Cibare
Issue Fifteen, Christmas 2018
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Contents
FEATURES
FOOD FOR THE SEASON
Festive Feasting 26 Radnor Preserves 32 A Pawfect Festive Season 42
Cocktails 4 Christmas Coffee 12 Cheese Cake 18 Kids Biscuits 20 Gang Pen 22 Mince Pie Rolls 24 Homebrew 38
GARDENING Winter Wreaths 34
BOOKS A Very Nigella Christmas Happy Christmas By Delia Smith
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SOURCES AND CREDITS
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IT’S CHRISTMAS!!! I don’t know about you but as I get older I find the best thing about Christmas is going out drinking and staying in and EATING!!! Having not done a Christmas issue before we decided to put a few of our festive favourites together for you to enjoy. Not roasts and turkey filled, but leftovers, cake and cocktails instead! So enjoy a Cibare Christmas which means you will probably be a bit skint but definitely at home with a smile on your face, cake in your lap and a glass of something yummy in your hand.
Cibare
Editor’s Note
DRINKS
Snowball
2 oz Warninks Advocaat top with Lemonade of choice Ice I’ve only made this straight into the glass. Add Advocaat to ice then top up wth lemonade and give it a stir.
Espresso Martini
2 oz coffee infused vodka 1 oz espresso 1 oz Kahlua 1/2 sugar syrup ice Shake in a cocktail shaker till you create a frothy foam and then pour. Add coffee 3 beans to garnish.
REVIEW
A very Nigella Christmas By Despina Mina
spoon-licking moments. What I’ve never done is buy any of her books. Because as lovely as she seems, her smokin’-hot looks and cheeky innuendos prevent me from a) Press pause while you make a brew and taking her too seriously. This year Nigella find your secret stash of dark chocolate? celebrates the 20th anniversary of her book Because it’s Queen Nigella and she’d How To Eat which, according to many chefs approve of this indulgence. and food writers, is a cooking bible. So I wanted to know what all the fuss is about. b) No need to pause, you’ve been waiting for this since you read her Twitter post six And now? I hold my hands up and admit how months ago. You’ve pre-ordered the book, naive I was to underestimate her. Without watched her on The One Show and bought wanting to repeat what critics have already the dress she was wearing. Because said far more eloquently, it’s not just a cook Nigella encapsulates female empowerment book. It’s an encyclopedia of cookery, and looks good doing it. covering all the basics and classics. It’s a book you can take on your morning c) Yawn, say “ Blimey, not her again,” and commute. I actually read it from cover to switch over to UK Gold. Because as much as cover, like a novel. you like a good cooking show, the closeups of Nigella licking a spoon in full glamour One anecdote recalls how mayonnaise make up while wearing a £300 silk dressing was always easy to make until someone gown are just nauseating. convinced her that it was difficult. She then chastises the reader at the mere suggestion Me? I choose a). of mixing it with a food processor “…or it I find her TV shows relaxing, her will taste just like the gluey bought stuff. And cooking style whimsical and I giggle at those 6
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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina
You settle down to watch TV and a Nigella Lawson show is about to start. Do you:
then, Hell, you might as well just go out and comprehensive and simple. There are no buy it”. photos to accompany any recipes, so read carefully and go with your instinct. The book is split into clear, useful chapters. Come home late and don’t want to spend hours cooking? Turn to p167 for FAST FOOD. Feeling calorie conscious? LOW FAT on p387 should help. Cooking for one? Head to p125 and read the chapter that begins “Don’t knock masturbation…”. I’m also pleasantly surprised to read that although Nigella encourages us to buy the best quality produce, she doesn’t condone food snobbery, saying make the best with what you have. Amen, sister!
Doing Christmas the Nigella way
I’m aware Nigella has done a Christmas cookbook and – as this is Cibare’s December issue – it feels only right to get my festive on. But even in How To Eat, which only touches on the subject, she has most angles covered. As much as I love goose, I’m in the minority, so the menu had to be roast turkey. This was served with Nigella’s butcher Mr Lidgate’s chestnut stuffing, cranberry and orange stuffing (yes, two types) and gravy made from turkey giblets (zero waste). Add to that roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts with chestnuts and bread sauce (says Nigella, “This is essential: of course it is”). Roasts are a personal thing and l quite like carrots with mine, but strangely these seem to be the only thing missing from the book. No problem, I roast mine with a squeeze of maple syrup, cumin and a sprinkle of paprika.
