Countlan Issue 06

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entertaining globally // issue six

n O M A D I C FO O D Food that knows no boundaries

A LO O K AT G L A s s The material we love to use and hate to break

A U s T R A L I A n C H E Fs Books that define a nation

e FROM THE EDITOR

mer marks an exciting time of year. Mental gears shift into a er pace and we do our best to enjoy the weather, the outdoors he company of friends and family. Whether you are vacationing ay-cationing, it’s time to visit that design studio you heard about, a gathering or go the extra mile for a special ingredient. In other As our sixth issue wraps up, I feel energized about what is in store for 2014. s, immerse yourself into something a bit out of the ordinary and Exciting food, design and entertaining projects are popping up around the world nd your entertaining repertoire. and Countlan has only scratched the surface to bring these stories to light.

For example, food nomadism, the spreading of ingredients and cuisines across ue 04, we explore how the chocolate pendulum has shifted from mass borders, is a topic that piqued our interest.

Thanks in part to the lower cost uced to bean-to-bar. We also talk to some wonderfully opinionated of travel andexperts access who to technology, remarkable that a drink like bubble preneurs and industry reveal howittoistrain your chocolate tea, which originated in Taiwan, can be found and in demand on the streets of ng palate and appreciate a bar like a fine wine or a craft beer.

Prague, Sydney, Lima, Dubai, and Nairobi. The growing interest and general e topic of ingredients, we’re rooting for sea salt some ratheropens un- up blank canvas openness towards foreign cuisines andfrom new experiences cted and remote locations introduceand youattohome. a few of our favourite ripe for creativityand in business ds. When it comes to outdoor entertaining, no one does it better than the locals on Amalfisubject Coast or thebusiness tranquil shores of Crowdfunding is the another and Transcoso in Brazil. We talk about model that is fascinating in terms of itspicturesque influence backdrops and table details with highly experienced on design entertaining.

I amtwo a fan of the allEDITOR: entertainers in each location. or-nothing funding model and the marketplace it SARAH LAMBERSKY {USA} mark) creates that allows me to support independent deOur that design section the success signers I like.

I useconsiders crowdfunding sites asofaan in- Assistant Editor: epublic) dependent retailer in Copenhagen, anditems; marvels at aMike Drach {Canada} discovery tool to find interesting tableware colourful chintz collection in Toronto.

Although an experience that adds a new dimension to story- we are endlessly fascinated conversation with the tabletop vessels that keep ART DIRECTOR: telling and to purchasing pieces. our food interesting, we expand our definition of design BENTE BARTH {GERMANY} ublic) to include flowers.

You’ll find a dreamy comparison of I hope you find this issue as entertaining as always floral arrangements from florists across the globe. PHOTOGRAPHER: and learn something new that inspires you to host mark) ADAM GOODMAN {USA} a gathering at home.

If you have any questions Finally, you’ll meet a few intrepid travelers or and tastecomments Countlan likecreative to get inmakersabout who run some or of would the most travel sites ILLUSTRATOR: volved in future issues, send an email to sarah@ around. They chime in on memorable meals, inspiring BENTE BARTH {GERMANY} countlan.com cities and where they are headed next.

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) da)

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CONTRIBUTORS:

StayIftuned for our issue in April and be you would likeseventh to join Countlan’s growing dialogueHelen on Yuet Ling Pang (UK) or have an article idea to pitch,Carla we sureentertaining to check out globally countlan.com to read our eclectic Isidoro (Portugal) invite youaround to get the in contact stories from globe. with us and inquire how you Katherine Gonzalez (Israel) can contribute to future issues.

Ishay Govender-ypma (S.Africa) Elena Sala (Italy) S a rSarah a h L Lambersky ambersky Monica Lazar (Romania) Editor, Co-Founder Emily Baillie (Canada) @countlan Katy Rose (South Africa) #countlan Fatih Gokmen (Turkey) Yuki Gomi (UK) Donatella Sedda (Italy) Kristin Pedroja (Australia) Rachel Moran (USA) Emma Sorgaard (Denmark) Kathryn Sussman (Canada) Beth Brash (New Zealand)

COVER PHOTO:

Elena Sala, Dolce Salsarosa

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CONTENTS entertaining globally

ISSUE six FOOD

DESIGN

Lokum if you got em

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Glass

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The wonders of Arthur Avenue

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Made In: Crowdfunding Special

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Up Close: Meat Pies

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Global flower Design

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Nomadic Food

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Empowered Cooking

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What’s Cooking: Elena Sala

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What’s Cooking: Ishay Govender-Ypma

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What’s Cooking: Monica Lazar

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ENTERTAINING On Presenting Sushi

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#Setthetable

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Learning from the Pros

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Books

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Pairing Breakfast and Coffe

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Take Stock: Wellington

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Argentina’s World Class Wines 30 Bedouin Tea at Feynan Ecolodge

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Boza

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DE

N G SI

D O O

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Our food section highlights two Turkish delicacies not to be overlooked, explores a street with a rich culinary heritage in the Bronx and traces the movement of food across borders.

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Photo Credit: Elena Sala

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Bridging Flavours:

{ I S TA N B U L }

Lokum if you Got Em

B

ridging the flavours and candymaking traditions of the Ottoman Empire with the modern palate, 206-year-old Şekerci (confectioner) Cafer Erol is a multi-generational, family-run institution in Istanbul’s Kadıköy neighbourhood. “My grandfather’s grandfather started making candy in 1807 during the time of the Ottoman Empire,” says Yonca Erol, assistant manager of Şekerci Cafer Erol and a fifth-generation member of the family business. “When economic conditions worsened and they could not find raw materials to make hard sugar candy, they had to stop.

In 1945, after WWII, my grandfather started making candy again.” Şekerci Cafer Erol’s colourful window displays of hard sugar candies (akide) in glass jars sit alongside marzipan figurines, fruit jellies and nut pastes.

These are just some of the confections produced in-house that beckon

passersby to come inside. The shop’s specialty is lokum, also known as Turkish delight. Their headquarters, in Kadıköy’s bustling shopping area, produces nearly 30 types of Turkish delight made from various spices, fruits, nuts and flowers. “On a normal day, we sell 500 to 600 kilograms of lokum,” says Erol. “During the year, if you include all the feasts, we sell 250 tonnes of lokum.”

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//Food

Photo Credit: Sekerci Cafer Erol

How to serve and enjoy Turkish delight

{ Yo n ca E rol , Ca f er E rol , Ista n bul } When and how is lokum t ypically served?

“Lokum is served by itself or alongside a Turkish coffee. It is typically eaten after a meal, although sometimes we serve it at the beginning if guests are visiting. We also serve lokum if there is a religious holiday or occasion. However, it is usually the guest who brings lokum as a gift.”

What is your favourite fl avour of lokum?

“Double-roasted pistachio, and rose petal.”

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Th e Wonde rs o f Arthur Aven ue

{ Ne w York }

{ Wr i tte n B y H ele n Y uet L i n g Pa n g }

O

n my most recent New York visit, I decided to cover all five boroughs instead of staying in Manhattan; a bad habit of mine as a former New York resident. This is how my husband and I discovered the charms of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, regarded by many as the ‘real Little Italy’.

Arthur Avenue is a little Italian enclave of traditional food shops, delicatessens and restaurants. In what

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used to be a predominantly ItalianAmerican neighbourhood of the city, many of these businesses date back two or three generations.

From our starting point at Arthur and East 187th Street, we walked to 184th then back up again on the other side of the street to admire the eclectic family-owned shops and goods for sale. The stores were packed with older Italian-Americans, stocking up

//Food

on weekly provisions and catching up with friends before enjoying a leisurely lunch.

Gastronomic offerings included homemade, hand-pulled mozzarella at cheese monger, Casa della Mozzarella, fresh semolina bread at bakery G. Addeo & Sons and a dizzying array of cured meats and sausages at Mike’s Deli inside Arthur Avenue Retail Market. Best of all was the visit to Madonia Brothers Bakery, a baking institution that has been in business since 1918. Madonia bakes everything on the premise and is famous for its cannoli, filled only when ordered, and

its varieties of biscotti. Naturally we bought large bags of toasted almond as well as Napolitano (cherries, angelica and almond) biscotti to share with family and friends back in London.

Our culinary adventure on Arthur Avenue ended with a superb lunch at Zero Otto Nove, where we feasted on one of the best pizzas we’ve ever eaten, and of course spaghetti and meatballs. As a food blogger, I’m always searching for remarkable food experiences, and I certainly discovered one of the most memorable ones at Arthur Avenue.

Photo Credit: Helen Yuet Ling Pang

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MEAT PIE T

here is always room for pie on the table. Pie is

one

of

those

have

found

foods

its

way

that into

many cuisines of the world.

Sweet or savoury, it is a passionate dish capable of eliciting all sorts of memories,

emotions

and

sto-

ries.

We explore the best

new ideas and tastes in savoury pies.

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A Twist on Traditional: Goat Pies {BRiSBAnE}

A

s a staple food in Australian culture, meat pies are a way of life.

“People of all walks of life indulge in meat pies as fuel for a hard day’s work, as part of a hearty family meal or as an essential part of any sporting event” shares Michael Hobson, the Brisbane chef and ‘Goat Pie Guy’.

After a fun night of cooking goat meat for his father-in-law, Michael formalized his first pie recipe after the dinner and made plans to share his love of goat pies with the city. “As a chef,

I'm always looking for great food and new methods of preparation. Boer goat is a very under-rated ingredient.

