Cibare Food and Drinks Magazine Issue 8

Cibare Issue Eight, Autumn Winter 2016/17

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Contents

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

FEATURES

Theo’s Carrot Soup 28 Apple Tales 32 Four-Legged Friendly Fruit 44 Mistletoe and Wine 46

What do you need to know about Vit D 10 An Apple A Day

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REVIEW

GARDENING

Capsicana 20 No Booze For Me 30

Autumn At The Allotment 19 Natures Larder 40

FOOD FOR THE SEASON Omelettes 4 Thai Pumpkin Pudding 12 Apple and Cherry Pie 14 An Alien Han Landed 24 Seasonal Bake 26 RAW Christmas 36

BOOKS Fearne Cotton 49

SOURCES AND CREDITS 2

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The last magazine of 2016 and what an amazing year! We at Cibare can’t wait to get our teeth into 2017. We have tasted, cooked, drank, devoured and indulged in the finest food and drink and we are still hungry for more. We hope you enjoy this issue’s apple filled and seasonal delights and get ready for a lot more blogs and articles coming your way over the next few months before we get to our next issue in the Spring.

Happy eating! x

Cibare

Editor’s Note

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

BREAKFAST Omelettes

by Dorothy Martinez

Eggs? How do you eat yours? Personally, I tend to like my eggs on the runny side and omelettes are no exception. There are few culinary tastes sadder than over-cooked eggs, but I realise that others can’t stand the idea eggs that aren’t cooked solid, so as always, each to their own. So on to the subject of this article - Omelettes. I find that a really good omelette is something people will quite genuinely, write home about, or at least rave about to anyone who’ll listen. And everyone seems to have their own signature omelette, and since chickens seem to live just about anywhere, variations can come from all over the world.

lette is a quick dish and there’s no margin for error. Make sure there’s plenty of butter in the pan to stop sticking. Use a wide spatula - sometimes two if the omelette has a lot of ingredients to fold it over. If it tears, don’t panic, just try to salvage it as best as you can and serve - in my opinion, it’s more important not to overcook it than it is to serve it with impeccable presentation, as “rustic” is fine for good, honest, homecooked ingredients like eggs and cheese.

I’ve never been keen on plain omelettes, and my go-to recipe involves Welsh goat’s cheese and chorizo, possibly with a rocket salad on the side and some halved cherry tomatoes. If you manage to fold the omelette in time and get it to seal, the whole thing puffs up into a heavenly gooey mound, where the slight sourness of the cheese complements the creaminess of the runny egg and the chorizo adds a bit of spice, and savoury, salty, meatiness.

The great thing about omelettes is that they can work for meals at all times of day - always great for breakfast, they can be served with a salad for lunches or a light summer supper, or heavier ingredients can be added for a more substantial frittata style evening meal. A few top tips that omelette lovers will no doubt already have down: always make sure your ingredients are chopped and ready All recipes are for two egg omelettes, unless before the egg goes into the pan (including otherwise specified. any pre-cooking of chorizo etc) - an ome4

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Welsh Goats Cheese and Chorizo 2 Eggs Half a roll of soft Welsh Goat’s cheese (the type without a rind) A quarter of a standard chorizo ring, sliced into circles I prepare the goat’s cheese and chorizo first and then beat the eggs and set them to one side. Fry the chorizo for a few minutes (I like it crispy) and set aside, keeping the oil in the pan. Pour in the eggs and then quickly add the slices of goats cheese (or crumbled goats cheese) to half of the omelette and scatter the fried chorizo on top. Fold the omelette as carefully as possible, trying to create a seal so that the hot air makes the omelette puff up. Serve as soon as the eggs are cooked as you like them, either on its own or with salad.

Fry the chorizo and halloumi in the oil and once both are cooked (i.e. chorizo crispy and halloumi golden), pour the eggs over the top and cook gently. Once the base is cooked through, you can add cheddar if desired and attempt to fold it. If successful, cook it for a few more seconds before serving immediately. Because this is quite salty, it does benefit from a bit of salad on the side which balances it out perfectly.

A couple of people suggested an Indian/ Pakistani style recipe - Ginnie and Sabrina recommended variations based on chilli and onions. This felt a bit daring as I don’t usually have vegetables at breakfast, and certainly not chillies, but the result was sublime. The creaminess of the egg and cheese contrasted so well with the heat from the chillies and onion and the coriander just lifted the flavour of it all. A great, fresh tasting omelette with a lovely crunchy and creamy texture In researching this article, I did the obvi- and left me with a pleasing warm sensation ous and put a post out on FaceBook asking on the inside that put me in a good mood. what friends put in their omelettes. Unsurprisingly, I’m not the only person who likes Indian/Pakistani Omelette chorizo and a couple of people suggested trying it with halloumi - Matt grates it into 2 Eggs the omelette, while Sertan dices it and fries A quarter of a large-ish red onion, thinly it in a little coconut butter, adding a hand- sliced ful of grated cheddar to make the middle a Half a large green chilli, thinly sliced (I used bit gooey. Either way, this makes for quite a reasonably mild Italian type, but if you like a salty dish - more so with the addition of it hot then of course go for that.) cheddar. I tried this combination various 2-3 sprigs of fresh coriander, chopped ways, but what worked best for me was to A small amount of chilli powder (or more if fry the halloumi and chorizo together and it’s to your taste) then pour the egg over the top - but good A small handful of grated cheddar luck folding it.

Mix all ingredients together, including the eggs. Heat some oil or butter (or mixture of Chorizo and Halloumi the two) in your omelette pan and cook to your satisfaction - carefully folding it over 2 Eggs A quarter of a standard chorizo ring, sliced will enable the middle to cook a bit quicker if that’s what you like. into circles A third of a standard block of halloumi, diced Cristina and trained chef, Claudio, recom1 tbsp olive oil 6

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mended pak choi, smoked mozzarella, Anduja salami, basil leaves and a sprinkling of parmesan. I’m not going to pretend that it wasn’t a bit of a faff assembling all the ingredients, but it got me out there, exploring different Italian delis, and with a bit of planning, it all came together. I tried two types of Anduja - one was a regular spicy salami and the other was a raw sausage version which disintegrated upon cooking and spread throughout the omelette. Although it was still pretty good, I preferred the version with the sliced salami. I found that balance was key, but once that was reached, the end result was an incredible merging of some very strong and distinctive flavours, with none standing out particularly, but each making its own contribution. The pak choi and basil gave it texture, freshness and some crispness; the cheese added smoky creaminess and the salami gave it a gentle peppery kick, while the sprinkling of parmesan rounded it off with a hit of savouriness. For special occasions only, but a great omelette to “whip up” if you have someone to impress.

to solidify and then carefully try to fold the omelette to help the middle cook. I served it once egg stopped running out of the middle, but you might like to leave it to cook a little longer - as long as the outside isn’t blackened, a bit of crispiness on the bottom adds pleasantly to the end result.

