what it tastes like. Cooking fish in parchment, or en papillote as the French call it, is a clever but simple way to cook fish. No messing about with frying pans or grills, but so very fun to watch. Young children may need help sealing the parchment.
INGREDIENTS 1 fillet of fish 1 tbsp butter ½ clove garlic, finely crushed 1 tsp finely chopped parsley A good pinch of seasoning 1 egg whisked 16
METHOD Place the fish in the middle of a large piece of parchment. Place the butter, garlic, parsley and seasoning into a small bowl and mix well. Spread the butter over the fish fillet. Paint the edges of the parchment with the egg mixture. Close the parchment around the fish, making sure that the fish is tightly sealed. This way the fish will cook in its own steam without losing any of its flavours or natural juices. Fold the parchment over and keep folding until you have a parcel. Place in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before opening up the parchment – being careful not to burn yourself on the steam. Enjoy!
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Seafood and Chorizo Paella By Dani Gavriel
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1 onion, finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 packet of cooking chorizo, sliced 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped 1 cup of paella rice 1 cup of white wine 1 pint of fish stock Juice of 1 lemon Saffron strands 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground smoked paprika 1 packet of cooked seafood (mussels, calamari and peeled prawns) 1 cup of fresh chopped parsley 1 cup of frozen peas 12 large tiger prawns (shell on)
1. SautĂŠ the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until they soften. 2. Add the chorizo and when the juice starts to release, add the bell pepper and rice. 3. Coat the rice in the mixture, turn up the heat and add the wine. 4. Infuse the saffron strands in the fish stock and add to the rice. 5. Add spices, frozen peas and cooked fish, and heat through. 6. Serve topped with freshly squeezed lemon and scattered fresh parsley.
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Coconut Fish By Anne Iarchy
INGREDIENTS 1 onion, finely chopped 1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped 1 bunch of small asparagus 2 tbsp olive oil 1 can full-fat coconut milk 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground cumin 1 strand of saffron 250ml fish stock 4 large fillets of tilapia/red snapper/seabass/ seabream 4 tbsp chopped parsley
METHOD Gently sautĂŠ the onion, asparagus and fennel in the oil until softened but not brown. Mix in the coconut milk, nutmeg, cumin, saffron and stock. Bring to boil. Add the fish fillets, covering them with the coconut mixture. Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked, for approx. 10 minutes. Scatter parsley on top and serve. 20
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Poke Bowl By The Editor
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
250g sushi rice 2tbsp rice wine vinegar 200g of sushi grade tuna and or salmon, (I have used both) 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp sushi soy sauce, (regular if you don’t have any) ¼ red cabbage 1 avocado 1 mango 1 sheet of nori cut into thin sheets Sprinkling of sesame seeds Water
Cooking sushi right: Put rice into a bowl and wash it with cold water 3-4 times and drain with a sieve. Add 330ml of water into a saucepan with the washed right. Bring the water to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 25 minutes, making sure not to take off the lid. Add the rice wine vinegar and stir through, then leave to cool. Into a bowl add the sesame oil and soy sauce. Cut up your fish into little mouth sized chucks and add it to the marinade making sure it is all coated. Cut up your cabbage, avocado, mango and or anything else you fancy adding to your bowl, but don’t’ forget to cut up your nori sheet into strips. Then assemble. Add your sesame seeds on top.
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Ying’s Bass By Ying Bower
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1 whole sea bass 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves 2 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp fish sauce 1-2 tsp fresh finely chopped chilli 1 tsp sugar 1 bunch of coriander 1 tbsp of lemon grass 1 whole red onion, finely sliced Black pepper and salt
Clean the fish and dry it with kitchen roll. Place the fish on tin foil then sprinkle with a pinch of black pepper and salt. Steam the fish in a steamer, or wrap in foil and bake in the oven for 20 mins at 190°C. Mix the fish sauce, lime, sugar (use honey if you prefer) and chilli together, then leave to one side. Chop the mint leaves and coriander in chunks. When the fish is cooked, serve on a plate garnished with the chopped leaves and sprinkled with the lemongrass and red onion. Pour over the dressing you prepared earlier and enjoy!