What better way to showcase it than in a gourmet pie?” He sells his everevolving menu of internationally flavoured pies like the Himalayan Goat Pie made with Nepalese curry, ginger, tomatoes and spices, throughout Brisbane’s farmers’ markets and in selected cafes. www.goatpieguy.com.au

unuSuaL pie:

The Jamaican Goat Pie is our most unusual. It is a spicy curry with coconut milk, allspice and finished with dried thyme. It is a favourite with foodies and chili lovers alike.

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Canadian Pie-eh! TA Pies A

phone call set the wheels in motion for Mélanie Des Lauriers and her New Zealand-native husband, Don, who launched TA Pies four years ago in Montreal. “My brother-in-law, who is the president of a rugby club, asked Don to cook for their fundraiser dinner. He decided to make Australian style meat pies for the club” shares Melanie. “The pies were such a success that people started placing big orders for more so Don started baking from our apartment.”

{ M o n treal }

dish traditionally eaten at Christmas.

“Tourtieres are made with ground meat and are served family style.

Our pies are Australian-New Zealand style. They come in individual portions and are filled with a casserole or a curry, so they have gravy inside.”

With two shops in the city and an Instagram shout out from Australian actor Hugh Jackman, TA Pies is certainly building quite the reputation. www.ta-pies.com

In Quebec, meat pies, also known as tourtieres, are considered a winter

Unusual Pie:

Steak and Vegemite, Green Thai Curry, or the Ned Kelly pie. The NKP is named after a notorious Australian outlaw.

We didn't invent it but we have our own version. The ingredients are ground beef and vegetable stew, a whole baked egg, bacon, cheese and homemade BBQ sauce.

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Can adian P i e - E h !

Kanga

{TORONTO}

W

hen it comes to dining options, multicultural Toronto has a bit of everything. Apparently, it was missing Australian style meat pies; a void that Megan Chan and Erynn Mayes sought to fill. Reminiscing over memories of living in Australia, the duo started baking their flaky crust, sauce filled pies and launched their business, Kanga in 2012.

To test the market, they took their pulled pork and beef stroganoff pies to the social food market that has served as a launch pad for several aspiring chefs and food entrepreneurs in the city: Toronto Underground Market. “Aussie meat pies have had an incredible reception in Toronto from Aussies and Canadians alike” shares Megan, co-owner of Kanga. “The first time we sold our meat pies at the Toronto Underground Market, we made five hundred pies and sold out in just a few hours! The feedback was phenomenal.” www.eatkanga.com

Unusual Pie:

Red cabbage and Asian pulled beef pie

Photo Credit: Ksenija Hotic

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Pieminister

A

s Pieminister celebrates its 10 year anniversary, there is much to be proud of from their hometown start in Bristol. Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon started Pieminister to up the quality and interest in meat pies in the UK after observing its cooler status in Australia. Meat pies are not new to British cuisine but in 2003, when the team got started, this classic British dish was in need of a refresh. “We started in Bristol because people here genuinely care about where their food comes from. We knew that making pies using locally sourced ingredients including 100% British free range meat was what people wanted” says Romany Simon, head of publicity for Pieminister.

{BRiSTOL}

In the early years, Pieminister developed a following by serving their meat pies at music festivals like Glastonbury. A decade later and they are schlepping their pies all over the British Isles from rugby stadiums and local shops to pubs and festivals. They have even served their pies at weddings. “A good pie should have the perfect balance of quality, fresh ingredients wrapped in just the right amount of pastry“ says Simon. www.pieminister.co.uk

Photo Credit: James Bowden, Mike Cooper & Iris Thorsteindottir

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pie time: The Brits like their pie for lunch or sup-

per, served with hot buttery potato mash, gravy and minted peas. Pies are the ultimate British comfort food and a great way to combat the British weather - nothing warms the soul on a wet, grey day like a really good, hot pie. They're great washed down with a cup of strong tea, but even better with local West Country cider or beer. - R OMA N Y S I M O N

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The Wee Pie Company { G L E n cA R S E }

I

n Scotland’s larder, a fertile agriculture area in Perthshire, the culinary philosophy is based on local slow food, provenance and traceability. Rose Martin, a veteran cook of 30 years, spent three years on a remote Scottish island with her husband managing an estate and working as a private chef. “We were the only inhabitants, so we converted one of the pig stables into a wee shop for our seasonal cottage guests and used the extra venison and vegetables that we grew and turned them into pies” says Rose.

When they moved back to Perth, the

unuSuaL pie:

We want our meat to speak for itself. We use flavour combinations that enhance each other like venison and haggis, wild boar with leeks and tomato and rabbit with bacon and leek in a white wine sauce.

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couple researched the viability of a pie business. Six month later, a range of 10 traditional pies for the Wee Pie Company was ready to go. Rose has been busy selling wild venison and wild game pies online and at farmers’ markets. “We were keen to get away from the 'bad name' that traditional scotch pies have. For that reason we do not use any animal fats, only vegetable oils to create a healthy and filling meal in itself.” www.theweepiecompany.co.uk

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Tartes Kluger

{ PA R i S }

“A good tarte should have a crunchy crust and a well-seasoned, fresh filling” shares Catherine Kluger, the former lawyer and owner of Tartes Kluger in Paris. Set in the trendy working-class neighbourhood of l’Onzieme (11e), Tartes Kluger serves tarts with a twist. For example, Catherine’s Tarte Lorraine sees the addition of a grainy mustard and three types of ham on top of the traditional recipe of eggs, cream and bacon. “I used to make a lemony French endive and prawn tart” says Kluger about the unusual ingredient combinations she has tried since she opened her doors in the summer of 2009.

Photo Credit: Christian Larit, Olivier Malingue

www.tarteskluger.com

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//Food Food knows no boundaries. As more people travel and have access to technology, the rate at which food concepts, regional cuisines and ingredients travel quicken in pace. In the next section, we look at examples of nomadic food.

Nomadic Food: {SAn fRAnciScO}

“It’s a Baltimore �ing” P

Skyli t e S n ow b a ll s Photo Credit: Aya Brackett, Michelle Kloehn

rohibitively expensive rents in the San Francisco Bay Area nudged Skylite Snowballs owner, Katie Baum to take her operation on the road.

In her pale blue truck, Katie travels around selling snowballs, a staple frozen treat in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. The name Skylite Snowballs is a reference to the flavour and colour (blue) of her childhood shaved ice order. Today, her business serves shaved ice flavoured with natural homemade syrups topped with marshmallow cream.

So far Katie and pastry chef, Marykate McGoldrick have concocted 40 different syrups with traditional flavours like strawberry, lemon, lime and cherry and more interesting versions such as vanilla cardamom or ginger lime. “A lot of Skylite Snowballs’ syrups are based on seasonal market ingredients. I would have to say my all-time favorite flavour is our Four Barrel Coffee syrup topped with Tcho Chocolate and our homemade marshmallow cream” says Katie. www.skylitesnowballs.com

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Middle East Super Food {wRiTTEn BY KATiE GOnzALEz}

A

s far as super foods go, it seems like every country or continent has its own specialty. In the Middle East it’s za’atar— a spice that has crept its way into the preparation of breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings.

Za’atar is a centuries-old spice mixture comprised of thyme, sumac, sesame seeds and salt.

When submerged in olive oil, spread on a pita and cooked in a fire oven, za’atar makes manakish, a sort of Arabic pizza that’s eaten for breakfast and lunch. When mixed with labneh (strained yogurt) or zeitoun (olive oil), za’atar is transformed into a healthy mid-day dip. A recent revival of traditional Middle Eastern flavors in some of Israel’s high-end restaurants has also welcomed the use of za’atar to season chicken and other meats.

Its popularity in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria is due to the nomadic and prolific nature of its star herb, thyme. Za’atar is a common ingredient in many Middle Eastern cuisines.

It has even been known to stir up tension—when Haaretz, a national Israeli newspaper, ran an article referring to za’atar as “the Spice of Israel,” individuals took to Twitter and Facebook in protest of what they deemed an offensive appropriation of Middle Eastern culinary culture. The title was later changed.

“Everyone knows what za’atar is,” says Daniella

Cheslow, freelance journalist and host of the radio show, The Tel Aviv Table. “It’s ubiquitous in all spice shops. It’s definitely up there as one of the most well-known spices in this region.”

And people aren’t just consuming za’atar for its taste—the spice is said to boost memory and help digestion.

Due to its abundance and availability, flavoring with za’atar makes for a practical kitchen pick— it is inexpensive, and is sold in virtually every grocery store, market, and street-side kiosk in Israel.

Photo Credit: Katie Gonzalez

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Food Nomadism { w R i T T E n B Y cA R L A i S i D O R O }

N

owadays, it’s easy to find gastronomic experiences rooted in local food, sustainability and mobility. Pop-up restaurants, gourmet vans and supper clubs are just a few examples of creative enterprises that are flourishing around the world as the trend of food nomadism gains momentum again.

While food nomadism is not a new concept, each iteration brings exciting results to people interested in food. In fact, the cross-pollination of cuisines and ingredients that we see today bares resemblance to the spices, flavours and cultural customs that were transported to other nations by the Portuguese and the Spanish during the XV century. At this time of discovery and travel, the Portuguese introduced South American potatoes and tomatoes to Europe. They also took the chili pepper with them to Asia, which started a global food trade that affected regional consumption habits for years to come.