Pan fry the pak choi for a few minutes in a little olive oil and butter (I found it really nice when it just started to catch a bit). Beat the eggs, add the cheese, salami and basil and then pour carefully into the pan, trying to avoid pushing all the pak choi to the edges; shake a little to ensure the egg covers the pan completely. Cook until the edges start

Researching this article has been great fun and although goat’s cheese and chorizo omelette isn’t off the menu, we now have a whole range of options that mean we’ve usually got the ingredients for an omelette.

Whatever’s in the fridge

A few people said they just use whatever they had in the fridge, and invariably included garlic in this - which I would never have thought to use in an omelette. Recommendations included broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, courgette, cheese, sometimes salami or ham and a range of other vegetables. One of my fellow writers suggested artichoke hearts (the marinated kind are fine). I was a bit sceptical about this in the beginning - especially the garlic, but tried a few combinations including aubergine, courgette, garlic and cheddar; and broccoli, cauliflower, courgette, red onion, chilli and cheddar.

Both were very good, the added bonus being that it counts towards your 5 a day. I also Smoked Mozzarella and Anduja added a few artichoke hearts to some of the recipes above and it did work well. I found 5 eggs the garlic (about a clove per 2 egg omelette) About 40g Anduja or Calabrese Salami, made the omelette quite rich, but I’m keen julienne or diced to try it with left over antipasti salad when A little less than half a ball of Smoked I have the chance. I would encourage you Mozzerella cheese, diced or grated to try making omelettes with whatever’s 6 leaves of a small pak choi cabbage, julienne available - and I leave it up to you whether A small handful of basil to fry some of the ingredients before adding A sprinkling of grated parmesan once the eggs - I did tend to as I like the slightly cooked charred flavours.

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HEALTH AND NUTRITION

What You Should Know About Vitamin D

by Denise Chester

Rather confusingly, vitamin D isn’t actually a vitamin but a hormone. It’s produced by the kidneys and most of us know it has something to do with keeping our bones healthy.

Unlike other vitamins, we only get a small amount of vitamin D from our food - around 10%. The rest of it comes from the action of sunlight on our skin to produce something called cholecalciferol, which is then converted to calcidiol by the liver.

Calcidiol is then converted again in the kidneys to calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, and the one usually measured by doctors.

This summer, Public Health UK suggested that everyone in the UK should consider taking supplemental vitamin D throughout autumn and winter because so many of us are deficient - partly due to the lack of time we spend outside in the sun.

mation of new bone in children and adults.

It also helps the body to absorb calcium from food and prevents calcium loss. But researchers have been looking more and more at this hormone/vitamin and we now believe that it plays a major role in some of our most challenging health issues and body systems including: • Immune system • Muscle function • Cardiovascular system and heart function • Respiratory system • Brain development • Anti-cancer effects

It’s also been linked to the development of diabetes, depression and to weight loss. One study found that obese women who took a calcium and vitamin D supplement saw a significant decrease in weight and body fat levels compared to those taking a placebo, although this was a very small study and we don’t know the actual mechanism for the But why do we need it?

The medical profession worked out years weight loss. ago that a deficiency in vitamin D resulted in rickets, a bone disease in children leading Another large study published this summer to softening and distortion of their bones. So showed that low vitamin D levels were assowe’ve known for some time that vitamin D is ciated with increased all-cause mortality (all of the deaths that occur in a population, relinked to bone health and osteoporosis.

Put simply, Vitamin D modifies the activity gardless of the cause), with lighter-skinned of bone cells and is important for the for- populations more affected.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Paolo Sartori

What is Vitamin D?

The increased rates of death are thought to be linked to poor bone quality, leading to falls and fractures from which some groups (particularly the elderly) may not recover, and cardiovascular problems that result from calcification of blood vessels.

Another fascinating new Cochrane Review paper published in September 2016 suggests that vitamin D can reduce asthma attacks.

This review of nine clinical trials found that individuals who took vitamin D supplements in addition to their standard asthma medication experienced a 50% decreased risk of severe asthma attacks requiring hospitalisation. These people also experienced a reduced rate of asthma attacks requiring treatment with steroid medication.

number of different forms, such as tablets, liquids and capsules, so you can take whichever you prefer.

SUNLIGHT

Our best and most important source. There are so many variables as to how much vitamin D your body can make from sunlight such as the amount of bare skin, your age, your skin type, use of sunscreen, cloud cover, pollution and your location - so it’s impossible to accurately state how long we should spend in the sun.

However, bearing in mind it is estimated that most of us in the UK are deficient, it is safe to say we should get as much sunlight on our bare skin as we can, as long as we don’t increase our risk of skin damage and cancer. The Vitamin D Council states that: “A good rule of thumb is to get half the sun exposure it takes for your skin to turn pink to get your vitamin D and expose as much skin as possible.”

These important findings have implications for the quality of life of millions of asthma sufferers worldwide. Even more so when we consider that the lead researcher of the review, Professor Adrian Martineau, stated that these benefits can be achieved “without causing side effects.”

I believe that here in the UK we should take every opportunity to get out in the sun whenSo how do I get Vitamin D? ever we can, even for a few snatched minutes There are three ways to get your vitamin D: at lunchtime if that’s all we can manage. Not food, supplements and sunlight. just for the vitamin D, but for nature, time out, exercise and activity, all of which bring huge benefits to both our mental and physFOOD It’s mainly found in oily fish such as salmon, ical health. trout and mackerel; pork and beef liver; milk So and dairy products and egg yolks. However, ... more D, vicar? it’s pretty much impossible to get all your vitamin D requirements from a healthy diet and there are thousands of supplements available.

SUPPLEMENTS:

Nutritionists recommend taking Vitamin D3 (a.k.a. cholecalciferol) as it’s the same type of D vitamin created in your body when you expose your skin to sunlight. It comes in a www.cibare.co.uk

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FOOD

Thai Pumpkin Pudding

by Ying Bower

As the weather gets colder and our long-awaited root vegetables come into season, it’s more than welcome to start thinking about the puddings we can make with them! I don’t like to cook out of season - what for? Seeing as it’s pumpkin season, now’s the time to find the right one and make my delicious pudding. It’s super-simple, tasty and reminds me of home, even though I’m over here.

INGREDIENTS Half a pumpkin or butternut squash 500 ml coconut milk 3-4 tbsp sugar.

Pinch of salt

METHOD • Dice the pumpkin.

• Warm the coconut milk on a medium heat - when it boils, turn the heat down to low. This takes about 5 minutes.

• Add in the sugar and salt and stir for another 5 minutes.

• Add the diced pumpkin and cook for a further 10-15 mins or until the pumpkin is cooked.

Leave to cool a little then eat when nice and warm.