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Mediterranean Prawns
By The Editor
Whilst they are taking a moment, get your kardeifi pastry (which you can find in any Large tiger prawns (number is up to you, but good Turkish or Greek shop). Pull out about 2cm wide lump of strands, so that you can I made 6) differentiate from the rest of the pastry and 2tbsp butter do that for one each of your prawns. 2 garlic cloves Kadeifi pastry When the time comes for you to take your Rapeseed oil prawns out of the bowl, dab them on the side Salt and pepper to season of the bowl to get rid of any excess butter and start to wrap your prawns with your pastry. METHOD Wrap the kadeifi around your prawns, makTake your prawns and give them a good ing sure its not too tight but that it covers wash. Then peel them leaving their tails to the prawns meat completely, leaving the still be used like little handles. Cut down their shelled tail. backs, from their heads to their tails, not too If your pastry is a little on the long side, then deep, just enough to reveal their black vein, just cut off the excess bits.
INGREDIENTS
and pull it out. Take your butter and garlic and pop into a microwave for a minute till the butter has melted. Add a little salt and pepper and put your prawns to the bowl making sure they all get a nice covering of garlic butter. I only left them for about 20 minutes covered the bowl cling film on the side in the kitchen. (If you put them into the fridge then the butter will start to harden).
Now heat up your oil. Take a piece of the pastry and drop it into the hot oil to check its temperature. It should just be bubbling around it. Then add a prawn in to the oil. You don’t’ want to cover the prawn, maybe half depending on how big they are. You aren’t deep-frying. After about 2-3 minutes turn the prawn over. Your cooking time depends
on how big your prawns are. You need to be towel to drain off any extra oil. careful not to brown the pastry too much so the oil can’t be too hot, but you need to cook You can eat them as they are they don’t need the prawn all the way through. anything at all! But a little sweet chili sauce is very nice too. (Although, it’s not MediterraMy prawns were huge, and they took about nean at all). 5-6 minutes to cook all together. I gave my They are great as a starter or main dependfirst prawn a test run and I may have just sto- ing on how many you need to eat, and are len a bit off the end to check if it was cooked. delicious with a great salad, or if you are a really hungry, home cooked chips! When ready, pop them onto some kitchen
Salmon Kebabs By Emma Walton
Makes 8, serves 4
METHOD
INGREDIENTS
Begin by soaking the bamboo skewers for up to 1 hour to prevent them burning during the cooking process. 16 large bamboo skewers Stir together the chopped parsley, garlic, 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped) salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice in a 1/2 tsp salt bowl. Large pinch of ground black pepper 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (or olive oil with high Build the kebabs by placing alternate slices of lemon (folded in half), salmon, courgette smoking point) and cherry tomatoes a few millimetres apart 2 tbsp lemon juice on skewers. 1 large garlic clove (crushed) 4 fillets of salmon (skinless, cut into cubes Spoon the herby marinade over the kebabs. Cook on the BBQ or campfire grill for 3-4 roughly 1-inch square) minutes, before turning and cooking for 2 large lemons (sliced) another 3-4 minutes. 1 large courgette (sliced 1/2 inch thick) Baste with the herby marinade during 8 cherry tomatoes cooking as required. When the salmon is cooked it will look opaque. Enjoy‌
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Sea Bass Teriyaki By Dani Gavriel
Serves 2
• 2 courgettes, peeled and sliced • 1 red onion, peeled and sliced One of my all-time favourite ways to cook a Garnish: whole fish – particularly sea bass – is to do it • Spring onions, trimmed and sliced the Japanese way, Teriyaki-style! This • Sesame seeds recipe has my own stamp on it, mixing things • Chilli flakes up with a little Mediterranean twist. It works beautifully on the BBQ or on the grill. METHOD Score the seabass in three places and stuff INGREDIENTS with the garlic, ginger and parsley, then 2 whole sea bass, gutted glaze with teriyaki sauce mixture. A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated Put the fish on top of the mixed sliced veg. 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed You can grill it in a BBQ clamp, cook it in foil 1 lime, freshly squeezed (grate the zest on on the BBQ, or cook it under the grill. too) 2 fresh chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced Garnish with the chilli, spring onions and (optional) sesame seeds. A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped Teriyaki sauce: • 1⁄4 cup soy sauce • 1 cup water • 1 to 2 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp corn starch Vegetables: • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 30
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Cuban Cod By Anne Iarchy
INGREDIENTS 300g potatoes, finely sliced Olive oil for drizzling and frying 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp tomato puree 200ml fish or vegetable stock 1 strand of saffron 2 dried hot chillies, sliced 400g fresh cod fillet Salt & pepper
METHOD Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the potato slices in a baking dish and drizzle with oil. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Fry the onion and garlic in a frying pan with a little oil, then add the tomato puree, stock, saffron and sliced chillies and bring to the boil. Season to taste. Place the cod fillet on top of the partially cooked potatoes. Pour the sauce from the frying pan on top and bake for a further 10 minutes, until the fish is tender. Serve with some green veggies. 32
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HEALTH AND NUTRITION
FISH: Why we should try it – and love it
Fish is a low-fat high-quality protein, packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). It’s rich in calcium and phosphorus, plus a great source of minerals including iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium. Basically, a superfood!