Today, food diversity and its nomadic nature continues to grow thanks to affordable travel, heightened environmental consciousness, the proliferation of social media and increased mobility of goods and services. At home, easier access to ‘exotic’ ingredients, which no longer seem so foreign, makes producing authentic recipes a simple task. In the community, the quest for new food expe-

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riences has created opportunities for entrepreneurs to bring contemporary flavours to eager audiences in unique formats.

In Lisbon, for example the lisboetas are open to new gastronomic experiences but they are also deeply rooted in traditional Portuguese cuisine.

This duality of modern versus traditional is evident in contemporary restaurants where chefs cook modern cuisine with a twist of tradition. In the recent (and ongoing) economic crisis, thousands of people sought work outside of Portugal to make a living. Others, who chose to stay, embraced an entrepreneurial energy that the country has not seen before and launched start-ups. New, innovative food projects are opening daily as business owners embrace the factors driving food nomadism. Local operations like Miss Can, a canned fish business that drew on its family’s canning heritage and took it on wheels, or Yonest, a mobile handmade yogurt delivery service, are succeeding thanks to open minds towards ‘traditional with a twist’.

The intersection of food, mobility and entrepreneurship has resulted in an exciting movement which will, no doubt, continue to inspire travel itineraries, conversations and eating habits globally. Not to mention, discover new ways of producing food and community.

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three nomadic food buSineSSeS:

COOLH AU S TR U C K S, U SA Natasha and Freya started making ice cream sandwiches in Freya’s mom kitchen. Selling their innovative cookies in a modern truck was their dream. They launched the Coolhaus truck at the 2009 Coachella Music Festival and now they have trucks selling gourmet desserts in several American cities.

ORANGE OLI V E, TH E N ETH ERL A N D S The Orange Olive “Pure Taste Dinners” project aims to shorten the distance between humans and food in a culinary way. They choose locally grown products and organize meals inside greenhouses. Costumers are encouraged to experience how and where ingredients are grown.

TH E PORTU G U ESE C ON SP I R AC Y, U K After organizing private Portuguese themed dinners for friends, Rita and José launched their successful Portuguese Conspiracy supper club around various locations of London. In the fall of 2013, the Conspiracy evolved into a fine delicatessen shop in Dalston (east London).

Photo Credit: The Portuguese Conspiracy, Orange Olive, Coolhaus

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EMPOWERED COOKING T

hough political situations remain in flux in the Middle East, food is playing an important role to keep peace, empower marginalized populations, break down cultural barriers and provide opportunities for economic and social well-being. Three non-profit projects — Atayeb Falastine, the Syrian Refugee Cooking Line Development Program (Atayeb Zaman), and the NOOR Women’s Empowerment Group — all use food as a medium and business tool to communicate shared culinary traditions that are sometimes lost in conflict.

Souk el Tayeb’s (Countlan Issue 05) founder, Kamal Mouzawak launched Atayeb Falastine and the Syrian Refugee Cooking Line Development Program (Atayeb Zaman), two projects that work with women refugees to teach them how to commercialize food products while reviving their culinary traditions. “The ideas behind these programs originated from an old dream,” says Kamal. “To empower women in traditional societies to make a healthy life for the cook and her family; generate income in a simple way; bring back pride, recognition and a sense of need; and perpetuate authentic, traditional expressions as cuisine.” The programs work with teams of 25 women in food skills workshops that provide vocational training, recipe development, product

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marketing, and concludes with a key opportunity — access to distribution through Souk el Tayeb’s farmers’markets.

Atayeb Falastine and the Atayeb Zaman are natural extensions of the cross-cultural education efforts Kamal has worked on for a decade. The programs provide support for female entrepreneurs and help mediate the qualms associated with integration of new arrivals into Lebanese society. “There is a need to promote the idea that ‘we can share food together,’ to get the women out of their ghettos and to help them better integrate in society, which will be the best way to get to know each other” says Kamal.

Long-forgotten dishes and new recipes are surfacing as a result of Atayeb Falastine and Zaman.

“The funniest part is when people of the same country get together,” says Kamal. “Among the Syrian refugees, people from one region of Syria would not necessarily know about certain older dishes from another region in Syria; here is where the ‘competition’ starts.” Despite differences in culinary traditions, Kamal insists “people are inherently the same with their fears, expectations, pride, and joy”.

//Food WEG’s project coordinator. The group hopes to raise enough money to set up a small kindergarten for disabled children in the area. Visitors who attend one of the NOOR WEG’s Saturday lunch classes are treated to a feast of flavours and traditions. (For more on Palestinian cuisine, see below.)

It is small, grassroots projects like these that illustrate the common bond we share through food and demonstrate the social and economic value that can be created through empowered food experiences — truly worthy causes to celebrate and share.

Photo Credit: Souk El Tayeb, Noor Women's Empowerment Group

In a similar vein, in Bethlehem, a group of mothers from the Aida and Al-Azzeh refugee camps started the NOOR Women’s Empowerment Group (NOOR WEG) in 2010 as a means to raise funds to support the care and education of their disabled children and promote awareness of Palestinian cuisine. The 13 women and their volunteers offer Palestinian cooking classes and home stays for international guests who are interested in learning about Palestinian life and food. “Besides having to deal with social stigma, we face economic issues that prevent our children from getting adequate care. This club gave us a space to share ideas and opinions, and the opportunity to find solutions to our problems,” says Islam, NOOR

on defininG paLeStinian food

Islam, Project Coordinator, NOOR WEG —

“If I had to define Palestinian food in just one word, I would say zaaki (delicious)! Palestinian food is rich in flavours and textures and it is very diverse. In Palestine, the same dish might be cooked differently depending on the area. Traditional dishes are elaborate and have been shared among generations of women. Dishes typically use local fresh vegetables, olive oil, condiments and herbs such as za’atar, turmeric, cumin, sumac, cardamom and cinnamon. Rice is also a staple in the Palestinian diet, which is usually imported from Egypt. “

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What’s Cooking: ELENA SALA DOLcE SALSA ROSA REciPE

{ S Ov i c O, i TA LY }

“i am a lover of chocolate, especially dark chocolate” says Elena. Her chocolate cake recipe has a warm fudge center, which is perfect for the winter...

cA K E : 6 aluminum cake molds or ramekins 150 g dark chocolate 140 g of butter 100 of sugar 30 g of flour 3 eggs 1 pinch of salt Powdered sugar and raspberries for the decoration

THREE DiSHES nOT TO BE MiSSED in nORTHERn iTALY? Outside of pizza and pasta, there are many other delicious northern italian dishes such as saffron risotto (il risotto giallo con zafferano), lasagna with meat sauce (le lasagne al ragù), and veal cutlet (cotoletta alla Milanese).

in MiLAn, STOP BY…. i often go to Milan. Among my favorites is the california Bakery where i like to eat a giant slice of cheesecake with a cup of tea. Sunday morning i give myself a great brunch at vanilla Bakery where you can also enjoy delicious cupcakes. finally, i really like the burgers (and desserts) from Ham Holy Burger.

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//Food In Sovico, a small, quiet village in the Italian countryside, 40 minutes northeast of Milan is where Dolce Salsarosa blogger, Elena Sala, bakes up a mix of Italian and North American sweets. “I am a lover of chocolate, especially dark chocolate” says Elena. Her chocolate cake recipe has a warm fudge center, which is perfect for the winter. “I make this recipe often for dinner parties as it is easy to prepare, it only takes a few minutes to bake and it freezes well.”

inST RUcT iOnS: cut the chocolate into small flakes.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler with the butter and sugar, stirring frequently. Let the melted chocolate mixture cool, then add the eggs one at a time stirring after each addition. next add the flour and a pinch of salt and stir until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Grease 6 ramekins with butter and flour or with cocoa powder. Divide and scoop the chocolate mixture into the molds with a ladle, making sure each mold is filled a bit more than halfway. cover with aluminum and place the ramekins/molds in freezer for two hours.

Preheat oven to 190c/374f. To bake the cakes, remove the aluminum foil, put the ramekins in a preheated oven and bake them for 15 minutes.

Pay careful attention not to over bake the cakes. Otherwise, the center will not be gooey (you can check them as early as 12-13 minutes). carefully flip the cakes out of their cases, dust or stencil the tops with icing sugar and serve hot with raspberries or ice cream.

countlan Photo Credit: Elena Sala

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What’s Cooking: I S H AY G O V E N D E R - Y P M A

{ cA P E T Ow n }

After months of tweeting about cooking and dining, cape Town, South Africa based ishay Govender-Ypma launched her website, food and the fabulous. She offers local food tours and shares stories, recipes and reviews from her travels around the continent and globe. for winter, ishay shares her mother’s recipe for Rasam soup. it is her mother’s flufighter go-to dish. “Rasam is spicy and tangy because of the tamarind and a sure-fire way to clear up the sinuses. i associate it with warmth and my gran's cooking. it’s quick, uncomplicated and perfect for winter” says ishay.

Photo Credits: Ishay Govender-Ypma

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WHERE DID THE SOUP O R I G I N AT E F R O M ?

Rasam originates from the South of India where you will find many variations of the recipe. In this version, my mother improvised using yellow mustard seeds that I had on hand and left out the asafoetida (hing), which is a tricky spice to get in some areas. It is also far from the best smelling.

I N CA P E TO W N , T R Y …

As the predominant flavours centre around Cape Malay, you need to try a local curry or bobotie (or both), a fried snoek (a beloved local fish that is also barbequed) and chips in Hout Bay, and Shisa nyma - braai'd (barbequed) meat at Mzoli's or Nomzamo butchery in the townships.