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FOOD

Apple and Cherry Pie INGREDIENTS For the pie crust and lid: 200g butter 120ml cold water 350g plain flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp caster sugar For the filling: 8 cooking apples, peeled and cored then chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 punnet of pitted cherries 1 tbsp lemon juice 150g of caster sugar 3 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 tbsp cornstarch 4 tbsp of plain flour mixed with 4 tbsp of caster sugar For the pie wash: 50ml milk Granulated sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

1 Dice the butter for the pastry and place into a large bowl along with the flour, salt and sugar. Rub the flour and butter together until breadcrumbs form.

2 Add the water a little at a time and stir until clumps start to form.

3 Squeeze the clumps of dough together using your hands to make a large ball of dough.

4 Cut the dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other, and place into the fridge to rest for at least half an hour.

5 After that, take the larger ball of dough

out of the fridge and place on to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out until it’s large enough to fill a 9-inch pie tin.

6 Lightly grease the tin before dusting with a little flour, then lay the dough into the tin, making sure it’s pushed into any edges and corners. Then place back in the fridge while you make the filling.

7 Add the apples, cherries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch into a bowl and mix well. Leave this bowl to one side to soak for at least half an hour.

8 After that, place the mixture in a sieve over a sauce pan and strain the juices from the fruit for another half an hour.

9 Put the fruit back in the bowl and leave to one side.

10 Then warm the liquid on a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble. Let it boil for 2-5 minutes until it thickens, then place to one side to cool down.

11 Sprinkle the bottom of the pie with the flour and caster sugar mix, then pour over the fruit, followed by the thickened sauce.

12 Roll out the second smaller ball of pastry dough until it’s large enough to cover the top of the pie. Make a hole in the top to allow steam to escape during cooking.

13 Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before baking.

14 Immediately before baking, brush with the milk and sprinkle over the granulated sugar, then cook in the centre of the oven at 200C for 1 hour, or until the pie top is golden brown and crisp.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

PICTURE CREDITS: Emma Walton

by Emma Walton

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away. Really?

by Anne Iarchy

The February 1866 edition of Notes and Que- lesterol (the bad one, LDL) and glucose levries magazine includes this Pembrokeshire els. proverb:

2. BORON

Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll This nutrient is abundant in apples and can keep the doctor from earning his help strengthen our bone structure by helping maintain more calcium in the body. bread.

And a number of variants of this rhyme have 3. QUERCETIN This potent antioxidant can help reduce free been circulating ever since. radical damage. Free radicals develop when Apples may be good for us but it wasn’t their atoms in the body’s cells have unpaired elecprecise medicinal properties that were be- trons, which can lead to damage to different ing exalted when this phrase was coined. In parts of the cell, including DNA. Quercetin Old English the word ‘apple’ was used to de- may neutralise free radical damage, which has been implicated in a variety of age-rescribe any round fruit that grew on a tree. lated health problems, including potentially But apples do have a good claim to promote cancer.

It also improves the health of capillaries, health. which can help with bruising, varicose veins Let’s see what’s actually in an apple: and more.

1. PECTIN

This is a form of soluble fibre which, while being digested, binds with toxins and escorts them out of the body. A lack of fibre can cause constipation so pectin, like other forms of fibre, helps maintain the health of the digestive system. But if you start eating more apples (and fibre), make sure to up your water intake.

Pectin has been known to lower blood cho16

4. VITAMIN C

Vitamin C boosts the immune system, which helps maintain overall health.

So, all in all, when it comes to nutrients, apples are really good for you. BUT... all these goodies are mostly found in the skin! So eat the whole apple. Don’t peel it or you’ll lose most of the benefits. And juicing it, even

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with the skin on, doesn’t provide the same fibre a whole apple does.

So how else can the humble apple help us?

An apple can also act as a toothbrush, cleaning teeth and killing bacteria in the mouth, which may reduce the risk of tooth decay.

When it comes to weight loss, apples are low in calorie density, one trademark of a healthy food. This means you can eat goodsized portions for relatively few calories. In addition, apples are affordable and readily available, making them an easy snack to stuff in your bag without getting too bruised or smashed.

If you suffer from diabetes or limit your sugar intake (even from natural sources), opt for green apples as they contain less sugar than the red variety when comparing same-sized fruits.

Are apples better than any other fruit?

All fruits are loaded with nutrients so none are unhealthy for you. Each contains its own combination of different nutrients with their own health benefits. Take a banana for instance - loaded with potassium, which is great for heart health and muscle function.

Strawberries contain masses of vitamin C and fibre.

So I’ll keep on saying: eat a variety of fruit and vegetables to get the most benefits from all the nutrients they contain. In fact - eat like a rainbow. It’s a great picture to keep in your head. And although it doesn’t rhyme as well, eating a rainbow a day is more likely to keep the doctor away than just a solo apple!

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FEATURE

Autumn On The Allotment

by Emma de Sousa

PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Sousa

The arrival of autumn is a funny time on the plot. Things should be slowing down but there is still lots to do before the very cold or wet weather arrives!

tered part of the plot. If you clear any beds, give them a good weeding and mulch with a decent layer of manure to breakdown over the winter. Take in canes, clean your tools then oil and store them away for the winter.

You should still be harvesting things such as Sort any saved seeds and store them somepumpkins, squash, kale and salad leaves, as where cool and dry. well as putting lots in store, including main crop potatoes, onions, beetroot and celeriac. Now we are in November is when you can be planning next year’s crops. So... what Inside the greenhouse the last of the toma- worked for you? What failed? What can you toes, peppers, cucumbers and chillies will do differently? It’s the perfect time to reflect be finishing and once you’ve cleared these, and enjoy dark cosy nights curled up on the it’s time for a big clean-up. Wash out your sofa, seed catalogue in hand, dreaming of all greenhouse ready for next year with a weak the fabulous things you’ll grow next year… solution of bleach. Scrub out seed trays and pots to get rid of any harmful bacteria and If you have any questions about your plot, diseases which may be lurking. please email editor@cibare.co.uk.

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REVIEW

Capsicana

by Dorothy Martinez

Since our third child arrived in February of this year, I have grudgingly accepted that it’s ridiculous to make elaborate three course midweek meals. And it’s also ridiculous on weekends. So when I was asked to review these sachets of ready-made, South American cook sauces I was pretty pleased. The range includes three sauces: Mexican Chilli and Honey; Peruvian Chilli and Lemon; and Brazilian Chilli and Coconut. They don’t contain lots of complicated E numbers, no artificial colours or flavourings and they are non-GM, vegetarian or vegan. They are mainstream hot, with a definite kick, but they’re not going to blow your head off. My kids, including the baby, were mostly happy to eat the meals where these were used and it was a great way to expose them to different flavours, although it’s as well to include a bit of dairy with chilli based meals.

Brazilian Chilli and Coconut

Each of the packets come with recipe suggestions - most basically they can be cooked with chicken, onions and peppers and served over rice or tortillas - all of these produce great results and the meat can be varied and different vegetables can be added if desired.