Guests arrive at 3pm and food is served soon after. A top-quality turkey is a huge expense (there are cheaper options) and remember it needs a lot of TLC when cooking. Cover it with tin foil and baste often – nobody wants to eat dry meat. The chestnut stuffing was a delicious winner but sadly the cranberry version wasn’t. Apart from cranberries, all we could taste were breadcrumbs, the other main ingredient. The sprouts were tasty, though on reflection I’d have added crispy smoked bacon. Come to think of it, that’s the whole point of this book: Nigella gives you a solid base to build on. The bread sauce was delicious but needs to be eaten hot or starts to solidify. The gravy was meaty but I couldn’t get mine thick enough, so I added a little cornflour and, hey presto!
Room for a bit more?
Dessert was a beautifully simple Clementine cake that Nigella admits is essentially a Claudia Roden recipe. It uses ground almonds instead of flour, making a scrumptious cake rather heavy. Served with whipped cream, a little slice went a long way. But hey – you’re meant to feel as stuffed as the turkey you’ve just eaten, right??
Cooking from the crack of dawn…
Having prepped both stuffings the night before, the bird goes into the oven for around 2.5 hours, leaving me time to peel spuds, make bread sauce and start my Clementine cake. All cooking instructions are 8
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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina
Food you want, when you want it
REVIEW
Christmas Coffee
By Emma Jordan
So, Christmas coffees?! It’s that time of year again and the shops bring out Christmas everything in an attempt to make us freer with our credit cards. And I suppose coffee isn’t such a bad thing to have a Christmas version of – at least you’ll probably drink most of it while watching Dr Who (well, actually not this year) and won’t need to find a place for it until the circus comes back around in 12 months’ time. Can you tell I’m not in the mood yet?
ferent – you’ve just eaten the biggest lunch of the year, you’re not driving anywhere and if you’re anything like me, you’re hoping to be left alone to sleep it all off for a while. You’re probably not looking for something that challenges your guests or wakes them up too much; or prompts too much discussion or makes you think “wow, I never knew coffee could taste like that”; no! I’m going to say that one wants something smooth and easy to drink that goes down nicely with the liqueurs. It’s not the right time for anything Anyway, you’ve eaten the turkey and the you might describe as pungent! For examChristmas pud and survived the relatives ple, I’m a big fan of Ethiopian coffee, but this (mine aren’t too bad) and you’re disap- is neither the time nor the place! pearing under a mound of wrapping paper and toys that you’ll never find a place for I usually opt for the Sainsbury’s Viennese and it’s time for the pre-vegetative coffee coffee which has a touch of fig added to it. and liqueurs. So what sort of coffee should It’s a soft, sweet, comforting flavour that’s you be looking for? It’s interesting, be- remarkable in all the right ways – no nostril cause ordinarily after dinner coffee rates flaring, just a smooth drinking cup to help a 5 in strength and is generally very dark you get through the next bit. My uncle and with a peppy flavour that would wake you my dad tend to comment that it’s a nice cup up enough to drive home following a large of coffee and ask where it came from, and meal and a glass of wine. I’m going to sug- then we all fall unconscious. gest that the post-Xmas meal coffee is dif12
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Taylors of Harrogate – Christmas Blend
If you agree with my policy on Xmas Coffee then this one is an ideal proposition. It’s nice – pleasant – with a gentle aroma in the cup of toasted hazelnuts and candyfloss. As promised on the packet it has a sweet milk chocolate flavour with the scent of lightly burnt sugar carrying through to the flavour, which keeps it nice and easy to drink, though when you look for it (by slurping and stuff) there is a top note of sour cherry which lifts it a little and gives it some zing. It’s nicely balanced and no one’s going to complain about your coffee if you serve this – I prefer something a bit stronger so it didn’t rock my world – and I would recommend adding a few extra spoonfuls to the cafetière for the best results.
Harvey Nichols Christmas Coffee
The ground coffee smells so much like Irish Cream that I wonder whether it’s been flavoured and after a bit of research, it turns out it has been flavoured with chocolate, cinnamon and hazelnut, which, oddly, aren’t any of the flavours it actually tastes of. As a short coffee it has an orangey aroma and a bit of slurping reveals a touch of cardamom and ginger with an indulgent finish of Irish Cream liqueur and gingerbread latte. Brewed in a cafetière, the aroma is different again with a huge punch of gingerbread that develops for a while after you’ve drunk it into a really fresh, full, gingery flavour which lingers for some time afterwards and it’s almost spicy-hot tasting as fresh ginger can be. This one has a distinct glossy mouth feel. I concede that I was perhaps a bit hasty in saying coffee at Christmas shouldn’t be something to talk about. This one is very definitely going to make people say “I never knew coffee could taste like this”, but mainly because coffee doesn’t taste like this without the added flavouring. I know it’s a bit pissy 14
of me to make a thing about this, especially since I usually have coffee flavoured with fig at this time of year, but in writing reviews for the last year or so, I’ve learned that magic is possible without resorting to flavouring. That said if this doesn’t bother you (and why would it? I can be a bit of a purist when it comes to this stuff), I’m pretty sure your guests will love it.
