Sustainable Shopping

OUTSIDE IN GARDENS FOOD TRAVEL

TIME OUT FOOD TRAVEL

SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING With its use of natural materials, pots of trailing plants and light, airy but functional feel, ReRoot, Malta’s first zero waste, plastic-free shop, certainly feels like a breath of fresh air. ‘We wanted to create a space that was not only welcoming and fun to shop and learn in, but also which sparked people’s interest and curiosity,’ says Christina Farrugia, one of ReRoot’s co-founders. Everything on sale in the Iklin shop is an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to everyday products that include homeware such as cushions, bowls and storage baskets. ‘All our products are either reusable, recyclable, compostable or refillable and plastic free,’ says Christina. www.rerootmalta.com

Spring Feeling

Tuck into the new season with these delicious but easy-to-make recipes

CORN-FED CHICKEN FRICASSEE with mushrooms, tarragon, peas and broad beans Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 2 whole corn-fed chickens 400g brown mushrooms 80g dried porcini 1 carrot 1 celery stick 1 white onion 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic 100ml double cream 1 tarragon leaf 1tsb olive oil 1 nob butter 100g frozen peas 100g fresh broad beans bottled water

METHOD Joint each chicken into 6-8 pieces or ask the butcher to do it for you. Use the carcasses to make a chicken stock - add enough water just to cover them. Simmer on low heat along with the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaf, for 3 hours. Once the stock is done, pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Fry the chicken pieces in the olive oil in a non-stick pan until the skin is nicely caramelised. Place the pieces on a baking tray and place them in the oven for 15 minutes. In the pan in which you fried the chicken, fry the mushrooms and the porcini with the butter, deglazing the pan. Add 200ml of the chicken stock and reduce by half. Blanch the peas and broad beans in the stock until medium-soft. Add the double cream and the chicken pieces and reduce a little. Finish with fresh tarragon, peas and broad beans.

APPLE AND CUSTARD TART with vanilla ice cream Serves 8

INGREDIENTS For the pastry: 250g plain our 50g caster sugar 125g butter 1 whole egg

For the filling: 200ml cream 2 whole eggs 80g sugar 1 vanilla pod 4 red apples 1 cinnamon stick For the glaze: Sprinkle of caster sugar

METHOD The pastry Place all the ingredients in a food processor, then pulse until crumbly. Remove to a bowl and knead by hand until it forms a dough. Cover in cling lm and rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Open the dough and place on a round baking tray and rest in the fridge for a further hour. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Fit the pastry into a greased, 23cm uted tart tin and then blind bake for 20 minutes. The filling On a low heat, bring the cream, vanilla pod

and cinnamon stick to the boil, then take off the heat. Remove the cinnamon; empty the vanilla seeds from the vanilla pod into the mixture. Discard the vanilla pod. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and the sugar. Add the boiled cream mixture to the eggs and whisk slowly until mixed. Peel and slice the apples. Arrange the sliced apple on the partly baked tart and then cover with the custard mix. Bake again for 30 minutes at 160°C. Leave to cool, then cut and glaze with sugar for a brûlée effect. Serve with vanilla ice-cream and caramelised pistachios.

Method Mix the salt, sugar and fennel seeds and in a tray, coat the salmon. Leave covered in the fridge for 24 hours. When ready to serve, rinse the salmon with cold water. Discard skin and thinly slice from the skin side. Method Trim and thinly slice one beetroot. Curl the slices to form a cone. Cut the other beetroot in half. Take one half and cut into small cubes and boil them in water until soft. In a saucepan, place the beetroot trimmings, balsamic vinegar, sugar and water and cook gently until soft. Reserve the liquid and place the beetroot cubes and slices in it, and leave for 1 hour. Blend the other half of the beetroot to make a puree and leave it to cool in the fridge. Method Mix together all the ingredients and place in a piping bag. Plate up by placing three slices of salmon on a plate. Dress with the picked beetroot slices, cubes, and purée, and dot on the wasabi yogurt. For extra colour add cress and blanched broad beans. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. For the salmon Ingredients 500g salmon llet ‘skin on’ 300g salt 150g sugar 20g toasted fennel seeds For the beetroot Ingredients 2 beetroots 100ml balsamic vinegar 60g sugar 50ml water For the yoghurt Ingredients 160ml Greek yogurt Pinch of salt Wasabi paste CURED SALMON with beetroot and wasabi yogurt Serves 4

GEORGES’ FAVOURITE Wine Pairings

Beetroot imparts some earthiness and sweetness which counteracts the slight oiliness of the salmon whereas this serious gourmet rosé harmonises everything with the yogurt. Enjoy the wine’s bright floral aromas and flavours of red summer fruits. The crisp wine, the fashionable Goziton rosé par excellence, adds the equivalent of a fresh squeeze of lemon. CURED SALMON (LEFT) 2019 VICTORIA HEIGHTS SHIRAZ ROSÉ, SUPERIOR, D.O.K. GOZO