Each variety has a different recipe on the inside, and there are more suggestions on the website, which I had fun using for inspiration and chopping and giving variety to our quick, midweek meals.

Saucy Chicken Stirfry

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Although the Brazilian sauce is described as hot, it is well balanced with the coconut, so it’s not overpowering and the flavour was actually quite delicate. The recipe on the inside of the Brazilian card was for a Moqueca - a quick prawn broth, which was exceptional and very quick to prepare. We had it with rice. In future I might add mushrooms and possibly even some other fish too.

Inspired by a couple of dishes on the Capsicana website (which has other recipe suggestions) I spread this sauce over a piece of salmon, wrapped it in foil and baked it in the oven and served in wraps with guacamole and grated carrot and courgette. The coconut-y kick complimented the rich salmon flavour very nicely and the grated vegetables added freshness to the end dish.

We also incorporated it into one of our family favourites to make a wonderfully saucy chicken stirfry. For a family of five, I used: 400g chicken breast, diced; A packet of stirfry veg with added sliced courgette and baby corn.

One packet of Brazilian Chilli and Coconut Sauce 300ml Hot water

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Strifry the chicken in a little oil, add a packet of Brazillian sauce with about 200ml water and add the vegetables, stirring them into the sauce until just cooked. We served it on fine egg noodles.

Mexican Chilli and Honey

Mexican Chilli and Honey Chilli con Carne 400g packets of diced beef One large sliced onion Once can of black beans 500ml water

This is the mildest sauce in the range, but still had a distinctive heat to it. The recipe on the packaging is a quick pulled pork recipe, which went down a treat with the kids as well as the adults. It took a bit longer to make though was very quick to prepare and most of the time the pork was just bubbling in the pot. In the meantime I have the chance to make the usual Mexican accoutrements such as guacamole, tomato salsa, which was served alongside sour cream and grated cheese. As it went down so well, we cooked it a couple of times, firstly with rice and then with tortillas.

Firstly I softened some onions in oil, added two sachets of the Mexican Sauce and browned two. Then I added a can of black beans and 500ml of water, brought it to the boil and then put the lid on, cooking it on a high pressure for about 40minutes. In the meantime I prepared side dishes including rice, guacamole and tomato salsa, although if you wanted a very quick and easy meal, you could use good shop bought dips and salsas and serve with crunchy tacos or soft tortillas.

The Capsicana website gave a recipe for chicken and chorizo tacos, which was simply a case of frying up some onions and peppers and separately some chorizo and chicken until cooked through and then mixing them altogether with the packet of sauce. The suggestion is to serve this with grated carrot and courgette - as it turns out - a winning combination - and plenty of fresh coriander.

Super quick and again, universally popular in our house - except the grated courgette which the kids wouldn’t eat.

I first used this one as an emergency marinade at an emergency barbecue, prompted by my eldest child accidentally defrosting the freezer. We had a lot of chicken breasts to use up. It worked well and the lemony taste stood up to the charcoal nicely. I oven baked the remaining chicken and the citrusy flavours were brilliant in a cold chicken salad the following day.

It also made a fantastic and quick (to prepare) chilli con carne, for which I used the pressure cooker (though if you don’t have one, use more water and stew the meat for a couple of hours).

Peruvian Chilli and Lemon

This is the sauce the website recommends smothering over salmon, and since salmon is a universal favourite in our house, we gave it a go. The sauce really lifted the creamy, earthy flavours of the salmon with a kick of juicy tang. It was delightful and went down well with two out of the three kids - which in our family, is a win.

Once in a while, we like chicken in a decadent creamy white wine and pepper sauce.

We decided to experiment with the Peruvi-

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an sauce, trying it with the white wine and as a substitute for it. Cooking the dish with white wine created a more complex flavour but did overpower the sauce somewhat, whereas cooking it without the wine really gave the full benefit of the Chilli and Lemon sauce and the cream mellowed the chilli kick to a more manageable level for the children. I served this with steamed vegetables and roast potatoes, but it would have been fantastic with rice too.

400ml hot water 400g chicken breast, whole or cut into large chunks 2-3 tablespoons of single cream

First, soften the onion or shallots in the oil over a medium heat, taking care that the onion doesn’t catch. After a few minutes, add the peppers and continue to fry gently.

Once the peppers start to soften, add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Then add the sauce and the water roughly 100ml Creamy Peruvian Chilli and Lemon at a time, continuing to stir constantly and fast to ensure that flour and liquid combine.

Chicken Once all the water is added, continue to stir for another 3 minutes and then add the For a family of five: 1 red or yellow pepper (or a combination of chicken. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for a few minutes before stirring and both) cut into strips turning the chicken over. Once the chicken 1 onion or 4 shallots is cooked through, turn the heat right down 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of plain flour - not too heaped and add the cream to taste. Serve with your 1 packet of Peruvian Chilli and Lemon sauce preferred side dishes. www.cibare.co.uk

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FOOD

An Alien Has Landed

by Samina Iqbal

iron, calcium, vitamins C, A, K and B complex.

Of even more value are the high levels of phytochemicals and carotenes in kohlrabi, constituting the most important antioxidant compounds for the prevention of cancers.

It is also low in calories, but high in fibre – always a great combination for improving digestive health. In this day and age of increasing immune disorders, kohlrabi helps boost the immune system. One cup provides 140% of Vitamin C and is great for fighting infection.

Literally translated from the German, it means ‘turnip-cabbage.’ However don’t let that put you off - it’s one of those versatile vegetables that can be eaten raw or cooked in a number of ways. The taste is somewhere between a turnip and a water chestnut; mild and sweet, with a crisp and crunchy texture.

The health benefits are numerous, which is why it has gained superfood status, not to Originally kohlrabi was primarily consumed mention that it’s full of nutrients and min- in Germanic countries, but interestingly it’s erals such as copper, potassium manganese, also a staple in Northern India. There are 24

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PICTURE CREDITS: Samina Iqbal

Otherwise known as a kohlrabi. This pale green vegetable (or less common purple version) looks daunting, with its alien-like antennae, but it’s the new superfood darling on the block and one of my favourite vegetables.

so many ways to cook kohlrabi if you’re not eating it raw. You can roast it for 45 minutes, stir fry it for 6 minutes, steam it or grate it to make fabulous fritters.

Here is a creamy and gorgeous soup for the coming winter months, mildly spiced, but intensely flavoured. You have to try it, it’s divine.