Grumpy Yule Christmas Coffee
I haven’t even taken a sip yet and I love it! Also the name of the company (Grumpy Mule) and the name of the blend (see above) suit me down to the ground! The ground coffee is nice and punchy in the packet with a sweet citrusy burst and a nose clearing whoosh of rum soaked raisins. In its short form, this has a creamy chocolate aroma with a fruity smooth flavour with a pleasant tang of dark chocolate and a slightly gravelly aftertaste. Brewed in the cafetière, a hint of cinnamon comes through in the aroma and it actually tastes like Christmas – a burst of sweet oranges with an amalgamation of dried fruits, dark chocolate and gentle gingeryness, giving it a pleasing spiciness, with an aftertaste of booze-drenched Christmas pudding. The combination of chocolate and orange might sound a bit sickly, but think Maya Gold rather than Chocolate Orange. Overall this is a really lovely balance of flavours - tasty, easy to drink. I can already hear my uncle saying “ooo, yes” to this before we all sit down and doze off. I’m sold. This is what we’ll be drinking round mine at Christmas this year and interestingly, it does contain Ethiopian beans, which, you can tell your guests, if they ask, is probably what gives it that citrusy oomph.
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FOOD
Christmas Sparkles
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No-bake Cannoli Cheese Cake By Dani Gavriel
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
2 tubs soft cream cheese (bring to room temp before mixing) 1 tub mascarpone cheese 1 tub ricotta cheese 1 beaten egg 2 tbsp fresh cream 1/2 cup powdered icing sugar 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest 2 tsp of the nicest pure vanilla extract you can get your hands on 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 packet digestive biscuits, crushed 25 grams of melted butter 1 cup dark chocolate chips (save some to scatter on top)
1. Beat both cream cheeses in a large bowl until fluffy.
For garnish:
2. Beat in the cream, then add the powdered icing sugar. 3.
Add the beaten egg.
4. Stir in the lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, then fold in chocolate chips. 5. Make your base by adding crushed digestives to 25 grams of melted butter with a pinch of salt. Top with remaining mini chocolate chips and crushed cannoli shells. 6. Chill until firm – for at least 2 hours in the fridge or an hour in the freezer.
1 cup crushed cannoli shells or waffle wafer cones 1 cup of crushed pistachio nuts 1 tbsp of grated orange zest Some cocktail cherries
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KID’S CORNER:
Christmas Biscuits with Dipping Chocolate By Samina Iqbal
We adults may get stressed in the lead-up to Christmas but children, no matter which religion or background they come from, generally love the festivity Christmas brings. For them it signifies new toys and yummy things to eat. And even if they don’t celebrate, in the words of Love Actually, ‘Christmas is all around’.
METHOD
So here is one of my children’s favourite ‘lead-up-to-Christmas’ recipes. It makes the house smell divine. The final stage of dipping and letting the biscuits set doesn’t often happen. They’re so good you just want to dip them in the creamy velvety chocolate and eat them immediately! Enjoy.
3. Add the icing sugar and ginger and mix well.
INGREDIENTS
6. Place on a baking sheet covered with greaseproof paper. Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes until the biscuits are just turning golden brown, then allow to cool.
200g melted milk chocolate for dipping 2 tblsp double cream 275g plain flour 200g firm butter, diced 2 egg yolks 100g icing sugar A tblsp ground ginger 1 tsp mixed spice
Preheat oven to 180C fan/gas 6 1. Sieve the flour into a bowl, chop up the butter and add it in. 2. Rub the butter and flour together with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Kids love doing this!
4. Add the egg yolks and bind the mixture into a dough. 5. Put the dough on a floured surface and roll out to 2.5cm thick. Cut out biscuits using cutters - Christmas shapes are lovely.
7. While the biscuits are cooling, melt the chocolate and add the double cream. Stir well. 8. Dip each biscuit in the chocolate ganache to half-cover it, then place back on greaseproof paper. If you are patient, allow to set in the fridge. If not, eat immediately!
Gang Ped Turkey By Ying Bower
A nice recipe for Boxing Day to use up that leftover turkey from Christmas.