FOOD AND THE FABULOUS

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RASAM SOUP REciPE inGREDiEnTS: 4-5 tablespoons of tamarind pulp, soaked in 2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 1 head garlic, peeled 1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 dried red chilies 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 medium tomato, skinned and chopped 1 cup water Salt to taste 15-20 g fresh coriander, washed, de-stalked and chopped roughly

inSTRUcTiOnS: In a heavy mortar, crush the pepper, mustard seeds, garlic and cumin seeds with a little salt, until the spices are fairly fine but not a powder and the garlic forms a paste. On medium heat in a pot, fry the onions until translucent. Add the crushed spices, garlic and red chilies. Fry for a minute, stirring. Add the turmeric and stir for 10 seconds. Add the tomato and the tamarind juice (strain out any pips). Bring to the boil and lower heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes. Add a half cup of water (or more if the soup is too strong). Season with salt and serve with fresh coriander. Serve over basmati rice or strain and serve in mugs. Note: The rasam improves in flavour the next day.

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What’s Cooking:

{BUcHAREST}

MONICA L AZAR

EAT LOVE AND BE HAPPY I n Romania’s lively capital, Bucharest, Monica Lazar is a psychotherapist by day and a food photographer and cook by night. She launched her bilingual blog, Eat, Love and Be Happy, a year ago and captures emotions through food and recipes. For winter, she shares her Chocolate Pear Cake with ground cardamom, perfect flavours for the cold season.

01 In Buch Anyone th should tr sisting of “ uic ”-a t pared onl “mici” -sh

02 Roman Romanian tality. The home is v much food to a Roma pared for different c

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//Food cHOcOLATE PEAR cAKE REciPE i n G R E Di E nTS : 1/2 cup vegetable oil 6 oz dark chocolate 6 oz butter 4 eggs 1 ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 ½ cup all purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 3 medium pears

harest, try: hat visits my city or country ry “ciorb ”-a sour soup convarious vegetables and meat, traditional Romanian spirit prely from plums, and the famous hort finger burgers, barbecued.

nian Hospitality: ns are famous for their hospie idea of welcoming guests at very simple - just give them as d as possible. If you are invited anian house, you should be prer a delicious meal, with many courses and fancy deserts.

inSTRUcTiOnS: Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale and creamy. Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla extract and the ground cardamom to the chocolate egg mixture. Sieve the flour and the baking powder together then fold into wet ingredients.

Grease a 7 inch spring form pan, pour the mixture into the pan and add the pears in the center. Bake in a preheated oven, at 356ºF, for 30 minutes. You can serve the cake warm and enjoy the lava cake-like texture or you can let the cake cool, put it in the fridge for a few hours enjoy a fudgy brownie-like cake.

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Argentina’s World Class Wines

{ w R i T T E n B Y E M i LY B A i L L i E }

Argentina is fast becoming one of the world’s most important wine producing nations. Its hearty Malbec has caught on like wildfire, and its Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah are appearing in the glasses of more and more oenophiles across the globe.

Though Argentina’s wine culture stretches back over four centuries, in recent years the nation has been exporting its signature drink with a vengeance. Higher-quality varietals originating in France and Italy have replaced many of the old criolla vines introduced by Spanish colonizers.

Argentina wine producers, now backed by major international wine companies, have harnessed the benefits of the region’s unique geographical conditions - high altitudes and low humidity - producing complex wines with admirable acids and rich fruit flavors.

Photo Credit: Emily Baillie

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The scenic Mendoza region, located at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, is home to two-thirds of the country’s wine production. Quaint, family-run bodegas, as well as large commercial wineries, dot the region’s high altitude valleys, set against a stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Wineries in Salta, a northern province near the Bolivian border, and Patagonia, the southernmost part of the Americas, are also producing noteworthy reds and whites including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Malbec.

No visit to Argentina is complete without a visit to some of its charming wineries. Accessible by bicycle, car, bus or private driver, the bodegas offer tours and tastings for a small fee. The distances between wineries can be quite vast, so at least a full day should be scheduled for a satisfying visit. December to March is peak tourist season but the wineries are accessible any time of year. In some locations, olive oil tasting, asado (barbeque), and chocolate tastings are available to complement the winery experience.

What better way could one spend a day?

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Bedouin Tea at Feynan Ecolodge {wRiTTEn BY KATY ROSE} {AMMAn}

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estled in the Dana Biosphere Biopark, about three hours south of Amman, Jordan, you will find the Feynan Ecolodge; a sustainable lodge surrounded by Bedouin encampments. From the spring water that is piped in to our locally grown food, this property operates in harmony with the Bedouin families in the area.

Feynan is the type of place where you can meet a Holy Man on the side of the road, chat with a young Bedouin about the perils of flirting on Facebook or make a wish on a shooting star. It is here where I experienced the warmth of the local hospitality and a way to remember a people and their country: by sharing a glass of tea.

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Our first evening at Feynan started with a sunset hike. With the sun in our eyes, we walked westward making our way past Bedouin encampments, goat kraals and a humble mud mosque. On the look-out, we were offered a cup of sweet Bedouin tea made white sugar and green sage. Tea

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with dried sage is common throughout Jordan, although I discovered that tea is also brewed with dried mint, thyme or rosemary.

The strong black sweet tea was surprisingly refreshing. It was served to our group in small, heavy, glass tea cups and brewed in a weathered aluminum teapot. As we sipped on the sage tea and listened to the gentle call to prayer from the village mud mosque, I reflected on the nature of this basic tea; it was no more than water, tea, fire and a pot.

It took a trip to this stark, sandy desert landscape to show me that a simple act of sharing tea can be a powerful demonstration of hospitality; a gesture that shows the world from a different perspective.

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Photo Credit: Fatih Gokmen

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Boza

//Food

{ i S TA n B U L }

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stanbul based photographer, Fatih Gokmen, shares a popular, nostalgic, Turkish winter drink called boza. It is tied to the country’s gastronomic culture and celebrated for its warming nature and health properties.

Boza is a thick, slightly sweet and tangy drink made of fermented bulgur (cracked wheat), water and sugar. It is served in a glass, sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with roasted chickpeas (leblebi). The preparation methods of this drink dates back to the people of ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Greek historian and philosopher, Xenophon, noted in 401 BC that boza was made in Eastern Anatolia and stored in clay jars under the ground. Derived from the Persian name for millet, ‘buze’, the drink traveled far and wide under the Ottomans as they conquered more territory in the region. In fact, variations of Boza made with different grains (bulgur, barley, oats, maize, wheat, rice) can be found in the countries around the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia.

During the 17th century in Turkey, boza was prohibited when Sultan Mehmet IV, a religious man, put a ban on alcohol and forced many of the boza producers to shut down; due to fermentation, boza contains low levels of alcohol. In the 19th century, a non-alcoholic Albanian version gained popularity and in 1876, Hacı Salik Bey set up the now famous boza shop in the Vefa district. It remains a family owned business and is still located at the original address, Vefa Caddesi No: 66 in Istanbul.

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Photo Source: Barn Light Electric

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//Design

Our design section looks at the versatility of glass in tableware, how four florists are keeping their January blooms interesting, and why crowd-funding sites are gems for finding conversation pieces and bringing fresh ideas to market.

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MATE R IAL s The material that we love to use and hate to break has numerous applications when it comes to tableware. We look at three applications of glass that stands out for its design and style.

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//Design

SMALL BATCH- URBAN BILLY “Shall I boil the billy?” is a common way to ask if someone would like a cup of tea, shares Urban Billy designer, Elliat Rich. A Billy is a metal can that is used to boil tea over a fire.

It can be as simple as a tin can or something more intricately designed out of stainless steel. “A billy and a swag (a rolled up bed) are both significant icons of camping and living in the Australian bush” says Rich.

From her design base in Alice Springs, a town that is equidistant from every beach in the country, Rich’s Urban

Billy took shape while attending the College of Fine Arts (COFA). It evolved into a product that she produces in small batches from Sydney and sells directly to avid tea drinkers and design-minded consumers. “I saw the process of having a cup of tea with someone as something special and one of the few everyday rituals where people can spend time together without having to be in a cafe environment. From here I started to look at how ‘messy’ tea making tools can be and that they distracted rather than enhanced the tea making process.”

THE URBAN BILLY DESIGN PROCESS:

Photo Credit: Grant Hancock, Louise Horwood, Alex Davies

The Urban Billy is made from borosilicate glass (a.k.a.Pyrex) and timber. The project depended on finding a skilled and willing person to make the Urban Billy’s five glass components and a second person to create the timber parts. There are a lot of fluid levels that feed into each element, and we had to figure out cal-

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culations like how much metholated spirits does it take to boil enough water to fill two cups? My craftsmen and I work from two ends of the process to make everything fit together and function with the right amount of fluid. www.elliatrich.com

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//Design

MaTErial: EnaMEl Enamel is a form of glass that is ground to a powder and bonded to metal after being fired in a kiln at high temperatures. Its use dates back to the Mycenaean period in Greece, Cyprus and Crete in 1200 BC when glass was applied to metalwork.

For centuries, enamel was used decoratively in jewelry, art and religious artefacts. The application of enamel on iron cookware is referenced in the 18th century in Germany, Sweden, France and the United States where it was used to prevent rust.