KOHLRABI SOUP INGREDIENTS 4 medium size kohlrabi (the large ones are quite tough, use those for roasting) 1 large onion 4 cloves garlic 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp cumin/coriander mix 300ml chicken or vegetable stock Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD • Finely chop onion and fry in olive oil until translucent • Peel and chop kohlrabi into chunks • Add to pan with crushed garlic cloves • Add cumin/coriander mix, and cook on high heat for a couple of minutes • Add stock, bring to the boil, and then simmer with lid on for 20 minutes • Add lemon juice and black pepper • Remove from the heat and check that kohlrabi pieces are cooked • Blitz using a hand blender until smooth and creamy

FOOD

Pork & Apple Sausage, Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Tray Bake

By Dani Gavriel

As the nights have got longer and a lot colder, its time to cosy up and eat something warming but that will keep you going with great veggies, and what better than sausages!! This tray bake is the perfect autunm winter night in food that you can put in the oven and leave till its ready.

Place the vegetable ingredients on to a large baking tray, put the sausages on top and cook in the middle shelf of an oven on medium heat for 1.5 hours.

Once out of the oven, sprinkle with fresh coriander & serve.

INGREDIENTS 1 pack of pork & apple butcher’s sausages 1 red onion, quartered 1/2 pumpkin, peeled and cut into wedges 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges 1 pack of purple stemmed broccoli 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks 2 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks 4 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks A pinch of dried oregano A pinch of ground smoked paprika A drizzle of honey Olive oil Salt & pepper

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FEATURE

Carrot Soup

with Burnt Cumin Topping

by Theo Michaels

carrots, potato and bell pepper and fry for 10 minutes.

2.

Add the ground cumin and stir. After a minute add the white wine, turn the heat to high and reduce by half.

3.

Once reduced, add enough chicken stock to just cover all the ingredients.

4.

Season, cover the saucepan with a lid and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes until INGREDIENTS (serves 6 adults) the carrots are just soft. You still want a little resistance when you push a knife through FOR THE SOUP them.

10 large carrots, peeled and diced 5.

Then get the hand blender out and 1 potato, peeled and dice blitz that bad boy until smooth! If you want a 1 red bell pepper, diced looser mixture, add more stock. If you prefer 2 cloves garlic, diced a thicker soup, return to the heat and gently 1 medium onion, diced simmer until it thickens. Set aside.

1/2 cup white wine 6.

To make the topping, drizzle a little ex2 pints chicken stock tra virgin olive oil into a pan on a medium/ Olive oil high heat. Add the finely diced carrot and 1 heaped tsp of ground cumin let it sit for a moment to char slightly before FOR THE TOPPING stirring. Then add the cumin seeds, garlic Extra virgin olive oil and chilli flakes.

Dollop of Greek yoghurt - 1 per person!

7.

Keep stirring on a high heat until the 1/4 large carrot (about 3in long) peeled and garlic is golden and carrots are charred. diced into 5mm cubes Then remove from the heat, season, add the 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced fresh coriander and mix.

1 tbsp cumin seeds Pinch of dried chilli flakes To Serve 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander Pour some hot soup into a bowl, then add a drizzle of olive oil, a hit of seasoning, a dolMethod lop of Greek yogurt and a heaped teaspoon of the carrot crumb. Enjoy!

1.

In a large saucepan gently fry the onion in olive oil until just golden. Then add garlic,

PICTURE CREDITS: Theo Micheals

This hearty carrot and cumin soup is packed with flavour. Forget bowls of watery orange slop, this soup recipe takes the humble carrot to a new level AND helps you see in the dark. Top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a delicious burnt carrot and cumin seed crumb for a bit of bite!

REVIEW

No Booze For Me

by The Editor

Usually we fill this article with an alcoholic induced night of fun, but this time I thought I would step in and write something a little less boozy but just as tasty for the magazine.

Whilst filling my time these days with creating a human I don’t really have the capacity to go out and get a few drinks in, (as you may imagine) so I set out to find somewhere I can go. Somewhere where it’s actually caters to the non-alcoholic drinker, but still taking into account that we would still like to have a good time.

biggest cocktail list that I sadly had to ignore but it did have a lovely list of ones that I didn’t have to. What to have first? Well of course I had a Virgin Pornstar and my friend had a Bubblygum and we ordered some food.

The Pornstar did not disappoint even thought it was missing the booze it tasted just lovely and it was as if I was on holiday. The Bubblygum made me jealous though as it turned up and bubbled away for ages like a science experiment which the Alchemist is famous for. But they both tasted so good To my happiness and joy one of our old bars and who doesn’t want a fancy glass with a that we reviewed over a year ago, the fabulous drink in it to make you feel special Alchemist had come up with an amazing line in central London. Yes please! of cocktails just for me!!! (Well not just for me but I felt like it was at the time.)

Our food came a nice big sharing platter of the world that really hit the spot. A mix of Being able to go out and have a few drinks in bhajis, falafel, edemame, quesadillas, tortila really nice place and have something to eat las and of course olives too which are a netoo actually means a lot, I’m sick of having to cessity for any pregnant ladies’ lunch! (All have a glass of bloody juice and apparently the food here is good as you may remember having to suck it up because I’m in a wine from the last article). The atmosphere is bar. I want something nice, I can have juice quite Central London businessy for the time at home. So I grabbed my other pregnant we were there, but us casual two felt quite at buddy and off we went out for a drink. home in our jeans. How can you not be with a drink that is bubbling over with pink joy?

Out for our non-boozy lunch and found ourselves in a comfy booth surrounded by the On to our next drink, (obviously) a Virgin 30

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Mojito and a Strawberry Colada. The Mojito was sharp and tangy where the colada was like a pudding! It was just want we needed and had to share as they were totally different but perfect in their opposite ways.

It was just a really lovely afternoon where we didn’t feel like we were singled out for any reason. We went to a classy place and had cocktails and nibbles like ladies. Yes I still remember the last time I was there, where I wobbled slightly out of the doors at the end of the evening for a very different reason full of giggles and hiccups as there really is nothing like a tea cup full of alcoholic magic.

But full of bubbles and sweet pudding like drinks we left ecstatically happy and about to bring every other friend along for a great place that even us preggie ladies can have a nice drink!

Of course if you are pregnant and want a real drink that’s up to you. Your body your rules.

But these are well worth a go.

FOOD

Apple Tales

By Gillian Balcombe

The apple has so many contrary connotations for us. In the Garden of Eden it may have been the forbidden fruit that got the first inhabitants of the planet chucked out into the cold, cruel world of reality (this in itself needing a reality check) but since then it’s become a sign of goodness. ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is one example.

Another is the little apple icon included in descriptions on many menus to indicate a healthy dish. And why is that little bump on the larynx called the ‘Adam’s Apple’? Well, because, having bitten into the forbidden fruit, Adam found he’d bitten off more than he could swallow and the piece of apple stuck in his throat.

White in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. It’s an interesting scenario this one, given that we now know apple pips eaten in large quantities can be toxic as they have the potential to release cyanide. But you’d have to eat an awful lot of them to do yourself any serious damage!