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1 tbsp red Thai curry paste Small bag Green beans 1 Red pepper Fresh basil for garnish 10 cherry tomatoes 1 small can of pineapple, cut into small pieces 400ml can of coconut milk 1 tbsp oil 1 cup of cooked turkey (thigh or leg) 1-2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce
1. Put pan on a medium heat, add the oil, then the curry paste and fry for 1 minute. 2. Pour in half of the coconut milk, mix well with the paste and leave to simmer. Add the turkey and pineapple and leave for 3-5 minutes or until warmed through again. 3. Add the rest of coconut milk and all vegetables except the basil, then leave to heat or until the vegetables are cooked. This usually takes another 8-10 mins. 4. Once cooked, finish with the sugar and fish sauce and garnish with basil.
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Filo Pastry Mince Pie Rolls By Emma Walton
These fruit-filled filo pastry rolls are a twist roughly 1cm from the bottom edge of the filo on the classic British recipe. Something new rectangle. to try this Christmas! 6. Fold in the two long edges so they enclose two sides of the mincemeat. INGREDIENTS 8 sheets of filo pastry 18tsp mincemeat 50g butter, melted Icing sugar
7. Fold up the short bottom edge so the mincemeat is enclosed on three sides, then gently roll the filo and mincemeat into a cigar shape.
METHOD
8. Place the cigars on a baking sheet and brush with a little more melted butter.
1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C or gas 9. Repeat until you’ve used up all the filo mark 4. pastry.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo pastry 11. Remove from oven and allow to cool into four rectangles (quarters). slightly before dusting with icing sugar. 4. Lay the rectangles so the shorter edges are along the top and bottom. Brush a Enjoy these warm or cold, but don’t be small amount of melted butter along all the tempted to try them straight from the oven. The mincemeat will be very hot and you edges. might burn your mouth! They’ll last up to 5. Spoon on the mincemeat in a thin line three days in an airtight container. 24
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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma Walton
2. Take your first sheet of filo pastry and brush with melted butter. Layer a second 10. Bake in the centre of the oven for 8-10 minutes or until filo pastry is crisp and sheet over the top. golden.
FEATURE
FESTIVE FEASTING By Gillian Balcombe
ROMANESCO GRATIN
Basically this is a kind of posh and very delicious cauliflower cheese. Because there’s always a vegetarian, most people turn their noses up at sprouts and this dish therefore kills two birds with one stone. It’s a yummy side but it’s also sufficiently substantial to serve as the main event. It also has the advantage that you can prepare the Romanesco and the cheese sauce in advance and refrigerate overnight, so all you have to do on the day is add the finishing touches and bake. I made this for my vegetarian cousin and she actually stood in the kitchen after dinner scraping the sides of the baking dish clean with a spoon so she didn’t miss any!
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Ingredients:
1 large Romanesco cauliflower, broken up into large florets 50g butter 50g plain flour 568ml milk 200g mature or extra mature Cheddar of your choice 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 slice sourdough or seeded bread 1 tbsp olive oil 30g grated Parmesan cheese (you can use more if you like the sharper flavour) Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with butter Preheat oven to 200oC, 180oC fan, gas mark 6. Place the florets into a large pan of boiling, salted water and cook for four to five minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool down. Over a medium heat add the butter to the saucepan and, once it has melted, the flour.
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PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterspeed
Here we go again… the shops are looking like retail versions of Santa’s Grotto, the Christmas songs are beginning to make our ears (and our brains!) hurt and the turkeys are running for cover. All the usual suspects for The Big Lunch will have been covered a thousand times over, so here are a couple of alternative ideas that you may like.
Take the pan off the heat and add the grated Cheddar cheese, stirring till it’s melted. Then add the mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tip the cool (in so many ways!) Romanesco into the prepared dish and then pour the sauce over it. Pop the bread and the oil into a mini food processor and blitz till you have crumbs. Scatter these over the top, then sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Bake in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling, and serve immediately.