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N OTA B L E 2 0 T H C E N T U RY E N A M E LW A R E P R O D U C E R S : RiESS (AUSTRiA) 1922 fA L c O n E n A M E Lw A R E ( U K ) 1 9 2 0 EMALiA OLKUSz (POLAnD)1907 n O D A H O R O ( j A PA n ) 1 9 3 4 LE cREUSET (fRAncE) 1925

ENAMEL RENEwAL AND PROCESS:

Photo Credit: Barn Light Electric

Barn ligHT ElECTriC (TiTusvillE) Across the Indian River from Florida’s Merritt Island, most notably the home of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is the small town of Titusville. It is here where Barn Light Electric owners Bryan and Donna Scott turned a part-time hobby of collecting and refurbishing vintage lighting into a full-fledged porcelain enamel manufacturing business, with three facilities and over 80 employees.

Steel metal is spun onto a mold while applying constant and intense pressure. To create the desired shape, the spinning of the bowl reaches approximately 2500 RPM. “This craft is extremely difficult,” explains Katie Schilling, marketing manager for Barn Light Electric.

“The metal artisans use their strength to keep the bowl spinning while the precise shape develops.”

Since 2008, when Bryan and Donna left their professional careers, their company has been working hard to revive the lost art of enamel manufacturing, a process that hasn’t seen much action in the United States over the past 50 years. Barn Light Electric metal artisans transform flat discs of commercial-grade steel into shapes that will become light fixtures, bowls, plates, cups and signs.

Once the desired shape and style is reached — in the case of Barn Light Electric, a vintage, industrial look — the spun objects are taken to a factory where workers apply two coats of porcelain enamel glass onto the nearly finished goods. Finally, the products are fired in a 1600 degree Fahrenheit oven to seal the high-gloss finish and to ensure anti-corrosion.

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New Kid on the Block {BARcELOnA} Variopinte, the Spanish enamelware brand that launched its first collection of plates in 2010, is set to open a new showroom in the creative El Borne neighbourhood of Barcelona in Spain on February 2nd, 2014. Driven by the Paris based, Italian designer, Stefania di Petrillo, Variopinte’s collection of dishes, cutlery and bowls is organized around three vibrant lines: Basic, I Perfetti and Play. Their newest line, Play, will be introduced in 2014 and will include hand dipped enamel pots.

Photo Credit: Variopinte

www.variopinte.com

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Giver

Hustler

Lover

Protector

Dreamer Creator

Builder

Instigator

For a limited time only, use the code “Countlan” at checkout for a 20% discount. Offer valid until midnight on March 31, 2014. Individual customers only. Order online at www.keepcup.com

Meet the movers and shakers of 2014

//Design

Material: Soda Lime Glass Soda-lime is a common type of glass that is used in many products such as windows, light bulbs, bottles and art.

The presence of lime in its chemical make-up helps soften glass so it can be re-shaped into different uses.

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Venetians were the leaders in glass production. Later on, competition and advancement from new glass producers in France, England, Germany and Bohemia shifted the dynamics of the market and craft.

MODERN USE :� LOVE PLATES {BAD DRiBURG} back to 1865, combined their expertise to launch the colourful new line of tableware in 1998. Names like Fir, Baileys, Ketchup, Whale and Limoncello describe Love Plates’ rainbow palate of colours (there are 50 in total). The soda-lime glassware has a unique quality thanks to the free pressing process used to create its different shapes and sized bowls, platters, candle holders, plates and cups.

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www.loveplates.de

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At the foot of the Egge Hills in Germany toward the southern end of the famous Teutoburg forest, is the spa town of Bad Driburg. It is also home to a 500 year old glass industry. For centuries, its forests benefitted the pockets of landowners and attracted glassblowers and traders to the area due to the abundance of resources.

Glassblowers relied on trees as fuel to heat their furnaces, and more importantly used the leftover potash from the burnt wood to mix with lime and silica to make glass. Love Plates is a modern day example of soda-lime glass. Bohemia Cristal, a company that merged with one of Bad Dribug’s historic glass making companies, Walther Glas which dates

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De s ig n e r s , d re a mer s, innovator s and engineer s f l ock t o crow d f u n ding sites fo r market validation, f e e d b a ck a n d t o raise capital fo r their ideas. Fro m a p rod u ce r p e r s p ective, sites like Kickstar ter, Ind iegogo, Rocke t h ub and Crowdcube are invaluable t ools for p e op le who are interested in br inging a p rod u ct t o m a rket. Fro m a design per spective, crow d f u n d in g s it e s are discover y gems. N ot o nly d o you g e t t o s h ow suppo r t for a pro ject sto r y that re s on at e s w it h you and become an early investor i n a n i d e a, you a l so get to track down interesting on e -of f conv e r s at i on pieces for yo ur table.

T h e ext ra l aye r of fun, uncer tainty and excitement i s a dd e d t o t h e t ransactio n as some sites require t h e make r t o re ach 100% of his or her funding goa l (all-or-n ot h ing) by a specific deadline, bef ore you are abl e to show o ff yo ur new find at h om e .

I n a s p e cial v e r s io n o f our M ade-In sectio n, we l ook at a h a n d fu l o f designer s who have co me out on t op of t h e i r crowdfunding campaigns and pro d u cin g s om e re m arkable pieces fo r the ho me.

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The Mason Shaker Eric Prum and Josh Williams, the two vintage kitchenware and cocktail enthusiasts running W&P Design, in Bushwick, Brooklyn put their MacGyver cocktail tools aside and launched the Mason Shaker in 2012, a product they brought to market thanks to the success of their Kickstarter campaign. “The Mason jar is symbolic of making and doing in America. Its metric and imperial measurements are incredibly useful and it happens to be a tough and great piece of glassware” says Eric.

To complement their cocktail shaker, Eric and Josh recently self-published, Shake: A New Perspective on Cocktails. The book features 30 seasonal recipes, such as a Rosemary Maple bourbon cocktail, with plenty of beverage photography to inspire your next party.

{ B rookly n }

Photo Credit: Joshua Williams

www.masonshaker.com

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Belle-V Ice Cream Scoop { C H ICAG O }

Designed in San Francisco by LUNAR and headquartered in Chicago, the team behind Belle-V took their aluminum ice cream scoop to Kickstarter in October 2013 to test the market for their design oriented scoop. For Belle-V inventor and ice cream geek, Dr. Karl Ulrich, Vice-Dean of Innovation at the Wharton School of Business, his ice cream scoop was in part the opportunity to create something that could be part of his 20 year strong collection of antique ice cream scoops and in part a useful subject matter in a course he was teaching on the design of artifacts in society.

Made entirely of aluminum, the BelleV scoop is the first of hopefully many hand held objects to come down their design pipeline.

M ade O f : Aluminum K i m M c G owa n o n the B elle - V n ame : : Belle-V is a

take on the French saying "La Belle Vie!" which means "The good life!"

We are passionate about creating great products that help us live the good life.

Photo Credit: Belle-V

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MAZAMA PORTLAND {PORTLAnD} According to Meghan Wright, the Partner and Director of Mazama, “Portlanders are serious about their beverages.” From coffee and tea to craft beer, wine and cocktails, if there is a city passionate about beverages, Portland is it. Keeping in line with the local pastime and motivated to create a full time job out of containing the beverages they love, the Mazama team created a series of stoneware vessels that they brought to Kickstarter in the fall of 2013.

Meghan Wright Mazama name:

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P an hot d oC Ta r yl ed or it Ah : A lm lex ar Ng k u

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Mazama is named after Mount Mazama, a volcano that created Crater Lake long, long ago. We thought it made sense for us. Crater Lake is nature's ultimate vessel. It is filled with the most perfect blue water and was created from the earth and fire of Mount Mazama's explosion- a quality that speaks well to the elements that go into making ceramics. Our stylized "M" logo reflects the volcano of Mt Mazama. The top of the volcano, is inverted to represent the crater created by the volcano, exploding and transforming itself into the ultimate vessel.

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BRUER { S A n TA c R U z } Bruer, a personal cold brewing machine, was an extension of Andy Clark and Gabe Herz’s morning caffeine ritual. After experimenting with a variety of brewing methods including roasting green coffee, the pair discovered cold brewing and fell in love with the taste. “It was nothing like the hot brewed coffee we were familiar with” says Gabe. From their base at Sproutwerx, an engineering and technology incubator located in the mountains outside of Santa Cruz in California, the Industrial Designer (Andy) and the Engineer (Gabe) worked on a prototype for the Bruer concept and design.

eners” says Gabe. Bruer works by slowly dripping cold water on to a bed of ground coffee. The process can take anywhere from a few hours to 18 hours depending on personal taste and how much coffee was used resulting in 20 ounces of cold brewed coffee.

“The coffee from Cold Bruer is less acidic and less bitter than conventional hot brewed coffee, so it doesn’t have that familiar ‘bite’ many people associate with coffee. The brewing process brings out a coffee’s natural sweetness in a really smooth drink that doesn’t need any added sweet-

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Photo Credit: Bruer

//Design

The Bonaverde Machine: {BERLin}

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Four Questions with Hans Stier, Co-Founder

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Why is there a need for a vertically integrated coffee machine?

Coffee has experienced three waves and we are about to set a fourth: real direct trade. We want to empower farmers to sell directly to consumers and cut out the intermediates. We are providing the consumer with an all-in-one device that can roast, grind and brew fresh coffee on the spot-a one button operation.

How does the Bonaverde work?

It is kid-easy: Place the green beans in the top part of the machine, chose a roasting profile based on our recommendations that consider the beans you purchased, and press start. In the time it takes to make a standard filter coffee, you get a freshly roasted and brewed cup of the best coffee you ever had.