Conversely, in Norse mythology golden apples were allegedly the source of the gods’ immortality and perpetual youth, working in much in the same way as the Greeks’ ambrosia - and an apple tree is a symbol of beauty and rebirth. Golden apples also feature strongly in Greek mythology, as the gifts of both Aphrodite, goddess of love, and Eris, goddess of discord. I leave you to contemplate any profound meaning in that particular pairing!

In both Cornish and Irish folklore, apples are associated with love and marriage. The Cornish festival of Kalan Gwav (meaning ‘first day of winter’) was celebrated over 31 October and 1 November each year, and featured the giving and receiving of large glossy red Allan apples as good luck tokens to famThen there’s the poisoned apples that the ily and friends. It is said that if an unmarried Evil Queen planned to use to murder Snow recipient placed the gift under his or her 32

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PICTURE CREDITS: Kostyantine Pankin

So many varieties, so many lost and rediscovered. The apple may be the most ubiquitous of fruits but, like the humble spud, it transforms into any number of delightful dishes in itself and lifts a huge amount of others too. In French their names are similar as well - an apple is ‘une pomme’ and a potato translates to ‘une pomme de terre’, literally meaning ‘apple from the earth’.

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pillow, they would dream about their future partner. And in Ireland, if you manage to produce an unbroken ribbon of apple peel when skinning your fruit, then lob it over your shoulder. The peel should land in the shape of the initial of your intended. (Eer no, I haven’t tried either…)

The apple appears in so many cultures throughout the world, whether it’s being celebrated, vilified or as part of an idiomatic expression. Boat builders shunned the use of apple wood for their craft, as originally it was used to make coffins and therefore believed to be unlucky. In Ukraine and Russia they celebrate Saviour of the Apple Feast Day. In Swiss folklore William Tell shot an apple from his son’s head with a crossbow.

New York is called ‘The Big Apple’, a phrase coined by touring jazz musicians in the 1920s, who used the word ‘apple’ as a slang expression for a town or city. In the USA and parts of Scandinavia, a fresh highly polished apple was a traditional children’s gift to his or her teacher. A bit different from some of the offerings I saw when my kids were at school!

September and October are apple bounty time in the Northern Hemisphere and it’s such a pleasure to bite into an apple picked straight from the tree, still warm from the sun of an Indian summer. Better still if it’s from your own back garden. In Christianity this heralds the harvest festival - originally a Pagan festival - which celebrates the end of weeks of back-breaking labour in the fields and giving thanks for the food that had been gathered and stored for the lean winter months. For Ashkenazi Jews, the combination of apple dipped in honey (a double sweetness whammy) both blesses the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and expresses our hopes for a sweet and fruitful year ahead.

Legend has it that the apple was chosen because of its rarity in ancient times.

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Apple cake, apple strudel, apple compôte, apple crumble, apple juice, apple tart, apple pie, apple cider, apple sauce - the list goes on and on and on! Our delicious and oh-so-versatile fruit is yummy simply sliced, turned into a gorgeous dessert or as an accompaniment to a savoury meal. It’s right there in our sub-conscious too - one of my earliest memories is the school break-time snack my mum gave me every day. An apple, peeled and cored, with the space where the core had been filled with raisins and the whole thing wrapped in silver foil. A kind of raw baked apple really - and to this day that combination of apple and raisin is one of my absolute favourites.

So let me leave you with one of my very favourite cakes, a celebration of the apple and a combination of some of the loveliest flavours we have – the Scottish Jewish Dorset Apple Cake. So named because the original hails from the county of Dorset, and this particular version was worked out and initially tested by a Jewish person in the wilds of Northern Scotland. Enjoy!

Scottish Jewish Dorset Apple Cake Preheat oven to 160°C (for a fan oven).

Grease with butter and line a 23 to 24cm diameter spring form cake tin.

Peel, core and slice three Granny Smith apples. Set them aside in a bowl of water to which the juice of half a lemon has been added, to prevent browning of the fruit.

Combine 225g of self-raising flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 50g of ground almonds. Set aside.

Cream together 225g of unrefined caster sugar, 225g of butter and the zest of one lemon until the mixture is pale and creamy.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Gillian Balcombe

Beat in three eggs one at a time, adding a well-risen and brown, with a lovely crunchy tablespoon of the dry ingredients with each topping, and a skewer inserted into the cenegg. tre of the cake comes out clean. If you need more baking time and the cake is looking a Carefully fold in the remaining dry ingredi- little dark, cover it with a circle of parchents. ment paper.

Drain the apples well and stir them into the cake batter, together with 50g to 75g of sultanas or raisins – your choice! Turn the whole lot into the prepared cake tin.

You can serve the cake warm with vanilla ice cream or cream, or simply enjoy a slice with your cuppa once it’s cool. Either way, it won’t hang around very long.

Combine ground cinnamon with demerara sugar and sprinkle this mixture all over the top of the cake.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake is www.cibare.co.uk

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RAW FOOD

RAW Christmas Dessert Recipes

by Alison Matthews

You might think Christmas is a tricky time for raw foodies. It’s not! You can indulge in the tasty sweet treats everyone else is eating and know that yours are much healthier than theirs...

are powdery, though this does not make it completely raw.

3-4 tbsp agave/maple syrup 3 tsp lemon juice 2-4 tbsp melted coconut oil

MINCE PIES

• Combine the almond, coconut and oat flour in a mixing bowl and mix well.

• Stir in the agave/maple syrup and the lemon juice, followed by the melted coconut oil. Add the coconut oil a little at a time to get the right consistency.

• Mix by hand until it turns into a dough.

Then roll it out and put into baking tins. Lining your tins with cling film will make it easier to remove the tart cases when ready.

• Put the tins in the freezer for about half an hour to allow the bases to set.

FOR THE PASTRY 1 cup of almond flour Make this by finely grinding nuts in a high speed blender or coffee/nut grinder. Mill until finely ground but not so far that they turn into a nut butter.

1 cup of coconut flour You can find this in health food stores and some supermarkets.

1 cup of oat flour You can make this easily by grinding porridge oats in a high speed blender until they 36

FOR THE FILLING 3 cups of mixed dried fruit: chopped medjool dates (stones removed), raisins, currants, apricots, peel – whatever you chose ½ cup hazelnuts ½ cup pecans 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg

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PICTURE CREDITS: Alison Matthews

This is the simplest of recipes and tastes every bit as good, if not better, than the cooked version. This makes about 16 servings in a 2-inch pie tin or 8 in a 4-inch tin (which are big enough to share). Or you can make one big pie, slice it up and share.

1 tbsp orange juice 6 cloves

These mince pies will keep in the fridge for 3 days or much longer in the freezer.

• Soak the dried fruit and nuts in water with the cloves for 1-2 hours.

• Drain the mixture and remove the cloves.

• Put the fruit and nuts in a blender with the spices and orange juice and pulse a few times. You want the mixture to break down a little but stay solid.

CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS This recipe makes about 6 small Christmas puddings.