SIMPLE STOLLEN
We’ve all tried this haven’t we? It’s that weird stuff that comes in a plastic wrapper, covered with icing sugar that’s gone a bit slimy, and that feels like a lead brick in your hand and later in your digestive system. Right? Wrong. Not this recipe for this yummy traditional German fruit bread that’s a Christmas treat. I’ve changed it slightly but I have to credit Jamie Oliver for inspiring me to brave making a yeast dough, something I’ve always avoided like the plague. And this is scrumptious. It’s light and not too sweet and also tastes wonderful toasted under the grill and spread with butter – the perfect treat for Boxing Day breakfast, if it lasts that long! And yes, I know the list of ingredients and instructions looks daunting but trust me, it’s a lot easier than it appears and the end result is well worth it! 28
Ingredients:
40g candied mixed peel, finely chopped 50g glacé cherries, cut into quarters Zest and juice of an orange 100g of a mixture of raisins, sultanas and currants 25g dried cranberries 2 tbsps brandy or rum 4 cardamom pods 1 tsp (5g) instant yeast Tip: I used Allinson’s Easy Bake Yeast, comes in a 100g tin 25g unrefined caster sugar 125ml milk 275g strong white bread flour ½ tsp mixed spice (1tsp if you like it a bit more zingy) 50g butter, at room temperature 1 medium egg (free range and organic please!) 1 tsp vanilla extract 25g blanched almonds 25g shelled pistachios 225g marzipan Vegetable oil for greasing Milk for sealing Icing sugar for dusting
METHOD:
Mix all the dried fruit and the orange zest together in a bowl. Put the brandy / rum and the orange juice into a small saucepan and heat till it’s almost boiling, then add to the fruit in the bowl. Stir it up so all the fruit is coated and leave it to plump up while you get on with the next bit. Remove the cardamom seeds from the pods and grind them in a pestle and mortar. In a large mixing bowl, add this to the flour along with the sugar, mixed spice and easy bake yeast. Combine all these dry ingredients together well. Now add the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract and bring the whole lot together to form a soft dough using the dough hook attachment of your mixer. Tip: I prefer my trusty stand mixer but recently
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PICTURE CREDITS: Gillian Balcombe
Cook the mixture for about a minute, stirring all the time, until it’s thick and coming away from the sides of the pan. Add the milk gradually, stirring continually and then allow to simmer for about six to eight minutes till it’s thick and creamy. Tip: I use a balloon whisk for this rather than a wooden or silicon spoon as I find it gives a smoother finish to the sauce.
made it using the dough hooks on an electric hand mixer and it was just as good! Cover the mixing bowl with clingfilm and pop it in a warm place for about an hour, so it can prove, until it doubles in size. In the meantime, line a large baking sheet with lightly oiled parchment paper, chop or grind the almonds and pistachios together in a mini processor and pour away half the liquid from your now happy fruit. Add the nuts and the fruit and its remaining liquid to the dough and mix it again. The dough will be very soft! Turn it out onto a well floured surface and knead gently for about a minute. Put it onto the baking paper and shape it into a long oval, just a bit shorter than the baking sheet. Roll the marzipan into a sausage shape that’s slightly shorter than the dough and lay it in the middle of the oval. Now the fiddly bit. Brush one long edge with milk and then fold it over the marzipan to encase it and bring and seal the edges together, until you have a large (approximate) sausage roll shape in the centre of your baking tray. Cover this loosely with lightly oiled clingfilm and leave it in a warm place to rise till it’s double in size again, for about 45 minutes to an hour. Preheat the oven to 180oC, 170oC fan, gas mark 4, remove the clingfilm and bake the stollen for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and the underside produces a slightly hollow sound when you tap it. Leave to cool on a wire rack then dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.
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FEATURE
Blackberry & Cracked Pepper
Christmas Preserve Cake By Radnor Preserves
Jam Cakes hail from the Deep South of the USA. Served at Christmas when fresh ingredients were hard to come by, they used store cupboard standbys like warm spices and blackberry jam. Unlike a classic Victoria Sandwich, the preserve is added as a star ingredient in the baking process. It’s not as heavy as a traditional Christmas cake and keeps well.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C
4.
INGREDIENTS
5. Add dry ingredients and the jam and buttermilk mixture alternately to the creamed mixture, mixing well.
170g butter 300g light brown sugar 4 eggs (separated) 1 x 227g jar of Radnor Preserves’ Blackberry & Cracked Pepper Preserve 200g flour 225ml buttermilk 1 tsp each of: baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice 1/2 tsp salt 1 pinch nutmeg 150g raisins 130g pecan halves
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1. Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. 2.
Add egg yolks and mix well.
3. Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl. Combine the preserve and buttermilk.
6. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl and fold into mixture. 7. Stir in pecans and raisins and pour into greased lined Bundt cake tin. 8.
Bake for 40-50 minutes.
9.
Cool on wire rack.
10. Sprinkle with icing sugar or ‘frost’ with a caramel icing.
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GARDENING
Winter wreaths to WOW by Emma de Sousa
At this time of year, everyone seems to be frantically preparing for the holidays. Although we don’t all celebrate Christmas, it’s a time for family and friends to get together to eat, drink and generally have a good time. One of my favourite things is decorating my home. I do the fireplace, hang a fresh wreath on the front door, put dried ones in the house – and of course I always love decorating the tree.
huge willow tree in my garden and the new shoots are now perfect for making a willow base. The twigs are ‘in the green’ and so very easy to twist into a ring.