In the Loire, fricassée de poulet is served with light reds or even semi-dry whites. If you opt for red with chicken, then uncork this lighter blend which is ideal for spring-sipping. It’s an attractive unoaked red with heaps of kitchen garden aromas and generous black fruit. Medina Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre isn’t big or bold, deep or rich, but surprisingly more-ish. CORN-FED CHICKEN FRICASSEE (MIDDLE) 2018 MEDINA SYRAH, CARIGNAN, MOURVEDRE, I.G.T. MALTESE ISLANDS

This voluptuous pudding wine is stacked in all the right places. Sweet spices and flavours of poached pears and ripe apple make up this extroverted beauty’s core fruit. I’ll unreservedly sip this complex lush white with big bites of the custard tart before spooning up the ice cream. Serve well-chilled and indulge. APPLE AND CUSTARD TART (RIGHT) 2017, GRAND VIN DE HAUTEVILLE MOSCATO, D.O.K. MALTA

The Olympic Games have thrown a spotlight on Japan’s capital, arguably one of the world’s most exciting cities

Words: Rachel Loos

090 Shibuya crossing: now a major tourist atraction, at peak time up to 3000 people cross at the one time

TOKYO CALLING >

Above: Memory lane Stuffed full of tiny ramshackle restaurants serving izakaya (grilled meat and seafood), enjoy a very Japanese dining experience Top: Harajuku Tokyo's capital of kawaii (cute), this area of the city is the place for rainbow coloured foods, crazy cafes as well as boutiques selling Japanese streetwear, modern fashion and vintage

This summer, when the Olympic Games come to Tokyo, it will be the Japanese capital’s second time as host. It last held the games in 1964 and being awarded the sporting tournament was a game-changer for the city. n the five years after winning the bid, an enormous amount of investment was poured into Tokyo, completely transforming it. A sprawl of largely ugly architecture was replaced by 10,000 modern buildings; 100 kilometres of su«erhighways were created along with {ä kilometres of new subway lines, four new five‡ star hotels and perhaps, most iconic, the billion-dollar Shinkansen bullet train.

A city that was blighted by its role in the Second World War and the destruction that came with it, was born anew - and it hasn’t looked back since. Today, Tokyo is one of the world’s most exciting cities, a fascinating blend of tradition and modernity, metropolis and nature - a skyline of towering buildings that leads to eye to snow-covered Mount Fuji, bustling streets where pedestrian crossings are tourist attractions but where one is never far from tranquil gardens and temples. Games or no Games, Tokyo is a city that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Clockwise from top: The Imperial Palace behind high walls; the Salon de Thé ROND at the National Art Centre; Meiji Shrine among 100,000 trees; Shibuya streets are a riot of colour; department store food halls are a must-see, especially Takashimaya

WHAT TO SEE Ginza: So much of Tokyo is lit up by giant moving and often, talking, advertising hoardings but they’re particularly eye-catching in the upmarket shopping district of Ginza. Here, one square metre of land is said to be valued at over ten million yen (€82,000) so not surprisingly it’s the home of Chanel, Gucci, and the 10-storey Bulgari Ginza tower, home to the largest Bulgari store in the world.

Drop into iconic department Ginza Wako; another mustvisit is Ginza Six, an enormous mall with 241 shops within a architecturally striking interior. Tokyu Plaza Ginza department store has an open rooftop for sweeping views of the city.

If you love stationery, then put Itoya (www.ito-ya.co.jp/ enÉ® on your list ‡ over £n yoors, it is filled with wonderful things to do with paper and pens. Shopping is tax-free for foreigners in Ginza, so do shop with your passport in hand. Shibuya & Harajuku: only in Japan could an intersection become a major tourist attraction but this one in the bustling district of Shibuya is definitely worth seeing ‡ at «eak time up to 3000 people cross at the one time. Watch the action from on high at the nearby Starbucks or Shibuya train station, and then join the throng as you make your way to Tokyo Hands (tokyu-hands.co.jp), a lifestyle and hobby store that appears to sells anything and everything over seven storeys. Ƃgain stationery is strong, but don’t miss the beauty yoor. Nearby is Takeshita Street in an area called Harajuku - this is Tokyo’s capital of kawaii (cute) and is lots of fun. This is the place to tuck into a grilled cheese rainbow sandwich, ice-cream panda bears and matcha Kit Kats, stroke cats in a cat cafe and hedgehogs in a hedgehog cafe, and join the swarms of teens in photobooths that allow you to manipulate your image. It’s also where you’ll find a«anese streetwear as well as eÝcellent vintage sho«s. Get off the main street where it immediately becomes

µuieter, and you’ll find interesting fashion boutiµues too.

Nearby is Yoyogi Park, the site of the 1964 Olympic Park and now the city’s largest green space and a lovely place to catch your breath. Buy a bento lunch and enjoy a picnic. To the north, amongst the forest of 100,000 trees, is Meiji Shrine, (meijijingu.or.jp), an atmospheric Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken. Take part in typical Shinto activities such as making offerings at the main hall, buying charms and amulets or writing out one's wish on an ema (wooden plate) in the hope that it comes true. Nihonbashi: the oldest district in Tokyo dates back to the city’s Edo period (1603 - 1867) but it’s now the commercial district where historic buildings are rare. However, still trading are many little shops that have centuries-long histories and continue Japan’s traditions such as washi paper making, the handcrafting of knives, along with selling lacquerware, kimonos and fans. rab a guide to the area from the tourist office or ask for a tour, led by a kimono-clad, English-speaking guide, at the Nihonbashi Information Centre (nihonbaski-info.jp/omotenashi). Culture: The National Art Centre (nact.jp/english) is an architectural gem with a rolling program of international exhibitions. When there, take tea at the Salon de Thé ROND and do visit the museum shop.