The health benefits of eating (more) fish One portion of fish is 140g. At least one of your three-a-week should be oily fish, such as salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring, seabass or seabream. Here’s how it can help.
If you want to enjoy the benefits of eating fish, it’s time to add it to your diet more often. Ideally, we should all be eating fish three times a week. Most people I know say they eat it regularly – but that turns out to be maybe once or twice a week, rarely three times and definitely not every week.
• Fish aids brain function. It’s not for nothing we tell our kids that if they want to be bright, they just need to eat their fish! • The increase in Alzheimer’s cases means more and more research is being done on diet as a way to help prevent the disease. Fish, eaten regularly, comes up time and again as a good option. • Fish has been proven to help with fat loss and blood sugar management. A protein-rich portion of fish contains less calories than a portion of meat and helps rev up your metabolism. So if you‘re looking to lose a bit of weight, try fish as a replacement for some of your meat dishes. • Fish can help with joint issues. Consuming it regularly over a few months can be very beneficial for those struggling with in-
Take the Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) found in fish. They’re called ‘essential’ because the cells in our bodies need them to function properly. And since our bodies don’t produce them, we need to ingest them. We could supplement with Omega 3 tablets but ideally, we should focus on eating more fish.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterstock
By Anne Iarchy
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flammation, especially rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. • Fish can give us an energy boost, thanks to being rich in Vitamins B and D. And I’m sure that, with further research, fish will be shown to help in many other areas. It ain’t what you cook, it’s the way that you cook it One thing we shouldn’t forget is that HOW we prepare our fish plays a massive part in its nutritional value and health benefits. Cooking fish above 120C° drastically reduces the amount of Omega 3 on your plate. Yes, you guessed it, the unhealthiest method is deep frying – and the healthiest is steaming. From personal experience, I’d say if you dislike fish today, try eating different types prepared in different ways. And more importantly, if you don’t eat fish because you disliked it as a kid, try again. Our taste buds do change. Take me – I used to hate fish and now I LOVE it.
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GARDENING
Top tips for taking on a new allotment;
The no-dig method really works! by Emma de Sousa
When I first got my little plot, I was full of enthusiasm. I didn’t have my flower field at the time, so I had the time to spend on getting it into shape – I even added a second plot next to it. Then the opportunity came up to take on another piece of land to grow flowers for my floristry business. (You can’t sell any produce from an allotment, it’s purely for personal use.) So yes… I’ve just given up one of my plots!
tains. Every plot is different but, for most, a good cutting-back to a flat state is the best way to start. Then you can then see what you have to work with. If you’re patient – and especially if you take on a plot during the autumn/winter months – you can get a great head-start by using the no-dig method. A lot of people scoff at no-dig but at the end of last year I doubled the beds at my flower field by using this method. By mid-May it was ready for planting out, so I’d highly recommend it as a way of getting beds up to scratch relatively easily. So how do you do it?
First, cut back the top surface so that the weeds/grass are as short as possible. Layer on thick cardboard with any packing tape removed. Add a good 15cm layer of manure, then another 15cm of good-quality topsoil It can feel overwhelming when you’re facing on top of that. Okay, it’s quite hard work and an overgrown mess with weeds like moun- costs a fair bit initially, but it’s well worth 38
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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Sousa
I’m now into my fourth year of having an allotment and have seen many people come and go in that time. Starting off so enthusiastic, then quickly losing interest – or life takes over and they no longer have time to tend their new plot. Some people never really get going in the first place. I’ve been there, done that.
the wait and investment. Leave the worms to work their magic over the winter months and 5/6 months later you’ll have near-perfect beds of rich soil, ready for seedlings. Which hopefully you’ll have started off under glass, letting nature do its thing. I started my new no-dig beds in December, finished moving manure and topsoil into place by mid-January (over 8 tons moved by hand) and was planting out by the second week in May. Everything is thriving at the cutting patch and the allotment isn’t looking too bad despite the dry summer.
PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Sousa
I also noticed that the no-dig beds retained water much better than the old beds during the dry weather. I grow on heavy clay which can be really wet in the winter months (I lost 200 delphiniums this year due to rot) but in dry weather it tends to dry out completely and crack. Once everything has been pulled up this autumn, I’ll mulch the top layer over the beds to suppress the weeds and add lost nutrients to the soil that has worked so hard for me over the summer months. This cycle will continue each year and the soil will slowly improve as the years go on.
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FEATURE
Jubel Beer By Jon Moore
For me, the most beautiful thing about the craft beer movement is that there is room for a huge range of styles. Everything has its place. Yes, it’s true that IPA takes up the majority of shelf space in beer shops and fridges, and as the evenings draw in and the weather turns we are definitely entering ‘Stout Season’, but craft beer doesn’t exclude any beer style.
home. I’ve never had a demi-pêche, but I think we all know the feeling of discovering great food or drink in a faraway place and knowing we probably won’t be able to get anything like it again.
These guys have gone all-in and decided to recreate that product themselves, so credit to them for borrowing a small slice of Alpine beer culture and bringing it to the UK This includes lager. This can be a surprise market. Jubel is brewed down in Cornwall at to some, as craft beer is often positioned as the St Austell Brewery and is now making its the opposite of the mass-produced lager we way around the country. see on pub taps. And it is, in terms of quality, ethos and ingredients. But not style. Lager Meet your new picnic companion can be artisan, and should be celebrated for Jubel comes in two editions: Alpine (Peach) the crisp, refreshing and drinkable beer it is. and Urban (Elderflower). The base beer There is so much that separates those global leans towards a pilsner – it’s a 4% clean, lager brands from decent craft lager, and as crisp and effervescent light lager with a drinkers we should understand and touch of sweetness. The Peach version has a appreciate the difference. massive stone fruit aroma (as you’d expect!) but overall is fairly balanced, with the fruit Jubel is lager with a difference complementing the malt and hops. The It’s flavoured, it’s gluten free, it’s vegan and Elderflower version is very floral and is it’s lovely. Jubel is the invention of Tom and exactly the sort of beer you want to drink Jesse, two lads inspired by the ‘demi-pêche’ outdoors on a hot summer afternoon. These peach-infused lager they experienced on would be great picnic beers. holiday in the Alps but couldn’t get back 42
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FEATURE
Fish And The Sea By The Editor
If we’re going to talk about fish, we need to talk about oceans. There’s a ton of videos and images showing what a mess we’ve made of the wet stuff that covers two thirds of our planet. Because it turns out that the phrase ‘Throw it in the sea’ has been taken far too literally. It’s sad to think so much rubbish and general waste has been hidden either deep within our land or chucked into our waters. Because if we can’t see it, we don’t have to deal with it – right?
In Britain we do love our fish.
WRONG!
So what can we do? We can support projects to clean up rivers and canals, and actually do the work if we can. It can be frustrating when lack of funding means the local council can’t provide a bigger recycling bin or collect it more often. You might feel: if everyone doesn’t go all in, why bother? It’s only a matter of time before the planet won’t sustain us any longer because we’ve made such a mess through greed and laziness. But here we still are, eating plastic-wrapped fish sandwiches while we cry over dead whales.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterstock
Now we’re finding out what’s come of that attitude. I remember as a kid hearing talk of taking rubbish up to dump it in space. Which still sounds stupid now. But filling oceans with plastic when we know relatively little about them seems even more ridiculous! Countries such as Japan with a deficiency of land have made more land by piling their rubbish up like bricks in the sea. It seemed like a win-win solution, but what’s that plastic doing to ocean life now?
And where would our chips be without it? But in recent years scientists and doctors have advised us to monitor how much we eat, due to mercury levels. Now we also need to be aware of the potential amount of plastic in fish too. They’re chowing down on delicious packaging and ring pulls. And I think we’ve all seen more than enough dead whales with stomachs full of plastic bags, and stunted turtles trapped in packaging.