Secure and tie it off with twine or uncoated floristry wire to make sure the wreath is totally compostable when you’ve finished with it. Even the wire breaks down quickly on the compost heap. In fact, I prefer to use all-natural materials rather I thought I’d give you some tips for making than glittery balls and plastic berries to your own wreath. You can forage and find decorate my wreath. If it’s not real, I’m not lots of great materials. Lovely evergreen interested! foliage such as ivy, laurel and holly should stay fresh for several weeks if hanging Give it a go, you might surprise yourself and outdoors. Collect pine cones, those dying it’ll be better than anything you can buy. You hydrangea heads, teasels, berries and can even save the base for next year. Pop anything you can get your hands on. it in a sheltered corner of the garden and it should be fine to use again, even if a few For a base you can buy metal wreath frames creepy crawlies take shelter during the year. to cover with moss (ideally sustainably Hey, live and let live! sourced) or, if you have access to willow, make your own. In summer I cut down a 34
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How to make a festive wreath 1. Make your base by bending and twisting fresh willow together to make a circular shape. Whatever size you end up with, your wreath will grow considerably once you add foliage. I use lengths of around 80cm. 2. You may want to cover the entire base with moss or leave some parts exposed – the willow can look stunning on its own or with a little dressing. Tie your string or wire to the hoop and wind it around the moss to secure it onto the frame. Do the same if you use a metal-based ring (which you can re-use next year). Once you’ve covered the base, DON’T cut the wire or string – leave it attached to your base.
3. Variety is the key to an interesting wreath. Gather your green ingredients, make a small bunch of foliage and tie it onto the base with the wire or string already attached. Remember, the more foliage you use or the longer the stems are, the bigger and wilder your wreath will be! 4. Keep adding bunches of foliage, moving around the ring making sure the stalk ends are covered by the next bunch of foliage until the entire base is covered. All your little bunches should be facing the same way. The last one is the trickiest because you have to tuck it neatly under the first bunch. If there are any gaps, tuck in a single piece of foliage to even it out.
5. Now comes the fun bit – decorating your wreath with goodies you’ve collected! Add anything you fancy, such as berries, feathers, dried seed heads (such as lotus head), dried orange or apple slices. You can tuck them into the foliage and voilà! A beautiful, fresh one-of-a-kind wreath to adorn your door. You’ll be the envy of all your neighbours…
ABOUT EMMA Emma is a florist and grower of sustainable flowers at her London-based cutting patch and studio. She’s passionate about going green and sustainability, so grows her flowers using no pesticides and all-natural farming methods. In her floristry she uses no floral foam and all recyclable materials, from kraft paper to tape. When she does use plastics, they’re collected and re-used over and over again to make as little impact on our environment as possible. www.urbanflowerfarmer.com
BEER
Homebrew By Jon Moore
For some, the idea of homebrewed beer conjures up images of their grandad in a shed, half sozzled, cooking up a cheap batch of low-quality booze. Thankfully we’ve come a long way in recent years. Homebrewers are increasingly young and diverse, fuelled by the huge growth in craft beer and inspired by its DIY ethos. As the number of breweries in London now tops 100, perhaps it’s no surprise that the hobby is undergoing a small boom; in November 2018 over 700 homebrewers from across the country gathered for Brew Con London, the UK’s first and only event dedicated to homebrewing. The event was a testament to the fact that, with the right equipment, a passion for experimentation and a few online tutorials, you can brew some truly amazing beer in your own home.
machines, huge stainless steel vats pumping fizzy lager into cans. Although that may be an approximation of how the world’s largest brewers work, it doesn’t have to be that way. Beer has been brewed for thousands of years; prior to the industrial revolution brewing was a culinary skill. In the Middle Ages almost all beer was brewed at home, typically by women, for the enjoyment of their family and friends and to supplement their family’s income. Brewing beer isn’t just for multinationals and “hipsters”. It can and should be for everyone.
Of course brewing techniques and beer styles have moved on a lot since then, but at heart brewing is a surprisingly easy process that can be done in your kitchen, with fairly inexpensive equipment and most of the work done over a few hours. When I started homebrewing, someone once told me “If you can brew tea, you can brew beer”. Although this may be a slight oversimplification, it’s not far off the truth. Beer is made by Some people think that brewing is a me- steeping malted barley grains in hot water chanical process. Beer is a drink made by for around an hour. This extracts sugars 38
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When you tell people that you homebrew, you get a range of reactions. “Is it made in your bath?” “Is it *actually* drinkable?” Sometimes, just “why?”.
ing is that there are fewer cost restrictions; commercial breweries need to make money to pay their staff and experiments can be costly, so beer is often brewed to a specific price point. They also have to brew beer that people actually want to buy. At home you don’t have these concerns. If you want to add expensive or exotic ingredients like coffee, fresh fruit, vanilla pods or spices, feel free - it can turn out great. I’ve recently drunk a coconut and chocolate stout, a “pickle juice” cucumber lager, and a coffee pale ale that was closer to a flat white than it was to beer. Just be wary on what you add and think it through first; classic styles are popular for a reason, too much experimentation can transform your beer from different and delightful to wacky and weird.