Different in style is Espace Vuitton (espacelouisvuittontokyo. com) , a glass box atop the Louis Vuitton building with great modern art - and great views.

Ginza used to be a meeting place for arty types back in the day, and some of that legacy remains with the various art galleries dotted around the neighbourhood, many of which are free to enter. Ƃt allery Shukado www.a«anese‡finearts. com) see a wide variety of Japanese paintings and ukiyo-e (traditional woodblock prints) and at 1930s Okuno Building there are about {ä small galleries over the four yoors.

Noh is classical Japanese theatre involving music, dance

Clockwise from top\ at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel enoy the view from the s«a and the double‡height Sky obbyÆ the hotel¿s Michelin‡starred Tapas Molecular B restaurant with seating for just eight and dishes that are weird, wonderful - and delicious

and drama that dates back to the 14th century. At the Suigian (suigian.jp), enjoy sushi and sake as you take in a performance. To see kabuki, the classical-style dance, head to the famous Kabuki-za Theatre (www.kabuki-za.co.jp) that’s a reconstruction of the original 19th century building.

The Imperial Palace is the main residence of Japan’s Imperial Family, now Emperor Naruhito and his family. Surrounded by a moat and stone wall, it is not possible to enter the buildings or inner palace gardens, but outer landscaped gardens with ponds and bridges, acer trees and forests of bamboo make for a pleasant half day. FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Top notch sushi is everywhere from tiny neighbourhood sushi bars (look for those with a queue outside) to Michelinstarred restaurants that are almost impossible to get into (try pocket-concierge.jp/en). Alternatively, head to Tsuga Sushimasa which has been serving u« beautifully «re«ared raw fish for three generations, teaming it with red wine vinegar for a uniµue yavour n Ƃrakicho, Shinuku‡kuÆ tel ä·ÎÎxn‡ä™Î{®. For brilliant yakitori (chicken) book one of the two seatings per night at Torioka in the cool Roppongi Hills area for the fiÝed menu of ££ skewers that goes ¿ head to tail ¿ Ro««ongi Hills West Walk x, ȇ£ä‡£ Ro««ongi, Minato‡ku®. Take one of just eight seats at the Michelin-starred Ta«as Molecular , the bar‡style restaurant on the Înth yoor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel and over two hours be delighted by utterly delicious dishes that smoke, eÝ«lode and fiââ, each course «aired with the «erfect glass of wine or mocktail (mandarinoriental.com).

Ƃltogether different is eating at Omoide 9okocho (Memory Lane), a historic series of alleys, today decorated with red paper lanterns and cherry blossom lights, stuffed full of tiny ramshackle restaurants serving izakaya (grilled meat and seafood). Grab a table where you can, and eat alongside the locals (from sumo wrestlers to salarymen) as well as tourists shinuku‡omoide.comÉenglishÉindeÝ.html®.

Try craft sake at Gem at Moto (ask for their recommendation) accompanied by delicious small eats such as spring rolls and ham cutlets with blue cheese (gembymoto.gorp.jp). Many department store food halls (depachika) are a wonderful sight but Takashimaya (takashimaya-global.com/ en/) is amazing - feast your eyes on beautifully crafted desserts, sweets and cakes as well as bento boÝes.

Sembikiya-Sohonten (sembikiya.co.jp/lang/en) sells the most perfectly formed fruit you will ever see. Prices are eÝtraordinary but the sho« is mesmerising.

or market charm, head to Tsukii Outer Market. The old fish market has moved but the the narrow streets are still packed with restaurants as well as shops selling everything from traditional knives to bonito tuna® yakes. WHERE TO STAY

or an eÝtra‡s«ecial, five‡star eÝ«erience, check into the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. Ƃ lift whisks you u« to check‡in on the Ιth yoor of the esar *elli‡designed tower and from that point, the views are breath-taking - gaze across Tokyo from your enormous room, the many restaurants and bars and even the spa, where you can enjoy the pool with a view. Dine like a gourmand without leaving the building - the 12 restaurants include a pizza counter that has a Bib Gourmand rating, along with Sense, a renowned antonese restaurant. or a very a«anese eÝ«erience, stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese guesthouse furnished with tatami mats, futon beds and low tables on which you eat your ty«ical a«anese meal. Have a relaÝing bath in a hot s«ring and then sli« into a 9ukata, a cotton kimono.

Find a ryokan through the Japan National Tourism Organiâation www.a«an.travelÉenÉukÉ® or the a«an Ryokan and Hotel Association (www.ryokan.or.jp/english/)

HW

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