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Photo Credit: Bonaverde

Why did you become interested in solving this problem?

I am a big coffee drinker and wanted to dig into the problem of why your stomach hurts when you consume large quantities of coffee. I discovered the reason is freshness and the amount of time between roasting and consuming of coffee.

Freshly roasted coffee beans are pressurized by C02 gas, which slowly releases from the bean. As the gas leaves, oils release to the bean surface. The longer the time between roasting beans and drinking coffee the more time the oil has to turn rancid. A company may let roasted beans sit six months. If you drink close to 15 cups a day, that is a lot of rancid coffee bean oil potentially hurting your stomach.

What stage of production is the Bonaverde?

We are at the dry beginning of our serial production. Bonaverde has gone through two years of excessive trial and error with over 15,000 consumers. Having built, distributed and maintained 135 prototypes, we are now close to getting the machine produced. Over the next six months we will ship the first beta tester machines to our Kickstarter backers who signed up for one. In October 2014 we will ship our first serial lot.

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moscow flowers

What’s in your oasis? Depending on where you are in the world and whether your preference for local blooms supersedes imports, January can be a challenging or an exciting month for flowers. Not for our florists. In our profile on global flowers, we look at the work of four resourceful florists who know how to keep their bouquets full and customers happy.

Photo Credit: Margarita Maleeva

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{ M os c ow, R uss i a }

//Design

For Moscow based artist and interiors graduate, Margarita Maleeva, floristry became a profession by chance.

Margarita was invited to design a love story themed scene for a friend’s photography session. On a whim she agreed and composed her first flower arrangement. Newly energized by this experience, she signed up for a class on European style flower arrangements and started building a portfolio by designing wedding bouquets. Her shop, Sunny Marlee Floral & Event Design, is a home-made space on the bank of Moscow River. Margarita designed her fairy tale shop as an inviting place where people stop in to buy flowers, have a cup of tea, play with Richard Parker, the shop’s kitten, and daydream about whimsical flower bouquets.

Years in Floristry?

Winter Arrangement:

Local Flowers: We grow roses, hydrangea, and wildflowers such as ranunculus, chamomile and daisies.

I prefer to work with seasonal plants and herbs that reflect the beauty of the season. For my Christmas arrangements for example, I used fur-tree branches, nuts, cinnamon sticks, berries, candles and a variety of beautiful coloured tapes.

Arrangement Style: “Big

Boho style bouquets with intensity, texture and peculiarity. I like to add a touch of exotic plants and materials such as cinnamon, pearls, dried lotus flowers or bird feathers.”

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CEDAR AND STONE O

ne hour northwest of Toronto, in the Town of Caledon is where Karen Cal, owner of Cedar & Stone Floral Studio, calls home. Surrounded by the beauty of the countryside, her work is influenced by the regional landscape. “We have a fairly large garden with mature trees and evergreens on the property, so it`s not

{ cA L E D O n, O n TA R i O, cA n A D A }

uncommon to see me outside, early in the morning with crazy bedhead, cutting flowers while still in my pajamas” shares Cal. Her shop, located in the Alton Mill Arts Centre, is housed in a renovated 19th century stone textile mill, and is also the workplace of an eclectic group of artists and shops from the area.

Years in floristrY? 10 local flowers: Despite our short growing season, we grow tulips, li-

lacs, hydrangeas, peonies, delphiniums, gladiolas, dahlias, and sunflowers.

arrangement stYle: “Loose and natural designs with lots of texture” winter arrangement: Winters are really cold and bleak here and there is not much growing in the garden. For a winter arrangement, I would create a foraged arrangement of branches and grasses with some evergreens and seed pods. cUrrentlY worKing on: January is a lull time for florists, we are catching our breaths from the madness of Christmas and gearing up for the Valentine`s Day rush. Right now I`m doing a lot of prep for the upcoming wedding season- sourcing new vessels for centerpieces, meeting brides and preparing quotes. I am also planning arrangements for an upcoming festival called Fire and Ice. I will be working with tropical flowers, which I generally don`t use, but I think the bright colours and bold textures will be a welcome change to the cold, dreary landscape outside.

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//Design { cA P E T Ow n, S O U T H A f R i cA }

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OPUS SHOP

Photo Credit: Love Made Visible

t wasn’t until she walked into a small flower shop on a trip to the South of France, did self-taught florist, Marissa Pretorius open Opus. Today her flower shop is situated in the young and upcoming neighbourhood of Woodstock, where creative businesses are increasingly choosing to be based. “I come from a photography

and graphic design background” says Pretorius. “Growing up, plants and flowers always had a strong presence in my life. My mother spent a lot of time in the garden and we always had fresh flowers in the house. I started off in a small studio and opened the shop in November 2012.”

Years in floristrY? 3 local flowers: The Western Cape is known for its fynbos. They grow

freely up the west coast and mountains. We also have a wide variety of rose farms.

arrangement stYle: “My approach is free and loose. I always in-

corporate greenery and foliage around me at the time making the end result slightly less planned.”

winter arrangement: I use what is in season and what is available from the garden. For winter I would put together a rustic arrangement with warm colours; wild olive leaves, orange and white garden roses and amaranthus. cUrrentlY worKing on: The work we do in our shop is more plant

focused, we work mainly on our signature Kokedama, also known as hanging gardens.

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Quince Flowers

{WRITTEN By K athry n S ussma n }

{ T oro n to, Ca n ada }

O F F PA L E T T E : When working within a constant colour spectrum, include one bloom that is totally off palette.

The colour story will have a bit more range now, so have fun with it.

G E T O U T S I D E : “Get out there, get some fresh air and pick,” Rosie recommends.

"Pick from your evergreens for your base."

She recommends using what's available to you, such as Cedar, Pine or bare branches.

Then “buy flowering plants in the winter and cut from those.” Suggestions include potted Azaleas, Cyclamen bulbs, Tulips and Hyacinth.

B L O O M S T H A T L A S T : For those less inclined to create from scratch, try buying blooms that last such as Orchids, Amaryllis and Chrysanthemums.

Photo Credit: Quince

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G O M O N O C H R O M A T I C : For a sophi monochromatic arrangement, make it m mix of different flowers that are all the s

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Q

uince is not your average flower shop. Off the noisy and bustling Queen Street East, in Toronto, Quince is sensory oasis and a stylish boutique. The lush greenery throughout the store envelops, as you are hit with bright splashes of colour from the floral casements. Inside, a fresh sent wafts through the air, reminiscent of walking through the forest. Each arrangement is a fusion of fresh flowers, unique pots and personal artistry designed by the Quince staff – a select crew of in-house artists with unique educational and professional backgrounds and a natural talent for floral design.

The owner, Rosemary Jeffares, who after running the floral and giftware division of Mark McEwan’s enterprise and a flower and cake shop with Dufflet Rosenberg, decided to bring her talent back to one location. “I like having the malleability of turning my

isticated look, work with one colour. When making a multi-bultanic. Instead of all the same flower, use a same colour scheme.

space into whatever I want it to be,” Rosemary explains. Her inspiration for her shop came while she was completing grad work in London and moonlighting as a florist. “I just loved the part of the industry that kept me in the city, yet connected to natural things and the beauty of flowers.”

For Rosie and her staff, it’s all about “the accoutrements and bringing together little details.” She buys her flowers from wild pickers, the local Ontario Flower Growers auction and the Food Terminal (during the growing season). “In the winter, there are small producers who grow lovely air ferns, succulents and orchids in their greenhouses” says Jeffares.

She describes how working with potted materials and collecting unusual mosses, twigs and lichen can all help to produce an individual and local artistic creation.

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//Entertaining

ENTERTAINING ENTERTAINING entertaining entertaining

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Photo Credit: Donatella Sedda

Our entertaining section features the wisdom of three women in their 90s who still host dinner parties for a crowd, introduces a handful of chefs defining Australian cuisine and shows how to artfully present sushi among other ideas related to entertaining at home.

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ON PRESENTING SUSHI {wRiTTEn BY YUKi GOMi, LOnDOn}

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//Entertaining

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f you have mastered sushi rice and have perfected your rolling technique, you will no doubt be wondering how best to present and serve sushi to your guests. In Japan, we say that you also eat with your eyes, so presentation is as important as how a dish tastes. Arranging sushi is an enjoyable part of the process and it doesn’t need to be too complicated.

Less is more, both in terms of presentation and portion size. There is no need to completely fill the plate. You can re-stock later. I love to present a few pieces of sushi on one dish, leaving space to balance the layout. Choose different types of plates, or tiles and practice by placing all of the sushi to one side with equal proportions of empty space.

I often make reference to the seasons on the plate, as many Japanese art forms do; the Haiku for example. You could add some edible flowers from the garden to dress the table or platter. We sometimes go as far as deep frying momiji - edible maple leaves; the deep reds refer to the seasonal falling leaves in autumn. Try working with contrasting colours that accentuate those found in the sushi itself.

There is a Japanese term called 'Wabi-Sabi' which is very useful in terms of understanding the Japanese aesthetic. It is also the key to a successful, enjoyable presentation of a dish. Wabi Sabi is a poetic, complex term, which describes the beauty of transience and at times, the imperfection found in nature.

So what does this mean when presenting sushi? Don't be afraid to scatter or cluster rolls rather than lining them up in neat rows.