Aside from the four main ingredients - water, malt, hops and yeast - we also have the fifth ingredient: time. Once in the fermenter beer can take anything from two weeks to a month to ferment, for the yeast to eat the sugars and produce alcohol. Once bottled, carbonation and conditioning then takes another few weeks. It’s a slow process and you will have an excruciating month waiting from your brew day until the day you can open a bottle, but the rewards can be huge Finally, if you want to take your homebrewwhen you finally get to open a bottle of beer ing to the next level, I’d strongly recommend that you have crafted in your own home. joining your local homebrew club. There are now dozens of clubs all over the UK and they To make a great batch of beer there are oth- are the perfect setting for learning, drinker variables you will want to control too; all ing, and collaboration. Many clubs also hold of your equipment must be sterile, you will competitions, which is a great opportunity want to carefully select your ingredients, to get impartial feedback on your beer and brew to a recipe, and temperatures need potentially win some amazing prizes. keeping in check, but for every beer you brew the process will be more or less the same. Give it a go. Brew some beer, share it with your friends, and get them to brew too. Kits If this all seems a bit daunting, there are and equipment are available from specialist shortcuts. A lot of beginners start on kits online retailers. To find your local homebrew made from malt extract; a gloopy sticky club, visit the Brew Con map at: https://www. slime to be melted down and turned into brewconlondon.com/brew-clubs-of-britain beer. This means there is no need to fiddle around with grains and worry about your recipe. With extract kits you have less control than you would otherwise, but there is less margin for error too. Think of it like using a jar of sauce, rather than making your own from scratch. Personally I prefer to develop my own recipes. It gives you the freedom to really experiment and see where your creativity takes you. Some say that a benefit of homebrew40
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and flavour from the malt. This sticky sugary solution is then called the “wort” (pronounced “wert”). The wort is separated from the malt and boiled, typically for an hour, to sterilise it. During the boil hops are added for flavour and aroma. The wort is then cooled, transferred to a fermenter, yeast is added, and you have beer.
FEATURE
How to have a pawfect festive season by Roz Lishak
ingredients are perfectly safe for dogs and owner alike. What I’m flagging up are dog chocolates that come in a box looking as designer as most luxury human brands. I’m talking about doggy mince pies, packaged almost as Mr Kipling himself intended. I’ll save my thoughts on doggy Easter eggs for The begging dog If your family are anything like mine, you another time, but these are all examples of crossover edibles that can go terribly wrong. probably have one relation who cannot resist slipping the dog a morsel from the dining table, at any time of year. For us, it Chocolate – as I hope most people know – was my grandpa. An incredibly fun-loving, is toxic for dogs. It can be fatal for certain intelligent and charismatic man, when it small or miniature breeds when mistaken for a doggy alternative. In fact, any came to our dog he was putty in his paws. alternative is never a good idea. And let’s Dogs seem to have a unique ability to seek face it, there are enough fabulous canine out the weakest link in the human food products out there to choose from without chain. Then they stare and stare, and once risking edible novelties. A visit to the vet is they’ve broken them down, there’s no going no fun at any time of year. back. So my number one tip for a pawfectly peaceful meal is to lay down the Flowers and foliage rule for guests: nobody feeds from the table. O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, what a shame the dog was tempted by the edibles on your branches! Your dog’s nose works on Look-a-like foods overdrive most of the time. In fact, the My pet hate is pet food that replicates canine sense of smell is said to be a thouhuman food. Don’t get me wrong, many 42
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Tis’ the season to… consider all possible edible dangers when it comes to your pets! Not the usual carolling lyrics, that’s for sure. But you’ll have a silent night if you take note of this four-legged festive guide.
sand times more sensitive than our human In case you don’t know, mistletoe, holly and sense. poinsettia are also toxic for pets. Yes, and probably for humans too, but who’s more This is probably why dogs seem to be drawn likely to chomp on a fallen branch? Best be to any highly-scented aromas that find their aware and be prepared. way into our homes at this time of year: mulled wine, scented candles, flowers, O please do come, all ye faithful, joyful and garlands and – of course – the centrepiece triumphant – just make sure they know your Christmas tree. Try to remove as much pet rules. However you celebrate, I wish you temptation from under their noses as and your dog a very happy Christmas and a possible. wonderful New Year!