1 cup almonds 1 cup pecans ½ cup hazelnuts 1 ½ cups dried fruit – apricots, raisins, cherPUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ries 2 chopped medjool dates (stones removed) • Take the tart cases from the freezer - 1 tsp vanilla essence they should lift out easily thanks to the cling 1 tsp cinnamon film.

Juice and zest of 1 lemon • Spoon in your fruit and nut mixture.

1 pinch salt • Decorate with some pecan nuts. www.cibare.co.uk

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2 cups cashew nuts Juice of 1 lemon • Put all the ingredients into a food pro- Water as needed cessor and mix until they form a lumpy paste You could also add a little orange juice or cinnamon to vary the flavour.

- not too gooey.

• Roll out into balls and put in the freezer for 30 minutes to set.

METHOD These will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

CREAM

• Put all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until you have a creamy consistency.

• Add water according to whether you want your cream runny or thick.

This is the most versatile cream! I add different things to the base to make cream, yo- This keeps in the fridge for 3 days. ghurt and even a cheese sauce. Enjoy it with your mince pies and Christmas puddings.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Alison Matthews

METHOD

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FEATURE

Autumn - Nature’s Larder

by Emma de Sousa

Autumn is one of my favourite times of year. Despite the fact that the days become shorter, which I definitely don’t enjoy, I love the changes that happen around me. The changing trees, the squirrels in a positive frenzy collecting all the nuts and the bounty of goodies around to forage.

Hazelnuts

These can be tricky to find for two reasons.

More often than not the squirrels will have got to them first, but with some careful detective work you can often find a real bounty. Also, they grow under leaves so you may need to look under hedges and lift branches to find them, but they are there and worth For my flower business I cut down the tea- the hunt. You can eat them while they’re still sels in readiness for autumn wreath-mak- green (as cobnuts) or dry and roast them. ing, then collect fallen twigs and branches covered in lichen and gather berries and Apples rosehips to use in flower arrangements. And Still buying apples? You must be nuts! There of course there’s an abundance of things you are loads of trees around in public places can forage to use in the kitchen too. and even in your next door neighbours’ gardens. And if they’re anything like me, they’d prefer to share their apples with you than leave them to rot on the ground.

Big greener apples that are sour to taste are cooking apples and can be used in pies and crumbles. Sweeter varieties are for eating.

And of course there are crab apples which can be used to make wine or jelly - and However there are lots of things you can look rather spectacular on a fresh autumn easily identify and use that are abundant wreath. at this time of year, so here are a few of my favourites. Please be mindful of where and Blackberries how many you pick. Always get permission These are great for picking and freezing. from the land owner or leave some behind Try to pick from places not too near main for the next person or squirrel who would roads and definitely avoid any that have like a share too! been sprayed with pesticides. I have them 40

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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Souza

Firstly, anyone who tries their hand at foraging must be sure about what they’re gathering. For example, I would leave mushrooms to the experts because, for the untrained eye, there’s too great a risk of picking something potentially poisonous.

in my freezer all year round, and of course they go wonderfully with the apples you’ve picked and stored. The more adventurous of you can make a rather fine wine and of course there’s always blackberry jam. I usually freeze them without washing, then wash while they’re still frozen – it’s less messy.

Blackthorne/Sloe Berries

One of my ideal finds is sloe berries. Why? To make sloe gin in time for Christmas of course! All you need is a bottle of gin, sloe berries that have been pricked or sliced (I’m lazy so just squeeze and squash them between my fingers) and sugar. Mix everything together and leave for three months, giving it a shake every now and again. By Christmas you’ll have a delicious (and pretty potent) drink to enjoy with your cheese and biscuits!

Sweet Chestnuts

This is one of my favourite trees. I use the branches for flower arrangements and the tree is also the source of sweet chestnuts.

They don’t produce edible chestnuts every year so you need to be patient and hunt for them, but they’re well worth the wait. Try roasting them to make tasty stuffing for your Sunday dinner.

Rosehips

These are super-high in Vitamin C and one of nature’s super foods – enough said! Try making them into rosehip syrup (yummy with warm semolina) and they also look gorgeous cut and arranged in a vase.

Rosehip Syrup Recipe I love rosehip syrup. It’s great on rice puddings and semolina, in a glass of fizz or drizzled over ice cream. The key to a vitamin-rich syrup is to prepare and make it as quickly as possible. Once the fruit has been prepared, the high vitamin content will reduce if it’s left.

1kg rosehips 3 litres water 450g sugar • Remove stalks and mince up the rosehips • Place in 2 litres of boiling water, return to the boil and remove from heat.

• Leave for 15-20 minutes to infuse.

• Strain the mixture and add the leftover pulp into the remaining 1 litre of water.

Boil and infuse again, then strain the mixture.

• Add the liquid to a clean pan and simmer until it reduces to around 1 litre.

Then add the sugar and boil for 5 minutes.

• Pour the syrup into clean sterilised bottles – it should make 3-4 bottles. Place the caps loosely, not tightly, on the bottles.

• Put newspaper (yes, newspaper) or a false bottom into a deep pan, place the bottles on top and fill with water up to the same level as the syrup. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes.

• Carefully remove the bottles, tighten the caps firmly and leave to cool.

Again, these are high in Vitamin C and full of antioxidants. They are very pretty dark berries on a lovely red stem and can be made into jellies, syrups or even pickles.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Souza

Elderberries

FEATURE

Four-Legged Friendly Fruit

by Roz Lishak

You may well be asking yourself, why fruit at aware that one portion is 2-3 large berries all? or half a kiwi.

Our canines’ carnivorous culinary history leads us to a diet sourced from the butcher rather than the green grocer. Yet the enlightened pet parents among you are always searching for that healthy balance.

When it comes to the tropically tempting, we have mango, pineapple and watermelon - be mindful of the seeds. All bring exciting texture and a natural source of fibre. Aim for 2-3 slices per portion.

We have a huge variety of tastes and fruit options on offer and, with so many packet snacks containing additives and unhealthy preservatives, it’s exciting to know fruit can be happily and healthily shared with our pooches. However as with our own fruit I’ll start the fruit fest off by extolling the bowls, wash the fruit, and don’t overdo porvirtues of apples (with core and seeds re- tion size. Tender tums are always on our camoved). Apples are an incredible source of nine radar! vitamin C and contain potassium, fibre and phytonutrients. Half an apple is a reasona- Some last culinary clues to help you include ble portion for a medium-sized dog. these natural ingredients in your dog’s diet: mash the banana or crush the berries and stir Also, you can happily feed your barker ba- into their existing food. It makes the portion nanas. They’re a wonderful source of po- size realistic and (as with young two-legged tassium and carbohydrates and, of course, family members) they get the benefits witha much softer bite for the pensioner pooch out wanting to give you that “What’s this??” than crunchier fruits. face...