There is no need for exact symmetry. Present naturally and take pleasure in those small mistakes! www.yukiskitchen.com

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I ns t a g r a m is fu l l o f cr e at ive ind ividua ls s h ow ca s in g a n d ca p t u r in g d a il y l if e . To h o no u r o ne o f o u r f avo u r it e h a s hta gs # s et t h et ab l e , w e s p e a k t o D o nate lla S e d d a , a p r o l ific I n s t a g r a mme r who s et s a nd ca p t u r e s h e r b r e a k f a s t table w it h s t y l e a nd p r owe ss.

#SETTHETABLE INSTAGRAMMER, DONATELLA SEDDA {M O DE nA , iTALY}

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01

Do you entertain at home?

Yes, I do! I come from a large family so for me, it’s very natural to have a house full of guests. I love to make people feel cared for and at ease. My style is absolutely casual!

02

What can always be found on your table?

I always use fresh flowers on a classic tablecloth. Flowers make the table less casual, but they give the impression of care and freshness. However, the flowers are only on the table for a moment. As soon as guests sit down, I take them away as I prefer that everyone can look at each other without hindrance!

03

Describe your tableware collection: I like to mix classic Italian design with clean, Nordic lines. I don’t like bright colours, square shapes or object that are too decorated. For example, my dessert plates have a delicate enamelled decoration that I love.

04

Favourite meal?

My favourite meal is breakfast and the best kind of breakfast is weekend breakfast. I lay out an American set for two or a nice cotton tablecloth along with our favourite Marimekko coffee mugs, and Bitossi plates and cutlery. I also pour the milk in a jug and arrange cookies, fruits and cake into bowls or on a cake stand. The best part of the breakfast table is the flowers; they stay on the table to keep us company. Setting the table, in a way, is like snuggling. For me breakfast doesn’t only mean “it’s time to eat”. I try to offer a happy and beautiful start of the day. http://instagram.com/donatellase

Use #countlan next time you set the table and post your photo on Instagram for your chance to be featured in a future issue. countlan

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Learning from the Pros

ENTERTAINING AT 90

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rudent, poise, savvy, welcoming and thoughtful are a few words that aptly describe our hostesses, who, in their 90s (one is 86) are still known to entertain a crowd at home.

OMA ( 86 ) + BE L LA ( 90 ) Be rl i n � Regina Karolinski (Oma) and Bella Katz are two friends who live together in an apartment in Berlin.

In 2012, the story of their lives as Holocaust survivors who returned to live in Germany after the war served as the subject matter of Oma’s granddaughter’s documentary film and cookbook “Oma and Bella.” The film showcases Oma & Bella’s passion for food through the childhood recipes they cook and how food serves as an expression of their heritage, and identity. “It is fun to entertain at home. We only cook for people we like and they invite us too. You can’t just take without giving” say the women.

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Typical Menu?

First we serve pickled or chopped herring or some gefilte fish and some chopped liver. Then we serve a soup followed by a meat, like a brisket, and some sides, like a potato kugel. Finally, we serve coffee and dessert like a fruit compote, our sugar cookies and maybe some cake.

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02

Advanced Preparation?

We plan two days ahead and then we buy food one day before so that the food is fresh. We don’t like old food.

03

In the freezer?

In the freezer you will find different meats, pierogi, kreplach and meatballs. We also keep blintzes, and stuffed cabbage, which are easy to spontaneously warm up.

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Where do you shop?

We go to Rogacki, they sell meat and fish. He has the best quality.

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How often do you have guests over?

This summer we had guests every Saturday night and sometimes during the week!

BESS ( 93 ) � Toron to � “How has entertaining at home changed over the years? – there is less of it” says Bess Klar, the Montrealer who has been living in Toronto for several decades. These days Bess regularly hosts her family multiple times a year for holidays and weekly dinners at her apartment. “I also entertain when I have out of town guests and I put on a luncheon for about 20 women when it is my turn to host the Hadassah chapter, a Jewish women’s philanthropic group.”

02

In the Freezer?

My freezer always has a pretty good selection of food for short notice events like potato, rice and cheese knishes, egg rolls, pizza rolls and blueberry muffins.

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Sweet Endings: My favorite recipe is cheese cake. Over the years I have added to the standard recipe with a few little things of my own like adding sautéed apples on the crust, followed by drizzling caramel on the base before adding the cream cheese filling.

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Pet Peeves: The one thing I can`t stand, is people taking off their shoes when they come in. I think it is so uncouth to sit at a table, that is really tastefully set, in stocking feet. In bad weather in Montreal, you carried a special shoe bag.

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Etiquette: What makes a good host/hostess gift?

Chocolate, candy, wine, or some fancy note paper.

What is the appropriate way to thank a host?

When you leave of course but I always like to call the next day as well.

One can only imagine how often she was entertaining when she was living in Montreal. “If it was a big occasion, sometimes we turned the garage, which was right off the den, into a club— we decorated the ceilings and walls, had a dance floor surrounded by round tables and chairs” shares Bess.

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Advanced Preparation: Advanced planning depends on the occasion – I used to host a formal dinner before a number of my friends went south for the winter – Getting the table ready meant using my china, sterling and crystal. I always had complete service for both dairy and meat.

Photo Credit: Alexa Karolinski, Erin Morris

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Little and Friday Cele K

im Evans started Little and Friday out of a small storefront on a sleepy suburban street in Auckland, New Zealand. Today it has become a venerable destination for classic Kiwi sweet and savoury pastries. As Kim says, “every Kiwi is a sucker for a cream doughnut.”

When she started five years ago, Kim sold her baked goods from a small, vacant butcher shop and was open only on Fridays, hence the name Little and Friday. As demand for her old-fashioned cream and jam doughnuts grew, so did her business. The quiet neighbourhood has since evolved into a bustling community, with Little and Friday taking over an entire block of shops.

Kim recently published her second cookbook, Little and Friday Celebrations. “In our first book, Treats from Little and Friday, we shared all the recipes from our counter for our cakes, pastries, tarts, biscuits, and slices.” Her latest book, Celebrations, devotes each chapter to a different type of gathering. Some are simple, like a picnic or movie night in the backyard, while others are more extravagant, such as a wedding. Ranging from quick and easy to complex and sumptuous, they all promise a memorable experience for guests. www.littleandfriday.com

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ebrations

Photo Credit: Holly Houston and Tamara West

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Cheffing Down Under { Wr i tte n B y K r i st i n P edro j a }

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ustralians love their food. They love their ‘brekkies’, long lunches and posh dinners.

They support their local cafes, neighbourhood bistros and fine dining establishments. They frequent their local farmers’ markets and delicatessens.

They are also fiercely proud of their homegrown chefs who have cultivated a unique Australian food scene that includes the best recipes brought to the country from decades of immigration from Europe and Asia. When combined with Australian produce, the fare is transformed into something distinctly Australian.

Meet the stars of the Australian foodie scene. Kate Haughton at Avenue Bookstore in Albert Park, Melbourne discussed some of the bestselling and iconic books written by Australian chefs.

Stephanie Alexander The Cook’s Companion (Penguin) After traveling the world at age 21, self-taught Alexander opened her first restaurant in 1964 and published her first (of 14!) cookbook in 1985. Her Kitchen Garden Foundation delivers kitchen and garden classes to children at 456 schools throughout Australia, helping to inspire a new generation of foodies. Her book, The Cook’s Companion, was first published in 1996 and is the definitive volume in a home cook’s collection. The book’s useful alphabetical list of ingredients and cooking techniques has resulted in the selling of over 500,000 copies in Australia, with a revised edition in 2004 and annual reprints.

to food from Spain, Italy, India, and China dur time as cookery editor for Woman’s Day. H book Christmas has quickly become an insta sic, with annual reprints and its own iPhone ap

Margaret Fulton

Guy Grossi

Christmas (Hardie Grant)

Love, Italy (Penguin)

Scottish-born Fulton has lived most of her life in Australia.

She is credited for encouraging Australian home cooks to go beyond the meat-and-veg meals, by introducing them

Grossi is a first-generation Italian-Australian passion for Italy and Italian food runs deep. Hi was also a chef, and young Grossi spent his holidays working in commercial kitchens. He c owns award-winning Italian restaurants in Me and Bangkok. In 1996 he was awarded the L’

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ring her Her 2009 ant claspp.

n and his is father s school currently elbourne L’insegna

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Del Ristorante Italiano by the president of Italy for his work on the television series ‘la cucina italiana’, and in 2011 he received a Melbourne Award for raising the city’s profile throughout the world. Grossi is a renowned philanthropist and frequently appears on television screens as both a judge and presenter. His most recent book, Love, Italy, is a comprehensive love letter to Italy’s artisan food producers.

Donna Hay No Time to Cook (HarperCollins) Hay’s beautiful cookbooks have sold nearly 3 million copies around the world. Her empire includes a bi-monthly magazine and a homewares range. She frequently turns up on television in her own series, as well as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia. Her 2008 book, No Time to Cook, is well-thumbed by busy home cooks who enjoy making meals that involve minimal clean-up, Hay’s list of cheat notes, and her hints on food styling.

Karen Martini The Karen Martini Collection (Penguin) Martini learned the chaffing trade the hard way: Apprenticeships. Her 20+year professional cooking career has led her into roles as food editor of Sunday Life magazine, with the Sunday Age and Sun-Herald newspapers. She is known for her Mediterranean flair, including the tastes of Italy, Greece, and Morocco. The Karen Martini Collection includes recipes from three of her other books that encourage readers to work with fresh produce and big flavors.