BOOK REVIEW
Happy Christmas by Delia Smith For our festive issue I really wanted to pick Pudding, pudding and more pudding a classic cookbook – and they don’t come First up, all kinds of Christmas cake: more classic than this! traditional, Creole, Italian Chocolate & Nut Cake, plus many great suggestions for icings Over the years I’ve bought many Christmas and toppings (glazed pecans are a treat). cookbooks and, while some are fabulous, you There is something for every taste. Next come can’t really beat Queen Delia at this time of Christmas puddings, if you fancy taking the year. It’s a comfort to know some traditions old-school route. Or how about something never change, and I find myself using this new and fabulous like Steamed Panettone year after year. If you’ve never read it, you’ll Pudding, or Cranberry Queen of Puddings? find it one of the most detailed, thought- I’ve made this before with leftover mincefully put together books for experienced meat – a delicious, welcome change from a and novice cooks alike. In true Delia style, heavy sweet at this time of year. everything is clearly explained and you can always trust the recipe is going to work. Then there are pickles, chutneys and preserves, including a wonderful recipe for homemade piccalilli. (If you’re a fan and Lists, lists and more lists The first 24 pages are dedicated to planning. have never made your own, try it – it’s out of Meal plans, suppliers and suggestions for a this world!) And of course, drinks and party well-stocked festive larder and freezer, plus stuff like mulled wines, ciders and gorgeous of course non-food shopping – don’t forget nibbles such as Pistachio Sable Biscuits, extra napkins and batteries! I return to these Blinis with Parma Ham and Rosemary lists every November and start my mini Crisps. stockpile. Nothing makes me feel calmer than being well-prepared for the big day. Soups, starters and mains Duck Liver Pate or Chestnut Soup with Sage 44
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By Rebecca Stratton
Croutons both sound delightfully indulgent. The Duck, Geese & Game chapter may come in useful for those avoiding turkey, and if you’re a fan of game, this is the time of year to have it. Roast Duck with Cherry Sauce is a recipe I’ve often cooked at the request of a family member.
There’s a Last-Minute Christmas section for the time-poor, or for when you can’t face any more cooking…
And to help you pull off the main event with confidence, there’s a fool-proof plan with timings for the last 36 hours. Naturally there’s a chapter dedicated to left-overs, Other interesting mains include Roast Col- a separate Christmas treat in themselves. lar of Bacon with Blackened Treacle Crack- Take a look if you get sick of the sandwiches. ling, Roast Beef Rib with Whole Garlic Confit Turkey & Ham Benedict perhaps? and Roast Loin of Pork. For some, Christmas is all about fish and the Celebration Seafood Thanks Delia! chapter doesn’t disappoint. Try Luxury Fish I can’t praise this book enough. My mum Pie, Seafood Risotto or go all out with Baked used it and now I use it. That’s the thing with Halibut with English Butter & Shrimps. Any classic cookbooks: they always have been, would make a fine Christmas Eve supper. and always will be, there for you.
A veggie Christmas for me
My best-loved chapter is A Vegetarian Christmas. There are many wonderful options – Tomato Tart, Vegetable Pie, Macadamia & Pistachio Nut Roast. And if you only make one recipe from this book, it HAS to be Cheddar, Sage & Onion ‘Sausage Rolls’. They’re the most fantastic savoury snack all year round – even meat eaters prefer them to a meat sausage roll. I can’t force you, but I hope you make them! Another well-loved recipe - Orecchiette with Walnut Sauce – was my go-to Christmas Eve supper for years. Once the hard work was done, all I wanted to do was sit down with a lovely bowl of pasta. Vegetable sides range from the traditional roasted roots to the unusual caramelised fennel, and Salt-crusted Mini Baked Potatoes with Cold Chive Hollandaise. Divine!
Back to pudding
The Sweetest Christmas dessert chapter is glorious! Petits Monts Blancs, Spiced Cranberry & Orange Brulée, Champagne Jellies, Maple Walnut Cheesecake and Mince Pie Ice-cream are all great ideas for that limbo after Christmas and before New Year, when you just can’t eat any more Christmas pud.
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Photo Credits Despina Mina © Despina Mina Emma Walton © Emma Walton Gillian Balcombe © Shutterstock © Gillian Balcombe Jon Moore © Shutterstock © Shutterstock Roz Lishak © Shutterstock Rebecca Stratton © Deila Smith