Super fruits are definitely super for your dogs. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and kiwi fruit are natural antioxidants and provide fantastic support for digestion. Be 44

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PICTURE CREDITS: Konstantin Gushcha

And you’ll discover proven results show that including an appropriate and varied range of fruit provides a great source of nutritional benefits for your dog - all from Mother Nature’s ready-made snack foods!

FEATURE

Mistletoe And Wine

by Matt Phillips

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine...Yes, the festive season is upon us and hopefully this column will serve as timely reminder that you actually volunteered to host the family for Christmas dinner this year, you know, back in the spring when you thought no-one was actually paying attention? Might be time to dig out the emergency chairs?

up the A12 to Colchester?

So here we are in Britain’s oldest town, a former Roman settlement and meeting wine expert Neils Dubro from local company Street Wines. If anyone knows what’s going to make a good impression wine wise on December 25th, it’s Neils.

“Street Wines is a bit different to your traditional slightly stuffy wine merchant. We don’t have a long heritage and we don’t hold a Royal Warrant to sell to the Queen! But we do offer passion and fun,” explains Neils, And that’s what we aim to bring you dear whose business is run entirely online.

Cibare readers. So, with that in mind, we’re going to get the MattMobile out of the ga- A spell working in Oddbins followed by a trip rage and get some motorway miles under to Italy uncorked Neils’ interest in wine and our belts in a quest to bring bottles of corked Street Wines got its name after he relentbrilliance to your doorstep this Christmas. lessly pounded the Colchester pavements selling bottles to local restaurants and bars.

I envisage us hitting the road to Rioja, bumping along down Spanish dirt tracks as we Having grown to offer 600 different wines on aim for whitewashed farm buildings dotted his website it’s fair to say that Neils knows a along in the distance. thing or two about what makes for a decent drop at Christmas and his first selection for Or maybe we’ll drive through the lush green all you Cibare readers is the Rioja Hazaña hills of Tuscany, past tiny sun-drenched vil- Viñas Viejas 2014. lages before descending into the Chianti region where winemaking is a way of life.

Awarded a massive 92 points by Wine Advocate’s Robert Parker, this Rioja is a blend of Or we could just jump in the motor and drive 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano grapes 46

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PICTURE CREDITS: silverjohn

To quote Richard E. Grant in Withnail and I: “We want the finest wines available to humanity. We want them here and we want them now!”

and produced from 45 to 70-year-old unir- subtle oak in the finish. rigated, head-pruned vines.

Just over 100 miles south of San Francisco “It’s unusual for a wine of this quality to cost is Monterey and it’s here that we can find just £10 a bottle and be scored so highly by Neils’ Pinot Noir selection for this year’s fesRobert Parker,” explains Neils of the Rioja tive season. that combines black and red currants, liquorice and tobacco leaf flavours for a ruby/ And just like the Chardonnay, the Pinot Noir purple finish in the glass.

Monterey 2013 benefits from extra hang time on the grapes and the cool air blowing “Certain French wines that achieve scores in from the Pacific Ocean via Monterey Bay like this can cost upwards of £40 and bottles helps bring out the black cherry and plum like this Rioja will become harder to find and fruit flavour. more expensive when we disengage from Europe,” predicts Neils.

It’s another great red for the Christmas dinner table this December.

With the UK voting for Brexit it’s somewhat fitting that we’re leaving Europe behind and And a final word from Neils: “I’m confident heading across the Atlantic to the West Coast that these wines will hit the sweet spot beof the United States for Neils’ next two wine tween low price and top quality.” selections.

So there you go, three great wines recom“California is known for iconic, small pro- mended by an industry expert. If you’d like duction and superb high-end wines and the to buy any of the bottles reviewed here then Castle Rock Winery has built an enviable head over to www.StreetWines.co.uk and tell reputation for quality wines at affordable Neils that Cibare sent you! prices,” says Neils.

Castle Rock is named after a fictional town from a Stephen King novel but it’s safe to say there are no horror stories with this winemaker, which includes Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola on its list of affiliated vineyards.

Cibare readers who like a white wine should look no further than Castle Rock’s Chardonnay Central Coast 2013 this Christmas.

The warm Californian sunshine and cooling ocean breeze provide the perfect climate for Chardonnay, while the Castle Rock wineries go the extra mile when it comes to treating the grapes, leaving them to hang a month longer than other regions to bring out a favour that includes pear, citrus, vanilla and 48

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BOOKS

Cook Happy, Cook Healthy

By Fearne Cotton

by Rebecca Stratton

PICTURE CREDITS: Fearne Cotton Cook-Happy-Cook-Healthy

Confession time: I’m a bit of a sucker for a celebrity cookbook. It’s not that I’m celeb-obsessed. I pick them up with all intention of mocking them - then every now and again one is actually very good. So here we have Cook Happy, Cook Healthy by Fearne Cotton, described as ‘Delicious recipes to make life just that little bit healthier and a lot easier’.

enticing vegetable soups, quinoa bowl with halloumi and some really attractive salads.

The healthy snacks section shows us how to make kale crisps - something I’ll definitely do because I buy them every week.

The three Dinner chapters cover everything: Dinner in a Dash, Big Night In and Weekend Classics. There are some really lovely recipes in this section that would be a pleasure First thoughts. I like the layout of the recipes, to cook. Haddock Burritos, Homemade Vegas each one has a photo - always a bonus in gie Burgers, Salmon Fish Cakes and warm, my eyes. As with most ‘healthy’ books, we’re hearty dinner salads feature. avoiding wheat and refined sugars here. The first chapter explains the more unusual in- There is a Bakery and Dessert Section with gredients in the book, although these are be- ‘healthy bakes’ - no such thing in my opincoming more mainstream these days - think ion, but still a lovely selection of recipes. Bamaca, chia seeds and spelt flour. nana Bread, Death by Chocolate Cake and even a spelt flour and coconut sugar version Next up is the breakfast chapter. I’m a big of a cupcake! There’s also a divine-looking fan of breakfast. It’s most definitely my fa- recipe for a Raw Mango Cheesecake which vourite meal of the day and this book did not I’ll definitely be trying. disappoint! Mexican eggs, homemade baked beans, and spelt pancakes with coconut, I bought this on a whim and I’m so glad I did. berries and maple syrup looked scrump- It’s a thoughtfully presented book with some tious. The beans are definitely on my list for great ideas on how to eat a little healthiSunday breakfast this week. er without putting too much strain on your time or wallet.

The Easy Lunches chapter sees an array of

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Photo Credits Apple and Cherry Pie © Emma Walton What should you know about Vitamin D © Paolo Sartori The Alien has Landed © Samina Iqbal Apple Tales © Kostyantine Pankin © Gillian Balcombe Four-Legged Friendly Fruit © Konstantin Gushcha A RAW Christmas © Alison Matthews Autumn at the Allotment Autumn Natures Larder © Emma De Sousa Cookbook Review © Fearne Cotton Matt Philips © silverjohn