Matt Moran Dinner at Matt’s (Penguin) Moran began an apprenticeship at age 15 where he learned classical French cooking. His awardwinning restaurant, ARIA, is located on the water overlooking the Sydney Opera House. He also owns Opera Bar, a trendy spot on the water beside the Opera House. Moran is an innovator and travels regularly for inspiration in order to showcase the best of Australian produce in his dishes. Most Australians know him from television, where he has been appearing on cookery shows since 2008. His honest demeanor and passion for food makes him a popular chef for home cooks. His book, Dinner at Matt’s, teaches home cooks how to add a bit of restaurant flair to dinners with friends.

Neil Perry Food I Love (Atria) Perry is behind a slew of award-winning restaurants in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, including Rockpool, which was ranked in the top 50 restaurants in the world by Restaurant magazine for seven years running. His dishes highlight the use of quality produce and his perfectionist nature has been revered by food critics around the world. Perry’s book, Food I Love, introduces home cooks to techniques that will improve their skills and to recipes he turns to time and again to impress.

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Ph i l osoph ical Food C ru m bs : Cook i ng an d K i e rk egaard {wRiTTEn BY RAcHEL MORAn AnD EMMA SØRGAARD}

“

Thus they banqueted. Soon, conversation had woven its beautiful wreaths about the banqueters, so that they sat garlanded. Now, it was enamored of the food, now of the wine, and now again of itself; now, it seemed to develop into significance, and then again it was altogether slight....now, only the clinking of glasses and the clattering of plates was heard and the feasting proceeded in silence, accompanied only by the music that joyously advanced and again stimulated conversation. Thus they banqueted.” ~from The Banquet, Stages On Life's Way,1845 by Søren Kierkegaard Søren Kierkegaard was a philosopher, writer, cultural critic—and foodie. He lived during the Golden Age of Denmark (1800-1850), a prolific period in the history of Danish arts culture. Kierkegaard’s works weren’t widely disseminated to the rest of the world until after World War II, when he became more widely read. Today, he is considered the Father of Existentialism, a school of philosophical thought made popular by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.

Philosophy can be intimidating to would-be readers, and Kierkegaard’s writings address complex topics such as aesthetics, ethics, and religion; yet, they are full of references to everyday concepts like eating. Kierkegaard’s musings include references to society’s manners, family suppers, motherly love, coffee, and sneaky bakers.

In fact, food is so frequently mentioned in his books, journals, and letters, that it spawned the idea behind the Kierkegaard Cookbook.

The book debuted on the 200th anniversary of Kierkegaard’s birth and offers readers a charming approach to the philosopher, his ideas and stories about food. Even the title “Philosophical Food Crumbs” plays with Kierkegaard’s book “Philosophical Crumbs” (by his pseudonym Johannes Climacus).

The Kierkegaard Cookbook was put together with the same kind of care and attention that goes into preparing a nourishing family meal and is suitable for home cooks of all levels of experience.

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Kierkegaard published his best-seller Either/Or under the pen name Victor Eremita, Latin for “Victorious Hermit”. Here is a 1905 recipe for Hermits, a type of cookie recipe found in many 19th century cookbooks. They were called Hermits because they were stored in tins and kept well.

1905 Hermits. One cup butter, two cups sugar, two eggs, one teaspoon soda, one and one-half teaspoons each cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg; one cup sweet milk, one cup chopped raisins, half cup currants; mix as for any cookies, but not too stiff; put in a cool place for several hours until cold. Roll thin and bake. (*Old-fashioned recipes often left out details. Try 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes +/-) Kierkegaard was notoriously fond of sweets, coffee, and coffee houses. This Writer’s Cake features a cup of coffee.

Writer's Cake (24 cm peripheral form) 225 g (1 3/4 cup) flour 400 g (2 cups) sugar 96 g (3/4 cup) baking cocoa (powder) 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 4 fl oz (1/2 cup ) vegetable oil 1 tsp. salt 8 fl oz (1 cup) milk 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 cup hot coffee (or 8 oz of boiling water)

Put all ingredients except coffee in a large bowl. Beat with hand mixer or mixer for 2 minutes at full tilt. Add the hot coffee and stir well. The dough is very thin. Butter a large ring mold thoroughly with oil or butter. Pour the batter in it. Bake at 175 degrees for approx. 35 minutes. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack (this is the typical combination) and then remove the ring. Let it cool a little more and turn it looked like on a platter.

Decorate the cake with grated white chocolate or a dusting of powdered sugar.

The authors of the Kierkegaard Cookbook, Rachel Moran and Emma Sørgaard, continue digging into the world of Kierkegaard and 19th century cookbooks. They are publishing a new translation of a small 1850s cookbook by famous Danish cookbook author Madame Mangor.

Photo Credit: Alex Zemek, Rachel Moran, National Museum of History Frederiksborg, Royal Library of Denmark

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Pairing Breakfast and Coffee: Coffee Collective { Cope n hage n }

Finding a reason to make a cup of coffee in the morning may not seem like a daunting task. How about designing a pairing so your eggs and bacon enhances the flavours and nuances of your beans?

For Coffee Collective Bar Manager, Peter Ebdrup, he has been keeping busy with this challenge since July 2013, when Coffee Collective launched its first coffee and breakfast pairing menu at their Godthåbsvej location. “The idea was to further explore the possibilities of coffee.

We wanted to create something small and delicate that could not only be consumed with coffee, but also be part of a combined experience” says Peter.

For each breakfast and coffee combination that goes on the menu, Peter defines the flavours and aromas in each coffee then decides whether to enhance the coffee’s aromas by pairing it with a breakfast food that shares its flavour elements or pairing it with an “opposite-flavour” breakfast food, causing the aromas to clash.

So far, Peter has experimented with eight different pairings that feature simple fruit preserves, sourdough breads, cheeses and butter alongside their coffee. As the popularity and curiosity grows for the new pairings, new seasonal combinations will be offered for guests to try.

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Autumn Pairing Menu: Co f f ee : Yukro from Ethiopia Food : Apricot marmalade and pistachios in lemon oil with sourdough bread and butter Co f f ee : Kieni from Kenya Food : blueberry and walnut preserve with salty Danish cheese with sourdough bread and butter Co f f ee : Finca Vista Hermosa from Guatemala Food : Sardines with and coffee mustard and Danish rye bread (rugbrod) www.coffeecollective.dk

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TAKE STOCK: WELLINGTO Take Stock: Wellington, New Zealand {BETH BRASH, EAT & GREET} Beth Brash, half of the brains, taste buds and talent behind local Wellington, New Zealand website, Eat & Greet, has been described as a ‘Professional Eater’ and someone who takes food very seriously.

Together with her sister, Alice Brash, they continue to build their foodie resource that showcases the human story behind what’s on your plate and brings behind the scene stories to Wellington’s dynamic food scene.

01 BREAD:

Prefab roasts their own coffee and bakes their own bread on site. Their baguettes are the best in town. Prefab’s cafe amazing. It looks like what I imagine Google’s cafeteria looks like. www.pre-fab.co.nz

02 COFFEE BEANS:

Wellington produces so much incredible coffee, it is world class. We have more cafes here, per capita, than New York! We are obsessed with coffee. My favourite is Peoples Coffee. I love them so much that now I work for them! It is more than just good coffee, they care about the whole journey that bean takes — from crop to cup. www.peoplescoffee.co.nz

03 FRuIT AND vEGGIES:

Every Sunday there is the fruit and vegetable market down by the waterfront at Harbourside Market. All the market gardeners from down the coast load up their trucks and sell directly to the pub-

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ON lic. You need to arrive early for the best produce, but it is considerably cheaper than the supermarkets. www.harboursidemarket.co.nz

04 BEER: Garage Project is a wonderful Wellington brewery. They brew out of an old petrol station (hence the name). Their beers range from simple and delicious to weird and wonderful.

You can fill your own rigger at their “cellar door” on site - the decor, bottles and staff are all very good to look at. www.garageproject.co.nz 05 CHEESE:

On Trays is what I imagine heaven is like.

It is stacked floor to ceiling with so many foodie goodies from all over the world, but it is the cheese cabinet that you’ll find me hovering around. The owners, Steven and Valda Scheckter, are some of the most wonderful people around.

They’ll insist you try before you buy. I’m not sure if my indecisiveness is due to their amazing selection or because I want to try all their cheeses! www.ontrays.co.nz

07 DESSERT:

Anything you could possibly want for dessert, you can get at Moore Wilsons. From organic strawberries and whole cakes, to artisan ice cream to 5kg bags of gummy lollies! www.moorewilson.co.nz

08 TABLE ACCESSORIES:

I like to keep things pretty simple. I love covering the table in brown butcher’s paper, which I get from Spotlight. You can leave it as is (and provide pens for people to doodle) or decorate it with interesting things.

I’m also a fan of crepe paper, it is cheap, bountiful and colourful and you can pretty much make anything out of it. www.spotlight.co.nz

06 MEAT:

The City Market, or the “fancy market” as I like to call it, is Wellington’s artisan market and a mecca for delicious.

Here you’ll find ‘fishmonger to NZ’s top chefs’ Rachel Taulelei of Yellow Brick Road selling the freshest and most sustainable fish. Also, trusty butcher Cameron Harrison, will sharpen your knives while you wait. You’ll probably end up purchasing some preserves, dumplings and chocolates here too. www.citymarket.co.nz

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Next ISSUE: April 2014 VISIT US AT WWW.COUNTLAN.COM