So let’s educate ourselves, starting Quite simply, plastic is going into our with some facts from EarthDay.org: food. • Every minute a garbage truck-sized amount of plastic is dumped into our oceans • Every year about 8 million metric tons of plastic are thrown in – of that, 236,000 tons are microplastics (pieces smaller than a fingernail) • The amount of plastic in the ocean is set to increase tenfold by 2020 • By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean (by weight) than there are fish • Plastic has been found as deep as 11km down in the ocean, meaning synthetic fibres have contaminated even the most remote places on Earth • There are massive patches of plastic covering huge areas in oceans around the world. The one between California and Hawaii is the size of Texas! • There is more plastic than natural prey at the sea surface of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which means organisms feeding there are likely to have plastic as a major component of their diets. For instance, sea turtles caught within and around the patch can have up to 74% of their diets composed of ocean plastics. • Many marine organisms can’t tell common plastic items from food. Animals who eat plastic often starve because they can’t digest it, it fills their stomachs, and they can no longer eat real food. • Many fish consumed by humans – including brown trout, cisco and perch – have at some point ingested plastic microfibres • Coral reefs are home to more than 25% of marine life but coral is 89% more likely to become diseased after coming in contact with marine plastic. It damages the skin of coral, allowing infection.
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Whether or not we fish near these giant rubbish patches, they’re still pushed around by the currents and consumed by sea life. Could this be linked to people getting ill? A few years ago, we learned that some plastic water bottles release cancerous chemicals into the water they contain. At the time it seemed farfetched, but I’d just had my first child and remember thinking he’ll NEVER drink out of those bottles! It’s taken a while but now we all carry our own (BPA-free plastic or metal) reusable bottles. And plenty of places are happy to give us a refill. Humans dumping waste in the ocean and on beaches isn’t the only problem. What about our clothes? We use so many plastic fibres in material that washing introduces them into water systems. More than a third of ocean microplastics come from synthetic textiles used by the fashion Industry. All that plastic making its way into feeding grounds, changing the environment, killing sea life and of course, ending up in our food…
So, are we (and the fish) all doomed?
Hopefully not. Amazing people in the UK and around the world are getting out and clearing beaches. Local cafes incentivise us to fill up buckets with rubbish for a free cuppa. Even Lewis Hamilton nips down to the beach after winning F1 races and clears up the rubbish he finds there! It’s about time we do all we can to help. Hopefully it’s not too little, too late.
Cibare Food Magazine
www.cibare.co.uk
FEATURE
A Fishy Tail by Roz Lishak
It’s long been known that fish and fish oils contain positive properties for us humans. But not every pet parent knows that the high level of omega-3 fatty acids in certain oily fish are key for a dog’s overall health, particularly their skin and coat. And there are many fish-based products and nutrients on the market that are safe and extremely beneficial for your pet. So how best to include fish in your dog’s diet? As ever, it’s a case of being sensible. They won’t thank you for an order of cod ‘n’ chips from the local chippy. But fish cooked without oils or seasoning, and with all bones removed, is a good first step in (ahem) 48
scaling the heights of a good fish diet. The most common to choose are sardines (tinned in water only), thoroughly cooked poached salmon, cod and white fish too. Take care to ensure you remove all bones, since your dog will be wolfing it down from the bowl, rather than searching through with a knife and fork! When serving frozen fish, it’s a good idea to freeze it raw for two weeks before feeding, to kill off any parasites it may contain. Offer raw fish two or three times a week, depending on your dog’s tastes. Interestingly, dogs love texture in a varied diet, so some will eat frozen fish just to get their crunch fix. It’s been said and read many times before: you’re responsible for your pet’s nutrition, so taking the time to take care will save you countless trips to the vet. Be inventive but always safe when it comes to your dog’s diet. And that, my friends, is not a fishy tale…
Cibare Food Magazine
www.cibare.co.uk
PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterstock
Hey, you on the sofa! Raise your paw if you’re a carnivore. Yes, YOU. Wake up snoozing dog – of course you are! Ancestrally, it’s fair to say dogs are natural meat eaters. But did you know that advances in nutritional research by many respected pet health experts mean we can now extol the virtues of fish in a canine diet?
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Photo Credits Despina Mina © Despina Mina Scott Winston © Long Tail Emma de Sousa © Emma de Sousa
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